So here are a few before I leave out of town of Kord and Brittany's wedding. Here is the first passionate embrace as man and wife. These two can kiss, let me tell you. Have you noticed how many kissing pictures I have of them. Ok, i will be fair, I do egg them on. I love it.This was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. Right in the middle of the reception, on their own, Brittany's daughter, youngest sister, and some other little girls knelt down in a circle and prayed for Brittany and Kord. I don't know if anyone but me even noticed them. They weren't trying to draw attention to themselves. They just quietly bowed their heads and gave the sweetest prayer that their marriage would be a happy one. I was the only one who heard the prayer. What a beautiful thing to witness.Just had to get some fun pictures outside of the cultural hall. It was almost sunset and I made them leave the reception and just go next to the church where there was just a big open just planted field. I know alot of brown dirt doesn't seem appropriate for a wedding, but I had a vision. They turned out just how I was thinking. I love them. Even cooler there was a red semi parked along the road. What a great prop!



Following this theme, I took pictures of her shoes and their rings. Love them.

I think this is so cool. You just have to click and enlarge for the full effect.

So, the question is Kord....who kisses better? How wonderful to become a dad to a sweet little girl and marry her beautiful mama on the same day.


Don't worry guys...While Brittany is no longer single and available, she still has a two younger sisters.

Doesn't this look so cool!

(click on image to enlarge)
....and Ali, i haven't forgotten you. Your images will be ready by Friday.

Father's day festivities.

I am so proud of this breakfast that I made, I can't stand it. Creme Brulee french toast, sausage and juice! It seriously was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. Breakfast food is very important to me. Going out to breakfast for my family growing up and for me today is one of my biggest treats. Nothing has topped yet the breakfast buffet at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun, Mexico. I am going back there someday just for that breakfast. It was incredible. Anyway, I digress. I got this recipe off of Mandee's blog (my sister's sister in law. That sounds more confusing than it is). She had a recipe contest and this one was submitted by Alifinale. I say that she wins! When I saw the recipe, I just knew that this would definitely make me the best wife ever, since Dave's favorite dessert is creme brulee. So are you dying for the recipe yet? Yes, I will share.
...Creme Brulee French Toast
1/2 cup butter,
1 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 loaf of Texas toast (thick sliced bread)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
in a small saucepan melt butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into large, greased jelly roll pan (cookie sheet) Spread to cover completely. Place 12 slices Texas toast bread in a single layer to cover pan. mix together eggs, cream, salt, and vanilla. Spoon mixture over each piece of bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. remove from the pan and serve. If not serving immediately, turn each slice over( this will prevent bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan.)
Creme Brulee syrup
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup buttermilk1 cup sugar
2 TBSP white corn syrup
boil together over medium heat for 7-10 Minutes stirring constantly
after you remove from the heat
add:1 tsp vanilla1/2 tsp baking soda

Don't you love Dave's poofy hair in this picture. ha ha. He has gotten it cut since than. The girls want to know how far up it will poof if he lets it grow long. I don't think we will try that experiment. Above is a picture of the two twins. Leah has so many of Dave's expressions and mannerisms. Lizzie found two pictures where Dave and Leah (at 3) have the same expression on their face. It was so funny, and that Lizzie found two separate pictures and noticed that. She is very observant and is constantly pointing out things that the rest of us don't notice. Yes, she is very smart, but of course still can't read. ha.
The best gift that I gave Dave was my desire to really live by a budget. His gifts that I bought were 50 cent puzzles from the goodwill store. You should have seen the joy in his face! That night the kids did a puzzle with Dave while I read from "The Book of Virtues" by William J. Bennett ( a steal at 2 dollars from the goodwill). I want to be like the families before they had tv. Gathered around in the evening reading and such. Shall I have the girls start doing needlework as I read? smile. It does sound heavenly to me. We just canceled cable. We're done. I can't take the grossness anymore.
Another item of note is on Sunday I was released as Relief Society President. I have known for about a month. It was time. It has been one of the sweetest and growing experiences of my life. I am so grateful, but also so ready to move on. I feel so strongly that I need to really devote more time to my family. In fact I spoke on that subject on Sunday in church. Time really is our most precious commodity. I am determined to not waste the precious time that I have on this earth. I used Alma chapter 34 from the Book of Mormon as the basis of my talk. We are here for a purpose and have work to do. We can't let the world convince us otherwise, and squander our time away. So for a refresher, i highly recommend you reading that chapter. As the world gets more wicked we need to be all the more vigilant. I am definitely "circling the wagons"

i am an editing maniac.

