Southern Utah Family Photographs: Adoptive Family, the Stucki's (with slideshow)

I am particularly passionate about promoting families who adopt since I myself was adopted when I was 14 years old.

I will be frank. There is nothing easy about foster care, foster to adopt and even adoption on its own. Any Age. It is heart wrenching. Hard for everyone. But let me tell you, rewarding and beautiful in so many ways, that it makes the hard times seem like a required class, that can only make you a better person.

I recently photographed a very unique family. The Stucki Family. Lara and Sam by age traditionally would be parents who might be sending children off to college and perhaps even looking forward to their first grandchild. Instead, they have one fabulous older son (biologically) who is 18 years old and in college. Then, they made a decision to have a large family.  Over the past seven years, they have foster to adopted three children and recently adopted three more children from Ethiopia. All six of these children are under the age of seven.

This was a very busy sitting! Working to keep attention and moving very quickly to capture each smile. Regardless of how busy the photoshoot was, I was amazed at the connection these children had with each-other, their big brother and their parents. They could not stop hugging each-other. It was wonderful. I always have many questions for families like this. Lara and Sam answered my questions and did not hesitate to be frank about the sacrifices and hardships they have had to endure in order to have this family. They are also equally strong about how grateful they are for these children and what a blessing they are to them. They are not shy about expressing the fact that they would not ever exchange tough times, it was necessary so they could have these children. One of their small daughters I had met that day, held my hand as we walked across the street to their car, after the sitting was over. She looked up at me in the most sincere way and said "I love you." I drove away from this sitting with tears in my eyes. Thank you Lara and Sam for hiring me. People like you, make this world a beautiful place to live in.

I hope you enjoy the slideshow:

Where do you find inspiration?

I look to various artists to find my inspiration for different, conceptual photos.

I am not always seeking other photographers for ideas. I sometimes look to musicians, filmmakers, videographers and painters to expand my imagination.

Imagination is fantastic, especially when artists collide. Like this musician, Eftrat Gosh (an Israeli musician) along with filmmaker Aviv Kosloff. His lighting and imagery is a clean and beautifully simplistic approach to the storytelling of this song. He ALSO uses paintings from Rachel Kainy that he added to the background.

Amazingly beautiful song and video. Here is the link to the video: "To See the Light."

Efrat sings the song in Hebrew. To see the translation to the song click here.

These artists have inspired me to incorporate a few of  the lighting and imagery techniques in my portraits. I would like to project some kinds of impressionistic art on the portraits, while using various dramatic studio light.

Projecting drawings and text in portraits was popular among my peers while I studied Fine Art photography at Utah State. I always wanted to attempt it, but lacked coming up with something unique and beautiful.

Until now.

The ideas are in my mind and I think it is time I try.

1st I need to bring out my sketch book and draw up a few ideas. 

2nd I need to use my children as my models (of course).

3rd I need to break out my strobes and chocolate backdrop. This is going to be fun.

hmmm...the wheels are turning.

http://shareephoto.blogspot.com/2011/03/where-do-you-find-inspiration.html

What artists inspire you?

I started shooting again...

I have officially decided to be my own photographer. I have been photographing for nearly 17 years professionally and I am ready to hang up my hat  and only photograph for myself. This has not been an easy decision for me and took me nearly 2 years to make the decision final.

As a mother of two young children I found that I am more interested in becoming a better mother. I am more interested in spending time taking parenting classes, learning to cook and renovating my old home rather than spending my days going to WPPI, joining yet another photography club and spending hours editing my images.

Over the past two years I realized that I was comparing myself negatively to the other photo-businesses that seemed to put their heart and soul into their work. Where I found that I was not able to spend the same amount of energy with the amount of time I would RATHER spend with my family. I started looking at my own work and not enjoying it. I didn't even want to pick up the camera for myself any more. This year a close friend (a wise, wise woman) and I were talking about our art and the balance between family and our professional lives. I had been expressing my concerns to her about my photography and the toll it was taking on me and my family. She told me that "Women can have it all, just not all at once." When she said that to me, it was as if a spear of truth went right through my heart. I knew that is what I needed to hear.

So then came the day I went to my "free" website that no longer was "free" and it was no longer available. I set this website up three years ago to post my prices and portrait portfolio. It was as though I had been released from shackles. I know, that is a dramatic statement, it is true, I felt as though someone had freed me from something I was hating.

