cupcake.

As if I didn't need another reason to break Lent. Brekke, an amazing photographer and friend, showed up on my doorstep today with a lovely box of these goodies (see images below). Believe me when I say they smell as good as they look. So here's the new motto of my little ghetto blog:

If You Bring It, I Will Shoot It.

Do you think it's too Kevin Costner? Nah, I didn't think so either.

So, if you perchance happen to make something mouth-watering and ridiculously good-looking, don't hesistate to stop by my house. I take a couple shots, more than a couple bites, and we'll call it good.

luv, erin

And in case you were wondering, the cupcakes on the left are blueberry cream cheese, and the ones on the right are peanut butter chocolate. Terrible, right? Ugh. Talk about kill my Lent with a fiery vengence.

popcorn and parties

Every year March rolls around and my stomach clenches in knots. You see, I lucked out in the birthday department. My oldest two boys are born 2 years and 4 days apart. So every other March (we have friend's parties on the even years), I get to throw one wildly enormous party or two parties 4 days apart. Neither option thrills me, but this year I opted for the easy route.

Two parties. Both a trip to the movie theater so my house stay's intact.

A Movie Party! Easy right? Well, not so much. Herding 15 kids to the movie theater and back wasn't my finest mommy moment. I'll spare you the details, but I will share my one epiphany of the week. In photoshop I made these nifty popcorn invitations, and then I googled popcorn cupcakes and came up with a plan to make what you see below. If you like it, let me know and I'll be glad to pass along the party invite in a digital file.

Oh, and if you want to check out my George-a-pie's pics, they're up on my photo blog:

www.erinsummerillphotography.com/blog

withdrawal. an ode to sugar.

I am

a crack addict

not really, but holy hell it feels like it

Today.

one of the lovely ladies at the PG Rec Center ate a doughnut!

In front of me.

Can you believe that?

The sweet smell of sugar glaze was like fire to my nose.

Burning my olfactory system with maple sugary goodness.

Sugar.

Sugar. 

Sugar. 

Itch. Scratch. Itchy. Scratch. Scratch. 

I want me some SUGAR!

Withdrawals suck. 

38 days from now, I'm going to feel like a friggin' rockstar. 

38 days to go. 

LENT. die sugar die.

Lent, typically followed by Catholics, starts tomorrow.

I am not Catholic, however, I see the need in my life and my family's to break our addiction to sugar. And I figure, why not do it now while a great deal of other people are doing the same. Mark and I started our quest to cut sugar at the beginning of the year, and we did awesome for quite some time. The last few weeks, littered with holidays and vacations, haven't been the best. And I'll tell you, I can feel the difference.

When I eat a lot of sugar, frankly, I feel like Poo!

I'm tired. Blue. Un-motivated. Sluggish. Mean.

Pretty much, life sucks. Watch the video, you'll see what I'm talking about.

So, though I know cutting the sugar addiction is hard (I've traveled this road before), I also know it's better for my well-being.

I'm not saying that all sugars like those found in fruit and veggies are bad, but I definitely think rocky road ice cream before bed isn't scoring points with my thighs.

So here's the plan:

40 Days to become a healthier, more-energetic me!

Eliminate:

Candy

Cake

Cookies

Anything made with High Fructose Corn Syrup

Any processed food that has SUGAR listed as one of the first three ingredients

Are you in?

to mark.

I know it's cliche it is to say, "time flies," but there isn't another phrase that can accurately describe how fast the years of our marriage have passed. It seems like just yesterday we tied the knot, moved to a cozy apartment in Springville, and started our exciting married life together. It's funny, really, to think of how poor we were back then. How we scraped by on $800 a month. How we once walked by the Springville Taco Bell together and my mouth watered something bad, but it just wasn't in our budget to buy even a taco. How could it be on $800 a month?
We were the poster children for poor married college students. Living on nothing but love.

I used to curse our stinking poorness, and pray for the day when I could go to the grocery store and buy whatever I wanted to buy.

