Christmas is coming

I'm sad this month has gone by so quickly. I was sad that November went so quickly. Maybe I'm just a sad person. lol.

I really am sad that this month is going so fast. I started my Christmas in November hoping it would make the season seem like it lasted longer. I wanted time to get sick of it (As if that would really happen) but I haven't even had a chance to sit back and take it in, even though it's been all up and all the shopping has been done for weeks! I blame it on school. I've been so busy with finals I haven't had time to just sit and look at my lights, and day dream, and enjoy the season. I LOVE Christmas. I LOVE believing in everything the season stands for. I love that kids get excited about Santa. I posted earlier what Santa means to me on a friends blog. I love santa for one reason. He is a symbol of someone who gives unselfishly. I don't like all the present hype and all that really, but I like the idea of someone being so Christlike. And my dad use to dress as Santa every year for Christmas and people would pay him and my mom to come to their Christmas parties and be Santa. I had an elf outfit and my mom had a Mrs. Claus outfit and we would go with him, and I'd sing a few Christmas songs, and my dad would have the kids sit on his lap and give out the candy. I think more kids were willing to sit on my dad's lap then other Santa's laps, just for the fact that my mom was there too. There is something comforting about Grandmas. My dad really was the greatest Santa!

I miss my dad so much during this time of the year. I love staring at all the lights and remembering special times with him. Singing songs, driving around to see the lights, Temple Square!

Christmas time is just not the same when you are an adult as it was when you were a kid. Working everyday up until the 24th doesn't help that. I wanted to have time to do crafts and things that make the season feel special, but I'm not getting that this year. Bummer. Oh well, I guess I will have to try to make it the best I can.

I wanted to send out Christmas cards, but we haven't taken a family photo, and I haven't had the time. So here is my Christmas Card this year:

1 - In February I will have been at my Job as a Photographer at Icon for 1 year and Vacation time starts! yay! I have loved my job - I feel blessed and privileged to do it. I definitely want to be a commercial photographer, and I like to think I'm getting better at it. Not a lot of photographers actually get a job in the field working for a big company even AFTER they graduate, so I'm thankful that this job found me! I hate being away from Aspen so much, but I love the job, and if I have to work, I'd rather do something I love then be away from my daughter for something I hate. And she gets some great one on one time with Grandma Peck. I think it's good for my mom!

2-Ashton and I still have about 2 years left of school...(1 and 1/2 if we can push it...more than we thought- that's for sure!)

3- our family size is still at 3 - despite our efforts for years to have another, we are thankful for the one we got!

4- 4 more days until we know if we got our house or not. (At least that's what they keep telling us!)

5- Aspen will be 5 in March and starts Kindergarten!! I can't believe my baby is that old already! She is so much fun and is already sounding out words in books and is good at doing small number math problems already! The funniest, smartest little girl ever. What other 4 year old do you know that can tell you what enunciate means?

6- this year will be Ashtons and my 6 year anniversary!

7- it's been about 7 months since we signed papers for a home that we are still waiting for the loan to go through on- what an annoying process. It's a short sale and has taken an ETERNITY it feels like. But we can't complain about the price we are getting it for!

8- Aspen has been asking for her ears to be pierced...she wants to wear earrings but doesn't want them to pierce it with a needle. I told her we would revisit the idea when she is 8.

9- This Summer 9 of my siblings and I and all their families got together for an over night family get together. It was a lot of fun, One brother (Shad) couldn't make it, and we missed him, but it was fun for the rest of us to all get together. There is around about 45 grandchildren who all got together too, along with all the spouses, (except Ashton who was away at army training) it was huge and so much fun! I love my family so much and wish I saw them more than once a year. It's not quite the same feeling as when Dad was alive, but it's still together time, and I love it.

10- Only 10 more days until Christmas!! 2010 brought some great blessings and a few trials but we are so thankful the year treated us pretty good! I got an awesome job, Ashton has been able to explore a lot of interests...fishing, skiing, backpacking, jeeping, hiking, he's excited to try snowshoeing. Next month he gets to go to a jeeping campout that he is excited about with a friend, I'm glad he tries so many different things. He is so smart and really studies into things before he starts doing them, and he is smart about things, so I don't have to worry about him so much every time he goes on an adventure. Aspen has been healthy and smart, we thought mom had a heart problem that could cause death, but it was something that thankfully was able to be under control, I was able to go to my friends house in California for a couple days this summer for some much needed girl time. Ashton wasn't deployed! We found a house we are trying to buy!

11- I just turned 27 this year. 11 years ago I was 16 and thought I knew so much. Now I'm 27 and realize I have SO MUCH to learn! But 11 years ago, I was trying to figure myself out and started a very small relationship with God that has really grown through the years. I struggled a lot in life in the past 11 years, and made some serious mistakes that brought me a lot of sadness. Not just then, but even now. Some mistakes you make follow you even if you don't think they will. How I wish I had known 11 years ago how important it is to stay close to Christ. But I have also learned through his tender mercies, that he does love me, and that he does forgive me, even if others don't. I am a Child Of God.

12- One more year (12 months!) until next Christmas Season!

There you have our "12 days of Christmas" list! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Another Fall Session

I did this session a couple weeks ago and it was sooo cold! I loved the location though! We had a lot of fun...all of us but the little guy, he did NOT want to be having his photo taken. The little gal on the other hand was super sweet and even though she didn't always look at the camera, she smiled the whole time. They were so much fun though, I loved getting to know them, what a sweet family!

Let me know what you think. I always appreciate some input as I am always trying to improve. I am not the type of photographer who thinks my stuff is always the greatest. There is always room to improve and that's why I shoot. Every time I do a session I try to improve upon my last session and what I learned from it. Your input on what you find good or what you think could be improved upon always helps me. I'm not ignorant enough to think anything and everything can't be improved upon.

Click on it to enlarge it so you can see it better!

Fall sessions

This is a fantastic family and our wonderful neighbors. They are so much fun and Aspen loves to play with their little girl every moment she can. This little gal is so full of personality, she was fun to shoot and was not shy about showing me all her personalities. It was a lot of fun! The colors were beautiful. Aren't they a beautiful family? It got dark sooner then we expected, but we pulled it off anyway! Let me know what you think!