martha kristi

Sweetness

2012-01-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

All my kids are growing up WAY TOO FAST!!! I love it when I get a chance to just go somewhere and snap shots of them. It is like freezing the time up for me a little. I LOVE this age with her. She totally adores me and I am scared for the day when that will go away. I hope we can always be close. She loves to draw pictures of us holding hands and then tapes them up all over our walls. She loves to write me notes and tell me what they say. She will tell me anything to make me feel good such as... "You are the best cook ever."

She has a genuine sweetness about her and loves to take care of others. I like that about her a lot. She always has a skip in her walk. She likes to turn on the music and have me video her dances. She will wear her ballerina suit all day and prance around the house in her own little world. She doesn't like me to go to work without saying good-bye, so she will come into my room early in the morning to make sure I haven't left yet.

Our family is blessed to have this little girl who shakes things up between the boys. I'm starting to see the differences that little girls have and it makes me love her even more. I'm glad I have a girl to remind me how sweet life is.

This is usually the goofy face I see around the house all day.
She LOVES her purse made by her cousins.

thesugies 2011

2012-01-07T18:17:00.000-08:00

2011 will always be a year that we will remember.
It was the year that our kids got to swim in the ocean for the first time.
It was the year that Heinrich graduated from the police academy.
It was the year that Sitani started kindergarten.
It was the year that we bought our first home.
It was the year that we learned we were expecting number 4!!!

We are so thankful for our health, jobs, and many more blessings.
We are so excited to see what 2012 will bring!!!

best primary teachers ever!!!

2012-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:00

These guys are seriously the best primary teachers ever!!! Sitani was so fortunate to have them all year. He idolized Alani because he plays football for BYU and every Sunday he would come home with some kind of fun thing he had learned. We are so thankful for all they have done. They are such a beautiful family inside and out. They also make the cutest kids. Jrae is the coolest ever and so adorable. I follow Malaysia on her instagram and love all her cute shots of her lil guy. We wish them the best for 2012!!!

We went out by the lake but found out it was frozen over and freezing cold!!! They still came out looking like models on a hot summer day!!! hahaha

This lil guy was ready to cruise on home without us. So cute!!!

owe my life to this family

2012-01-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

This is another family that I just ADORE to death. I love getting a chance to see some blonde hair and blue eyes. They have seriously the CUTEST kids ever. I love Kim to death. She is one of the nicest, sweetest and most genuine people I have ever known. She works with me and also tries to do her best with balancing it all. She does such an awesome job of it and is so in love with her husband and children. She is such an inspiration to me. Matt is the coolest dude ever but still manages to make me nervous because he is so quiet. :) I owe them both my life. Thanks you guys for everything!!!

my favorite

one last look

2012-01-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

This family was about to go from a family of four to a family of five. They had only a week before their baby was due to come. They wanted to capture how it "once was" before things change. They wanted to have one last look before their family would change and never be the same.
They were so friendly and easy going even though it was freeeeeezing cold outside. Best of luck to their new family and new addition!!!

london bridges

2011-12-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

I always love it when I get to do a session with this awesome family. This was my third time. I blogged about them here and here and here. I have been secretly arranging the marriage of my Marley-girl to their oldest. I want some curly-haired grandkids someday. :)

During the session, they were playing and started doing London Bridges. I totally forgot about this game but these two LOVED it. I haven't seen this game since I was 5. It was fun to watch kids, just being kids. I love this family. They are so much fun and always crack me up with their jokes. Thanks Hafoka family!!!

a step back

2011-12-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

I'm totally obsessed with silhouettes lately. I feel like, in a way, it helps me take the focus off of all the little things I try to expect or anticipate in a photograph and it forces me to just take a step back and see. It is a fun new adventure for me and I couldn't get enough of it with this beautiful family. I was so nervous, as usual, to do a session with a new family. Even though they may be people I have known a long time, I still get unsure of how things will go. But what I'm quickly realizing, is that a session never goes how I expect. That is what I love about doing photography. It is so unexpected and like a game to see what you end up with in the end.
These guys are in our ward. I remember when Spencer returned home from his mission. Marley was really little and she would always giggle and flirt with him. I remember when he married Crystal and I thought he was such a lucky guy because she is gorgeous! Now they have two beautiful children and I can hardly believe it. Life goes so fast.
I really admire this cute lil family. They are both in school at BYU, he just finished his Senior year playing football, and they are both extremely loaded with responsibility. I am still amazed at how they do it with their two young ones. I am also really impressed with Crystal. She has such a kind heart and is always trying to be the best mom she can be. She is not a woman of the world but has her heart in the right place. I wish only the best for this beautiful family. Thanks for letting me spend a couple hours with you guys. :)

happy holidays

2011-12-26T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hope all your holidays were filled with family and fun. We had our first Christmas here in our new home and it was fun to start new and carry on old traditions from Christmas. We feel grateful and so content with all our blessings we have as a family. 2011 will always be a special year for us. Heinrich graduated from the UVU Police Academy and is getting closer to being done at UVU. We are expecting number 4 in April. Sitani started kindergarten this year and is so excited about all he is learning. Marley takes care of everyone in the house and also loves to remind us how much she is growing up. She started her first year of soccer and can't wait for spring soccer to start again. Elijah is still a crazy bundle of joy. He is his own little self and full of lots of energy.

Mostly we are so grateful for our health, for our jobs, for our home, and for the gospel we know. We are thankful for good family and friends who bless our family. We love living here in Utah and find a lot of fun things to do here. We are excited for 2012 and what it will bring for our little family. We hope and pray that everyone is healthy and doing well this holiday season!!!

aloha love

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Love this family! They are like our little friends that we do everything with. Just the other day, I realized that a lot of our family traditions involve them. We always trick or treat together. We always go see the Christmas lights together. We always do summer bbque's together. We have done a lot of Christmas Eves, Thanksgivings and birthdays with them. We have gone sledding every winter and we always watch the fireworks together on the 4th of July. We would be really sad if they up and moved back to Hawaii. We would have to move there with them. :) Thanks Akiona Family for the good times!!!

Halloween

2011-11-13T11:18:00.001-08:00

I know that Halloween was about three weeks ago but I am just now getting things posted. :) We went to the pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins. We made them carry them all the way back to the truck. Sitani still wanted to get the biggest one out there.

We also went to our ward's trunk or treat. These two started in on their candy before it was even over.

On Halloween night, we went trick or treating with the Akiona's. Every year this lady makes homemade cookies and Tracey gets so excited.

Sitani ran into one of his teammates while trick or treating. He was excited!!!

This picture is blurry but it is my favorite. This was Elijah all night. He was running like crazy from house to house. I love it when your kids are old enough and finally get the candy thing and they get so excited!!! It make Halloween so much more fun.

I ran into this hottie on the street and had to get a picture.

