One word to describe me:   Spontaneous.  For months, I have been thinking about homeschooling.  Last Wednesday evening, BJ and I decided that we were going to give it a try.  The very next day, I went down to the district and withdrew them from school.  Then yesterday, I was talking to Sarah wishing so badly that I could be in Arizona.  Figuring out this homeschool thing together.   Well, why not?  The kids are not tied to school anymore.  We don’t have responsibilities at church for the moment (since we just moved).  Things are pretty calm at work for BJ right now and following the Christmas rush, January/February is the slow time for photography.  So, what the heck?  Here we come!  The kids and I will be leaving in the morning.  BJ will fly out to join us next week.  We have not been “home” for a visit since we left Arizona a year and a half ago.  And…I can’t wait!

While in Arizona, I will be offering MINI-SESSIONS!  Here is how it works:  Less time than a traditional shoot.  10-15 images.  And…less money!  Of course, I will also have a few spots for classic sessions as well.  But, if you are looking for a chance to get a handful of amazing images of your family/children at a lower price, this is your chance!

This is the BEST promotion I have EVER offered!  I look forward to photographing your family in the beautiful Arizona weather! 

Okay…I’m off to pack!

BJ and I started setting up the studio on Saturday.  On my to-do list for today is to start sewing my backdrops.  That is going to be a big project, but the backdrops will be so much nicer once I am able to hang them from a rod and have a rod for a weight at the bottom.  It will save me from ironing.  This is a big deal to me because I pretty much avoid ironing at all costs.  In fact, if it weren’t for BJ, I probably wouldn’t even need to own an ironing board.  That is how often I iron.  If it needs to be ironed, I don’t need to wear it.  But, the creases in the backdrops are bugging me.  I even ironed them.  But, since I currently have to store them folded, they get creases again.  So, I am excited to sew them, iron them once and for all, then get them hung.

I thought is was time to update my picture on my “about the artist” section of my website.  The picture currently on the website is a serious picture.  And, since I am usually smiling in real-life, I thought I ought to get a new picture.  So, using the good old tripod/self-timer (or the Foof’s little finger on the shutter-until she had to run off for a snack or potty break, etc.), I set out on a mission to get a new picture.  Well, being self-critical (as most of us are in pictures), I am not sure that I love it.  But, I am smiling.  And I do think the backdrop is pretty awesome.  I actually had to crop out the Bub’s head and his little hand, which was holding mine.  Life as a mother/photographer….   

Oh…and if you were wondering where I have been the past week or so….  Well, we moved.  Again.  We were lucky enough to find a beautiful home just around the corner from our last house.  The liveable space is about the same as our last house, but in this house I have an entire unfinished basement to use for storage and…my new studio!  Wahoo!  I REALLY want to be down in the basement getting everything set up just how I want it.  But, I figured that I really should finish unpacking boxes first.  I have yet to find the girls’ panty/sock drawer box.  Yikes!  Rest assured that there were some dirty ones on the laundry baskets, so I have been able to keep them stocked simply by doing many loads of laundry in the meantime.  But, if I don’t discover that box soon, I think I will be making a trip to Target.  So far I have all the kids rooms set up, organized and clean as well as the front room.  But, the kitchen, loft and master are still scary.  So, enough chit-chat.  I’ll be off to unpack….

Tonight, we had our family home evening and made our resolutions for the new year.  Mae Mae made a goal to read 100 books by June and started working toward her goal right away.  She read 6 books tonight and is ready to go back to the library to pick out more.

I like to set goals at the beginning of each year.  I like the determination I feel to better myself.  Some people don’t like to make resolutions as it is hard to keep a goal for an entire year.  I don’t look at it that way.  Not all of my goals even require action every day of the year.  Some are just short term goals.  I guess it takes me back to the days when I was in young women’s.  When I made a goal to work toward and actually accomplished something.  It is so easy to let time slip away and realize that the time was wasted.  No improvement was made.  So, I am thankful for the tradition of New Year’s Resolution and for the motivation I feel to become a better person.

I know I said I was done with photo shoots for the year, but you can’t schedule babies.  This little guy was born 2 weeks early.  So, here I am editing on New Years Eve.  BJ is sitting next to me playing a video game on his computer.  I had grand visions of starting a new tradition with the kids, allowing them to stay up until midnight partying the night away with us.  But, then 9:00 came.  They were grumpy.  I was done.  Off to bed they went.  Now, here we sit.  On our computers.  Pretty boring.  I know.  I don’t think New Year’s Eve will ever be the same now that we moved away from Sarah/David and family.  They are the funnest (is that a word?) New Years party people I know.  I miss the games, the Martinelli’s, the party hats, the firecrackers…and especially their family.  Maybe someday we can live by each other again…please?

