The Spirit of Christ

I recently saw this. May we all have the spirit of Christ this season and forget all the "mas".

I am so thankful for my health. I am so thankful that my children are healthy. I am so thankful that my husband is healthy.

I am so thankful that my dad has made it another year and is still going strong.

I am thankful that my sister's health has made her able to enjoy life a little better.

I am thankful for all my healthy sisters and sister-in-laws who are able to bring children/cousins into the world.

I am thankful for my brothers and brother-in-laws who work hard to support their families and keep themselves worthy of the priesthood to protect their homes.

I am thankful for a mom who is healthy and able to keep us all together.

I am so thankful for many things, but my health is something I take for granted sometimes.

Reason #256

Here is another reason why I married my wonderful and adorable husband.

I just love my babies eyelashes.

Kalamafoni Family

When these two moved into our ward, they were a newly-wed couple and I just thought they were seriously the cutest and nicest people ever. Then... to add to their cuteness, they had a beautiful and totally "chubby-I-want-to-eat-your-legs-and-squeeze-your-cheeks" baby girl. Now Candice is pregnant and they are waiting for their next cute thing. I can't wait to see how cute this one is. I love this family. We got to take pics at the LDS Motion Picture Park in Provo because Rocky works security there. It was cool to see the old houses and sets that they have used in the Joseph Smith movie and other church movies.

This is a replica house of the prophet Joseph Smith and yes those are real deer.

Filimoeatu Family

So I got to do a "quick" shoot of my long time friend Vika and her cute lil family. So it wasn't the best light nor did we have time to drive around and look for fun spots and not to mention two of my kids strolled along. All I can say is that they were so photogenic and Bubba was so cute yet so "boy". I love it. They also just got a cute new house... so it was fun to see it and my kids loved tipping over the toy bucket.

and when I mean long time friend... well I met Vika back at BYUH in 98. We worked together at the PCC and then both served missions. We were even in the MTC at the same time. She went to Salt Lake while I went to Venezuela. We both ended back up at BYUH. Then we both ended up here in Orem. "Small World" When I think of Vika I think of a summer when we drank Milo (Hot Chocolate) and these really big crackers almost every night. Aaahhh!!! Those sweet college days.

Oh my my I can't believe I still have these old pictures.
This was the MTC (hahaha)

Loving this Stage

Sitani: Mommy, Elijah is a boy like me.

Me: Yup, Elijah is a boy like you.

Sitani: Mommy, Elijah's head looks like Sitani's head.

Sitani: (out of the blue) Mom, are yous Santa Claus?

While watching a cartoon about Santa Claus (Sitani is so confused)... they show Santa coming down a chimney into a fireplace. He runs out of the room and all around the apartment. Then he runs back in.

Sitani: Mom (with a worried cry). But we'se don't have a fireplace.

While altogether driving home from somewhere, Marley stinks her diaper.

Me: singing "stinky, stinky, stinky girl, Marley is a stinky girl."

Marley: No, mommy is a stinky girl.

Sitani: Mommy is not a stinky girl. Mommy is a clean girl.

Sitani: Mommy, I gunna be a byu baseball, a byu basketball, a byu footfall, a byu soccer. Marley can be a byu belly ball.

Me: (confused) What is belly ball?

Sitani: like this...(jumping in the air)

Me: Oh, you mean volleyball.

I heard Marley crying in the other room and went to see what was going on.

Sitani: mom... Marley wants to be a monster dog but her has to be a princess dog.

Marley: I don't want to be a princess dog. I am scary, too.

The Richardson Family

Growing up in a family of 10 kids, I remember dreadfully hating (and yes I said "hate") when my mom or dad would announce that we were going to have our annual family pictures. Reason #1- my mom would usually coordinate us all to match and that meant me being forced to wear some itchy, scratchy uncomfortably "not-my-style" dress. Reason #2- Somebody was always yelling for us to say "Cheese" and pretend we were happy and that was after the fact that I had been crying all morning. Reason #3- I always was so disgusted with how I looked in the picture anyway. Although, I speak so harshly about these memories, I am thankful for my parents who tried so hard to just get us all together in the same room (even if it was in some kind of weird too-close-together formation). Love you mom and dad.... :)

Well, I vowed that I would never force this misery upon anyone. I "dream" of taking family pictures where I can just say, "Okay just go play and pretend I am not here." Well.... I'm not quite there YET. I managed to have both of these cute adorable kids crying within the first 5 minutes. I hope they are not traumatized with this memory. Things did get better as we shot more but I am still working on not scaring the kids and trying to just get those candid shots like I would want taken of my own family. I want people to be able to see their family photos and have memories of love, happiness, and togetherness. I was cracking up with my sister Gracie the other day when we were looking at all our old "family portraits". They don't remind me of my happy childhood (which was awesome, by the way) yet they just remind me of that horrible picture day. Hahaha. At least I have something to laugh at though.

But....enough about me... the Richardsons were so cute and Candice (just like Kim) was so photogenic and just the cutest-so-put-together mom ever. I also loved watching Grant get so excited about taking a picture with his son. It was so cute and I wish I had video-taped everyone's faces while trying to get Macey to smile (which was adorable). They truly are a beautiful family and it was such a pleasure to take pictures for them.

While she was busy posing all by herself, he was busy playing in his own little world. :)

The Golding Family

I was recently told by a friend that I have A.D.D. At first I just laughed really hard and thought that was the funniest thing anyone has said to me. But... lately I am actually beginning to believe this person. What is happening to me? hahaha I am constantly being teased by Heinrich for creating these big elaborate "To Do" lists that never get done. I have even add things to the list after I have finished them, just so I can cross something off.
The reason of this topic is that this week has been like a big whirlwind came into my life and has been spinning nonstop. It has managed to hit my house, my classroom, my brain, my health and my budget book (eek). I am wondering if this is really A.D.D. or just a bad case of too many "to do" lists mixed with one big messy unorganized self and an "I'm ALways LAte for Everything" schedule. Whatever is going on... I hope the storm dies down and I get myself together for the sake of Heinrich (he is so patient).
As far as my "To Do" list, this has been on the top of mine all week. Do you remember this family from last year. Well Brynlie is a big girl now and is as cute and cheesy as ever (I LOVE it). I actually took pictures of her sisters family at the same time and will post them this weekend (hopefully). I think these guys are such a cute family and Kim whom teaches 1st grade is my role model with how well she is always put together and smiling (and totally photogenic)। Thanks you guys.