Ecstatic Yuletide!

Merry Christmas! 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

This is our baby in his Christmas sweater. Yes, it's true, we have become those people. He hates it. This face is saying to me, "Mama, why on the blessed earth would you force me to wear this indecent ensemble? It's just degrading." 

"But puppy, you look so cute in your sweater. So cute it hurts! And at least we didn't get the argyle one that Daddy wanted. Let me take your picture in front of the tree."

Bandit would like to ask that no one comment on his nose and the shininess you see there. He didn't have a chance to powder it today and he's a little sensitive about it. Safe topics for commenting: the sparkle in his eyes, the lovely reddish color of his winter coat (he grew it himself) and the way his sweater brings out the black in his eyes. 

Also up for discussion is the "scientist's" version of the Night Before Christmas. Check it out here. I'm pretty sure my sister and I are the only ones who think it's funny. 

I particularly like this line: The prepubescent siblings, comfortably ensconced in their respective accommodations of repose...

And this one: Ecstatic Yuletide to the planetary constituency, and to the selfsame assemblage, my sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable period between sunset and dawn.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Britt

Merry Christmas 2010!

Happy Halloween!

Ok, so maybe I'm a couple days late, but here is a Halloween video for your particular enjoyment. Welcome to November!

P.S. You should probably make it full screen because it's incredibly delightful. :)

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

We are aware that we're weird

I slept for nine hours last night. I woke up at noon. No, I am not sick. Just exhausted. Being a senior in college is not for the faint of heart. B and I slept on the couch cause we were too tired to get our sheets out of the dryer and put them back on the bed. And when you sleep on a feather bed without sheets, the feathers stick out and poke you in the night. It's true. I've woken up with an odd assortment of scratches to prove it.

Did you all have a fabulous Halloween? I know I did. Pictures of that to come soon. A little scary story for you. A few weeks ago Brade and I were perusing the Halloween aisle at a local Wallgreens when I came across a mask that looked something like this:

A devious plot began to form in my head.

So I donned this oh-so-scary mask and creeped around the corner towards my husband who was carefully contemplating a row of Halloween sweets. I got down really close to his ear and did my very best Darth Vader death rattle impression.

It took him a couple seconds to notice, but then he turned his head and let out a shriek. Truly, he was terrified. He may have nightmares for several weeks. Ah, sweet victory.

For those of you that are feeling sorry for him at this moment, you should know that he scares me at least ten times a week. Ok, so maybe it's more that I scare myself when I step on one of Bandit's squeaky toys on my way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but hey, he was there!

So, don't feel too sorry for him.

Since it's now November and Christmas is on the brain-- officially-- I thought I would share with you a favorite holiday tradition Braden, Berlyn and I share. We loooove to go to Hobby Lobby and find the ugliest ornaments there. They really do have some truly horrendous ones. :)

The fuzzy pink poodle in the cup was a particular favorite of mine. :)

Berlyn liked the hippo wearing a boa.

Ok, so maybe this is not the most normal holiday tradition, but we sure get a huge kick out of it. And yes, we are aware that this tradition is weird. And that that we're weird. We know.

Speaking of weird, here's a lil' video of Berlyn and cousin Kate bowling. The grace. The athleticism. Have a happy week!

Britt

My Favorite face

This week at Love that Shot, the challenge is "your favorite faces." I was married just a little over a year ago and we don't have any kids yet, so this face is my whole world. He is my best friend and we constantly act like we're five. :)

I took this picture a few weeks ago when we were goofing around with markers. I love the catchlights in his eyes. It makes them sparkle. Right after this he fell asleep and I wrote a love note on his arm. :)

This was processed in Photoshop CS4 using Pioneer Woman's B&W Beauty and a little bit of selenium added from Totally Rad Actions.

Head on over to Love that Shot to check out all the other great entries. Have a happy week!

Britt

Dream Drive

It has always been a dream near and dear to my hubby lubby's heart to drive a Ferrari. He loves cars, and pretty much anything that goes Vrrrrrroooooom! He's such a boy.

Since I am the gift-giving-goddess of the world, I uncovered this little place in Colorado for him to fulfill this lifelong wish. I am such a good wife. Luckily for us, husbandman has an awesome auntie living in very close proximity to our destination, so we had a fun time staying with her and her fam for the weekend.

So we drove for hours to Colorado Springs to... drive for hours through the mountains near Denver and then... drove for hours to get home. It was a lo-hot of driving. Oh my dang! We did have a great time together though and the scenery was spectacular. Plus Brade has a humongo smile on his face the whole time which made the whole trip completely worth it.

