Still kickin...

I feel like I have ignored my blog a bit. I have been crazy busy with lots of fun things, so I will have an update soon! Just got back into town from Boise today, so once I get things settled..ya'all will get an update.

(Ya I said ya'all. No I'm not from Texas. I just like sayin it!)

Logan Temple

I took this picture at a wedding on Friday and it turned out pretty awesome if I do say so myself!! It's vintage artsy..so not the typical temple picture, but I love it just the same! I just might frame it!

I hope to go there someday...

(on the inside..the inside INSIDE..haha)

I got through my first two weddings on Aug 5th and Aug 14th. I am so glad I was able to do them because it really broadened my horizons in the photography world and I am so excited to dive into more! I think thats the one thing I love about being a photographer. There are so many things you can photograph, explore, and learn.

Thank you so much to all of you who constantly show your support through your kind words on my blog, facebook, emails etc. I really love what I do and appreciate the faith you all have in me and my growth in this venture!

Thanks!!

A Little Note from my Photo Blog...

Real quick..one more post tonight...

First I revamped my prices a little bit so make sure to check them out. If you have already booked with me, the price I quoted you will still be honored!

Second and more exciting...My friend Laurel and I rented out a small studio space! We are both excited to be do get it up and running! Thanks to Laurel who is letting me use her studio lights until I get my own later on down the road! I am excited to work with her! She is a great photographer and has been an awesome mentor to me! We are going to have a blast!

More details and pictures of the space to come!
Love,
Me

18 Months Ago....

We had this beautiful angel join our family...and 18 Months later she has turned into this beautiful, crazy, sweet, hyper, dare-devilish, hungry diva!

All About Alexa @ 18 Months

Height

32 in - 75th percentile

Weight

23 lbs 8 oz - 45th percentile

Words She Says:

Mama

Dada

Bubba (for Chayse)

mu mu (for binkie)

go

car

ear

ma butt (my butt)

no

shoes

tootsie

pup pup

beebee (baby)

mo (more)

done

....and I can't think of anymore.

She loves

*clothes and picking them out in the morning

*shoes, especially wearing her brother's and dad's around the house

*her bows and necklaces

*to eat and more often than not, outeats her brother.

*chocolate like her mommy

*to have her toes painted and the occasional manicure

*us to play her mobile on her crib every time she goes to sleep

She dislikes

*her hair being done (but likes the end result)

*having anything but blankets in her crib when she sleeps. She will throw dolls out if they end up in there.

*sitting still, ever..anywhere

*being without her binkie but we have decided to take it away except for sleeping time

All in all we love this little girl and couldn't be more happy that she is in our lives! As crazy as she an be, and as big of an attitude as she can have..I wouldn't have Miss Lex any other way!

Love ya Lex!

Do Me a Favor...

My brother in law entered in a body building photo contest and I would love for you to help him out and vote for him! It would be a great thing for him if he won!

Click on the picture below and go vote for him!!!

His name is Travis Leavitt!

Tony's Grove Campout

We just got back from camping at the beautiful Tony's Grove. It really is the most beautiful camping place I have been! The wildflowers are insane and I want to do a set of bridals up there because is just looks heavenly up there! Another fabulous thing about it is that I didn't see one mosquito the entire time! Gotta love that! I didn't take my camera up. I know..it's unbelievable. I didn't want to have to worry about my camera getting dirty or ruined and whenever I do take my camera, the photographer in me thinks "everything is a picture moment" and I take way too many pictures and get overwhelmed. So I left the picture taking to the others!

Tony's Grove Lake

(taken by Justin)
Tony's Grove Lake

(taken by Justin)

Dawn at Tony's Grove

(taken by Justin)

Thursday night we got up there and hung around the campfire, roasted hot dogs and had s'mores. We went to set up our tent and realized we didnt have any of the poles or stakes for it! We hadn't touched the thing in two years except to move it so we were suprised they werent in there. Luckily Gary brought a couple of extra tents and figured we could squeeze into one. Well the guys went back up to put it together and they were gone for a little longer than we thought they should be. They came down and were being a little secretive but wouldn't tell us what was up. So we went up there to go to bed and my jaw dropped because our tent was set up. What the heck? We searched everywhere for those things. Where did they find then? Justin tried to tell me they held hands and prayed for the poles to show up and when they opened their eyes they suddenly had appeared in Justin's hands. Ya whatever! I guess the other "tent" that Gary had brought was actually our poles that ended up in a tent bag last time we went camping. However it happened, I am glad they ended up finding them! Haha!It was freezing that night and I hardly slept. I learned my lesson the next night and we wore put our hoods on from our sweatshirts and that helped keep us warm. Alexa doesn't sleep if she is in bed with someone, so we had to put her in her pack and play and I was worried the first night that she was going to freeze to death and I couldn't sleep. Well she didnt freeze and she slept quite soundly the second night especially.