Shari, your older sister, once told me that I'd look back one day and miss the struggle, and the small apartment, and the nights you and I walked up and down the block because that's all we could afford to do.
At the time Shari was talking to me, I thought, Yeah Right! But it's true. Even though I love our lives now, our four kiddoes, our lazy fat dog, our home and careers, I do miss those early days. And at the same time I'm so glad we've moved on. The last dozen years have been littered with trials. Ugh, more than I wish to count. Finances, loss, moving, children, worry, health...so much to remember, and I'm sure there's so much more to come. But the crazy thing is, as I sit here and try to remember all we've been through together I keep getting stuck on the "we." The trials fade from my thoughts and all I see is You.
You, by my side.
That's all that's important.
I'm grateful that you're the one that's gone through it all with me. You are an amazing husband that is my equal, or better, in every way. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't thank the Lord for blessing me you as my companion. I hope our next dozen years will be as wonderfull hard and sweet and rich as the last dozen.

Happy anniversary, Mark. luv, erin

Now, if you've read through all my sap today, and you want to see some amazing pictures of our recent trip to Key Biscayne, Florida, go check out my photo blog: www.erinsummerillphotography.com/blog

the book list.

Fact 1. I read a lot.

Fact 2. More often than not, I'm quite opinionated on what I read. However, that being said, I've found that my opinion on books, plots, characters, themes, yada, yada, yada, sometimes, more than other times, differs from what my family and friends think.

So what does that mean?

I like to think it means I know what's right and best, and they know jack squat. But seeing as that may or may not be seen as an abrasive judgement, I've settled on the idea that people all like books for different reasons. (Yep, that's the epiphany, folks. I know, I know, deep thoughts.)

Fact 3. Even though we may not agree on all books, there is a book list (of the best books) that all people should read.

(I see you might take argument with the fact that I named fact 3 a "fact". But, I direct you to the title of this blog, and remind you that it's my blog, so therefore, I have the power of creating "facts." Sorry. That's just the rules. I don't make them...most of the time.)

So what's the point?

The point is I, miss-read-a-lot, have created the book list. Books, that everybody should read, but particularly people who love YA lit. Cool people, like me. Just saying. These are books that have excellent character voice, or amazing plot lines, tension, conflict, a protagonist that speaks to my heart, and so on. Frankly, I love these books, and you should too.

My Top Ten

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry

(One of my first, and all time favorite, dystopic novels.)

2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

(A must read for all high school boys, and girls who think their lives are controlled. Ha, read this and think again.

3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

(My all time favorite romance. Sigh.)

4. Unwind by Neal Shusterman

(Probably my second favorite dystopic novels. Eerie, and thought-provoking.)

5. Just One Wish by Janette Rallision

(One of my favorite authors. Hilarious, witty, and heart-wrenching at the same time. If you love that book, then also read My Fair Godmother, another amazing book by Janette Rallison.)

6. The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia

(So I cheated on this one and listed three books. When I first fell in love with this series, I read the thrid book first. To be fair, it's my favorite. However, you can't just read the third. I suggest when you sit down to read these books you read the first, second and third all together as if reading a giant book. It's so worth it.)

7. Graceling by Kristen Cashore

8. Birthmarked by Caragh Obrien

(It takes a lot for me to give a book five stars on Goodreads. But I gave this book the full five stars. Sidenote: if you're not on Goodreads, than you should join now.)

9. The Hunger Games (Trilogy) by Suzanne Collins

(I'm not saying that I love the third book, but you can't just read one in three, can you?)

10. Mistborn (Trilogy) by Brandon Sanderson

(I never thought I liked epic fantasy, that is, until I read the Mistborn Trilogy.)

Bonus: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Series) by Ally Carter

(The series, similar to Harry Potter, starts with a light hearted learning premise, and around book four the stakes get higher and the mood darker. I absolutely love this series.)

There you have it, my ten, plus a few, favorites. There were at least a couple dozen more I could've added to this list, but I figured you have to start somewhere. No go, read, and let me know how much you love these books too.

where i've been.

Weather Forecast: It's yucky. Yep, that's the technical term when the wind's blowing and rain pelts my windows in angry fat drops. The sky, not the lovely inky blue of Key Biscayne, but a mottled gray, mocks me and my newly acquired tan. Fine, sunburn. Dang, I thought my part Hawaiian skin would hold up better than that. I guess I should've listened to that creepy 90's song and actually worn sunscreen.

Here's where I've been for the last week.

Did you miss me? Loathe the cyber-silence I left you in?

(No need to answer that question, lest I fall into an even deep pit of moaning and misery.) 

But, I'm back now.

You've been warned.

Bring on the posts.

luv, erin

rules.

