Dress Up for Pictures

Photography does something to me. I LOVE looking at professional photographers' sites and blogs. But at the same time it drives me nuts. I want to create like they do, but I really feel like I can't. But I'm not here to mope and moan about a silly thing. :) What I do want to do is have pictures like that! Unfortunately I am not so rich to just have tons of ridiculously gorgeous pictures by fantastically talented people. And I'm extremely picky about pictures of me. If it's just everyday stuff, I gave up a long time ago that I would look glamorous because I am simply not a glam girl. But for pictures that are supposed to look good, I want to look freaking amazing like every other example I've drooled over. I don't have a self-esteem issue in that I think I'm hideous or anything, I guess I just don't think I actually look like what I think I look like in my head...or something like that.

Anyway... :)

text taken away to make this blog more to the point

Wouldn't it be fun to go out and take pictures? Just get a small group of good friends out, dress up, and take pictures! OH that sounds like so much fun! There was a photography major in my building my first year of college and she did that with her roommates all the time.

I barely knew the girls (and guy) but what they did has stuck in my mind. How fun! Then I ran across this blog, which got me thinking again about all the pictures I wish I had, then this blog which got me thinking more. 

So with this picture:

and these words:

So LAST Nov Jessica and I got to do a photo shoot in our wedding dresses

and I'm in.
So let's hope that my friends are as cool as I think they are/should be! haha :) Who's with me?! =D

Oh, and then on the last blog, a comment was:

My friend's sister had a ball, where everyone had to come in their wedding dresses (if they had one)... or bridesmaid dresses.

HOW FUN!!! I am TOTALLY in! However I think I'd wait until a few more friends get married so they all have wedding dresses...assuming they don't get rid of them!!!

Anniversay Pictures Soon-to-be

I started writing this in another post, but I wanted that to be more to the point. So this ramble is stuck here for now :)

John and I have already decided that we are taking Anniversary pictures. In the end, our wonderful wedding photographer Joanna Taylor gave us pictures we were very happy with. But the wedding day is so chaotic and if you're paying someone to take pictures you don't want to take hours on end (ignoring the fact that its your wedding day and you have things to do, places to be, people to see) getting every single amazing picture you can think of. So we decided we'd have more. For me, it's especially wanted because my hair was ruined by the unbelievable wind at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple, not to mention the hair and makeup didn't survive very well in the temple, what with the heat and the changing. But really, its that I love great pictures so much that I want more and more and more. I think photo shoots are fun :)

The problem is we'll need a patient photographer who has the time and is willing to take a million pictures, and has the talent so that they'll turn out as amazing as we want them to. Oh, and they have to be cheap =D Our Engagements were taken by John's Step-Dad, and he was pretty much all of that. However his amateur style is not about people, and if it is, it's not about posing. So though he has talent to get amazing pictures, they're not the style we're looking for. Another patient, willing photographer is my dear friend Amanda Ryther. She did her best friend's/another dear friend of mine's wedding and engagements, and for never having done photography before she did an amazing job. She might be who we go with. However, she's fairly inexperienced with photography...but how else is she going to get better, eh? I figure since I don't actually know what I'm doing, I'll take about 5 shots per pose and one of those will turn out great. especially with some editing. Amanda seems to have a similar philosophy, so perhaps a photo shoot with her will turn out how we want :)

Also, I would LOVE to get my nieces in there because I have ALWAYS wanted Bridals with my nieces, and I completely forgot to have pretty much any pictures with any of my nieces or even nephews. It is a tragedy. And now they've all outgrown their skirts from my wedding so I can't even do that retroactively or anything :( sigh.

And there's little chance our bridesmaids/groomsmen are going to think it'd be fun to get together for more pictures. Though perhaps my girls might be persuaded.

