Photo Girl

Responsibility Chart

2012-01-21T20:04:00.000-08:00

I've decided to get rid of the old responsibility charts.

I made new ones.

I like these better because MARKERS are no longer needed.

The kids just slide magnets over when their responsibility is completed.

*I bought the magnet boards at Rod Works.

They have a variety of colors to choose from and run about $15.00 each.

* I ordered vinyl lettering ($6.50 per board) from Heidi Ryan. She lives in Gilbert, AZ. and owns a vinyl lettering company called SHIRT JUNKIE.

Contact information: www.etsy.com/shop/shirtjunkie or heidi@ryanmanor.com

or you can contact me for a phone number.

* I ordered the custom magnets from HERE.

* The smiley face magnets were made from supplies bought at Hobby Lobby.

(Smiley face magnets- put on your chart by one of your siblings when you are caught doing a kind act. Whoever has the most smiley faces at the end of the week gets a special surprise from Mom(treasure box item).

* Small clear magnets are also made from supplies at Hobby Lobby and each one represents fifty cents. These are earned if you decide to do a chore around the house. These are traded in for cash at the end of the week. Chores are done by choice not force. It is, however, a good way for the kids to earn pocket change when they want to go to a movie, lunch, or skate park with friends on the weekend.

* The small circles at the top of the chart represent each day of the week. At the end of the day if ALL of your magnets are moved to the DONE side of the chart you select the small letter (example: S for Saturday) for the given day of week and slide it to the bottom of the chart. At the end of the week whoever has done (the most letters representing the days of the week)their responsibilities everyday all week gets a cash prize.

Being part of a family brings with it the opportunity to learn responsibility. I just wanted to pass along what has motivated our children to help keep our home clean, neat and humming along smoothly.

2012-01-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

When we head to the mountains over the holidays we are used to seeing THIS or THIS. We were surprised to see very little snow this year.

We were thrilled when the snow finally came.

The kids were excited to get out their ski/snowboarding gear.

Taking a quick break for lunch and then back to the slopes.

We traded in the ski gear for ski diving gear.

Then headed over to do a little indoor racing.

Grandma and Papa joined in on the fun.

The girls weren't old enough to race with the big kids but that didn't stop them they were still able to do a little racing of their own.

We had fun out on the town but also found lots of fun right at home . Grandma and the kids put on a little puppet show.

We played games.

We always enjoy our little getaways as a family.

This is what New Years Eve looked like in Utah up in the mountains.

Very peaceful.

What a lovely way to ring in the New Year!

2012-01-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

It was Sunday night. The family was gathered around watching T.V. I wanted to make a special treat for them. I was looking for that perfect something with a whole lot of yumminess. I found it!

Thank you brown eyed baker! Im so glad I stumbled upon your blog.

peanut butter. oatmeal. chocolate chip cookies

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1/2 c. rolled oats

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven 350.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract. On low speed, gradually add flour until combined. Stir in oats, then chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop and drop dough onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

~Enjoy

2011-12-28T18:18:00.000-08:00

My sister was sealed to her eternal companion today and I was able to photograph a few pictures for her.

Congratulations and best wishes to both of you!

2011-12-26T09:44:00.000-08:00

The kids ALWAYS try to take MY little giraffe throw blanket so it was a MUST to get each of them their very own for Christmas this year.

As you can see it was a hit!

There were lots of hugs.

And a few smooches!

The girls got a new outfit for their American girl dolls and they were beyond thrilled.

I love that Christmas was on Sunday this year. We were able to feel the spirit of Christmas through music. The church adult and youth choir put on a warming performance. I loved watching our boys sing together with the youth choir.

Merry Christmas family!

It was all captured on film and video thanks to Mr. B.T.C.

Now time to pack your bags, we're headed to Utah for a little family ski trip!

2011-12-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

My Santa baby has been real good to me this year, so I baked him up something real nice.

ok, so maybe I made a little chocolate something for me too.

Thanks to my little bakers we were able to whip this up in no time.

SNICKERDOODLES

1/2 c. butter

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 Tbls. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. In mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat till combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in the egg and vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour. Cover and chill 1 hour.

2. Combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 oven for 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

Enjoy~

* Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook

2011-12-23T14:55:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

May this season be filled with peace, joy, and hope as we remember

and celebrate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We've enjoyed your beautiful Christmas cards, yummy treats, and acts of kindness.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your family this Christmas season. Thank you!

2011-12-21T20:11:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you the story of a little round lady and a very skinny man that lived together in a cute, well kept home on the outskirts of town.

Now they had been married for a long, long time and were as happy as they could be. But they were so different! Not only was one round and one skinny, but the wife loved to talk and the husband was a man of few words. The wife would bustle around doing all the household chores, but she wouldn't dream of doing yard work. The husband quietly went on his way taking care of the garden, yard, and the outside of the house, but he sure wasn't one to do the dishes!

One thing they did have in common that kept them both happy, was the fact that she love to cook and he loved to eat. She loved to work in the kitchen preparing all sorts of scrumptious dishes. But baking desserts was her specialty. Pies, cakes, cookies,brownies, all sorts of savory goodies!

This morning the little round lady was in the mood to bake something special. Not just your every-day special, but something really unique and delicious.

She sat down at the table to plan what it would be. She looked through all of her cookbooks until she found exactly what she was looking for. She smiled to herself, " I know, I'll make a gingerbread man." And that is exactly what she did.