Let me be clear, I love my clients. They are what made it a hard for me to decide to step away from photographing professionally. I enjoyed getting to know them and creating images for them. However, it was time for me to take a step back for myself.

The day I made the announcement on facebook to my 450 some odd friends and family, I had mixed reactions. Yet, it still felt good. I also turned down my first client that day. I received a gracious congratulations from that client, for making my family number one. It was rejuvenating! Soon after I sat up from the computer I looked at my husband square in the face and started jumping up and down, hollering, "WAHOOOOOOO!!!" He likes it when I act crazy (I tell myself that every day). :)

Do you know what I did that day? I picked up my camera again and started taking my own lovely pics of my scroungy, totally happy family in the beautiful desert behind our home. It was a breath of fresh, FRESH air. I felt free to be me. It felt good to shoot them, while they were shooting. Love photographing my baby eat mud and just enjoy the desert day.

It is high time I rediscover my style, re-appreciate me, stop the comparing and enjoy this lovely talent that I have so often spent hours and hours working to have. Who knows, maybe after my children have grown I will decide to do this full time, after I have re-discovered myself and learned a bit more business sense.

WAHHHOOOOOOO! I feel free baby. Now comes the time, I get to enjoy photographing all over again.

Have you ever felt that something you loved started becoming a vice? How did you work past those times of frustration?

Snapshot vs Fine Art

I took these images with the Kodak Easy Share C813. The first image is of Snow Canyon, Utah and the next is at Pink Coral Sand Dunes, Utah. It was fine using this little camera while I was out hiking and 4 wheeling with my husband. No need to take the big camera. Except the guilt I feel when I see the "money shot" and I don't have my 4x5 land camera with a stock-load of black and white negative film on hand. Oh well, that kind of shooting will have to sit on the shelf for a few more years while I raise my young children.

I am no real landscape photographer, but like to try my hand at it when I am out. I took 3 shots of the area and then stitched the images together with Photosop CS4 to get the wider angle. I keep it simple. Sun behind me, look for a focal point and shoot shoot shoot! There is no excuse anymore to not get your shot. When your digital, your not worrying about cost of film or the extra roll your processing while standing in the dark listening to John Denver bellow out another power tune at 4 am (now I am getting personal).

Try to experiment with different angles, and view points. Digital lends the perfect opportunity to advance your skill in a much speedier way. You can literally see your work seconds after shooting. So try to allow the digital format make you a smarter photographer rather than a lazier one thinking the same thought all lazy photographers think (I can fix it later in photoshop) which we all know is really not the "easy way out."

It is important as always to view photography as an art form. By recognizing that the various types of cameras, paper and processes are tools to create what you visualize in your minds eye. Just as a painter would use his brushes, canvas and paint. You as a photographer would use your photography tools to create an image. Your not going to get the same result with different tools. It doesn't make one tool wrong, you just have to know your limitations and abilities. If you want to call it art at least have the decency to work on fine tuning the craft and understand how to best use that tool. This eventually will help you differentiate your snapshots from your real works of art. I think it is good practice to pick up a disposable camera and try to come up with creative images using something so simple as a disposable, just to stretch your thinking.

So keep shooting photographers! Go crazy till your hearts content. You can make it happen. -Sharee

Truthful Expressions

Have you ever looked in someone's eyes and known truth? Seen a keen sense of who hey really are? I know that sounds presumptuous, but as I have had the chance to photograph portraits I often have people in a very venerable position. Most of my clients are not very accustomed to being in-front of the camera. So I look to find that moment (and literally sometimes, it is only a split second) that they relax and give me some what of a look that is real. I see them. Sometimes they try to fake it, they give me poses and forced looks. I try my best to pull them out and get them to relax. Mostly I talk allot and help them not feel like they are not on display. It is more about a conversation and spending a moment together.

So during the sitting I get to see a glimpse of who they are, they let down their guard for that moment and I try to snap and capture their expression, before they know what I have done. This is a very philosophical way of looking at things, but it is my process, my way.

The real beauty for me is after the sitting. I get to look over my work again and process the images. I get to study their faces and relationships. I get to really know peoples faces. No wonder, I get attached to my clients! I look at the way their faces are shaped, the way they look best and sometimes a look that is their worst. I look for their prime features and through the processing I try to pull out their best, and to me it looks; sincere, mostly happy, an inner calm, secure, confident.