I've spent the last few days at LTUE, learning how to turn my craptastic novel writing into something spectacularly un-crappy. In order to do this, I first must follow the rules. Guidelines, if you will, that will mold and shape my writing, and self image into something that's marketable, manageable, malleable. Hoops to jump through. Feats to accomplish.
Honestly, (because my novel writing isn't the best) it's amazing how much I need to do.
Ugh (insert whiney groan because at heart, I'm truly a lazy arse).
But, because I'm determined to one day shake hands with MR. PUBLISHER, and grin like a wildcat (Go Troy Bolton!) when he passes over my first royalty check, I'm going to follow the rules.

So in the meantime...while I'm attending this science fiction and fantasy writing conference, I've decided to take the liberty to write some of my own rules. Why? You ask. Because as I've gone throughout the day and shared space with hundreds of other hopeful writers (believe me, the classes have been packed and that's not necessarily a good thing), a few things have become clear to me.
Undeniably clear.

And so, you see, I've come up with a list of my own. 

Rules for attending a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Writing Conference: 

1. Shower.
I hate to say it, but when you pack a few hundred people into a room that has the body capacity for 50, it gets warm and stinky pretty fast. Take a look at the type of conference I'm attending. Believe me, ode of greasy head isn't what I want to bathe in for hours each day. So please Sci-Fi and Fantasy friends, shower.

2. Turn off your D*%# cell phone.
I don't care who you are, it's rude when your cell phone screams a creepy 'howler' ring smack dab in the middle of a NYT bestselling author's explanation of the revision process.

3. Use shampoo. 
I realize that I've already cautioned those attending this type of Con to shower. But it's come to my attention due to close proximity of another that perhaps all sci-fi/fantasy loving, fantastically long-haired males don't understand that proper showering includes a good scrubbing with shampoo that will cleanse the scalp of greasy clumping oils. Please, use shampoo, lest the sweet gal beside you pass out from overdose of head stink.

4. No crying.
I know Brandon Sanderson and Jessica Day George make you swoon just by walking in the room, but for the love of all things holy, don't bawl like a baby in front of them. It's just not cool. And again, I know it's a Sci-Fi writing conference, but you have to draw the line somewhere.

5. Keep your D&D where it belongs.
This is a writing conference. Not a boys gaming quest. Please no more D&D questions, and how it applies to Lord of the Rings. Please...I'm dying here.

And last, but certainly not least:

6. Just don't do it.
When one of the class options for the hour is "Bella as Mother Savior..." just walk away. Don't attend. Pretend it's an ink stain on the list of possible Con classes to take. A grave mistake that you don't have to be a part of.

So, follow these simple rules, and you too can make it through a Sci-Fi Writing Conference without passing out, offending others, dropping your dignity off the empire state building of self-worth, or permanently scarring your brain.

sick, sad, and sweet.

Today I shot a bride.
It was a beautiful bridal/groomal session, that once I edit will remind me why I love to shoot.
As for now. I hate it.
Not the bride and groom, but the shooting part.
Why? You ask.
Because the equipment costs so dang much.
And on a beautiful sunny, warm, February day like today, I was a complete idiot.
My light, hooked securely to a stand, toppled as soon as the wind blew.
And in that moment, the very moment I'd stepped away to take a shot with out the light, my new (only used twice) expensive light hit the ground with a crash and BROKE!
Son of a %#$!
Heck yes I was PO!
But, I finished the shoot. And thanks to an awesome bride and groom that are equally stunning, I'm sure my shots will look wonderfully delightful.
As for my light.
It's broke.

So I fumed at my own stupidity all the way home.
And when I walked in, cursing this very Valentine's Day, I found a delightful treat that practically made me cry. So beautiful. So delectible. So helpful to erase my worries...well for all of 2.7 seconds that it took me to down the sweet bliss of cookie.

Thank you amazing friend that makes equally amazing cookies. You are my Valentine!

to Amazon, love me.

to Amazon:

you rock

Not enough

You're awesomer than awesomesauce squared

No, that's lame

You make my heart burst with joy when you leave packages on my porch

Crap, now I sound desperate

I'm drawn into you, pulled endlessly into looking at your books

Creepy...and pedofilish

Amazon,

When I buy books from you, I feel like a happier me.

(Perfect!)

Peace out.

erin

true dat.

If you know my Teddy, you know he's certianly not quiet. He often says what's on his mind where ever we are. Take for instance church: "Mom, that lady is fat or she has a baby in her tummy." It's not ever a question, but his simple observation.

