???

 So, I don't really even know what to write on a blog anymore. Once upon a time blogging was one of the first things that came to mind when things happened... you know, I'd write it out in my head, think about how clever and funny I am... But now every once in a very long while I think, I should blog... I used to like that, I think. But then I sit here with nothing in my head, and I remember why I don't blog anymore.

I went on a hike with the youth last night to Moonshine Arch... it was beautiful. Life is good.

I Bet You Thought I Wasn't Blogging Anymore

I don't even know if anyone reads this old blog anymore... I'm pretty sure that most of the people I know either keep up with me on facebook, or my photography blog, or they call me, or come over to see me, or they really and truly don't care what's going on over here. ;) For the one or two who still read this blog... I thought I'd throw some randomness at you.

I finished the Personal Progress program for the 4th time and earned my new medallion today... I really and truly love the YW program. Aubrey earned hers a few months ago, and she was such an inspiration to me through the process. I loved going through the value experiences, and learning and growing. Believe me, even when you're an "old woman" you still have a lot of learning and growing to do. Did you know that ANY woman can do the Personal Progress program? Yep, you can. If you want to, and don't know how, or where to start, I'd love to help you. 

We're going to move... did that get your attention? ;) Well, there are a few things that have to happen first, like we have to sell our house... but we're really praying that things will work out. We need a little farm before all of our kids are grown and gone. We need a place for Cedar (our horse) to live, and a place for the boys to raise their chickens and bunnies. We love our old house, but it's time. We love it here in Vernal, Brandon has a good job, our kids are settled in... we need to make our little dream come true here. So... if anyone knows anyone in the market for a house, send them our way. We'll try to do it cheaper without a realtor for a bit. 

I convinced Brandon to sign up to do the "Tough Mudder" with me in October. It's 10 miles, 25 military-style obstacles... pretty much insanity. I think he hates me a little bit for getting him to sign up, but what can I say? What's done is done. ;) I'm really looking forward to Wasatch Back with my girls and Tough Mudder with 25 of my friends and family. Yep, that many insane people that I know... who would've thunk it? Thanks to my sister for coming up with the hare-brained idea in the first place. I'm expecting her to let me run right behind her through the electric shock part... fair, right? I mean, I had to put up with having a pesky little sister most of my life... she should be good for something...  ;)

Aubrey got asked to prom awhile ago and went dress shopping this past weekend. She found a gorgeous dress. It's truly stunning. I can't believe my little girl is wearing floor length teal ball gowns and looking so beautiful and grown up. I asked her if I could borrow it... I never ever had a dress that even came close to that one when I was a teenager. I have no idea where I'd wear it, but I just know I'd feel like a princess.

Tyler is on staff for a couple of scout camps this summer. It's been neat to see him take responsibility, and get excited about really early morning meetings. He's a good kid, and I'm grateful that he's mine. He's going to have a good summer. I'm really excited for these experiences that he gets to have.

Cooper and Captain came with us on a Sunday walk this afternoon. When we walked past the Middle School he reminded me that he would be going there next school year. Oh. my. gosh. Why does he have to remind me?? I can hardly believe that I will no longer have any children in elementary school, and in a little over a year, I won't have any kids in primary either. 

I am absolutely loving this time of my life. My kids are growing up to be really great people, and I like being around them. I wouldn't mind freezing here for a bit, but then I realize that every stage has had its great things, and I've truly enjoyed every one of them... and maybe I'll love the next stage in life just as much...or more, who knows? I talked to my Grandma Howell on the phone the other day about motherhood... we were interrupted by someone coming to bring her down for dinner, but the conversation we had was great. She is such an example to me of finding the good in every stage of life. You know, right now her sweetheart has to live in a nursing facility, and he isn't doing well at all... they can't be together, and it breaks my heart. Yet, she is still cheerful and loving, and every bit herself. I need to call her again and finish that conversation.... and start some new ones. I have so many amazing women in my life to learn from... I just need to absorb all of their good qualities and maybe someday I'll be that kind of woman. I've been working really hard the past little while (well, my whole life truly, but especially the past little while) to be a better person. It's really slow progress, and I have a lot of set-backs, but things are slowly starting to sink in and become more a part of who I am. I'm letting go of some of the things that were keeping me from being the person I know I can be... it's hard, and I still have more to let go, but luckily I still have a lot of life left to do it.