This is what we want to be right? SO I look for those qualities in each person. With some people it comes naturally and with others it is a real pain to try to work it out of them. Either way, I enjoy the process and generally crash after a photo-shoot and needing some serious unwinding. I really try to put all my emotional effort into this process.

One great thing I love about photographing for friends and family is being able to photograph year after year the same people. I get to see their progression. It is really an inspiring thing for me to see families grow together and their bonds deepen. Even when weight or wrinkles accumulate, there is a kind of beauty that just permeates their whole being, that seems to emulate goodness.

One of my favorite persons to photograph is my friends handicapped son TAY TAY or Taylor. He is Autistic. and sever for that matter. I have a 30 year old severely handicapped sister whom I adore, so I have always felt an attraction to children with disabilities. Taylor is like my adopted nephew, since his mom has been a dear friend and like a sister for over 22 years.

I feel bad for people who have never had someone with a disability or syndrome that is close to them. Those people will never know how it feels to have a child like this adore a moment with you. For me it is looking into a persons eyes and seeing purity for as long as they live.

I love my parents who have cared for my sister for all these years as well as my friend and many other friends who have children who are handicapped. For only they know the immaculate LOVE that surrounds these special people AND since they get to serve and labor over these particular children for the remainder of their lives, they get to experience a purer kind of love. I can't imagine how that must feel. It must be a remarkable gift for these parents to feel, if they really take on the task of really LOVING their child.

So as a bystander, I get to spend small bursts of moments with them. I get to pull from them expressions that are really them. This takes much effort and patience. It take quietness and simple playing. But for a moment (like anyone else) I get to see and photograph them, really them. As though everything for one moment registers in sync and total perfection. I am not looking to make them something they are not. I am simply trying to capture the best them, like anyone else would want. Then, for the next few days I get to marvel over their perfect innocence displayed all over their faces.

BEAUTIFUL

I loved the message in this VIDEO so much, I had to Blog about it.

It is deep, personal and beautifully crafted. One reason I love the craft of photography is because I get to look into lives of very real people and work to capture their soul. You may think that sounds gimmicky, but I am being honest. I love people who work hard day in and day out to simply keep fighting the fight with a smile and I want to capture it. Lately, I have seen all too many people embrace total sarcasm and negativity as their personal daily friend as if they are living their own personal sitcom. Where is the sincerity anymore? Where is the joy in finding the beauty in difficult circumstances? I have lived through some tough experiences (like we all have) and I believe that I will continue to experience life hardship from time to time. I am not afraid of it like I used to be. One of the many reasons I have survived and kept faith in God, is because I have had some very encouraging examples.

Here is a little video that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has produced. It is a story about a woman that is truly BEAUTIFUL. Yet another great example. Her name is Stephanie Nelson. Here is a link to her blog. My younger sister, Malea, shared Stephanies Blog with me a few months ago. Malea suffers from chronic pain and turns to her blog often for comfort and support. I have even seen a beautiful clip done by Oprah's site.

It is all very touching, but can you truly internalize the message and apply the lesson you learn in your life? I believe regardless of our circumstances, we can be uplifting to others. We can laugh and enjoy life regardless of the trial. Finally, I believe the we can shout out encouraging messages across the internet and with our close family and friends. We can share our own stories of enduring well as we hold to our faith in God, with others. It is time to communicate the positives in the world of negatives. We can! :)

Photographers Lesson: ANTICIPATE THE MOMENT!

Do you take a peek??? I am serious, I am talking about the little viewfinder on the back of your camera. The little screen, the little magic thingy that allows you to see what you shot seconds after you shot it. Do you stop and look at the picture you shot immediately after you took your first shot? I knew it. Your guilty as charged. Well, STOP IT! Stop with this maddening addiction. You heard me. It IS a serious addiction. An addiction to look at every image just after it is shot. You want to see if you caught it. Then you gloat, you gloat, like a little cat just after it caught its first big, fat juicy mouse.

Okay, I will ease up a bit, and admit that I do it too, SOMETIMES.

Let's get serious now.