When it was all done, we came back and lit our pumpkins and ate lots of candy.

the Kunz Family

2011-10-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

These were taken back in July on our trip to California. I'm just now getting them posted. I love this family. Beforehand, I was a little intimidated with David because he is always so quiet and I don't know him that well but then I quickly learned that he is one of the funniest guys around. We made him climb the life tower which said, "Please don't climb." He thought we were nuts but he went along for the ride. Kim on the other hand is outgoing and adventurous. She is one of the cutest moms around. They both totally adore their little chubby one (who wouldn't?). She is one of the first babies I've ever seen that literally LOVES the beach. She wanted to head straight to the water, sand in her mouth and all. She was just soooo smiley the whole time. I loved getting some photo experience on the beach. I wish I could move and just do family photography on the beach for a living. The colors were amazing. I can't wait for another trip to Cali to see this cute little family. Thank you guys for letting me have an evening with your family.

and then the sun began to set. It was a perfect evening.

Survival

2011-10-14T01:02:00.000-07:00

These past few months, I have just tried to survive each day. School started and it hasn't stopped. I've tried and tried to keep up with everything but I've come to realize that I can't. I just have to survive. Between a 3 month long headache, a light case of summer-is-over depression, a new class and new curriculum, moving to a new house, moving out of an old apartment, a growing belly, 3 growing kids, and a husband in school, I feel like I've had a crazy breakdown these past few months.

I've bombed in the field of blogging. Sometimes I wonder if that makes me a bad mother. Sometimes I wonder if working makes me a bad mother. Sometimes I wonder if I'm catching it ALL and savoring it up. I try. People make remarks to me all the time about how a mother should be in the home. I love Utah. In my head, I think they are soooo lucky but that doesn't make them a better mother than me. I love my kids more than anything. I think quality is better than quantity. I know moms who are home all day and never hold their children and say I love you. I may not have them all day, but the time I have them, I love them. One mom even told me that I should read an article in the Ensign and it would make me stop working for sure. I thought it was pretty ignorant to say that to someone who is just doing the best she can with what she has. I was comforted when I heard the talk in April conference by Quentin L. Cook last spring in regarding working or not.

"These are very emotional, personal decisions, but there are two principles that we should always keep in mind. First, no woman should ever feel the need to apologize or feel that her contribution is less significant because she is devoting her primary efforts to raising and nurturing children. Nothing could be more significant in our Father in Heaven’s plan.
(note: I praise, respect and adore women who spend their days at home just devoted to their families 100%)

Second, we should all be careful not to be judgmental or assume that sisters are less valiant if the decision is made to work outside the home. We rarely understand or fully appreciate people’s circumstances. Husbands and wives should prayerfully counsel together, understanding they are accountable to God for their decisions." Quentin L. Cook

I always have to go back to this talk when I start to doubt. I am working and doing the best I can. When life gets busy, I have to get rid of anything that takes up my time away from my family. I am also in LOVE with Heinrich for being such a good father and doing his part. I think too many families today are unbalanced with a father who works and a mom who nurtures and there is no cooperation. I love how Heinrich is involved and does sooooo much to love our kids and provide for them even when his plate is plenty full of things he needs to do as well.

I don't catch it all but I think that what I catch, I REALLY savor and appreciate. For instance, tonight, I got a second to go on the comp and go through my thousands of pictures that aren't posted.
soccer
first day of kindergarten
the swim park
kites in the park
birthdays

It is overwelming to think how far behind I am but I guess this is my life and while I'm not able to post it all and record it all, I can at least live it all. I will never be the perfect mom but the most important thing I can do is to just love my kids and enjoy my family and our many blessings.

We had a great summer!!!

We drank pool water. ewww

We went down slides.

We played rough with dad.

I love how her hair gets little curls anytime we swim.

Haini trying to teach all our Utahan kids how to do the shaka. sad

We soaked up the sun front and back.

We picked flowers in large fields.

We played like Tourists.

We stopped and enjoyed the wildlife.

We saw Old Faithful.

We met up with long lost cousins and had a blast.

Sitani rowed his first kayak and actually went pretty far away from shore without being scared.

The girls sewed aprons with grandma.

Sitani braved the outdoors and slept in his tent.

We picked vegetables from grandma's garden.

Elijah drank water from the hose all summer long. ewww

We bounced with cousins.

Marley does this thing where she will pick a flower and put it in your ear. Then she whispers in your ear , "You have a flower in your ear." I think she did it everyday to me this past summer. I just laughed.

We watched the Freedom Festival parade in our BYU stuff and cheered when BYU and the missionaries passed.

We got glow sticks and watched the Stadium of Fire fireworks on the Provo Temple lawn.

We were surprised when daddy bit into his cake right after we sang to him.

We roller-skated with cousins. At least we tried.

We did soccer camp for all of June. It was a blast.

We ran through sprinklers after soccer camp.

We rodes rides at the Orem Summerfest thanks to the $10 grandma and grandpa gave us.

Sitani played tee-ball. Next year he will do baseball.

We ran through water parks with friends.

We watched Sitani leave for his first day of kindergarten.

Marley started her first year of soccer and loved it.

Sitani smashed every soccer team he played.

They let me stop and take a couple of pictures along the way.

This is my FAVORITE PICTURE OF THE YEAR. Marley was dying to get her ears pierced but Heinrich kept saying no. Finally, he took her on a special date and she came home with Hello Kitty in her ear. She was soooooo excited and felt soooooo grown-up.

Elijah falls asleep every time he cuts his hair.

We saw two rainbows. It was the most amazing thing.

We finally bought a house and still can't believe that we have two bathrooms.

We always find these two in the same bed. Marley is a little mother to this guy. He always crawls into her bed.

We had the best shaved ice with friends.

We ate a lot of strawberries and nutella this summer.

Marley made my bed for me almost every day. She likes to be a helper.

We saw the most amazing sunsets right in our own little park.

We liked to chase the kite around.

We hiked the Y until this big storm came along.

We bird sat.

We found sticks and turned them into swords.

We woke up next to each other.

We found a water fountain in the outdoor plaza, stripped, and got soaked.

One day we walked to UVU and walked around like we were all in college.

We took long naps together.

My favorite thing... we layed on blankets in the park with daddy on lazy Sunday afternoons.

Now can you see why I get sad when school starts and schedules get busy? But life goes on and the kids are already soooooo excited for the snow to come.

the Alchimist

2011-09-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

Seth took off for Germany a little over a month ago. The morning that he flew out, we got to go and take a couple of shots. He brought his book and read it while I just clicked away. He said, "I'm just glad that I brought something to do." I thought that was funny. Best of luck while you study abroad.
BE CAREFUL lil bro!!!

This was the bag that he used to bring back all his mission stuff from Germany.

This was the back pack that he brought back from his mission.

He explained that every badge is from a town he has lived at in Germany. Pretty cool.

We hope that you're enjoying your whole experience. You only live once!!!

CALiFORNiA Part 3

2011-08-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

i'm soooo slow to get these up. here are the end from our california trip.

it was hard to say good bye to the party but the kids got to run up and get the newspaper one last time then we were off in the car.

the best cousin ever... robbie spent a couple hours teaching sitani some surf lessons. he was in HEAVEN. it totally made his whole year. thanks rob. we loved hanging out with doug and linda and kevin and ellen on our last day.

CALiFORNiA Part 2

2011-08-22T04:06:00.000-07:00

It is always a party with our cousins. This vacation was the most perfect thing ever. Here are some pictures from a day at the beach.

