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Free in Utah County June 30, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Family, Utah , 1 comment so far

Just the other day I was complaining how there wasn’t anything free to do in Utah County.  Kansas has so many fun things for the family that were free.  (Remember the Botanical Gardens and Deanna Rose Farmstead?)

Well, l will complain no more!  I discovered there are FREE concerts in the American Fork Amphitheater (which is basically across the street from our house . . . check out this shoot I did there) every Monday night.

We took Hannah to listen to the Utah Premiere Brass last week.  Of course, David went sans shoes, and Hannah joined in as soon as she realized bare-footing-it-at-the-concert was OK.

Then, while at a mom group last week, I found out about “Splash Park” which is also right down the street from me and it is also FREE.  Yes, I really like free.

The kids loved it too, and we have been almost every day since I heard about it.

(All images compliments of the iphone.)

Free is great.

Edible Baby June 29, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Little Man Dallin, Parenthood, Thoughts , 2comments

This kid smells like strawberries and bananas (thanks to the all the yogurt he consumes) and has the softest skin known to man.

YUM.  HE IS EDIBLE.

He is also one very sassy almost-two-year-old.

My favorite phrases:

  • “I’ll hold you mommy? “
  • “Go away!”
  • “I don’t want it!”
  • “Mommy!  I need you!”
  • “I want it!”
  • “Just one more minute?”
  • “Just one second!”
  • “GUMBS?”  (Gum)

He loves his small cars, trains, and trucks more than anything in the world.

He always has a car in his hand, and sometimes he even sleeps with them.

Such a lover.   Such a cutie.

My New Photography Blog June 28, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Photography , add a comment

I’ve sort of had a blog identity crisis for a while now.  Four years ago, I started blogging to journal my crazy experiences living on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.  Everything I wrote about was personal, and I had no idea what an SLR was at the time.  Most of my days are just spent following my nose, and as I have done so, I have discovered a love for photography and I find myself wanting to post all my photography shoots and fun tutorials along the way.  This has been interesting to some, but my base reader-ship has stemmed from my musings, not my photography.  I have found myself conflicted about what to post, what not to post, and trying to keep my blog balanced between my thoughts and my photography projects.

To solve this problem I have started a NEW blog.  It will be my photography blog.  If you are interested in following my photography blog, you can find it here at http://www.emilylesher.com/photoblog/.

What you will find on my photography blog:

  • Double the picture size
  • Current shoots
  • Tutorials
  • Tip and Tricks,
  • My professional projects

This blog will remain my “musings” blog where I will post about my family, thoughts, and whatever else pops into my head.

I’m still working out some final details on my blogs, and my website, but to make it easier for you to find me, you can go to www.emilylesher.com and you will be linked up with my website, my photography blog, my musings blog, and my photography facebook page.

I’m sporting a new logo and music, so check it out!  Look for a fun giveaway at the end of the week!

Transporting Cars To Saba June 28, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Photography, Saba , 4comments

I ran across a page on facebook which displayed old images from Saba.  These pictures were taken 50 years ago (sadly, I don’t know who photographed them) before the road was completely built on the island.  Cars are still transported this way today.  Well, I don’t know if the locals have to jump in the ocean to pull the boat on canoes, but you get the idea.  After a car arrives on Saba, it never leaves. (Unless of course, you imported the only Mini Cooper the island has ever seen, then you do ship it off the island after your 20 month stay.)  Cars come to Saba to be driven until duct tape can no longer keep it together.

These are great images.  Wish I could give the right person credit for them.  Saba hasn’t changed much in 50 years, the island (and the people) look exactly the same, except I remember it in vivid color.  :)

Published! June 25, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Family, Photography , 9comments

My first set of postcards were sent out this week to the LDS book store in Palmyara, NY.  Wish me luck that they sell LOTS and LOTS of them!

Also, I photographed and designed my niece’s wedding announcement which was printed this week.

It turned out so cute.  Who knew I’d like this digital stuff so much?

Photo Shoot Winner! June 24, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Photography , 1 comment so far

Over on Kristina’s blog, I gave away a photo shoot to support her “Snuggies for Seniors” campaign.

