Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Grandpa's 80th Party!

I haven't yet posted pictures from Grandpa's birthday party. So I put this together using Photobucket!

We {Heart} John Krasinski!

 John on Conan O'Brien! We're super excited for the upcoming Jim & Pam wedding! Matt initially didn't like "The Office," and I'm still trying to get mom and dad on board with the idea. But, whether you watch the show, or not, you have to love John! The fifth season is on our Netflix list and we should be getting discs two and three on Friday! So here's John - we heart him!


Perfect DIY Wedding Inspiration

Check out the 100 Layer Cake Blog to see the essential guide to DIY weddings! You can be totally creative - you don't have to conform to any template when it comes to your big day! Here's a little taste, head here to see the whole post.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Cutest Helpers!

I shot my first set of bridals yesterday! Aliona looked gorgeous in her wedding dress - I'm so excited to get the photos edited and ready to go. Allie and dad came along with me to help out and they are the best helpers ever! Willing to jump in, give opinion and help me do my best. Thanks so much you two for taking the time out to support me, I can always count on you for that! I love you! Here's Al, complete with my photo bags flung over her shoulder! Bridal pics to come! P.S. we did go here, to The Peace Gardens, very scary - we didn't end up shooting pics here, Allie and I were pretty freaked out. *shiver

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Did I Mention...

how gorgeous my sister is? Well, if you didn't believe me before, just take a look at these. Allie getting ready for the Homecoming dance! Man, I love this girlie - can't believe how grown up she is! I was in Ogden yesterday morning for the Region 5 girls tennis competition (fun times). I then made the trip down home to see Allie leave for the dance - I just want her to know how much I love her. I'm so proud of all that she has accomplished - she's so outgoing and hilarious!
Thanks for being my sister!



Friday, September 25, 2009

Found: Fun & New

I was blog stocking this morning and found a fun new site/blog from Lisa Welge. She's a photographer and designer (I'm always searching for inspiration and, of course, really cool stuff), she pretty much rocks! She did this ...

How cute and innovative, huh? Just a little show-and-tell about how unique you can make a wedding, it's all about you - no one has to be conventional anymore! Visit her blog to see all of her designs, photos and DIY wedding bits and bobs!
Have a beautiful Friday!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Perfect Gift - For Any Occasion!

We recently celebrated our sister-in-law Jessica's graduation from BYU Idaho and our friend's, Chris & Brittany, marriage. When it comes to giving the perfect gift, I have it covered! Awesome Suzy of nakedpeggies, who made the wonderful peg dolls for mom for Mother's Day earlier this year, is the one I always turn to for gift inspiration! 
Here are Brett, Jess and baby Emily!
And, of course, Chris and Brittany!

Joshua Giraffe!

This is Josh! I've been watching him these last few weeks while his mama has gone back to school. He's only four days older than our cutie nephew Ezra! He's so smiley, I have had so much fun hanigng out with him. He misses mom and dad while they're gone, but I think we're becoming good buds! He's got such a cute little giggle! His mom and dad are so great, I've known them for years - I made their wedding video! So, this is what we've been up to - lots of smiles and "Handy Manny!"
Title courtesy of my awesome sister-in-law, Jen (she sings it to Ezra!)!




Monday, September 21, 2009

Photobucket

I needed DVD-Rs so bad today, but I had none and really didn't want to run out and by any. So I decided to load pics to Photobucket. If you want to view Jordan & Aliona's engagements by me you can head here. Just wanted to see what this could do! Thanks for being great testers for my new Photobucket fun!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Inspiration