CALiFORNiA Part 1

2011-08-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

We got a chance to get away for a couple of weeks in July, just me and the kids. Heinrich had to stay back and do his schooling (a certain dance class-which is another story). BOO. Although we wish he could have come, we still had a blast getting out and going on a little adventure. We started by following my sister in law down to Fallbrook in Southern Cal. Oh how I fell in love with this cute little town within the first hour. I had been there before because this is where Heinrich went to High School, but I didn't remember it being so colorful and green and so so so cozy. It was about 20 minutes from the beach and in the countryside away from all the traffic and pollution. I loved it!

I have tons of pictures to put up but these are just from our first day.

Leaving Orem and sooooo excited.

The kids got to get the newspaper with their grandpa every morning. They all took turns getting it out of the mailbox. It was the cutest thing ever and now my kids have adopted him as their California grandpa.

At first, Elijah was not sure about the cats but by the end of our stay he was actually trying to pick them up.

Marley was transformed into a fish.

I have so much more, but I also have so many things to do. RRRR

Beautiful Couple/Beautiful Day

2011-08-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

I was in Southern Cal in July and got the chance to be with this gorgeous couple when they were sealed together as a family in the Newport Beach Temple. They were so fun and easy going and so easy to capture. Thanks for Sydney and Aveni for letting me be a part of your beautiful day. I love your cute little family and wish you all the best.

These shows their true characters. :) I love how FAST she could make this face.

This was one of my favorites. I fell in love with it right as I saw it through my lens.

Sun Flares and Open Skies

2011-08-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

We love it when these guys come to town.

We love to see how their cute lil family is growing.

Thanks for letting us spend some time with you guys.

We {heart} you guys!!

Starting Something New

2011-08-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

This little darling is starting her first year of school. She already has a list of questions that are specially saved to ask her teacher. I hope her teacher is ready for her.

While taking some shots,
I paused and just looked at her and I said,

"Wow, do you know that you are just sooooo beautiful?"

She responded in her sweet voice,

"Yea... my mom tells me that sometimes... when we are driving far in the car... and it is really quiet."

I laughed and thought how awesome is was that she could even remember the times her mother told her that.

I hope she always knows how beautiful she is.

Just Hanging Out

2011-07-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

Summer is going waaaaay too fast. We have just been hanging out like a bunch of lazy bums. June consisted of soccer camp that lasted all month. Our schedule was
7:30- wake up and pack lunches
8:00- go to camp
9:00- finish camp
9:30- hang out at the park while older cousins do camp
11:30- hang out at the park more, race, scooter, longboard, bike around the track
12:30- hang out at the park until the sprinklers come on, eat lunch
2:00- go home for naps
4:30- wake up from naps
5:00- hang out at another park and watch cousins baseball/softball games
EAT LOTS OF ICE CREAM
9:00- go home to sleep for the next day.

I LOVED JUNE... THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I WOULD WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE EVERYDAY.

July was a shake up to our schedule. Heinrich graduated from the Academy. We went to Southern Cali with cousins and then we went to Idaho with more cousins. It was SUPER-FUN.

As you can imagine....I have thousands of pictures COMING SOON.
Hope you are all having a wonderful summer, too.

missing my boy

2011-06-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

He is gone for 4 days and it has only been one.

It feels like a week.

Marley fell asleep on his bed in tears.

I layed with her for a while.

We acted excited because he was so excited.

It will be a good thing for him.

He will make a memory.

It is quiet here, though.

I miss his questions.

I have a thing on my phone where I record all of his crazy questions.

I LOVE that he thinks I know the answers to everything.

Someday he will realize that I don't.

What animal does watermelon come from?
How come Jesus made us meat? I don't want to be meat. I might get eaten.
Why is Jesus named Jesus?
Who name Jesus?
How does the motorcycle man does his groceries?
Is that dog saying "hello" or is he saying "stay away from my house?"
Why does the dog want to guard his house? Is it because he wants to be bad?
Why was Malakai's dog mad at me? (he has a little dog that barks)
Who made wood?
Who made the toys from McDonalds?
Lightbulbs --- How does the people get the light inside the glass?
How did Jesus get out of the tomb?
Why is it yellow for light?(why is light like a bright yellow)

.....I can't keep up with him.
Good luck grandma and grandpa and Tessha!!!

*

the birthday boy

2011-06-21T17:26:00.000-07:00

Boston is one already. I can't believe it!!! He was just a newborn. We did some birthday pictures a couple weeks ago. He is SUCH a HANDSOME kid. Both of these kids are just the funniest to take pictures. I can't help but fall in love with their big blue eyes. Plus, I literally owe my life to their parents as well. They are the coolest family ever. Thanks Matt and Kim!!!

I love

the gap between his teeth,her legs in the air on the blanket,her crazy eyes when she is squeezing himher hair all over the place with her face scrunched uphis GQ looks
Happy Birthday Boston!!!

Maybe someday, these two will be roommates in college or something. So cute!!

a wild rainy morning

2011-06-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I had made every mistake yet, with this little photography thing I am doing, but No No No... I made yet another mistake. I think artists are often times so cluttered and flabbergasted. I know I am. I have done almost every wrong thing in the book. Here was another one.

Mistake #121- Always get your clients information (preferably their phone number, ahhh ahhh) so when there is a mix up in locations, you are able to call and meet up. (so genius)

I met Nativa about 10 years ago when she came to visit her brother who was dating my cute hottie roomate. She e-mailed and said that she was going to be in Santaquin for the weekend and wanted to meet up to do a session for a father's day gift.

We knew it was a gamble with the May rain but she was only here for a weekend and I thought we could just give it a shot. We agreed to meet up at 10 at a park in Salt Lake. Just as we were arriving I got her call saying that they were almost there, too. I thought... "perfect, no rain, beautiful flowers, it will all work out." I walked all over the park up and down the street, I checked inside buildings. Haini had the kids and walked all over too, looking for them.

Since it was kind of a blind set-up, I was nervous in the first place. When I couldn't find them, I panicked. I looked at my phone and thought, I'd just give her a ring. It showed an unmarked number so I called it. I kept getting a voicemail saying that it was a government phone and that it couldn't go through. I thought maybe they had used a public phone or something. I facebooked her brother to get her number. I e-mailed her but nothing. I was panicking and not even thinking straight.

I'm crazy, I know.

40 minutes passed and still I couldn't find them. I saw a black cloud coming. AHhhh!!! My worst nightmare)

She finally called me and turns out they were waiting at another park for almost 40 minutes.

So confused.

It was crazy. We met up and, of course, it started raining. The whole session was rain. Smudge on my camera and not exactly the most ideal for sitting on a blanket and playing with your freezing baby. :(

We did our best and they were great sports. I felt horrible. It was all my fault. I should of had her contact number before the session. Now I know... lesson learned... I seem to learn everything through mistakes I've made.

The worst part of it is that after all that, I got in our truck to go home and realized that my phone had been on "Missed Calls" and not "All Calls". I just got a new iphone and obviously don't know how to use it yet. Sure enough, I clicked to "All Calls" and there it was an unmarked number she called me from. The number I had been calling was a missed call from WIC from the previous day.

Lets just say, I have sooooooo much to learn and I still feel like such a beginner.

She was dressed sooo cute and he was just super adorable (loved the suit by the way). I hope I can do a session with them again, without the rain, when they come again. This one is on me. :) I owe you guys big time.

