It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!! (Finally)

Just a quick post as we are running out the door!!  It finally feels like Christmas to me.  It has been a busy and slightly stressful holiday season w/ lots and lots of photo sessions.  But I finished my last project yesterday and last few holiday cards last night... I am FREE to enjoy the holidays w/ the family now.  I'm posting a few pics from our Wards Christmas Breakfast w/ Santa.  Braden is SOOOO into Christmas this year.  To him, wishing someone a Merry Christmas is synonymous with I love you.  So to all:  A MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.  We're headed to the mountains... peace out!!

Random Pics from the Month of December!

I finally downloaded all the pictures I had on my small camera from this month!  Gotta get it cleared off for Christmas (which I can't believe is in FOUR days.... ahhhhh....).  Anyway, I thought I would get a quick picture post in and catch up before we head out of town.  Let's see what we've got:

Last Monday night we went down to the Columbia w/ the Jeppsons for the "Light's before Christmas".  Fun to see lights... though hard to see animals.  Oh well, the kids had a great time.  Here are some not so great pics :)

Christmas Jammies are a BIG deal in my family.  I let the boys try theirs on early...ooops they LOVE them and want to wear them every night.  Sorry, Mom... I know that's going against tradition, but I'm a sucker for soft jammies - I can't say no!

So, if Braden inherited his looks from his Daddy, the one thing he inherited from me is his creativity... this kid blows me away some times.  Everything turns into something else.   There's always a story or he's always building and creating something out of the simplest things.  This is his Space Rocket (which Gavin LOVES to destroy)

Here he is pulling Gavy on the jetski...

Fishing for a "G-fish"

WHO NEEDS TOYS?!?!

Gavy loves the four wheeler.  He would sit on this in the garage ALL day if I let him!

My neighbor and I started doing a trade last month.  She has two boys (1 and 4) and they get along great (MOSTLY) w/ Braden and Gavin.  It has been a lot of fun and a lot work.  I will say that for all the hard work that having 4 boys 3 hours at a time is, it is worth the 3 hours of NO KID time every other day.  We have had BEAUTIFUL weather this week.  Just a few pics from our random outside adventures.

Lastly... I just had to add these b/c they crack me up.  These are from our Pinehurst trip.  The boys and I went bowling one day (the place was dead!!!) and had a blast.  

Bray really wanted to take a picture of Mommy & Gavin...

Gotta get those fingers in the right holes... still working on that one!

California Wedding Pics Sampler

This post will probably only be interesting to Family!!  Just wanted to post a sneak peak at Rachel & Vito's wedding pictures.  These are Memory Pages (much like an album) that sort of sum up the whole day!  Enjoy.  

The entire collection will be up at: www.harttohartdigital.myphotoalbum.com

On this episode of Divine Design...

So... we are mildly obsessed w/ HGTV at our house and LOVE a good project!!  We have also been trying to decide what to do w/ the bonus/loft for the past year.  I have been using it as a studio, but other than that, it hasn't been a very "functional space" :)  This is an old picture, (before I really even got the studio stuff together) to show before 

And... this is AFTER!!!  (The best part)

I'm not sure why... but I LOVE designing and decorating and the WHOLE process.  I love to score great deals (the curtains were custom made and I got them at an auction and the couch at the rooms to go outlet for less than $300!!!) and make things (the cornice boxes and pillows) and re-use things (the armoire and ottoman we were storing for Ash in our garage).  So it all really came together and in budget!

I love the fabric that I found... but I ran out on the last little orange pillow, so I just used a left over piece from the brown one which gave it a cute stripe :)

Braden's room was the last room in the house to be tackled (mainly b/c we could not agree on what to do!!!)  Blake wanted to do an entire "cougar" blue room all dedicated to BYU - his design included a LARGE "Y" on the wall (like Y mount - a true super fan).  We finally settled on a sport's theme w/ two blues.   My dad and Blake did the chair rail and we got the bunkbeds all set up, so now it looks like an ENTIRELY different room.  Very fun :)  

 

Well worth the 2 days of work!

Pinehurst, NC

This week Blake had a conference at the Pinehurst resort (somewhat infamous for golfers!!!).  It was Wed. - Fri and the boys and I went w/ him... and we actually had a blast.  The hotel was decorated beautifully/festively and it was such a charming town.  We entertained ourselves at the pet store, shopping, bowling, eating etc...  I guess it was just really nice to step away from the computer/editing/projects as well as house cleaning and all that jazz...  Plus, the first night I went to bed at 9am (and I NEVER get to do that).  The boys did really well in the room... such a fun little mini trip :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING - Nov 2008

Our first year to host Thanksgiving at our house!!!  Mom, Dad, Tanner & Ashlee all came to celebrate.  We had a great weekend and aside from LOTS of food, we actually fit in a LOT of projects.  I have the sort of Dad that literally knows how to do everything.  And he is a perfectionist... so you know it's going to be... PERFECT.  We totally "did" (can't say "re-did" because it wasn't much before) the loft/office/studio area and finally finished Braden's room w/ Bunk beds, chair rail, paint, decor etc....  It seems like when the fam comes up we always fit in some project... I will definitely post pictures soon.  It was a really good time though, and my first Turkey turned out pretty nice n' moist so that counted as a success for me!!!  Here are a few pics.  I am realizing that I am somehow in almost every single one... how did that happen... I am usually behind the lens... oh well!

Turns out Braden has a hidden love or dare I say talent for peeling potatoes.  He sat there forever working on a potato.  I need to remember this activity for the next he gets bored.  It kept him happily busy for a long time!!

And you gotta have an extra set of hands when you're making dough... it just makes the rolls taste better!

And while I'm on the topic....

On my trip I got to see twilight so I thought I'd give my, well... thoughts!  I had a bunch of friends go see the midnight showing so I got mixed reviews the next day but MOST of them were negative.  I went in with SUPER low expectations and also went w/ people that had never even read the books.  That being said, I actually LOVED the movie (and so did they!!)

 I don't know what it was, but by the end I loved Edward and loved almost everything about the movie.  I mean there were obvious parts (meadow) and obvious characters (Jasper?!?!?!) that were flawed, but for the most part, I loved it!!!!  Marliss said it best... it just sort of takes your breath away.   And... my favorite scene was when Bella was surrounded by the "rough" guys - Edward pulls up and yells get in the car... you know the rest.  Right about there I was sold.

That trip went way too fast!

Just a quick post from the CA trip.  I was both guest and photographer for the weekend, so I didn't get to be in too many shots, but here are a few fun family ones.  I'll probably post a few of the official wedding ones once I get them edited -  there are some beautiful ones.  I fell in LOVE w/ San Luis Obispo.  It was the most charming little town... not to mention all the marvelous backdrops.    It was SO FUN to see Dad's family.  Great company, great weather, great food = A GREAT TIME.  What more can I say!!!

Cam & Sam... the newly engaged couple.   I had a great time hanging w/ them and getting to know Sam a little better!!  We also found some time to fit in engagement shots.   They were adorable.

Grandpa (88) and Grandma (77).  This picture is a RARE jewel for me.  I don't think I've ever been in a picture w/ both of my grandparents since I was about 6.  The fact that they were at the same "event" together, let alone in the same photo made us all very happy.

Cousin Candace... I love this girl, who also happens to be a mother of 5!??!?!