Zac Brown Band!!

 Guess who I got to see in concert? Yep... Zac Brown Band!! One of the most awesome concerts. Ever.

 I'm like the luckiest girl in the world, so it gets even better...

 I got to MEET Zac Brown. Like shake his hand, say, "How's it going"? and "I've always liked your beard. It's awesome."  I know... it's pretty amazing that I can come up with such witty stuff. You'd think I'd just be tongue-tied, and not know what to say, but I was totally cool. Charming the whole band with my conversation.

 And, if you think that's cool... it gets even better...

 I got to eat a dinner made by the Zac Brown Band (well, Zac's recipes mostly, and his personal chef). It was the most delicious dinner. Ever. I can't even describe how freaking delicious it was. So good. Soooo so good.

 But, you know what the best thing was? Spending time with Tari. She's the one who can work the magic of getting me into these kinds of things. I have to say, I'd be friends with Tari forever, even if she didn't have these awesome connections, but I'm not going to complain. ;)

 The whole experience was perfect (except maybe the 5 hour drive out there in a blizzard... Tari's a great driver. :) It flew by way too fast. It's all like a dream. :)

 Oh! And I bought Brandon a t-shirt (because he loves ZBB too, and kind of hated me a little bit that I got to go). I talked myself out of buying one for me, because I got to see the concert, and I figured that was as much as I deserved. ;)

 But then, on my birthday... Tari surprised me with the t-shirt I was loving. See what I mean? You can't find a better friend, even if you searched the whole world over. She snuck out to "go to the bathroom" (and wouldn't let me go with her), and missed one of her favorite songs, just so she could surprise me on my birthday.

 I love ZBB. I love Southern cooking. I love Tari. I love my life. :)

Christmas in the Cabin

 This year for Christmas we decided to do something a little bit different... we rented a cabin in Alta, Wyoming. Just look at that view out our window! It was gorgeous... the cabin was a sweet, cute little cabin, with a kitchen nicer than what I have at home (which isn't all that hard. ;)

We ate delicious food, relaxed, put together a puzzle, went for walks, watched cheesy Christmas movies, and listened to Cooper be a big grump.

 We had Dad and Mom Smith with us, and we loved spending time with them! It was so much fun to have them share Christmas morning with us. We got up bright and early, opened presents, got ready, and went to 9 am church. (We don't do many presents, so it doesn't take that long. ;)  Church was wonderful! I was surprised by how packed it was.

 The kids loved their presents (Aubrey got a netbook, ninja blender; Tyler got a gun, leatherman; Cooper got a kindle, harmonica; Brandon surprised me with an ipod nano.)

 The puzzle... that we all worked on for an entire day. It was harder than it looks. ;)

Hope your Christmas was merry and bright too. :)

A Post about Resolutions... and Underwear

I love Resolutions... fresh starts... deciding that TODAY is the day I start my change for the better.

Last year I made it simple... I wasn't going to sweat the small stuff, and I was going to make sure Brandon had clean underwear. Well... just this morning Brandon informed me that I obviously have more clothing than the rest of the family, because they're all out. BUT... I don't sweat the small stuff, and since I have underwear, it's nothing to worry about. ;)

Let's break it down with my questions that I wrote down to help me:

-Is it really worth getting upset over?

Nope. I have clean underwear.

-Is it worth upsetting others?

Nope. I don't want to add to the upset that is already happening.

-Is it that important?

Nope. I have clean underwear.

-Is it that bad?

Nope. I have clean underwear.

-Is the situation irreparable?

There is a washer. And a dryer. So, no.

-Is it really your problem?

Nope. I have clean underwear, and they know where the washer is.

So, there you go. I think I did a pretty good job of fulfilling last year's resolutions. ;)

This year:

I'm eliminating that "b" word from my life. (And it's not that "b" word that rhymes with "witch", because I'm pretty sure that "b" word will pop up from time to time... probably at least 12 times this year.) (My new logo courtesy of Middle-Aged Mormon Man... you have to go check out his blog!)