There is a lesson to learn here. You are missing the "MONEY SHOT." Your distracting yourself from what is going on in-front of you. If you’re at an event, a wedding, taking family photos; people are interacting all around you and they have some very interesting ways to communicate with each other. They are called "REAL MOMENTS." These real, honest, photographable moments come AFTER a comment, AFTER a silly face pose, AFTER a kiss, AFTER a hug, AFTER a first dance. Are you catching my drift?

So what happens when you silly photographers gloat over what you thought, was your money shot? You miss the "MAJOR MONEY SHOT" because it always comes AFTER you have taken the 1st shot and (while your checking your little, magical screen).

Please folks.

ANTICIPATE the moment. It is possible to do this taking pictures of only one person. As you talk to them, have a conversation that revolves around them, as you shoot, the “real them” will eventually shine through.

It is very natural for people to freeze up and “still themselves” for a very STILL photograph. Because you are shooting still images, does not mean you have to keep people “still.” Sure. Take the still, ultra posed shots. But then spend your time capturing real moments....

This is how you do it.

1^st Open your eyes. Yes, open them. Think about it. In baseball when an outfielder is hit a fly ball, does he close his eyes just as he is about to catch the ball? NEVER! They are wide open. Hence the saying…”NEVER, take your eye off the ball.” Well people, the same goes while you snap, snap away. Keep your eyes open as your looking through the view finder. Watch what your subject is doing WHILE you take the shot. You will know if you missed the shot and you need to immediately need to try for something again.

#2 Once again; ANTICIPATE the moment. It is like watching a movie in real time, as you practice you will see emotions build, then you see when people are just about to do something…anything. You WILL see it. Keep your beady eyes open and PEOPLE WATCH. No more turning inward and looking at every shot you took. (I understand you do it sometimes…and that is okay. Be sure to only look on DOWN TIME. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN TAKE THE RISK. Still, I guarantee, you will still miss something, when you peek. J

#3 Make a moment happen. I do this by telling couples to kiss, families to hug, people to walk toward me, kids to make a funny face...then I wait. I wait for the moment. It is called play.

#4 And for crying out loud, do not freak out over missing a shot. Let it go, and move on to the next moment. Simply find another one, there will be another perfect shot, I promise. There always is.

#5 ONCE AGAIN, don’t turn inward and look at every shot. Start learning how the shot looks, when yo took it because you kept your eyes open. You can do it. This is what photographers had to do in the “olden days” in the "great wide world of film cameras" (oh how I miss them).

#6 Keep shooting. So what, if your not natural at picture taking. The more you shoot, the more you will learn. Eventually, you will perfect your craft of photography. It is okay if you don’t end up as a world famous photographer, at least your children, family and friends will thank you at the end of the day when they VALUE the images most. Then, you will be world famous to them. Isn’t that what matters most? J

PS here are a few technical tips. When shooting people in movement, your images will become slightly soft, if you are not careful. Be sure to make sure you have plenty of light and your shutter speed is at least at 125. If you are in a low light situation...then pop that flash. Pop that flash even outdoors during mid day. It is okay to override your autoflash on your camera and turn it on all the time. Have fun.

Good luck. Here are a few examples of those truthful moments I have taken. GO TO my facebook fan page to see the images:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=413394&id=208868310547

WAX ON, WAX OFF...

Que. Kung fu music, Que. Me dramatically tying a handkerchief with an ambiguous Japanese symbol across my forehead. Que. Me painting. Que. My husband laying tile. Picturing my life as The Karate Kid movie, helps me put remodeling our house, into perspective.
Just another life lesson, and this remodel feels like a lesson in everything and anything, including how to remodel a home.

The laundry room is my favorite place in the house, because its nearly finished. During the remodel we live, crammed in one side of the house. I dug a fire pit in the back yard so I could cook via dutch oven. I have learned that one can cook pancakes somewhat successfully in the microwave, scrambled eggs are not so good. Eating out is as expensive as the remodel itself so we have been trying to keep it to the minimum with the help of the beloved coupons. The baby's room has turned into quite the entertainment room with TV, Computer, bed and rocking chair. Popcorn is our favorite snack.

We have had a great amount of support and help from friends as well as Laramies brother who stays for a few days and helps tremendously (he is single by the way, I just had to put that plug in for him). How can I adequately thank these helpers? I try with food, but my cooking isn't quite where it should be for a gift. I keep trying though. No one has complained, so far.

