Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

Don't get me wrong, I love my Suburban, my old GMC pickup, and my sexy Dodge Cummins, but they all get pretty lousy gas mileage - some worse than others. For a while now, I've been wanting a little car to run around in. But not just any car - a car that gets KILLER gas mileage. I've been shopping online for months and found one that was the size I wanted, the price range we could afford, and best of all - a 4 cylinder with a standard transmission.



I prefer to drive a standard, but they're getting kind of hard to find. Most of them are Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, etc. Which is fine by me since those are all good cars. Well, this one I found is a Mazda. It's really clean and well maintained.

We had to go to Pleasant Grove to get it so we made a trip of it to see Grandma for Mother's Day and buy the car at the same time.

Just before we left my mom's, I filled the gas tank. We went 207 miles to the next time we gassed up, and I put 5 gallons back in it. That's

40 miles to the gallon, people!!

And it's a blast to drive - zippy and sporty and handy in the turns. I'm totally lovin' it.

Zoom Zoom ZOOM!

Compartmentalizing My Life

Organizational skills do not come naturally to me. In fact, being slovenly and chaotic comes VERY naturally to me - it's so much more fun to be creating than cleaning! But even though being organized isn't my forte, I do have a strong desire to be organized and I have made an effort to work at it throughout my life. Being organized helps me to feel peaceful and in control of my craziness.

A few months ago, I took apart my 75% of the closet and organized it according to color, and within colors - short sleeves to long. It's felt so GOOD! I sent about half of all that mess to the thrift store and have really enjoyed how easy it is to keep organized. Every time I look in there, I smile.

And my hubby now knows where to hang my things as he's folding and putting away the laundry!


So! On that note, I've been so busy with photography lately that I finally decided to take the plunge and get an official photography website. I've also decided to add a photography blog that is separate from this, my personal blog.

So, from now on, photo client sneak peaks will be on my photography blog, and only personal and family stuff will be on this one. I don't know exactly how well it will work, but I'm going to give it a try.

Both the new site and my new photo blog are still under construction, but here are the links if you want to check them out.




So drop a comment and let me know what you think. And wish me luck in my efforts to be organized - it's always an uphill battle around here.

A Flower for You....

Happy Mother's Day to all my wonderful friends who are mothers.

Whether you know it or not, you inspire me and I can't think of a single one of you who doesn't do something as a mother that I wish I did better.

Thanks for your friendship and your examples. This flower's for you!

My Beautiful Mother

This weekend we went up to see my mom - - aka, Grandma.

My folks live about 4 hours away, but we don't get up to see them more than 2 or 3 times a year. So it was nice to be able to go up on Mother's Day.

I've bragged about my mom on my blog before, so I'm not going to go on and on today, but suffice it to say, mothers just don't come any better than mine.

I realized that I needed to take some photos of her and my kids together - I've never really done that before.

The kids were acting pretty silly, but I love this anyway.


Thanks Mom, for being such a great mother. I'm thankful everyday for your example and support in my life.

I love you!

Mitch and Lydia - Engagement Session

Ah, young love!

I remember so well what it was like to be newly in love and engaged. I had a blast photographing these two and it totally brought it all back for me.

And what a gorgeous couple!

I can't decide who is better looking....

Him:


or her:


Yep, I figured it out - - both!



I just realized that everywhere we took photos was old - old cars:


old tractors:


And an old, old house:


You gotta love old stuff and new love together - a great combination.





And my favorite shot of the day - fun with an old phone:


Is that cute, or what?

Brothers are the Best

My friend Alice has the cutest little boys - they don't look alike, (at least I don't think they do) act alike, or like the same kinds of things - but they are glad to have each other.

And they are both adorable!


And lots of fun!


We've been talking for a while about doing this, and I was excited to get my lens on these two. We finally made it happen a few weeks ago, but I've been so swamped lately that I just haven't gotten them up on the blog until now.

We took them down to an old barn on a friend's property - great backdrop for boy portraits


Chandler has amazing blue eyes...



And his little brother, Bryson's are hazeley brown - so pretty.


We had some fun by a HUGE old cottonwood tree....


And down by the creek....



And then Mom made them get into their Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes. What a mean mom!


Someday, they'll look back on these and realize how handsome they were all duded up. Don't you think? Maybe they'll never appreciate it, but someday their wives will. :)

Thanks, Alice, for letting me hang out with you guys for the afternoon. Let's do it again sometime!

Have you ever spilt a jar of molasses on your countertop?

well, I have...


waaaaa!