{Spring Family Pics...

Over spring break we went to a little studio in Draper called Fotofly.  They are fast and cheap and do a pretty good job!  I was impressed anyway.  It's about time to get some family pics up on the wall and I have some fun ones to choose from.  I love my little family.

 

 

 

 

 

{Who's that stud in a tiny suit?

It's my Jackson and these are some of his baptism pictures... love this kid!

{Official...

Last weekend I had my first *official* photo shoot. I didn't know this family, they were a referral from a fundraiser that I did last year. I had the best time! I love getting to meet new people and Shawna and Dave were so kind. The kids were just darling and even their dog, Sally was fun to shoot! Here are a few from our session.

{Studio T...

A couple of months ago Tina Johnson and I decided to combine efforts and start a little side photography business. We've swapped taking each other's (and a few other families) pictures for Christmas cards for the last few years and Tina took some photos of clients for her husbands dental practice. We've had a good response so we decided to make it official! I love being behind the camera and Tina is a wonderful photographer so it just seemed like the natural thing to do. I feel like I've learned a lot and it's something I can see myself being passionate about. Maybe when the boys are older I could be a little more serious about it? Anyway, I thought I would share our photography blog Studio T here on my personal blog... Let me know what you think?!?

{Fabulous Fall...

I love fall and I love family photos... here's one of our latest. (Thanks TJ!)

{Brothers...

I fell in love with the trail behind Liz's house. It's paved and just so convenient! One night I took the boys up to the trail and we walked while I snapped a few pictures. I love watching them play together and I couldn't pass up this photo op!

{Thanksgiving weekend and my favorite soup recipe...

We had a whopper of a Thanksgiving weekend!

We hopped in the car and made our way over to Utah for a Thanksgiving with both the Hawker's and the Berry's. Liz, Anna and I ran the Utah Food Bank 5K Thanksgiving morning and then we made our way over to the stake center to watch the guys play football. We met up with our families at Northampton House for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a packed house! Todd's dad owns a reception center in American Fork Utah and that is typically where we have Thanksgiving. This year there were over 120 people! I usually prefer a quiet little family gathering, but there is something to be said of making a salad, showing up and having the rest done!

We managed to get in a little Black Friday shopping (at our favorite Utah stores), and of course attended the blessings of Max (on Sat.) and Stella (on Sun.).

We are home safe and sound and now I'm dying to get my tree up, listen to carols and everything else that goes with it!


Todd playing in a turkey bowl on Thanksgiving Day.


Stella.


Max.

Here's one of my VERY favorite (and SO easy) soup recipes:

Tortellini, Sausage Soup

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 c beef stock
2 c Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 large or 2 small zucchini, sliced
1 large or 2 small carrots, sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
½ c dry red wine
3 T Italian seasoning
8-10 oz. fresh cheese tortellini
Fresh parmesan cheese

Sauté sausage in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling. Using a slotted spoon transfer sausage to a large bowl. Pour off all but 1 T drippings from Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic to DO and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Return sausage to DO. Add stock, tomatoes, sauce, zucchini, carrot, pepper, wine basil and Italian seasonings. Simmer until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add tortellini to soup and cook until tender (8 minutes). Season soup to taste with S&P. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve.

{Pay it forward...

There's just nothing like having a new family picture up on my wall to bring me a little joy... after Tina took our family shots, I was able to take a few pictures of some other families myself. The Olson's and the Baer's were so much fun to work with (let's face it, we live in Colorado and the surroundings couldn't be prettier and these families are gorgeous). Thanks guys!

Speaking of paying it forward, check out this website if you are even remotely interested in photography.

{So excited!...

My good friend Tina was generous enough to spend an evening with the us to take some fall family pictures. I am more than thrilled with how they turned out. The fall colors are perfect and let's face it, when all four of us are looking at the camera it is a complete success! She has such a good eye for light and a never ending supply of ideas for different ways to set up a shot. Thank you, thank you Tina! I have a folder full of pictures on my computer that are being uploaded to Costco as we speak. I can't wait to get them in frames and on my walls! You're the best.

{Photo shoot...

I love pictures! I love it when I get a great shot with my camera... Having kids has made me a little obsessive about photography. Not that I'm really even that good, but I have taken an interest and I'm trying to teach myself about lighting, composition etc... I think that maybe someday I would love to open a studio. Not any time soon, but maybe someday... These are some of my recent favorites. Sam is getting so big so fast that I feel like I need to capture every day!