Brayli's Baptism pictures

Here are just a few pictures that we took of Brayli in her baptism dress.  I was so sick this day and feel like I could have done better, but she is so cute and was so much fun, she was such a good sport!!  There were a few instaced where there was a bee or two and she FREAKED out.  She really hates bees.  But, its was fun to spend time with just Brayli and Nakia.

Kinlee's 1st Volleyball Game

Kinlee wanted to do volleyball again this year, so we let her and she loved it even more than last year.  This really wasn't her first game, but the first game I went to, which was her second game.  I was out of town scrapbooking on the day of her first game.  But, there were several more for me to see.  So, there will be a few more volleyball posts to come.  She does such a good job and she is an amazing server. 

These are mostly pictures of them warming up before the game.  The coaches babysitter couldn't watch her 3 cute little girls, so Ray and I ended up entertaining them for most of the 3 hours we were there.  But, we had fun and the girls did a really good job.  I think they won 2 of the 3 sets that they played.

This is Kinlee serving, look at that form.

Jerika's 1st Dance

I can't believe my little Jerika is old enough to date!!!  I know such is life and they grow up, but I just don't feel that I am old enough to have a teenager, let alone one that can date.  Anyway, this is Ryker with her.  They have been "friends" for about a month and he has spent some time at our house, which I love.  Our house seems to be one of the places they all congregate and I wouldn't change that for anything.  Anyway, they started their date by getting the matching shirts, then going to the mall for a scavenger hunt.  That night they had dinner at M'lynn's house and that is where we took these pictures.  Jerika's friend M'lynn went with Ryker's friend Josh.

Aren't they all so cute?  We got to spend part of the day with them too.  They met us after Kinlee's game in Idaho Falls and we all had ice cream.  I don't think I really did the best I could on these pictures.  It was such a long weekend and I was starting to get sick.  But, the super sad part of the whole thing is Jerika got sick at the end of the night too and I don't even think they really made it to the dance for very long.  Poor girl.



Doug & Marsha - Wedding

A few posts ago I mentioned how lucky I am sometimes.  Well, this was one of those lucky times. These are a few of my favorite people and I was the lucky one they picked to take pictures at their wedding.  I also got to take their engagements picture, but I never did post any of those (not really sure why).  Anyway, this is Doug and Marsha.  Doug is Allisa's brother in law, yes that would mean he is Brandon's brother.  I have never done photos at a wedding, so I was super nervous, but I think they were happy with what I was able to do with my minimal equipment and skills.  These pictures are the unedited ones, I saved the edited ones in Picasa and I guess I haven't saved them in my pictures folder.  Here are just a few of the over 500 pictures I took that day.  I didn't ask Marsha's permission to put them on my blog, so I am only going to post a couple, even though I am sure she won't care.

 

Yes, those are real guns.  Their cake topper had this exact same pose on it, so they wanted to pose like the cake top.  (See the picture at the bottom.)  They are so fun and silly!!

Here are my just a few of my FAVORITE little people.  Mya, Peyton and Reece.

How cute are they?

This is the groom's family.  All of which I have gotten to know very well and am a very lucky person because of that.  I actually got more pictures of his family, because I know them and felt like I could boss them around a little bit more than the bride's family,

Here is the cake topper, pretty unique, I don't think I have ever seen one quite like it.

I felt pretty good about the pictures at the end of the night.  I know I am not a professional and would never claim to be, but it was a fun experience.  I did decide that the photographer has to be pretty bossy & loud so that everyone listens, I know you are all thinking "perfect job for Janel".  I was so stressed out though that I was super sick the whole week after the wedding.  I didn't go to work most of the week and slept a lot.  But, thanks Doug and Marsha for trusting me and for giving me this experience.  Love ya both!!

PURPLE, PURPLE, PURPLE

I know this might sound crazy to some of you, but here it goes.  For those of you who know me well, know that I am obsessed with PURPLE.  If my husband would let me, I would have a purple car.  Anyway, that being said, my current desire is to have a PURPLE BLOG.  I have been searching for a purple template that I can get to work UNSUCCESSFULLY of course.  Another thing I really like is HEARTS, so the template I have right now is really supposed to be for Valentine's day, but I am not changing it until I can find something purple that I love.  I realize that there are people I can pay to create a template for me, but I am not willing to pay over $20 for it to be done.  So, to sum it up, if anyone knows how to create blogger templates (yes, as I have stated before I am not very smart at this computer stuff) and you would like to teach me or do it for me, I am willing to pay you $20 or buy you lunch, whatever you prefer.  Thanks and have a fabulous Memorial weekend!

