because i felt like it

I moved my blog to HERE come on over!

A Little List of Things....

Here is a little list of things I like about winter

a) hot chocolate

b) I appreciate the mountains more after they have been gone for a few days

c) reading by the fire

d) the more I bundle up the less I have to wear a bra (possibly my favorite thing!)

e) fogginess makes for cool looking photos

f) I have a feeling that I will love summer even more than I do now, all thanks to winter

g) winter seems quiet to me, and I like quiet

that is all for now. In case you are wondering, yes, I am trying to convince myself.

Photo of the Week {3}

this week i dreamed of the sun, today it actually came out... for a little while.

this is not an actual photo, I created this from scratch to make someone feel warm.

Photo of the Week {2}

You know those photo a day blogs you see some people do? I have always liked those and for the past few years I have really wanted to try it out but the thing is... I can't commit. I mean, taking time EVERY DAY of a whole year to do something like that, there is no way. I am always coming up with projects that make Mike roll his eyes at me so I never even bothered to tell him I wanted to do something like that. I know whatever he would tell me would be the truth and I just didn't want to hear it. I think he's like that because he has heard me complain about how overwhelmed I am but how there is this new thing I want to try way too many times. But the other night I was laying in bed thinking about a photo a day blog and then it occurred to me that I'm a big girl now, I can do whatever I want! Yessssss. It doesn't have to be stressful and I don't have to freak out about getting it all done. So, I came up with doing a photo a week! I'm probably not the first, I know, but that is something I can totally do! 52 photos. And, to make things even better I gave myself no limits! I can post whatever I feel like, it can be some personal work or an awesome photo of one of the boys giving me their best fake smile. And I don't even have to write anything about it if I don't want to, how is that for awesome? 2010, I love you already! So, here it is folks, my very first photo of the week(it took me a whole week to get it together so that is why there is a #2 by the title, it's week 2 now). I had to take Jack his library books, AGAIN, and I noticed how cool the trees looked all covered in ice. I don't think that I can say that I love winter up here in the North, but some things about it I find very lovely, but that is for another post entirely.

rediscovered love

So, it has been a very long time since I have listened to the White Album but the other day while we were working Mike wanted to hear the Rocky Racoon, so I put it on and found, again, Long, Long, Long. Oh how I love this song!!!! Seriously, it is LOVE!!!! Here are the words and here is where you can listen to it....

It's been a long long long time,
How could I ever have lost you
When I loved you.

It took a long long long time
Now I'm so happy I found you
How I love you

So many tears I was searching,
So many tears I was wasting, oh. Oh--

Now I can see you, be you
How can I ever misplace you
How I want you
Oh I love you
You know that I need you.
Ooh I love you.

ETA: Mike also wanted me to put up Rocky Racoon, but the coolest one I could find was Phish singing it. Mike LOVES Phish, so here you go! :)

Quote of the Day

Link: "Hey Mom, I just want to tell you something... you just look so beautiful."

Me: " I do? Thanks so much!"

Link: "Can you open this candy for me?"

Me: "Of Course!! ......oh you are GOOD!!!"

sharing the love

Jasmine Star is one my favorite photographers. I want to badly to meet her and just talk about life as a photographer. In an interview with Davina Fear, another one of my favorites, she was asked this question and here is her answer... it's awesomeness!

Davina: What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

Jasmine:

Follow your heart.

Don't let anyone tell you, You Can't.

If you come across negativity (oh, and you will!), don't ignore it...use it to fuel your inner desire to prove the nay-sayers wrong. When you want to quit, don't....quitting is too easy and nothing good in life is easy.

Don't be the best, be different.

Be you.

Love yourself...the flaws, the wrinkles, the OCD, the extraness around your belly.

When all else fails, take a deep breath, open a pint of Ben&Jerry's, and enjoy life.

I love this, just what I needed for my year of LOVE!!!!