Check out the vid I made of our Dream Drive. It's pretty shaky because, well, I was in a car most of the time. We got to drive a Ferrari, Corvette and this bizarre creation called the Ariel Atom. That's the one that looks like a go-kart and looks completely unsafe and totally not street-legal. It is. You just have to wear helmets to avoid getting bugs and rocks and other cars in your teeth. It was my personal favorite. It was like an amusement park ride. Check it out!

In Love With Light

As a photographer, I am always looking for that perfect moment with the perfect light that makes a photograph extraordinary. Today I am sharing a photo I took recently in response to a challenge on Love That Shot: to make a photograph extraordinary using light.

I took this shot in a field simply because the sun was setting and at such a great angle. I placed my subject between me and the sun and got down on the ground (literally lying on the ground, in the mud I might add) and tilted my camera just a little until I could see the rays of light peeking around her head. One thing that is important to remember when shooting a silhouette like this one is to meter for the sky (shoot in manual if you can so you can control this) and not the subject. Never use a flash for this kind of shot because it won't work for a silhouette.

Let me know what you think of this one. Do you love the sun flare as much as I do?

Britt

I Heart Faces Photojournalism Challenge

The I Heart Faces photo challenge this week is photojournalism. The definition of Photojournalism for the sake of this challenge is: Using an image (or images) to tell a story.

These are photos from my grandfather's recent funeral. He was in the Navy for a number of years, and so he was honored with a 21 gun salute. It was a cool experience. So here is my entry for this week (if you click on the picture you can see it full size).

REMEMBERING GRANDPA...

Hope you have a great week!

Britt

Magic Surrounds Me...

Hello friends.

I actually don't know if anyone actually ever reads this blog, but if you do, I consider you a friend (unless you're a weird, creepy internet-stalker type, but even then I'm sure we could share a few laughs).

So... I am not sure if any of you are aware of this, but I have been struggling a lot for the past couple of years-- with a big, heaping platter of things. In fact, it has just been very recently that I feel I have reduced that platter to a manageable-sized dinner plate. I'm not trying to throw a pity party. I'm just trying to explain "the change" I have gone through recently (oh my dang I just read that and it sounds like I had plastic surgery or something. No that's not it!). I just had a truckload of icky dumped on me and I'm to the point where I finally have most of it off and I can begin rebuilding.

I had no idea what a toll these trial-ridden years had taken on me until now. I feel like they changed so much of who I am and how I have been living my life. I have lost a little and gained a little too. I am stronger and tougher, but with that toughness has come a little bit of pessimism that wasn't there before. I've cried enough tears to fill an ocean it seems and in that pain, a little part of me died, or at least because incredibly ill and possibly bed-ridden.

Well now I'm sitting here enjoying the first rays of morning peeking through my window and I'm taking a huge optimistic breath. I am going after that little part of myself that I lost. I am bringing me back. I'm going to enjoy life again and every precious moment that it brings my way. Even though it's Monday and we usually don't get along very well, I don't mind. :) I am going to take the bad with the good and make it into something extraordinary. It's not always going to be perfect. More like perfectly imperfect. To quote one of my favorite songs from the TV series One Tree Hill, "... and if I cry a little, die a little, at least I know I lived..." I am going to enjoy the magic all around me. I am going to be inspired. And I am going to live.

In keeping with my new, fresh and blindingly radiant outlook on life, I am going to turn this Monday into a "day of inspiration." So this is what is inspiring me today:

I am obsessed with Harry Potter. I love it way more than I believe is acceptable for a grown adult to love a children's series. I cried when the first book came out because I was twelve and already too old to be accepted into Hogwarts.

Magic surrounds me...

Yes, I actually do have this note on my light switch. Even if I can't magically make my wand glow, I think Muggle inventions like light bulbs are pretty awesome.

My brother took this photo yesterday in downtown Salt Lake. City Hall is the source of this Monday's day of inspiration because I think it looks just like Hogwarts.

See? This is the one in Orlando. Brade and I saw it being built on our honeymoon and have vowed to return. Learn all about it here. But don't blame me if it makes you really, really excited. It is my heart's dearest desire to live there for at least seven years and complete my magical education. I wonder if Universal Studios has an openings for deranged fans...

Harry Potter inspires me to believe in the magic that surrounds me and to see the world in all its wonder. Enjoy the precious gift life brings. Have a happy week!

Britt

Kenneth Leon Prince

These past couple of weeks have been hard ones for our family. My grandfather had an accidental fall down the stairs. As a result, he experienced brain swelling that led to a coma. He passed away last Wednesday morning.

