Random Gustiness

Now where was I…

2011-01-13T09:42:00.001-08:00

Ok, I know you think I’m just a slacker. No posts since November, what the heck? Well of course it’s that little holiday that happens between November and January that gets me every year! Christmas was fabulous and fabulously busy. In between the hustle and bustle of trying to get everyone’s orders delivered, I also embarked on a ridiculous quest of assembling a NEW WEBSITE!!! I had lots of help from a friend so I really thought I could pull it off. It’s been “days away” from launching for several weeks. Well I work best under pressure so I’m jumping in and announcing it… My new website WILL be live on MONDAY January 17th!!!

With it comes an integrated blog ( that has not been fun learning to use), tons of new pictures, no more flash based website (so you iPhone lovers can actually look at my site from your phone), an updated pricelist (ok still not quite done) and a few other new features (like tweetability, and facebooky stuff). My language is so technical, I crack myself up.

I will post here one last time with details for those of you that are on my auto-email feature as a final reminder that you will have to come follow me on my new blog. My website and blog will be available at the same old web address www.darlingimages.com it will all just look different.

hhhmmmm, now for a picture with this post.

A snake? Sure why not. I was at the zoo recently, and this guy fascinated me.

I love when things make me laugh out loud

2010-11-09T18:50:00.001-08:00

so after a rather long and stressful day for reasons I’d rather avoid… I heard this song

and I laughed so hard I had to go inside and look it up and listen to it again

and again

and well again

ya I love when music makes you feel better.

For Fran & Henry

2010-11-05T12:50:00.001-07:00

Praha (or Prague as we say in English) is a very special place for this couple. Apparently years ago they got engaged on this very bridge! Since it was quite late in the evening it was very dark and “all their pictures came out crappy”. So Fran requested that I take some photos of the bridge on my recent excursion. I love to have an assignment. I wish I were a more patient person because then I would have just ignored the request or even pretended to have forgotten till Dec 11th and then surprised Fran on her birthday. Obviously I’m not that patient, so here is your finished product(s).

To get this amazing perspective of the bridge, we actually paid to climb the watch tower all the way to the top. We packed along, 2 cameras, a tripod, scarves, gloves and everything just before sunset so we would be setup and ready to go at the perfect time.

This is just as the sun was starting to go down.

You can see the warm evening sun starting to reflect off the Prague Castle on the hill.

Now the sun has dipped below the horizon and the lights of the city have turned on. It was truly breathtaking. I’m shivering but totally enjoying this view and all that I see around me when out of nowhere ….

it starts to pour down rain mixed with hail and it even turns to snow before I have all of my gear quickly stowed and out of the nasty weather. Quinn had left me to go warm up a bit in a museum a few floors below me and I had assured her this was no problem because I was perfectly content to snap away on that tiny rooftop for at least another 1/2 hr. Of course the one thing we had not brought with us was an umbrella!

So I don’t know exactly where on the bride they got engaged, but just imagine if it were right here by this very lamppost?

The next day from a different bridge, again just before sunset, I got this…

saving my favorite for last….

I think it looks magical in infrared.

HaPpY hAlLoWeEn!!

2010-11-01T21:43:00.001-07:00

All my spooks

Kira- so hot she glows in the dark

One scary old lady

Kali- a good witch

Bella- my lil’ pumpkin

Kyle- self described “superman”

and practical too, his cape doubles as a towel

Hope you all had as much fun celebrating as we did.

Mish Mosh

2010-10-25T09:49:00.001-07:00

I am still galivanting. I fly home in just 3 days. Where has the time gone? We have been able to do sooo much on this trip but of course there is no time for blogging. So here is the sweetened condensed version of the last two weeks.

Europa Park= fabulous fun, including roller coasters :-)

The lovely Meike (see previous Post)

My favorite brand of Swiss Chocolate (also THE most expensive chocolate I have ever indulged in)

The Klaproth kids- just one of the many families I have grown to love and enjoyed doing a portrait session with.

My absolute favorite German soccer goalie- aka Jeffrey

One determined little monkey! Some people call him Tyler

Beautiful blondies- I can never get enough of these girls

Niklas and Benny- handsome fellas

Tori and Quinn

Martin

I promise a whole post on Prague, coming soon.

Falling for Switzerland

2010-10-16T14:08:00.001-07:00

Just in case you haven’t heard, I’m currently “off gallivanting the globe” as my dear husband likes to say. I flew to Germany to visit my sister, and then together we flew to Switzerland to visit her sister in law. Meike is the most gracious hostess and it is always a treat to see her. We went for a photowalk through her village and here is your eye candy from that.

Kudos to my Sister Quinn for this amazing shot. The rest are mine so just enjoy…

I am certainly NOT perfect

2010-10-07T11:01:00.001-07:00

I read a post today that was very powerful and true. Sorry I don’t have a photo for you today. But this is a good read. I AM real. And so are my children, and my husband. We do try to be good but we are NOT perfect. Thanks for loving us anyway.

http://www.danoah.com/2010/09/disease-called-perfection.html

Moab

2010-10-05T11:05:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I really love my job! More so on the “fieldtrip” days than on the “sitting in front of the computer for hours on end” days. This last weekend we had a workshop in Moab and it was so beautiful to be outside. All the red rock, the perfect weather, having my camera and time to shoot anything that caught my eye. We had a model that we could work with or we could wander a bit on our own. Here are a few pictures from Saturday night.

Katy Perry & Elmo

2010-09-28T11:26:00.001-07:00

Now for something completely random...

(it’s a link… you have to click on it silly)

Homecoming 2010

2010-09-27T16:33:00.001-07:00

The girl- Kali Darling

Pretending that she can actually pin the flower on her date.

Her flowers

The boy- Austin Granger

Coming soon to a blog near you…

2010-09-22T09:49:00.001-07:00

Lots and Lots of pictures!! Yeah, I know, it’s been awhile. So the question that gets me is do I fill in the gap or just press forward from where I am? SUCH a crazy, busy summer with many changes.

The one with the biggest impact on our family is that we no longer have Chris (our foster son) . He moved out the last week of July. Three good years, lots of memories and a laugh that will echo in my ears for many years to come. All good things come to an end right? I guess it just caught us off guard. He is with a new family and doing well. Enough about that, it makes my heart ache.

For my loyal fans that have told me not to throw in the blog towel, thank you. It’s always nice to be missed. And this blog is the only semblance of a journal my posterity will have. So I guess its worth it.

Your reward for looking today is this picture…

As recent as you can get. Taken just a few days ago. Is it just me or do they look way to old for their ages?

A Fantastic 4th of July

2010-07-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

We started the day with a concert by Run the Sky is Falling.

The next evening we went to the Menendez fireworks festival. Johnny goes all out with his Pyromania.

Alica

Lea and Alica

Johnny and his flames.

Kali, Alica, Mary and Lea….. Way excited about those sparklers!

And lastly we went to a Stake Flag raising ceremony and program.

My pretty toenails, thanks Mary

Lea, Alica and Hannah

Run the Sky is Falling

2010-06-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce my new favorite band... Run the Sky is Falling (aka Anthony Darling and Nic Fitzgerald) They were leads in Beauty and the Beast about a year ago and have continued to colaborate on their love of music ever since. This is a clip of their official first performance under this name. Please forgive the ridiculous looks of my children as they didn't realize I was video taping with my camera and apparently were quite disturbed by me holding my camera in place for that long. whatever.

Great job guys!!

