Life Lately.

(My beauties at Seal Beach where we spent our summer holidays)

Life.  Mine has been nuts.  Exciting and exhausting all at the same time.  It is amazing to me how much I have grown in the past 6 months.  (Not physically... I am in the best shape of my life!)  Grown as a person, a career woman, a daughter, a mother, as a wife, as a spirit, as a photographer, as a friend.  If someone would have told me a year ago what my life would be like today, I wouldn't have believed it.  So much has changed.  New chapters have begun.  Milestones have been celebrated.  It's been a rocky road.  There have been hardships.  But with those hard times there are incredibly GOOD times.  And hidden blessings around every turn.  Its a beautiful thing that God knows us better than we know ourselves, and will always give us exactly what we need.  I am a blessed human being.  I am grateful for all He gives me, good and bad.  Life is an adventure.  I am living mine to the fullest.

Watch out world, here we come.

Have I told you lately how much I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. photographing teens?!

It's my very favorite!

This was my last dance shoot with my son Jordan...

I can't believe he's graduated! *sniff*

Does this group of kids look like they are ready to take on the world, or what?
This has to be one of my favorite pictures I have ever taken.
I am in love with it!!

To see more, CLICK HERE.

It's High School Graduation Time!

And that means I have been shooting lots of TEENS!

They are my favorite subjects for sure!

This is Marshall from Freemont High.

To see more of his shoot CLICK HERE.

Darling Mr. "K"! *Utah Baby Photographer*

 

I am busy, busy catching up on my shoots!

To see a few more of little Kycen, click on over to my PHOTO BLOG!

Darling Miss "K" *Utah Children Photographer*

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful girl for her birthday, a few weeks back.  Isn't she beautiful?  See more RIGHT HERE!

Jordan's Senior Prom.

 

Jordan had his Senior Prom a few weeks ago.  Him and his friends asked if I would be the photographer for their group.  I am always excited when he asks me.  I love it!  I marvel all the time, about how much he has grown.  He is almost done with high school.  He is almost a grown man.  I am so happy and incredibly blessed with the man he is becoming.  It makes me a little sad, sometimes about how fast time went by.  It seems like in a blink of an eye, he went from my little boy to a Senior in High School.  Cherish every moment.  Every. Single. One.  My heart is so proud!

To see more of his Prom Shoot, Click Here! 

My Project 52. Week Eleven.

week eleven.

Spring has Sprung!

My Project 52. Week Ten.

week ten.

Getting ready for Senior Prom.

My Project 52. Week Nine.

week nine

My Teenager.

Under the Weather.

I have been under the weather.  It has not been fun.  Not at all.  It always seems to come at the worst time, too... but I suppose there is never a great time to be sick in bed, now is there?  I know there are blessings weaved into my hard trials.  I know I need to be better at finding them, seeing them and learning from them.  I suppose what doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger.  Sometimes, I wish there was a less painful way to learn and build character and gain experience, other than going through difficult times (like laying in bed sick.sick.sick for 8 days)!

 

I am so thankful to be up and out of my sick bed today.  Thankful for my amazing Superman husband who took over all my jobs while I was down and out, and for his endless patience and who always takes such good care of me!  Thankful to my parents who called me everyday and cooked dinner for me and my family and delivered it twice, my healer brother and his beautiful blessing he gave to me, my bff for letting me cry it out to her and calling me everyday to check on me, my sisters who are always there to cheer me up (even though one said I looked really bad when we were on face-time on our iPhones - hee hee)... I am so incredibly blessed.  How do people get through it without such a support system?  I am a lucky girl, for sure.  Now bring on springtime and feeling good!!  Our health is truly our greatest wealth.  I hope I don't ever take it for granted. 

My Project 52. Week Eight.

week eight

The World is White!

My Project 52. Week Seven.

week seven

Sharing a shake!  YUM.

My Project 52. Week Six.

week 6

Me and my Valentine.

Happy Valentines Day!

6 month old 'Gigs' *Utah Child Photographer*

A few more from my session with 'Gigs' over HERE on my photo blog!

My Project 52. Week Five.

week 5

Caden Tanner

#3

Our Basketball Star!

A love letter.

Dear Chad,

(Whenever I hear this song, I can't help but think of us!)  So, in the words of Uncle Kracker and in honor of February (the month for lovers) and Valentines Day (my favorite holiday!):  

You're better than the best.

I'm lucky just to linger in your light.

  Cooler than the flip side of my pillow, that's right.

  Completely unaware.

Nothing can compare to where you send me, lets me know that it's okay!

 And the moments when my good times start to fade... you make me smile like the sun,

fall out of bed, sing like a bird, dizzy in my head,

spin like a record, crazy on a Sunday night.

