Cruise Pictures

I bought these gems from the cruiseline.  They cost a mint, but really - how could I not?  What fun girls we have in our family.  I love how much fun they make life and how often they crack me up.  I can't look at these without grinning (especially picture #1). 

:)

Best Friends

Max started Kindergarten this year.  The past couple of years I have done "joy school" with Max, where he went a couple days a week to different friend's houses to be taught by other moms.  Sister Linda K. Burton at the last General Women's Conference told the following story that is so applicable to my situation with Max.  She said, "When our youngest daughter returned home after her first day of school, I asked, "How did it go?"  She answered, "It was good."  The next morning, however, when I woke her up for school, she folded her arms and firmly stated, "I already went to school!"  Apparently I had not prepared her or explained that going to school was not a onetime event but that she was expected to go to school five days a week for many, many years."

The first day of school, Max kept it together and was really brave.  The second day did not go nearly as well.  He started to cry and asked me to please hold his hand while he walked into school.  The following day he once again asked me to comfort him as he was walking into school.  Although I love to be a comfort to him, I also had the babies in the stroller and Kate vying for attention.  I quickly thought of an alternative to help Max start school on the right foot, and I decided to ask Kate to hold Max's hand.  Every single day, Max and Kate hold hands on the way in to school.  Kate will usually tease me by telling me, "Have a great day mom!" and pretend to walk in with Max.  The really are best friends.  They give each other hugs and are a great comfort to one another.  Max has actually asked me if he can marry Kate because they are best friends.  I know this phase will not always last, so I am treasuring these moments while I can.

Max typically signs "I love you" to me, Cooper, Brock, and Kate.

Best buddies being eagles at the zoo!

Catching fish at Scheels!

On a different note, I have taken advantage of Mary's amazing photography skills.  After pouring over our Life Planners (erincondren.com- check them out as they are awesome!), we found a window of time to meet and do a quick photo shoot.  I LOVE how the pictures turned out, so I thought I would share them with you!

Max- 5

Kate- 3

Cooper- 10 months

Brock- 10 months

 Brock- flying high!

Cooper- all smiles  :)

Thanks again Sis for such beautiful pics of my kiddos.

Swimming Toward the Light

This past month I had the opportunity to go to Click Away, a photography conference that lasted for three days.  I loved it!  I learned so much and left the conference feeling totally inspired, not just in photography but in life.  The last class that I attended was called "Why Black and White" by Cole Thompson.  I added the class to my schedule at the last minute because I haven't shot many black and white pictures and was curious about it and wanted to learn more.  I was so glad I did.  It was one of my favorite classes.  Here are a few tidbits that I learned from teacher Cole Thompson.

We each must have a vision.  You may ask, "what is a vision?"  Cole defined it as a "Sum total of life's experiences".  We each have a unique vision.  Find your vision and share it with others.    

Don't be afraid to be yourself.  Don't copy others.  He gave the example of The Mona Lisa.  If you bought a paint by number kit to try and recreate your own Mona Lisa it would be just a shadow of the original.  The Mona Lisa has already been painted.  "They who walk in another's footsteps never find their own path"

Cole Thompson visited Auschwitz a concentration camp.  He created a very moving portfolio called The Ghosts of Auschwitz ( http://www.colethompsonphotography.com/Ghosts.htm)  He talked a little bit about survivors he has met from Auschwitz.  People who lived were all positive, optimistic and hopeful.  Are we living? 

At the end of each class he teaches he says he always does a drawing to give away three of his prints.  I was shocked when he read my name.  He handed me my picture and I sat down and looked at it trying to decide if I liked it.  The swimmer was sort of fuzzy and the picture seemed dark.  But as soon as I read the title and continued to take in all of his lecture I knew I loved it.  The print is titled "Swimming Toward the Light"  It is a picture of his daughter swimming at their hotel in Hawaii.  As I looked at the picture it again it was like a "lightbulb" moment.