After a few days of not having the normal things (aka, hot water, washer, dryer, fridge and oven) one can feel mangy and happy to finally go to the neglected gym (even for a hot shower). To give myself a little sanity, I went to help out a few friends and family with their messes. I know, weird eh? Granted, my mess trumps all, but it was nice to see families working at the same old grind of keeping their lives in order. It was wonderful for my ears to hear a few couples lovingly argue. It was therapy without having to pay for therapy!

I guess in simple terms, I felt VALIDATED. I am not the only one to go through mess and argue my point to my spouse. Especially when I buy a new can of paint color for the zillionth time and my husband slaps his forehead. I am grateful for the experience. It's been fun. I think Lowes or Home Depot should post a disclaimer on the front doors for any do-it-yourself adventure stricken lad or laddess.

"DO IT YOURSELF will make you dig deep into your soul to find the stuff your really made of. If you lack some kind of quality, like patience, your home project will yank it out of you and dare you to try to come get it."

Okay that is a little too long for a front door disclaimer.

Let's try it again...

"DO IT YOURSELF really means PROLONGED SUFFERING, till you accept it as SELF IMPROVEMENT."

Yeah, that sounds better.

I imagine myself with my own Japanese mentor. I imagine him telling me to wax on and wax off, or instead of painting the fence, I paint the walls only to have him come to my house and show me my movements from sanding the ceiling, leveling the floor or painting the walls are just training me to become a black belt karate champion. In short as we remodel, my husband and I are "Daniel Son" and our home improvement projects are our "Mr. Miagy." It may not end with me kicking some guy in the face and a huge crowd coming unglued and cheering triumphantly. Hopfully it will end with me snuggling with my family on the couch, drinking a hot cup of cocoa by the fire admiring our hard work. Okay, there will be some cheering. Until then, wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off...

I'll add a few more random pics for fun.

Holden, hard at work on our floor...

LIFE IS NOT BORING!

IT IS IN YOUR ATTITUDE!

I have discovered something life altering. I think you will agree, when you make this particular discovery, your life changes for the better. Be careful, this kind of attitude adjustment requires you to take personal time for growth. Are you ready for it? I am not sure you are. You want speed. You want MASS validation from the world. Your are comfortable with complacency. How about taking the time to learn how to enjoy what you have?

This discovery has helped me.

I want peace, I want to really get to know my children. I want to hold my husband. I want the time to serve my family and those put in my path. I don't want to miss a sweet sigh, a defining question, a smile, a hug from my husband and children. I want to enjoy the simple things in life.

Do you know what I am talking about yet? Okay. I will tell you. But I think it will require additional convincing.

YOUR EVERY DAY LIFE IS NOT BORING! Yes, Its true. I know you don't believe me, but please try. Just because the world is unaware of your everyday efforts does not mean your life does not have meaning. Just because you may feel uncomfortable in some way does not mean your life does not hold value! I think this is where you might have confused the issue: just because you feel discomfort, irritation and you don't get your way 99.9% of the time doesn't mean your life falls short in any way.

I believe that irritation, discomfort and NOT getting your way helps you stretch and grow, grants you depth and enjoyment that you deserve in every way.

Here are ways to enjoy your life and change your attitude and feel JOY!

#1 SLOW DOWN. I find that slowing down allows you to take the time to listen to that little voice and find opportunistic moments to serve your family and those around you.

#2 SERVICE. As you already know service moments can feel very inconvenient. This is why slowing down your life, is key. When obvious service moments fail to show up, seek them out. Do it without money or expensive gifts. Do something that feels uncomfortable and you will feel growth and fulfillment. Serve like you will never get; money, a thank you, a hug, or anything. Serve to feel good. You will find your reward is increased love and compassion for those you serve.

#3 LET GO OF THE NEGATIVE! When you feel anxiety, under-appreciated and frustration, stop (or like my six year old says "PAUSE") and exercise your agency. Choose to let go of negative feelings (as hard as it may feel)!

#4 THINK POSITIVE. Work hard to muster up all the positive things you have gained from your service. You see, this kind of positive self talk requires lots and lots of practice, and does not come easily. Think of your positive self talk like a muscle; it takes consistent and most ALWAYS uncomfortable effort to think positive.

