Hi folks!

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m giving Formspring a go. If you’ve got any questions for me, personal, business, photography, life, spirituality, whatever, I’d love to answer. Just don’t be creepy. . . or mean spirited. Deal? Deal.

www.formspringme.com/natnorton

Love you times a hundred!

N

PS. Yes, it’s obviously a rainy day in paradise.

Find me on Instagram: Natalie Norton

Sorry I went rogue last week and forgot to blog. Truth was, I didn’t have reliable internet access– for an entire week. (My definition of Heaven on Earth).

It was so nice to just BE.

I feel like being, in the sense of being totally present in life, is something we have to really fight for in today’s day and age.  I’m here to tell you, the fight is ALWAYS worth it, 1,000%.

Truth is, I really needed this.

I really needed time away from this new life I’m trying to navigate. The world is vastly different here from home. Faster, louder, all together crazier. I’m happy here in Arizona, don’t get me wrong. I am, after all, “a bloom where you’re planted” kind of gal, but it’s an adjustment (to say the very least).

I’m so thankful for the time we spent near the ocean, soaking in the soft, humid air, breathing in friendship and laughter and so much love it made you crazy.

Yes, I needed a break. I needed the ocean. I needed my family. I needed my friends. . . I needed some time to just be.

N

Here I come!

Want to book a session or a one on one photography/business consultation while I’m in town?! Email me at natalienorton{at}gmail{dot}com to reserve your space! Just in time for holiday cards! Woot woot!

I have availability Saturday, October 15th and Monday, October 17th!

I’m DYING to see the ocean. Even if it’s colder, dirtier, and basically just miserable compared to the one I’m used to. ;) All joking aside, I’m in love with California beaches. They feel nostalgic and magical and make me feel at home. Cannot wait! PLUS we’ll get to see favorite family and friends and spend quality time with people we adore. I.am.so.excited.I.might.EXPLODE!

xo!

N

PS. I was sloppy and negligent and pinched a nerve at CrossFit today. I ended up nearly immobile! Thank Heaven for new BFF Jenni, her wonderful husband Sterling . . . aaaaaaaaaand the strange Mormon chiropractor . . . with an office in a strip center adjacent to Safeway. We listened to Jack Johnson while he bashed on vaccinations (and the entire state of Hawaii), put me through the most miserable pain of my life. . . aaaaaaaaaand completely cured my excruciating pain + restored me to nearly 100%! What.a.day!

I know. Seriously, right?! Who posts these kinds of images of themselves?

This is me, last year, running the Gunstock Half Marathon. It’s amazing to think that my journey toward running began almost exactly one year ago as I trained for this very race. “Life changing” seems trite. Running has revolutionized my entire existence. And no, that’s no exaggeration. It’s something I NEVER thought I could EVER do. NO CHANCE in H-E-double-hockey-sticks.  And yet. . . I did it. I did. And I haven’t stopped since.

It was really hard, but running taught me that I can in fact do things that are really hard, and they pay off. Ten fold (times a million).

Now, it’s difficult to imagine the pre running me. How did I combat stress? How did I manage anxiety? Nobody knows. The best answer would probably be, “not very well.”

I’ve been meaning to write a post on HOW exactly I went from couch to Gunstock, because it’s probably one of the very most frequently asked questions I get from readers. I was not a runner. At all. And now, I am, completely. And it’s nothing short of a miracle.  If y’all are still interested in hearing my system, because you can count on the fact that survival dictated I develop one, let me know. I’d LOVE to write that up for you! I’m passionate about helping others see that they can truly RUN, because heck, if I can do it, ANYONE CAN. Any.one.on.Earth. For real.

The Gunstock Half Marathon and 5k is just around the corner (Oct. 15)! Register online, here. NOTHING you’ve experienced can prepare you for how good you’ll feel when you cross that finish line. (Even if you finish third from last, like me.) xx, N

We’re off to California tomorrow morning to meet with Joan Klein (and to see our favorite cousins . . . other than Cole x2 and Ireland, of course). Joan has been consulting us as we navigate this journey with Cardon, and I can’t explain what a gift she has been thus far. We can’t wait to meet her in person in just a couple of days!

General update:

we’re adjusting little by little to this new life. . . both to life here in AZ and to the new reality that is our life navigating Sensory Processing Disorder. We all feel a little like Alice, free falling further and further down the rabbit hole. Ultimately however, we KNOW we’ve made the right decision for our family. So on we’ll fall, trusting that someone is standing at the bottom, ready to soften our landing. . . or at the very least, throw us a crazy cool tea party.

xx! N

PS- To my BEAUTIFUL clients who are waiting on images,

THANK YOU so much for your patience while we’ve made this transition. I haven’t heard a peep from any of you. You are so amazing. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again and again, I HAVE THE BEST CLIENTS, EVER! I’m working as fast as I can, between unpacking, shopping for furniture, Neuropsych evaluations, and childhood meltdowns over having zero friends. . . Your beautiful images are on their way soon. Scouts honor!