They Made It!

2010-06-21T11:07:00.001-07:00

Welcome Exchange Students of 2010

Johannah & Lynsay

Henning with the Bigham family

Caren with the Hughes family

Lea with the Menendez family

Annika with the Woodhouse Family

Alicia with the Darling family

I can’t wait for all the fun that is in store for all of you!

Tarzan at Tuacahn

2010-06-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have always heard about what a great venue this was, so finally we went for my birthday/anniversary. Jamie and her family joined us for the weekend in St .George and it was fabulous.

Jacob, Mary and James

Kyle and a gorilla from the show.

Trying out my waterproof camera…. UNDERWATER for the first time. Great shot Mary, you did better than me!

I will definitely try this again sometime. It was so fun.

Lisha & Bryce

2010-06-11T09:28:00.001-07:00

In honor of your special day TODAY…

Congratulations!

What should we wear for our family portrait?

2010-06-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry I couldn't help myself.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Definately NOT this!

Happy Birthday girls!

2010-06-06T20:27:00.001-07:00

Mary had a semiformal dance for her sweet 16th Birthday. This was the exciting event for the weekend.(Other than school getting out, and the Seniors graduating)

Fun for the whole family…. Great Party Mary!!

I love my job

2010-06-01T15:33:00.001-07:00

need I say more?

Lookin’ Lovely

2010-05-19T11:10:00.001-07:00

Fact: Did you know simply touching your eyeball can be very hazardous to your appearance?

I learned this all by myself, yesterday morning.

All I did was try to wipe a stray eyelash out of my eye. Then I noticed a tiny red spot. And watched in horror as that spot continued to grow outward in a perfect round bump that felt more annoying than the eyelash. Then throughout the day yesterday the bump smoothed out leaving this ugly red patch. I seriously look like someone punched me… I almost wish they had. At least the story would be more believable and exciting to tell.

What's better than owning a Boston?

2010-05-19T10:57:00.001-07:00

Having two Bostons to play with!

Introducing Mattie. A brindle Boston Terrier. On loan for this week only. Yes in my spare time I dog sit. Notice the sexy black underwear Mattie is wearing… NOT FUN… she is in heat. Otherwise she is so sweet and fits right in with the family.

This morning she even figured out Bella’s favorite cuddle spot.

You can tell Bella was feeling a little dethroned.

How can anyone resist those faces? Mattie always has her tongue or a few teeth showing, which I find pretty amusing to look at.

It’s OK Bella I have decided that for now we make a better 1 dog family than 2.

PS all pics for this post are taken with my iphone… not bad eh?

It’s the Final Countdown

2010-05-17T09:17:00.001-07:00

The last major events of this school year are happening. That means summer is so close I can taste it. It also means the first waves of “OH MY GOSH, I have a SENIOR!” are starting to crash down upon me. I really don’t feel old enough to have a child that age. Nor am I ready in any way for my Kaligirl to be moving on . (*breath deep, hold back tears…* fail, wipe tears) So instead of thinking about the next 12 months, how about I share the pictures that this post was intended for.

Senior Ball 2010

She takes my breath away!

The whole dress

Those blue eyes

The special effect

Most of the girls- all swimmers, too.

That boy she likes.

The Group

The couple

The Sweet Ride

Time to go

The End

Saturday Mornings

2010-05-15T09:35:00.001-07:00

I guess I would call this proof of a fabulous Friday night. My girls and I went to see ’Letters to Juliet’ last night. Kali now has a new all time FAV movie.

Even her toes look sleepy.

Yes the clock really says 10:23.

Kali has a full day of fun ahead of her so of course she needs her beauty sleep. (Senior Ball tonight)

Kira after she peeked an eye open to see why she felt like she was being watched. I would have done the same thing. Poor girl, a photographer for a Mom, no respect for appropriate times to photograph. I’m sure I will have to pay for her therapy later.

And then there’s Kyle… having breakfast with his friends. No I’m not talking about Bella. Look closely. The cell phone in hands and the “am I in trouble smile”. Caught texting during a meal. Typically punishable by loss of phone. However since he was eating alone, today I let it slide.

Now to face the weeds and humiliation that are my front yard.

Mothers

2010-05-10T13:47:00.001-07:00

Yes- I know, Mothers Day was yesterday. I had an amazing post in mind (including slideshows and tear provoking music) but instead my attention was needed elsewhere. And such is life- plans change or paths get altered. I do the best I can…one day at a time… just like my MOM! SO here is my much simplified tribute.

I love this picture of us. I love that I am holding her hand as she has so often been there to hold mine. I love how beautiful she is and that people might even say we look alike. I like what we are wearing, each in our own style and yet complimentary. When I found this picture I wondered why I didn’t have it on prominent display somewhere in my house? And then remembered that it had once been on my list of to do’s but along with many items on my daily list, this goal had not been realized. But you see I have this picture in my heart and in my mind. The image of my mother is etched in my soul, even more beautifully than she looks here. So I forgive myself and continue to do my best, one day at a time, just like my mom.

Bella Ballerina

2010-05-06T12:18:00.001-07:00

So I took these pictures in January with the intention of ordering a photo purse…

Here it is May and I still haven’t ordered it. Other than the apparent lack of time, I am also having trouble deciding what pictures to use.

SO there it is… will you guys help me decide?

I can put 1 picture on each side, so pick 2 favorites.

Thanks for your help!

Mr. Nathan Detroit

2010-05-01T18:55:00.001-07:00

Kyle made his first lead appearance in his school play… Guys and Dolls

he was fabulous

I was so proud!

Kira was part of the Stage crew, and had a great time behind the scenes.

This was my favorite picture from the show!!

I think this was Kyle’s favorite part from the show.

And it was great to have Grandparents and Great Grandparents come in just to watch it.

Fun in Cedar City!

2010-04-23T21:32:00.001-07:00

So far so good… boys and girls have won all of their games! Good Luck tomorrow kids!

Marco…. yep more POLO

2010-04-20T23:50:00.001-07:00

These are from last weekend…a 24 hour Water Polo tournament

Sometimes I wish I could do more than just take their pictures.

Time to play between games

Pretending to pull Kali into the pool.

Yes this really is a grown man who ROLLED his socks down like I remember doing in kindergarten!!

Steal it , Kira

Nice follow through Kali

Nice Defense, Kyle

You tell em’ Coach

Easter Day proper

2010-04-12T07:39:00.001-07:00

After the hunt and gorge was over we headed North to hang with more family.

Kensi

Salem

Simeon

Asher

Thaddeus

Bookworm

Goofballs- I mean Reni, Me, and Zach

Kylee

Jacob

Alec, Zach, & Jake

Alec

Handsome

Thad & Grampy

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs

2010-04-12T07:04:00.001-07:00

Maybe I am just someone who refuses to grow up, but I like coloring Easter Eggs almost as much as I like dressing up at Halloween. Holidays are fun and I do my part to enjoy them. I guess that explains why we had 60 eggs to color this year, and plastic eggs do not get hidden at my house. It was a little later than usual since I was still jet-lagging from my trip. ( What kind of crazies start to color eggs at 9:30 PM?)

Kyle had a good friend come and help us that night.

Introducing Kaylee :-)

The Grand Finale

2010-04-08T19:10:00.001-07:00

So I saved my favorite pictures from my trip for last. If your name is Quinn you might wanna grab some tissues before pushing play.