I'm doing a crazy healthy challenge that my friend Janice sets up every year. So, I'll be doing healthy things into March, and then we'll see. I may go back to my old self. This one's a 3 month resolution. ;)

I'm going to do a 366 photo project (leap year ;)... with my phone camera. I really stink at taking photos with the phone, so I'm hoping by the end of the year I'll have figured some things out.  Plus, since I already know that I stink at it, there won't be huge pressure to produce a good photo every day. I'll just have to produce a photo. Plus plus... there will be the added benefit of (hopefully) documenting my children's lives a little better. I'll be posting them on facebook, so you might want to save yourself the headache and just unfriend me now.

Last one: morning and night prayer EVERY day in 2012. Shouldn't be that hard, I know... but it is. 

That's it. :) What are your resolutions for 2012?

The Word I Refuse to Accept

I've thought a lot about this through the last year or so... and have decided that 2012 is going to be the year that this word vanishes from my life.

Busy.

I hate it. I always have. I cringe inside when I hear it come out of my mouth. I cringe inside when other people use it to describe me. I hate it. I hate it because it's an excuse... an excuse to shut others out, an excuse to leave out some of the important things in life, an excuse to avoid doing things we claim we want to do, and to avoid things that should be done.

When people say it about me, I never feel like it's a good thing. It feels like a criticism, even if they don't mean it that way.

We all have time to do the things that we want to do. If I say "I'm just too busy... I can't possibly do that" what it really sounds like I'm saying is that I'm doing a whole lot of things that I find much more important than you.

So, I'm changing some things in my life. The main things may seem to contradict each other, but I think you'll understand.

I am going to say no more often. There are a whole lot of things that I do that are way less important to me than, say, spending time with my kids, but I have a hard time saying no to them. I'm not going to allow so many things that are not needed into my life. I'm sure I'll still waste some time on junk, and I'll still find myself doing something for somebody or other that will make Brandon roll his eyes... but I'm going to do that less often. I'm going to spend less time on the people who don't really care about me.

I am going to say yes more often. (There's the contradiction. ;) I don't want to live in a way that people will even think to say to me that I am busy. I want to have time to go for a run with Tyler. I want to have time to go to the library for an afternoon with Cooper. I want to have time to sit on Aubrey's bed and talk for an hour. I want to have time to spend with the people who want to spend time with me, and talk to the people who want to talk to me. I want to have time to go to the temple with the girls. I want to have time to let Brandon lay on my lap while I run my fingers through his hair.

My life will still be full... very full. But it's going to be full with the things that bring me joy, and bring joy to others. I'm looking forward to a peaceful 2012. :)

Updated Photography Blog!

I've been working SO hard... hours and hours and hours... on my new photography blog. Go over and see, okay? :)

Christmas Cards!

Sorry about business on the personal blog... but my Photography Blog is under construction at the moment, and some people have been asking about these Christmas Cards. :)

I'm so excited about the Christmas Cards that I have to offer to my clients this year! I had them custom designed just for me by Charlotte at Gardunia Design! That means that my clients won't have cards the same as everyone else who goes to the local store and prints what everyone else is printing! :)

I have a few different options for ordering your very own Christmas Cards to send out to your favorite friends and family this year... and these options are available to any clients, past and present. All you have to do is let me know which photos are your favorites, I'll create your card with your photos and name, and you're set!

*Deluxe Pearl Finish 5x7 Cards with Envelopes:  25 cards/ $35*

(these are beautiful, highest quality cards printed front AND back that your loved ones will want to keep forever! You can have the back another full size photo, or send me a short personalized message to have printed on every card)

*Lustre 5x7 Cards with Envelopes: 25 cards/ $25*

(still beautiful quality, one sided)

*5x7 resolution file of your card on a disc to be sent via email, or to print as you desire: $25 per card file*

You can choose from four beautiful designs... all 25 cards will be of the same design. 