I was able to be at the Top of Utah Marathon today. I, of course, was not participating, but I was able to speak to many of the competitors and found them incredibly interesting. Some ran to stay healthy, others in memory of lost loved ones - no matter what cause they ran the 26.2 (!) miles for, it was all an inspiration. I'm terribly jealous of those people who can just run, I've never had the stamina, or want for that matter, to run ten feet - let alone 26.2 miles. Although, today I was thinking that I have few things in my life that I would call goal-reached, during this realization I thought that it might be fun to start venturing into the unknown. Face my fear. So, running is my fear and I will defeat it. I'm making a goal to start running, maybe Matt will join me, and I want to run a 5k by next fall. I'm giving myself some time and if I do it before my allotted goal time then 'go me'! I have to say that I'm going to be starting off slow, running around my apartment, then the apartment complex, until I proceed to taking a loop around the block (and it's a large block that includes athletic facilities).
So wish me luck on my endeavor - everyone has to make one of those goals that may not work, but are totally worth it if we make it. I'm going to make it, I want to feel a sense of accomplishment on something I've work so hard to achieve. The last time I felt that was when I graduated from college - and that was a year ago. So, away we go.
By the way, I really feel like I'm the only one who reads my blog. Just wanted to put that out there.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Boundin'

Just get a leg up, slap in on down - and you'll find you're up in what's called the bound!
One of my favs!

Always Learning

As some of you may know I've recently put together my own photography business. I don't claim to be the best out there, I'm still learning. I haven't yet found my groove, but am always looking to learn and grow. I'm shooting a set of bridals on Monday and am rather nervous. I think my skills are improving, and I certainly understand my camera more (that's for sure). So I just wanted to send this little note out there because most of the time when I write things down, they don't burden me anymore - that's what journaling has taught me this last year! Wish me luck!
I will send you off with this image - I love it! This is grandpa at his 80th birthday celebration, welcoming an old friend to the house along with my grandma. My grandpa had such a wonderful time at his party - he was grinning from ear to ear the entire time!


Friday, September 11, 2009

Chris & Brittany = Love

More pics from Chris and Brittany's wedding, as promised! We had such a blast!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Happy 80th Grandpa!