Of coure each time he comes up with something tactless, I shush him and explain that saying what you observe isn't always a nice thing to do.

But there are other times when his observations are simply true, and I have to smile and pass it on. For example, Sunday's discovery.

We walked into the house after church on Sunday, a bustle of flinging off coats and dropping bags. Out of the chaos came a loud Teddy voice.

"Mom, Grampa is black and Gramma is white."

"What?" What is this kid talking about?

"Mom," he said in a most persistant voice. "Grampa is black and Gramma is white." His eyes widened as the truth dawned on him. "They are not the same!" He repeated this over and over again.

"Well," I explained, "Grandpa is dark because he's Hawaiian and Grandma is white like snow because that's how she was made."

"No," Teddy argued, his mind firmly made up. "Grampa is black. He's black like Bubba (our black labrador). And Gramma is white. They are not the same at all."

I chuckled...because what more could I say. True dat!

So kids, you see, opposites attract.

question of the day.

WORK

That's right, I said it, dirty word and all. And lately I've been thinking about it a lot.

It's pretty obvious that I work from home (most of the time).

It's a nice set-up that lends time for me to take my kiddos to the library in the winter and the pool in the summer, but I also find that I spend countless hours past their bedtime editing, and editing, and editing.

So I ask you: DO YOU WORK?

If yes, why? Financial reasons? Personal satisfaction? Boredom?

And if no, my QUESTION OF THE DAY IS:

How much money would make it worth your time to not be a stay at home mom?

(Say some awesome company is hiring in a field that you have particular expertise, but they want a committed 40 hours a week. At what negotiation price would you say YES?)

I guess what I'm really asking is what's your price?

just wondering.

luv, erin

always busy doing a whole lot a nothin'

Do I even need to explain why I haven't posted? When you add up the hours I spend in front of the television, and lounging in bed with a book, it's obvious that I have little time to post.

Snort.

But, I did want to put this question out there:

HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THE COLD?

I hate the cold. I feel like I want to die. I've considered moving. And I've even searched for jobs out of state.

It's too dang cold here in the frigid Utah.

And I want out.

keep your head.

Last time I took a family photo of my kids, I had to swap out three of the four heads to get an image that I could blow up. It was murder getting the kids to look at me, and by the end of the session I wanted to retreat to my room and hide from those kids. 

So today when the kids stayed home from school, I thought it would be an awesome fun time to try to take another picture. Thanks to Intern for assisting, and a lot of gumballs, I finally snapped a picture of all my kids looking in my direction and looking happy. Phew! It only took 123 images to get this one. 

But hey, I got it, right?

I hope you enjoy it because it's worth gold to me. 

 

how much would you pay.

These shoes retail for $1500.00. Seriously.
And, yes, I have a picture of them because I know someone (who's totally awesomesauce) that bought them.

Recently I purchased a pair of sweater Uggs--something I said I'd never ever buy.
More than $100 on a pair of shoes is ridiculous. Right?
Well, after trying them on (a weakness in my part for stopping at the Nordstroms for too long) I resisted...for all of one week before I found them at another store and plunked down $150 for the Aussie boots.

Why, you ask, would I ever spend so much on shoes? Because they're worth it. They form to your feet in a cozy warmth that can't be matched. Believe me, I know. I'm a connoisseur of shoes, having purchased and tried hundreds of different brands and types. Now that I own the Uggs, I wear them almost daily. They're replaced 90% of what I used to wear. And to be honest, if my sweet hubby wouldn't give me the crazy eye for trying to wear them to church, I'd be wearing them %100 of the time.

So before my Uggs, my limit for shoes stopped somewhere around $80. But now that I've joined the dark side, I can't say I know what my limit is.

How much would you pay for an awesome pair of shoes? 

What is too expensive? 

one week down.

Anyone who has ever worked at changing a habit, knows it's an uphill battle. And I'll tell you this, last week has been like climbing a mountain as we worked on becoming (drum roll please) HEALTHIER (Can you hear the angels rejoicing with our choice for good?). We (as in, my lil' Summerill clan) cut almost all sugar and processed foods out of our diet, we've exercised six out of the last seven days, and we went to bed before my 2010 nighty-night time of 1:30am.

So with one week down in our quest, I wanted to give a little update:

7 days without sugar
3 1/2 weeks without caffeine
4 pounds lost
4 days exhausted this week
Then....
3 days feeling good! I think things are turning around and we might actually be able to stick this out.