*brown*

 *joy*

 *red bar*

*snow*

Fitness Myths and Excuses... Read This if You're Ready

 I've been thinking a lot about fitness lately... not my own, necessarily, but other people's. I hear stuff all. the. time... and I figured it was time to speak up and share what I've learned over the years. First of all, I'm not an expert, and I don't know everything about everything... but I've been teaching classes at a gym for about 7? years now, I've trained for and run many races, including a marathon, and I've been a regular exerciser most of my life. So, if you're ready to hear the truth... if you're ready to get fit... if you're ready to really let go of the excuses, read this. If you're not, skip it.

So, in no particular order... truths derived from the crap I see on pinterest, the excuses I hear from people, and stuff that I've just plain-old learned.

 1. Losing weight and/or getting fit will not happen magically or easily. If you see or hear something that seems too good to be true, it is. Plain and simple. I recently saw an exercise routine that said you would burn the same amount of calories in 4 minutes of this exercise that you would in an hour of running. Bull. You won't. I also see things all the time... do this exercise for 2 minutes three times a week and you'll have a flat stomach. Uh huh... that exercise plus a whole bunch of other exercises, plus eating right. There's no magic fix. Quit longing for the easy way out and just decide to dig in and do it... if you really want results.

 2. Don't think that exercising alone will make you lose weight (another form of this is, thinking "I exercised today, therefore I can eat 5 donuts"). I've trained for a marathon (running hours in a day) and didn't lose any weight. (I wasn't trying to lose weight, but using this as an example that even hours of exercising won't cut it.) Yes, I ate more... because when you're doing that much, your body needs more fuel. You may lose a small amount on exercising, and some people may be able to exercise enough to end up with negative net calories for the day, but it won't work for most people. You HAVE to watch what you eat too. And I'm sorry to break it to you, but if you go run 3 miles, it doesn't mean you can eat 1200 extra calories in your day. A lot of people will say that they weigh more when they're exercising because they're building so much muscle. Look at what you're eating first... unless your training is massive body building, your muscle isn't going to weigh that much. (It can also be water retention, etc... but seriously, look at what you're eating first.)

 3. You do have time to exercise. I hear all the time "I wish I had time to exercise like you do". Guess what else I hear? "You're so busy! How do you fit it all in?" How can both be true? It's because exercising is one of the top things on my list. It's a priority. Yes, I have an easier schedule than a lot of people to exercise, (I can exercise during the day) but I'm not sitting around all day wondering what to do with my time. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. You'll get up early, you'll stay up late. You'll exercise during lunch. Want to hear some of the crazy things I've done? Waking up at 4 am to run, bringing dumbbells in my car and making up arm exercises I can do in the car on long drives, doing ab exercises while watching tv, dancing while I clean, doing exercise videos at home when my kids were little, pushing my kids in a stroller for walks, classes at 5:30 am, yoga at night... yeah, some of those aren't even that crazy. You just do what you can do to fit in what you can when you can. Maybe it might even be a long exercise session on Saturday and a few short 15 minute sessions during the week.

 4. Exercise isn't always fun. I hear this too "I wish I liked to exercise like you do." or "I wish it came easy to me like it does to you." The truth? I have days that plain old SUCK. I have runs that hurt and are miserable. I have days that I have to force myself to go to class, or to get on the bike, but I do it anyway. I've worked really really hard to get where I am. I didn't just decide to run one day and floated along with a smile on my face ever since. YES, there are days that are awesome!! Yes, there are days that I DO love it. But that has come more with time, and with habit. You're probably not going to love it at first. People who exercise regularly don't always like it... but they've learned to like the results, and the feeling after they're done. Don't think that YOU are the exception, and you don't have to exercise because you're the only one who doesn't like it.

 5. Exercise isn't just for your body. In fact, for me it's mostly for my emotional and mental well-being. If you watch for the other benefits, you'll stick with it longer. If you're only exercising to see a transformation in your body, you'll give up. That's a slooooow process, and at times discouraging. If you discover that high that you feel, or discover that feeling of accomplishment, or that sense that you can do ANYTHING... you'll keep it up far longer. And you will see results. Eventually. (And yes, that's me on my butt on the ground... I'm not very good at a lot of things, but I do them anyway. ;)

 6. You do not have to run/ bike/ do crossfit/ do zumba/ swim/ take classes/ spin/ insert whatever someone else is doing to be fit. Sometimes people really get into an exercise, and they love it, and they preach it... and you might feel that if you don't do what they're doing, you're not doing it right. I like to mix it up, some people just like one thing. Don't let anyone let you feel like you're not getting a good workout if you're not doing that one "exercise of the moment". Try them all if you want, but ultimately you have to do your thing. Not everyone is a runner. That. is. okay. Experiment... there are soooo many different ways to get fit... don't get stuck in a box.

