The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun

Go and watch this. I believe I will go and watch this at least once a day for a week just to see if I can't have more fun.

The Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun

Naked babies really shouldn't play in the snow...

But he was sooo happy.  And yes, that is jam all over his face and arms.  And no, he's not completely naked - he had his pj bottoms on. 

Kellye & Sean's Southern Wedding: Utah Valley Wedding Photography

Here's an summer wedding from a couple years ago in Texas.  I never blogged about it and thought I'd share it since love is in the air.  Such a beautiful couple with a perfectly pretty southern wedding.

Kellye and Sean were married in the warm month of June so they opted for an evening sealing time at the Houston Temple.  We did some pictures before they went in and then drove up to her parent's beautiful home in Tyler, Texas for a garden reception the next evening.

I like weddings set up like this because we get to spend so much more time together - really enjoying all the beautiful little moments.

Don't you love her soft colors?  And gotta love those beautiful southern belle's...

Kellye is the third sister from this family whose wedding I've had the privilege to be the photographer at.  Truly, they host such lovely weddings.

And I looooooove her veil, don't you?

I'm glad I got to post these to relive that beautiful weekend again!  AND a little birdie told me that this K&S are getting ready to be parents!  Congrats, guys!

Popcorn is the tops.

We love popcorn.

  I just wrote about why you should too at another blog I contribute on...

Pinching Pennies...

In an effort to buy a home this summer, Mike and I have finally decided to start pinching every penny and saving every dime.  Like, EVERY dime.  We sat down last week as a family to go over the budget and see if there weren't places we could trim the fat.  And boy was there a lot of fat to trim.    Here are some of the things we came up with with an explanation to follow:

• No More Eating Out
• Half Our Food Bill
• Lowering the Utilities
• Haircuts At Home
• Second Hand It
• Babysitters On Trade Only
• Giving More Back
• PRAY!

No More Eating Out
  Ok, so we eat out.  Not a ton but way more than either Mike and I did growing up.  It happens on crazy nights when dinner just didn't come together. And since we don't like eating fast food we then choose healthier and MORE EXPENSIVE options.  And those days have come to an end.  In their place will be simple dinners like oatmeal, waffles, sandwiches, etc.


Half Our Food Bill
  Now some of you may think this is INSANE but my food bills were pretty cushy.  I hear about those moms that can get their grocery bills to somewhere around $200 a month and I am just not even close to that.  I'm more like 4 or 5 times that.  Now, when you hear that number you may think our home is full of an amazing amount of goodies and treats but it isn't.  I just have always been a food snob, having a hard time buying much prepared stuff and cheap cheeses, meats, and breads.  But experience in the kitchen and some really great gifts have made it possible for me to continue to expect a lot of goodness out of my food without paying the high price.  Meaning, I am making a huge amount from scratch.  My mom gave me a wheat grinder about a month ago and so we have finally been able to make the whole wheat bread we like without ANY additives and fluff but for about a quarter(or more) of the price.  And Mike gave me that great pasta maker which makes for VERY inexpensive meals that are REAL food and healthy to boot.  And we also are making homemade pizza once a week.  And our pizzas are killer good - each one costing us less than two dollars to make.

Lowering the Utilities
  This one is pretty self explanatory.  It basically means wearing a sweater around the house and trying hard not to turn the fire place on in the evenings.  As well as being aware of turning off lights and fans when we're not in the room.

Haircuts At Home
  Oh goodness, heaven help us!  I am so not good at this one yet but I think the only way to learn is practice.  Or if anyone out there knows of any good books or friends willing to teach me on trade???

Second Hand It
  As many of you know I love to buy second hand furniture and books but I have not ever been good at buying used clothing.  I just get so overwhelmed by the racks of ugly clothes to find the desire to rummage through them to find things.  But I am going to have to get over it.  My boys just grow TOO fast.

Babysitters On Trade Only
  Ok, Mike and I LOVE to go out together and though we don't go out weekly we try to make it out at least a couple times a month.  And when you pay the sitter between $20-$30 plus $20-$30 more for whatever you did - that adds up!  So now we're gonna try and trade sitting.  And then go on free dates which should get easier as the weather warms up.


Giving More Back 
  I remember during a finacially tight period of time growing up my Dad said that we would be trying to save money and we'd also be giving more to the Lord.  We believe everything we have is a blessing from the Lord and as we give more of it to those in need we will be able to make better use of what we have.  Works every time.  Thanks Dad for always being such a good example of this!


PRAY!
  Last but not least - actually as a base for everything that we're doing we are praying.  We're praying that we'll be able to see ways in which we can save money.  We're praying that Mike's efforts at work will go well, as well as mine.  I'm praying that I'll be able to make healthy, yummy food and know how to make it cheap.  And we're praying that we'll find the house that is supposed to be our home.  I know that our Heavenly Father WANTS us to come to him about everything we need, desire, are concerned about, are happy about, etc.  

