Life Lately - Via Instagram

I am in love with Instagram.

Here's (some) of what life's been like lately - 

(according to my iPhone)

My Rock Star Jordan graduated from high school and started college.

(yep, I am now the momma of an adult!  what?)

My Cutie Caden is excelling in 9th grade - 

and making us laugh - every. day.

And boy did we ever love watching him play football!

(for the last time - his momma hopes!  Time to break out the bribes...)

I am a lucky Young Womens President -

with 24 new lovely ladies in my life.

I sure love these girls and our adventures together!

My dream of getting paid to travel and take photographs - 

came true!  I am loving my new job.  Isn't it amazing the things

you can create for yourself?  

San Diego in the early morning hours.  

Just another day at the office.

The whole crew (plus one) on the train to the big city!

One of the many holiday traditions we love.

Christmas came and went, and we soaked up the time together!

We said good-bye to 2011, and welcomed 2012 with open arms.

It's going to be an AMAZING year for the Tanners.

The girls with Frosty.  

(glad he finally showed up - we've been waiting!)

These two girlies make my heart sing with joy.

Love notes.  My favorite!

Being a mom is the best.

Hiking (love) in Sedona (love) all expenses paid (love)

Did I mention? - I love my job!

What is better than hiking in Sedona?

(Answer:  Hiking in Sedona with Superman!)

So there you have it.

A quick glimpse into my busy, beautiful life via Instagram.

What do your adventures look like lately?

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.

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 Ten.

week ten.

Getting ready for Senior Prom.

My Project 52. Week Nine.

week nine

My Teenager.

My Project 52. Week Seven.

week seven

Sharing a shake!  YUM.

My Project 52. Week Five.

week 5

Caden Tanner

#3

Our Basketball Star!

My Project 52. Week Four.

week four

SUPER GIRL SHAYE!

My Project 52. Week Two.

week two

Party Streamers in Gabi's Doorway.

Homecoming 2010.

I'm back from my little get-away to the Gulf Coast (pictures coming soon) and I am trying to get back to work!  I am so behind on editing and blogging my recent sessions!  (What's new, right?)  Here are some photographs of my cool cat Jordan, and his date Minden from the night they went to the Homecoming Dance a few weeks back.  They are both darling, amazing, talented, smart and so totally awesome in every way.  I was so glad when they asked if I would do their pictures.  I know I am a little biased, but how dang cute is my boy??  He is such an amazing teenager.  How on earth did I get so lucky??  He stands at 6'1" now.  So stinkin' cute!  OK - enough of the mommy bragging.  Here are a few of my favorite shots from our session.  We took these downtown and they brought their guitars for some of the shots.  SO FUN!  I am TOTALLY IN LOVE with the 4th picture down - (Minden with her guitar and Jordan in the background.)  Definitely one of my most favorite shots I have ever taken.  Man, I love this kid!

You can see a few more over on The Shoot Shoppe Blog!

Feeling Creative.

I have been in such a creative mood lately!  My mind and body just want to create, create, create.  I have channeled some of that energy into redesigning and refreshing my blog!  I am loving my new look!  What do you think?  I am hoping to change up my flash header with new pics of my kids at every season.  Wouldn't that be lovely?

I also spent some of my weekend planting 300 spring bulbs into my front gardens.  Oh boy, I can't wait for spring!  My yard will be blooming with crocuses, tulips, daffodils and irises.

I am in such a nesting mood as well.  It must have something to do with the temperature dropping and the looming winter ahead.  The yard is almost winterized.  We have pulled out all the garden plants and put down our winter fertilizer.  The last few days, it has rained and rained.  This new cold weather has led me to:  turn on my heater, curl up in a blanket and watch some epic movies, make fall treats (so far we have devoured: chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, caramel apples and caramel popcorn - yum.), pull out my favorite sweaters and boots, and decorate my house for the holidays.

Yesterday was Sunday and it was FULL of inspiration.  I just love Sundays, don't you?

And here is a good example of why you should (or shouldn't) leave your camera out for your 13 year old son to find.  You never know what you will see when you download your pics...

 

Happy Monday!

Are you ready for some football?

Don't you LOVE fall?

Caden does!

Wanna know why?  Yep.  Football.

Its his life, his love, his heart and soul.

Something I can't quite understand...

but nevertheless, we support him and his dreams 

to one day play for the University of Florida and then onto the NFL

so here we are again -  

another season of football!

I have to admit, I have a love/hate relationship with it.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how much he LOVES it!

I love that he puts in hours and hours and hours practicing.

I love that he trains his body so hard that every night he comes home sore and bruised.

(He gets ripped too, you should see his six pack!  Me=jealous.)

