So Cute

Cute dress, cute bow, big feet, and big, beautiful eyes.

Sprinkles & Snapshots - Your Choice

Getting ready for bath time. Wow I'm cute!

Sprinkles & Snapshots Photo Challenge - Spring

These were taken at Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake City. It's owned by the University of Utah, where I work, so I just stopped by on my way home today. The lighting isn't great, but now I have all Spring and Summer to practice outdoor photos.

Visualization and Goals

My post today is inspired by my sister's post on her blog yesterday. She wrote about visualization and using a journal. I loved the post and want to document how I've used visualization and journals. From 1998 to 2007, a friend and I got together at the beginning of every year to set our goals for the year. We'd assess how we did the year before and set new goals for the new year. We documented them in creative ways, either in a journal or on a poster board or construction paper with markers and stickers. I enjoyed the process.

I don't think visualization is magic (although I don't deny the possibility of magic), but I think it helps us as a reminder of what we want to accomplish, so we take steps to meet our goals. Often we take proactive steps, but sometimes we move in the right direction subconsciously. I have accomplished many of the things that I documented in those journals and on those vision boards. There's still lots more to do, so I'm excited for the adventure.

Sprinkles & Snapshots Photo Challenge - At Home

The place where I live is my home only because Kent and Emily are here. But it's not my house. I left my house in Bountiful and still miss it. It's a charming house in a charming neighborhood. No Wal-Marts, car dealerships, or freeway entrances too close. When I married Kent I moved into his house because it made sense - it's newer, larger, and has a two car garage (a very big deal to me now). But, I've not yet managed to make it my own, like my other house. So, I do little things here and there. This is by my bed in our bedroom. I have a Gratitude collage on the wall - I made it to remind me to count my blessings everyday. The cow I bought on our honeymoon, because I loved seeing and hearing all the cows that roam freely in Bavaria. The teddy bear Kent gave to me on our first Valentine's Day with Emily. The turtle he gave to me the day the results of the amnio came back and we learned that our baby was perfectly healthy. This is my home.

Today I tried to bake this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-stout-and-irish-cream-liqueur-cupcakes-recipe/index.html.
I don't bake, especially not from scratch, so this was an adventure. The motivation for this is "Cupcake Wars" on the Food Network, which I'm hooked on. I messed up the frosting twice (I've never made frosting before), so the final frosting you see here is grocery store vanilla with Bailey's Irish Cream whipped in.

Sprinkles & Snapshots Photo Challenge - Your Choice