Thanks for being a good sport Nativa. :) I hope your hubby enjoys them. Your boy is ubber-cool.

favorite thing to do

2011-06-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing to do is to seriously just spend all day just hanging out at the park with these monkeys and take pictures of them.I plan to do it ALL summer.

He finally made it across the monkey bars. He has been working on these for a year now.

I was so proud of him.

His monkey shirt was very appropriate for this day.

She loves anything that deals with having wheels and being outside.She also dresses herself now and it is hilarious to watch what she wears. This pink hat goes on anytime we haven't done her hair. :)

around here

2011-06-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of GOOFING-OFF going around lately.

The 1st week of summer has come and gone. :(

But we are excited for the rest of it.

This is a new cheesy face.

a Rock Star family

2011-05-17T03:31:00.000-07:00

This cutie-pie just happens to be one of my students this year. I also had her older sister in my very first class my very first year of teaching. I love their family and I was so happy that I got to have her in my class this year. She is so giggly and fun.

She was also my Surfer of the Week and her mom brought in her surfboard with lots of pictures on it. One of them was this one below. As she was talking about her, I realized that I never even posted about this family session yet. It must've gotten lost in all the mumble jumble of Thanksgiving, Christmas, 8 family sessions in one month, and my hard drive crashing.

I'm so sorry...

I was also so excited when they asked me to take their family pictures back in the fall. They had an idea of what they wanted and brought everything they needed. It was sooooo fun. They were such a playful and easy-going family. We went out by the lake and since they are all rockers they brought the whole bang of guitars and amps. They were jammin.

Here is where the story turns sad...

I shot over 800 pics and left feeling so excited to go plug them into my computer. Right as I downloaded them into my computer, I started seeing weird stuff happen with my iphoto. That is when everything CRASHED!!! I was mortified. I had deleted everything off of my memory card and now I lost it all on my computer.

So then I hauled my computer into Apple and bought a new hard drive and was told that I had lost all of my pics.

Then I went to Allens and tried to restore my memory card and all I got back were scrambled pics from the year.

Here is where the story gets happy....

Then I found a computer guy who restored all of my pics onto my computer.

Here is where the story gets sad again....

Then I realized that of all the thousands of pics the only ones I couldn't restore were a couple from this shoot. (All of the little ones are only thumbnails and can't be blown up any bigger.) I was sad and happy at the same time. We really only got ONE family picture back that is able to be blown up.

I can't wait to go out with this family and try again sometime soon.

P.S. I think I'm still missing a couple of family sessions from last fall. Coming Soon.

XOXO's

a week in pics

2011-05-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

I ran into this quote the other day and I decided that it needs to be hung up in my home. Mothers Day is always a good reminder of how lucky I am to be a mother. It makes me stop and think about ALL the blessings I have in my life but most of all how important my own mom and family are to me.

It is so fun being a mom. I LOVE IT!!! I am fully aware that I am a lucky.

I am extremely thankful for my kids. I am thankful that they are healthy. I am thankful that they love me.

I decided I need to stop and take the time to laugh more and enjoy it all.

How can I not laugh with these little monkeys around?

can you guess what is my favorite app? ... me and my hipsta :) I'm addicted.

Dress Up

2011-04-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

She wanted to play dress up. She doesn't really have any big fluffy princess dresses but I don't even think she noticed. She was happy just to try on all of her summer ones. Most of them are homemade. I'm a little sad because she is starting to get too big for my $4.00 homemade dresses. This might be the last summer we can get away with it.

As you can see, we are just prepping for summer here.
(But we woke up to snow this morning. really?)

IN LOVE

2011-04-28T13:48:00.000-07:00

I did a session with this beautiful couple a little over a month ago. We had to reschedule a couple of times because of the AWESOME weather here in Utah. When we finally got to the day, it was rainy and cloudy. I was getting nervous and expecting to have to call them and reschedule again, but they were already driving down from Salt Lake so I thought, "Let's just try and see what we can get." I was thinking that we would only get in about 1/2 hour before it would get worse. They came and we started heading out. Even as I got in my car, sprinkles were coming down. But by the time we got to our first location, the sun was out and everything was PERFECT!!! I couldn't believe it. We were able to shoot for about 1 1/2 hours and just as we got in the car to leave, it started to come down again. It was our lucky day.

All I can say about this couple is that they are just PERFECT for each other. At first, I started to try to pose them and quickly realized that they were both just so naturally photogenic. They are such a gorgeous couple and they were both hilarious. I just stood back and snapped away. I couldn't believe how easy and natural they were.

I have known Sia for a while. She has come and gone back and forth from Hawaii for a couple of years. She was my lifesaver when it came to nursery. She was the one who got Sitani AND Marley to stay in Nursery. Now I need her for Elijah. hahaha. I'm so excited for her and Frank. He is such a nice guy and totally in love with her. A couple of times, while shooting, I got goosebumps just looking through the lens and seeing them together. It reminded me of the time Haini and I got our engagement pictures done. I thought I knew him so well and I thought I knew just how our life would turn out to be. Looking back over the years and then back to that time, we really barely knew each other. hahaha. I wouldn't change anything, though. I was so naive and so in love. I still am so naive and in love. Hahaha.

Ahhhhh... young love!!! (it only gets better from there).

I texted Sia to bring anything that maybe they liked to do together. She texted me back, "Ok, Frank likes to play the Ukrain." I was so confused. I had no idea what was a Ukrain and how you could play it.I even googled it and all I could get was the country.When he showed up with a uke, it all made sense.She said her spell check on her phone must've gone off. hahaha But for sure, he is an expert with the uke. He sat there and played along while singing her the most beautiful lyrics. I just about almost cried. (insert "AAAHHH" here). It was so cute.

I wish you guys all the happiness!!!

An Eight Year Old

2011-04-22T05:09:00.000-07:00

Eight year olds are such a fun age (believe me.... I'm with 20 of them all day, every day). They usually have a mouthful of missing teeth. They still have crazy imaginations and can invent wild stories. They are grown up enough to understand a lot about life yet they believe everything you tell them including any compliments you give them. They still want to be a good person and please others. They start to see that everyone is different but they still accept others for who they are. What is most fun of all is that they are not embarrassed to be themselves. I had fun taking pictures of this cutie-pie because she is 100% her own special self. She just turned eight. I call her my blondie-model. She has the prettiest blue eyes and the shiniest blonde hair. She is incredibly smart and LOVES to read. It was fun to have just a special session with her at this fun age!!!

Our Staycation Day 4

2011-04-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

On day 4, we went to the Planetarium and saw the cutest IMAX movie. We had fun together. We planned to go the Children's Museum afterwards, but it was closed for the day. We will have to go back and do that one in the summer.

Our Staycation Day 3

2011-04-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

On day 3, we went to a bouncy place and bounced around all day with our coolest friends ever. It was a blast!!!

Our Staycation Day 2

2011-04-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

So remember how I said that I had a list of things that needed to be done. Well, Marley and I were long overdue for a trim. She got her first haircut actually done by a professional (not her mother who doesn't understand how to cut her curly hair). It was a fun mommy/daughter morning. Mata was AWESOME!!! We love you MATA!!!

Then we headed to Salt Lake to start to get Haini's tattoo removed. He got his hand done today. It was pretty gross to watch.