  You make me dance like a fool, forget how to breathe, shine like gold, buzz like a bee.

  Just the thought of you can drive me wild.

  I see the best of me inside your eyes... you make me smile!

I love you.  I love our life together.  19 years ago, we dreamed of getting married.  We dreamed of having a house full of children who would need kisses and tickles and talks.  We dreamed of traveling and new adventures.  We dreamed of creating new traditions and making amazing memories to last us a lifetime.  Those dreams have come true.  Thank you for your positive light and for always making me smile.          

(Me + Superman)

And now as our life together moves on, we have new dreams...

exciting, crazy, wonderful ones!

I. can't. wait.

xoxo

My Project 52. Week Four.

week four

SUPER GIRL SHAYE!

Hairnets.

Yesterday, I headed down to the cannery with 2 of my favorite girls, donned a sexy hairnet and packaged up some frozen strawberries.  Aren't we cute?  I love spending time with these two souls.  They never cease to influence me and inspire me to be a better person.  And, my freezer is FULL of frozen berries.  My morning smoothies and my tummy are so very happy. 

My Project 52. Week Three.

week three

A gorgeous January sunset.

My view out my kitchen window, almost every night. 

My Project 52. Week Two.

week two

Party Streamers in Gabi's Doorway.

Pizza anyone?

(The biggest pizza we have ever seen!)

A few weeks ago, we met up with Grandpa Rich (Chad's Dad) for some pizza and a little Christmas celebration/lunch.  We ordered a pizza that was GINORMOUS ~ (see photo above...) and it made for a lot of laughs and a delicious lunch as well.  We are always happy to be able to spend time with Rich.  This man has survived colon cancer, major surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.  We feel lucky that he is still here with us today to tell the tale.

 (Christmas money from Grandpa!)

Life is too short for drama or petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly.  
Live while you are alive!  Forgive now those who made you cry.  
You might not get a second chance! 

We are always grateful for second chances around here!

More of the Tanner family holiday shenanigans coming up soon!

My Project 52. Week One.

week one

Happy New Year from California!

Its a brand new year!  And I am going to document this new year, in a new way.  Follow me on a journey of one photograph a week for a whole year - my project 52.  Its a project for me.  Shooting.just.for.me.  Wow.  I remember that.  barely.  I have neglected shooting my own personal work, but no more.  I am letting my creativity soar to new heights.  I am releasing the pressure to please anyone else.  I am staying true to myself and my own vision ~ expressing myself through my photographs.  I am following my passions.  I am documenting my beautiful life.  I am letting the inspiration flow freely and getting back to what moved me to become a photographer in the first place.  I am excited!

At the end of the year, I plan to create a book from my collection of photographs from this project.  I will share my project 52 weekly photograph with you every Friday.  Thanks for coming along on this journey with me!  What new ideas ~ traditions ~ projects are you taking on this year?

Happy New Year!

It's the new year already?  How did that happen?  Is your life flying by, as fast as mine seems to be?  Its just a roller-coaster ride and I am holding on tight and enjoying the ride!

Since getting home from my trip to Mississippi (yes, I still need to blog about that) I dove right back into work, family, and my calling as Young Women President.  Therefore, my blog has been a bit neglected, but something has to give, right?

In a perfect world, I would have time to blog about:  Me, Chad and the kids sitting 8th row at the Jazz game, our delicious Thanksgiving holiday - specifically my pumpkin pie and Chad's amazing turkey, Caden shooting his first Elk, Jordan's broken toe, saying good-bye to our cousin Logan who is a missionary now, our failed winter family photo shoot in the cold/rain/snow, Christmas countdowns all over the house made by my darling children, Jordan singing another solo with his guitar in the assembly at WHS - he rocked!, losing 10 pounds and buying my first pair of skinny jeans, spending time in the temple with my darling young women and my two boys!, a December full of parties and festivities spent with people we love, the biggest pizza you have ever seen, a beautiful and wonderful and delicious and quiet Christmas eve with my favorite people, a magical Christmas morning filled with wide eyes and surprises and yes, some happy tears.... , and our amazing trip to California where we spent our winter holidays.


As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with gratitude for all the blessings that fill up my life to overflowing.  We are filling every year with some pretty amazing memories and traditions.  After all, that's what its all about, right?  Living your life.  I am so truly blessed and I am thankful for every single bit of it.  I am so proud of what we have accomplished this past year!  I get so excited as I write my goals for the new year, and think of all the amazing possibilities that are waiting for us.  Happy New Year!!

  (our Happy New Year card that will be mailed out today!)