I'm Desperate!!

I'm seriously dying to do a photoshoot... Is there anyone within reasonable driving distance (sorry Shay) that is dying to have their photo shot? My cool field with the rocks is starting to bloom again and will be filled with these pretty little yellow flowers within a couple of weeks. Anybody tempted?

Fabulous News, Continued

I forgot a third piece of good news...

3. Captain Eo is back at Disneyland for a limited time!! It started on Tuesday. I must go ASAP.

Fabulous News!!

We got two super duper awesome pieces of news today.

1. Nick got the job he interviewed for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 He starts work for Brutico as soon as this quarter ends! I'm so excited. Its been a long time...

2. Nick got into a senior project!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means it is 99% certain that he wil graduate in December!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And these two things lead to another very happy thing: Job + Graduation = Starting a Family!!!!!!!!!!! So as soon as we know for sure that he is going to graduate we can seriously start thinking about starting a family. I am so, so, so excited. Just knowing that the possibility is actually there, and that there is an end to the madness in sight has made me feel so much lighter. Hopefully the plan works out this time...

Sierra

On Wednesday, my gorgeous sister Sierra turned 21! So this post is dedicated to her.

I love my sister so much. She is my best friend and such a source of inspiration for me. I suppose you could call her my muse. She is such a strong, beautiful, wonderful person and is so supportive of me and all that I set out to do. I believe in her just as she believes in me, especially because she doesn't always believe in herself. She struggles with a lot of things in her life, but she continues to puch forward despite all the trials that stand in her way. She is seriously amazing.

I love you sister!!

Peace

Today was a day of much needed spiritual rejuvination. I love going to the temple. I especially love how much easier your trials seem after coming out of the temple. They're the exact same trials that were there before going into the temple, but somehow things just seem less overwhelming, less stressfull, less impossible once you've spent a few hours in the house of the Lord. I came out at the perfect time to get this shot. I really like it. But maybe I'm prejudiced because I took it...

I want...

I want those Crayola 3D markers!! Do those look cool or what?!?! Am I seriously 24? Sometimes I wonder about myself... All I know is that having kids is going to be SOOOOO much fun. I'll finally have an excuse as to why I own boxes and boxes of crayons (the big fat ones and the metallic ones are my favorite) and coloring books, and why I know the words to the songs on Dora... Right now I just try to claim that I'm just trying to be prepared.

If anyone wants to buy those markers for me, I won't be offended :)

Love is in the Air

My beautiful, bubbly, amazing sister-in-law got engaged this week to a wonderful returned missionary. I am so excited for them and all the joy their future holds. She has come such a long way since I first met her, and I am so happy that she found her way back to the church and reconnected with her fabulous fiance, who recently returned from his mission to Hong Kong. Here are some fun pictures from their engagement party, which he planned as a surprise for her :)The happy couple. Aren't they precious?

Their future... lol

The Bling!

Tender Mercies

I have been struggling lately. REALLY struggling. Just feeling so overwhelmed with everything that's going in on in my life right now. I've just been feeling that there is no way I'll be able to accomplish everything that needs to get done. Then two nights ago I got a phone call from an old friend.

This friend and I have known each other basically since we were in diapers. Throughout the years we have remained friends, even when separated for years without talking. For whatever reason, the Lord has put us in each other's lives and has made sure that whenever we lose contact, we find each other again. She has a beautiful little family with a husband and two adorable kids, and they have been through some hard times together. Tuesday night she called me to tell me that she and her husband were going to be taking out their endowments next month, and then going back the next day to be sealed for time and eternity as a family. And then she asked me to be her escort when she went through the temple for the first time. Wow. What a humbling question.

She told me that her mother-in-law and sister-in-law had both offered to be her escort, but everytime she prayed about it, my name kept popping into her head.

I honestly don't know if she needs me, or if I need her, or if maybe its a little of both, but either way this was definitely one of the Lord's tender mercies. He hears and answers our prayers, even the unspoken ones for strength in trying times. Ever since that phone call with her, my heart has been lighter and things have seemed so much easier than they did just a few hours earlier. I'm so grateful to have a Savior who knows me even better than I know myself, and who knows just what I need to give my spirit a boost and make the road seem a little less bumpy.

I am so excited for my friend and her family, and I know they will be so blessed for this choice. I can't imagine what life would be like not knowing that I will be with the only valentine I've ever had for all eternity. I'm so grateful for the temple and all the blessings and feelings of peace that can be found within it's sacred walls. I know that if ever we feel lost, we can go to the temple and the Lord will help us find our way again. I know that my Redeemer lives and loves each of us.

Mesa Temple and Baby Feet

I found this photo of the Mesa Temple I took in December when I was going through all of my photo albums. I really like how it turned out. The light that day was beautiful for taking pictures. The Mesa Temple is particulary special to me because that's where I was sealed to my parents about a month after I was born.

I can't decide if I like it better in black and white or in color. What do you think?

Speaking of Arizona in December... Nick and I got a FABULOUS deal on flights and took a weekend trip to visit family in Arizona and to meet my cousin's precious little Kaden. While I was there they let me take their portraits. By all means, being around a screaming, crying, fussy newborn for a weekend should have curbed my appetite for one of my own, but did it? Nope. I just found myself wanting him to be crying because he wanted me and wishing I was the one who knew just what to do to comfort him. Someday...

Do you want to know why Sunday is my favorite day of the week?

This is why. I love, love, LOVE these kiddos. They teach me so much more than I could ever hope to teach them. Their sweet spirits are so strong.

Today

Today was a wonderful, drive around with the windows down, Jack Johnson blasting, cute outfit, laser beam eyes, great hair, feeling good kind of a day. I haven't had one of those it a long time and it was exactly what I needed.

I just wanted to say thanks for all of your wonderful comments about my art work! I have the best friends a girl could ask for. I love each and every one of you, no matter how long its been since we talked or how far apart we may be.

If anyone with kids wants one of those ABC books, just let me know and I'll customize one for you :)

Update

I updated my photography blog so you can go check it out if you're interested. I still have a couple more shoots to post, but I got tired of posting. LOL. I also added a link to it on my tool bar so you can always have it handy ;-)

I know pride is a sin...

But I am just so darn proud of these that I had to share. I just finished up an art class through my degree program and I worked REALLY hard on all of the projects for the class and I feel like I did a really good job.

My tree. I had a really tough time drawing it but I love the way it turned out.

This is my collage. I picked a complementary color scheme of orange and blue. I love my butterfly fish! This assignment was so much fun, and I've made a couple of other collages just because.

This is my sea scape. I love my shark and all the fish hiding from him trying not to get gobbled up!! Notice the little sea turtle down in the bottom left.



This last project is my pride and joy. The assignment was to make an art project with at least 15 hours worth of work involved that represents a struggle or a conflict that you've gone through/are going through in your life. I decided to use the sturggle trying to be patient in waiting to start a family and my photography to create an ABC book, and this is the result. I put my heart and soul into the pictures and I love, love, LOVE the way it turned out. Here are some of my favorite pages.

The Cover. I love polka dots!!

O is for Orange, P is for Puppy, S is for Shoes, and T is for Temple!

I loved finding things that really meant something to us. I want our children to love the Temple (and of course the San Diego Temple) as much as we do, so of course it was an obvious choice for T. I used also used Hockey for H and our wedding Rings for R.

D is for DADDY!! (Someday)

M is for MOMMY!!! (Someday)

I've been thinking about selling them custom designed ABC books... what do you think? If anyone is interested just email me.