Here are some of my favorite verses from The Book of Mormon in Alma 34:

17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;
18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.
20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

So in the end, it is good.  It is hard but it is also something we've needed to do for years.  And I'd love to hear how you pinch your pennies.

The Quickest Way to a Man's Heart is through his Stomach...mostly.

Yesterday I was driving by a bakery that has the old quote, "The quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach" and it reminded me of the first time I heard that in high school.

Back in the day I had this amazingly beautiful friend, Kristi - in fact, if she had introduced me as a friend back then I would have felt seriously honored(we're still friends and she's still beautiful by the way).  Anyhow, at this same time I had a MAJOR crush on this guy named Frank.  Now, Frank was beautiful,  cool, and played some sweet guitar and sang in his band.  So, I went to my friend Kristi for advice since she was always surrounded by several admiring boys.  She said to me, "Megan, make him some cookies."  And I thought, "Really?"  And she replied with that great quote and it sounded like such a gem of wisdom I did that exact thing.  I made him cookies and she took me over to his house.  Now, you must know that I hadn't ever talked to this guy- I only knew where he lived by looking his last name up in the white pages.  Luckily he had a more uncommon name though I remember feeling nervous that it wouldn't be his house.  Anyhow, I knocked, handed over the cookies and said, "I made these for you."  He was VERY surprised and probably slightly weirded out and said, "Uhh...thanks."  And then I said, "Bye!"  And ran back to the car where Kristi was waiting.  And that was it.  I waited for his stomach to be enchanted by my amazing cookies and to communicate with his heart how much he loved me and was attracted to me.  Unfortunately, it never happened.

Now, I'm sure Kristi had the best of intentions.  She must have thought, I make cookies and yummy stuff and these guys are all over me.  But she was mistaken - it wasn't the cookies - it was the fact that she was a cute, smart, fun cheerleader.   And I was a flat-chested, obnoxious tomboy who was OFTEN mistaken for her older brother.  

Now though, I see that one way to my husband's heart is through his stomach.  But even more his eyes - no, I don't mean that - I mean when he comes home and the house is clean, dinner's cooking, and we all appear pretty happy.  Who wouldn't love to come home to that?  But even when he comes home and the baby is dirty and crying, as am I and the house...he's pretty darn great.  He jumps right in and helps out.  Anyhow, the best way to MY heart IS through my stomach - especially when it's REAL FOOD.  I recently ate out at Pizzeria Seven Twelve  and the whole meal was sort of like foreplay.  I couldn't stop saying "Ohhh, mmmmm, oh my gosh, mmmm"  It was REALLY REALLY good.  Go there.

Also, a friend of mine has been keeping this blog on food that I like and has recently asked me if I wanted to start contributing on it.  And I accepted the invite since try as I might not to, I love love love to add more blogs to my list of things to do.  Anyhow, later today I am going to post about the yummy, made from scratch but easy black beans and rice we're having for dinner.  Till then...

p.s.  I am redesigning that blog for her.  Isn't it cute?  Do you want help redesigning your blog?  I just might be into that...

p.p.s.  Here's Pizzeria Seven Twelve's blog if you're into that...

love Love LOVE: February's Photography Session Giveaway

My last give-away was honestly so much fun and so I decided to do a giveaway every month for the rest of 2010.  And since this month is February I am going to call this giveaway LOVE LOVE LOVE.

As you might have read, I am the mother of four boys.  But before that I am the wife to what I feel is the greatest man on the face of the planet.  You may not believe in soul mates but Michael is mine.  He is my best friend and I am a better woman because of his love.  This spring we will have been married for ten years and to celebrate we are going to have our pictures taken.  Not family portraits - just us.  And I think it's a marvelous idea.  We haven't had a "session" done of just us since really our wedding day.  And yet our love has grown exponentially since that time -we are so much more in love now than we were then.  As I imagine most people are.  And I also imagine none of you have had a session taken of just you are your husband or wife either.

So, to celebrate real lovers - guys and gals who have been together through thick and thin I am going to give away a "couples" session.  And to win this giveaway tell me your love story.  It could be a chronological story of how you met/fell in love.  Or you could tell me about how you show love for one another.  Either way, make it good and it wouldn't hurt to include an engagement/wedding photo either.  AND include WHERE you want your session to take place.  Make it somewhere with meaning to your relationship and tell me what that meaning is. Make sure to link back to this blog and to come and comment on this post so I know you are entering.  I will choose the story that enchants me the most(with a lot of weight placed on the location you want) and will announce a winner on Valentine's Day.

Here is a little something for your viewing pleasure...