New Years Resolutions

I know that it is pretty much the end of January and I should have made my resolutions about 3 weeks ago, but hey, it is still January and I still have a whole year to "self-improve." I decided to finally write this post because of a Relief Society activity we had a couple weeks ago.

We had a speaker (I wish I could remember her name), but she talked about "bloom where you are planted." She compared us blooming in this harsh Idaho winters, that even though there is usually multiple feet of snow, that we can still pop through. Well, she hit some key notes with me that night, probably some things that I needed to hear. She has inspired me to do better. Which you will find out, as well as myself, that it takes a little at a time. You can't be 100% overnight. As long as you are doing better today than yesterday, or doing one more thing today that you didn't do yesterday, you are self-improving.

Ok. Here it goes. I decided to come up with 12 resolutions, appropriate because this year is 2012. If the world does really end this year (which it won't.. my Old Testament teacher in college proved it to me..lol) I will have made a life that I am proud of and can look back and say I did all I could.

1. Write a blog post every week.

This does not sound like it should be a new years resolution (to me anyways). I am changing my attitude about it. I write in my blog about Hallie, photography, and pretty much life. It is pretty much my journal for myself and the world. I would be so sad if I ever lost anything that I wrote about. I write about the event at the time, and it is so cool to see the feelings I had, time frame, and what was happening in life. So at the end of the year I am getting all of my blog posts printed into a book. So, if I have only 10-20, it won't be a very impressive book. This will be my 4th post of the year, which is already 1/5 of what I wrote last year! Ah!

2. Read through the Book of Mormon at least 1 time.

I am sad to say that at my ripe old age of 23, I have only read through the entire Book of Mormon (cover to cover that is) a couple of times. By couple, I literally mean that. There are all these people that I know that are so well versed and know all the stories very well. I want to be one of those people. So I need to read through at least once.

3. Have family prayer/scriptures/family home evening.

Jordan and I have been terrible at this since we got married. It is groundbreaking if we do it once a week, so if we can make once a week not a rare occurrence, and possibly add up to three, four or five times a week we will be golden. Baby steps people. Baby steps.

PAUSE

Isn't great that I am admitting my embarrassing flaws to all of my friends and family?? Just a side note. haha.

4. Read 20 books this year.

I am a reader. I feel like my mind thrives off of it. Last year was my downfall. I think I read maybe 5 books. That is less than one every two months. I get my inspiration from my sister-in-law, Macy. A year or two ago she went on a reading rampage. She came over and was like "I think I have read 25-30 books in two months." Well needless to say, that has been burned into my memory. All those books in 2 months?? She has 4 kids! And a husband! And in the Young Women's! So I am making 20 books in my YEAR. So any book suggestions would be amazing... I am talking to you Cristine, Cassie, Mallory, and Kim:)

5. Learn 20 new things in Photoshop/Illustrator

These programs are massive. Every tab has about 10-20 items, which have pullouts to about 15-20 more items. It is daunting. I want to know more about the programs... I am pretty proficient too. I can get around. But I want to be one of those expert people. The ones that you hate because they can do amazing things on the computer that you never dreamed of. Yeah I want to be one of those:)

6. Living the ABC's.

If you haven't read President Monson's address for this January Ensign, it is amazing. A is for attitude, B for Believing, and C for courage. This is pretty much all my resolutions summarized in three little letters, but hey it's inspiring. Don't you love when you read something and it goes off in your head like a bell, that it is talking straight to you. Well, this is me. Right here. haha.

Here is the link if you want to read it.
http://lds.org/ensign/2012/01/living-the-abundant-life?lang=eng&query=*+%28name%3a%22Thomas+S.+Monson%22%29+%28publication%3a%22Ensign%22%29

7. Run a half marathon

This one comes from Tiana. So T if you are reading this I am totally doing it with you. I basically have stopped all physical activity/working out since I got to college. Crazy huh? The only reason that I haven't gained weight is because muscle turns to fat and fat weighs much less than muscle... get the picture? lol. Lat year after I had Hallie, Jordan bought me a pair of Nike's (which I customized them pink and gray with my name on them) and I have yet to wear them working out. I have worn them. But not for the purpose they were bought for. So now that I have the shoes and a partner (Tiana will you be my running partner??) I want to run this.

In a Relief Society lesson a couple months ago, Sister Karen Batt (love this lady.. she is so knowledgeable) told the story of her daughter running a marathon. She told about how she was running and of course, people watch. The people started to yell her daughter number telling her to run faster, and that someone was behind her. It was nearing the end of the race and she was so tired. When the person behind her finally past, there was a "awwwwww" sound which came from the crowd. So instead of her celebrating that she was running a marathon and beat her time of 2 hours, she was mourning for her lack of strength. This just reminded me that we are all running and we all need to keep our eyes on the prize.