This was the winner:

Thanks to Kristina, hundreds of seniors in the Salt Lake Area are sporting the snuggie.

Way to make a difference one snuggie at a time Kristina!

In My Parent’s Back Yard (so to speak) June 23, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Photography, Utah , 3comments

Remember the coincidental shoot I had down the street from my parents’ house?  For months now, I’ve been meaning to photograph the Provo Temple from a vacant lot behind my parents’ house.  The other night, I found myself sans kids, with all my photo gear, with about 30 minutes to spare waiting for the right light.

This is the view from vacant lot which is next to my best friend’s old house (Tricia, whose family has since moved and started an Alpaca farm).

I have to admit, the foothills and Cascade Mountain are quite majestic and pretty in the summer when all the snow has melted.

My friends and I used to sled down the hill into an empty field where this business park is now.  While I was taking a walk down memory lane, I drove four houses down the street to my other best friend’s house, Katie, to see the massive renovation her parents had done to their house.

Oh my.  This was my second home growing up.  Holy cow, it looks so different now!  It used to be a white colonial style house (which was beautiful) with a huge front porch, and now it’s a Southwest style home!  I can’t wait to see the inside next month when Katie comes to visit . . . It’s beautiful now too, but my memories are all that remain!

A Very Random Account of Recent Events . . . June 22, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Daily Life, Family, Little Man Dallin, My Handsome Husband, Parenthood, Princess Hannah, Utah , 4comments

My mother-in-law celebrated her 70th birthday a couple weeks ago.  Her three sisters (who all happen to live right here in the area) came by for a visit, so I took the opportunity to photograph them all together.  Good lookin’ group eh?

We celebrated Gloria’s big 7-0 at the Harmon Ranch (David’s sister and brother-in-law’s ranch up in South Fork Canyon) with family.

Hannah and Dallin particularly liked the goats, and Dallin accepted the challenge to head butt one of the goats.  Fortunately, David has cat-like reflexes and swooped in just in time to save Dallin’s cute little forehead from some mean goat horns.

Dallin loves to run.  He is either sleeping or running.  In fact, the most common question out of his mouth is, “I run around?”

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Hannah asked the primary president at church when she could give a talk in primary.  In Hannah’s words, she told the lady, “I’m DYING to give a talk.  When is it my turn?!”  Taken back by her request, (most kids do not volunteer to speak in primary,  especially not three-year-olds) she gave Hannah a speaking assignment right away.

Of course, Hannah took her “talk” very seriously, and practiced her talk diligently throughout the week.  This image is truly a snap shot . . . she set up the step and microphone (which is really a drum stick) to the “podium” to make her practice as real as possible.

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I snapped this picture on the iPhone.  My dad wheeled the kids around his backyard in this cart, and they loved it.  Seriously, who said Dallin could get so big?  He is my baby and must remain that way FOREVER!  Look at him!  He’s a little boy in this picture!

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We took the kids to the carnival in Eagle Mountain and David got into the carnival spirit.  There was a $20 bill at the top of this climb, so he gave it a try.  He was a little rusty on his climbing skills, and did not have chalk or his climbing shoes, but gave it his best shot anyway.  He rang the bell at the top but did not grab the $20 bill in time before he slipped.  Such a bummer.  The kids were even chanting, “GO DAD!” sending good vibes his way.

I know it’s completely not obvious in this picture, but Dallin is LOVING this ride.  He has mastered the “stoic” look quite well, even though he is bursting inside.

OK, now you can see he had a good time.  :)

Hannah asked to go on the Gravitron, which is like a crazy closet that spins you around until your feet come off the ground and you don’t know which way is up or down.  After you pee your pants and projectile vomit on all the passengers within 10 feet of you, the ride finally stops and you realize you’ve just ruined your entire night with motion sickness that will take HOURS to wear off.

Yes.  That is the ride Hannah wanted to go on.  I was secretly hoping she wouldn’t make the height requirement, but dang it, that girl is tall.  To my surprise, David and Hannah walked out all smiles.  In the moment she walked out of that vomit comet all happy and such, I was all, “Are you sure you belong to me?”