Some faces you may recognize

2010-04-07T14:23:00.001-07:00

Including the kids that are coming this summer, I will have coordinated 18 German exchange students over the years. I have to say I am attached to every single one of them. Since I was in Germany during their Spring Break, I only got to see a handful of my kids. I will definitely plan better next year. I will share the pictures of those I was able to see. I hope you know if you were one of the lucky families that hosted them, they still love and adore you and will never forget the time spent in your home!

Playing Thurn und Taxis

Jeremy, Benedict, Me, & Charies

Nils and future exchange students ( his siblings)

Eating Benny’s famous pizza… YUM

Me and Pauline

Charies

Rockband- an American tradition

Total Goofballs

CUTIES

Anna and her sister

Look how grown up and beautiful you are!

Moving by Madness

2010-04-07T13:33:00.001-07:00

Only 2 more posts till I’m caught up with blogging my trip :-)

10 pictures of Tyler the talented :-)

2010-04-06T22:34:00.001-07:00

This is my nephew Tyler. I am posting this to make Quinn laugh when she finally has a minute to sit down in front of her computer. Besides kids will be kids and there is nothing embarrassing about that.

Why talented? Look closely at the 6th picture…. he can pick his nose with EITHER hand!

Deutchland mit meine Schwester

2010-04-06T15:16:00.001-07:00

Have you ever taken a trip that was so busy that you didn’t do any of the things that you thought you would…. like blogging, or taking amazing pictures, or exercising, or reading a good book? That kind of sums up my trip. Sooo much to do and yet I didn’t feel like I accomplished anywhere near enough. I totally loved playing with my niece and nephews, and taking new pictures of them (maybe even a slideshow for my next post). And of course I could drive anywhere in the world and have a blast with my Sis. We got to go to Leipzig and Dresden, 2 places in Germany that I had not visited before. I am a pretty wussy tourist. When I wake up early and see a complete downpour, I tend to want to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. Luckily Quinn has twice my ambition and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. So off we drove into the torrential rains and to my complete amazement when we got to Dresden it wasn’t even sprinkling hard enough to open the umbrella. We walked, we talked, we saw, we ate, we walked, we toured, we shopped, we photographed, we walked and walked some more. And had a fabulous time!

This was my favorite picture from that day. Quinn thanks for a day I will never forget. Now onto Leipzig.

I fell in love with this Church. It was not the most famous in the city and it was a bit off the beaten path, but something about it just captivated me. The cute little lady that volunteered there was so cool, she would have spent the whole day just answering our questions.

This is inside the church. It is still undergoing the restoration process from being bombed in WWII. They sold all the church benches after the war to help fund some of the repairs.

This is one room that has been totally restored, showing how the whole church looked before the war. They will probably never have the money to restore it to this extent.

Me and Tori

My super cute sister

Tori in front of the Thomas Kirche, made famous by Johan Sebastian Bach

Yep it’s those goofy American tourists that want a picture by every cute doorway that they find.

If you look closely at the street sign, you will notice that the steps I am standing on are actually a street. How crazy is that?!

Water Polo… Has begun

2010-03-13T17:10:00.001-08:00

So guess where I’ve been hanging out lately….

Yep- at the pool. With 3 kids playing water polo and a husband that has decided to be the assistant coach, we will spend many hours there over the next few months.

Kyle- congratulating his big Sis on playing a good game

“my first High School suit – even though I’m a 6th grader, I play JV”

The Mighty Varsity Girls- Kali, Madison, & Kaila

Rear view of the new suits

Coach Anthony and Ken

Kira is training to be a goalie… thats why her hand is in front of the ball- oops :-)

“Shoot it Kyle!”

Kyle & Co.

Notice which kid is sticking her tongue out at the coach?

Now that my Blog is caught up, I can get packed for Germany. By this time tomorrow I will be on the plane. Talk to you again when I have more pictures to share.

Kali’s Jr. Prom 2010

2010-03-13T09:04:00.001-08:00

So this is what happens when I overshoot an event that I wanted to blog….. Tooooo many pictures to post. So you get a video instead. Music remixed by Anthony- way to go babe!

Virus, Virus who’s got a virus?

2010-03-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

My stinkin’ computer that’s who! I will save you the gory details and head straight into what I have learned from this experience.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER EVER open an attachment in an email from someone you don’t know. Even if it makes perfect sense and has a good reason, JUST DON’T DO IT! It’s not worth the headache, heartache and hassle!

And lastly don’t take for granted the incredible recovery skills of your spouse. It took me 1 click to take down our entire network and it will take Anthony weeks to recover and rebuild the whole thing. I love you babe… thanks for everything.

Before and After

2010-03-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

Kyle said good bye to his braces today.

April 2, 2008

March 3, 2010

This morning…

This afternoon

Longing to go back here….

2010-02-25T23:15:00.001-08:00

Lake Powell. Oh how I miss you.

My First Business Card

2010-02-23T18:01:00.001-08:00

Sooooo many things about this make me laugh. The size of the camera in my hands is just the first thing that comes to mind. (and I used to think it was heavy? bahahahahahahaha). No email address, no website, no blog. Wow things were more simple then. This picture was taken in October 2005. At least it’s not so humiliating that I can’t share it. In fact there are a few things I LOVE about this picture.. the size of my thighs, remembering that my shirt tag had a “M” on it (for medium), the family that I was photographing that day. My nostalgia always comes to the surface during this time of year. Thanks for sharing my musings.

A Bittersweet Ending

2010-02-16T08:14:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was our last day with “Bob” so we took him to see the Great Salt Lake.

That fact that it was raining outside kinda matched our mood. A little sad.

On the way home I saw this graffitied old train and building. You know what happens next… PHOTO SHOOT!!

What a sweet kid, it’s amazing how attached we became in just 1 week together.

Lincoln, James, Kali, Daniel, Kyle, Bob, Kira, Allyssa

Bob and his biggest Utah fans

This building is sooo cool, I’m sure I will use it again

Kyle already requested that he wants his 14 yr old pictures taken here.

This was the note we found on Kyle’s bed this morning after we had said farewell to Bob. Kyle noticed the tear in my eye as he watched me read it and said “I know just how you feel “.

3 out of 4

2010-02-11T09:01:00.001-08:00

I guess to be cool at my house these days you must have braces. Trends change rapidly around here though because next month 2 kids “should” be getting them taken off. Congrats to Kira for joining the ranks. ( or should I say condolences)

By the time we are finished with Dana Orthodontics we will have been to over 7 years worth of appointments and given them over $10,950 (including what the insurance covered)

close up

profile… yes this will actually change quite a bit in the next 24 months. I took before and after pics with Kali and was very surprised at just how much

Still smiling because she has no idea of the pain she will endure over the next few days.

I tried to take a picture of her new bejeweled smile this morning but the pain has now kicked in and she would have nothing to do with it. Poor Kira!!!!

NI HAO !

2010-02-09T09:13:00.001-08:00

(Pronounced nee how) Why am I saying hello to everyone in Chinese this morning? Well it’s in honor of our exchange student that is staying with us for a week.

He was so tired last night when they got in that I didn’t even take a picture. Today he gets to got to class all day with Kyle.

Let me officially introduce Fan Jiahao …. pronounced “Bob” since none of us can get it right. He really did tell us to call him that.

This was a gift he brought to our family. He said all the homes in China have one for good luck. He also brought miniature ones for the kids. Kali hung hers up on the rearview mirror of her car. Even though she is a very good driver, I’m sure some good luck couldn’t hurt.