With a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye, she mixed the dough for this special of special treats. She floured the breadboard and her rolling pin so the dough wouldn't stick, then rolled the dough to just the right thickness. It had to be just right because if it was too thin it would burn, and if it was too thick it wouldn't bake all the way through.

She looked in her cupboard to see what she could decorate him with. She used raisins for his eyes, lifesavers for his buttons, and cut a cherry into a thin strip for his mouth, turning each end up into smile. She finished decorating him and gave a sigh of relief. Yes, he did look quite gracious. He was going to be a very special gingerbread man, don't you know.

He was the most original gingerbread man she had ever seen. She looked at him and thought to herself, "Good gracious, he is a handsome gingerbread man! By George, I bet there isn't another one quite like him anywhere." Then she chuckled quietly, thinking, "I'll name him George the gracious gingerbread man! A special name for a special treat." Then with a flourish, she popped him in the oven to bake.

While "George" was baking she sang and cleaned up her kitchen. She washed the dishes, wiped the table, and generally tidied up.

The time rang so she peeked into the oven to see if "George" was done. Well, he was done all right. When she opened the oven door he gave her a quick wink! She was so astonished that she opened the door wider to see if she really saw what she thought she saw. With a jaunty little skip "George hopped out of the oven, across the kitchen floor, and out the back door.

" Good gracious George, come back here!" she cried and ran after him. But George was outside and on his way singing loudly, "Run, run as fast as you can, but you can't catch me I'm gracious George the gingerbread man."

His first stop was through the garden. The man of the house had almost all of the weeds out of the garden, but as you know, weeding is very strenuous work. He had one row of weeding left to do, but he was so exhausted that he stopped to take a nap under the tree planning on finishing when he awoke. George saw that this man needed a little help, so as quick as a wink he weeded the last row.

The skiny man woke up and saw him, and in surprise he joined his wife chasing the gingerbread man. But George just laughed and said in a loud voice, "Run, run as fast as you can. Cause you can't catch me, I'm gracious George the gingerbread man!"

The gingerbread man ran past a little girl. She had her tricycle with her but she wasn't riding it. The tricycle was upside down in the middle of the path and she was sitting right beside it crying and holding her knee. As quick as a wink he put on a Band-Aid and gave her knee a kiss.. Now George may have been fresh from the oven but even he knew that you heal faster with a kiss!

"Please don't leave, I haven't thanked you!" said the little girl as George hopped up and ran away. She joined the others chasing the gingerbread man. With kindness in his heart, the gingerbread man cried out, "Run, run as fast as you can. Cause you can't catch me, I'm Gracious George the gingerbread man. I'm running away from a sweet little lady and a nice little man, and I sure can run away from you- you bet I can!"

And I guess he was right, because tray as they might, the little round lady, the little skinny man, and the little girl were not able to catch him. And gracious George the gingerbread man ran on.

As he was running, George heard a dog bark. He looked up ahead and saw that a big dog had chased a boy up a tree. Now George didn't know if they had leash laws around here to keep the dogs with their owners, but if they did, this dog certainly didn't have one on. How could he help this boy- that dog was real big. All George could do was try, that boy was very frightened.

As quick as a wink he got as close as he dared, waved his arms, and jumped up and down to get the dogs attention. When the dog spun around, George ran as fast as he could with the dog behind him. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see the boy climb out of the tree and join the little round woman, the little thin man, and the little girl. They all ran after him, and the little boy was yelling, "You've been so kind, don't leave until I thank you!"

But being kind was what George was all about. So he laughed and ran and they could hear him as he said, "Run, run, as fast as you can. Cause you can't catch me, I'm gracious George the gingerbread man. I'm running from a sweet little lady and a nice little man and a little girl too- and I can sure run away from you!' Gracious George ducked under a bush and kept on running.

Up ahead was a house with a lot of activity going on. Kids were playing outside and having a good time and the mother was sitting on the front step singing a lullaby quietly, as she rocked her baby to sleep in her arms. George decided he could hide here for awhile.

He jumped over the windowsill and found himself in the front room. He sat down to rest when he noticed that someone left their shoes beside the couch. Even George, who hadn't been around very long knew that shoes belonged in the closet not in the front room. As quick as a wink, he picked the shoes up, observing that they were on the very large size, he figured they belonged to the father so he put them in the master bedroom closet.

On the way out of the bedroom, George passed the bathroom. Although George had eyed made of raisins, he could tell that the last person to bathe had not rinsed out the tub. As quick as a wink, he grabbed the cleanser and a rag and scrubbed the tub.

When he strolled past the kitchen he smelled something good to eat. Dinner must be in the oven and he wondered what it was. He went in to take a peek and found meat loaf and baked potatoes slowly cooking in the oven. He knew this family was going to have a fine dinner tonight. When he turned around he saw the kitchen sink conspicuously full of dirty dishes. Well, the mother must have had her hands full today and just not been able to get them done.

As quick as a wink he had the sink full of soapy water and had all the dishes washed, dried, and put away. Just in time too. He heard the car door shut as the mother greeted the father as he came home from work.

The family came into the house. The father went to the bedroom take off his tie and saw his shoes sitting on the floor of the closet. He remembered he had left his shoes in the front room and he wondered who had been kind enough to pick up after him. Well, whoever it was, he really must thank them.

The teenage son went into the bathroom to wash his hands, and if the truth were known, to also scrub out the tub. He had to leave early for school that morning and just ran out of time. But he did want to clean it before someone else bathed because he knew that it wasn't fun to bathe in a dirty tub. But surprise! The tub was so clean it sparkled. who did this for him? He wanted to thank this special person.