LOVE, Deb

LOVE...it's the word

So, it is that time of year again to start fresh and really, I am excited about what this year has in store! Last year was alright, we went thru a lot of things that kind of stunk but we are all healthy and happy so that is good. I feel like I did great at my word, which was ELIMINATE. Could I have done better? Probably, but I am totally happy with all that I got rid of last year and it turned out to be just what we needed as a family and made our move a little easier. I also did a good job of slowing down in my work so I could be with the family more and I have to say that I love it that way! I worked so hard for so long and it was tough at first to not work. But I have had more time to do things with the kids and as a family and I need to never work that hard again, my boys need me around and I have really enjoyed being here! Last year we went camping for the first time ever as a family, that was awesome and we will for sure be doing more of that! We had more art time here in the house and that is only a good thing! I have also been working on eliminating pounds and that is going well, I am down 30 lbs. and have 30 more to go. Working on that will carry over into this year and is something I will work on my whole life, I am sure. But with working less and losing some weight I also eliminated a lot of stress and in general I am a happier person, yipee for me!! My band of 2009 was Fleetwood Mac and I listened to them as much as I could, I just love them! They will always make me happy. Well, now on to this year!!

My word for 2010 is LOVE. This came to me pretty quickly as I started to think about what I wanted to work on this year but at first I was thinking along the lines of just loving the people around me more and that was it. But as I have been thinking about it (that's what I love about having a word, I am always thinking about it!) I realized that it goes much deeper than that and I am really excited about what focusing on this word will do! I realized last night that I need to work on loving myself. This is going to be a tough one because for the past 5 years I have really hated a lot of things about the way I look. Losing weight has helped me out a little and I am starting to feel the beautiful woman in me come out. This, I think, is important for any woman and I know it will help me with confidence in my business, and raising my boys and I hope that once I get comfortable with myself that it will be easier to love all those around me. Now, when I say "those around me" I don't just mean my family. They are obviously the first ones I want to love more but I really want to reach ANYONE that I come in contact with. This means clients, neighbors, people at church, anyone that I can share a little love with! And love is not just for people, oh no, I want to love other stuff too! I think I'll make a list...

1. I want to make sure I always love my calling at church, no matter what it is! About a year and a half ago Mike and I were called to be in the nursery. In the beginning this was sooo hard, I dreaded every sunday and I would come home with a headache and I was kind of miserable about the whole thing. The thing was, we didn't have toddlers in our house any more, and we liked it that way! So going to church and having to entertain 9 two year olds was not my idea of a good time. Then, one day, I guess I was being extra miserable, Sarah looked at me and said "you know, if you liked this a more it would be a whole lot easier." I wanted to roll my eyes at her! Easy for her to say, she is the Queen of kids and happy all the time, that wasn't me. But what she said stuck with me and I don't know when it happened but one day I looked around and my heart was full of love for those little ones, and we had fun, and sundays were great and happy again and on our last day in that ward I cried when the parents came to take there kids home. Love had changed me. And I am so thankful it did!!

2. I already love my job, except for the days I don't. I have heard most of my life that most people get up and go to a job they don't like. I have always known that I could never be one of those people and I am lucky to have a husband that thinks like me! I think that overloading myself with work these past few years has sucked a lot of the love that I used to have for running my own business, and I think that it shows in my work. Bummer. Well, this year I am determined to get that love back, I know it's there somewhere, I just need to make it grow. I am excited to see how love can change my photography.

3. I want to fall in love with the Scriptures. I have yet to do this in my life. I have had crushes over the years but have not fallen head over heels. I hope that happens this year.

4. I want to love cooking. I have so much to learn when it comes to cooking but I really don't want my boys to grow up eating junk, which is all we have eaten in the last 10 years. I need to learn this so we can all be healthier people.

I know that as time goes on there will be a bunch of stuff that I will think of, but for now, those are the biggies. I have a lot of work ahead of me but really, I am so excited for the year to come! Especially since I truly love the band I have chosen for the year! As I sit here in my Beatles White Album t-shirt I know that they are the only band that I could choose for my year of love!! Oooo, it's going to be good!!