 7. You don't have to do the same amount everyone else is doing, but you do have to do enough. Don't get caught up in the competition. If someone you know is exercising two times a day, and that's not for you... that doesn't mean you're not fit. Let the fitness freaks fly their flag, and just stay consistent. BUT... don't think that 4 minutes a day is going to cut it either. It takes time. It takes work. You decide what you want from your workouts, and don't expect more out of it if you're not willing to put more into it.

 8. You can exercise all winter. Even outside, if you want to. I've run in negative temps, and lived to tell about it. The pic above is a 5K in February that we do every year. That said, you don't have to exercise outside if you don't want to... but don't let that be your excuse not to exercise. Join a gym. Do exercise videos at home (there are even free workouts on the web). Swim. (Indoors, people!) Do a pushup challenge... whatever you want, but just do it. Winter is a time you really need that mental boost exercising will give you.

 9. Challenge yourself. Set goals, learn new things... keep yourself motivated. I didn't know how to swim until I was 35. But I learned. I just road biked for the first time in my life this fall. Yeah, I fell over a whole bunch of times trying to learn to clip in and out of the pedals, but I learned. My friend challenged me to run a 5K, and I did it. I decided to run a marathon, and I did it. Those goals and challenges have bumped my fitness up to the next level again and again. And even if my body doesn't always stay in peak condition (I couldn't run a marathon tomorrow), my mind is more accepting of new things, and new challenges, because I KNOW that I can.

 10. Surround yourself with like-minded people. I have a whole group of girls who I exercise with regularly. We push each other, we have fun together, we race together. I know that most days I can find an exercise partner if I'm in need of motivation. Find friends who will exercise with you for fun... find people that will help you get off the couch, not friends that will discourage you. (Not saying you can't be friends with the non-exercisers, just saying to find more of the exercisers to surround yourself with.) If you don't have many in real life, find some on dailymile, or join a gym. (I have so many "gym girl" friends!! I love them... and I wouldn't know near as many people if I didn't go there regularly!) My dad is another big support. We can always talk races, training, whatever... and I know when I go home to visit, I always have a running partner. He's an inspiration to me.

 11. Solo is okay too!! Don't skip exercising because you don't have someone to exercise with. I enjoy my solo runs as much as I do my group runs. I need them both to be completely happy. :) You have to find the motivation within yourself too... you can't always rely on your friends to get you there. You'll find the joy in just exercising with your own thoughts. I've solved many a problem on a solo long run. :)

12. So, I'm sure I missed a lot of things that I would want to tell you... so I might have to add more later. If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and I'll answer the best that I can! The last thing I have to leave with you is this: Everyone has to find that journey to fitness for themselves. You can't force someone to take it with you. Some people don't want to hear it, so you have to be careful... it's a hard balance for me, because I really want to help others with their fitness goals... and so many have told me that I inspired them on their fitness journey by sharing what I'm doing... but I've also had negative feedback. Ultimately, I know that I do it for me... for my own health and well-being. I hope if you want to, if you're ready... you can get there too. :)

Prayers Answered

A week ago I had a day that confirmed to me the love that my Heavenly Father has for me... and my sweet friend Charlotte wrote a blog post that reminded me that these are the things I should share...

Brandon had to go to Evanston early in the morning, and was gone by 4:00 a.m. When I got up (a wee bit later ;) I called to see how things were going. He had hit a deer, had to stop and fix his whole bumper and light so he could continue driving, and then proceeded to drive through a blizzard. I thought, wow... thank goodness he's okay! That could have been so much worse.

Then, not even an hour later, Aubrey calls me with a shaky voice. She had just been in a wreck (a friend driving) and had hit a telephone pole. Everyone in the car was okay, but they were shaken up for sure. I thought, wow... so glad she's okay. Whew!