The family has spent many hours these past couple of weeks by his bedside. I don't think Grandpa would have wanted it any other way. It has been such a comfort to me to see everyone and have them share in our grief. It helps me feel so much better knowing that I have a family that knows how to pull together after a tragedy.

I never had the relationship with Grandpa that I would have liked, but I loved him and I will miss him dearly.

Grandma and Grandpa had a terrific marriage and they will always be an inspiration to me in my own.

His funeral will take place tomorrow. We love you, Grandpa!

You can read his obituary here.

Britt

Baby Brother B-Day

Today is Preston's 17th birthday!

I can't believe my baby brother is getting so old. He is such a great guy. He is so sweet and so easy to get along with. He and I have been a very cool relationship. We have worked together doing the DJ thing (he is an excellent roadie) and now we are starting our photography business together. He is an awesome brother and I hope he has a wonderful day!

P.S. You're 17 now, Pert. Maybe it's time to get your driver's license! ;)

Fathers

I have some pretty awesome men in my life.

This Father's Day I have been reflecting on what each of them mean to me and the role they play in my life. I just wanted to take a minute to share my favorite things about each of them.

Dwight (aka "The White Prince"): My dad. Growing up, he has always represented to me the word strength. I was fully confident as a little girl that my dad could take anyone. He had tanned arms and big muscles and he could handle anything. As an adult, I have gained a better appreciation of some of the struggles he has dealt with throughout his life. Even today, my dad is still, to me, strong as an ox. Even though we rarely see eye-to-eye, my dad represents a lot of what it means to be a man and a father.

My favorite things about him: His charitable nature. He loves to give to others. I also love his sense of adventure. He loves to explore the world. He always finds the most obscure and random things for us to do, but they always turn out to be the most fun (even the snow geese festival and the bizarre spring awakening thing).

Scottie: My father-in-law. This guy is simply bizarre. He marches to the beat of his own drum. I have loved getting to know him better over the past year of being married to his son. He is so kind and even-tempered. He holds a very special place in my heart. He is an integral part of our family dynamic. He keeps us all light-hearted. I look forward to future years of developing our relationship even more.

My favorite things about him: His morning hair. It is still a mystery to us all how it ends up looking like someone took a leaf blower to his head. He barely moves in his sleep. I also love his jokes. I can't even describe how ridiculous and endless his jokes are. They make me roll my eyes, but secretly I think they are completely hilarious! My favorite ones are the ones that totally offend the Relief Society Ladies. :)

Braden: My hubby lubby. My best friend. My teammate. This guy is definitely the best man in my life. He's not a dad yet (unless you count Bandit), but I know someday he will be a great one. He certainly does a great job taking care of me.

My favorite things about him: If I listed them all, this would be the longest list in the history of the world. I'll just stick to a few things. He treats me like a queen. He does laundry and gives up his sleep to stay up with me to finish a homework assignment. He drives me all the way up to the U's campus just so we can spend a few more minutes of our day together. We have more fun than should be legal. We are experts at playing together. We've been doing it since we were kids. I can't wait for the rest of forever because I know it will be great with him by my side!

Here's to all the dads in my life! I love you guys! Happy Father's Day!

Britt

We Call Him the Stealer of Sleep

This fluffy little guy thinks it's appropriate to wake the humans at 7 am every day to go outside. "What, Mom? You didn't get to bed until 2 am because of your ridiculous lifestyle? I would say I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm a dog."

We love you anyway, Bandit. Except a lot less at 7 am.

B&B

My Birthday Surprise

Fo my birthday, my adorable (COMPLETELY ADORABLE!) husband kidnapped me from class and took me (blindfolded) to the Anniversary Inn for a little mini vacation. I was so excited that I swear rainbows and singing birds came flying out of my fingertips!

We stayed in a room called the Sultan's Palace:

Later we decided that our primary mission in life right now is to become connoisseurs of sushi. We found this great place called Rice Fusion and Sushi Bar.

photo by me (camera phone)

Yum yum yum! The sushi was amazing!

photo by me (camera phone)

Then we got back to the hotel and I asked Brade if they had wireless internet. It was down. This was unfortunate news because I had a midterm paper due the next day. Ug.

Homework should be outlawed.

Maybe I'll tell my teacher my dog ate my homework next time. He does eat our mail.

5 Reasons I Don't Want to Write My Midterm Paper:

1. It's stupid.

2. It's my birthday.

3. The hotel internet is down.

4. I don't want to.

5. There's cheesecake in the fridge.

Love you all! Thanks for the birthday wishes.

Britt

In Memory...

