Rice Family with baby McKay

Had a lot of fun with Josha, Natalie, and sweet baby McKay. First time doing a family shoot - I think we got some good pictures and I definitely learned a lot! I can tell I need to work on concentrating my focus where I want it to be.


Loved this one - he's sticking his tongue out after spitting up all over Natalie





This baby had so many great expressions!

If anyone is interested in a free photo shoot - let me know! I'd love the practice. You can comment here or email me.

sneak peek of the Rice Family!

I was lucky enough to get to photograph an extremely photogenic family today - here is a sneak peek until I get around to organizing the rest!

Pirate Night!

We had been talking about doing a Pirate night for ages with our friends Suzie, Brian, Kristi, and Scott. Well, we finally did it a few weeks ago- complete with a Pirate movie (the inspiration for the night), pirate food (crackers, anyone?), an excessive amount of "aaaargh" usage, eye patches, stripes, and other pirate booty! Anyway, I just had to post these pictures of Suzie and Brian's cute little boy. I am seriously regretting not getting pictures of everyone.

He has the most pinchable cheeks!! He made the best pirate of all of us, that's for sure.

ridiculously easy mini "German pancakes"

Made something yummy for breakfast today and I thought I'd share! It is SO easy... and delicious!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425. Prepare a muffin tin with Pam. Whip the eggs and the milk together and then stir in the flour and salt until just mixed (batter should be lumpy). Pour in the muffin tin and cook for 15-20 minutes. Voila!

For toppings we just used maple syrup and powdered sugar.

Utah in the Winter

I guess the title of this post isn't exactly accurate... did you know that Winter doesn't officially start until December 21st?! Yikes.

So, after church on Sunday, Brian and I went up Provo Canyon to take some pictures of the snow. It was beautiful up there!

#19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

Anywhere - that's a lot of options!

I'm going to have to say... close to my family. Sadly, I don't see that in the cards for us as we are growing up and going different ways with our lives. My older brother and his wife are currently in New Jersey and are going to be relocating to Oklahoma soon. My parents and little sister (and nephew) live in New Mexico. Brian and I are in Utah, but who knows where we'll end up (dental school, possible military scholarship years, dental practice, etc). Why can't we all just live in the same place?! I vote that everyone moves to where Brian and I end up in exchange for free dental care. Eh? Eh? What say ye?

If I had to choose a place in the USA, it would probably be North Carolina. I only spent a week there, but apparently it left a great impression. Green, green, and more green! Lots of water, but mountains too! Plus, the people seemed pretty friendly.

Outside of the country... I'm thinking it would be awesome to live in Australia or New Zealand... or Hawaii.

#17 What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

I'll get through all of these getting to know yourself questions one day! On to number 17!

I can't pick just one! So...talents I wish I was great at:

I wish I was really proficient at an instrument. I play the piano ok... but I wish I was really really good at it. Or the cello. Or the guitar. Or the drums!

Running. I make myself do it but I don't feel like I'm good at it. I just do it (thank you, Nike).

A sport. Again, I play a lot of sports ok, but I'm not excellent at any of them. Maybe I should've stuck with just one instead of bouncing around to a bunch of different ones and getting good at them, but not excellent (soccer, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, diving, archery (yes, archery)). I think if I were to do it all over again I'd do dance. I feel especially sad that I never learned how to dance when I watch So You Think You Can Dance. Best show ever.

Photography - A new talent I hope to develop.

Singing. Then all of Brian's dreams would come true because I would sing with him. Ok, maybe not all his dreams - but one of them.

Patience.

But, other than talents, the thing I wish I was most great at is having a good perspective of the world and people. I wish I could really see where others are coming from and accept them and help them in whatever circumstance they are in. I wish I could not make mountains out of mole hills. I wish I could have the ability to see purpose behind trials and problems and learn from them rather than letting them bring me down (like the fact that there is still no baby for us). Really, I guess it comes down to having a good attitude and seeking the best in people, in myself, and any given circumstance.

image from http://prayercomforter.com/blog/2012/10/mountains-vs-molehills/

And a little perspective for those times I truly have a bad attitude... First world problems.





and another dental school!!

Found out yesterday that Brian also got into Roseman Dental School here in Utah! We're still waiting to hear about Loma Linda (Southern California) and Iowa. Roseman could be a good fit - I could keep my job, we wouldn't have to move very far, etc etc. Arizona would be a good fit too though because it is close to Brian's family. They are both excellent schools. Choices choices... I'm just glad we have some! I remember back when we were thinking we were crazy for wanting to apply a year earlier than planned. It was a crazy year of cramming in too many classes in too little time, studying for the DAT without having taken all the classes, and doing the insane application process... but it is all going to be worth it! Yay!

photo from http://rosemanu.wordpress.com/category/college-of-dental-medicine/

chocolate chocolate chip peppermint cookies

(a combination and tweaking of some favorite cookie recipes... + candy canes!)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup softened butter (NOT melted)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 package chocolate pudding mix (small box - 3.9 oz)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs baking soda
2 1/2 - 3 cups flour (I used 3)
chocolate chips
candy canes (crushed to very small pieces)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Beat together butter, shortening, and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla extract and again beat until light and fluffy.
Mix in pudding mix, salt, and baking soda until well combined.
Add flour 1/2 cup - 1 cup at a time until reached desired consistency. I like my cookies thick and chewy, so I make my batter very thick - hardly sticky at all.

Mix in a generous amount of chocolate chips (I used an entire standard bag).
I made my cookies into about 1.5 inch balls (but you can do bigger or smaller).
Place on cookie sheet.
Moisten the tops of the cookies with a little bit of water so the candy will stick (I used a spray bottle) and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. My candy canes were basically a candy cane powder with a few larger chunks mixed in. No need to press candy into the cookie - it sticks really well and melts onto the cookie during baking.
Put in oven for 9-12 minutes depending on your oven. Mine were perfect at 10 minutes 30 seconds :).

Enjoy!!

 

guess who got into dental school...?

Brian! 

We got an unofficial official call this morning from Midwestern University in AZ and they told him they had an "offer" for him and that he could see it online on Monday (they aren't supposed to be officially accepting people until the 3rd). 

So exciting! It is his top pick (I think - he changes his mind a lot). I think it's a great school... it's just so dang hot out there close to Phoenix. I'd melt. We will probably find out about other schools on Monday! So proud of my geek ;). 

First day of pre-dental classes so long ago - he was pretty enthusiastic about those chemistry goggles (if you can't tell!)