Then, later that morning, I reformatted my memory card for my camera. A few hours later, I had a thought... that it was the card that had an entire family session on it that I hadn't uploaded yet. I prayed SO hard that somehow I had uploaded it, and it would be there, safe on my computer. It wasn't. I was panicky, sick... and I called the mom of the family, who was sweet and understanding... but obviously (and understandably) disappointed that we would have to re-shoot.

I found a program that can recover files, and worked the rest of the afternoon... miraculously recovering every single file I had shot.

I was so busy that day, and had so many things on my mind, that I hardly had a chance to think much about what was happening in my day. All of a sudden, it all hit me like a ton of bricks... I realized that Heavenly Father had been watching over me and my family the entire day. In the big things, and the little things. My files weren't magically uploaded, but they were able to be recovered (and I learned a very good lesson)... it was a little thing, but I know that he answered that frantic prayer.

But more importantly... in one day I could've lost my husband and my daughter. They were completely protected, and were okay. The feeling of overwhelming gratitude just overtook me, and I fell to my knees and sobbed a prayer of thanks. I had gone most of the day without letting myself think about what could have happened that morning, but the silly little blessing of recovered files had made me realize how very much I had been blessed that day.

He hears our prayers... our daily prayers for protection, our prayers of desperation when we've done something stupid... He hears every desire of our hearts, and He loves us enough to care... and even sometimes to say no. I am so grateful for that day a week ago... and I am committing now to be better at my prayers... to express gratitude more often... in the little things as well as the big things.

Photoshoot Exchange

I was too excited about this and had to share...

So, my friend Kristi, who is also a photographer, and I, decided to switch photoshoots and see what it's like on the other side of the camera. We had so much fun... I LOVED every minute, even though I was a little bit nervous about being a "model". And look... look what she got! I love these pics!!

And then... because I'm super lucky, I got to take pics of an incredibly gorgeous (inside and out) girl!! I can't wait to get to editing some more... but I have some other fun sessions I must edit first. ;)

I'm SO glad we did this... and so grateful for great (and beautiful) friends. :) Thank you, Kristi!!!

Lovin' This Fall

This post might be a little bit about photography... apologies in advance. ;)

I am loving my new camera. LOVING it. I felt a little bit sad that I was abandoning my first camera love... but I got over that pretty fast. ;)

I love love love when I get a chance to shoot family. Felicia wanted me to do some Halloween Minis of her three cute boys, and I was so glad that we could make it work, and that we found such a great trade. :) This pose above? I have to tell you the story. We shot a whole bunch of cute poses and when we were done, Allston said, "I've got one more pose for you"... and this was it. Cracked. Me. Up. Anyway... I really do love capturing those that I love with my camera. I wish I had the chance more often... but I do know that Vernal is a bit far to drive for pictures. ;)

This fall has been gorgeous. Beautiful. Every day is near perfection, and I feel like each day is a gift. I wish I could store a few of these days in a bottle to pull out in the middle of the dreary winter, but I'll just have to look back at my photos and remember. :)

Brandon and I went to the Matt Nathanson concert this last weekend. We might be a little bit old to stand in a club for an entire concert and get beer spilled on us... but the music was fantastic. We loved the opening band, Scars on 45, and haven't stopped listening to the cds we bought there.

Sigh... too many great things to write about them all... but it has been a really good fall season. :)

Overhearing Something Good

"overhearing someone say nice things about you"

I saw this on pinterest this morning... and it really got me thinking. Of course it's nice to overhear someone say nice things about you. How amazing is that? To know someone is saying nice things because they really think them, and not just to your face because they feel like they should. But then, I got thinking...

How many times have I said something nice about somebody that they've overheard? I hope it's happened a lot. What if I gave opportunity for it to happen more by saying more nice things? I like that idea. :) Especially with my kids... my kids should be overhearing the most nice things.

New goal for my 4th quarter comeback.  :)

Memories

When Tyler was born, Brandon found this cute little stuffed dog and brought it to his first baby boy while we were still in the hospital. We've all cherished it for almost 14 years... but it has been falling apart, and disintegrating as the years go by. (I had to work hard to get pics that you don't see the ear falling off and the huge holes... there might have been scotch tape involved. ;) I decided that photos can help us remember as well as the real thing, especially when there won't be much of the real thing left soon. :) Sweet little dog, huh?