These are some more gifts he brought. Mostly memorabilia from the Olymics. I can’t wait to get to know him.

Feelin’ a little crafty

2010-02-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

I can not remember the last time I went into a craft store. It’s not that I am opposed to them in any way, just that I haven’t had the time. So I still can’t explain how I ended up in a Roberts Craft last week? Or exactly what possessed me to purchase supplies to produce multiple projects? (maybe it was the incredibly high prices to buy things that are already finished?) Anyway I spent the better part of Saturday cutting, sanding and painting and really enjoyed it. I even painted 7 picture frames for the girls room that I had been avoiding. Here are the fruits of my efforts.

Ok who cares if these are napkin holders and I don’t even own any cloth napkins. They are cute right? Of course I bought 6 of them, and I did use 1 of them for my blocks.

Yep I bought the sweetheart thing too. But it was my inspiration, I had too.

Ok I’ve had this for years, but it totally goes with this post.

The first letter is obviously an i right… come on Anthony why would I paint the name “Lou” on blocks anyway?

Your right I didn’t make these either, but aren’t they cute?

I picked this up in Germany last year and since I like it soo much I decided to share it with you too.

And lastly Kali finally brought my Christmas present home from school yesterday. So here is a picture of that too.

For Tori… one of my best fans

2010-02-02T08:04:00.001-08:00

Here is a post just for you.

Remember this trip to Zurich, almost exactly 3 years ago?

This shop was dripping with stuff for Valentines day.

The gold man in the park that did tricks for you.

The train station.

The shop with the BEST chocolate I have ever had!!! They make it fresh every day and just break pieces off when you order.

Having fun with Tante Meike.

The beautiful Swiss Alps.

The monastery in Engelberg.

Watching them make cheese.

I love it when you always beg me to take pictures of you! My beautiful niece. We need to make sure we get a really cute one of the 2 of us next time.

I can’t wait to come and see you again next month! Where shall we go this time?

361 days and counting

2010-02-01T00:35:00.001-08:00

This Friday it will be exactly 1 year since Kira was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. What a long, strange trip its been. The things that I once thought were really hard are not nearly as difficult and some of the stuff that came so easily is now giving us nothing but grief. The only constant is that it will always be changing. At least for the next 7 years or so. Wow do I sound vague. I was trying to avoid the humdrum details. Rereading what I have written just makes me sound ridiculous. Oh well, I know what I mean. Anyway what I really am wondering is if we should celebrate the 1 year mark in some way? A party with friends over… Kira’s queen for the day… a pajama and sappy movie day… do something entirely different… go back to Primary Childrens Hospital and visit any kids there that are newly diagnosed… ??? It was such a life changing event for all of us that it seems like we need to give it some recognition. I would LOVE to hear some of your ideas.

And here are a few pictures that I didn’t have the courage to share back then.

This is the nurse in the ICU showing her the syringe that would administer her 1st shot.

This is my brave girl breathing through it.

This is Kira showing me that she is going to be just fine.

Why do I do things like this?

2010-01-30T06:29:00.000-08:00

I mean really. Can I not find anything better to do with my time? Or is it my insatiable curiosity for completely trivial things. Or am I really one of the most efficient procrastinators ever who will do ANYTHING other than paperwork. My sales tax doesn't have to post marked till Monday, plenty of time right?

Lisha, Lisha, Lisha!

2010-01-29T09:42:00.001-08:00

I just had to wish one of my favorite people

a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I was in Young Womens when this little girl came in as a Beehive and I was there when she left as a Laurel. I have been around for prom dates, swim meets, senior pictures, Lake Powell trips, foreign trips, family pictures, engagement pictures and lots of stuff in between. I have watched you grow up before my very eyes and develop into a confident young lady. Congratulations Bryce, she is quite a catch.I can’t wait to be there with you JUNE 11th and share in your most special day. Hope you have a FABULOUS birthday!

My Favorite Band

2010-01-28T10:04:00.000-08:00

So they lost a founding band member this last year... I'm still excited to hear their new CD.

Go Team!!

2010-01-28T00:39:00.001-08:00

In honor of the region swim meet this Saturday, I wanted to wish all these kids the best of luck!

My kind of humor…

2010-01-20T00:03:00.001-08:00

Na Na Na Na Na Na…. NASHVILLE!

2010-01-09T21:21:00.001-08:00

Yep that is where I am. I’m here for Imaging USA, the national professional photographers convention. And it means I get to add another state to my collection… I have never been to Tennessee. (a goal I made in my teens to visit 1 state per year till I have seen them all)

Anyway here are a few pics of my trip so far:

This is Tami, one of my photographer friends ( our 3rd year together at Imaging USA). We are standing in front of Opry MIlls – a huge mall right next to the convention center, so we had time for a little shopping.

We are here during very unusual weather for these parts….snow.

And of course whats a trip to Nashville without a visit to the Honky-Tonk district to hear some hopeful musicians and some good ole country music? They were all soooooo good!

Tami and Andy (another photographer from AZ) they met years ago and are well on their way to wedded bliss… Date set for May 11, 2010- Congratulations guys!

And how could I resist getting a picture with “The King” it was even his birthday!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T12:18:00.000-08:00

I love taking this picture… the last one before I go to bed on Christmas Eve.

Can you find me? Yep I’m in the ornament.

Waking up in the girls room

Oh what to do… get footage or search for chocolate?

Traditional PJ pic

Please, please let this really be a PS2 and not a cruel joke

“I wanna live like no one else, so someday I can live like no one else”

Who’s ready to play ball?

Clothes, clothes and more clothes :-)

We were lucky to have Amy share Christmas with us this year.

I’m ready to go shootin’!!

“And thanks for my new hair color, I love it”

Of course I still pop the bubbles on the bubblewrap!

Another merry Christmas at our house

On this day, just one thing to say…

2009-12-25T17:10:00.001-08:00

Some things are worth freezing for

2009-12-24T00:30:00.001-08:00

Temple square at Christmas time is definitely worth the cold.

In August Kira invited my good friend Amy to come for Christmas this year… and she actually was willing!

Ah the fun of having someone to help you wrap presents, shop, eat, talk, and sing with!

What a good time, my friend.

Hunter boys swim team is 1st in the District...

2009-12-19T23:05:00.001-08:00

and this is thier victory dance. Coaches included. Way to go BOYS!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Christmas Festivities

2009-12-13T16:23:00.001-08:00

I truly believe that no one is EVER too old to sit on Santa’s lap. And just to prove my point…

my partner in crime Lisa helped me show Kira just how it’s done.

Anthony has had quite the performance schedule this year. He was in his first “band” gig for his work Christmas party (and did fabulous I must say). Kyle joined with him as part of a barbershop group for a couple of different parties. Kyle even had his own solo part, great job you definitely take after your father.

Kali and I went to our first ever cookie exchange. Thanks for hosting this Darcy, what a fun idea!

I still need the recipe for the punch. It was pretty and tasty.

Here are some of the treats that we got to take home with us.

This is how Kyle likes to unwind after a long day. He just landed the part of Nathan in the school musical of Guys and Dolls. I will let you know when performances are scheduled for this Spring.

I have so much more to share but my time is short, we have a choir performance tonight. I am so grateful for Christmas music and how it helps me keep the holidays in perspective and bring the spirit into our lives.