Quote of the Day

Link was just in the bathroom with me talking and he saw me putting on my deodorant and this is the conversation that followed...

Link: "Why are doing that?"

me: "I put it on so I don't stink."

Link: "Put some on me!!"

me: "You don't need it."

Link: "Yes I do, I stink a lot... at games."

That boy makes me laugh!!

my year

This should work nicely to catch everyone up on my year. It's all my facebook statuses! :)

Click to make bigger

i used to have babies

I was looking thru some old photos the other day and I came across these, I can't believe I used to have babies. Now that they are older it is hard to remember them that way. They sure were cute though.

this next one is Link right after we visited the opening of the new Blue Bunny plant. Ice cream for lunch and then a nap, a perfect day!

Quote of the Day

You know how when you were a little kid and you didn't want to go to bed so you'd think up any question you could so you could stay up just a little longer? Well, my kids do that too. Last night Jack had the best question ever. In fact, I wish that I had thought of it when I was little, it might have worked on my mom, but... it didn't work on me.

Jack yelling at me from his bed: "MOOOOOM?? WHY DID THE BEATLES BREAK UP?"

me: "GIRLS. NOW GO TO BED!"

I'll have a real chat with him about it later.

Quote of the Day

Today I over heard both of the boys singing Here Comes the Sun.

I love those boys.

The Beatles and my own.

Quote of the Day

Jackson called me this morning from school and he needed me to take his library book to him. So I got dressed and went to the school and found Jack and gave him his book. As I was leaving I over heard this...

Little girl in Jack's class: "Is that your mom?"

Jack: "yeah"

Little girl in Jack's class: "Why does she look like she is going skiing?"

Then the door closed and I didn't hear what Jack's response was but I was thinking "Because it is flippin' COLD outside!!!" In my defense I was only wearing jeans, a hoodie, hat, scarf, and gloves. This is not overkill when it is 37 degrees outside, in my opinion! sheeesh!

Quote of the Day

Link is in the other room making something out of paper, he came in and asked for help cutting out arms and legs so I cut up some strips of paper and he went on his way. A few minutes ago he yelled...

"Mom, now that I have arms I need phalanges! Do you know what phalanges are?"

Me: "No I don't."

Link: "They're fingers!!"

Me: "Well, that's good to know."

I would really like to win because winning is fun!!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

new sunglasses

measuring bowls from anthropologie- so cute!!

even empty that Madsen Bike would be a dream- it's so pretty!

Fuji instax mini camera

a good book

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

a cool hand carved clock

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

I once saw these cool glass jars that had etchings on them, I just don't know where to begin

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

The year I got a CD walkman and some CDs I was a happy happy girl

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

mp3 player, mr. potato heads, legos, and all kinds of games

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

PUMPKIN ROLL!! :)

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

I am not sure yet, maybe some kind of photo album

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

A Christmas Story and Stalking Santa

9. Favorite holiday song?

Anything from the Muppets with John Denver album

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

reading by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate- so excited for this this year because we actually have a fireplace!!

Quote of the Day

Teacher: "Jackson do you like our class?"

Jack: "yes."

Teacher: "Do you need anything that we can help you with?"

Jack: "No, I'm good."

Teacher: "Well, what about your parents...?" before she could finish with "do they need anything?" Jack said..

"Yeah, I need them!"

I love that little man!!

A Little List of Things....

...I have recently discovered that I strongly dislike...

1. soft water

That is all.

Quote of the Day

Lincoln: "Mom! I can see the future from here!"

Me: " Sweet."

Quote of the Day

Lincoln: "Mom, when people are glued together it means that if they die they are still a family and if they are not glued together then they are not a family?"

Me: "Do you mean sealed?"

Lincoln: "oh yeah... sealed"