Rick, Nic and Fam

Last night I had the opportunity to take some more pictures of my sis, this time with her family. And believe it or not, my camera still works. Hahaha, just kidding Nic, I love ya! I'm getting a little more comfortable with my camera in the small area that I'm using as a 'studio'. The 50mm f/1.8 lens is helping but there is a little more blur. But without an actual studio, these pictures turned out pretty nice. I think the winning family picture was the last shot taken of the night. Here are a few of them...

Nic and Karsen

The best family shot of the night. They are so cute.

And this is how we all know them best. Silly family. 

It was fun taking pictures of these guys, even though Karsen would smile really good and look away from the camera or look at the camera with a weird smile on his face. We are going to go do some outside shots soon. Fun stuff.

Sleeping Angel

Back in February I took some family pictures for some friends and just finished processing them. Yeah, I'm a slacker. Well I was playing a little bit and processed this picture after watching a quick tutorial on Lightroom. Let me know what you think of the picture...

Great Weekend!

I'm a big fan of the weekend. However, like most people, I think it goes way, way, way too fast. Did I say way in there?

This weekend started out on Friday with our Aaronic Priesthood camp out in the west desert. It was about an hour and 20 minute drive out there, which isn't too bad. We got up there and had some dutch oven dinner of potatoes, steak, and chicken. Very tasty. The cooks at camp did an awesome job! After dinner we had 5 different stations/fires where the boys went around and we talked to them about attributes of some Book of Mormon heroes. I wasn't slated to do one of these break-out sessions, but filled in for one of the other leaders that was running a little late. I got to talk about Captain Moroni. It was pretty cool. I had to wing it, but it's not hard when you are talking about him and the Title of Liberty. We got done and finally went to bed between 1 and 2, after a joke and talking session around the campfire. I don't know for sure what time it was because my phone was going to die so I turned it off and I didn't have a watch...stupid watch batteries. Well I got up the next morning to see if I could help with breakfast but they had everything under control so I started walking around camp and taking in the peace and quiet of being so far away from the city for a little bit. Here is a picture I took...

This is a picture of the sun coming up over the Oquirrh Mountains. For me the sun usually sets over the Oquirrhs, but this time I got to watch it rise over them. Pretty cool.

Saturday after I got home Chels and I were able to do some yard work. Chels got the lawn mowed and I got the front parking strip tilled and the dirt thrown in the dumpster that the county brought. I have the side park strip to do still, but I will get to it, eventually. I worked for about 2 and a half hours on that and finally stopped when I had to get in the shower to go to Rick's birthday party. Which I was thankful for because I probably would have just kept working, starting on the other strip, and then I wouldn't have been able to move at all today. The bar-b-que was fun. I got a brat and a spicy sausage from Harmon's to cook up. They weren't kidding when they called it spicy. While we were at the party we got to step outside and watch the space station streak across the sky. That was pretty cool.

Sunday was Sunday, which for me is a great day. Church was great. KK was sick so Chels kept her and Bree home and Tiaree, Jarik, and I went to church. I think Jarik took a little nap and Tiaree just sat next to me and read scriptures that I pointed out to her. It was nice. Then Jarik and I got to go and have dinner with my grandpa. The whole family was going to go, but with KK throwing up most of the day we thought it wise to let some of them stay home. Tonight grandpa told me that he is used to his house being our house that it's tough sometimes to be alone, which I don't doubt.

Tomorrow we go back to work and school and whatever. Who knows what this week will bring, but let me just say, that I'm ready for next weekend.

Join Club Scouting...Huh?

So I was driving to work this morning and saw this truck that had a bumper sticker on it that said 'Join Cub Scouting'. Well when I first read it, kind of at a glance as I was paying close attention to the road so I didn't crash, I read 'Join Club Scouting'. I don't know where that 'L' came from in my mind but it was there when I first read it and then it was gone. For those of you that don't know, I work pretty closely with the scouts in my area. As a matter of fact, my son is a Cub Scout so I'm involved from many different angles. But when I read, or thought I read, 'Join Club Scouting' I had to chuckle a little bit because I can think of a few scouts that I'd like to club. Haha, not really, but if you work with scouts you can see where I'm coming from. I do love working with the young men in the area they are all great young men.

See You Later

Yesterday, May 4th, 2010, this world lost an angel living on it's soil. My dear Grandmother died after a battle with cancer. I got the news yesterday around lunch time from my sister who was there when Grandma slipped this mortal realm and returned to be with her family and friends on the other side of the veil.

Words can't express the feelings that I have for this woman who was more than a grandmother to me. The love she had for her family and friends was beyond that of any that I know of. She insisted on holding family functions at her house every Thanksgiving and Christmas eves, regardless of the requests to move it somewhere we could spread out a little. I think she loved the noise of the great prosperity that she leaves behind. I loved taking off from work early on those days and riding the bus down to her house to help her and Grandpa arrange the tables and getting the places set. We always had time to sit and talk on those occasions and I would selfishly call it my special time.

I will, as will most of my friends, remember the toast we would go get whenever we felt the need. It seemed she always had a loaf of bread ready just in case we came in from our running around to grab some. Her hugs were awesome and the little whispers in my ear that she loved me were always a great comfort and helped me move on during some hard times in my life.

I will ever be grateful for her and the blessing of the testimony that she held. The testimony that she ever so willingly shared with me of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I think back often of times when I sat by her in sacrament meeting and would find little candies in her purse that I could eat during that meeting. The simple lessons of tithing and the importance of the scriptures and the temple that she would share with me just here and there. Her love of the temple was an inspiration to me and gave me a desire to enter that building. I feel that the man that I have become is due in part to this wonderful daughter of God.

Here is the lyrics to one of my favorite songs that seem to take on a new meaning with the passing of a loved one:

In the quiet misty morning

When the moon has gone to bed,

When the sparrows stop their singing

And the sky is clear and red,

When the summer's ceased its gleaming

When the corn is past its prime

When adventure's lost its meaning - 

I'll be homeward bound in time

Bind me not to the pasture

Chain me not to the plow

Set me free to find my calling

And I'll return to you somehow

If you find it's me you're missing

If you're hoping I'll return,

To your thoughts I'll soon be listening,

In the road I'll stop and turn

Then the wind will set me racing

As my journey nears its end

And the path I'll be tracing

When I'm homeward bound again

Bind me not to the pasture

Chain me not to the plow

Set me free to find my calling

And I'll return to you somehow

My daughter, Bree, said with a little hmph, on her way to school after we found out yesterday, "It's not fair.", and when my wife replied, "What's not fair?"  Bree said "Grandma gets to be with Heavenly Father now.". To that my little Bree, it is fair and well earned. Because of the things that Grandma helped me to learn I know I don't have to say "Goodbye" I get to say "See you later!".