Friday we morning we got up early and went fishing. Chayse's Cars fishing pole from walmart was a complete joke..(don't get one! It came in a little case and I thought it would extend out further, but nope...it was a sorry excuse for a fishing pole!) Poor little Chayse was so set on getting a fish and his pole was a stubby one and he couldn't cast it further than the end of his feet. He was so excited and kept saying " Mommy I am going to catch a big fish!!" Jordan and Justin were a big help on teaching me the basics on fishing. I hadn't ever been and I loved it. My fishing pole got tangled up somehow, so Justin let me use his and Taylor's. Taylor is my 5 year old niece and she can cast better than most adults I would say! We didnt catch anything but the experience was fun!

After fishing and breakfast Justin and Jenny's family, Gary, Brandon and Chayse went on a hike. I stayed back with Alexa, LaDonna, Travis and Jamie. While they were hiking we sat on our butts the whole time and chatted about life. I am pretty impressed with the hikers! They were gone for 6 hrs I think and hiked about 10 miles. The kids (a 5 yr old and two 3 yr olds) made it most of the way and were carried a little bit. I cant believe it though! Jenny and Taylor were the ones pushing everyone to make it to the top! Good job guys!

They got back from hiking and we had dutch oven chicken and potatoes! So freakin good! We hung around, made smores, played horseshoes and talked. We headed to bed that night and like I said earlier, were much warmer and I slept pretty well considering that we were camping!

The next morning we got up, had breakfast and packed up camp and headed home. My kids were seriously covered head to toe in dirt and I couldn't wait to get them bathed! I love camping but definitely love getting home and cleaned up!

Til next year...

(Pictures taken by Justin and LaDonna. Thanks!)

I love my girly girl!

I love that Alexa is so girly and into everything girly! She loves her layers of necklaces, her pretty bows, and her love for shoes make me a proud mama! The last couple of times I have gone to my nail appt, she has wanted her nails done. The first time she sat through it and Shannon was able to get them all done. This last time though she was more worried about all the nail polish and holding it and looking at her other nails, that we gave up on her other hand! We still got some cute pictures from our cell phones anyway! Love her!

An Update on Ankley and her Family.

For those of you who don't know about Ankley, go here and you can get all caught up with the rest of us cool folk who know of her.

(This is all from the mouth of my little Chayse who brought us up to date with Ankley and her family at dinner tonight.)

"Dern had her baby last week. He is 30 years old and doing good. Now Dern is going to have another baby. She wants lots and lots and lots."

"Ankley's father is in surgery right now. He was drinking some ice water and the ice fell on him. So he has to get it removed."

"Ankley is also in surgery to make her legs work now. She looks like a total nerd but I love her like that."

~*~

Chayse: I came up with Ankley's name and I think I did a pretty good job. Mommy why did you name Alexa that?

Me: I really liked the name and wanted to name my little girl that. Don't you like her name?

Chayse: Well maybe you shouldn't have named her that. I think Fiona would have been better.

(The funny thing is, that at 2 yrs old Chayse was pretty adimant about naming the baby Fiona if it was a girl and Shrek if it was a boy. I guess he is still stickin to his guns!)

P.S. Alexa says her name now and its so cute. It sounds like Lexshu..but so cute!

Darling Diaper Bags

My sister's friend has a company that makes the cutest diaper bags! I have wanted to get one, but never had the extra money! I would totally love to get one here because they are for a fabulous price...but Brandon would most likely kill me! I have a lot of diaper bags! (Not to mention the large fabulous Coach purse my mom got me for my early bday present, that doubles as my current diaper bag! I was telling my sister in law, "You know you are a mom when you have cars in your Coach purse!" Haha!)

Go here to get a great discount on Coach Purses!

A Big Bump for my Little Boy!

We were at Brandon's parent's house last night, hangin out on the back patio. Chayse was going to show Travis some of his UFC fighting moves when he trippd over a stool and face planted it into the cement. I didn't see exactly how he fell, but I heard the thud and my heart dropped and my stomach turned. Instantly he had a HUGE goose egg on his head and his knees were banged up and swollen. We immediately got ice on it and didn't get to take these pictures til about 4 hours later, so it was bigger than shown here. It was so sad, but he was a brave boy!