To continue the story, all the spectators gathered at the end of the race. When the first person went through there was a loud roar of cheering, and an announcer announced the runners name, where they were from, and their time. As Sister Batt was waiting for her daughter to finish, she noticed that as each person crossed the finish line, the announcer would announce each person by name, where they were from, their time, and then say, "You finished!" accompanied by a loud roar of the crowd. It happened for each and every person crossing the line. When her daughter came across the line, the announcer did the same. It brought tears to everyone's eyes. What feat she had just accomplished. Then then noticed again, the announcer still bringing in the runners. It reminded her of how our life is. How our journey through life is. How Heavenly Father will be there at the end of the race announcing us to everyone, with a loud cheer of congratulations. No matter how slow we do it. As long as we cross the finish line.

That is my inspiration for running. Funny sometimes how spiritual experiences make you want to do temporal things:) But I think I will start this year with a half marathon and work my way up. I need some goals for next year too!

8. Give someone a Book of Mormon

I have always been awful at this. When I should be really good at it! I grew up in a city where I had LDS people to accompany me, but a lot of non-members. Sometimes I feel that I didn't make the impression that I should have; should I have tried to bring more of my friends to church, etc, etc? Hopefully I did lead by example, but you never know who is watching and when.

I want to give a Book of Mormon to someone this year. Be a good member missionary. I have given a total of three Book of Mormons away in my life, and I'm pretty sure each one has gotten trashed....

There are a couple of people in my life that if the world did end this year, or we died, or anything, I wouldn't want to face them in the after life. I can just imagine them looking at me with tear filled eyes saying, "You knew?" So, if you are a non-member reading this and you get a Book of Mormon from me, I am not trying to push it on you and tell you what it right. I am asking you to read and hopefully you will find truth and answers like I have.

9. Make 10 fun projects.

This amazing site called "Pinterest" has certainly caught my attention and a lot of my time. There are amazing things on there. A LOT of do-it-yourself and crafty ideas. I pin a ton of them, but I have not tried to do one yet. Well that is going to change. I will do at least ten this year. They can be anything, quilts, sewing projects, picture modge-podging, making bows, etc.

10. Be a good wife and mom.

Hopefully I am giving and teaching Hallie everything that she needs to know. I am hoping this year will go by and that I will given everything to her that she has needed and most of the things that she has wanted. She will be a year old in 5 months... ahhh!!... And I want what is best for her. I hope that I will be everything that Jordan needs from me. This includes things like making dinner and cleaning and things. So hopefully I can get all of those things done.

11. Make a budget and STICK to it!

Jordan and I always talk about budgets and trying to make them and figuring out what to do with our money. Before we get our tax return this year, we are making a budget and a detailed plan of what we are doing for this year. If any of you have used Mint.com, it is amazing. Combines all your accounts into one place so you can see everything all together and how much debt/money you have. It's a great tool and Jordan and I will be using it this year, for sure.

12. Make one new friend.

I live in a place where, to say the least, I have one or two good friends (the rest of them live far away:( ). Going back to earlier when I talked about the Relief Society speaker, she talked about how women thrive off relationships, and if they don't have them they just wilt. Believe me, I love Jordan and talking to him, but sometimes I just need my lady time. Hopefully I will meet someone that inspires me, and makes me thrive to do better. I don't know how I will accomplish this, but hopefully it will happen.

So I have made the goal of making one new friend. I have done this before... a couple of years ago... and now she is one of my very best friends in the whole world. Yes Courtney I am talking about you:)



Wow this turned into one long post. But these are my resoultions for the year of 2012. Hopefully it will pan out and I can do all the things I am setting my eyes on.

I am ready for one amazing year.

the last of the sautters

I feel like the only thing that I blog about lately is taking pictures. Well, I guess that is the only interesting thing going on in my life. Buckle your belts, you are getting another photo post.

Jordan's youngest sister/sibling, Hillary, got married on December 30th. It was very exciting for the whole family because she is the youngest of seven kids. Which every single one got married in the temple. How exciting is that? Anyways, since Jordan and I basically live with them, I got the thrill of getting to help with lots of wedding stuff. It was fun. I think I did more to help Hillary plan than I did for my own wedding, haha. Anyways...

Hillary's now husband, Spencer, is somewhat related to.... Gugelman. And if you are not from Idaho, or you are from Idaho and don't know who this is (shame on you Idahoans..well eastern Idahoans) He is the best photographers in the area, state, and I would dare to say in the country. He is amazing. Simply put. I had the job of taking their pictures, but when they got Gugelman (for a slammin' deal because he is kind of related to Spencer), I gladly stepped aside. I was only doing the engagements anyways.. haha.

Now getting to the good part. Hillary was getting her pictures done outside the temple a couple days before the wedding. Idaho weather is very unpredictable. Needless to say, a couple days wasn't enough time to get any of the pictures back from Gugelman. I got the daunting task of taking a couple pictures so they could display them at the reception. But.... I had to do it while Gugelman was doing it.

Let's just say I was VERY intimidated. He is an all-star. Pro. Creative visionary. etc. etc. I am a hobbiest. haha. I was shaking in my boots (literally.. it was freezing out there. And figuratively. He is amazing). I was nervous. I didn't even shoot for the first 20 minutes because I thought I would get in the way. But of course, not only is he an amazing photographer, he is super nice. So I am standing there, with what I thought was a nice camera... but is dinky compared to his TWO gigantic cameras with 6000 dollar lenses and a whole rolly suitcase of supplies, and he turns to me and says,

"Did you want to shoot too!!?? You are more than welcome!"