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all of our troops who put their lives on the line every day so we can live in a free country. Because freedom isn't free.

photo by me

A Big "Green" Birthday Mashup

Yesterday the Davis/Olsen/Humphrey families got together for a birthday celebration honoring Me/Grandma Olsen/Kyle. We had lots of good food and fun.

photo by me

We opened presents...

photo by me

Kyle got a ridiculous card from Braden and me. We decided to "go green" and use a leftover Halloween card instead of buying a new birthday one. At least I drew a candle and a bow on the pumpkin. This may now become a family tradition.

photo by me

photo by me

In keeping with the "green" theme, Mom and Dad "D" got me some tomato plants...

photo by me

... to put in this! I'm gonna have my very own garden! I'm really ridiculously excited!

A little more green for your enjoyment.

photo by me

I hope you are all having fun with your own gardens this summer!

Britt

So Cute it Almost Hurts

This is my baby, Bandit. Isn't he adorable?? He just melts your heart!

Bandit is getting a haircut tomorrow for the summer. Can you imagine wearing a winter coat all the time in this heat? So here he is "before."

Braden wants to give him a lion haircut. We'll see about that. :)

Britt

Wants vs. Needs- A Fine Line

Do I want this, or do I need this?

This is called the shoot sac. I want the flowered one.

It has places to hold all of your lenses while you're shooting so you don't have to hold them with your bra straps. I think I need this...
The problem is that this little sac costs a pretty penny.

Maybe I could just make my own...

Anyone know anyone handy with a sewing machine willing to help a budding photographer in need? :)

Brings Tears to My Eyes

This is the most beautiful version of this song in the world! I dare you not to cry. I triple dog dare you.

Birthday Shout Out

Today is my brother-in-law's birthday. His name is Kyle. I like to call him Kylie, but everyone gets mad at me when I do. :) Hope you have a great day today!

B&B

Wishin' and hopin'

For some reason I'm strangely excited about my birthday this year. Although I'm not excited to get older. I actually forgot it was even coming up until my sister asked me what I wanted.

I could only think of a few things because I am already so blessed. :) So here is my is incredibly unsubtle hint list:

If you know me at all, you'll know that I'm a book worm to the max! I also like movies.

I really want this book:

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 ii. This is a camera lens I have been drooling over. It is a necessity for a portrait photographer.

This is probably my favorite home decor store of all time! I only get to go there as a reward for being very good or getting lots of very hard work done. Thus a gift card would be ideal since I have been working very hard lately. :)

I have heard about this game and I want to play. It's called the LCR dice game. I think that stands for "Left, Right, Center." This could be loads of good times for game night!
I can't believe I'm going to be 23! That feels so old. I'm not ready to be old. I feel like I'm about 76 now though after working till I fall over all week long. Whew!

Hope you had a good week! Love you all!

Britt

Summer Semester

photo by me

This past week we went on a little trip to California. For San Francisco and me, it was love at first sight. Braden is bound and determined to move there as soon as possible.

photo by me

So summer semester starts tomorrow. I decided to bust my butt for the next 6 months and then, (hopefully) if all goes according to plan, I will be able to graduate in December! Graduating has become my sole purpose in life. I wanna do this:

photo by me

I have been in school for far too long and it's time to move on to bigger and better things. If anyone has any idea what those things may be, then please let me know. :) Hopefully some of them include weddings, photography and travel. Or maybe even a combination of any of the three. We shall see. Who knows what the future holds?

In the meantime, I have set some goals for the semester. Between my 3 jobs and my internship and summer classes, I may need to clone myself to reach them. But I am sending them out into the void anyway for now.

travel to new places

meet new people

take more pictures just for me

(the kind that are of everyday things and events that inspire me)

learn more about photography

work with a professional photographer

never forget to show my man how much I love & appreciate him

run in a race

get Bandit a haircut

get a new lens or two

have no cavities at my next dental checkup

arrange some more flowers

spend more time with friends

find my favorite book of all time

find time to clean my house at least once a week

get my homeymoons done for UBAG

get another article published in a magazine

smile and laugh more

make more videos just for fun

take voice lessons

be better at blogging

That's it for now. It's going to be a busy semester, but I'll admit I like it that way.

Road Trip!

Do ya neeeeeeed a break from modern livin'? Do ya loooooong to shed your weary load? When your nerves are raw and your brain is fried, just grab a friend and take a ride together out on the open road!

This semester has thoroughly kicked my behind in so many ways. I need a vacation! So we, along with my friend, Charisse, and my sister, are heading to San Francisco! I've never been before and I am SO STOKED!

It's still a few days away, but it is going to give me the motivation I need to give that last push and finish finals. I'm heading to warmer climates to escape this pseudo-winter. Don't forget to miss me. :)

Britt