Merry Christmas Sis

2009-12-11T16:46:00.001-08:00

As I look out the window at the snow, it is fun to look at the image I have just finished working on. This is Quinn and her family. She is my older sister that I adore. This is also her Christmas present this year. So here is proof that I actually got it finished in plenty of time for Christmas… even though there is no possible way it will arrive at your house in time. Thanks for coming to spend last summer with us. Excellent times that will always be cherished. I Love you!

Spoilers

2009-12-06T22:25:00.001-08:00

Well I just couldn’t resist. I took our family Christmas card pictures today and since I am way over due for a blog post I just had to share 2 images from today. This is poor Bella freezing her tail off… (oh wait, most Bostons don’t have a tail anyway)

The second is proof that we are insane to be outside “standing around” in this weather. Can you say frostbite of the fingertips holding a metal camera in these temperatures? I sure can!

Hope you are warm and making time to enjoy this holiday season.

Collages!

2009-11-15T14:15:00.001-08:00

I now offer super cool custom collages. Here is a quick sample.

Yep, I know you have seen this boy before… what can I say… one of the girls around my house never seems to tire of seeing him.

Halloween my way

2009-11-01T16:33:00.001-08:00

Ok I admit it, I am in my thirties and I still love to dress up for Halloween. At my house if you have more than one party to go to then you can be more than one thing for Halloween. We have a large collection of dress up clothes so that helps to make it possible. I even had more than one outfit for Bella to wear this year thanks to my Mom. Since my kids are too big to buy fun clothes for, my Mom will sometimes splurge and send me a little something for my dog to wear. I of course enjoy such silliness. That helps take the pressure off Chris and Anthony who really don’t enjoy dressing up. So this year I didn’t make them.

I was a bit nervous having a diabetic child this year for such a sugar frenzied holiday. I was worried about the hardship this would cause for her and I had all kinds of plans in mind and ways that I could advise her. She really surprised me when she got home and gave all but 5 pieces of her candy away! She said it was fun to collect but she really didn’t want it. GASP…. I could learn a thing or two from her! Kira you are my hero and you make me so proud.

These ridiculous eyelashes were so heavy, this was the only way I could actually see.

A short adventure

2009-10-31T11:08:00.001-07:00

We had a grand scheme planned for a few fun days in Denver, but we all know life doesn't always turn out like we plan. We had to go for one of Kira’s study check ups but we also had tickets to see the musical Wicked. Kali and Kyle have not had the pleasure and I had promised that I would find a way for them to see it. Thus hatched my plan.

However a severe snowstorm was NOT part of my plan. This was a quick Fall trip as far as I was concerned.

Somewhere near Wamsutter, Wyoming my plans were thrown off course as we hit a slick spot where snow had blown onto the road. If you look at the semi heading towards us, that is about where we lost control and spun a 360 before actually going off sideways till we came to a stop. I was afraid that we were going to hit one of the signs or posts but luckily we missed all of them.

After a quick call to 911 they dispatched highway patrol and a tow truck. One and a half hours later a different tow truck arrived and pulled us out and warned us how bad the roads were just up ahead. He told us to go back to Rock Springs for the night because the roads were closed anyway and we would not be getting anywhere near Denver. So what do you do in Rock Springs for fun?

Eat at McDonalds of course and submit yourself to complete silliness because it is the best way to celebrate the fact that everyone is alive and well and miraculously not hurt.

We learned that Kyle and I can both touch our noses with our tongue. Kira has the longest tongue but lacks the coordination to make it touch.

I can puff my cheeks out the farthest.

Kali is the only one who can take a handheld picture of all of us without cutting off important parts of faces.

Kyle prefers a strawberry sunday over hot fudge? Go figure.

Kali makes the best worried look.

And lastly Kyle and Kira can actually pass for twins when dressed accordingly.

In the morning we waited for I 80 to reopen till noon, but with record snowfall for that time of year it didn’t. We decided to head home. What a crazy trip.

My singin’ son

2009-10-23T09:37:00.001-07:00

Last night was Kyle’s first concert choir performance for this year. He takes his singing pretty seriously, he’s even in voice lessons. He was nervous about it all week. He didn’t need to be. They did a great job.

Yep that’s Kyle kind of a goofball but he always makes us laugh.

They were singing “double, double, toil and trouble” from Harry Potter

A ”cute” appendicitis

2009-10-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

Yep of course I’m talking about Kali. What part of her isn’t cute?

After having stomach aches for most of the week, we knew there might be something seriously wrong when she came home Friday night a full 2 hours before curfew. That is just not like her. Then when I woke up Saturday morning, I found her sitting at the computer researching appendicitis on the internet. The biggest clue here is that it was SATURDAY at 7:30am, even if the house was on fire I would still have to drag her out of bed. But she wasn’t doubled over or crying… hmmm time for the “fail proof test” stand on that chair and jump to the floor. If she collapsed to the floor writhing in pain then we would head straight for the ER, do not pass go , etc., etc. Instead she jumped and landed on her feet with barely a grimace. Well I had a very busy day ahead of me and this just wasn’t in the plan. I asked if she wanted to go straight to the Dr and she said she could wait till Dad woke up and could take her. Okay who am I to argue with that.

Fast forward several hours and Kali is in the ER with her Dad waiting for the results of the CT scan. I am pretending not to be distracted as I am finishing my last session of 4 back to back sessions that day. Just knowing that my poor needle phobic daughter had her first IV and I wasn’t there holding her hand was really starting to get to me. Thinking of her hearing the news of having surgery without being by her side was killing me. I got to the Hospital as soon as I could and found out they had already called in the on call surgeon. Kali would be having surgery that night and as quickly as possible for acute appendicitis. So much for the “fail proof test”.

Anthony was a champ and had spent the day with Kali calming her fears and just being the amazing Dad that he is. He left to go get some food as soon as they took her for surgery. Now I am totally alone in an empty waiting room that doesn’t have any cell phone reception. I start to think about how far we have advanced medically and that people used to die from this. I am so grateful that Kali won’t even have to be cut wide open because they are going in laparoscopically. The surgeon comes in to tell me they are finished early and that everything went perfectly and since I work at the hospital I am welcome to join Kali in the recovery room. (I am a back up tech for the gastroenterology department, and had not worked for over 1 1/2 years before that very week when I was covering a few days for someone out of town) I see the advantage so I take it. Oops. I wish I had stayed in the waiting room. Coming out of anesthesia is not a pleasant thing. Lots of disorientation and writhing in pain till you become fully awake and aware of what is going on.

Anthony came back in time to sneak a peek in the recovery room also. He agreed that if we ever go through this again we will pass on that opportunity. We followed Kali upstairs to the regular hospital floor, Anthony said goodnight and headed home to check on the rest of our kiddos. I settled in for a long night of watching Kali sleep peacefully and remembered all the sights, sounds and smells of hospital life. One of Kali’s closest friends came to visit that night for a few hours and I welcomed the distraction.

This is what she looked like most of the time.

The next day she woke up quite a bit more and even got to walk the halls before she could go home.

hospital life…

and of course this was the best part… coming home.

Vintage Fire Truck

2009-10-07T15:40:00.001-07:00

On my way to a photo shoot the other day I saw this really cool old fire truck as part of the decor for Hook & Ladder (a mom and pop style burger joint). And I thought to myself what a cool prop that would be for a picture someday…. except that the space around it was not very picturesque, and It would never be in the shade, and finding someone who could see the same potential and coolness factor in that truck that I could is highly unlikely. So I just made a mental note of where to find it again should I ever need to use it in a photo.