Later we headed to the lake to longboard and ride scooters. We stopped by and got some glow stuff first. This is what it looked like when we first got there. It was really overcast.

This is what it looked like by the time we left. :)

Our Staycation Day 1

2011-04-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Since gas is $4.00 a gallon here... we decided that our Spring Break would be a STAYCATION. I REALLY need a vacation (the beach would be nice) but that just isn't going to happen, so in order to trick my head and make me feel like we had a real Spring Break, we are gonna enjoy every minute. Here are our pics from Day 1. I have my list of things that I wanna do and a list of things that I need to do. I'm thinking the wanna do is gonna come first place.

We ended our night long boarding and scootering under these lights followed by ice-cream cones. It was a perfect ending.

Trees

2011-04-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Lately, I'm obsessed with trees. I think it's because I'm just waiting for them to blossom.

Something is amazing about Spring.

There is a lot to be said about the seasons in our lives.

We go through times where the weather just takes everything from us and leaves us bare and dead.

Other times when we get to bask in the sun and enjoy our fruits.

The kids are enjoying the trees too. I found these monkeys hanging around at the park.

My Marley-Girl

2011-04-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

I never get tired of taking pictures of my Marley-Girl. She is my favorite little model.

Between the three boys, she keeps everything calm here at our lil home.
She is a peacemaking sweetie-pie and a second mom to Elijah (he calls both of us MAAA).
She has a soft girly side but gets rough with the boys. She has a little bit of a bossy-mommy side but is always the one to make sure everyone is okay.
She likes to tackle Haini but wants me to tuck her in at night. She always requests to "be tickled".
She sings at the top of her lungs every night using her own lyrics. (poor Sitani has to listen to it all night/ they have a bunk bed :)

She tries to wink at me all the time but it looks like she is just squinting her eyes.
She wakes up every morning and wants to eat fruit snacks. She doesn't want to go along with Sitani's healthy lifestyle. hahaha

She is almost 4.
She has a hello kitty karaoke machine.
She thinks that she can train Elijah like a dog. She makes a sound and then tells Elijah to make it. She throws a ball and he gets it.
She likes to wear the same pair of skinny jeans EVERYDAY.
She talks about playing soccer a lot and every day I come home from work, she has her ballet stuff on. She gets excited when she makes a basket with her new pink and purple ball at the gym.
She is REALLY competitive and wants me to time her (on my phone) running buts she hates when she loses to her cousins. She always asks them to hold hands and so no one will be the winner (or she won't be the loser). She doesn't like losing.
She likes me to read books to her but even more, she likes to read books to us. She opens up her book and makes up stories.

Sometimes I come home and Haini has done her hair. I'm glad she has a daddy who will sit with her (even if it is doing hair.) hahaha. Just the other day, she asked me to do her hair the way that "Daddy does it." I was shocked. :)
She is getting taller and thinning out. I think she weighs as much as Elijah.
She has her own opinion and knows what she likes. I like that about her.
She still loves everything I do, though.
She asks me all the time if I'm her best friend. I hope that we will always be best friends.

Favorite color: pink
Favorite food: broccoli's
Favorite sport: BYU
Best friend: Stani

These two are my favorites!!!

LOVE for your Walls

2011-04-04T00:16:00.000-07:00

So a while back, we read this scripture and I realized that I LOVE it. I thought it would be perfect to blow up big and put on our walls. So I made this and then got a big 20X30 frame from IKEA. I sent it off to Costco and I'm so excited to get it and frame it. I hope the colors turn out as bright and bold as photoshop makes it. Costco tends to be pretty good with sticking with the coloring. If you want a copy (or even in with a different color) for your little home... just let me know and I can send you one, too. (p.s. It only costs about $9.50 to have it printed.)

Here is another one I made... I thought it was the perfect quote for our family to be remembering right now.
(kinda sunbeam-ish)

Relaxing

2011-04-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

We are planning on a nice relaxing weekend with boxed pizza and cinnamon rolls. We plan to visit the park and enjoy the sunshine. I plan on doing absolutely nothing but listen to conference and enjoy my family. In order for this to happen, I need to first do the dishes. hahaha

Stitches

2011-04-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

I'm sad that this is the only shot I got of Elijah with his stitched-up face. He now has a scar on his cheek and Sitani says that it looks cool like the stitchings of a football.

On another topic... he got his first STAR done by daddy.

This kid is way to big for me. Marley still calls him "her baby" even though is getting up to her height.

This Kid

2011-03-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

He is growing up. My first baby... the one who introduced me to motherhood. He is still teaching me daily. He has a huge heart and always wants to make me happy. He is starting to wonder about everything and ask me all sorts of questions. I still see him as my baby. He has been doing some karate classes, basketball camps, soccer, and is signed up for tee ball in the summer. I love to listen to him play with Marley and Elijah (when they don't know I'm listening). He makes inventions and has a wild imagination. It is just so fun to watch him grow up.

I came home and he had this little contraption around his waist. He was playing "police" with Marley (something that is very popular in our house lately).

He asked me to take a picture of him because he made shoulder pads using the his pillow balls.

This one cracks me up.. I came home and he said that he was playing football against the Utah team. This was a Utah player that he had built.

Patient

2011-03-27T10:43:00.000-07:00

We are patiently waiting for Spring/Summer to come. We have already marked our spot at the park. We are ready.

As you can see... everything is still dead out here.

Flash Game

2011-03-27T10:34:00.000-07:00

We had a surprise visit from Dad and Tessha. We went to see a Flash game with them. It was just like the NBA for us.

We Flew a Kite

2011-03-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are still alive here in little Sugie Ville.
Yes, I am still shooting like a mad crazy lady.

We flew a kite yesterday. It was perfect.
We have been enjoying the sun and we are sooooooo excited for Spring/Summer.

We have been sooooo busy these last few months.
A lot has happened and I've wanted to blog down my thoughts before they slip away.
But life comes first and maybe summer will free up more time.

We've been enjoying the past few months.
We've had time to think, re-plan, organize our life.
Time to read more. Time to clean more. Time to talk more.

I've got more updates coming about our little family that has fallen off the face of the earth, but once again time is short and I gotta run.

I just realized that I didn't get any shots of Elijah. That is probably because he was off in his own world of muddy dirt

and I was scared to get too close to him.

Guardian of Heaven

2011-02-20T18:40:00.000-08:00

This precious little chunk of love brought in the new year with a bang. He was the first baby of Utah County for 2011. He was born to be famous. You can read about it here. His name means Guardian of Heaven.

He is also the most mellow baby. He is super addicting and so easy going that I just couldn't get enough of him. Congratulations to the Akiona's (aka... cutest family in the world).

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-20T09:35:00.000-08:00

Yes.. I know that it was Valentines almost a week ago but things have been CA-RAZY at the Sugies Home. We hope you all had a romantic and lovely Valentines Day. We spent the night at the Instacare putting stitches into Elijah's face (he fell and cut his cheek open). Poor thing. So we decided to celebrate Valentines Day all Week. We ate LOTS of candy and took some pictures. (coming later) I was spoiled to the max. It was an awesome week of LOOOOVE. Thanks to all the cousins for the fun cards in the mail. We made cards, but the wonderful mommy of the house still hasn't mailed them. EEEEKKKK!!!