Facebook... My Conclusions

This photo really doesn't have much to do with this post... except that I recently posted it on facebook and got so many great encouraging comments about it. That makes me happy... that makes my day brighter.

So, here's the thing. I spent a good share of my summer trying to decide if I share too much about myself online, and trying to figure out if the way I use the internet has hurt my relationships, or helped my relationships. And I think I've got it figured out... at least for myself. I'm definitely not saying that this is how everyone should use social media... I'm just saying this is how I use it.

Overall, my relationships have been strengthened because of blogging and facebook. There are the few people that it has not been a good thing with, but when I look at the big picture, I realize that I wouldn't want to give up the good things, because of a few miscommunications. Miscommunications happen in real life too. All the time.

What about privacy? Well, some things I don't share as much anymore... like my workouts. I've decided that will be more for me, and the few who really care. But ultimately, I'm just an open person. I share things, because I love and trust people. Do I get burned? Yep, sometimes I do. Do I have friends who are close to my heart because of it? Have I helped others who are going through similar things because of my openness at times? Yep, more often than not. I am still private about some things, and with some people, but I'm going to share what I want, and not worry about the few who won't like me because of it.

Some people are up in arms about the new facebook and the privacy issues there. Here's my take: facebook isn't meant to be private. Whoa. I know. It's a weird concept. If you have private things to share with others, or record for yourself, you do it in a private message, or in your own journal. Facebook can be an amazing way to share GOOD. I wanted lots of people to watch the RS General Broadcast... I shared the link and had so many people thank me for sharing it. If I "like" something, or comment on something, and someone discovers a good quote, or an inspiring story, or has a good laugh because of it, I think that's a good thing. And yes, like I said before, some are going to find fault with the things I like or say, but the majority won't.

Anyway, I've heard so much negative about facebook lately, that I wanted to put another perspective out there. I've made so many new friends, become closer to my friends, ward members, and neighbors, been inspired and enlightened, discovered things I never would've found on my own, and reconnected with cousins and friends that I probably wouldn't even know anything about it it weren't for facebook. What if, instead of being afraid of it, and jumping ship, and wanting everyone to hide everything we do... we used facebook to lift each other up? To encourage and to cheer? To share things that touch and inspire us? To connect and show love?

Thoughts While Waiting

So, I'm sitting here waiting for Brandon to be ready to go camping. I thought I'd be the one holding us up this time, but nope. I'm ready. Ready ages ago.

So, I got a bike. I'm trying to write that like it's just a little piece of news and I'm not even excited. The way my brain thinks about it is this: I got a bike!! I got a bike!!! I, Mindy, have a road bike!!!! I've gone on two 10+ mile bike rides and I've only fallen over a few times. ;) It's a little bit hard for me, apparently, to get the clipping in and out thing down. Being a photographer has many many perks. I love it. I got this bike in trade for photography for a bike shop. Pretty darn cool if you ask me. They're awesome there... if you want a bike, you should totally go to Salt Cycles in Sandy.

Well, maybe it's time to go. So long... I'm going camping!!

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

This last weekend was a good one for me. Yay! :) We got to visit a bit with Brandon's brother, Tanner, and Leisha and Maylee. It was so good to see them, and see how cute Maylee is and how much she has grown. She's very good at saying "cracker". It's impressive. :) I had a blast taking their family photos & Maylee's one year old photos. Is this not the perfect one year old capture? Just about walking on her own... but still hanging on to daddy. :)

We got to hang out a little bit with the Oyler family too, which was great, since we don't get together as often as we should. :) It was fun to go out on a triple date one night to Dinosaur Brew Haus, and eat breakfast together on Labor Day. We saw June take a few steps on her own (I swear that she was born yesterday) and the kids had fun running around with Molly and Annie.

One of the highlights of my month... maybe my year... was going to the temple for my friend, Tasha. She was sealed to her husband and four sweet, adorable, children. I was so grateful that she let me be a part of that...  it was such a neat experience, and so so needed in my life right now. I can't even express what a wonderful two days I had in the temple.

