More photography ...

I appologize that our blog has been lacking in updates and has served more as a selfless plug for my photography ... but I don't feel bad enough about it to stop :) I had the chance to take pictures for a local make up artists portfolio, check out the rest of the shoot HERE


This weekend Jason and I are headed to our favorite place! No, not Disneyland (good guess though!) We're going to Fairview to spend some quality cabin time and even better, time with Jason's parents and grandparents who are coming to check out the city their ancestors settled.

Orem High School Cheerleaders

Last night I took pictures for the OHS Cheerleading Squad and we had so much fun. This is a picture of the JV Squad (see my sister standing on the ledge on the far left) but head on over to the photography blog to check out the rest!

My sister the model

I had the great honor of taking the photos for the 2008-2009 Orem High School cheerleaders. When I finish editing the rest of them, I'll post more on my photo blog, but for now I wanted to show you how beautiful my sister Carlie is. Feel free to envy, I know I do.

Girls Camp

I didn't take nearly as many pictures at girls camp as I should have... but here's a smattering of what I did take:

It was my birthday, so my sisters decorated my bunk!

A few of the girls sportin' temporary tats.

The lovely (and delish!) cake Sister Threet made for my birthday, yay for 23 candles!

That was our ward doing our "sing thing" to our rendition of "We Are The World."



The ninth ward (aka my family's ward) doing their "sing thing" to their rendition of some Beatles song.

Head on over ...

To my cooking blog for some yummy recipes



And my photography Web site for more of this adorable family

Fabric Giveaway!

My latest hobby is sewing (we'll have a whole post dedicated to this soon, just you wait!) and I recently stumbled across this amazing giveaway, so check it out!

Also, tomorrow is the last day for the Lila Tueller giveaway I mentioned earlier!

Pioneer Day

Finally! I found time to put together this Pioneer Day weekend post. On the first night, Carlie and Melanie got all dolled up to go to the Fairview Youth Dance.

They were bound to break a few hearts ...

Or something.

Rylie and Katelyn got all spiffied up to save the world!

Batman and Catgirl forever.

When Carlie and Melanie returned from the dance, they were not alone. Meet Aubrey, a Liahona* distance learner that Carlie and Melanie met at youth conference.

We played a lot of card games.

Then we saw Wall-E at the Basin Drive In in Mount Pleasant

The next morning we woke up to this beautiful sun coming over the mountains

And, it being Pioneer Day, we headed into Fairview for a gander at their pioneer museum. Upon closer inspection, Jason discovered his ancestor John F. Sanders memorialized on this monument outside the museum. Inside the museum we found all sorts of nifty stuff belonging to the Sanders family ... including the address to their house which is still standing!

So of course we went to their house. This was the first house built in Fairview.

Original trees and everything.

The nice owners of the house invited us inside and showed us the original fireplace ...
And the original wood floors and lamp.

That night before heading to the derby, I caught my parents kissing ...

And Katelyn posing.

God bless America!

The demolition derby!
Fierce competition ...
Some cars nearly tipped ...
Others really tipped!
(and one car rolled over but my picture didn't turn out due to the people standing in front of me.)

And then, the firework show!
Best fireworks anywhere.
*Liahona is the private school my sisters (and Melanie) attend.

Templeton Holiday

Today is a very special day. You see, today is one of the best holidays of the year. Not Christmas, not even my birthday (which was last week, thanks everyone for your sweet comments!) Today is Templeton Holiday. Oh you've never heard of it? What a pity.

Templeton Holiday originated in the early 1990's when a young mother from Orem, Utah, decided that before school started and drug her kids away from their care-free lives, they needed one last hoopla to celebrate their independence. Taking inspiration from Templeton the rat and his shmorgishborg at the fair, this day became a day where her kids could do - and eat - whatever their hearts desired. It doesn't always fall on August 7, just any agreed upon day before the commencement of the school year.

It starts out early in the morning, earlier than Christmas, when the kids wake up and go downstairs to sit by the phone, waiting for the big hand on the clock to hit the 6. At six o'clock sharp, the children grab the phone and call the other observers of Templeton Holiday.

The first activity on the agenda is head to the nearest grocery store and purchase all the necessary items. The children, still sporting their sleeping attire, walk alongside the grocery cart grabbing every sugary cereal, sugary drink and sugary sugar treat in sight.

Upon arriving home, the treats are immediately torn into, with dessert coming before - and sometimes replacing - every meal. Traditional Templeton Holiday activities included swimming in pajamas for everyone, playing army men for the boys and some sort of beauty regime for the girls. As long as it was legal, it is acceptable on Templeton Holiday. From sun up, to sun down the festivities fill the day with joy until the stroke of midnight signals the end of the most glorious holiday.

Upcoming!

It's been an eventful two weeks. Over the week of the 24th of July (Pioneer Day here in Utah) we spent time in Fairview. We had some very neat experiences, all of which I have pictures to share with you. Later. Then last week I went to girls camp up at Heber Valley Camp ... or more appropriately, the Heber Valley Hilton. Seriously. But when I came home from girls camp, I crashed. I must have caught some sort of bug that has now turned into a sinus infection and knocked me flat on my back. So when I recover, I promise to post some fun pictures from both fun weeks. For now, enjoy this sneak preview of us at the demolition derby in Fairview!