Every 6 months–after watching General Conference–my soul is FILLED–overflowing even with light and joy and just a really good feeling about life and how I can make it better. It’s true that faith is SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) because I have felt it. The Spirit of God is all the evidence I need. I felt it all weekend as the Spirit witnessed to me of the beautiful truths that were taught. Along with millions around the world who watched the LDS General Conference this weekend, I am feeling the truth of Paul’s words–that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance…” (Galatians 5) We are so BLESSED that there are living prophets and apostles on the Earth today! I am so grateful to be a member of this church! Did you miss it? Check it out at lds.org
Also, as you have probably noticed, we made a wall display of pictures of some of our favorite places (in all the places we’ve lived/meaningful places.) The Temple! We love it so much. We have been so blessed to live within an hour of an LDS temple wherever we have lived. It is always a good day when we go to the temple. Heaven is a little closer there, and we can feel it.
I love having these pictures in my family room. It’s a beautiful reminder of so many good things–the promises we’ve made as well as the blessings we are promised! These blessings are everything I could ever hope for, including the opportunity to be together with my family forever–through this life and into the next with only death to separate us temporarily. And then on to a life of eternal JOY together with our Heavenly parents and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Could there be anything better?! No wonder we find such peace in the encouragement and reminders we receive at General Conference–reminders of how we should live to have happiness here and forever. They are truths, and that’s why they make us feel so good.
I know I’m a little late on this post, but the week before last we celebrated Easter! And I felt like this year more than ever, I really celebrated it. I really appreciated it. I never got around to dying eggs (it seems I fail at that every year–but this year at least I boiled some!) but I read A LOT about the Easter story in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. It has FILLED my heart and increased my gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and Our Father in Heaven, who sent Him to us. Easter morning was all the more meaningful as we greeted the sun and recognized the eternal LIGHT and LIFE we can have because of Him.
ALSO on Easter, we packed the day with so many good things. Kite flying, egg hunting, and church going, to name a few. After church, ours was a napping house. ALL of us were sleeping. It was wonderful. The day continued with baking and bubbles and a whole lot of blissful togetherness and I couldn’t help but recognize, especially this day, that all this goodness, joyfulness, family-ness, is possible FOREVER because of HIM. On this day we rejoiced with the world that “He is risen, as he said.” Thanks be to God for the gift of His son.
There’s something about babies in jammies that I just LOVE! And I particularly love how these highlight his little chubs. We adore him!Also note how I couldn’t find our one Easter basket so Ava is using a gift bag and Hyrum is happy just eating every chocolate straight from the egg.
These kids are so lucky to have him. I’M so lucky to have him!
When we moved to North Dakota, we were thrilled that we would be so close to such a large lake. We both grew up boating with our families at Lake Powell, and we have always loved playing out on the water. This place couldn’t be more fitting for us with the third largest man-made lake in the U.S., after Lake Powell and Lake Mead. It covers 480 sq. miles!
We arrived in ND late in the season, but we still took as many opportunities as we could to get out and play–even into November. And when winter came, we visited this lake again–this time with a ball and boots for the frozen shores.
I put this video together with clips from some of our trips to the lake this year. Editing our family videos together is one of my very favorite things to do. If someone gave me a few hours without kids to do whatever I wanted, this would probably be it. That may seem totally weird, but I have always loved home movies. When I was a kid I would spend hours sitting on my parents’ bed watching them, inviting any family members that I could to join me. What happened to home movies??
Anyway, I am hoping I can squeeze in some more time this year to make them (and catch up on past ones.) The four of us love to watch them over and over.
And in terms of other goals I have for this year…
With my little wedges of free time, I am excited to pick up where others have left off in gathering records and memorabilia of my ancestors. My hope is to share their stories and their strength with my own family and make my temple experiences more meaningful. I have started doing this over the past few weeks, and I am loving it so much. It feels like a mystery game sometimes trying to piece names and dates and family lines together, but there is so much purpose to it. I’m finally doing what I have felt like I should do for so long and that always feels good.
I also plan on continuing this blog that I started. It’s another one of those things I felt inspired to pursue all that time ago, and I am really enjoying it. It’s been a nice place for my thoughts and little snapshots of our life.
And fourth, I’m going to try to get to know my sewing machine a little better so that those piles of clothes that need to be repaired don’t go forever unattended.
So those are my plans for 2016, my goals you could say. I like making goals as I go, January is sometimes too formal or intimidating to me. I am sure I will come across plenty more ways I want to improve my life as the year goes on. These are just a few on my mind lately. 🙂
I have rearranged some things in my life to make everything fit a little better, to make everything feel better.
I still got a little teary-eyed looking at my photography website today, I’ll be taking it down in a few days. I decided a few months ago to close this chapter of working as a professional photographer at this time in my life. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it’s a good one. As I sat alone in the basement of our home watching these slideshows on my website, I felt this peaceful sense of accomplishment, that I did this really challenging, wonderful thing that I’ve always wanted to do, and I actually made something of it.
When I was in fourth grade I drew a picture of a camera and said that I wanted to be a professional photographer when I grew up. I was drawn to cameras. My mom often gave us disposable cameras when we were kids, and I’d quickly fill them up with photoshoots of my friends and my pets. Developing them at Costco was like Christmas for me. Then the digital camera came out and my friend had one. I remember spending hours at her house just playing with it. It was the coolest thing to me.
