Okay so....Day 5

I admit. I'm terrible. But just like everyone else I have an excuse. Not a great one, but nevertheless an excuse. I've just been SO busy. It's not something I can complain about, but as far as posting everyday like I've meant to....well, let's just say things got in the way. In any case....here is my Day #5 image. I love the colors during this season....they are just so rich.

Day 2...December Photo Challenge

It always seems like this time of year I'm fascinated by the leaves. I'm fascinated by their brilliance and color, by their persistence in holding on until they can't hold on to their branches any longer, but more than anything I'm fascinated by the fact that they just seem to I know what to do year after year. They live, and then they die, just to turn around and live again. To me they represent so much of what this season is all about.... I'm going to stop there before I start getting too philosophical. But it's really something to think about. Amazing really. Here is Day #2.

Tyson's Sneak Peak...

I've been keeping secrets. Not because I don't feel like we're close enough for me to let you in on them. It's just that I've been waiting for the right amount of clarity to be able to articulate what it is that I'm on the verge of doing. But I think I've FINALLY figured it out and I am so incredibly excited. However....I'm not quite ready to give them all away....yet. That, my friends will have to come in the next couple of weeks. I've given you a clue though in these next set of images.

This strapping young man is Tyson. I met Tyson a few years ago when we were both working for a church youth camp. Our first adventure together took us on a 13 hour drive in a 15 passenger van to Eager, Arizona. I was the only girl. It was such a great time! Tyson is about to start his own company doing consulting for businesses and needed some pictures for his website. Here are a few of my favorites!

December Photography Challenge...

So this week I enlisted in a little photography challenge that I'm SO incredibly excited about. Basically you capture the holiday season through your camera. http://www.tredways.org/2008/11/25/december-photo-project-2008/ I've gotten a little bit of a late start, but didn't want to wait until tomorrow to make my first post. So I was sitting in my living room contemplating what I was going to take pictures of. As I was staring into the warm glow of the Christmas tree, I was reminded how much I love white christmas lights. I heart them with all of my soul. If I could hang white christmas lights up all year round I would. I would stream them across my bedroom ceiling and sleep under a canopy of warm glowiness. That was it! I whipped out my camera and started taking pictures. I got a little crazy...I'm sure my roommates think I'm so weird.

Over the next few weeks I'd love to see some of the photos you take that capture the season as you see it. Feel free to post your links with mine. This is Day 2, so you'd better get snapping!

Chelsea and Steven's Sneak Peak...

There is just something romantic about black and whites. I'm not sure what it is. I don't know how they do it, but they just tend to capture emotion so well. I wonder why that is...ponderous.

This past week I shot a wedding...let me re-phrase lest anyone think I'm out to destroy anyone else's chance at marital bliss. I "provided photographic services" at Chelsea and Steven's reception. I've never covered a reception at the Provo Library before, but I have to say that I was very impressed. The lighting was low (which always presents its own set of challenges), but it was very warm, even lighting. Just things I notice I guess. The reception was beautiful, and a lot of fun. Here are a couple of my favorites from the evening...

Richan Family Sneak Peak...

It was one of those moments when I just felt...well, old. I think I may have mentioned this before, so if I have please forgive me. My life right now is like unto Alice in Wonderland's time warp. You know the story... Alice follows the white rabbit into some sort of other dimension and loses track of time completely? Yup, that's me. My life, as much as I'd like it to be, isn't the reality part of that story. I'm pretty sure it's more like the time warp. Let me explain. I surround myself with other people just like me....single. It's a lot like college, only different...I have more money, and that's about it. Being single, we notice that our growth is measured more in accomplishments than height. I think it's an adult thing to tell you the truth. And other than the occasional threatening wrinkle, time seems to stand still. That is, until I have moments like this one when I step outside of my world and compare the years gone by to those who are still growing...

It's that way when I see my nieces and nephews, and it's certainly that way when I get around kids I used to teach. I taught Cami for two years. She was in my fifth-grade and sixth grade class and is just an awesome kid. I say kid, but lets be honest...she has me beat by about 5 inches in height and is such a babe! I seriously can't even believe it. It's moments like this that instill in me more urgency. It's a good thing I think. Urgency to become a better person, urgency to do the things I've been threatening to do for years but haven't found the time, and urgency to take necessary risks. Thank goodness for the little people that get big. They help us to remember that time marches on.

Little Ammon....

Lately I've been thinking a lot about families. Maybe it's the fact that mine lives so far away, plus the holidays, etc. etc. etc. That, and I think becoming another year older and still single, I think a lot about my own family (in theory) quite a bit. I think about the kinds of traditions I want to have, how I want to raise my children, what I want to do differently than my own parents, and what I want to do the same. I've loved being priveleged to interact with so many amazing families, and I continue to learn and observe so much.

The Little family is one of the great examples of an amazing family to me. I absolutely LOVE being around them. They are the kind of family that really enjoys each other's company and you can tell that they would just as easily hang out with each other on a Friday night as they would anyone else. And oh my gosh! SO much fun to be around.

Julie and I had a good time taking pictures of little Ammon. I've known Julie for a number of years and it's really neat to watch her grow into being a mom. Her sister Kim, who was visiting town stopped by and we snagged a couple shots of her little cutie as well. Here are a few of my favorites.