Car Conversations

2011-02-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

Some of the best conversations come while driving in the car.

Me: Marley, you have to wear your seatbelt or else you will go flying out of the car.
Marley: I can't fly mom, I don't have wings.

Sitani: Mom, you are a cutie. Does that sound like cougar, too?

On the way home from basketball, it was really late and we were driving in silence. Out of the blue...
Marley: I'm not dead yet.
(another long break)
When there are sharks, then I'm dead.

Sitani: Mom, we are really late. But we have a FAST car.

You Worth It!!!

2011-02-11T17:45:00.000-08:00

I took these back in November when the air was crispy cold and the leaves were down. These girls were learning about their individual worth. It was AWESOME!!! Right as I walked in the door I saw a sign that said
"You're worth it".
They had a special day doing make-overs, photo shoots, and then a fashion show followed. I was overwelmed with how naturally beautiful they ALL were. Each had a special glow and their own personality. Some were shy and reserved while others were laughing, posing and more daring. Some were young, only 12, and so innocent and fun. Others were older and more mature. They were so kind and humble and I don't think any of them really could understand how beautiful and special they are.
I have a special place in my heart for any girl between the age of 12 to 18. That is such a hard time and I remember it like it was yesterday.
On an artistic note, this photo shoot was really REALLY hard for me. I am not used to doing more of a posed thing. It was really hard to get something candid when there was just me and one person in front of me. I found myself saying a lot of stupid jokes just to get a laugh. I discovered it is a lot easier to sit back and shoot shots of how others interact with each other. I LOVED having the opportunity to try it. Thanks Julia!!!

turning 8

2011-02-06T17:23:00.000-08:00

This cute guy was baptized a while back (I think back in October) and his mom wanted a special session done. Something I want to for sure do when my kids turn 8. I love 8 year olds. They are so fun. They are still kids but they seem to start to gain confidence and a sense of themselves at 8. Believe me... I teach 18 of them each day (2nd graders) and it is so fun for me to watch them. They soak up any compliment and they still really want to make good choices yet they all have started to develop their own unique talents and personality traits. Well, this guy was just so sweet and so adorable. He seemed to have a pure heart and he was hilariously uncomfortable in front of the camera. It was so cute to watch. I absolutely LOVED having this opportunity.

Special Dan

2011-02-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

I found this written on the inside of a book in the basement of my parent's home. It soon became one of my favorite books.

17 aug. 74

special dan,
   i like you i think
   i'll always like you

   your friend sandy

(some of my favorite parts)

I like you
And I know why
I like you because
You are a good person
To like

I like you because if I am mad at you
Then you are mad at me too
It's awful when the other person isn't
They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about
punch them in the nose

I like you because
I don't know why but
Everything that happens
Is nicer with you
I can't remember when I didn't like you
It must have been lonesome then

I am so excited to do part 2 of this session. I think it was literally 10 degrees out and we only had about 10 minutes. Lets shoot for another session but this time lets make it for the summer.

2010 Suguturaga Video

2011-01-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

I made this lil video in imovie. It was fun to go back and preview all of the fun we had last year. I think this is why I think pictures are priceless. I am getting older and I am forgetting everything. This is one memory that I will have forever. My kids can enjoy it, too. I wanna make a goal to take more pictures of my family this year. I want to catch everything. I know I will forget even the littlest things. I'm also going to try to do better with getting more family pictures.

2010 was such a great year. Every year just keeps getting better. I love watching my children grow. I like always having a chubby little body to snuggle with. I love to just listen to their conversations to each other.

There is one question that always haunts me... When I am old and gray, will I regret my time spent? Did we really LIVE? I can look back on these pictures and see that we may not have a lot of money to travel or see wonderful places, but we really laughed hard every day, we said "I love you" a lot to each other, and we enjoyed spending time with each other and friends and family. We danced to music, we made messes, we explored places nearby, and we just enjoyed every ray of sunshine, every colorful sunset, blue skies with shiny white clouds, and even cold days that left us warm and cozy inside. We barbecued, threw water balloons, rode scooters, and ate a lot of ice cream. I hope that we can LIVE in 2011!!!

This year I want to do more camping, hiking, and swimming. I want to go on more Sunday walks/drives and read more books to my kids. I want to visit the library more and always have music blasting in my house. I want to grow a garden. I want to create a website. I want to go on more dates with my Man. :) I want to buy a cruiser bike and bike more to the park or gym. I want to see the ocean and just spend a week playing in it. I want to fly a kit and I want to make a picnic quilt to lay on under a tree. I want to play tennis until late at night under the lights, I want to wake up earlier and get to the temple more often. I want to long board the canyon more. I want my kids to be able to run through the big sprinklers at the park more. I want to go out for ice cream more because it always tastes better. This is my 2011 bucket list.

The songs are

Big as the Sky- AM 60

I Do Adore- Mindy Gledhill

Rhythm of Love- Plain White T's

We Belong Together- AM 60

almost a year now

2011-01-24T21:59:00.000-08:00

I had a session with this cute little guy waaaaaay back in April/May (I think). I ran across these pictures tonight and realized I haven't posted them yet. (along with a lot of other sessions). I am really struggling to find the time to do any blogging. It is always at the end of my "to do" list that usually doesn't get crossed off and then is added to the next day's list. That is okay, right?
Well this guy was sooooo charming with his red hair and blue eyes. He is almost a year now. I can't believe it.

Bring on the Snow!!!

2011-01-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we decided to make use of the snow here in Utah. We went Sledding!!! I think it is safe to say... our kids really do LOVE the snow. We met up with our little twin family/friends. Both our older kids are right in the same age category and love playing together. I can't even count how many times the kids went up and down the hill, right after biffing and scraping it up. Marley and her cute lil best friend were in their own world of winter bliss just playing and laughing together. There were no tears even though there were frozen fingers. They were pretty tough kids just excited to be outside. We stayed almost ALL afternoon. We also went to see the movie Tangled with some free movie passes. It was a perfect day.

I can never get shots of my kids eyes this clear. I was pretty stoked to get some root beer eye shots of my cute lil guy that I'm so madly in love and addicted to.

These two are hilarious together. They seem to magnetize towards each other, holding hands. I can't wait to see them when they get older.

Love the missing teeth!!!

This guy is an avid snowboarder. Whoever knew a local boy could snowboard. :)

This guy was soooo tired he fell asleep with a sucker in his mouth while laying flat on the snow.

something lost

2011-01-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

Looks like someone lost something.

By far... one of my favorite of 2010!!!

2010 Favorite Books

2011-01-09T17:02:00.001-08:00

These are a few of my favorite books from 2010. Each one hit me in a special way.

I've got a huge list of books I'm excited to read in 2011.

This book left me feeling like I wanted to find the perfect spot to settle down and raise my kids. Ocean salt, collecting seashells, fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of cousins close by, live music, hot home-cooked meals, endless Saturdays playing together, and sitting on a patio swing while watching the sunset. This book is my dream world.

This book was AMAZING, eye-opening.

It channeled my almost-there thinking as far as the Art of teaching children.

My favorite chapter was the one about "the importance of Play."

I loved his first book so much that I got this one. It led me to a more personal experience.