Fast forward an hour and a half. I had just finished shooting a double senior session for some boys. They were saying how much fun they had and that they were surprised how quickly the time had passed. I asked if they might be up for a few more pictures in another location and they were all over it. This is why I love to shoot seniors. They are almost always up for anything I suggest. Here are two of my favs from that day.

Thanks boys, you guys are great!

Do dogs blush?

2009-09-30T10:00:00.001-07:00

Well maybe my little Bella is exceptional because low and behold when I got home the other day, her cheeks were all pink!

You can tell by her ears that she was a little embarrassed.

I had already started picking up all the trash that she had strewn around from this garbage can.

“yes, that is the brush I used”

“but I thought I looked purdy? all sparkly and everything.” “what? you think I look silly?”

So what did I learn from all this? Never let your Boston Terrier get bored! They will find trouble, in ways you couldn’t even imagine. And lastly Bella is all girl, pink is definitely her color. :-)

Homecoming Dance 2009

2009-09-20T21:25:00.001-07:00

It was a pretty fun weekend around here.

Big group dates are the BEST!

The Girl

The Boy

I think the pictures say it all.

“Death from the ankles down”

2009-09-17T11:52:00.001-07:00

that is what the sign says as you approach the front door of Alice’s house. After spending a few hours there photographing her Boston’s I understand the warning. Boston puppies are so much fun but they are constantly attacking your feet and biting your toes! Here are some of my favs of her 7 week olds.

Wall Decor

2009-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Well the new beds should be in tomorrow. All other major furniture is in place. That includes some built in bookshelves and a large display shelf that I custom built to maximize space. (pictures of that later) For today I just wanted to share 1 picture that will be hung as a canvas gallery wrap (this should also be here tomorrow) for the girls new room. Hope you like it as much as I do.

Siren Pink

2009-09-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

It's project time around here again. Mission: to combine Kira and Kali into 1 bedroom that they both like and fit into. Tasks include selling 2 beds, buying a new full over full bunk bed, getting rid of tons of stuff, buying new comforters, painting "new" room siren pink, rehanging all decor, etc. etc. It really seems like this project could go on forever. We are making progress though. Major hiccup was that the new beds are 2 weeks out... they could have told me that when I was at the warehouse. Oh well. So here are a few pics of the progress so far.

Waiting for the new beds.
I was really questioning the sanity of letting Kali choose this color
while I was painting, but it has grown on me.

Had to show a peek into the bathroom that Kali madeover in June.

Kira's old room and bed that sold 2 hours after listing it.

Kali's old room and twin bunk beds that are still for sale.

What are little girls made of

2009-08-25T12:05:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this picture. Mostly because it gives me the creeps. I am not so into letting slimy things crawl on me!

Marissa, Wren, Kira and Mariah
Cousins... sure had a nice visit with the Washington
Darlings. Just wish we had more time.

Beginning again

2009-08-25T11:52:00.001-07:00

So the first day of school was yesterday. My house was so quiet. It will take me a few days to get used to it. Today I am trying to catch up all the things I have let slide over the summer. That might take me till Christmas... just kidding.

Kyle my mighty 8th grader

Yep thats Kali driving herself to 11th grade

And Kira so excited to add a new color shirt to her uniform options.

6th grade and up can wear black.

What happens in Vegas...

2009-08-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

stays in Vegas. Unless you are me... so OK I'll share the highlights. My good friend Aliesha bought a very cool new car, so cool in fact that it warranted a road trip. (if I were a car person I could tell you exactly what kind it is, but I am not. You will just have to trust me that it's the kind of JEEP that gets lots of attention from total strangers.) I thought we had decided on September, but she decided on August. So off we went. We stayed at The Luxor. We saw Le Reve, ate way too much food, stayed up way too late, shopped, talked, took silly Vegas pictures, ate more food, slept in in the mornings, melted in the 108 degree heat, ate more food, went to the pool, and shopped some more. Where are we headed next time girls?

We had lunch at Margaritaville

Driving with the top down

Me, Aliesha and Jodie

Wakeboarding!

2009-08-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

We had a Young Womens overnighter this week and look what Kali learned how to do...

Almost got it...

Way to go Kali!!

Now off on my next adventure...

PS: I took this with my green baby camera, not bad eh?

So long Denver, we're outta here

2009-08-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

SO these are the final images from our little adventure. All in all not too bad. Now to drive home :-)

Rockies Game

2009-08-11T06:43:00.001-07:00

Me and Patience

James and Kyle both got free hats and balls fom waiting in line and watching batting practice

Amy and her nephew Ryan

The only picture of all 4 of us together during this trip

Mr. Kyle

Amy and I

James

Kyle and Calvin- cousins!

our view

all her guardians as she sleeps

sleeping peacefully after the game

Boondocks and a date

2009-08-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

When Kira's not connected to medicine and machines we try to go have a little fun. Some days she is up for it other days not so much. I guess I am a mean Mom for forcing her to have fun but I know it makes her feel better when we are done. And she sleeps better at night. So this is Boondocks.

Kyle, James & Kira

I love Kira's hands in this one

Patience and Matt going out for her Birthday date

Can you tell I was in charge of dinner?

I told the boys they could cut the pizza... and then I changed my mind

I am getting better at this self portrait thing, at least we are both in the picture. I just don't know what I am doing with my hand?

Bailey and Kyle

Kira starting a puzzle.. that I of course HAD to finish. I mean you can't just leave it sitting there!

Coos Bay Flashback

2009-08-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this picture today. I have looked at it so many times today and it always brings a smile to my face. Such good people, such good stories and just not enough energy to tell about it. So enjoy the picture. If you are in it, I can't wait till we can do this again someday. If you aren't in it but should be I hope you can make it next time. I love you guys!

Update on the homefront

2009-08-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

This Hospital Visit is wearing on all of us. Even my little Bella is out of sorts. Home alone all day and engaging in heinous mischief! Poor bored pooch. I hope Anthony survives it and still lets her sleep in our room? I wish he had sent me a picture or video clip of some of her destruction so I could share it with you. I guess she basically is still obeying house rules because she's only making a mess outside. Well except the cereal box that wouldn't fit through the doggie door. Kali left the pantry door open when she left for the day... oops. A loaf of bread, a bag of twizzlers, a box of cereal (Reese's Puffs- my favorite too), a granola bar, a pair of flip flops, Anthony's computer headphones, feminine applicators, toilet paper, dryer sheets and I can't remember what else she brought outside in 1 day. Of course not just brought outside and dropped but shredded and scattered all over the back yard. I guess she's been barking a lot lately too.

And here at the hospital things are getting a wee bit difficult as well. Today is day 9 and Kira is experiencing many of the side effects of the medication (further proving my hunch that she's not getting placebo). She has a very itchy rash around her arm where the PICC line is. She has intermittent headaches, nausea, aches, tiredness and generally "not feeling good". Today she doesn't even want to leave the hospital to go see Kyle and James and Pace and co. The weather outside is matching her moods as well. One minute is shining brightly, the next dark and cloudy, then lightning and thunder, then tons of fierce rain pelting against the window, the so much fog you couldn't even see out the window, then clear and the sun trying to peek out again. And that is all just today. Right now Kira is laying across her bed that she has way up in the air so she can "look down on the puzzle on the tray table" and she's smiling and humming and having me guess what tune.
Who knows what tomorrow will be like but she still refuses to use the B- word. (bored... at home if you say that word I can assign endless chores just for saying it. I find this helps kids understand it's easier for them to decide how to entertain themselves than for me to do it.)