Just because a negative thought pops into your head doesn't mean you are a depressed person. It is when you take that thought and you allow it to fester and build; you give it a name, you dress it up, you take it out to eat and give it a place to sleep. This is when this thought will lead you down the inevitable road of depression and chronic negativity.

On the flip side, when a negative thought pops in your head, you must practice letting it go. Don't invite it in to stay. Sometimes, this can be very difficult and may require additional effort like, writing down your thought, you can even burn it later. Find a safe, appropriate person to vent. You can even get on your knees and pray to Heavenly Father for help! (Now just because I brought up prayer and Father in Heaven, don't discount me.) Prayer to Father in Heaven is a very real and live source of help. I have found deep insight for myself when I have been on my knees pleading for a change of attitude. I have also felt a sense of acceptance for myself as well as a comfort in my life.

Try to read on a little more. When I struggle with more difficult situations, I go through a study process. I write down my feelings and thoughts. Not as a rant session. I dig for insight. I give my feelings words and try to describe them. I determine I must let go, I must exercise a bit more. I do this by finding a positive song (often times in the hymn book) and then I WRITE IT DOWN. I read a lesson out of the ENSIGN that pertains to my situation and I write down my favorite quotes from the article. I search the scriptures for verses that pertain to me, I write down those favorite verses. Last, I write down the thoughts that come to me as my attitude alters and changes. I write down what I have learned and gained. I write down my blessings. I write down a past experiences. I have even found other helpful books, articles and online talks that provide inspired insight to the situation. You can start the study process with a prayer and end it with a prayer. I get on my knees and beg Heavenly Father for additional help and insight and then I write down those thoughts that come to me as inspiration. I must always pray and thank my Father in Heaven for helping me with inspiration as well as the materials I searched to find insight.

This has been like my personal university, my personal study hall as I have tried to create an environment of learning, from my personal life experiences. I am less afraid of feeling irritated or feeling inconvenienced, because I have found that I can exercise my agency and turn these feelings into "moments of learning and self growth."

I challenge you to find ways to be positive on a regular basis. I have other ways of remaining positive, like, surrounding myself with positive media, uplifting music, books, shows, etc. I keep my conversations positive with family and friends and learn from their efforts to remain positive.

#5 APOLOGIZE. You may feel you are always right in certain situations. You may have a good point. But your point of view is just that, YOUR POINT OF VIEW. No one else's. If you express an opinion and it is rejected or you have offended the other person. STOP talking and listen. Listen as hard as it may be for you. If you find your situation escalating out of control take a breather, internally or step away. Show maturity and do it calmly. Then apologize without the use of the word "but." For example, "I apologize for arguing and not hearing your point of view but I did it because you..." Just apologize and try to hear and see another point of view.

#6 FORGIVE. Forgive, forgive, forgive. Your perspective will be altered and you will find joy in this.

#7 LAUGH! LAUGH! Laugh. Laugh, love, enjoy life and people. If you don't feel like laughing. Smile, even while driving down the road. Force yourself to smile and see what happens.

Look at every day life as a positive experience that will grant you a wonderful new perspective. This perspective will streatch you and allow you to become a well refined human being. I challenge you to stretch and exercise your positive muscles!

THEY STOLE MY BED!

Yep, they did it. They crept in and stole my bed. How can two little bodies shove me out of my space? Between nightmares and nursing it is a struggle to maintain what is rightfully mine! These little people, I love! Children in the most quiet moments take everything you have. The most important thing you must allow them to steal is your heart. They are the most wonderful gifts we have. Not only do they allow our hearts to expand in an unbelievable way. They push us to see ourselves honestly and force us to expand and grow our abilities as human beings! I am grateful to be a mother and must take a moment to plug the greatest job of all time. Motherhood. I believe it is a constant struggle to keep yourself feeling good about your job as a mother these days. There is not much praise in society for mothers for taking up the task. So like the responsibility of raising your children, it is also our responsibility to maintaining a healthy attitude as a mother. Any time a negative thought flows in, to let it flow right off you, like water off a duck. Replace it with the feel good attitude of service to the people who will benefit the most from your time and positive energy. Your children and husband. So let them steal more than your bed (your space), let them steal your life and your heart.

Look UP!

Listening to my sons prayers are so honest and often take me by surprise. Like when he says, I promise, I won't squish frogs or like tonight: "Please help me see my favorite things in the clouds."

