THE........

Romance

Look

Kiss

Pose

Friendship

Drama

The RING

Even though Dalin & Emily have hired a professional photographer for their wedding photos, they asked if I'd take some engagement pictures. Here is my version of the obligatory 'show off the ring' photo. (This is how Dalin likes to have his picture taken!)

Returned With Honor!

It was a year ago today that our Angel Baby Gavin peacefully slipped through the veil to return to his Heavenly home. He left this wicked world as pure and innocent as the day he was born, and never had to know the sorrow and hardship and pain we mortals must endure. Even though we miss him terribly, we feel so blessed and honored to be his forever family!

Phriday Phun

THIRSTY???

The other day we were unloading our coolers from a day trip on the RZRs and I noticed these Gatoraid bottles sitting on our kitchen table. The bright light coming in from the window cast a great reflection on the table and made the colors really vibrant. The labels had fallen off because they had been soaking in the cooler, so I lined the bottles up and took a picture.

Family Circle

Families Are Forever

Isn't it wonderful to know that we will be with those we love for eternity. Even when there is a brief separation, to know we will be reunited once again is the greatest blessing imaginable!

(For those of you who may not know, the little bunny was Gavin's favorite stuffed animal.)

Tech Talk Tuesday

TELL A STORY

This is an okay photo of a rodeo clown, but it's really kind of boring. He is framed by a lot of boring brown dirt and dead space above his head. The viewer does not know if he is waving, getting ready to catch a ball, or doing something else. Look below for a much more interesting picture.


Now we have a story! We know exactly what has been happening here. This guy has been entertaining the crowd with his funny little car that is obviously not in driving condition any more. Looks like he'll be hitching a ride home! We took the Kimball boys to a rodeo recently, and this was their favorite part. This clown really earned his pay and kept the boys laughing with his funny antics.

Looking Up

Going out for the last boat run of the day, we had just left shore and I turned around and saw these beautiful clouds. I must say that this spring and summer I have been looking up a lot. We have had such amazing skies. I suggest for all you busy people rushing to get to that next appointment, look up and maybe you'll see something beautiful to add a moment of joy in a hectic day.

Phriday Phun

Grandpa's Retirement Phun

This is what Jeff was dreaming about when we drove to Missouri last January, in a snowstorm, to pick up his retirement gift to himself (the boat). I think he is having more fun than the grandkids!

P.S. to 'Dalin & Emily in Moab' post

Michelle wondered if Emily's eyes were that green. I thought the same thing when I pulled up this shot, and the answer is, I don't know! We'll have to look really closely next time we see her. I didn't make them more green, but sometimes digital cameras pick up color casts from surrounding objects, and as you can see, there was a lot of greenery there and she had on a green hat. We'll have to solve the mystery of Emily's eye color!!

Wedding Details

Several weeks ago we attended Adam and Jessica's wedding, and it was a lovely event. Jessica looked radiantly beautiful, and Adam looked handsome and happy. They both looked very much in love. Every event that day, the wedding breakfast, the ceremony and reception seemed perfect. As usual, I brought my camera, but when I saw their professional photographer and assistant, and the many other cameras of friends and relatives snapping in all directions, I knew everything would be covered, so I decided to put my camera away and just enjoy the day..... but before I did, I decided I would try to find 2 or 3 details that the photographers might miss. In the excitement of the wedding day, the bride and groom often miss the details, so here's what I came up with. Does anyone have these pictures????? (P.S. And indeed, after I saw the 'proofs' from the professionals, they did a wonderful job of capturing the magic of the day.)

Dalin & Emily in Moab

Isn't she a lovely young woman - even in a National Guard camouflage hat. I haven't yet had a chance to photograph Emily much, but I bet she makes any photographer look good!!!
Somehow I managed to get a few photos of Dalin where he is not scowling at me. He is not fond of having his picture taken, especially by me. I've told him to get used to it, because by the time the wedding is over, he will have had his picture taken hundreds if not thousands of times!!!!

They just look like they go together!

In Our 'Backyard"........

Jan & John and Jeff and I had a wonderful Wednesday. We were surrounded by beauty that most people have to travel miles and miles to see and appreciate, but that we are so blessed to have right in our own backyards....well almost. Just a short drive up American Fork canyon one can see such amazing beauty. We took Jan & John on our RZRs and admired the beauty, crawled over rocks and boulders, forded streams, took photos, ate a picnic lunch and most of all, enjoyed each others company. Below are some of the many, many, many, many varieties of wildflowers we saw.

Phriday Phun

CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE, DANCE TO THE MUSIC!!!

Here in Utah we enjoy fireworks for most of the month of July. First, of course, is July 4 with huge firework displays everywhere. Then throughout the month most towns have their own celebration, (i.e. Strawberry Days, Steel Days, etc.), which usually includes parades, carnivals, rodeos, and fireworks. Then Utah celebrates again on July 24 which we call Pioneer Day, the day the Mormon Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. It is a state holiday, and once again there are parades, carnivals, fireworks, etc. Here are some photos I took at John & Jan's house for Draper Days celebration. I usually fail miserably at shooting fireworks, but this year I had some success.
For those of you interested: camera on a tripod, wide angle lens, aperture on bulb setting and remote trigger. Aperture around f/8 or f/11, I experimented, and on bulb setting you can hold the shutter open as long as you like. I had it open between 1 and 5 seconds. This is why you see the firework trails. Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend!

Love N' Lavender

So I was driving home from Yuba lake last Saturday, (Jeff & I had taken the boat and jet skis for Tyler and 25 of his friends who were having a B-day party), and I spotted the Young Family Farm lavender fields off the side of the freeway. They were in full bloom. I had my camera with me so I took the next exit and went back to take a few photos. After I had taken my pictures I got back in the car and noticed a group of people several fields away. As I drove past I saw a bride and groom and their photographer taking pictures. I stopped the car, rolled down my window, snapped on my telephoto and took the above shot. The sun was down, it was overcast and as you can see, produced a very dull looking shot. We'll call this the 'before' shot. Now for the magic of the computer and Photoshop. I decided to play around and create a painterly, artsy type image. Scroll down to see the 'after' rendition.

LOVE 'N' LAVENDER

DALIN & EMILY are ENGAGED!!!!

DALIN & EMILY CAME OVER FOR DINNER SUNDAY NIGHT AND MADE THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!! WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!! WE LOVE EMILY. SHE IS AS BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE AS SHE IS ON THE OUTSIDE AND SHE WILL FIT PERFECTLY INTO OUR FAMILY. WE CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT DALIN HAD TO DO TO CONVINCE HER TO SAY "YES", BUT WE ARE SO GLAD SHE DID. AND, WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT DALIN WAS WAITING UNTIL HE FOUND THE VERY BEST, AND HE CERTAINLY DID! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT HE'D FIND THE GIRL OF HIS DREAMS IN DRAPER. HER FAMILY LIVES JUST A FEW MILES FROM OUR OLD HOUSE. THE NEXT SURPRISE IS THAT DALIN & EMILY BELIEVE IN HAVING A VERY SHORT ENGAGEMENT......SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS. THEY WILL BE MARRIED IN THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2009....YES, THAT'S JUST 6 WEEKS AWAY. SO, LOOK FOR AN INVITATION IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND WE HOPE TO SEE MANY OF YOU SOON! (P.S. More photos to come)