I love seeing him in his uniform (so dang cute!) and I love watching him play!

I am one proud mama.

The hate part - worrying he might get hurt.

Yes - Me=protective mama! 

Here he is - #2.

And yes ~ he is as tall as his coach!

CRAZY.

He has had some really hard hits and amazing blocks!

He plays wide receiver.  He has had some great catches!

And some great runs!

Wide receiver!

Caden Tanner 

#2

Weber Warriors
Wide Receiver

My (not so) little Man!

Are you ready for some football?

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Good Times, Bad Times.

Its that time again.  The summer is drawing to an end.

My kids all celebrated birthdays this spring and summer.  

Each one is a year older.

Time is ticking on, and some days it doesn't just tick...  

it whizzes by as fast as a roller coaster, and your standing there thinking,

"what just happened"?

Good times - Bad times.

School starts in a few days, and so starts a new routine.

No more late nights and lazy mornings.

Up at 6:30 to work-out, make breakfast and lunches, and have family prayer.

Then off my children go, into the world.

Good times - Bad times.

I finally made some time to get some new photos of them.

My kids hear the words "photo shoot" and turn into difficult little subjects!

You would think I am putting them in a torture chamber, 

instead of pointing a camera at them.

Good times - Bad times.

Good thing they are so dang cute, and that I am good at my job...

Good times - Bad times - 

I will take it all because that's just life 

and I love mine!

ARISE and SHINE FORTH!

A few weeks ago, Jordan was one of the 3,000 youth that participated in the Youth Spectacular

ARISE and SHINE FORTH!

(Jordan in the pre-existence waiting for his turn on earth!)

It was truly SPECTACULAR.

They performed for 2 nights at Weber State and completely filled the stadium both nights, (Chad and I were lucky enough to go to both - yes we are proud parents!) and in fact on Saturday night the stadium was overflowing with people and we actually broke the record for number of people in the stadium. 

It was rumored that the Prophet was there in attendance, but more than that - 

the spirit that filled the stadium was incredible!

(Our whole family came to enjoy the show!)

The Spectacular performed life from the pre-existence - to our life on earth - to life after death - and having faith in our Savior Jesus Christ 

and the power that is in each one of us and learning who we truly are. 

The messages in the songs were amazing, and I feel so grateful for Jordan to have been a part of it, 

to help him learn who he truly is, where he came from 

and have those messages and spirit touch his heart!

The Power in Purity!

power in the heavens...

power in the plan!

power in discovery...

learning who I am!

there's power in obedience...

the truth that sets us free!

To find a sense of confidence,

the power in purity!

 (Jordan on the earth - "Arise and Shine Forth that thy light may be a standard for the nations")

I never stand alone, when I stand with God.

And I stand with his prophets.

 Wherever I may go...

when I stand with God, I never stand alone!

I stand with Nephi and Moroni

with Abinadi who testified in faith, 

the saints through the ages,

the stalwart and faithful - leading me, telling me -

I never stand alone, when I stand with God!

(Jordan standing with God and the prophets)

Its hard to describe just how special it really was...

It was a beautiful way to spend a few summer nights.

To learn more about our faith and what we believe CLICK HERE.

Avatar.

Did you see Avatar?

Did you notice my oldest son, Jordan?

He was the one in the movie with the grey v-neck...

and we couldn't be prouder of our movie star son!

 

Spring Time - Easter Time.

Spring Break came and went.

In the blink of an eye.

And yet, it still feels like winter.

That must have something to do with the fact that when I look out my window,

I see a winter wonderland outside.

 ***

Spring time - Easter time = Fun times.

We spent it with our loved ones -

playing games, coloring eggs, feasting on food, hunting for eggs, taking naps, 

kissing baby cheeks, taking photographs, laughing, loving, enjoying,

listening to prophets of God and wishing for sunshine.

Every year, Nana hides eggs all over her wonderful yard.

Its a delightful tradition.

On your mark... Get set... GO!

Find your treasures.  Get as many as you can!

Some have treats inside.  Some have money in them.

The coveted GOLDEN EGG has 10 bucks inside.

Jordan didn't waste much time looking for the regular eggs.

He had his mind on the GOLDEN EGG and the cashola it held.

He didn't find it.  Oh well.  Maybe next year.

18 years ago, I found an egg with an engagement ring in it.

I SAID YES.

Now look at the treasures I have...

And it just wouldn't be right if we didn't have this kid playing his music in the backgroud.

Hunting makes you hungry.

Nana made home-made pizzas for everyone.

(Have I mentioned how AMAZING Nana is?)

And my little Shaye makes her pizza the same way as me.

All veggies.

That makes me smile.

And for dessert I made these delicious little lovelies.

Happy Happy Spring!