Simply Craig

Writing letters to Santa has been a Christmas tradition in our home for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I've watched what used to be  five little believers  slowly dwindle down to only two... And lately, I'm beginning to question whether those remaining two are really true believers themselves. I've already been asked a few times this year: "Mom, is Santa Claus real?" I avoid this question at ALL costs. You might be thinking... Hello, lady. If they're old enough to ask, they're probably old enough to hear the truth. RIGHT? Uhhh... WRONG! Let me explain. When I was about six years old, some of the "OLDER" kids at school informed me that Santa wasn't real. Naturally, I marched straight home and demanded an explanation from my parents. I vividly remember them telling me... THE TRUTH. And I remember feeling completely betrayed. My parents had been lying to me! At least, that's how my six-year-old mind interpreted it. I decided righ...

Our Thanksgiving experience started with packing up the car and traveling to Utah to visit family. Somehow in the back of my mind I knew that while traveling such a distance with several little bodies packed in the car we were bound to experience a little unpleasantness along the way. I was right. Out of no where one child felt the need to barf. I was grateful for the zip lock bag I keep tucked away in the glove box "just in case". We also encountered the typical bickering that occurs among siblings. We nipped that one right in the bud. I wasn't about to listen to 11 hrs of petty quarreling. If anyone in the car was caught being negative they had to sing a song ALL alone, out loud , to a radio song which was selected by me. I took my job seriously and selected only the most fitting songs for my punishees . It was NOT a desirable experience especially when our teenage son had to sing along with Miley Cyrus . It did however make for some pretty good laughs since our fa...

I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my sweet little family as I listened to President Henry B. Eyring's talk,  “Our Perfect Example.” He said: “Just as Jesus used a child in His mortal ministry as an example for the people of the pure love they must and could have to be like Him, He has offered us the family as an example of an ideal setting in which we can learn how to love as He loves.” Those words really struck me. As I've studied the scriptures and tried to better understand and develop Christlike attributes (especially  charity and love)  I've realized that some of my greatest examples are right here in my own home. My children. These LITTLE people teach me all the time. They are so quick to forgive. They have a natural ability to love others without first looking for differences. They don't seem to hold on to offenses the way we adults sometimes do. They have a sincere desire to help and serve. And they love so freely. Sometimes I think I'm supposed ...

Hi ALL! I haven't updated in a while. It seems like everyone around us has been getting sick, and eventually it caught up with me too. I'm happy to say I'm finally feeling better and up and running again! This ol' chalkboard has become a pleasant little addition to our kitchen. It's been a menu board, an art gallery for the kids, and most recently... A place for our  quote of the week. During family scripture study, we were talking about how every member can be a missionary and some of the simple ways we can share the gospel in our everyday lives. We read these words from President Gordon B. Hinckley: “If we will go forward, never losing sight of our goal, speaking ill of no one, living the great principles we know to be true, this cause will roll on in majesty and power to fill the earth.” One of the kids suggested that perhaps one of the best ways we could influence others was simply through our actions and our words. That started a good family discussion. We talk...

I had the pleasure of photographing two little birthday boys last week. I absolutely  love  this age. They're sweet. They're playful. They're full of personality. And they're at that wonderful stage where those little expressions seem to change from one second to the next. So much innocence wrapped up in two absolutely adorable little faces. Happy Birthday, boys! I'm so glad I got to capture a little piece of who you are right now.

Shooting for the moon proved successful! The moon looked absolutely brilliant last night. I couldn't resist grabbing my camera, attaching my telephoto lens, and zooming in for a closer look. It's amazing how something we see so often can suddenly stop us in our tracks. The craters. The shadows. The texture. All those tiny details that can't really be appreciated with the naked eye. There's something so magnificent and mysterious about the moon. So far away... Yet through the lens of my camera, somehow a little closer. I love it!

Did you have a great Halloween? We sure did! While the kids were getting dressed in their costumes, I grabbed the ol' camera and hurried everyone outside, hoping to catch a few pictures before the last bit of daylight disappeared. The kids made my job easy. The minute the costumes went on, so did the characters. They posed, played their parts, and gave me plenty to photograph while I happily snapped away. Once our little photo session was over, we grabbed our  BIG bowl of candy  and headed to a neighborhood Halloween party. The girls had a blast trick-or-treating, although I think sorting and trading their candy with friends afterward may have been even more exciting than collecting it. Then there was Dawson. His evening became considerably more interesting once he discovered the other neighborhood boys who were also carrying swords. They joined forces. Need I say more? And then there were my two older boys. They decided to dress alike this year, making it nearly impossible to...

