Randoms

**On the way home from school yesterday Jaida was telling me that her teacher switched everyone's seats around in class and this is the conversation that followed.
"My teacher switched our desks today and now I'm Spanish trapped."
"What's spanish trapped?"
"You know, I sit between 2 spanish kids.  And they can tell secrets out loud."
Awesome.

**Still working on the night time drama with Carter.  It's better than it ever has been, but not good enough to bring a newborn into the mix.  Still waking up at least twice a night.  And today at naptime he puked everywhere.  What is it with my kids and puking?

**6 weeks until Ross baby number 4 makes its debut.  Well, actually, I was 2 weeks early with Carter so it could be 4 weeks.  Hard to breath everytime I think about it.  I'm excited, but very nervous about the chaos that will come with it.

**My Christmas shopping is almost done.  Boom sauce.

**Mike has been super busy at work this month.  Thank you God for answering our prayers.  Truly.  Thank you.

**Mya's newest "thing" is to copy what other people are saying.  I remember that being really annoying when I was a kid and other kids did that.  I think it's even more annoying when your kid is doing it to you. She thinks it's hilarious.

** My girls have started coming in our room at night saying they're "scared".  They've WAY overused the scared card.  Not working anymore.  Go back to bed.

**I'm doing my last photo session today before the baby.  It will be a relief to have them over.  I was crazy busy this month, which I'm grateful for, but very very tired.

**Now it's time to start sorting through baby clothes to figure out what we need.  Yikes.

One of my new favorites.

A 100% spontaneous moment.  So glad I had my camera.

The "every day".

When I started doing photography it was 100% for the money.  Not because I was passionate about photography or shutter speeds or f-stops.  Not because I was artistic or creative and I needed an outlet.  Not because I had a good "eye" or was naturally talented at taking pictures.  I saw an opportunity to make some extra cash so I went for it.
My perspective when I started doing photography and my perspective now are radically different.
The truth is, I still don't take pictures because I'm passionate about photography.  I take pictures because I'm passionate about the people in the pictures.
When I learned how to take pictures of people (not just sports), I knew my style wouldn't be typical.  I quickly started to learn how powerful a photograph can be.  Sounds dramatic, but it's true.  A photograph can be more than just a photograph.  A photograph can show a persons soul.  It has the ability to tell the world who someone IS.  And that's not a small thing.
As my style developed as a photographer, my mission became to focus on personality and relationships.  To have emotion in my photographs.   To tell, without words, who someone is.
I attended a seminar where another photographer said "the power we possess to bring out someone's inner most soul is an art form.  We allow people to see past their insecurities and see who they really are."  I believe that.  I do.
This has completely changed the way I take pictures of my own children.  And the importance I give to the photographs I take of them.
As a parent, one of my main goals is to allow my children to be who they already are.  Images are one way I can help them discover who that is.
It's the every day stuff.  What they do from day to day that shows who they are.  So in my opinion, the pictures I take of my kids in my own home are by far the most important kind.
"Photography is a gift because it allows us to see the beauty in what can feel routine and mundane."  Ashley Campbell.

The every day.

Make your every day pictures worth something to your children.  You can do it.  I'll show you how.
www.tellmystoryclasses.blogspot.com

Because the dryer just isn't good enough.

Utah State Fair

Took the kids to the fair with my mom and uncle while Mike went to a scout thing.  It rained.  We didn't care.  So. Much. Fun.  The animals are disgusting (to me at least) and smelled horrific, but my kids, and mom, loved them.  Mya, Carter, my uncle and I went down the giant yellow slide on potato sacks.  Mya caught air and I had to pull her back to the slide.  My mom was horrified I went on it while I was pregnant.  It's a slide.  Pretty sure I'll be okay.  Their favorite part of the fair was the sea lion show.  Is that even a fair thing?  They loved it.  Told Mike we need to go to Sea World.  He's not buying it.  Yet.

Love protective Mya.  She was worried Carter was getting too close.

You know they only put signs up if people are actually doing this.  Really people?

The kids were obsessed with the giant pumpkins.

The top of the giant yellow slide.  Once we got up there Mya wasn't so sure.  No backing out now.  That was a boat load of stairs to walk up.  We couldn't convince Jaida or my mom to come.

Carter on my lap ready to head down the slide.  I got no reaction out of him.  No fear, but no smile either.

Took me all night to finally convince the girls to get in these giant air balls.  If I wasn't growing a human in my belly I would have loved to jump in with them.  Jaida walked up to the ladies and said "I'm pretty nervous, I've never done this before" as she practically dove into the ball.  The ladies laughed and said "Yea, you look real nervous."  As Mya climbed in she whispered "I think I'm going to puke".  Pretty proud of her for doing it despite her fear that made her sick to her stomach.  And really glad she didn't actually throw up while she was in there.

Fun times.  We'll be back next year!