Alphebetized Family Names

This is what I do when I am insanely bored :)

NELSON:
Adielyn Alma Alyn Ammon Ann Annalee Annastasia Athena August August Becker Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Bowen Brin Brin Bryan Celeste Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Conrad Conrad Coulter Coulter Daniel Danny Druce Druce Edward Edward Edward Edward Elijah Elizabeth Ella Enoch Eve Gabriel Gideon Hancock Heather Hopkins Hopkins Indra JaAnna James James Jarom Jarom Jarrek Jayden Jaylen Jayna Jean Jean Jeffrey Jennifer Jersey Joanne Joel John John John Jonah Jostan Joy Joy Julia Kaleb Katherine Kay Kaycia Leah Leonard Levi Lisa Loralee Loris Lynn Malachi Mann Marcela Marie Matthew Melydi Meza Meza Meza Meza Michael Michael Michael Michele Michele Michelle Miriam Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Noel Noel O'Brian O'Neita Pace Raie Raul Richard Richard Richard Sarah Sarah Seth Spencer Sperry Teresa Tracy Victor Wallis

COULTER:
Alexandria Angelo Asher Brett Brett Brin Brittania Brooke Bryan Bryce Carol Carol Carol Carson Cindy Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Cox David David Dayton Dayton Dayton Gianelo Gianelo Gibbs Gus Jacob James James John Jospeh Krista Kyle Lee Lee Lee Michael Michael Michelle Miller Mindy Nathan Nathan Nelson Neubert Neubert Neubert Oleksandrivna Pauline Polina Reed Ryker Scott Shawn Shawn Skye Svitlana Taylor Trofimova Winslow Winslow

TOGETHER:
Adielyn Alexandria Alma Alyn Ammon Angelo Ann Annalee Annastasia Asher Athena August August Becker Benjamin Benjamin Benjamin Bowen Brett Brett Brin Brin Brittania Brooke Bryan Bryce Carol Carol Carol Carson Celeste Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Christensen Cindy Conrad Conrad Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Coulter Cox Daniel Danny David David Dayton Dayton Dayton Druce Druce Edward Edward Edward Edward Elijah Elizabeth Ella Enoch Eve Gabriel Gianelo Gianelo Gibbs Gideon Gus Hancock Heather Hopkins Hopkins Indra JaAnna Jacob James James James James Jarom Jarom Jarrek Jayden Jaylen Jayna Jean Jean Jeffrey Jennifer Jersey Joanne Joel John John John Jonah Joseph Jostan Joy Joy Julia Kaleb Katherine Kay Kaycia Krista Kyle Leah Lee Lee Lee Leonard Levi Lisa Loralee Loris Lynn Malachi Mann Marcela Marie Matthew Melydi Meza Meza Meza Meza Michael Michael Michael Michael Michael Michele Michele Michelle Miller Mindy Miriam Nathan Nathan Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Nelson Neubert Neubert Neubert Noel Noel O'Brian Oleksandrivna O'Neita Pace Pauline Polina Raie Raul Reed Richard Richard Richard Ryker Sarah Sarah Scott Seth Shawn Shawn Skye Spencer Sperry Svitlana Taylor Teresa Tracy Trofimova Victor Wallis Winslow Winslow

My Dog Silk

I've never been a dog person, and when it came to pets I never wanted to be like everyone else with pets who just went on and on about them and took a million completely boring pictures and raved about how adorable they are. It's not that I don't like pets: I simply didn't understand it, helped by the fact that I've never had a pet and my Dad is...less than supportive...of dogs especially. Then I met John, who grew up with dogs. He may not be the pet owner I just described with the million ridiculous pictures, but he is a big fan of having dogs, and successfully convinced me that we will have dogs for most if not all of the time our kids are growing up. John also still had a dog, who was really his Mom's since he went to college and a mission and everything.