Oh my goodness. I about fell over and died. Gugelman just said I could shoot next to him. So we were comparing shots (which was no comparison) and I am feeling quite down with what mine look like compared to his, and he says,

"Those look really nice. You did a really good job."

AH! Amazing.

So even though they are no Gugelman pictures... they are mine.

completely mine. I hope you enjoy:)

6 month photoshoot

I have been very lazy about getting these pictures on my blog. Mostly because I did not want to spend the time scanning in all these photos. Let me explain.

I love to take pictures. I would totally take all of Hallie's pictures myself, but there are a few things that throw a wrench into the grinder. I wanted to get a 6 month picture of her similar to one taken of me at 6 months. Number one, I do not have a studio. Number two, I do not have studio lights. Number three, I did not want to go to the fabric store to try to find a backdrop. Number four, I did not want to run around town looking for the props that I needed for the shoot I wanted. Finally, Number 5, I had a coupon for JCPenney for free sitting fee and 3 dollars a sheet for pictures, so it ended up being cheaper just doing it there. Might I add was hilarious. I basically ran the shoot, pulled all the props I wanted, told her how I wanted her posed in basically every shot. The only thing I wasn't doing was physically holding the camera. Which, I did at one point, but only so the lady could place Hallie on the chair. Haha.

But they turned out so good. I would probably never go there again... well I can't say never because they were so cheap, well kinda. A disc was 175 dollars. And as someone who takes pictures, and knowing all the work that I did in the photo shoot.. haha... I did not want to pay that. So I just got prints. But Hallie is the cutest picture taker and it is impossible to choose. I got one of basically every pose. Then I learned that they put the pictures online. I decided to be naughty and just took a screen shot of all of them. So that is what you are seeing today. The quality isn't awesome, but hey I didn't have to scan them all in. Hooray.

Ok so my 6 month picture that I wanted them to copy and the picture they took (notice she does not have red hair like mine. I am still hoping!).


I am very pleased with what they came up with. I couldn't have gotten the lighting I wanted at home, and I am very happy I didn't have to go out and buy all the equipment I wanted just for the pictures. Even though I would totally do it, but Jordan keeps me level headed:)

And here are the rest of my favorites. I love them. I'm very happy I finally got to use her tutu!

one sad week.

I find that I like to use my blog as more of a journal and that there are other people that get to read it too. Sometimes it is boring and bland, and sometimes I just like to write, write, write. I find myself reading a good friend of mine, Mrs. Cristine Garrison, and for the life of me cannot write as she does. Man what a voice she has. And in voice I mean literary voice. I can totally here her voice when I read it. She is so witty and amazing. I hope she knows that. I aspire to be like her.

Anyways....

I have to pictures to share and not really interesting news. Like I said before this is like my journal, so I am recording the saddest week of my daughter's life. Let me tell you one thing after another. This poor girl has had no break!

I have suspected that she has been teething for quite sometime. It started with the massive amounts of drool for about a month. And this week of course, a yeast infection. I didn't know that baby girls can get them with getting teeth. But by golly they can. Of course I am changing her diaper in the dark theater room when I notice that her "woman parts" are red. I think to myself.. OH! That is why she has been screaming her head off for two days. She has a diaper rash! Of course, I put diaper rash cream on her "woman parts." Bad idea. Even more screaming. I can not take the sad face of my little girl. She is pretty much going to get anything she wants growing up. I cannot say no to that face. She gets squinty eyes and has big alligator tears. So sad. Breaks my heart just thinking about it. So I go upstairs to talk to my sister-in-law Chalai. She has 5 girls. I would call her an expert. I start asking her questions and she immediately says, "Melissa I think it's a yeast infection!" OMG. I am retarded. Diaper rash cream?? Do I want to make this girl suffer! We got some yeast infection cream out and put it on her. Much better.

She finally starts feeling a little better and bam. Runniest nose you have ever seen. I have always said to myself I wouldn't be one of those people that their kid has dried snot on their face and dried boogers in their nose. By golly it is freaking hard to keep up with. I now understand why little kids' faces have dried snot on their faces. It's not their long, but it gets there.

Right after she gets a runny nose. Cough.

After Cough. Shots.

After shots. Fever.

Fever. More couging.

More coughing. Waking up a 2 in the morning until 5.

Not sleeping. Screaming all day long.

Pretty much the saddest week of her life.

The one upside is she is starting to eat solid foods. She has been wanting to for weeks. Grabbing at Jordan and my utensils, leaning over her bumbo to try to grab food, basically lickin gher lips and drooling everywhere anytime we eat, insisting on grabbing your cup anytime you have one, etc, etc. So we gave her green beans. She ate a ton. And did not spit out one bite. Although, she also tried to eat her bib....

I think she is so excited to eat, that she doesn't really care what it is. She wants to be a big girl.

This week she also started leaning to people when they grab for her. Or when I go to pick her up out of the saucer the puts her arms up and grabs for me. Cutest thing ever.

Well that is our lives. And the first week of 2012. Kinda miserable. But still some awesomeness from baby Hallie.