How are your new year's resolutions going?

farewell my two friends...

Due to boring and somewhat unpleasant details concerning my bizarre and often perplexing health issues, that aren't quite issues, but simply unpleasantries, I HAVE to make a few changes in my lifestyle.
See, over the last few months and after a handful doctorola visits, I've come to the conclusion (well inspired by a few friends, a doctor, and quite a hairy man and his lovely wife on a wild trip to NYC) that I HAVE to STOP eating sugar.

(GASP) I know, right?

But I figure why not go gangbusters, so I'm pulling out the IV of Diet Coke.

(OUCH) So sad, right? (bye, bye Harts, my long-time friend)

For the good of erinkind, I'm taking this small step for others but a giant leap for me. And I'm making encouraging my resistant understanding hubby to make the same lifestyle. Wish us luck.

So in the next few months if you happen to eat a brownie in front of me, and then I just happen to knock it out of your hand, stomp it into an undistinguishable stain of brown on the ground, and then smack my palm to your forehead...well, here's hoping you'll realize the grave mistake you made in my presence. And then you'll kindly apologize for your ridiculousness. And there will be no hard feelings.
Because I'm cool like that.

I wish you all an awesome 2011!

luv, erin

Remember this?

In case you forgot, today is my birthday? You ask, how old? Oh just a hair over twenty-one.

(You, in the back. Stop that snickering.)

So what does one get when she turns just a hair over twenty-one?


Well, remember THIS. (If you don't want to follow the link this picture first time Mark 'remodeled' my closet. It is quite stunning.)

And then do you remember how we ended up re-working the closet to look like THIS! (THAT LINK YOU SHOULD FOLLOW BECAUSE THE DESK IS EXCELLENT!)

But, to be fair, I was never a big fan of the mixed color. So for my (just-a-hair-over-21) birthday, Mark did this:

There are a few other things in the works, but I'll have pictures of those later. I hope you have a happy birthday too!

Santa's on his way.

Are you as excited as I am for Santa to come?

Merry Christmas!

luv, the Summerills

two.

*Two months ago I told myself December would be easy street. No shoots, no clients, no stress.
Apparently the little me, inside the bigger me, that can't seem to ever say NO, didn't get the memo. Still busy here in my photog-cave.

*Two weeks ago I didn't know that people went to clubs and danced to anything other than top 40 pop. Apparently the Club Omni in Provo misguided me on that one. Clubbing at New York's Pacha was an eye-openening experience to say the least.
Now I'm wiser and cooler because I've tasted the musical delights of DJ Kaskade.

*Two days ago I would've never thought a bff from high school would get married in my front room a week before Christmas. See the trend here, people? Of course I was wrong. My bestie is engaged to a man who found out he has terminal brain cancer. Thus the speedy wedding. Unfortunately in late December there aren't a lot of open venues that are free (medical bills can put such a damper on wedding plans). So in 24 hours I'll be throwing the  biggest, bad-A, wedding my house has ever seen. For real. (please say those last two words like you're from Huntsville, Alabama)

*Two hours ago I looked at my to-do list for the next two days and wanted to die. That's for real. But with the help of some awesome PG lady friends, I think I'm going to make it through this week. Thanks gals

*Two things I still need: If you're in the mood to make a kick-A (small two-tier wedding cake) or have a darling "MR." and "Mrs." sign, would you give me a call?

Luv, erin

concrete jungle where dreams are made...

This past weekend, Mark and I went with the lovely Bjarnsons of the Pleasant Grove Bjarnsons to New York City. And I'll say, we took the city by storm...or, by foot. We walked all over Manhattan. Which was a good thing for two reasons. 

1. It helped off-set all the glorious food I shoved into my body over the course of 48 hours (see image below.)

2. NYC taxis and I do not get along so well. Motion sickness is never fun to experience when you're trying to take in the sights and smells of the big apple. (Why is it called that again? I didn't find anything apple-ish about New York.)

Being in New York during the Holiday season was exciting-cold-busy-body-to-body-packed raging fun! We went to Carmine's for italian, Junior's for cheesecake, Carnegie Deli for pastrami and corned beef, and Macaron Cafe for Macaron (yes, that's Macaron and not macaroon. So different, and so so so much better...I'm craving these delights!)

Times square, Rockefeller Plaza, Central Park, 5th Ave, Empire State Building, and (one of my favs) the MET!