The mother put the baby down and went to the kitchen to set the table for dinner. Everything should be ready to eat, and everyone was so hungry. She opened the cupboard and the dishes just sparkled. She gasped in surprise as she realized that she had left the dirty dishes in the sink and now they were stacked neatly in the cupboard!

Her noise brought the whole family into the kitchen. To their amazement, a gingerbread man with a smile on his face, leaped from behind the chair and out the kitchen window. Now they knew who had done all of the good-hearted things for each of them!

All together they ran out of the bak door, and whom do you think they met? Why, the other people who were running after the gingerbread man of course.

He was far ahead of them because he knew that he had to be careful not to be caught, because half the fun of helping people was doing it because it made you feel good, not because you wanted them to thank you.

He ran happily along with everyone in hot pursuit after him. With a smile on his face he was shouting "Run, run as fast as you can. Cause you can't catch me, I'm Gracious George the gingerbread man. I'm full of kindness and full of pep and you can't catch me if I watch my step.

I'm planning on doing nice things far and wide, because I serve others with lots of pride. I'm running away from a sweet little lady and nice little man, a little girl and a young boy too, and I can sure run way from you!" And Gracious George skipped merrily along hunting for more people to be kind to.

Well, we had a few Gracious people running around our house after that F.H.E. lesson from our sweet little daughters. If you found Gracious George leaning against something that was done for you you get to pass on a kind act.

When I saw this one it warmed my heart. Brit rarely spends her money. She a saver but for some reason when she laid eyes on this nutcracker she had to have it. She bought it with a big smiled stretched across her face. Within a few days it broke and she was devastated! Some gracious little someone fixed it for her.

Bree's room got vacuumed!

My kitchen drawer was organized!

Beds were made. I'm sure there were many more kind acts that went unnoticed by me but I'm grateful for each one of you and the kind service you shared!

2011-11-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

Breeley's violin concert.

Breeley's new passion. Sometimes she even gets up at 5:30 am to practice (lucky for the rest of us). Let's just say she's become the new alarm clock for the family. Her older brothers are not happy about it.

Britley's turkey decoration contest.

Britley was determined to win this one. She put her heart and soul into this project. She ended up not winning but I gave her an award for her effort!

Nathan's cell diagram.

Hard to believe this is the same kid as last year. You couldn't pay this one to do his homework last year. Something has shifted for him this year and I'm very grateful! He jumps right in and gets his homework done ahead of time. Nice work Nathan!

2011-11-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

This is my brother Adam. I had to get a few pictures of his family while I was in Missouri visiting.

His son has to be one of the cutest little boys I've ever laid eyes on.

His daughter is absolutely adorable and full of spunk.

Thanks brother for being a good sport and letting me photograph your sweet family.

Now a few pics of my sister and her adorable family.

It was great seeing you guys. I wish we lived closer to each other!

2011-11-10T16:33:00.000-08:00

We spent an afternoon sight seeing in Branson, Mo.

I love this time of year when all the leaves are so colorful.

I couldn't resist snapping a few pics with such a beautiful backdrop.

Happy girl. Strong boy.

He makes me smile.

strike a pose.

I had my sister join in on the fun.

If you are ever going to plan a trip to Missouri go in the fall. The colors are stunning!

2011-11-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

I traveled to Missouri this weekend for a very special occasion.

My niece turned ONE and I didn't want to miss her PARTY!

Oh man, I can't take it! She's so cute! I n-e-e-e-d her to live by me!

She was more interested in the card than in the wrapped gift.

Mama helping her open the BIG ones.

Daddy(my brother) trying to get her to look at the airplane.

She wasn't interested in anything else after she

opened the chunky, little, squishy animals.

Uncle Will and Aunt Kelli also traveled to be at the party.

Katie's Mama

My Mom and Dad.

There's that card again. She loved it.

Now the fun starts.

This is my brother. I remember helping my mom take care of him when he was just a baby. Man how time flies! Now he's got a little one of his own. I'm so proud of the man he's become and the terrific father that he is. Matt... I love you!

What a great party! Thanks for the memories.

2011-11-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

The kids enjoyed trick or treating this year with each other. Nathan even dressed up and went out. I didn't have the chance to photograph Wesley because he was still at soccer practice. BOO! He barely made it home to trick or treat with the rest of the gang.

2011-10-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

After we disembarked the Disney Ship, a small group of us went to the Kennedy Space Center.

After saying good bye to friends our family headed to the Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort. This place was not only beautiful but packed with entertainment. It had several outdoor pools as well as activities for the kids.

With all the scheduled entertainment I was surprised to learn what my kids favorite activity was. Are you ready for this? Watching the fish eat their spit.

Face painting. This guy was fast and talented!

Not a fan of the evil face but he sure was impressed with his new look.

We had some serious fun while playing miniature golf as a family and trying to beat Mr. B.T.C at a game of checkers(no one succeeded).

Not sure the putters should be used to pick up speed?!

Why does Mr. B.T.C have to win every freakin game? NO, I'm not a bad sport!

Yep, just keep on smiling you little sucker!

Heading to the Islands of Adventure to check out the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Even though the kids have had their schedules packed with fun and adventure I have had a few of my children create time to do homework. I also have a couple of kids who haven't even peeked at their school bags. So I simply said, "We will be going to the Islands of Adventure tomorrow and whoever is caught up on their homework will be going with us. If you aren't caught up on your work you will have the opportunity to stay behind and work in peace and quiet."

Oh boy! One of my children lashed out and threw a bit of a tantrum saying, " It's not fare that you would MAKE us do homework while on vacation. It's stupid!"