Pictures, pictures and more pictures

2009-08-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

I forgot to tell everyone that I bought a new camera a few weeks ago. The main reason I love it is because it's waterproof and it fits in my purse (ok, thats 2 reasons but who's counting). Do you know how often I have wanted to bring a camera somewhere but I just couldn't justify packing "the beast". No more excuses, my neon green baby camera will go everywhere with me. Even though some of the pictures are very simplistic I think they are better than nothing. So here is a recap of the last several days all taken with my baby camera.

The most exciting thing to do here at the Hospital is surf the net

It's been fun getting to hang with my Sister Patience

Hard decisions... which webkinz do I buy from the giftshop?

James is such a trooper to volunteer to go on this trip with us

I was trying to convince Kira that I should really get the most comfortable bed in the room
but somehow I'm still on the fold out.

At least they feed you pretty good around here

The webkinz I finally chose and named Andrew.

If you look at the tall buildings back in the skyline that is Denver

The military hospital that caused this whole incredible medical complex on 1 site

Playing online with my new webkinz

so I was trying to take a self portrait of me and Kira, obviously I need more practice with my new camera

Kyle on one of the rides at Elitches

Our first Rock concert- Metro Station!

the concert was at Elitch Gardens amusement park

The boys got to spend the whole day there

Day 4

2009-08-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was actually gonna post a few more pictures today but since I am still in my pj's and my camera is in the car, I guess you will have to be satisfied with a few words. Last night Kira and I slept at the Hospital so we wouldn't have to be here at the crack of dawn. On certain days they need extra blood draws so it's just easier to sleep here.

What else I have learned...

I still feel like Kira is getting real medication
4am spontaneous vomit the other morning is a good sign that she is getting medication
apparently children under the age of 21 are NOT allowed to be at the Aurora Mall without being in direct supervision of a parent, or they will be detained by mall security till a parent comes to claim them! That was fun.
Kali's recommendation about the Proposal being a good movie was correct
Computer geekiness is a genetically passed trait. Visible in both Kira and Kyle as they fight over the laptop and whose turn it is to be online
Kira is my hero because she still has not used the word "BORED" yet to describe this adventure. I think I succumbed on day 2?
Even facebook loses some appeal when you have unlimited time for it.

Medication Day 1- Again

2009-07-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

The highlights of what I have learned today...

Kira is highly sensitive to Benedryl (just like me, if it "might make you drowsy" then it knocks her out.
Denver can have tornado warnings (and we have really big windows with an amazing view from the 9th floor)
Today is actually day 1 because yesterday was day zero and the picc line day was -1. So why does that matter? It maters because on day 14 we can go home.
Kira is #41 in this study and there will be 60 participants.
The "coolness factor" of the long term implications of this study drug gave me goosebumps today. This drug works, it helps protect your beta cells. It has been proven in several studies. Next it will be tried on people that are in the "will become diabetic within 5 years" range. It means that for the few people who have been tested and know that their body is already attacking their beta cells maybe this drug could get them to stop? Maybe they never develop full blown diabetes. This could change the whole protocol of treatment for these people.
So how can you get tested, or why should you? Glad that you asked because there is another study I would encourage anyone who qualifies for to participate in. It's called the "Natural History Study" being run by Trialnet. It is as simple as a blood test that checks for auto antibodies (they are present only if your body is already attacking the beta cells). This study calls for relatives of people that have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes to get their blood checked to assess a risk factor. I myself was checked since my dad was diabetic. Kali and Kyle were checked because of Kira. We all tested negative for now. Kali and Kyle will be checked yearly till they are 18. All of Kira's cousins should be checked if they are under age 21. Here is the link for you to know who to contact about getting your loved ones checked.
Lastly, I think Kira is getting the real drug and not the placebo. Of course I reserve the right to change my mind later but as of today I think she is.

Medication -Day 1

2009-07-28T15:51:00.001-07:00

Well I can tell these posts are going to get really boring really fast. So I will sum up what we expect of the next 13 days as a summary of today. We arrived at 9 AM and they took a ton of blood for tests (establishing a baseline to compare with after medication is given). Then we waited for results, and waited for the medication to be sent up to the nurse and waited for a Dr. to do a quick physical, and you guessed it WAITED some more. What do we do while we wait? We watch TV, sleep, watch movies, eat, sleep, surf the Internet, sleep, repeat. They have a children's activities center that you can play in, or check out board games from. There are lots of hospital people who come and ask us if we need anything. Everyone here is nice. I have been looking up things to see while we are here and have found lots of exciting stuff going on. We should be able to leave in about another hour to go back to Pace and Matt's house for the night. Tomorrow looks about the same except maybe a little less waiting.
I couldn't even take tons of pictures today because I forgot to charge my camera battery last night. So I will post a picture or 2 if anything exciting happens.
Kyle and his friend James are here with us today, they add a little comic relief. Kira is doing amazing. She is such a trooper and I admire her courage. Till next time.

Fast forward to Denver

2009-07-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

There are sooooo many blogable things that I have not shared with you. I have tons of pictures I want to post from the many fun things we have done this summer. The problem is when life is happening at warp speed, who has time to blog? Yeah, me neither. So for now we will fast forward to today and I can at least be current for our happenings for the next 2 weeks. As I have mentioned previously my daughter Kira was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes in February of this year. She has qualified for a research study that aims to "save her remaining beta cells" (the ones that produce insulin). Without this investigational medication her body will continue to attack her pancreas till she has virtually no ability to produce any insulin on it's own. Right now she is still in the "honeymoon phase" so her body still produces some insulin that we supplement with insulin shots. So as of today we are in Denver to take part in a double blind study (crossing our fingers that she is in the 50% that receives the actual medication and not the placebo). Today is considered day zero because she has a PICC line placed but has no actual infusion of medication. So here are pictures of this morning to prove how brave and amazing this little girl is!Just outside the Children's hospital
They had her room all ready for her.

bored?
Look at my big room!

security around here is tight

hurry up and wait

ahhh free Internet, makes me smile

My cute nurse

Kira's only IV she should have this trip

They have a "transportation specialist " here

in the surgery room

They put me totally out to place the Picc line

eating and recovering

Newport, Oregon and all it's splendor

2009-07-19T16:20:00.001-07:00

Just the highlights of a fabulous trip. It was a family reunion for my Mom's side of the family. We made lots of memories, and had a blast.

The Darlings

What it looked like most days.

What it looked like the day we did family pictures. (some prayers are answered)

We even brought my pampered pooch, Bella. It was a family vacation and she counts.

Benjamin & Quinn

Playing in the waves

Rex & Mom

Niklas- the cool surfer dude

The distance from our rental to the water. Ours is the little blue one.

Kira & Anthony wave jumping

The Schulze family

poor jellyfish

Anthony & Kira

bonus question: name this little critter?

underside of said critter. I don't know what it is?

The whole crew. (not bad for using a timer, huh?)

Ahhhhhhh.... another teenager!

2009-07-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Today Kyle turns 13!!! Happy Birthday!

This is how his friends started his day...

At 6AM when Kyle returned from the shower, look who he found...

Shae & Alysann.

Lime green ballons and presents too!

Good friends are priceless!

