Pictures of My Sister, General Conference and Thanksgiving!!

Ok here comes the continuation of the last post!! 

First off HOW GORGEOUS is this girl???

Seriously Someone needs to just up and Marry her already!!

Ok so confession time - I haven't had my camera out in a LONG time!!

I have been ok doing some for family and friends,

but Shooting with this kind of purpose well I don't do very often 

because I confess I have a love-hate relationship with my camera!!

I love taking photos and the creative process, visiting and talking with clients, 

seeing their reactions to my favorite pictures, I love it.

I hate the little voice in my head that sometimes becomes a bit too loud, 

"you are not at the top of your creative game", "you are not that good", 

"your post processing is lousy", there are other things that this voice says.  

As you can see this little voice is quite annoying. 

I also love photo's that show emotion, love, caring, awe, 

humility for creation, all kinds of holy impulses 

that remind me of Gods love and his gifts to us.

I also hate that post processing techniques have made it 

almost impossible to enjoy a picture without wondering, 

is this what the photographer saw, is his craft the lighting he saw, 

the emotion captured in an instant, 

or is his craft the post processing that brings all that forward.

See Its a bit of a Turmoil.

So for now I get to WORK on something fantastic - MY FAMILY!!!

Photography gets to be a perk/hobby/interest 

that keeps my creativity flowing. 

(and maybe reminds me that behind the home making 

and the mothering I'm an individual!!)

So here's to my sister who gave me a chance to remind myself 

that I'm still an individual and still capable of 

capturing some great photos!!

Now moving on to more family business.

General Conference!! 

OK I admit that I was a little nervous about general conference this year.  

I have two very active little girls and have started to feel really feel pregnant.   

I had created a lovely bad of things for Ms. A to do in the spring and 

was a little worried that this year she would be quite uninterested in 

the same things that had been in the bag for a while.

So turns out that with a little prep work and a wonderful grandma 

who paid for the friend to come to our house,

 General Conference was wonderful!!  

Early in the month of September we helped Ms. A construct 

the Conference chain from the friend.

Which gave us 14 activities to do with her 

( 1 a day) leading up to conference Saturday.

I confess I mostly loved it because it was shanes

 idea and he did most of it with her.

(Which she ADORED!)  

 

 Now a couple of weeks before conference I also had been thinking to myself. 

"I'll just add 2 things to the conference bag so that the girls will have 

some quiet things to do together and I'll be able to just sit 

and write notes and feel inspired!"

I admit that as a single lady I relished conference in a way that 

I could at no other time, I suppose I became kind of a snob.  

I wanted the girls to be perfect so that I could receive inspiration 

and revelation about what I have been struggling with. 

(like when I was single and only had me to worry about!!)

So with a prayer in my heart I bought a couple of new 

play dough adventures, and that is how the girls spent the 

morning session of conference - PJ's and Play Dough.

Shane even enjoyed himself.

(and yes that is an overturned laundry basket we used as a table)

Lately I had been feeling a lot like the girls were just too much for me 

and I never had a minute of peace to just read my scriptures or even shower.  

One of the things I learned through conference was that the lord knows 

what he needs us to hear and he'll make ways for us to hear it.  

The girls were not perfect and not amazing the whole day.  

But as I prepared treats and colored in coloring books and put them first 

before my incessant need to take notes, 

I found that the lord provided a way for me to do both!  

I had my notebook handy and gave the girls what 

attention they wanted from me.  

When something important was said it was like a little volume button 

was turned on and I was acutely aware that 

I should be paying attention to this part. 

In some specific instances it was a single word.  

Like Elder Hollands use of "Ash-heap".  

My head shot up imidiately when I heard it and 

I resolved that after conference this was a talk that I needed 

to read again, and again, and again.  

(mostly because when I read his talks I imagine 

his voice which I love listening to.)

There were blessings like the girls playing downstairs nicely together 

for almost the entirety of Elder Perry's talk about 

the importance of family and marriage and children. 

(which of course I felt was speaking directly to me!)

I felt very blessed after the Saturday sessions as 

I looked back through my notes.  

I felt like the lord had given me an enormous blessing in 

being able to bless my children throughout the day, 

as well as receive the very knowledge and strength 

that I was looking for from his inspired servants!!

Sunday was another story altogether, mostly because 

it was intertwined with 

Thanksgiving.

Sunday morning was filled with rush to get ready for conference 

followed by rushed lunch followed by visit to a wonderful couple 

who have kind of adopted our little family.  

Margaret and Weldon are amazing and she had called Shane earlier 

in the week to tell him that Weldon had completed a beautiful 

swing set/tree house/play area in the back yard.  

Therefore we should naturally come to conference on Sunday 

at their house in the afternoon.

Shanes mom was planning on being there with them and 

we were all headed over to her house after for thanksgiving dinner.

So we went and let the girls play to their hearts content 

until it was time for conference to start and then we went inside 

and the girls played with all of the new toys and books and things.  

(new to them anyway) 

We enjoyed conference together and migrated over 

to Grandma Cathy's for dinner.

Now you may remember this post about wanting to have a more 

meaningful thanksgiving that wasn't just about huge dinners 

at multiple grandmas houses!!

Well that thankful board didn't really make much of an appearance 

because I decided I wanted to get the girls 

all excited about conference too. 

So here's what really happened.  

On a night when we were all tired and a bit cranky 

we had an impromptu family night.  

We sat around the table and made a grateful chain.  

 

 

I remember being in awe at how easily Ms. A got the concept 

that we wanted to list things on each ring of the chain 

that we were grateful for.

 I was even more amazed when without my explanation she also 

understood that I was hoping for something more meaningful than 

ICE CREAM.