His sweet prayer brought back many of my own memories as a kid, cloud gazing. It seemed to lift my spirits when I felt helpless or sad. My game forced me to look up! Sometimes, that's all we need.

Below is a recent southern Utah sunset I captured.

Also, there are two more images I played with in Photoshop years ago. 

My model was: my son holding a ball, my backyard sky and a wet tea bag for the texture. I overlaid all the images and sepia toned it all in photoshop to create the unique look.

There are many things we can find in clouds, I highly recommend forcing looking up at the clouds. Take a camera along to capture it and convert your cloud image to black and white. You may find your favorite thing!

Lump of Coal?

A few weeks ago when my 6 year old son was saying his bedtime prayer, he said "Dear Heavenly Father, I promise, I will still like Christmas, even if I get a lump of coal." It was the best prayer I had ever heard. He told me afterward, of course, that he really didn't want a lump of coal. We talked about being good and he promised that he would be extra good. Of course he did his very best this year and didn't get a lump of coal or Christmas. I thought it would be extra special if he received a letter (in the place of the cookies and milk) from Santa. It went over very well.

A fun gift I put together for my son, was a: sock puppet kit. I got the idea from my sister in law and had been scheming since she made one for her children. I thought it was the perfect gift for my son since he constantly plays with his hand puppets and puts on shows for the family.

I bought two tension rods and found some material my son would like (He loves the fire material I purchased). I sewed a flat piece of material for the bottom of the stage and two pieces of material for the

curtains. When I put the items together as a kit I deliberately put two old socks on the very top of the box, when he opened up the kit he was a little confused. Today we made our first puppets. So far, it has been a big hit.

Items I included in the kit:

A Variety of Yarn

Goggly Eyes

PomPom

Variety of Buttons Material Paint

Old (Clean) :) Socks

The Christmas season overall was a great success and very cozy with lots of fires, baked goods and time with family.

I am always thrilled for the new year but have to take a moment to reflect on the past year. As I am grateful for many things in my life here are three specific blessings I am grateful for:

1. We spent the past few months getting to know a new family in our neighborhood and was able to be with them as thier children took the missionary discussions. The Sister Missionaries were fantastic and we were able to go to an awesome

baptism in November. I learned a great deal watching this family grow closer together and accept the gospel into their lives.

2. I am eternally grateful for my mothers. As you know I was adopted at age 14 and I have had some wonderful mother figures in my life. I pay tribute to them as well as my very own mothers. They have made all the difference in my life. I shutter to think what I would be without them. I hope to grow to be the kind of mother to my children as these women have been to me. Here is Laramies mother and my mother holing our baby girl.

3. I am grateful for my growing family. I am a very lucky woman. No lump of coal for me this year. :)

So, You'r Not a Blogger…How to Overcome Being Record-keeping Inept

Here are ways I have overcome my own personal hurdles of record keeping. I have been keeping a semi-regular journal for 21 years.

Can you answer yes to any of these questions? Funny, I can say “YES” to all of them!

Not a personal blogger?
Are you grammatically incompetent?
Have little time?
Do you hate scrapbooking or find it overwhelming?
Do your photographs stay in your computer?

We are in the digital age of sharing, blog-bragging and posting information about ourselves on the web. I believe it is always easier to journal information when you envision someone reading your entries.

I have to be honest; I am not an personal blogger. I find it difficult to post anything personal on the web about myself. My sister is a fantastic blogger and I enjoy reading her posts, I still can not bring myself to it. That being said, I find social networking on the internet, a vital form of marketing, so I keep a blog.

What about my personal thoughts and life happenings?
I am more of a personal, paper-writing, journal-keeping, kind of gal. Something about paper and an inky pen feels more tangible. When I was 14 years old, I might have been mortified if someone would have looked through my journal and read it. Now days, I keep my journal personal, yet open for readership. I keep in mind that my great-grandchildren might be perusing though my thoughts one day.

Here are some ideas I practice, that have helped me work past the hurdles:

SIDE NOTE: Please feel free to throw out the ideas that you don’t like. I understand everyone has thier own style. Perhaps there is something in this list that might help you out.

Details, details, but not every detail. Write the details important to you. Focus on the basic details about the people you love the most. You will not regret it.

I don’t have a lot of time. I do not update my journal every time I have not written for some time. If I feel passionate about catching up, I leave myself a few pages to accomplish this, but do not finish all at once. I sometimes continue writing about the present and take a moment or two to catch up here and there with my blank pages I left.