Ambrosia is adorable and loving and funny and sweet. She grew on me fast. I had to stop myself from taking a million pictures. She is just so dang cute, and she's not even my dog! But in wanting to take pictures of her I realized why so many pet owners do take pictures, and why I find them boring. Like most things, pictures just do not do it justice, no matter how adorable what you're trying to capture may be. Professional photographers do get pretty dang close, though. :)

Anyway, since I had promised John that our kids will have dogs, we figured we'd go ahead and get us one now. The idea had grown on me, especially when I realized that dogs make perfect running buddies. They're a great motivator because you're not taking care of them if you don't take them out to run. And I'm not tempted to talk to them the whole time, thereby allowing actual running to take place. Running with friends has not been so successful with me :P

We found a little 3 or 4 year old shnauzer on ksl and picked her up Thursday night. We have completely fallen in love with her. We were a little worried about her from looking at the pictures online because she seemed a little too mellow and lacking in energy, and we wanted a dog who could run with me and play fetch with John, but now we have realized that she is perfect. The night we got her we also went to see another shnauzer, this one a male named "Barkley." The owner started by having the dog outside and inviting us in to sit down before she brought him in, because apparently he would freak out too much. Hmmm...not something we want to have to do with our guests. He came in, barked at us, sat on John's lap and got to know us a little, got off John's lap, then continued to bark at us. After seeing little Loulou be so peaceful and calm, we didn't think we'd be going for a dog who didn't know how to stop barking.

She was very shy at first, which is kind of expected, but she warmed up very quickly. We've only had her a few days but she's completely attached to us. She always wants to be held and to snuggle into our laps. Whenever I get up, no matter how asleep she seems to be she'll pop right up and follow me everywhere. She's sweet and loving and just perfect!

We renamed her Silk. We went through about 50 names the first night, and decided Silk was nice. John already ordered the $2 purple paw-print name tag, so its pretty much set in stone. :P

We had her with us when we did some last-minute babysitting for Ammon and Heather on Saturday, and she did fabulously with the kids, even when Seth and Lor's family came over. That's 11 kids, ages 3-13, plus a puppy. She didn't seem to get annoyed at all with all the over-attention and commotion. She was still a little shy and not completely used to even us, but overall I was very encouraged by her reaction. =D

She's already potty trained, which is fantastic. She has had a few accidents, which is pretty much expected in a transition, but they've been mostly poop which is much easier to clean up and deodorize. We have a very different schedule than her previous owner. 6:30am is just not doable. 

We're house-sitting for John's Mom this week. She and Ambrosia don't get along, but they don't fight so that's okay. Mostly Rosie pouts and mopes around and Silk interrupts whenever we try to give Rosie attention. It's pretty much hilarious, especially how scared the cat is of Silk. 

We love her :)

Decembacation

Our adventures in California for Christmas:
JBLove: Cow and Tiger: Decembacation

Family Update - February 2011

I will try to keep an update short and simple. If you want more information, check out our blog ( www.johnnyandbrindalynn.blogspot.com ) We will also be starting weekly updates again for those few who actually want to spend the time to read them :)

John and I moved to Draper the beginning of January. John's Dad has been renting out his house there since he got married and moved to Pleasant Grove about three years ago. He offered us free rent if we were willing to clean it up after recent tenants. It's been an...adventure...but the extra hour out of John's commute is fantastic.

John started his job at the church's tech department in Riverton the beginning of January as well. He loves it there. He was put on the Mormon.org project, but it's in a transitional phase right now so he hasn't had many things to do. He installed linux on his work computer so that has been keeping him busy :)

We are looking to buy a house :) With no kids, no debt, no school, great/excellent credit, a good job for John, and current free housing accommodations, we are in an ideal position to do so. Then add in the market right now and we would really be crazy not to buy. We are mostly looking in the south-western area of the Salt Lake Valley, partly to be semi-close to John's work, partly because we have been told that Saratoga Springs is likely to boom, and partly because we are finding unbelievable prices out there. We want to buy a little bigger than we really need -- but can still afford -- so that we can rent out the basement and still have

room to grow for many years. We've found lots of houses but we're still looking so there really isn't much big news until we have some things finalized. Since we're mostly looking at short sales, putting offers on houses (which we have done a handful of times) isn't as final as it would be otherwise.

Well, that's really our life right now unless you want the smaller activities and therefore deal with either John or I babbling on :P