The first thing that Ms. A was grateful for was her Sister, 

then mom and dad and so on.  

Mom and Dad of course wrote things down like conference, 

scriptures, prayer, showers (ok mostly me).

Ms. E followed suit with her list, mommy, daddy, bunny, 

blanky, grandma, etc.

I had a brainwave that we should take the chain to each thanksgiving dinner 

and give all the adults in Ms. A and Ms. E's life 

a chance to add to her grateful chain. 

And so It grew.  

Even some of the most reserved uncles wrote at least one.

After Hudson Dinner it was 40 chains long.

(which Ms A delighted in counting)

After Webster dinner it was even longer - close to 80 chains long.  

I was glad to see how excited the girls were and how Ms. A 

was really in awe of all the blessings that had been written down.  

Even if some of them were days off work, bacon, 

icing without the cake, and being thankful for being humble.  

(silly uncles)

We really were grateful for our wonderful family and friends this Thanksgiving.

As well as a loving heavenly father who reminds us that 

even though there is still so much going on 

if we focus on what is most important, 

with faith in him everything turns out for good.

September Date Night and Harvest Time and Hair Cuts!!

So I haven't blogged in a bit and I thought to myself . . .

"not that much has happened."

Then I started going through 

the pictures I had set aside for sharing,

I decided to split the post into two!!

First off September Date Night

Ok disclaimer - One thing I have learned from these dates is that 

there are certain months that a more leisurely date 

is probably more appreciated.  

For Instance September being a new semester for Shane and 

having to meet with all his supervisors and receive their loving support 

(aka kick in the pants to get a move on with his projects).  

A movie and popcorn would have made him just as happy 

as the complicated night I had planned!!

Septembers Date was a night at the ZOO!!

Exhibit #1  - YouTube adventures watching film of silly/funny animals!

Which lead to some reminiscing and good times.

(we did try the sandiego zoo's live cams but being after dark 

we decided another day during the day would be better!)

Exhibit #2 Grow your own animals

So we got all set up and ready to go . . . .

 

 Then we Raced . . . on your mark, get set, go!!

 Then just for fun we did it one more time!!

Here's our little zoo!!

 I believe shane's colors won both times!!! 

boo hoo!!

 

Exhibit #3 - zoo animal trivia 

(which by the way I certainly did not cheat on at all)  

See that score!!

 

Exhibit #4 random movie and popcorn

by this time we were super tired and both needed to relax!!

Now as a perk from this date . . . guess who found leftovers the next morning 

to play with before breakfast??

 They loved them and were super happy while shane and I made some breakfast!!!

Now on to Harvest Time!!

I posted a bit about our first trip down the garden path this summer 

and we are so grateful that we have loving friends 

who share their surplus with us!! 

This surplus included potatoes, carrots, several varieties of squash, 

corn, tomatoes, beans, applesauce, pumpkins, 

as well as strawberries and apples.

We felt really blessed as more fresh veggies arrived.  

With one exception the Zucchini.  

I love my husband, but there are definitely some similarities 

between my grandfather and him. 

(Bear with my while I tell a little back story)

When we were little we had a large wood burning stove in our front room 

and it was the highlight of my fall to head out to the timber 

with my older siblings, parents and grandfather 

to cut tree's for the winter's wood supply.  

I loved to watch my grandfather carefully select a specific tree 

and then select where he would want it to fall.  

I loved the smell of the sawdust and the sap 

and even the smell of that old truck we loaded up.  

If we were lucky we would even find some berries 

while we waited for our jobs to begin. 

(hauling and stacking)

It seemed like every year my grandmother would say 

the same thing about my grandfather when we returned.  

"If Dennis could he would bring the whole forest home with him."

The same is true about my husband and Zucchini.  

Take him out to the patch and without a doubt he would begin picking 

and not be able to stop himself.

This year is no exception!!  

After spending a day baking zucchini bread and banana cake 

to freeze and share, not even a week later 

Shane brings home two zucchini 

which I decide to process to freeze.

25 cups later I am covered in green and yellow zucchini 

and am sincerely hoping that I can find something to do with it 

besides make zucchini bread.  

(don't get me wrong I love the stuff, 

but I think 10 batches is a little much!!)

Now I don't want this to sound like a complaint but sincerely,

I have a bit of a small family at the moment, and young kids.  

I'm sure if I had two teenage girls + whatever other additions to the 

family may come (maybe one day even a boy or two???)

 I would have been grateful for so much. 

But with my small little family it was just a little much!!

And I admit maybe it was because it was zucchini!

Trust me when Shane's mom stopped by with this load 

I was not sad at all!!

 13 cups of strawberries ready to freeze.  

 I tried to keep about 4 cups fresh in the fridge but between these two . . .

 "more stwawbebees pees!!"

"I want that big one - not that one That ONE!"

Needless to say they didn't last long!!

But we are sure grateful we got them.

Lastly but not least is HAIRCUTS!!

Here's my rock star the morning of her haircut!!

That's right all the way down to her skinny little bum!!

She was so awesome at the salon,

and thank goodness it wasn't busy as we were walk-in's.  

The girls didn't feel as pressured to be in a huge hurry!

I sat in the chair first and she sat with me as we rode up 

and then down and had a little twirl.

Then she put the cape on and we were set!

 Seriously her face did not change the whole time, 

it looked about like this!!

 Ahhh the finished hair now there's a smile.

Probably from relief.

 

Paying up - all ready to go!

I confess that I love it mostly because it was 

soooo bouncy and flippy and fun.

(and now even dad can comb her hair after bath)

Just like My Miss A.

Stay tuned for more exciting September/October adventures!

Including My Gorgeous sister's pictures, Conference, and thanksgiving!!

(See I told you I needed to split it!!)