Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Soakin' up Sun (:



I love summer!!
Virginia Beach was soo great (:
I saved a turtle, spent time with my lovely & crazy family, soaked up the sun, and just had an awesome time!
Some of my favorite parts were soakin up the sunshine, diving in the waves with my brothers, the live singer serenading Frank Sinatra along the boardwalk, and seeing (and getting slightly nervous by) my first giant live crab... it was awesome!
We had a hotel right on the boardwalk, so we could just wake up & head straight out to the sea.
It was absolutely beautiful! And so fun to people watch.. haha.
I realize probably nobody wants to look at a million pictures of my family's vacation but me... but oh well.
It was a great weekend.
And Happy (late) Memorial Day.
:)


This cute little turtle was stranded right on the yellow lines in the road! So, risking my own life (haha it was a bit scary on the narrow road), I stopped my car and carried him to safety... He wasn't too happy about it, he was so scared, but I'm glad he is safely alive in the forest.
















Most adorable sunscreen face EVER.

surfer dude





catchin' the waves! (:



Sleepy boys!

cute donuts @ the commissary


BBQ & fireworks! Happy Memorial Day!



soo sunburned...





Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Awkward & Awesome

Awkward

How much I can eat. Seriously. My stomach is a bottomless chasm sometimes.... it's quite unladylike, haha.

Legitimately creepy moments at work. Bleh.

Slurring my words when I welcome customers at work. "Welcome to Craabluuhgksd..." I promise I am sober everyone...really haha.

Driving home at 3 in the morning, and finding my tired brain making lists of random things... such as if the guys I have dated were animals, what animals they would be. Hahaha. Totally entertaining, in a nice "crack yourself up in the car at insane hours of the night" way.

Helped my friend's Mom with a wedding photoshoot - (which was AMAZING) - But the slightly awkward part is being the photographer, it's almost like your not really there... your more part of the background, so it's kind of a fly on the wall type of deal. People don't seem to recognize your listening to them as your taking pictures. So they talk about things they probably usually wouldn't speak of in front of random strangers... family secrets and all sorts of things. No worries, my lips are sealed, but it is definitely an odd feeling.

Also awkward: Taking wedding shots of a gorgeous young woman, who also happens to be younger then I am. That was just weird.

Awesome

Obviously, helping out with my first wedding photoshoot!! They were the cutest couple. I learned so many things, and picked up some awesome tips!
My favorite parts were taking pictures of them dancing in the Library of Congress, glowing with happiness at the DC Temple, and walking by the Capitol with the baby ducks. Soo cute. They were absolutely in love. And it was so fun trooping around DC with them in their wedding clothes and us with our giant cameras. They got all sorts of "Congratulations!" and whistles and even applause from a rather large group of kids. It was a grand ol' time!
Another favorite part of mine was the games & questions the photographer thought of to get real emotions & smiles out of them.. including having them write love letters to eachother and read them quietly to themselves. Great way to catch some real beautiful emotion in pictures, & it was such a sweet moment (:

Open House this weekend. Making an absolute, for sure decision about school within a week or so...

Virginia Beach all weekend!! Woot woot (: Too bad I won't be in DC for Memorial Day - dang! - but the beach is definitely going to be awesome!! So ready for that sunshine, ocean waves, and playing on the beach!

and last, but definitely not least, having time to paint.

Since visiting Arlington a few weeks ago I've been working on a painting for Memorial Day, just because of how beautiful & meaningful to me that experience was. I don't have the most developed skill or talent, but I get out the paints and brushes, turn on some music, and quickly become completely, blissfully absorbed. I absolutely love it... so I'm looking forward to taking classes & getting more practice to enhance that talent! Until then, I'll just keep practicing for fun & to learn from my mistakes & get better.

I'm excited to get the pictures I took from the wedding, from her camera that my friend's mother, and now my friend ha, graciously let me  borrow. Those are comin' soon, hopefully (:
and that's the end, for now!

strawberry heart in my cereal (:

pretty roses, & extremely rare splurge on a new purse! (bargain deal, of course!)

Arlington painting. Happy Memorial Day


drying roses by the pots in the kitchen (:

A happy heart comes first, then the happy face! (can't remember who said that right now.. but love it!)

Captain America!!
I know, I know, he looks like he's 14... haha. Oh well. Someday I'll hang it up in my kid's room (:


Painting I did for Mother's Day

... and Isaac is hilarious. Enough said.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Anything Impossible

This week has been really great (:
I made one of my friends/coworkers a copy of my
Reflections of Christ/Alex Boye cd.
Here's one of my favorite songs on it!
This guy's incredible - he used to be a huge hip-hop/rap artist in London.
Later at a really low point in his life he met the missionaries,
 got baptized, moved to America,
and now sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!
His music is just bursting with emotion & passion,
I absolutely love it.
His story & his testimony are incredible.
I really love this song, because at first it sounds a bit cheesy,
but when you listen to the words it's amazing.
And so true.
With all the huge decisions coming up in my life,
and all the things I've been worrying about,
it's so good to remember things are going to work out!
As long as I do my best and have faith,
things I thought would be impossible can happen.
I've definitely seen that in my life...
and I know it's true for the future too.
So whatever happens,
I'll walk tall, remember who I am, have faith
and just do the best that I can.
One of my favorite quotes is
"The Lord uses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible"
- Elder Neal A. Maxwell.

So enjoy (: If you like the song,
go youtube "I Want Jesus to Walk With Me" by him too.
He's an incredibly gifted musician.
So amazing.
Okay, the end, for now!

"As long as I'm with you, I can do anything impossible" (:



Sleepy Adam

Off to the Styx concert!

Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, & Styx..



Britt & Dexter


Peter was ROCKIN.




Peter's so sweet when he's asleep!
I love summer (:


Nothin like pb & j, an apple, & strawberry milk for lunch (:


and I love running!!