 I'm so grateful for the wonderful friends that we have. We had such a blast seeing New York with the Bjarnsons and kicking it at the Kaskade concert. Believe me, Tracy and I were the modest-hottest women there. And I was dancing like it was 1999 and I was still cool.

But my favorite evening was when we ate at Joe's Pizza in Greenwich Village. I feel a bit cooler because it's supposed to be Ben Affleck's favorite pizza place in all of NYC and, as you can see from the picture below, Tracey and I became instant bffs with the guys from Joe's.

I heart NEW YORK!

And last, but certainly not least, here is a little video of us in Central Park:

The name drop of ALL name drops...

Guess who came by my house today?

That's right. Jesus.

Holla! Who's the holiest now?

That's right ya'll. 

Me!

Ok, on a not so blasphemous side note, when Clint (the real name of the above mentioned) came over, Teddy, my ever-curious four-year-old, asked him if he could walk on water, "because the real Jesus can walk on water." 

Clint said, "No." 

So Teddy proceeded to tell Clint all about Jesus. 

I just stood back and smiled bigger than I had in a long time. I love my little guys!

"A serious load of crap," I said. "That stinks," he said.

Today I came home
and found not one, not two, not three, or four,
but FIVE piles of Dog doo just beyond the front door.
Poop, I say,
brown logs of non-floating crap,
My living room is the scene of a dog deposit attack.

What's this, you ask.
How can that be?
It can and it was accompanied by pee.
Pee, I say
in the form of ghastly-yellow-green
stain on the carpet beside my Christmas tree.

What beast, you ask, left the foul present for me?
A brute, a bear,
my black dog is guilty
That Damn Dog, I say.
Devil of a Lab,
I scolded him good and threw him out back.

And how did I fix this disaster more atrocious than none?
I realized my sweet hubby
was on his way home.
Poop, I said,
when he walked in the door.
Holy *)@# he said, and walked downstairs and found more.

Moral of the story,
is don't come home for lunch,
when your big black dog
has just crapped out a mountain of junk.

Sooooo worth the wait!

It's been quite awhile since I posted. No reason really. Just a near death experience, a computer crash, a smack-down with an old lady at the Walmart, and desperate hope that by leaving up my 'for sale by owner' post up for an exorbitant amount of blog-sucking time that someone, ANYONE, will buy my house.

But, I couldn't take the cyber-silence anymore. When I saw this piece of geniusness-o-lishous, I had to share. After viewing this ad, you'll wonder, what more could anyone in your family want for Christmas?

Nothing, that's what. Now, go. Enjoy. And thank me later.

FOR SALE BY ME...an awesome house

Hey all! The time has come for me to move. Well, me and the kiddos and the old man. We're selling our home in Pleasant Grove, and I'd love for your help. We want to sell our house for sale by owner, so I'm asking you to forward this post on to anyone you think might be interested.

And why would you do that? Well, I'm offering a Family Photography Session to any person who refers the BUYER of our home. We would like to have our house sold before the holidays.

Here's a few shots I took of the upper level. If you, or anyone is interested, you can email me at erinsummerill(at)gmail.com for more info.

Location: Pleasant Grove
5 bedrooms
2 1/2 bathrooms
.30 acre
Asking 235,000

Thanks, erin

Intern: what I can do for you.

Many of you may have wondered what I'm doing with an intern. I admit, I've often wondered the same thing. In fact, many a Seinfeld moment has passed as Marie and I sit in my small, cramped office, discussing my take on every day life. I've done my best to indoctrinate her into my elevated way of thinking. 

Have I succeeded? 

One can only hope. 

But one thing is for sure. Thanks to me Marie is no longer the same little high school intern. Now she is a high school intern with a rockin' senior picture!

See below:

Um...not that one. I meant look at the ones below:

And of course the next one is my favorite:

NOTICE: If you want to be my intern I'm now accepting applications for the "potty training my kid" job and the "picking boogers off the wall" job. 

2 years ago...

Two years ago today I looked like a human blotation device. This little baby girl was a week overdue and my patience expired a month before that. I wanted and waited for a little girl, and now that she was on the way, frankly, she was taking too long to come. But finally, in the wee hours of a Sunday morning, I woke up because I peed myself...well, turns out it wasn't pee but water. The amniotic kind. Of my four kiddos, she's the only one that came because the my water broke. It was totally cool, but kind of gross. 