I looked at this child and said, " Ok! I'm willing to support you in your decision to not do homework while on vacation."

This child looked at me in shear amazement.

I then told him just how willing I was to support him in his decision. I asked him to go pack his bags and then looked at Mr. B.T.C and asked him to check on the first flight out of Orlando to Phoenix(I was certain my sister would be more than willing to pick him up from the airport). I assured our child that I would have him in school the following morning so he wouldn't have to be doing homework on vacation. What better place than in school. I agreed with him 100%! Mr. B.T.C began to search for flights.

To our amazement this child turned around marched to his bedroom, shut the door and only came out to show us his completed assignments. Needless to say the entire family got to go to the theme park.

Ok here we go passing through the Hogwarts castle gates.

The shops of Hogsmeade had some pretty good stuff.

Now back to the resort.

I found my girls out collecting leaves and creating flowers out of them. They love nature as much as I do and I love that!

Trying to soak in the beautiful views from our balcany. This was one of my favorite places to sit because I love skywatching. These silhouettes against a colorful sky are just gorgeous. Every night we would sit out on the balcony and watch spectacular firework displays from the different theme parks.

2011-10-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

Taking kids out of school to travel weighed heavily on my mind. I say my instead of our because Mr. B.T.C. was not worried in the least bit to pull the kids out of school for a travel experience. I on the other hand was worried because although I have some responsible children who wouldn't dream of leaving on vacation unless ALL their homework was collected ahead of time, I still have two children that the thought would never even cross their little minds. That means major catching up.

Pulling an elementary student from school for a few days would be fairly easy but we were considering removing them from school for an entire week. I have a middle school child and two high schoolers who rotate among different subjects during the day as well as teachers. For this reason I was a bit uneasy.

We weighed out the factors and Mr. B.T.C won! The kids were thrilled! We scheduled our flights, packed our bags and were off to a place none of us had ever been before.

We flew to Orlando and stayed a couple days before heading to Port Canaveral, Florida to board one of the most recognizable cruise liners.

I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...

The night club is where both adults and children were entertained.

One of the most relaxing places I visited while on board(Thanks Mr. B.T.C for the facial and massage) Oh, and for doing all the laundry while I was off being pampered. You are truly the BEST!

Decked out halls

This location turned into our "hang out" place.

The views were exceptional. Take a look for yourself.

Dessert menu.

I'll confess that I didn't even try one of these desserts

considering we just had dinner. The kids thought the desserts

this particular night looked better than they tasted.

This next photo is what I had for dessert following dinner one evening.

This one was as good as it looks!

FIRST PORT

St. Maarten

Our group packed into a small boat and headed over to the beach.

There were many waiting to greet us.

With the exception of lunch this is the only other thing Mr. B.T.C purchased on the Island.

We walked the shops

And fed a few friends.

Just a few more shots before heading back to the ship.

SECOND PORT

St. Thomas/St. John

Third Port

Castaway Cay

Totally awesome Dad here. Helping to apply the sunscreen! This speaks volumes about him in my opinion.

Kristi you are amazing! We pretty much had a back handspring clinic right on the beach.

We had plenty of photographing moms lugging their cameras around to capture the memories.

We had plenty of photographing moms to capture the memories.

Group photo.

Heading back to the ship as our Castaway Cay experience comes to an end.

Our Disney Cruise experience was packed with lasting memories. When we first arrived we headed to our state room. Both rooms were located on the second floor.

Next, we headed to a lunch buffet located on the 9th floor. We found lots to choose from and of course the sea food and salad was what I lived on for the entire week. The kids lunch menu included hamburgers, hotdogs, tacos, pizza, salad and fresh fruit which was located near the pool area. I'm sure they took advantage of the free soda fountains and ice cream machines located on deck 9.

We enjoyed our dining experience which consisted of moving between 3 different restaurants. Our evening servers were wonderful and treated us like family. We really enjoyed getting to know them and learning about their culture, families and livelihood.

The kids had various activity centers(depending on their age) located on different levels of the ship. There was plenty for them to do and never a dull moment. We enjoyed watching movies in the Disney Theatre. Times and locations were posted to visit the various Disney Characters but I quickly learned that my girls weren't interested. I guess they've outgrown that sort of thing. They did however enjoy the comedy shows and live theatre shows that only Disney can do so magically well.

Our excursions included swimming at the beach in St. Maarten. The views were breathtaking. I felt as though I were viewing a postcard. The sand felt like sugar between your toes and the water was crystal blue. We thoroughly enjoyed the beach and the water.

Our next stop, St. Thomas was our favorite! We thought the water was crystal clear at St. Maarten until we arrived at St. Thomas. I've never seen water that clear. EVER! We enjoyed snorkeling/swimming while the teens and dads enjoyed their scuba diving adventure. Our experience was superb!

Our last excursion was Castaway Cay. There was a variety of things to do on this Island however, we pretty much stayed in the water most of the time. We enjoyed the slides and various beaches.

Thank you to our wonderful friends who made this trip even more enjoyable and rewarding.

Although our cruise came to an end our vacation had not. We still had another week to enjoy in Florida. We packed up our luggage only to head to another resort and enjoy more time together as a family. More on that later!

2011-10-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

What do you and your kids do on school picture day? We get all dolled up around here but not for the school photos (they lack personality). I take my OWN.

I let my kids wear whatever they want and choose their desired pose. Brit wasn't too thrilled! No surprise, she takes after her daddy!

However, Breeley loves to be photographed and it shows.

