Holiday Thoughts

I will apologize right now for the long post. I know I am a little late with this post but at least I did it! I was up till 3:00am or so trying to figure out why the slideshow I created wouldn't upload. All of a sudden it worked today.

I am so thankful for all the people I have met through photography and everyone's support. It's not always easy to hear critique sometimes but that's what art is all about...even sports are like that. I am actually quite surprised at the amount of shoots I have done this year with it only being my 2nd-3rd year of really putting myself out there professionally.

When I heard this song that I put the slideshow to it literally brought tears to my eyes....and that's unusual....sort of. Maybe I was just having a bad day or something but it has a really good message, not just because it's Christmas. We often don't realize or maybe we just forget what other people are constantly going through. Christmas is usually the biggest giving season but why can't that be all year? That is something that has always frustrated me. I think it is because when I worked in an assisted living, tons of people would come during Christmas and then people were lonely throughtout the rest of the months. People's lives just don't get difficult in December, for some it is a constant battle. I just hope that we can remember to constantly think of those around us and try our best to help throughout the year. I'm not trying to say that I do this but I always like to try.

And just a little note to my husband if he reads this...I am so grateful for all that you do for me. You are able to make me laugh when I want to be mad, you take me out for the good classic dates of a dinner and movie which I love, you know what I can handle and what I can not, and you are always there for me. I am thankful for your constant effort with school to get into the pharmacy program and I know that God has a plan for us and I am willing to follow wherever we may end up for school...I just hope we will come back to Utah.

Click here for the slideshow. The pictures are a little fast because there were so many I wanted to put in it. I know I have left some people out but know that I haven't forgotten you I just didn't have all the time I wanted to upload pictures from archived discs. At first it would have had to repeat the song twice to get through all the pictures at a leisurely pace so I made it go a little faster. You can browse through all the pictures from one of the option buttons and the bottom of the slideshow. After all that work it cuts off about the last 5 seconds of the song. Oh well, enjoy.

Elf Yourself

My sister-in-law kept herself busy for hours playing around with this. It's pretty funny. Just click here and you will see.

Christmas Season

I got the urge to take some pictures of our Christmas ornaments and tree. I love Christmas trees, they are one of my favorite parts of the season.


Justin's grandma got these ornaments from Mexico a long time ago. She gave them to us last year after Christmas so I got to use them this year. There is just something about them I love.


And here's me in the ornament.



My mom got us this ornament last year for our first Christmas together. Now I have to find an ornament for this year.
The entire Christmas tree.

Hoeksel Family

Meet the Hoeksel family. I worked with Catherine the younger girl close to the bottom. They were such a fun and relaxing family. These two little kids are not too far apart in age and are so cute. I'm glad I got to photograph them!

Catherine-
Look at these cubby cheeks!
And these gorgeous blue eyes!

Kendell Family

The weather couldn't have been better for their shoot. People always get concerned when clouds are in but overcast produces beautiful photographs! This little girl was a hoot. She is so darn cute but didn't want to cooperate for very long. Here are some shots to look at!