How to Feel Like a Rock Star!

It's pretty simple really. All you have to do is go on a 1st grade field trip. At that age, the parents are on par with rock stars! The kids ars SO excited you're there, they actually WANT to hold your hand and sit by you on the bus! Speaking of the bus...the noise level on the bus was very similar to that of a rock concert!

We went up the canyon with 60 first graders and about a dozen adults. Can you imagine being a 6-yr-old and being surrounded by dirt, rocks, and bugs? Talk about paradise!! We were able to keep the rock throwing to a minimum, didn't lose any of the kids (at least none that we noticed), and didn't locate any poison ivy. It was all in all a success adventure. I know if one mom that won't be too thrilled that her daughter wore white pants yesterday and came home with mottled brown ones. Bummer.

I definitely had other things I could have done yesterday, but I will always be glad that I took the time to go on an adventure with my kiddo. It was SO worth my time and made for great memories!

Ahhh...FALL

I love living in an area where we experience all 4 seasons. Fall has to be my absolute favorite season of the year. I adore long-sleeves, hoodies...snugglie attire in general just makes me happy. I love to watch the colors emerge in the mountains (and the photography is, of course, outstanding!).  I'm inspired to bake more, snuggle in a blanket with a good book, and savor the moments before the snow starts to fall.

I am currently reading Pamela Aiden's trilogy, "Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentlemen". I genuinely adore her books and she is so true to the style of Jane Austin. It makes a re-read of "Pride & Prejudice" even more enjoyable. I highly recommend them.

While I truly enjoy literature from the Austin -Bronte era, I do have to admit I'm glad I didn't live during that period.

1. They changed their clothes way too often (dressing for dinner...I don't think so)
2. The daily routine of having to be to tea at certain times, an the etiquette of what followed a meal would certainly have cramped my style... No, I would have probably been the shame of society because I simply wouldn't adhere to it!
3. I'm really not excited about the idea of someone attending me, including bathing, dressing, etc. (Yes, I assume I would have been a "society" girl)
4. I'm sure I would have had an eating disorder because I doubt women back then were allowed to eat more than a nibble (corsets and all!)
5. Not a chance I would be addressing my husband as Mr. ________

Yes, there is a reason I was born in modern times. Less whining, less laundry, less hunger, and INDOOR PLUMBING!!!

Colorado & Cowboys

I'm on my way back to Colorado for another wedding. This one has a cowboy theme and it's going to be a BLAST to shoot! It will be different from my other weddings and I can't wait!! I even get to take my favorite 2nd photographer with me which will make it even better. Can you tell I'm excited about this???

I'm going early to be there for the rehearsal dinner (not just for the food...I'm going to take pictures too!) Yep, that's going to be an fabulous BBQ affair...and I can already smell the aroma.

I am so lucky to be able to do something that I love, something that inspires me, challenges me, and allows me to find beauty in unsuspecting places. I'm living my dream and I am thankful for that everyday.

Granola Bar Greed

I have a confession. I had plans to be a really good mom yesterday and make homemade granola bars for Makenzie's preschool class (and to avoid having to go to the store).

So I make these tasty sounding bars and then I taste test one (because that is just my duty and just because it's food) and the little darlings are delicious!!

Thus begins the dilema...do I send them all to preschool or do I keep them? I'm ashamed to admit how long I deliberated on this point and I'm even MORE ashamed to admit that I ended up keeping the bars and sending cheese balls instead. Preschoolers love cheese balls...right? Granola bar anyone?

Married, Unconscious, and Broken

So I have been gearing up all summer to shoot my first wedding. It wasn't just ANY wedding mind you...it was my niece Haley's wedding. I hold myself to a pretty high standard anyway, but shooting a family member's wedding means more pressure. You don't get a "do over" with a wedding so I had to be ready to ROCK IT.  So the summer has been spent getting ready for her "big day".

So her wedding day rolls around and I'm giving myself a pep talk the day before. I felt like I was back in high school psyching myself up for a track meet or something. The biggest difference was that my sprint lasted for 10 hours instead of 28 seconds. Now, lucky for me, I saw the equine sign of good fortune so I knew it had to be an awesome day (you'll have to email me to get an explanation).

Haley was married in the Logan, LDS Temple and I was able to attend the ceremony. I was worried that I would have a hard time staying focused on the ceremony and be thinking of everything that I needed to do outside with the pictures! But when she walked in, the after-wedding matters would have to wait. She was beautiful and what was about to take place took center stage.

I'm very close to my niece, so it was like my own daughter was getting married. So, I'll be honest...I didn't plan on crying at her wedding. I was in business mode! When she walked into the room, I TOTALLY started crying. Couldn't have helped myself if I wanted, to...but did I bring a tissue? NO!

Anyway, it was a beautiful ceremony and then the "fun" began. I got the COOLEST picture of them as we were waiting for them to come outside of the temple. Now the fun started...or a series of unfortunate events (depending on how you look at it).

We head over to the west side of the temple to get our group shots. I want to hurry ahead of the bride and groom to get pics of them leading the group of people. I jog about 10 steps and then hear the horrifying sound of my $1500 wide-angle lens bouncing across the side walk!!! I couldn't stop to mourn right then so I scoop the thing up and proceed round to the area for our group shots. (Yes, I ended up with a broken lens)

I set up for the group shot. I take 1 picture, 2 pictures, and on the 3rd group shot my mother goes limp! She completely faints in the group which worked out really well because she had bodies to break her fall (it's actually an interesting progression in these 3 pictures). Her color was NOT good at all - she actually looked dead! I asked my sister to check her pulse, and she was alive but COMPLETELY unconscious! They moved her over to the grass and I booked it around to the temple entrance to see if they had any medical staff or oxygen. (I wonder if all weddings will be this exciting). Okay, I'll be totally honest...I did actually wonder "should I snap a picture of Nana on the ground unconscious?" I need help, I know!!

That little glitch set us back a little time wise, but we got all of the family pictures we needed and had some time with the newly married couple. They were married on Haley's parents 27th wedding anniversary, which I thought was brilliant. Now the 2 husbands can help remind each other of when their anniversary is!

We enjoyed excellent weather, beautiful people, and no further catastrophies. By the end, my feet were sore, my brain was fried, but I wouldn't have done it any differently if I could do it over again (except for saving the lens)