Dawson had some big changes recently! We learned that he needed glasses. I noticed him sitting way to close to the television set and squinting while playing video games. I scheduled an appointment and sure enough the poor kid could barely see. When the eye dr. put contacts in for the first time, this kid was spinning in circles and squealing with amazement at how different and detailed the world around him looked. I felt horrible for not realizing this sooner. I'm ignorant when it comes to glasses! No one in my family ever had them. This has been a new and joyful experience.

Wesley is a freshman in high school this year. He thinks high school is much easier than Jr. High. This kid does well in school and doesn't have to put much effort into it.

As for Nathan, Well, he hasn't slowed down long enough for me to snap a picture. Hopefully I can add him to the photo gallery soon.

2011-10-03T11:44:00.000-07:00

TEN RULES FOR BEING HUMAN

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it's yours to keep for the entire period.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, "life."

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work."

4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.

5. Learning lessons does not end. There's no part of life that doesn't contain its lessons. If you're alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.

6. "There" is no better a place than "here." When your "there" has become a "here", you will simply obtain another "there"that will again look better than "here."

7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.

9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life's questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

-Cherie Carter-Scott

2011-09-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

I usually don't post my photo shoots on my family blog but I wanted to get the word out that there will be another photography workshop by SHOOT held on October 22nd. Contact me if you are interested and I will give you details.

2011-09-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you know about an amazing film I've gone to see three times(Its that good!) called The People vs. The State of Illusion.

It's a wonderful documentary about stress, the mind, our perception and how they impact us. For all of you locals its ONLY playing at Harkins Camel View. For the rest of you out there I would definitely find out when this film will be coming to your home town.

Mr. B.T.C and I took our kids last Monday night to see it and we were shocked at how much they loved it(Nathan even went to see it a second time and Wesley is begging to go back). My kids literally look at life differently after watching this. They (all the sudden)value their education and their ability to move through the world in a more positive way. I love inspiring movies and this is definitely one of those.

You might also want to know that it was only supposed to being showing through September 17th but has extended because of the overwhelming response. I believe it is now playing through September 29th!

Watch this little segment to see if it would interest you...

*Austin Vickers will be at the theatre September 22nd (Friday)after the 7pm showing for a Q&A.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE uplifting FILMS and that is why I'm spreading the word. If you go see it I know you'll be glad you did and I bet you'll even go again with a friend.

my birthday

2011-09-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

I decided to clean out my closet today. I know, I know. big job!

I'm so glad I did! I came across a little white piece of paper that was written and torn from a pad of paper in my hotel room. Although it happened in 2010, I remember it just like it happened yesterday.

Without getting too sentimental I'll just say that I'm the luckiest girl ever!

Now back to that piece of paper that I found.

It's Thursday morning. Although my eyes are not yet opened my mind is racing.

What day is it? Thursday?!?

Cereal day, Easy, I thought. Ortho. Appt. for boys @ 9am, finish the two loads of laundry not quite finished from yesterday, dance class for the girls tonight. The last thought, scripture study 6am, jolts me into reality as I peer at the clock to make sure I haven't over slept!

As the numbers begin to focus I think, wait a minute...this clock is not my clock... this nightstand is not my nightstand...this bed is not my bed! And then it happened, I could hear the faint sound of waves in the distance and a smile stretches across my face as I realize I am far from home which means I'm far from all responsibilities. Mr. B.T.C gently wraps his arms around me and quietly whispers "Happy Birthday!"

My entire body relaxes. My previous thoughts vanish. The only thought running through my mind now is, the next three days are going to be much different than usual.

*I remember writing out these thoughts so I could transfer it to my journal. Sadly, it never made it to my journal.

2011-09-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

You look like an angel.

In the arms of the person she admires most!

I'm blessed to have a daughter so beautiful on the inside and out.

Sisters and best friends.

Your brothers adore you.

Britley has been anticipating this day for quite some time. She was bursting with excitement just moments before she was baptized.

What a special day this has been for you! You will forever be blessed for your decision to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

2011-09-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

During church this morning a little note was passed to me. As I read it my heart nearly tripled in size. Sometimes words cannot express the joy you feel when these "sweet little somethings" present themselves when least expected.

Thank you Breeley!

Another one of your sweet creations that will be etched in my heart forever.

2011-09-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

2011-09-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

This is a very special Birthday for a very special little girl. Britley turned eight today! She didn't want a party she just wanted to be with her family.

We let her plan her day just the way she wanted. The very first thing she wanted to do was swim, so while Mom was preparing her favorite breakfast she jumped in the pool with her sister.

Now time to open gifts.

Her Grandma and Papa prepared a special little something for her before they left town and had Mom promise to wait until her birthday before giving it to her.

Sister also anxious to see what's inside.

Britley thank you for allowing all of us to spend the entire day with you. Your family loves you so very much!

I was delighted to photograph my beauty queen on her birthday and snap a few photographs of her in her white baptism dress for announcements.

Happy 8th birthday! You are just as beautiful and pure on the inside as you are on the outside. We love you.

2011-08-23T13:23:00.000-07:00

It was a bitter sweet morning for me on the first day of school. I was excited for the kids to start a new year but not thrilled about the rigid schedule that comes with school being back in session. Here we are though so we we'll just have to make the best of it.

The two older boys insisted on getting to school by themselves (long boarding). I think I can get used to this idea!