Every year, the kids look forward to one of their favorite Halloween traditions... Pumpkin carving with Grandma Kelly. Grandma has always had a way of making holidays feel special. She puts so much thought, energy, and excitement into creating traditions the kids look forward to year after year. And Halloween is no exception. Out come the pumpkins... The carving tools... The gooey handfuls of pumpkin guts... And plenty of creativity. Each pumpkin seems to take on a personality of its own, and the kids are always so proud of their finished masterpieces. But I have a feeling that years from now, they won't remember exactly what their pumpkins looked like. They'll remember sitting around the table with Grandma. They'll remember laughing together. They'll remember getting their hands messy. And they'll remember that Grandma Kelly made an ordinary Halloween tradition feel like something special. Here are a few pictures from this year's annual  Pumpkin Carving Extrava...

Do you ever get tired of the same old curls and French braids? I do! With two little girls in the house, I'm always looking for cute new ways to do their hair, and I recently came across a hairstyle blog that gave me a little inspiration. It's full of step-by-step ideas for those of us wanting to spice up our little girls' everyday hairstyles. So naturally... I've been practicing. My favorites so far are the  fall-through French braid  and the  twist-back side ponytail . So cute! And thankfully, my girls don't seem to mind being my little guinea pigs while I figure them out. Just thought I'd pass along the inspiration to all you other mommas who might be getting a little tired of the same curls, ponytails, and French braids. Sometimes a new ’do is all a girl needs.   ADOPT A 'DO CUTE GIRLS HAIRSTYLES  

Yesterday, I received a call from the school nurse telling me that Breeley was complaining of a bellyache. No fever. No other signs of sickness. After talking to Bree, I felt like she could probably make it through the last hour of school. I assured her that I would be there early, waiting in the parking lot, just in case she started feeling worse. The phone never rang again, and she made it through the rest of the day. But the minute I saw her... I knew. She wasn't her usual self. This little youngster gets  super cranky  when she isn't feeling well, and by the time we got home, she had plenty of complaints to share. And I made myself available to listen to every single one of them. Later that evening, I mentioned that I wasn't feeling so great myself and wondered if maybe I was coming down with something too. Suddenly, my sick little girl forgot all about herself. She threw her arms around me and said, "I'm so sorry that I was whining to you about everything. If ...

WOW! You guys were incredibly kind after reading my last post about our home being burglarized. Of course, most of you are friends and family... So maybe you were just being nice. Our story was picked up by the local news ( http://www.abc15.com/news/local/story/Burglars-pose-as-home-buyers-steal-30-000-worth/0t7Am63x50yGPhY8uk3-pA.cspx )aired last night. It was also posted online, where complete strangers were given the opportunity to comment. Let's just say... They weren't quite as gentle. Apparently, according to some of them, I may be one of the stupidest people alive. Who knew? I'll admit, some of the comments stung. It's interesting how easy it is to look at someone else's unfortunate experience after the fact and see everything they  should have done differently. And believe me... I can see it now too. Should we have verified the agent? Yep. Should we have secured our valuables somewhere other than inside our home? Yep. Should we have been more cautious about ...

We lost thousands of dollars within minutes. No, not in Vegas last weekend... But in our own home Thursday afternoon. We were headed to the lake for one last wakeboarding run of the season. As we were launching the boat, B.T.C. received a call from a woman claiming to be a real estate agent. She asked if she could show our house to potential buyers. Our home was for sale, so the request seemed routine enough. We agreed. When we returned home later that evening, we noticed the front door had been left unlocked. Unusual. B.T.C. called the number back to ask about it. No response. The next morning, we discovered that an envelope containing cash was missing. B.T.C. called again. Still no response. Then reality hit. I went to put on my wedding rings...my original ring and the new one B.T.C. had given me this year for our 15th anniversary. They were gone. My heart sank. We had been burglarized. I began searching the house, checking the places where we kept valuables. One after another... Gon...

We enjoyed a little getaway to Las Vegas and stayed at the beautiful Bellagio. Good food. A little shopping. Great entertainment. And, of course, plenty of pictures. The view from our room was pretty spectacular, especially once the city began to light up at night. And you know you've got a good man when he's willing to lug your camera equipment around on his back without a single complaint. Thanks, B.T.C.! The Bellagio fountains were every bit as spectacular as I'd hoped. There's something mesmerizing about watching the water dance to the music with all those Vegas lights surrounding you. We were also able to meet up with family—my sister, mom, sister-in-law, niece, and my brother Matt—which made the trip even more fun. One evening we all got together before heading out to see  Cirque du Soleil . What a show! Afterward, I couldn't resist trying to capture a few photographs of the city at night. No tripod. Just me... My camera... And an attempt to hold VERY still. V...