o.k. so I took way too many pictures at B &K's wedding. At least 1500 I think. Why did I do that to myself. I know that I can't just throw out good pictures. I need to play with all of them. Look how cute this one is. This is Brittany's youngest sister. Isn't she gorgeous?! I love the sisterly play going on here. So fun! I have been up late every night editing and I am probably only half way through. Can't wait to show the rest.
oh yes, I also need to report on my being kinder goal. I did so much better today. I realized that what I needed to work harder on and be more conscious of is when I discipline. To take them aside and do it kindly. I can't believe how much better this day was. I guess the girls are kinder when I am kinder. Who would have thunk it? ha.
I have to go to driving school tomorrow. Can't wait (yeah, that was serious sarcasm). I have to pay 200 dollars for my personal photo shoot from the police. The picture of me running that red light is pretty flattering. ha ha. off to bed.

Here's a little sunshine for you.

this little girl lights up my life. I snapped this as I was out watching the kids swim and she plopped down on me and hugged my knees. I love her sweet soul. I wish you could have heard her sweet prayer tonight. I always want to tape record my kid's prayers, but that just doesn't seem right. ha. For some time she has been praying that our sins would be healthy. I tried to explain to her how that doesn't make sense. She explained what she means tonight. It was very clear in her thinking that you want to take the things that you do wrong and make them good things. She was using her little hands as she explained it to me. It was so cute. She always prays every time that her Aunt Kelly will have a baby. She always tells Heavenly Father that she is so happy that she was sent to such a loving and caring family. I know, melts my heart every time. Makes me cry even now to think of it. Every thing she says is so sincere and isn't something that she has heard us say before. She speaks from the heart. I just can't believe how strong these spirits are that are coming to earth. Kids can be so naughty, but really I feel like when I am mad at them it is usually me just being irritable, and not taking the time for them. That is always my prayer as a mom that I can treat them all day with the feelings I have for them when I hear them pray. It is so easy to forget in the moment and talk harshly or in irritation. All i can do I guess is keep praying, keep trying. That reminds me... I called Dave today at work and right as he picked up I was saying to Rebecca in frustration, "just stop talking!" Dave thought that shouldn't be the first thing that I say to a person when I call them. AHHHH. Tomorrow I will be perfect in everything I say, I am sure of it. smile. Seriously, I think I will try. I will report back tomorrow. I have a feeling this will be very humbling.

8th grade promotion & why Jacob is bummed

Look at that sad pouty face. Very unusual to see that face on Jacob when we are out to eat at one of his favorite restaurants. (I can't believe that my kids even have favorite restaurants, so spoiled). Anyway, what( you may ask) does Jacob have to be sad about? I'll tell you what. He is the only eighth grade kid that didn't get a cell phone for promotion (if they didn't already have one of course). Isn't that crazy? I don't even know where to begin on the whole cell phone subject. It is just one more way in which kids can tune out what is going on around them and really living. Why give them one more thing that is a temptation, and that they have to use good judgement to control. I totally understand Jacob's feelings. It can be hard to be the only one at anything, but I hope he gets our reasoning deep down. I do think there are good reasons for some kids to have a cell phone at his age. Unfortunately, none apply to him. He doesn't like to talk on the phone, he is always with me, or I know exactly where he is. He doesn't drive or work. He lives with both of his parents. So there just aren't any reasons to justify the down side of having a phone. For example, it costs money. It can be a temptation to text at inappropriate (my family says inappropriate is my favorite word) times. For example during school and church. Bad things can be sent to his phone. My friend was telling me how a girl sent a picture of herself without clothing on to a couple of boys. As you can imagine, that was sent to everyone in the school really quick. I could go on and on. I just feel that our kids are already up against so much, why add to it. Yes, they need to be strong and be able to make good choices, and we do teach him what is right. But that doesn't mean that we give him easy access to pornography, alcohol, drugs etc. and say that he needs to be able to make good choices. We are human, and so many adults can't even have self restraint. Teenagers already have a life full of more and more responsibility that they are having to deal with. Growing up is hard. Learning who you are, and making decisions for their future, struggling with self confidence, and self esteem. I am so rambling. But I am from the school of thought that you teach your kids to do what is right and enforce it. They need all the help they can get. Kids need and want boundaries. It makes them feel safe. That is why it is harder as they get older. They need to take on more and more personal responsibility for making those boundaries and choices on their own, and that can be really tough. I wish sometimes that someone was making me go to bed on time every night so I will be well rested. Or making me eat healthy and exercise. It is hard to have discipline. If we can't do it, how can we expect our children to have the discipline to make all the right decisions. Crazy if you ask me. That is like putting a cookie jar in front of a two year old and telling him not to take any cookies, and than being surprised when they do. Or thinking they are naughty if they do. So that is why Jacob doesn't have a cell phone, or at least I am not providing one for him. If he wants to earn the money and pay for it that is fine with me. That means he feels he really needs it. But of course he doesn't want to do that. So he really is a teenager. But don't worry, his sadness only lasted until the pizza came out.