Anyways,  I am only halfway through editing his session, but had to share a few favorites so far.  I ADORE his chubby cheeks and squishy lips!  Earlier, the Bub was sitting on my lap while I was editing and every new picture that I opened, he would sit back and say, “Awww!”  Apparently, he thinks this little guy is just the cutest thing too!

Well, cheers to 2010.  Here’s hoping the New Year will bring success, happiness and peace!

Since one of the most common search engine keyword phrases that people use to find my website are “fun places to sled in South Jordan, Utah” (random!), I thought I would actually post the locations to the sledding hills that we love.  The extreme hill (seriously…my brother-in-law actually takes his kids over there with their snowboards sometimes) is located on 10200 S., just west of 4000 W.  on the South side of the road.  It is located at the farthest NE corner of Daybreak.  The kiddie hills are just west of the swimming pool in the Eastlake section of Daybreak.  I’m not sure of the address, but if you google the address for Eastlake Elementary, you will get there.  Just east of the school, across the street is the swimming pool and tucked in behind the pool/tennis courts is the soccer field (a.k.a. sledding hills).  Okay….so there you have it.  Our favorite sledding hills for you to enjoy

I got several new backdrops for my up-coming studio.  Can I just say how excited I am?!?  I never would have thought that I would be a studio type of girl.  I just love capturing children exploring the world around them.  Nature provides such a beautiful backdrop…why would I ever want to shoot indoors?  Then, I moved to Utah and nature is even more incredible!  I was in HEAVEN.  Then…winter.  I realized that if I wanted to be able to work all year long, then I would need an indoor space.  One thing led to another and here I am.  Preparing to open a basement studio.  And…crazy enough.  I LOVE it!  The girls were super excited, claiming which backdrop they wanted to model in front of first, coordinating outfits, etc.  We spent about an hour and a half yesterday afternoon playing and I have so many new “all-time favorite images” just from our little photo-shoot yesterday!  We had so much fun that the girls were begging me to take more pictures of them today.  But, then a friend called and invited them to go sledding…and off they went.  

I just finished reading “The Undaunted,” an incredible story of faith, perseverance, and determination.  These courageous pioneers were called upon to forge a trail through uncharted, harsh terrain to create a settlement in the Four Corners area.  In the book, there is a talk given during the meeting where the mission calls were extended, where the presiding authority said, “This will be unlike any settlement we have thus far established.  You will be far from the nearest towns.  You will be going into a harsh and cruel climate.  Your neighbors will be thieves and robbers, violent and wicked men, sometimes hostile Indians.  There will be no sheriff to call on, no nearby military garrison to flee to.  There are not even established wagon roads as yet by which help can be sent to you….  Why do we ask such a difficult thing?  Because we have no choice.  There is only one real solution to our problem.  We need a settlement that will become the buffer between our established settlements and the growing problem with the Indians and the outlaws….”  Despite the grim prospects, these faithful pioneers accepted mission calls and left their comfortable homes behind.  In December, after a month on the trail, by the time when the pioneers had previously estimated they would be close to reaching their destination, the entire company was still stuck in the wilderness at a standstill, not even halfway to the Four Corners area.  Scouts had been sent forward across the river to determine the best route.  The scouts came back with discouraging news.  One was quoted as saying, “We found the country so badly broken up and cut through with impassable gorges, that we gave up all hope of making a road through there….  The country on that side of the river is nothing but hills and mountains made up almost entirely of solid rock, cut through by gulches that are altogether precipitous and impassable.  It is certainly the worst country I ever saw.”  But, others among the scouting party felt that while the assessment of the terrain was accurate, that it would be possible to make a way through.  Yet, they questioned, “Will we go on only to reach a point, in another months or two, when we truly can go no farther?  How then shall we answer the pain in the eyes of our wives and children?  How then shall we fill their bellies when there is no more food and we are even farther from help than we are now?”   But, they decided to put their trust in the Lord and make a decision based on what was right, as opposed to what was easy.  They decided to go ahead.  One of the leaders, Bishop Nielson, a Welshman who was a member of the Willie Handcart company and now a member of this expedition, said “Vee must go troo, even if vee cannot.”