Children's Literature is my weakness. I spend more money on books than clothes or toys.

I read a read-a-loud everyday to my class.

This one was one that stuck out.

I love the lessons that can be taught.

This is by far my most favorite and inspiring photography book. It seemed like I had to wait for weeks till it came in the mail and then I carried it around everywhere just hoping that I would have a chance to read it. I could read it over and over. Anyone interested in photography, should get it. It doesn't teach about technicals stuff but just inspires and make you see how photos are so special.

Another favorite was this $15 book from Ikea.

I LOVE the photography and it contains my dream of design.

It is what I call my "SomeDay" book.

I read this one in just a couple of days. I couldn't put it down.

It gives a lot of advice for starting your own creative freelance business.

This was a fun chapter book to read to the kids. Each chapter was full of imagination.

Someday I want to take this book and paint the lyrics on Marley's room. It is a book I will read over and over to her even when she is in high school. It teaches about loving yourself. The illustrations are going to be framed and hung up for her to see. I love it!!

So this one might seem like a funny one. Not the most intellectual but I was soooooo excited when I saw this book. I had to get it. I have loved and been inspired by Roxy ads for years. This book is just full of photography that I am drawn to look at. I love the sun. I love the colors. I love the beach. I love the clothes. I love the shaggy uncut hair. I love that these women are strong athletes living their dreams and enjoying each day. I love the graphic design that Roxy uses. I call this book "Inspiration."

I'm sure all of us have favorite books that inspired each of us in 2010. I'd love to hear your favorites and why. I'm always looking for a good book.

Thanks

2011-01-07T23:51:00.001-08:00

Christmas was AWESOME this year!! I love it even more now that the kids are getting bigger. It seems so much more magical. We read a lot of Christmas stories. We made gingerbread houses. We went sledding. We drank a lot of hot chocolate smothered in whipped cream. We also had a special elf come and leave us little reminder presents.

Mark and Laura came for Thanksgiving and they knew how much we wanted a tree for ALL of December. Just before they headed back, they brought this beauty over. Our house instantly smelled like Christmas. Thanks you guys!!!

I even tried to make my first clay baked nativity set. It got shipped off to a special family.

Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a couple of days. It was fun to play with cousins, eat yummy food, and take a lot of naps snuggled next to Elijah. Thanks mom and dad for letting us come.

We made some snowmen and waited patiently for Jace to arrive.

Marley wanted her own snowman. I told her that we should build it next to our other snowman. She said, "No mom, I don't want her to get tackled."

(poor thing is stuck in between two boys)

So we built it far away under a tree.

Christmas night was fun. We had the most hilarious nativity story acted out, angels and all. Mary (Marley) wouldn't hold the baby (Anabelle) and the baby would lay in the manger. The wise man looked like he just got out of the shower, and dad zoomed through Luke 2 all while we were laughing.

I think I was more excited for Santa to come than my kids were.

On Christmas day, we went sledding. Thanks grandma and gramps for the sleds.

gorgeous couple + happy baby + lame jokes = FUN

2010-12-23T17:26:00.000-08:00

Aside from being one of the most gorgeous super-model couples ever, these guys were seriously the funniest couple to watch. I think about 1/2 of the shots I took didn't turn out because I was laughing sooooo hard. It was fun and I can't even say enough about their lil cutie guy. Even just looking at him, he would smile and giggle. AAHHHHH He was uber-duper ADORABLE. I want him all for myself. Thank you guys for a fun time and for being good sports and even laughing at my AWESOME jokes. It was a BLAST!!! You have a beautiful family.

$1.00 hats

2010-12-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

We found these fun hats at the Target $1 section. So we did a quick shoot on Sunday. It feels like I haven't posted pictures of my kids in a long time. They are CA-RAZY !!! They are little posers and like to act silly. I didn't even try to get a serious one. I like it this way... that's how they really are. CRAZY MONKEYS. I'm in LOVE with the just-be-yourself-in-the-moment pictures. This is something I'm trying to lean towards more and be better at doing. I want to freeze a moment and the people in it just as they are and being WHO they are. I still find myself trying to pose people and set up this perfect shot, but I'm drawn to THIS.
I turned music on in the truck and blasted it...then I said "DANCE".
It's something else, I've wanted to try with a family.
It would be hilarious to catch people in their dance moves.

someone's getting some BONUS points

2010-12-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

These guys got stuck right in the middle of my hard drive crashing and them needing to get their wedding announcements sent out asap. It was a nightmare. I prayed to get their pics off of my comp and it was unsuccessful and then I took my memory card in to see if I could get their pics recovered from it and that was unsuccessful. Finally, I found an awesome UVU computer tech (thanks to Jeanne -the best Utah Grandma ever) and he was able to restore most of their pictures back.
They are getting married this December and I'm so excited for them.

He thought looooong and hard about what to write on this. I was cracking up when I saw this.He might be getting some heat from the guys about this one. I think that is true love and devotion right there. Words say it all. He gets 25+ points.

These guys are such a beautiful couple. They were hilarious, too.I have to admit, when I first met him, I was a bit intimidated.But after watching them together, I realized that he like a big teddy bear and totally shy. She is just totally beautiful and seemed to just make him the happiest guy in the world.It was cute. I LOVE watching couples together and seeing how they mesh together.

It was all about him...

2010-12-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

I love this family. They always make me feel like a rock star. They were THE first family that ever let me practice on them over two years ago. I posted about it here. I was crackin up when I went back to that post because I literally dragged them through a 3 hour session (note: waaaay too long) and all during a BYU game. It must've been torture for dad, a former BYU player. Luckily he wasn't angry and totally won The Father of the Year Award. And then once again, they even let me into their home to get some shots of their newborn cutie. I posted about it here.
These guy are some serious hotties. All of their children (and future children) are just gorgeous. They have their hands full with these two future BYU football players. Watch out Utah!!!
After the shoot, they got on the plane and headed to Hawaii. I told them next time, I'll just go with them and take their pictures there. Imagine that... :)
Thanks again. You guys rock!!!
XOXO

It was ALL about this guy. He was such a HAM. :)

I secretly wish I had a picture like this with my man. HAHAHA. (too bad he doesn't cooperate with the camera.)

Cheers to a Good December

2010-12-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

November was da bomb ( literally a BIG bomb). I am now up and running after replacing the hard drive, losing ALL our music, photos, and home movies and being backed up at least 6 photo sessions. Needless to say, I'm excited for December and all the Christmas Festive.

In celebration of a new month and just the mere fact that lovely November is behind us, I wanted to post this beautiful family.

When we set up the session, I told them to just wear comfortable clothes that made them happy, mom texted me that I shouldn't say things like that because dad would show up in his rugby uniform (short shorts and all). I thought she was kidding until I got to the shoot and found out that he really did have his uniform all ready in his bag. Luckily, we got through the shoot without a wardrobe change and he was able to race off to his UVU Alumni rugby game.

These guys were so fun to be with and I felt right at home during our session. Their kids are close in age with our kids and we always get together for summer birthdays and parties. Haini went to high school with dad and he even brought us back yummy chocolate from his last trip to New Zealand. Now mom is pregnant with their fourth (I feel like I should be pregnant, too) and I can't get over how beautiful she looks in all the shots. I had such a hard time choosing my favorites.