Brandon and I loaded up the rest of the gang and headed off to school. When we arrived, Dawson looked at the camera round my neck and made some comment about how he needed to rush off before he would be late. I knew that he wouldn't be late because we were early. The truth was he would probably be completely embarrassed to be seen in public at school with his photographing mother so I just let that comment slide. I resisted my mothering urge to scoop him up and plant a big kiss on his cheek I simply said, "Have a good day!" He rushed off with that and I didn't see him again until after school.

The girls however wanted their daddy right by their side. I love the photograph of Britley hugging her dad one last time as her class was lining up.

2011-08-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

We couldn't let summer pass us by without a trip to the beach. We packed up and headed to Santa Monica for a week.

The day after arriving in California we met up with my sister's family and headed to the cross fit games. It was very inspiring. The kids scored on wrist bands.

Heading to the beach for the day.

Britley didn't let those big waves intimidate her. She stayed right up with her big brothers.

Wesley teaching Dawson to skimboard.

This is what you'll find Bree doing no matter where we are or what time of the day it is.

I love her free spirit. She does as she pleases no matter who is watching.

She couldn't spin like that forever. Eventually it caught up to her.

Time to gather our stuff and head back to the beach house.

We walked to Venice Beach to do a little shopping. This is what the girls picked out.

The boys picked out new longboards. They stayed on them for the remainder of the trip. Including Mr. B.T.C

We visited the famous Santa Monica Pier to ride the rides and dine on the beach.

I had to slow down my shutter speed just to see the burst of color.

Thursday morning we took a 2 hour 20 minute drive to San Diego and boy was it worth it.

I would recommend Adventure Rib Rides to anyone who loves whale watching.

There are two things you look for while whale watching. #1 these white looking peaks and

#2 a whales spout. It didn't take long before we saw these spouts shooting up all around us.

I wasn't expecting such big swells out in the water but it was a blast. I loved every minute of it. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

The girls got really good at spotting whales and dolphins.

Captain Ken was very experienced and taught us so much.

We visited the U.S.S. Midway Naval Aviation Museum. I'm pretty sure this was Dawson's favorite.

This is a good place for this one to be!

We headed back to Santa Monica to finish our last few days at the beach.

2011-07-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

It's official. Dawson's a TEENAGER!

This year he wanted an air soft gun and was delighted when his package arrived by mail.

He dined out at the Cheesecake Factory but saved dessert for when he got home. He

wanted Mom to make his favorite chocolate cake.

Happy Birthday Dawson!

2011-07-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

MCP Project 52

Week 29/52 Theme: Get Close

This is a great theme! I love to get in close when I pick up my camera. I believe it makes a better photograph. After checking out this weeks theme I grabbed my camera and thought I would head out the front door and capture the first thing that I saw. This was it. It made a nice photograph I thought but when I capture something I really want it to be unique and I imagined everyone else turning in close-ups of flowers... so... I changed my mind.

Moments later I heard my daughter practicing her piano. I walked right up c-l-o-s-e to her and captured this. Yes... much better. This is not only unique but will hopefully grab at the viewers emotions (at least it does me). I love to hear my kids practice piano. They are getting so good! Wesley has been in Canada for two weeks now and I can't wait for his return so I can not only see his sweet face but listen to him practice piano. He loves it and it shows when his fingers touch the keys.

2011-07-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

I love how these two are the best of friends. They do everything together. Breeley bought new lipsick with some of her birthday money (already... at age nine?!? ).

After being in front of a mirror for quite a while and L-O-T-S of giggles this is what they looked like when they came out.

I wanted to get a picture of them. I asked for a serious face. They kept puckering up and giggling so here you go. I just snapped away.

How does one make it through life without a sister? I'm so glad they have each other.

These two were supposed to be in bed, asleep! I made my rounds just like I do every night checking up on each child to make sure they were safe and asleep(for some reason I sleep better if I have one last glimpse of them before I retire for the night).

This is what I found...at 11:00pm?!?

You know what I did about it?

Absolutely nothing! Well, I take that back. I stood by their door (hiding of course) and listened to them talk to each other. It was one of those s-w-e-e-t moments I'll absorb and store away forever.

Brit made glasses, a mustache and a beard out of play-doh for her baby doll. Hmmm... What I nice touch?!?

2011-07-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

While we were in Utah vacationing this little princess had a BIRTHDAY. Can you imagine how fun this birthday party was with t-w-e-n-t-y cousins in town? Oh...It was a party for sure. We had a blast!

Happy Birthday little niece! I wish I lived close enough to photograph all your birthdays.

2011-07-13T16:37:00.000-07:00

Since I had my camera with me I had two of my sisters ask me to take their family pictures and boy was I delighted!

This is my twin sister. She was lucky enough to have her husband's four children for the summer. We were able to take a few pictures of the entire gang. WOW this couple has their hands full!

This is my oldest sister and her lovely family.

Does it get any more precious than this? I don't think so.

2011-07-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

My sisters met me in Utah over 4th of July. We were sad that our three brothers were not able to come because of work schedules. We missed them.

We cherished every moment we had together. We talked. We shared beauty secrets. We cooked. We baked. We exercised everyday together (Chrisy... that was not sweat, it was just my body crying). You worked us hard and we had a blast.

We took long walks. We watched movies. We hiked. We visited nature trails.

Our husbands took us on dates. Our kids put on skits for us(we've got talent). We played games and laughed so hard at the little ones. Especially when we played the candy game. The cute little one in front of the pack(pink skirt, yellow tank top) will kick your butt if you try to take her candy. See how proud she looks holding up her strawberry push pop. She went to battle for that thing and let me tell you... she doesn't mess around!