Missoula, Missoula, Missoula

2009-07-01T06:22:00.000-07:00

Montana that is. Yep I just returned from the annual swimteam excursion to that far off destination. This year all 3 of my kiddos went so it was almost a family affair. It was fantastic! Good friends, long bus rides, plenty of sunshine, excellent coaches and several "best times". Here are some of my favorite pictures...

Kira, Kyle and Kali

The lovely Splash Montana in the background

Saturday morning was a bit chilly till the sun was on the whole pool

Lisa and her amazing skinart

Team spirit

Kali

Dippin Dots- highly overpriced but a summer must-have

Kali doing the backstroke

Ken, that sure is a nice vest to go with your suit

Hyrum & Kali

Kyle

Luke, Brad, Talon, Ken & Hyrum...Seniors now... need I say more?

Kira

Coaches Tim, Lisha, and Shawn

Bored? at a swim meet?

Kira's breaststroke

Kira, Hyrum & Kali "did you guys match on purpose?"

passing the time till your next event

"she drives me crazy, woo woo"

2009-06-25T16:54:00.000-07:00

Anybody remember that song? Well somehow it just seemed fitting after pondering the fact that Kali now can officially drive... ALONE!! Not to admit paranoia or anything but my mind did start to wander a bit when that fire truck passed me today as I was headed home. And then I remembered she didn't even have the car today so relax, already! Exciting things are always hapening here. Forgive the quality of this picture I had to take it with my cell phone. Just look at that grin! Congrats Kali and you only missed 2 points, Fabulous!

German invasion

2009-06-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again when we get to make some international friendships. With my sister Quinn, (who lives in Germany) we have started a summer exchange program. We coordinate kids with host families for kids wishing to visit a different country. We have 7 kids here in Utah for the summer. I am happy to report that everyone has made it safe and sound.

Christoph was the youngest and the 1st one off the plane.

Charies meeting her host family for the first time

waiting, waiting and waiting some more

here they come

Elena with the Kohler family

Anna with the McPhie family

Jeramy with the Allred family

Charies with the Love family

Christoph with the Hickenloopers

Kali,Benedikt, Nils, and Hyrum. Their flight was so late getting in that the families were not able to make it to the airport

And is any travel experience complete without lost luggage? She is explaining that his missing piece will be delivered to his house the next day.

My Birthday, Anniversary, Youth Confrence

2009-06-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

Awhhh shucks a pictureless post. Can you believe I was to busy to bring my camera to Lava Hotpsrings, Idaho? Maybe it was because of the horrid weather forecast? Nothing but rain. And the fact that we would be camping in tents. Somehow the thought of rain, cold, bugs and dirt inspired me to leave my camera gear at home. Wise choice. The forecast was correct. It poured. And yet somehow we all still had a fabulous time. The service project in the rain was actually a highlight for me. Yardwork in the rain does not bother me. It actually felt like it was more servicelike. I felt like a little kid that went out to play and forgot to come back in when it started to rain. The water dripped off my nose. I had to push my bangs off my face to change the direction of the drip. So satisfying.

The river that we had planned to spend a day tubing down was actually to high and fast for us to go on. Luckily Lava had a fabulous outdoor pool with monster high dives, waterslides, and even an aquatic climbing wall. It was cold but fun.

So my Birthday was spent packing up the whole family for Youth Confrence. My Anniversary was the first day at Youth Confrence. Much to our good fortune there was a new hotel just up the road from the campsite, and plenty of adult supervision. With the Bishop's encouragement we got to spend our anniversary at Lion's Gate Manor in the famous "Phantom suite". It was more than a little awkward the next day when our whole group went to tour the themed rooms of the hotel. We just stayed in the car, no need to hear any comments about the room we actually slept in. :-)

16 pictures from a Sixteenth Party

2009-06-21T12:55:00.001-07:00

Yep, my oldest is now 16!!!!! Such a milestone birthday. So many new opportunities and responsibilities. First Date, official drivers license, first job, a car to drive, decisions, decisions, decisions. Just when I think no, she's not ready to be 16, I will find a way to stop it... she matures overnight and thrills me with her wisdom, understanding and compassion towards life and others. Man I love this GIRL!! Enough rambling, enjoy the pictures.

Kali & Jenica latched onto each other in 3rd grade and haven't let go of each other yet!

Kali & Madison... swim besties

Sound Solutions (aka corbridge family) did the music. They are great!

Kali , Hyrum & Ken

the yummies

Jed & Anthony.... to cool to dance?

Laura & Talon

Mary & Kaysha

Her cake read, "Happy 16th birthday my Princess"

Luke & Christine

Grace, Hope & Kali

Kali & Corbin

Ken & Kali neighbor besties

Mary & Kali Birthday Besties... exactly 1 year apart

Avery

Kali & Hyrum, dancing or talking?

Playing Bloggie Catch-up

2009-06-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last 19 days that I don't even know where to start?

I will try to be chronological. So that means Chris Graduated!!!

The whole class of 2009

look who's in the very last row, and looking for us in the audience

"Can we go out for dinner now?"

"Look, it's for real"

"Let me straighten that cap for you!"

Outside the E center, taking pictures waiting for the traffic jam to disperse a little

Doesn't he look all grown up?

Birthday Season

2009-06-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

June starts the beginning of birthdays at our house. I did an impromptu mini session with Bella in honor of her first year. So I just wanted so wish the best doggie in the world a Happy Birthday!!! Thanks for all the smiles, happiness and joy you have brought to our family. You truly make our life better just by being you. And I forgive you for falling asleep, during your party.

WE LOVE YOU BELLA! (aka bells, snort, baby bell)

Senior Ball -May 16, 2009

2009-05-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life just does not slow down. I can't believe it has almost been a week since this event? What a fun time! I could ramble but instead I will just go straight to the pictures.

Kali's oldest friend Mary did her hair and makeup, what a sweetheart.

traditions

"What if I accidentally poke you with this pin?"

"You wouldn't do that"

"I'm on a date... I can't believe I'm on a date!"

Hyrum, Kali, Chris, Madison, Ephraim, & Lisha

The whole gang

"Dang, I look good!"

Thanks for taking him, Madison.

Nice Moves

Lisha

They look like part of a wedding party.

"OK hurry up and take it"

a timeless look

Practicing for the good night kiss?

Nothing like a best friend.

"Sitting next to a pretty girl and eating... does life get any better than this?"

"It's it time for you to be going now, Mom?"

"I can't keep my eyes off of her, not even for a picture!"

and a fun time was had by all. The End

Josh

2009-05-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

These are like "senior business cards". Aren't they WAY more fun

than the traditional senior wallet?

Bekah

2009-05-12T22:13:00.001-07:00

Yeah, I know I'm behind but the storage shed I've been

working on in my "spare" time is coming along nicely.

These are 2x7 bookmarks:

Cassie

2009-05-07T13:48:00.001-07:00

This will be a 4x5 postcard style...

One down two more to go!

Senior Season

2009-05-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

So less than a month till graduation and all high school seniors are feeling it. That means I am too... let me explain. It's time to start sending out graduation announcements. And whats an announcement without a picture, thats right "boring"! Thats where I come in. It doesn't matter if you had your session in the fall, winter or spring now is when seniors are wanting something cool (photo wise) to give to friends and family with their announcements. I have oodles and oodles of COOL options, however they all fall under 1 key word... CUSTOM. Yep that means I personally design and create each one for each individual. A super fun project in small doses but 3 in 2 days leaves me a bit sleep deprived. So enough blogging and on with the designs. Yep that was the "carrot" you will have to check back soon to actually see what I come up with.....