One of the things that hit me the most was when they had the chance to say yes, that they want to be married to each other for time and for all eternity. I thought how neat it was that they said yes years ago, and four kids and lots of life later they still say yes. :) It made me think of my relationship with Brandon ... how grateful I am for him. How if I had the chance to say yes to him again... after 16 years, 3 kids, 6 pregnancies, ups and downs, highs and lows, lots of loving and some fighting too... I wouldn't even hesitate. It would be a yes, and I would mean it even more than when I said yes the first time.

A couple of my amazingly amazing friends (did I mention that they are amazing??) are going to come have a painting party with me for my kitchen. I am so excited to have it done, but I still don't know what color to paint it. I think I did the wrong floor, but I don't know, because really, anything I think of goes with the floor I have, but it's just not quite right. I don't know what would have been right, though.

I am so anxious to get things nicer with my house lately that it feels like I'm nesting or something. But NO, I am not nesting, and not joking about it, especially in light of the facebook controversy that has been going on lately. (To bring awareness to breast cancer (ha. ha hahaha. tell me how this brings awareness in any way) people are posting "secret" status updates about how many weeks along they are and what they are craving... decided from their birth month and day. It's created uproar among the infertile community, which I get... Anyway, if I were to help spread breast cancer awareness, I'd write a facebook status that says, hey, check your breasts for lumps. Anyone can get breast cancer... women and men. Donate to help find the cure. Hug your grandma who is a breast cancer survivor. Be grateful for benign lumps. Be grateful for life.)

Wow, that was a tangent. Is it even okay to say that much inside parenthesis? ;)

Back to my house... I have too much stuff, and I started really looking at my decorations. Some of them are like 15 years old. I started pulling stuff down yesterday and putting what I don't want in a box. When I look in that box it looks like junk that I would turn my nose up at if I saw it at DI. I'd say, who would buy that?? Ugh. I don't know why I still have some of it. I guess it's memories... that's what Brandon says anyway. I asked him if he's tired of me, since he's had me around for so long. He said that he'll keep me... cause of the memories and stuff. ;)

Gosh, I'm chatty today. I'm supposed to be working on photography stuff, and I am... I'm just taking breaks to blab on here every once in awhile when things pop in my head. I think I'll put some music on and quit writing. I've probably said way too many embarrassing things already. ;)

Family Night with Cedar

Yesterday Brandon got all of the burrs cleared out of Cedar's pasture, so we brought her back to the pasture last night for a little riding and fun. (You should have seen her mane with all the burrs in it... I should've taken a picture. All I know, is if I looked in the mirror and saw that my mane was matted into one big burr-mess, I would cry. Poor Cedar. It took Brandon a very long time to pick each one out.)

Brandon rode first. We were worried that Cedar would probably only be good for Brandon, at least for awhile, but she's actually really gentle. She's good with commands, just a squeeze with either leg will turn her, and she is patient. She spooks a little sometimes, so we have to be careful, but I'm happy that she's turning out to be such a good horse so far. Brandon thinks she's a little smaller than what he would like for him eventually, and thinks she's just right for my size...maybe by the time I'm actually good at riding horses, she can be mine and he'll have a bigger one.

Cedar had just run through sprinklers... to explain the dots on her. ;) Cooper was so excited to ride! He had a grin on his face almost the entire time.

Can you see the grin? Yep. He loves loves loves her.

Brandon got his exercise running everyone around for awhile.

And Tyler rode a bit by himself. He did a great job!

I handed my camera over to Tyler to take a few photos of me riding. I forgot that I'm not supposed to talk while people are taking my picture. They're either blurry, or I'm talking. And I'm not pretty when someone captures a still photo of me talking. It kind of scares me... do I look that bad when I'm talking in real life? Oh, the horror. Anyway, I loved riding. I'm excited to get better at it, and thinking about learning to ride bareback.  I sat on Cedar without a saddle the other day, and I think I liked it a bit better. We'll see... she doesn't seem to mind either way.

We all love Cedar, and are glad that she's part of our family. :)

Oh, and we do love our daughter, Aubrey, too... she's just never around anymore. ;)