I would have never guessed that this would be one of my girls favorite activities. Catching snakes?!? Apparently around this time of year they have plenty to hunt(and catch...and try to keep as a pet. Uh, NOT!). They gained confidence after watching their Uncle Bill catch and play with them. He's the uncle in the family that loves ALL animals.

Our boys enjoyed long boarding together.

This was a little bizarre. Maybe not for the country folks but definitely for those of us that live in the city.

I'm grateful for the quality time we had together as a family. Being together is always priceless. Girls...I miss you already! I'm sorry this week had to come to an end.

I'll be posting more pictures real soon!

2011-07-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

While the boys were out on the lake with the scouts the girls and I decided to try out the swimming pool at the Lake Powell resort. We posed for a few silly shots before heading out.

Just before dipping into the pool Britley said she wasn't feeling well. Within a matter of seconds she threw up! We nixed the swimming idea and headed back to our room so Brit could get a little rest.

By the next morning Britley was feeling much better. The boys were done with scout camp and we were ready to spend the day out on the lake as a family.

Nathan finally gets to drive the boat.

The girls had the perfect view and they were in awe of the beauty.

We stopped to swim/dive and cool off.

The views were gorgeous.

We stopped again for more swimming and then out to wake board.

Time to fill up.

Nathan is trying to catch fish with his bare hands.

He came pretty darn close when the fish swarmed around him after he threw them some Doritos.

More sight seeing.

It was my idea to head toward the narrow canyon. I had no idea just how narrow it got until it was too late.

The kids loved it and I stressed. I was afraid we were going to scrap the sides of the boat. Mr. B.T.C seemed as relaxed as the kids.

For some reason the kids got a kick out of hanging on for dear life and being dragged behind the boat.

This n-a-r-r-o-w view up ahead is what had me put my foot down and demand that the boat get turned around. Glad Mr. B.T.C listened. We would have never made it through that one!

We were barely able to get the boat turned around. When I said barely I meant it! Each of us had to take a corner of the boat (front and back) and baby that thing around until we could make a complete turn without hitting the sides of the boat.

It was getting dark and we were getting hungry which is the reason we headed back to the resort for some fine dining.

Thank you FAMILY for another amazing vacation packed with memories. Now let's head to Midway, Utah to create some more lasting memories.

Scout camp

2011-07-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when I send my boys off to scout camp.

I came across this picture as I was uploading pictures to this blog post. It's Wesley's scout troop getting ready to leave for camp. Only he was much younger and with a different group of boys. I've realized just how much he's grown.

Fast forward a couple years and once again he's heading off to scout camp. He will be joining his older brother as they head out toward Lake Powell.

They are pretty excited!

I dropped them off at the church early in the morning. They packed up the trailer and were off.

I'm always amazed at how light these boys pack. Then there's N-A-T-H-A-N who shows up with his luxury items... his inflatable air mattress/cot... pillow...etc. He might be sleeping out in the middle of no where but he makes sure he is comfortable!

Can you tell how thrilled my boy is that I'm there taking pictures?

Here is the group that will be heading out to scout camp.

Mr. B.T.C. was asked to take his boat up to Lake Powell and spend a couple days with the boys.

We were supposed to be going up to Utah around the same time for a family gathering so we just spent a few days at Lake Powell on the way. It worked out great because I could check on my two boys while they were camping AND... take pictures of them!

The next photograph is one of my favorites!

Nathan is antsy to drive the boat but will have to wait until the following day when his scout time is over and he's on the Lake with just our family.

These boys were great they pitched in to wipe down the boat after a full day in the sun.

Time to park the boat until morning.

Ok... I've always felt sorry for my boys when they leave to go camping. Clearly, I've got another story playing in my head than what actually occurs. These boys ate like kings out there and their sleeping conditions were NICE! They even had showers... AND... electricity to charge their ipods.

What?!?

Times have definitely changed. I don't remember it being so luxurious when I camped as a youth. Maybe it's the difference in Missouri camping vs. Arizona camping.

They ate better than we did!

Preparing for dinner. The menu...steak and potatoes.

These boys have wonderful leaders!

Wesley showing me where he sleeps.

Line up and say c-h-e-e-s-e! Poor boys... They thought they were far away from cameras and M-O-M-S and then I show up.

They were good sports about it.

And even started to have a little fun with it.

Good-bye boys! See you in a couple days.

Camp Raymond

2011-07-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

How lucky am I to get to take a picture of my boy while he's at scout camp! We picked Dawson up two days early from scout camp on our way to Lake Powell.

He was definitely excited to see us! His camping experience wasn't as luxurious as his two older brothers. This kid was roughing it out in the middle of no where land.

He loved his experience at Camp Raymond and filled our ears with stories for several hours during our drive to Lake Powell.

I love how he thought of his siblings while he was away. He bought each one of them a souvenir (with his own spending money) at the "camp store".

need for speed

2011-06-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

MCP Project 52

Week 21/52 theme: Need for Speed

I instantly thought of my three boys and their cousins. One of their newest hobbies is long boarding. They love it and the news is quickly spreading to the rest of their cousins.

They were thrilled when I told them I had an assignment to photograph speed. They grabbed their boards and I followed them around the neighborhood. I'm not sure who had more fun... them or me?!?

The first photo is the one I turned in for week 21.

Nice work boys!

crack of dawn

2011-06-14T14:38:00.001-07:00

As I walked by my front door early this morning this is what I saw...

I turned right back around and headed to my room to grab my camera. I wanted to remember this moment forever.

If these boys look like they just woke up, they did. They get up at the crack of dawn once a month and head to the temple to do proxy baptisms with their cousins. I love that they are so willing to serve. It warms my heart.