FANTABULOUS NEWS!

(click on pictures to enlarge)
Remember how I posted about DJ being baptized a year ago? Well guess what happened this weekend? He and Christine went to the temple and were married for time and all eternity. SWEET! What made the event all the sweeter was knowing that Christine is pregnant (which is a total miracle because she was told by her doctors that she could never have children) and this baby will now be sealed to them for forever. DJ and Christine weren't able to have their parents or siblings with them in the temple, which is hard. But take a look at the love that surrounded them that day. That is one of the cool things about the gospel. You definitely will always be surrounded by people who love and care about you and would do anything for you. Sounds like family to me!!! WE LOVE YOU DJ & CHRISTINE!!!!

Although the temple changes us in many ways........ some things never change. ha ha. WE all so Love the kid in you DJ.
Count on us to always be cheering you on!!!!

amelia lyon wannabe

Kelly, I tried editing these in the Amelia Lyon style. i love how they turned out. What do you think? Google her gals if you don't know who she is. I love her photography.
p.s. Lisa, the pictures are done and I will be mailing them on monday. I hope you love them as much as I do.

oh yah, and I wanted to show how I used my new chair I bought. Everyone loved it and wanted their picture taken in it. I was happy to oblige.

oh yah, and more are over on the photography blog.

sad news

I had a miscarriage. I felt sad, but not for long because I really do love the babies I already have and enjoy loving on them all day long. It sure was fun to be glowy happy for a while though. It felt really good, I must admit. What now? I don't know. We'll see.

morning regimen

I told the kids that this summer they are going to workout every morning with me. To get them in the habit of exercising regularly, keep me motivated, and have fun together. First morning, a Jane Fonda tape. My favorite from the 80's. I did it in high school, had my mom tape record it for me on my mission (i had it memorized, and led the other sisters), and it helped get my baby weight off time and time again. I love this tape. The kids die laughing at what they are wearing on the tape so when I called them to come and workout, this is how they arrived. Total 80's attire. Jacob tried to copy the guy he is pointing to on the TV. He cut off a t-shirt, tied a sock around his head, put on Dave's air force PT shorts (that they always make fun of him in for being to short), and Rebecca's leg warmers. I actually think Rebecca looks really cute. smile. What fun kids I have. We had a total blast singing with "Leslie Lillian" on the tape "There's so much more, to you than meets the eye." Too funny. "this bone the pubic bone is curled up towards your navel." Jane Fonda says that like 50 times on the tape. We also like when she says, "pretend you are a scorpion curling up it's tail" (when we are doing buttock tucks).
If you don't have this tape I am sure you can find it at DI for a quarter. I think I like it more for nostalgic purposes though. But I swear, it really does work.

Jane has promised to have Jacob whipped into shape by the end of summer. Watch out ladies at Valley Vista high school. ha ha.

Antigua

" You asked for it....you got it...toyotaaaaaaaaa."(Who can name what movie that comes from? it is one of my favorite comedy/love stories) Anyway, there have been some requests for cruise photos. They will probably be slow in coming because I have a lot of editing to do this week. In Antigua (pronounced antiga by the natives) we raced around the whole island on an incredibly fast boat powered by these three bad boys. It was awesome. We saw some pretty amazing sites like the one above. Dave wanted to move into that shack on the water. It was used as a guard station to protect the stingrays. Right there is where we swam with them and held them. Very cool.
Don't they look huge and scary! They really aren't. They are so soft and beautiful creatures actually.

This is where we stopped for lunch. Not bad huh? It was a pretty sweet day. So was today by the way. I had a really beautiful experience teaching in relief society today. Will elaborate more on that later. off to bed.

p.s. I am so frustrated by my computer. It is going so so slow. Does anyone know how to resolve that? I may be calling the geek squad tomorrow. I couldn't believe that my computer geek husband couldn't fix it. He said that my technology impairing powers are too much for even him to take on. Or something to that effect. It really is true. I have some sort of energy about me that messes up computers. I have amazed many by my powers. Look at that I have two super hero powers now. What should I call myself?