When I was in middle school I spent my weekends making random videos with my friends and editing them in my free time. I still laugh when I think about them. Then high school came, and I took real photography classes. I discovered my love for photographing people and worked in a dark room developing my own film. When I was sixteen, a family friend asked me to work for him as a wedding videographer and I was introduced into the Southern California wedding world. I learned so much from that.
The summer after I graduated, my photography teacher asked me to photograph her wedding. I borrowed lenses I had never used before and felt so official and so nervous at the same time. We kept in touch through email for a number of years. I still count her a dear friend of mine.
In college I met a photography student that encouraged me to shoot what I love and to learn by practicing and designing my own shoots. In my pieces of free time I planned styled shoots for my friends and their friends, and soon word spread that I liked to take pictures. I started booking engagements, bridals, families, and others, and my passion grew along with my portfolio.
We had so much fun doing these. And I laugh when I see this because we bought those suitcases at the thrift store for this shoot and Jake and I still use them!
I remember sitting uncomfortably at my laptop, sketching out price lists and logos. I had never started a business before. I enlisted the help of my husband for an assistant, and took him to Las Vegas with me to learn from top professionals at a week long convention. I came home with a notebook full of ideas and took every photography opportunity that came my way. I was pushed and challenged with each one.
We had a lot of fun photographing weddings together when we could. We were even able to travel to a few places together, which was pretty cool.
Then I officially established my business and quickly learned that there was so much more to running a business than just pricing and advertising. I hated all the taxes and paperwork but I learned A LOT in the process.
I think this just might be our only picture of us together with our cameras at a wedding! I just think that’s crazy. Anyways, glad for this one (and grateful for him. I really loved having him shoot with me.)
In January of 2012, I received a stack of bridal magazines that featured my image on the cover and a few spreads inside. It was so exciting for me. I felt like I was really doing this professional thing, and maybe I was doing alright.
This bride also happens to be one of my dearest friends. It was one of those weddings where I was the photographer and a bridesmaid at the same time. And it wasn’t the only time. 😂
In February my first child was born. I sat hours in front of my laptop as I nursed my baby, watching online photography workshops and editing for hours on end. By then I had a wedding every weekend and a few shoots in-between. Word was starting to spread.
Temple Square in Salt Lake City was a frequent place for me. I loved it! It’s such a special place. Also, a fun little thing I found a little while back…I’m in this video about temple square and I didn’t even know it. You can see me at 5:12. (click on the picture to link to the video.) I thought that was pretty cool.
Six months after the release of the bridal magazine, we moved to Texas for my husband’s job. Utah wedding inquires soaked my inbox, but my travel was limited. I flew back to Utah and California a few times a year for weddings and other shoots, and I liked the opportunity it gave me to visit my family.
Ava often came with me on my quick trips for photography work (if they were in UT or CA.) She loved to see all her grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. She loved the airplanes and was quite the frequent flier.
Little by little word spread through our new friends in Texas. I photographed more families than weddings, and I got all the work I could handle. Motherhood alone was enough to keep me busy.
Three years later, we moved to a tiny town in North Dakota and I wanted to slow things down even more, maybe even take a little break from photography. Mothering two little ones was becoming more of my passion, and it never felt quite right trying to keep them busy so many hours a day while I edited and worked on my business.
The more I embraced this idea, the more it felt right for me. It felt good.
I feel like I have been gently guided in this direction for a while now, feeling inspired to pursue a few endeavors that seem to me to be weightier than others at this time in my life.
On December 29, 2015, I photographed my last wedding. It couldn’t have been a more perfect closure capturing my dear friend’s son as he sat on her lap during dinner, playing with her veil and giving her kisses. We were all so happy that day.
Someday I will probably return to doing this thing that I love, but for now I am thrilled with the privilege of full time motherhood and capturing my own loved ones full time. I have realized there are more precious things in life that I’m not able to return to.
So with teary eyes, I watched the slideshows from my website play memories of this profession that has captured my heart for so many years. I have worked so hard and learned so much, and I have made so many dear friends. It’s been a real blessing.
After I decided to take this route a few months back, I was listening to a talk by President Dieter F. Uctdorf that made me feel so good about this direction (for me.) I was thinking, “Yes! This is totally how I feel.” (Happens a lot with his talks.) So needless to say, I feel like this has been some good life rearranging for me. 🙂
He said…
“Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in a recent general conference, taught, ‘We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.’ 2
…My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do ‘all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize.’ 7
…Brothers and sisters, diligently doing the things that matter most will lead us to the Savior of the world.
…The heavens are open again. The gospel of Jesus Christ is on earth once more, and its simple truths are a plentiful source of joy!
Indeed we have great reason to rejoice. If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most.”
If you love rich, dense, easy to make chocolate cake, then this is the last chocolate cake recipe that you will ever need! It’s my absolute favorite, and every time I make it I get so many people asking for the recipe. So here you go.
This cake is so delicious. Your family (and your guests) will love you for making it.
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. heavy cream
Preheat oven to 350° (175° C) and grease a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and pour in sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and almond extract. Mix until blended. Scrape bowl and beat 4 minutes on medium speed (or as long as you can by hand.) Blend in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache:
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for more than a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring over the (completely cooled) cake. Pour along the top of the cake, letting the excess fall down the sides of the cake. If it is too runny, let is cool longer.
Now take it to all your family and friends so they can all enjoy the deliciousness. 😉
Tip: Keep cake in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving. It hardens the ganache and makes the cake taste more dense and rich in flavor. Also store it in the refrigerator for the best taste.
The great thing about this cake is that it can feed many people. The cake is so rich that you can cut it into 20+ slices. Great for birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, valentine’s day, etc. Nice!