Anyway enough grodiness. Two years have passed in a flash, and now my sweet baby is looking more like a little girl instead of a baby. Which makes me sad and happy all at once. I love my Ruby and I'm so grateful to have her in my life. She's sweet and sassy and friendly and fun. Happy Birthday sweetie. 

today=crash and burn

Today I should be:

EDITING 5 family sessions, 1 wedding, 1 senior, and a workshop. WRITING 5,000 words for NanoWrimo. PROGRAMMING the new blog for our lil' frame company. CREATING a pamphlet for said frame company. CLEANING the sticky post-Halloween guck left by 40 kid-sized fingers all over my house. SHOWERING me. EATING.

But, instead of doing all that, I'm staring at my Lame-A, bugged out, crashed, piece of $#%@ COMPUTER, wondering why, oh why, it choose today of all days to upload a virus that would send my life spiraling into a stressful oblivion of burning failure.

Son of a motherless goat!

Oh, so you snarky few out there might be wondering how I'm even posting this...I'm using my MAC laptop...the one computer that doesn't have the start of my new book on it, or the many sessions I need to edit, or the Photoshop docs that I need for the lil' frame company.

So today, I will be vegging out in front of the TV and catching up on 5 years of missed All My Children episodes.

what will you be?

This past weekend Mark and I went to a halloween party. I was dressed as a TWITCH (trendy witch) and Mark a box of Wheaties.

We so totally go together, huh?

Hey, can you see my little bear cub in the back of this pic? He's a Power Ranger!

And here's my lady bug!

Now, I know our costumes are so totally inspiring, but I'm just wondering, what are you going to be?

french onion soup.

My favorite. I love, drool over, crave and must have this soup at least once during the fall and once in the winter. It's an annual tradition for my family once the weather turns cold. If you live in Utah, you know it was beastly cold yesterday, so of course I made FRENCH ONION SOUP!

I'll tell you now, this recipe is unlike any you'll ever have. My mom snagged the recipe off a burly pup owner in England years ago. FYI, did you know I was actually born there? I know, the accent gives it away.

Anyhow, it's delish. I hope you enjoy.

1. Cut the onions. And bawl like a friggin' baby. Holy cow, I had mascara streaking down my face like I was next in line to star in a KISS show.

2. Then make the onion goodness:

French Onion Soup



3-4 lbs of sweet onions, sliced thin

1/2 cup butter

4-5 Tbl. flour

6 cups chicken broth

4-5 Tbl. rice vinegar or mild vinegar 

1 loaf of sour dough bread, chopped into bite size pieces

1 pound of Swiss cheese

1. Saute onions in butter until tender, not brown.

2. Stir in flour until the aroma smells divine! (Your mixture will look light brown.)

3. Whisk in chicken broth, and then add vinegar to taste.

4. Scoop soup mixture into oven safe bowls.

5. Top with handfuls of bread cubes, and Swiss cheese.

6. Cook at 500 degrees until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Then eat and enjoy, and think of me!

a product I cannot live without...

Tune in later to this very blog for a recipe made with PBF!

Sigh.

If I could do it all over again, I'd do it just like this...

Style. Sophistication. Simplicity.

Isn't she stunning?

What would you change about your wedding day?

another story in which I make an excellent candidate for mother of the year.

Remember the time I totally got my days confused and sort of, kind of, well almost, in all honesty I basically forgot my son's birthday? You can check out that story here. Awesome, right?

It would seem, based on the events in the last week, that I have a talent for the aforementioned birthday forgetting.

Case in Point: Teddy the Bear's birthday.

Week in Review:

Monday: Edited Photos
Tuesday: Edited Photos

*son of a...
Late Tuesday night I had the singular thought, Something's going on tomorrow that I've forgotton about. What could that be? Well, duh. Teddy's birthday. As in, the celebratory day in which I apparently forgot to buy a cake mix, candles, balloons, and presents. Pretty much, I had a whole lot of nothing planned.
At ten in the evening I made a few phone calls and begged my sweet good neighbors with young kids to bring their kiddos to my house the next day for a FABULOUS party (one of which I had not planned).

Wednesday: Rush to Target. Buy everything that resembles Halloween party supplies. Rush home. Clean house. Make cupcakes. Con good friend into helping me make salsa. Turn all photography business over to Intern. Cross fingers that kids show up.

And did they? Thank the Good Lord, YES!