So apparently this little cutie is in LOVE with her doggie but her doggie is NOT in LOVE with her. I thought it was hilarious how she just wanted to hold him and carry him all while he was trying to get away.

I love how mom is floating in the air.

fall colors

2010-11-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

Fall comes so fast every year and only stays around for a couple of weeks. This tree outside our home is nearly bare now. I'm in love with these colors, though.

Sitani: Mom, do zebras like to run and play.

Me: Umm, I think so, yes... zebras like to run and play.

Sitani: Well, I've never seen a zebra running with his friends in fields.

Me: Sitani, have you ever even seen a zebra?

Sitani: Um, no!

(I think he saw one once :)

life's an hourglass

2010-11-23T05:51:00.000-08:00

This song has been an inspiration lately. I'm so thankful for each new day and that I can spend it with people I love. Sometimes when I get stuck in a rut and life gets too busy, it just takes a little inspiration to bring me back to what actually means something to me. I forget often.

This also helped. Thanks Laura.

I love non-picture pefect pictures that remind me of memories. Bouncing on the bed is a common activity at our house.

I love Marley's face in this one.

Have a good Thanksgiving. gobble gobble. :)

shutting down for a bit

2010-11-11T11:03:00.001-08:00

So I am currently shut down and freaking out about it. My mac crashed on me. I had to take it all the way to Salt Lake because Utah only has one apple store. BAD NEWS--- They told me that my hard drive crashed and I would have to buy a new one and get it installed. They said they would do all the labor for free but couldn't guarantee that my photos would be saved. I am sick to my stomach about this. All my photos are backed up on cd's except for 2010. rrrrrr.
Plus I did three photo sessions last week and haven't saved them to cd's yet and most likely they will be erased.
I'm preparing for the worst but praying for the best.
Please join me in PRAYER. hahaha :)

(I also have three photo shoots for this week and so lets hope I get my computer back soon.)

why, why, why? does this happen to me now. RRRRRR
(my new word of the day: external hard drive...seriously)

my baby boy

2010-11-05T03:04:00.000-07:00

My lil chubs is growing up. A couple of things I want to note down for myself.

-He is wearing me out.

-He climbs everything.

-He can now open the fridge and computer desk doors (eek).

-He still doesn't sleep through the night and drinks about 2-3 bottles a night. (all of my kids are like this)

-His first words were dadda, football and nata (his cousin's name, but I think it stands for all of them). He also points to everything and say doooodooooo.

-Sometimes he will come to me, grab my hand, and say mamma, then he usually leads me somewhere

-In the night, when he wakes up, he likes to hold my hand and come with me to fill up his bottle.

-He cannot have anything in his hands, because he usually hits Marley on the head with it and then laughs.

-His favorite toy is the fly swatter (note the hitting)

-He also likes to play with Sitani's football guys (this is hard because they are sacred to Sitani) but instead of making them tackle each other, Elijah will set them up and then tackle them with his own body by stomping all over them.

-He is an angel when he sleeps and Haini and I always fight over who gets to cuddle with him on the bed.

-He totally has an underbite but his smile is INCREDIBLY adorable and cheesy.

-He likes to hang with the big kids and isn't afraid to get roughed up a little bit.

-He LOVES football.

-He doesn't eat much and just likes to throw all of his food off his high chair.

-He makes A LOT of boy noises.

-He pretty much just walks around in his diaper when at home. He doesn't like clothes, but will wear everyone's shoes.

-He stands at the door with fish lips to give us umas when we leave. He loves giving umas.

-He goes crazy if he can't go outside at least once a day.

-He likes to bounce on the bed.

-He hates haircuts.

-He LOVES baths but only when Sitani and Marley are with him.

-He is ALL boy but 100% lovable.

I can't believe how much he has grown and changed just within the last couple of months. He is entering toddlerhood and it makes me sad. I need to write it all down before I forget. It is sad how we think we will never forget, but I'm finding that I do. I look at my older two and wonder where the time has gone. I love every stage of childhood and all the different and new adventures. I also love the stages our family goes through as our kids grow older. It is sooo true, that nothing is more important than watching your kids grow and learn.

I know this picture is totally grainy and blurry but I LOVE IT. If you say, "Ready, Set, Go!!!" Elijah will get down low like a football player and then take off running somewhere. It is sooo cute. (Sitani did the exact same thing when he was this age). He has a pretty good arm and still throws left and right handed.

I've never written down why we named him Elijah... A lot of people ask if he is named after someone in the family. The truth is that when I was pregnant, we were reading a book about the temple. Here are a couple of notes that stuck out to us...

How shall God come to the rescue of this generation? He will send Elijah.

How can a prophet change a whole generation, and an ancient prophet at that?

El-i-jah: literally, in Hebrew, means "My God is Jehovah."

and this is the part I love the most

But his name also symbolizes the sealing or the union of father and son.

He conferred key- authority-priesthood authority.

Every marriage in this Church that is binding both here and hereafter has been performed under those keys and their delegated authority.

Further, Elijah had a revelatory function. There is a spirit that is somehow emanating through him and his work and ministry that has reached out far beyond the bounds of this Church, turning hearts and not just heads. And one account says that it was his function to reveal to us "the covenants of his fathers in relation to the children, and the covenants of the children in relation to the fathers."

These keys are what bind fathers to sons and sons to fathers through the priesthood.

These keys are what bind families together.

(I think Elijah has helped bind our family together. We have surpassed tremendous obstacles and received incredible blessings since Elijah has been born. Incredible priesthood blessings. In a small way, he has lived up to his name.)

When I read these words to Haini... I said, "I think I like the name Elijah and what it means to us personally." He was quiet for a moment and then said, "That's it then. That is his name."

(now for the story of his middle name... hmm maybe at a later time)

rent-a-pet

2010-11-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

My niece has found a friend. Every time we go to the park, these two seem to find each other and play for hours. Buddy has become her rent-a-pet-for-the-park dog.

hanging around

2010-11-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

We got a chance to hang out with this cute lil guy and his cute family. I always love talking to Candice because she lets me ramp on and on about photography and listens to all my opinions and dreams. She is just like me... trying to soak up anything she can shoot because she is just addicted. Check her out here. :)

and then... one our way home, we stopped to enjoy this in the parking lot of the laundromat. The sunsets are all SOTC (straight out of the camera). I couldn't mess with the beauty of this.

the harbor

2010-10-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

During our Fall Break, we spent a beautiful sunny day at the Lindon Harbor. We like to go out there and take the long board and scooters. There is a cool path that goes right along the lake. Elijah threw rocks into the lake for literally a 1/2 hour. They were huge rocks, too. We packed our famous lunches and snacked all day. I've found a way to use the long board and stroller at the same time. We can now ride our wheels anywhere and Elijah just sits in the stroller. It works together perfectly while the kids ride their scooters. I wish I would have done this earlier this summer.

These little guys seem to come with us where ever we go.

Something I've been loving to do lately, is to shoot the same shot but with different manual settings. I'm obsessed with the Fall Skies lately.

overexposed and underexposed these are all STOC (straight out of the camera)

After the harbor, we spent our evening at the park with cousins.

This was our sunset, beautiful way to end our perfect day.