for Christmas?  We are!  Well, I guess I do have a few more presents to wrap.   But, otherwise we are all set.  This has been such a fun Christmasy year.  Snow angels.  Snowball fights.  Oh yes.  That reminds me.  I guess I do have one thing left on my “to-buy” list.  Tressa has a snowball maker.  It is so fun!  Picture tongs.  But instead of grabbing salad, it forms a snowball at the end.  Well, this may be as common as sleds to you native Utah-ans, but it was totally new to me.  That is definitely on the list for this year.  I think a storm is coming tomorrow?  So, there should be a bit more snow to play in this weekend.  We are so excited we can hardly stand it!

Here are a few pictures of a handsome little guy from a family sessions a few weeks ago:

With Christmas just a few weeks away and your LONG to-do list still awaiting…

Consider ordering your Christmas cards, customized with professional images from your session and have them delivered directly to your doorstep!  There are so many amazing template options this year.  So, let me know which is your favorite and I will get to work designing your personalized cards!

Classic Christmas Collection:

Festive Spirit Collection:

Holiday Gem Collection:

Merry Wishes Collection:

I had an outdoor session scheduled for today but considering the dreary, overcast skies and the mounds of snow whirling around, we decided to reschedule.  Not sure yet if we will try to wait until the weather clears or if we will opt for an indoor session.  That’s right!  My new studio lighting will arrive this week and I am so excited for the flexibility it will offer me.  Wahoo!

So, since I was unexpectedly home this afternoon, Bj decided to take the girls out sledding.  For the first time.  Ever!  Well, the older girls.  The Foof is still out of commission with an ear infection.  She was so sad to miss out on the fun, but even more sad that Daddy was leaving her.  As he was pulling out of the driveway, she was crying to me saying, “I don’t want Daddy to go.  He is so nice to me!”  Admittedly, he is the best caretaker when people are sick in this house.

Anyways, a few pictures for today….  This little sweetie had the brightest, happiest smile.  I spent half the session just laughing with her.  I loved her energy and enthusiasm!

Now, off for movie night in the basement with BJ.  Goodnight!

2.  Add a link from your blog to mine telling all your friends about the contest and leave another comment on this blog post (ex. your name, your blog address).  Check to make sure your link works 

Order by visiting the FEATURED section of my WEBSITE.

You will need to enter the discount manually at check-out.  My website is not smart enough to figure it out. 

Okay, happy shopping and remember that temple pictures make fabulous Christmas gifts!

The last time I remember going to a true “Halloween” party was in the 6th grade.  My best friend Jamie was having a boy/girl, birthday/Halloween party that I was dying to go to.  I HAD to be there.  But, my sensible mother did not allow me to go to boy/girl parties.  I complained.  I cried.  No luck.  Then, my Mom came up with a brilliant plan.  She would go with me!  Except that as a 6th grader, that was not okay.  Well, my Mom called Jamie’s Mom and made the arrangements.  Apparently, she was going to go “help out with the party.”  Since I HAD to be there, I decided I would just have to deal with the humiliation and go with my Mom.  Well, in case I have never said this before:  Thank you Mom!  She was the best.  Not the least bit embarrassing.  She did not act the part of the overbearing chaperone.  She sacrificed her night to allow me to go to the party that was the MOST important thing in the WORLD.  {insert sarcasm}

Well, tonight…BJ and I attended Sir Nicholas’ Deathday Party.  When we got the invitation I was pretty excited to see the instructions: “Come in your finest Harry Potter attire.”  (said in my best British accent).  Normally, I would have been out of luck.  But…remember my fabulous sister Tressa?  Seamstress extraordinaire?  Well, it just so happens that she had previously sewn custom costumes for Professor Snape and Professor McGonogal!  She hooked me up.  Thanks to Lori and Tim the invitation.  We had so much fun!  Although I think it is time I re-read the Harry Potter series.  We played a trivia game.  I did not know ONE answer!!!  And I love those books.  Have even seen the movies.  I am beginning to feel like I have a bad memory.  Maybe I just don’t store non-essential trivia.  Anyways, apologies to my team.  I was absolutely no help!

Now that we have dressed up and gone out, the girls can hardly contain their excitement for their Halloween events next week….