So last minute, I threw the best 4-year-old Halloween party that a slack-A Mom could pull together in less than a day. We decorated pumpkins and played freeze dance to Michael Jackson's THRILLER.
All in all, it was a perfect party. And now my little guy is four. It's hard to believe how fast he's growing up. Here's a shot I made the kids take just hours before the party.

name dropping and clothes busting.

Where the devil have you been? Oh, wait a sec. Yeah, I mean where the heck have I been?

URWA

Say what? You don't know that that means. It stands for Utah Romance Writers of America. And last week I was the 'esteemed' photographer of honor. (Alright, so maybe I wasn't the esteemed guest...whatev! But I was the photographer.)
Authors, agents, editors and publishers came to the conference. I shot all day long, and learned a thing or two about writing. Mostly it was awesome. Especially when I got to see the amazing Karen Hoover, and Candace Salima, and Laurie Mclean, and Amy Moore-Benson, and Victoria Dahl, and Bree Despain, and Jessica Day George (who, I personally believe, should just go by JDG. It sounds supa' cool).

Whoa, breathe. That was one heck of a name drop. Am I cooler now? Am I? (Fingers crossed you'll say yes, but if you say no that's ok too because the rest of this post is for you... I am SO. NOT. COOL! Read on, and you'll see why.)

THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR:

Remember a paragraph and a half back when I said "mostly" awesome? Here's the small, miniscule, nothing to worry about part of the conference that was definitely NOT awesome. At. All.

While shooting headshots of all the amazing conference attendees, I met an older gentleman who was sporting quite the manly goatee. I asked him what he wrote. (That's what non-published-aspiring-writers mostly talk about) The goatee-wearing man said, "I write erotica."

My jaw dropped to the floor. "Um, yes, well. That's nice, and lovely. And I'm sure it's very interesting." And then I put the camera in front of my face and started shooting. There was nothing coherent left to say.

That evening, at the conference dinner I wore the new blouse I purchased earlier in the day at JCREW. (So maybe I wasn't shooting the entire time of the conference.) While I was looking for my seat, the goatee-gentleman waved me over. When I reached where he was sitting, I placed my hand on his table and leaned over to talk to him.

SNAP is what I should've heard. But I didn't. Those top three devil buttons on my blouse came undone on their own without so much of a warning noise. In front of Erotica-writing goatee-gentleman, my top three buttons popped open to expose my hot pink brazier. (The white one was dirty.)

He looked at me, then looked at, um...you know. And he said, "Looks like you're coming undone."

In that moment, I wanted to DIE.

Did I? Of course not. That's why I'm writing this extremely long post on why I am so, so, so not cool. I'm just a person who as of late is not published and happens to expose fluorescent undergarments at Erotica-writing, goatee-sporting gentleman.

Intern: total sicko

Intern called texted in that she was sick today. And you know what that made me think of? These darn kids and all their texting.

Back in my day, which might I add wasn't too long ago, kids didn't text. Heck, most kids didn't even have a cell phone. That could be because they were the size of a brick and weighed close to the same, but whatev. In fact, since I started working with youngun's like Intern, my texting has increased. I used to have the 200 text plan, and now I'm going to have to bump it.

This is a grief I'd planned on laying on Intern. Now that she's not here, I have no one to complain to. My home is too quiet. And my hair is too thin. Where is Intern with her thick, lucious locks?

Not here, that's where.

Get better soon Intern, lest I spend all my money on hair extensions so I have something to brush out and take pictures of.

rain and kissing.

The thunder boomed so loudly in the sky that it shook my entire house, and my tv screen flashed on and off. Creepy! And wee bit romantic. I do love me a good thunder storm, and thanks to the Good Lord, this summer has been full of them.

On days like this, I drawn into making autumn inspired food...even if it is just a spice cake mix, an egg and a can of pumpkin, and a mass load of chocolate chips. (Seriously though, try it. Cook these pumpkin cookies at 375 for 15 min.)

But there was no cooking today because I had a lot of editing to do. I know, what's new, right? Blah, blah, blah. I'm sure by now you want to gouge your eyes out when I talk about photography. I hope to end all that soon. See, one day I plan to never take another picture again, and spend my time as a pop-culture information specialist employing my days in front of the television as way of research.

However, until then...

Photography it is. Here's a rain shot that makes up for the no cooking day. I love kissing in the rain. Even when I'm not the one doing it. Sigh.