Despite intense hardships and difficulties, the group did complete the trek and created a settlement.  Later, these same words were repeated at a wedding.  Speaking of himself, Bishop Nielson said, “I once hear a very vise ole man give…advice.  It vas given to a company of people travelink in de vilds of da desert, but it be goot advice for two people starting on da journey of life as well….  Remember dis.  ‘Even ven der is no way to go troo, you must go troo.’ ”

What an amazing heritage we have!  Though we are not called upon to pack only those belongings that can fit in a wagon and blast trails through perilous trails and desolate cliffs to settle an untamed wilderness, sometimes we are called upon to things that are difficult.  That are uncomfortable.  That are frustrating.  There are times when the path ahead seems impassable.  But, the Lord will provide a way for us as we go forward in faith even when, according to our understanding, there is no way through.  He knows all things.  We are His children and He loves us.  We must go through.  Even when there is no way.  He provides the way.

Warm wishes to you and your family this holiday season!

This is my attempt at a Christmas letter.  I thought I would give a little update on what we are up to:

In April of this year, BJ earned his Masters of Technology degree.  He got a job working as a quality analyst in Salt Lake City.  He really enjoys his job.  He has also developed a new hobby: building custom computers.  Life got so busy that he didn’t even get a chance to go camping at all this past summer.  You can be sure that he will make up for it this coming summer….

As for me: I have been loving living in civilization!  I think it is safe to say that I am definitely a city girl.  I recently started my photography business up again.  It has been a big effort to get re-established in a new area, but I feel optimistic about the new year and have a lot of plans, including possibly opening a basement studio.  So, stay tuned for that.  Other than photography, I have been keeping busy cleaning, doing laundry, helping with homework, practicing the piano, etc.

Missy is still the responsible older sister.  She loves art and is often creating something amazing.  I think she got that creative gene that somehow skipped right over me.   The other day we were at JoAnn’s and everything I selected, she patiently reminded me that I don’t know what to do with it.  I added some yarn to my cart.  She said, “But Mom…you don’t know how to knit.  Or crochet.”  Then, I selected some fabric.  Very concerned, she said, “But Mom.  You don’t sew.”  When I was picking out buttons, she asked me what I was planning to do with them.  She was very confused.  Rightly so.  Luckily, I have no plans to actually do anything myself with the items I bought.  The yarn will be knitted into hats/wraps for newborn photography…but not by me.  I found someone to make them for me.   The fabric requires no sewing skills at all.  I will simply be stretching it to wrap around newborns during photo sessions.  HaHa.  Anyways, Missy loves having her own room and is very protective of her space.  She makes friends very quickly and is always instigating a fun game or activity.

Mae Mae is a happy and loves to have fun.  She got some ice skates at a yard sale this summer.  She has gone ice skating once so far this winter and cannot wait to go back!  She has endless amounts of energy and really loves to play outside.  Both older girls learned how to ride bikes this summer and spent hours  of every summer day out riding up and down the sidewalks in front of our house.  Mae Mae is a great reader, reading several grade levels above where she is “supposed” to be reading.  She likes to color, create little spaces (forts out of blankets) and is a great helper (when she is in the mood.)

The Foof is our family peacemaker.  She has also been attending speech lessons through the school district and has improved so much.  I still love the few words/sounds she mispronounces just because they are so her, but I am glad that she is doing so well and learning so much.  She looks forward to her weekly half-hour speech lessons all week.  Our Foof is calm and helpful.  She plays well by herself, but loves when she is lucky enough to have a friend over.  I love this little angel girl!

The Bub:  He is funny!  His favorite thing to do is make people laugh.  Dinnertime often turns into a laugh-fest.  He is laid back and happy.  He is great at sharing.  But he is especially good at being mischevious.  He really likes getting into things.  He is loving.  Whenever one of his sisters is sad, he hurries over to give hugs and love.  Though he still only says a handful of words, he understands everything we say and is really aware of what is going on around him.  He is still a big Mommy’s boy and I love it!  (most of the time).

So, that is our crazy family.

We love the Christmas season for what it symbolizes.  We are so thankful that Jesus Christ was born.  We love Him!

We hope you each have a very Merry Christmas!

*Thanks to my amazing sister Holly for the beautiful family portraits* (www.hollybrimhallphotography.com)