You may have noticed that I have been short on words lately.  Odd.  I am never short on words.  I always have plenty of things to say.  In truth, there was no shortage of things to type.  There were, however, a shortage of keys left on my keyboard with which to type.  That’s right.  The other day, I thought the Bub was downstairs watching a movie with the Foof.  When the movie ended and the Foof emerged, I asked her how her movie was, then inquired as to whether the Bub was downstairs or not.  To which she replied that he had not been watching the movie with her.  Where did I find him?  Upstairs.  Gleefully pulling off each letter from my laptop keyboard.  Great.  I have now relocated my old keyboard from an ancient computer and attached it to my laptop.  That works.  What else has he been up to just this past week?  Well, he plugged up the master bathtub and filled it with a couple of inches of water.  Then, he proceeded to throw stuff in.  A garbage can full of garbage, some make-up, a hairbrush.  Thank goodness there were no plugged-in curling irons!  This adventure was not only annoying, but could have also been really dangerous!  And, yet another bit of mischief.  The other morning, I failed to put the sandwich making materials away immediately after making lunches for the girls.  I left the kitchen for a minute.  The Foof is suddenly calling out to me.  “Mom!  The Bub is making a HUGE mess!  HURRY!!!”  A big mess indeed:

He is just like his Daddy was at that age.  So, Char (my cute mother-in-law)…I now understand.  But, he is just so cute and happy and funny.  What a crazy baby.  Peanut butter everywhere!  Here’s hoping that next week will be a little less adventurous!

Last night, I re-read the recent conference talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, entitled “The Power of Covenants.” He spoke of a family whose home was destroyed in a massive earthquake in Peru. When a member of the Quorom of the Seventy met the local Branch President’s wife, she said, “I have prayed and I am at peace. We have all we need. We have each other, we have our children, we are sealed in the temple, we have this marvelous Church, and we have the Lord. We can build again with the Lord’s help.”
Though our circumstances were not as devastating and tragic as what this family experienced, I felt a similar peace. Elder Christofferson counsels, “In times of distress, let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact. Then you can ask in faith, nothing wavering, according to your need, and God will answer. He will sustain you as you work and watch. In His own time and way He will stretch forth His hand to you, saying, “Here am I.”
We have been sustained. With the Lord’s help, we are re-building our lives. I feel so thankful for His watch and care over our family. We have gained a greater trust and understanding of the love of the Lord.

Blessings of making and keeping sacred covenants:
1. Empowering blessings
2. Endowment of Faith
3. Bestowal of Divine Power

I am so thankful to be on the “covenant path” with my family!

On Sunday evening, I attended a fireside entitled, “The Temple: A Guide for Raising Your Children and Strengthening Your Family.” The presenters were Richard and Linda Eyre. I have heard them speak on BYU TV and always been impressed by their positive ideas for teaching young children. So, when I heard they were speaking at our stake fireside, I was super excited to attend.

Sister Eyre spoke about ways we can teach our children temple principles through family home evening activities. One example she gave was regarding teaching the principle of obedience. She suggested playing a game similar to Simon Says, but where the key word is please instead of Simon Says. The children MUST do what is asked of them when the parent says “please.” Then, discuss the importance of following Heavenly Father’s commandments and always being obedient. She also talked about how they had a “repenting bench” in their home while their children were young. I love the idea of calling it a repenting bench instead of a time-out chair/naughty spot/etc. It is just so positive. Then, when children are fighting, they get to go quietly sit on the repenting bench until they figure out what they did wrong. When each child is ready to confess, that child raises his/her hand and is able to apologize for what he/she did wrong and ask forgiveness.

Then, Brother Eyre suggested that the next time we attend the temple, to do so with the following two questions in our minds:
1. What does this teach me about families?
2. What is this a symbol of?
I am looking forward to following this counsel!
Another thing he said that I really loved was, “Adam and Eve chose parenthood over paradise.” They understood that their choice would result in the loss of a lot of ease and physical comforts. But, as we take on the role of “parent,” we become more like our Father in Heaven. This statement gives me renewed determination to cheerfully do things that are difficult, knowing that I too chose parenthood over paradise. Sometimes it is difficult to be a parent. Disciplining a difficult child, cleaning the kitchen six times a day… But, I know that this is what Heavenly Father wants me to do. And, as I prayerfully seek for guidance from the perfect parent, He will lead me, teach me and mold me into a more perfect parent. I am so thankful for the blessings of the temple and am excited to think of more creative ways to teach temple principles to my children and to make my home more like a temple!

After church on Sunday, Jase looked so cute relaxing on the comfy chair in his shirt and tie, so I quickly grabbed my camera.

Brighton decided to come “help him” smile for the camera:

(okay, so I know the above picture is blurry…obviously not technically correct. But, it makes me laugh every time I look at it, so I had to include it!)

Since I wasn’t able to get a good GQ shot of Jase inside, I took him outside.

Well, Jase LOVES being outside!
So, I got him all situated. He sat for ONE picture…

And then, he was off…

And he bolts for the road. BJ scooped him up and headed inside…
(Take one look at Jase’s face: Do you think he is the least bit repentant for dashing toward the road?)

With a little spanking too…

Our little photo shoot was short lived, but you get it. He is pretty dang cute!