LUCKY ME....

This is my GORGEOUS niece Ashlin and her AMAZING fiance Matt.  I was the lucky person that got to spend quality time with them and take their engagement pictures.  We had so much fun and I love, love, love these two!!  We are so glad they found each other!!  It was pretty hard to decide which pictures to post (and I hope she doesn't get mad because I am blogging a few), anyway, we took over 800 pictures and had fun doing it (minus the fall backwards the crazy photographer took.)  After Matt realized I was okay, he laughed and said he wished he would have had a photographer for the photographer, because it was pretty funny.  But, here a few from the 885 pictures we took.

Thanks again you two for letting me take your pictures!!  IT WAS A BLAST and I LOVE YOU BOTH!!!

Broken Mirror

I am borrowing this from someone else's blog because it is amazing.  Keep in mind she had a picture of her mirror and I didn't add it...ENJOY.

If your week was filled with any kind of sadness, disappointment, discouragement, feelings of being overwhelmed or stressed out or maybe even broken hearted or alone-
then this is for you!
Above you will see a broken mirror.
That is/was, one of my favorite mirrors. It was an antique mirror that I got for $45 at an antique booth. (and since I know people might want to know, my white vases are from Home Goods and pink towels are from Target..now back to business)...
It was broken accidentally yesterday...and I thought about what I always tell people:
That a broken, shattered mirror shines more light everywhere. Because of all it's broken-ness it may not seem perfect anymore, but now it shines more light, it sparkles more.
This is how we can be too! Don't sit in the middle of all the "broken-ness" of your life and have a pity party in all the sharp and painful, broken pieces! Glue the pieces back together, broken and all! And start to shine like a twinkly disco ball!
Don't allow yourself to believe what the world tells you- that you're not perfect, not good enough, not rich enough, not popular enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, not old enough, not young enough.
You are perfect just as you are! You have dreams that are only yours- no one else in the world can live them except you. You don't need to call everyone you know and ask for their advice, sometimes that's the worst thing you can do! ha ha ha
You don't need to make sure your life is perfect before you start to follow your dream, start to not care what others think, start to realize that you DON'T NEED SOMEONE TO MAKE YOU HAPPY- You NEED TO BE HAPPY AND THEY CAN JUST ADD EXTRA HAPPINESS! No one wants to date or be with someone that thinks they are miserable unless they are with someone- YOU HAVE TO BE HAPPY BY YOURSELF FIRST!
My grama always said: "You were born without them and were fine!" ha ha hah a
Always remember: You were happy for years as a child and didn't date anyone to be happy! ha ha ha At your core you can be happy....and happiness is truly what attracts everyone! Who's attracted to a miserable, sad person..ha ha ha ha!
So today- you shine! And let your broken-ness, your un-perfect-ness, make you sparkle and shine brighter than all the perfection in the world....perfect is so last year anyway....

Here is the blog I borrowed from:  http://www.kandeej.com/

Jerika's recital

There is a story to go with this whole day, but I just wanted to post pics and the story will come later.  There is also a link below for her performance on Youtube.  I hope it works, I have never done that before.  She did such a good job.  I love that kid!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFy87hdnTGA&feature=share

Time out for Women

We really have been keeping busy lately.  However, I haven't taken many pictures, because I hate to take my big camera with me.  KaReena took these pictures with her cell phone and emailed me and I think they turned out pretty good.  Mom, Nakia, KaReena, Gaven and I went to TOFW in Idaho Falls this year.  It was much fun and we really learned a lot.  It was Friday night and Saturday until 2, so we just stayed at KaReena's house and it was so nice to spend time with them.  Gaven went home Saturday morning, so he didn't come on Saturday.  Shelby was on his way from Utah so afterward on Friday night he met us at Olive Garden and had dessert with us. 

We all got really fun bags on Saturday and mom also bought us smaller bags to take with us.  If you know me you know my love for a good bag and these were both good additions to my extensive collection.  And yet, very different, unlike anything I already have.  That makes them even more fun.

Thanks girls, it was super fun!!  I wish TOFW would come to Idaho Falls every year!!

Girls Night out at Moms