Life often seems dark and fuzzy.  It isn't always easy to tread and sometimes darkness feels all enveloping.  We feel alone.  We struggle and try to make it through and sometimes all we can do is look torward the light and just keep swimming.  And then when you reach the light it feel so good and you just hold on tight and look ahead and know that when you are with HIM you are okay because it isn't dark, it is bright, it is hopeful, and life is beautiful.  

Easter

I thought I'd just post a few fun pictures from our Easter egg hunt down at the Bullocks!

Seasons

Growing up, my favorite season was always summer.  I loved the long sunny careless days, laying out, playing at the pool/Lake Powell.  Since moving to Arkansas though, my new favorite season is Spring, with Autumn a close second.  It is gorgeous to drive/run/walk around the neighborhoods and truly see "popcorn popping" on all of the trees.  I decided to walk down my street and snap some pictures of trees in bloom.  I tried my best to capture their beauty, but I know I am not doing them justice.  I will truly miss the gorgeous spring in Arkansas.  Have any of you read Anne of Green Gables (if not, you should!)?  I am reminded of her descriptions as she talks to Matthew on her ride into Avonlea.  Unfortunately, I have packed up all my books and cannot quote her as she describes the beauty of the earth around her.  Enjoy the pictures!

Baby Pictures :)

Hello,
I know this is probably a little silly but I thought I'd show you all some pictures of our baby! These are from a little while ago, I may get some more on Monday. Hopefully these are fun to see though.

The above picture is his foot :)

During the ultrasound he moved a whole lot; he flipped from his head being on the left side of my stomach to being up by my ribcage and he kept on tucking his legs into his chest, extending them out above his head, and then kicking. The ultrasound tech was thrilled because she was able to get pictures and video of his entire body pretty easily. Here we have a picture of him with his knees by his head. (I'm not sure how to flip these pictures)

This picture is similiar to the one before but he is in the process of stretching out his legs to go above his head.

Anyway, that's all I've got for today!

Mary has asked that I post some pictures of our house. I will try to do that next week!!!

XOXO

Sheri

GrooveBook

GrooveBook is an app you can download on your phone that will send you pictures (40-100) each month for $2.99.  You can check out more about the company here.  I have downloaded the app and am waiting for my first book to arrive.  If you want to try it out, your first book will be free if you use the code MADSEN55.  Enjoy!

-Julie

DIY photo collage

Pictures are one of my favorite things :)

Rachel recently gave me a picture frame that had a magnetic background. Originally, it was to be used like a whiteboard- there were scrabble tiles that came along with it that had little magnets glued on the back of them. I decided to switch things up a little bit and use the board as a collage/picture frame instead. It would be a super fun "do it yourself" project that you could easily do with your kids or just by yourself as an activity! I then surrounded the larger "collage" frame with some other smaller picture frames (pictured below). It isn't done yet, so I know it looks a little goofy right now, but hopefully you can at least get an idea of what you could do to make it look nice in your own place if you decide to decorate as such. :)

I chose to do a collage of Dusty and I... ;) 

I love how you can switch out the letters and the pictures but it is more of a sophisticated look than just taping the pictures up on the wall (which is what I had done prior to this).

I love you all! 

Best wishes, and Happy almost Friday!!! 

Love, 

Holly Christine (Your sister from Logan)

Photography

I follow the blogs of Janssen, Merrick and Landen (3 sisters) quite closely.  Janssen's is my favorite because I love to read (her blog is called "Everyday Reading"), but I enjoy all three of them.  They are long-distance sisters who post on fashion, food, hobbies, books, sewing, crafts, holidays, etc.  

Merrick's blog post on Friday was about photography: she takes almost all of her own pictures for her blog with her tripod.  Take a look at her pictures and I think you'll be impressed!  You can find her tips, tricks, directions and encouragement for using a tripod here.  Enjoy!

-Rachel