I take my journal with me to church or places I will be sitting and listening. I write small quotations from the speaker, make references to scripture and then write my thoughts or experiences about these particular ideas.

I keep sticky pads at my desk to write down thoughts or quotes to put in my journal and eventually write in my journal.

Grammar is my weakness. It always has been. I do not let this stop me. I write regardless, and I hope my readers will understand. The funny thing about writing on a regular basis, you get better with practice. I heard someone say once, “If life was easy, then it wouldn’t be hard.” I have found pleasure in looking back and seeing my progress through the years.

There are times I write down my prayers. It helps me stay focused on the prayer and I tend to write things down that are very dear to my heart.

I write one liners. Funny things my son said, funny things my husband said, etc.

I write my personal research or brain storm sessions. Later it gives me the opportunity to expound or explain what I was doing.

I write down my dreams, sometimes, even the strange ones (sometimes).

Print copies of emails or letters and paste them in your journal (even form letters).

Dedicate your journal; to a child, an unborn baby, someone you care deeply for or for your posterity (it is easier to write to someone). I took small excerpts from a journal I dedicated to my unborn and then newborn son. I put these quotes in his baby book.

Write down creative ideas. There are times I have a business idea or an idea for an art project. I write it down to reference later.

I do not ramp-and-rave in my record journals (any more). I keep a separate complain book, or “free journal” for my emotional days (if I am feeling negative). This is something I do to vent in a very healthy way. It helps me organize my thoughts and come back to cognitive, objective thinking. Then, if I feel the need, I have no problem burning the pages that were only there for me to let out some steam.

AMENDING: That being said, I have some very emotional journals from my earlier years that have some unsettling ideas. I wish I could say that I was more of a level headed teenager, but I was not. I DO NOT DESTROY THESE ENTRIES. I amend my journals. Let me repeat, I do not erase older, original entries. I simply write a new journal entry that refers to that “old entry.” I talk about what I learned from that time, I sometimes apologize for my behavior, or I talk about the things I have learned since.

Buy a nice pen and use it to scribble out mistakes and start again. YOUR JOURNAL IS NOT A FINAL DRAFT. Hire a technical writer for that.

Buy a nice journal to write in. I have found the 8 ½ x 11 books are good for me (I do not enjoy writing at the bottom of the book and the longer it takes to get to the bottom, the better). I also find a book that bends easily at the spine of the book. I like lined paper for a cleaner look.

There is nothing wrong with a digital journal. Make a habit of printing it out on a regular basis.

The more you force yourself to write, the more it becomes a habit.

You’re not a scrap-booker? Neither am I. I have tried. I have friends who are beautiful scrap-bookers, I think of them as mixed-media artists. I just don’t do it. I have found that I can make a digital coffee table book easier than I can make a scrap book. Blurb is my preferred way of going, but there are many options out there. Heritage Makers, Costco, Iphoto and the list goes on. I tend to make a yearly book for the family where I put small notes and dates on the pages of when I took the photos. I get the dates from the properties of the jpgs I take (right click on your jpg). Here is a link to one of my books on Blurb.

My images tend to stay in the computer. I highly recommend an external hard to archive your images and DVD's for very important events. Again I say, print your images in books and bring them to life! Here is a little encouragment to a few of you insecure, picture takers who feel like your images hold no value because they are not “professional looking." Your personal book is for you, not a contest.

Please take time to write your ideas, thoughts and experiances down. Remember that your life has value, your experiences are not entirely your own, others will learn from you. Write them down, even if your entries are rough and unrefined.

I am going to take a step into the “personal blogging world" for a bit. My father died when I was five years old, (I was later adopted by a wonderful couple). I also had two brothers pass away 15 years ago. Anything these loved ones wrote down, I cherish.

Perhaps this is one reason I keep a journal semi/faithfully.

I heard a talk when I was about 21 years old, while in the Mission Training Center for the LDS Church. One of the things Sister Grant, (the MTC President's Wife) said “To be remembered; become famous, so you’re written about, or write about yourself to be remembered.”

I decided at the time, since fame wasn't apparent, I would have to write. But honestly, I would like people to know me from my perspective, even if I have a few hundred grammatical errors. Wouldn’t you?