It's Grandpa John's 80th birthday today! Happy b-day! We're having a party for him on Saturday - it's totally going to rock! Anyway, I wrote an article about him that will be in the Magna times this week, but I wanted to post it - I had so much to write about, Grandpa has had such a full and wonderful life! Enjoy!When asked what he wanted for his birthday this year, John J. Wilson of Magna answered how he always does.
"I just want everyone to be happy," he said. " That's what I want, a happy family."
John began his 80-year journey on September 9, 1929 in New Harmony, Indiana. In the cabin where he attended grammar school his mother was the teacher. Every day after school John would hurry home to fix a can of beef stew, and plant himself on the most sought after stool in the house to listen to Jack Armstrong on the radio.
John also made what little money he could as a child, selling produce and newspapers on street corners. On the day his father passed away he remembers selling strawberries in particular.
"Especially after the Indianapolis 500, I made 13 cents selling 13 papers. A penny a paper I made," he said.
After selling their house for 550 dollars, his mother made the journey to Salt Lake City alone in 1942 for medical and family reasons. Her four boys, John being the second oldest, soon followed on a Greyhound bus. He spent the remainder of his adolescence at Emerson Junior High, and finally West High where he graduated in 1947.
"We used to sneak in the gym at the ward house and play basketball all night," he chuckled, "until the janitor caught us and kicked us out. Then we'd play kick the can and stuff like that.
"I had a little scooter I rode to school. The chain would always come off about half way there and it would have to push it the rest of the way. I was always late for school."
During his teen years he spent countless hours swimming, he didn't play sports in high school, but always thought he should have. He also took a job cleaning Emerson Junior High, but never enjoyed the work. To avoid working John would curl up in a pile of papers on his porch and hide.
He first saw his wife Gladys while driving down North Temple, she was riding a bus. He saw her and had to follow.
"That was fun," John said. "She can tell you better than I can. It was the second of April, 1950. I was in the car and she was on the bus on Third West and North Temple. I thought she was a pretty girl."
"He waved, had his head hanging out the window and I just waved back," Gladys said.
John and two friends followed the bus until Gladys got off.
"We about ran her over," John said.
What did you say to me?" Gladys asked.
"Do you go to West? Something like that."
He ended up following her home, then stayed to talk. That night four couples piled in John's green '41 Ford for date night. Gladys and John's relationship started out as friendship.
On Sept. 18, 1950 John enlisted in the Air Force.
"My older brother was in (the Air Force)," John explained. "I joined because of the Korean war and they were going to draft me. If they draft you they put you in the army and I didn't want to be in the army."
John started with boot camp in San Antonio, Texas.
"It was eight days too long," John said. "It should have been three or four weeks, but we got it in eight days."
Service in the Air Force brought John to Massachusetts first, working on Westover Air Force Base loading planes. John loaded everything from hardtack candy to underwear.
"They checked all my top secret clearance," he said. "The guys back in Salt Lake thought I was in jail when they started asking questions. The FBI, or whoever it was, came around asking questions about my character."
At Washington National Airport, John escorted VIPs like Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, Count Basie and Louie Armstrong to and from their planes.
While away John and Gladys stayed in touch through letters. When John returned home he made his way to Richfield, where Gladys was staying for the summer with her father. She was working at an ice cream shop when John and his friend Devon Moses showed up.
"I was back where the booths were," Gladys said, "when I came around to the counter there they sat. I couldn't believe it. I was dumbfounded."
"She made good milkshakes," John chimed in.
From there, as they say, the rest is history. John and Gladys were married on Sept.12, 1952. Following their marriage in the Salt Lake City and County Building, John returned to Washington D.C. and Gladys soon joined him. Gladys made the journey back to Utah when she became pregnant.
Their oldest son Clyde was born in the army barracks at the Tooele Army Depot. John caught a ride on Eisenhower's plane to Colorado and hitch-hiked the rest of the way to be home for the birth.
"I didn't know I was in the same plane as Eisenhower," John said. "I knew I was going to go on his plane, but I didn't know he was on it. i fell asleep before we took off and I woke up and there he was, believe it or not."
The Wilsons added to their family when their second son Deward came along, followed by Dixie, Chad and Maridawn. With over 50 years of marriage behind them, the future is filled with enjoying family which includes 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one on the way.
John's life has also been filled with service to the Boy Scouts of America. John started up his Boy Scout career in Troop 82 around the age of eight, while still living in Indiana. As a leader, beginning in 1966, he was able to pass on knowledge and a love for service to the young men in his troupe.
Wilson received the Silver Beaver award for his scouting work, along with 21 Eagle Scouts that came out of his troops, The Wood Badge and countless other scouting honors.
He has also spent thousands of hours raising money for the Magna war veterans memorial. Asking for donations from any business he heard about, John was able to collect enough to raise new flags, build the monument and maintain the grounds. The memorial was dedicated in November 1996, all because of the loving labor put forth by a dedicated man.
This year he embarks on 80 years of a grand life, but to him, the change is merely mathematical.
"Turning 80 is no more like turning 50," John said. "I don't feel any older, I act it, but I don't feel it. My legs tell me I'm older."
John has spent his life giving to others. Nothing can stand in his way when he gets an idea in his mind, and likewise no one could be more generous with his time. His family is so proud to call him husband, dad and grandpa. And no one could be a better friend, neighbor or member of the community.

September 17 - Need I Say More?

The Office. The Office. Starts up for the sixth season on September 17. I really can't wait - is it obvious? Here's a little something to tide you over until then!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Chris & Brittany: Logan Temple!

Matt & I were lucky enough to be a part of our good friends Chris & Brittany's big day! We were invited to spend the whole day with them, how cool is that? We are so excited for these two and wish them an eternity of happiness! We love you, Chris & Brittany!More pictures to come!

Jordan & Aliona Engaged!

We were all over Logan with these! Hope you like!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Sneak Peak - Jordan & Aliona

I shot this engagement session yesterday with Jordan and his gorgeous fiance, Aliona. She's from the Ukraine and they kept talking to each other in that language and I couldn't understand what they were saying - it was so fun (and I'm not being sarcastic about that either, I had a blast!). So here is a little snippet - just to keep you wanting more! Hehe!