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Hannah and I met up with my friend Katie and her daughter to see our friend Bethany star in the play “Funny Girl.”  Hannah thinks Bethany is the star of every play now.  :)  Bethany was fabulous and is moving to Los Angeles next week where I’m sure she will shoot to super stardom overnight.

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This last weekend, we took the kids to the Strawberry Days Parade.  Hannah loved every second of it, and scored enough candy to rival her Halloween stash.  Dallin wasn’t as impressed with it.  He only cared for the horses and balloons.  For everything else, he just buried his  head into my shoulder wishing it would all just disappear.

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And finally, the kids are now just shedding some nasty viruses they’ve had for a while.  YUCK.  Who has time to get sick in the summer?  Dallin managed to pick up croup (lucky him!) and landed in the ER last weekend.  Lucky us right?

Traveling Studio . . . Coming to a Home Near You . . . June 21, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Photography, Thoughts, Utah , 2comments

Hello.  I’m back.

Again. :)

The light posting is due to the lack of hours in the day.  Remind me why there are only 24 hours in a day? And why do I need sleep?

I photographed this fun family over the weekend.  They live in California, but were in Utah for 24 hours this weekend and wanted me to take some family pics during their short stay.  The location where I photographed them (the house where they were staying) was actually just down the street from my parent’s house.  Odd?  Yes.  I typed in the address into the GPS on the iPhone and as I was basically driving to my parents’ house (following the map) I was like, are these guys my parents’ neighbors?  Turns out, the live close to my parents, but not in the same neighborhood.

I set up this shoot in the front room of their house.  I draped a black sheet over the fireplace mantle, and we moved a few chairs around to make more room so I could set up some lights.  Voila!  I have a traveling studio!

Since this shoot was later in the day, I finished up about an hour before sunset.  There is an empty lot near my parents’ house that overlooks the valley and the Provo temple that I have been meaning to photograph at night.  After this shoot I was in the right place at the right time with the right gear.  Check out what I shot just after sunset later this week . . .  :)

You Are As Old As You Are Flexible (Help Me!) June 16, 2010

Posted by Emily in : Exercise, My Handsome Husband, Thoughts , 6comments

Hello.  I’m back.

I’m not even sure where to begin, (a lot has happened in the last week!) so I’ll just start with today.  Today is Wednesday, AKA “Ballet Day” to my little one.  Hannah would take ballet everyday if she could, but at this point (husband fresh out of medical school) I’m afraid paying for daily classes would break the bank.  This summer, the ballet school advanced Hannah one level, so now she has a new group of girls to dance with who are a year older and little taller than she is.  Soon, she will refer to these new girls as her “friends” because they dance and wear pink, but as of today, she couldn’t even remember her new teacher’s name.

Every time I walk into the dance school,  I am keenly aware that  I am one of the largest people in the building.  Yes, I know, 90% of the people surrounding me are 18 and under and have 0% body fat (part of the ballet territory) but it is still a fact and it does NOT make me feel awesome.

In fact, after both of the kids went down for their naps, David and I pulled out our favorite pilates 20 minute workout and worked out our way under-worked abs.  During the DVD, Mari Windsor (of Windsor Pilates) told us to stretch our legs up in the air (while flat on our backs) straight as an arrow.

Yeah.  Right.  David and I both demonstrated what a “broken arrow” should look like. Then, in this very non-flexible moment for me, a conversation from ballet last week popped into my head.  An older dancer (and I mean post 70 years old) said, “You are only as old as you are flexible.”

Oh my.  I think my flexibility (lack thereof really) is going to kill me.

I’m working on losing the extra baby weight that I never lost with Hannah and my flexibility because it is the right thing to do.  I hate not fitting into my clothes.  I hate feeling self conscious.  I hate feeling frumpy.  And I really hate carrying around this extra weight for no reason.  I always try to remember this statement,  ”Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels” but seriously, these red vines I ate while writing this post tasted SO GOOD.