Jump street

2011-06-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

A little Monday night family fun.

Good day

2011-06-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

I love days like today. After dinner the kids decided to clean the kitchen for us. We happily accepted their offer and decided to use our free time to take a much needed nap. We felt rested and rejuvenated.

My kids rock!

Mr. B.T.C. decided to repay each of them. He set up the massage table and gave each of them a massage.

He's such a good Daddy! He multiplied their age by two and that's how many minutes each of them got on the massage table. They loved it!

I, on the other hand was in the kitchen. I was in the mood to bake. I volunteered to make homemade bread for girls camp this year. Britley, Breeley and Dawson were right by my side helping me every step of the way. Each of them shaped their own loaf. They've become quite the little bread makers!

After the bread was completed we decided we were in the mood for some homemade chocolate chip cookies. They were so good!

My sister gave me the recipe. She's quite the baker and I'm never disappointed when she shares her recipes.

I'll be nice and share the recipe for those of you who might want to whip up some delicious chocolate chip cookies.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz pkg.) chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Bake 375 for 8 minutes.

That's it. Simple. Delish.

Enjoy!

A Special Birthday Wish

2011-06-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

A birthday is an interesting thing. Each person really sees it differently and silently has their very own feelings about it. Today, June 3 is Lorri's Birthday. And as her greatest admirer, lover and 17 year husband, I would like to share a few of my personal birthday thoughts about Lorri. (Yes, you guessed it, she has no idea I know her log-in information and I am violating her blog.)

You see, for me, acknowledging a "Happy Birthday" to Lorri wouldn't adequately express my feelings. I literally find myself each day grateful for her being alive. I feel like it is a birthday gift to me each day I awake with her by my side. I am so impressed with the special woman that she is. The way she moves through life with power, commitment and dedication. The kind of mother she is. The kind of wife she is. Many of you out there have a sense about how special this girl is. Let me help you know her a little better. She is the best mother I have ever seen. She is the best mother I have ever seen (that needed to be said twice). She is in incredible wife with so much commitment that it spills over into me. She is a great friend to many. She prays for her friends by name. She loves her scriptures sincerely. She serves me and so many others unconditionally. She has so many talents but shares them carefully as to not have the person she is with ever feel less. She is beautiful to look at it. She is beautiful to be with. So in a way, I feel like its my birthday everyday. What a gift I have. I love you Lorri and wish you a special day today. Happy Birthday just doesn't seem like it does it justice. Love-BTC

Wesley turns 14

2011-05-26T22:32:00.000-07:00

This birthday boy turned fourteen!

Every year I don't think it's possible for this kid to get any better than he already is and somehow he does! He has such a positive energy about him. He's unusually responsible for a boy his age.

He's kind and courteous to all. He has lots of friends. He's incredibly athletic. I believe this one has life figured out. I'm anxious to see what this new year brings for him.

Wesley got $50.00 dollars from Mom and Dad and another $100.00 from Grandma and PaPa. He's got his heart set on a new longboard and I have a feeling a purchase will be made in the near future.

Happy Birthday Wesley! We love you.

Spring Fever

2011-05-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

MCP Project 52

Week 20/52 Theme: 'Spring Fever'

Bree's 9th Birthday

2011-05-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Oooh... I have an idea.

Hey girls. How about a P-A-R-T-Y?

The GOODIES.

The GAMES.

The GIFTS.

The Photos.

Happy Birthday Breeley!

Window Light

2011-05-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

MCP Project 52

Week 19/52 Theme: 'Window Light'

Sarasota, Florida

2011-05-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Ah, Vacation!

I loved getting away with Mr. B.T.C. for a few days.

We left this behind...

And headed for this...

A storm is headed our direction.

These two didn't seem to mind one bit even though the rain was beating down on them.

The sunsets were beautiful.

first thing in the morning

2011-05-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

MCP Project 52

Week 18/52 Theme: 'First thing in the morning'

I simply asked myself...What is the first thing we do in the morning? This is what came to mind...

I can't help but wonder how different our world would be if we all started our day on our knees.

best day...worst day

2011-04-30T22:46:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, in a small town located in Arizona there lived three boys and two girls. Their momma loved them so very much that she found a wonderful piano teacher who would come right to their home and teach them piano every Tuesday night.

Unfortunately there were times when the lovely piano teacher would have to see unnecessary drama created by the three boys and two girls.

On a beautiful, breezy Tuesday afternoon during the month of April the mother of these five children could hear the gentle sound of piano fill the air and her heart swelled...she smiled all along the way as she finished her chores.

Suddenly the gentle sound of piano was abruptly replaced with the horrific cries of her two girls which echoed through the backyard. The concerned mother apologized to the piano teacher for the interruption and rushed to the back door to check on her two girls. As the panicked mother swung open the back door she was greeted by two slumpy, red faced, teary eyed girls who seemed to let out a most desperate cry, walking right past their mother as if she weren't even there.

The panicked mother began to scan the backyard, looking for the cause of this sudden anguish. To her dismay she found her two sons holding pellet rifles giving each other high five, a dead lizard at their feet and a bird falling to its death. As she made eye contact with her two sons their grins were quickly erased and no words were spoken.

In the faint background she could hear two quivering voices utter, "How could they do such a thing to the poor little lizard?"

The calm mother walked over to the two boys, collected their weapons and ushered them to their room to await their fathers arrival.

And just like that the piano teacher simultaneously heard the boys announce "this was the best day ever!" and the girls announce "this was the worst day ever!"