THE FRANKS KIDS || ALL GROWN UP

I've known Alexa since she was just a baby. I started watching her at my house when she was about 8 or 9 months old and she was a part of our life for many years. She came everywhere with us and did everything with us, it was kinda just like having another one of my own. I stopped watching her when Tyler was born, so it's been a long time since I've seen her - except on social media, which I LOVE!

I was so excited when Danyelle contacted me and asked me to take their pictures. I wasn't able to blog this before now because it was a gift for Christmas - and one of my FAVORITE gifts to hear you're giving to your loved ones!!

We had to re-schedule these 3 or 4 times because of bad weather. But we were patient, and we waited until we had a GREAT day. The sun was shining, the lighting was GORGEOUS and they were such great sports about taking pictures together. {you might not be able to say that about all siblings!} When I started editing them, I was in LOVE with them all!! I had a hard time narrowing it down, because there were SO many great ones - and I don't remember ever looking this gorgeous back in high school!! 

Thanks Lex and Tyler for such a great photo session, I can't believe how much you've both grown and I hope for ALL the best things for both of you and your futures!!

2017 RECAP || THANK YOU || NEW PRICES

Thank you just doesn't really convey my gratitude for the amazing year I had last year, but really THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!! That's 80 SESSIONS guys, EIGHTY!!!! My heart is bursting at your love and support of me and my small business.

One of the questions they ask you in the business class I've been taking is "What does YOUR success look like?" Meaning, what is a success to YOU? Maybe you want to work your business full time, maybe you want to increase your number of sessions. Maybe you just want to do one more session a month. Maybe you want to make enough to support your family full time? Or maybe you just want to make some fun money?

I've been thinking a lot about my business goals and what I want to achieve. I've been thinking about my clients and who I want to serve. I've been trying to decide how I want my business to run for me and for my life.

First, Let me just say this past year was a HUGE SUCCESS for me!!! HUGE!!! I never dreamed when I started these classes how much my life would change. I never dreamed I would go from 20 sessions to 80 sessions in less than a year. I never dreamed that I would find so much joy and confidence in a few photography classes. AND, I didn't even take the classes until JULY, so really this is just HALF of a year! {Only the first 5 sessions were before July}. 75 sessions in 6 months!!

HUGE growth and HUGE success for me.

SO, where do I go from here?  I want to keep growing and I want to keep learning. I was also EXTREMELY busy the last six months, and I will continue to work a full time job, so this might be more than I can handle every year. {thankfully my busy seasons are at opposite times of the year!}

My full time job is managing a busy tax office and it's the beginning of our crazy schedule. I also live in Chiberia, so you might not see as much from me in the next few months - don't worry, I still have a LOT of blog posts to catch up on, so there will be plenty of pretty pictures to look at!!

One change I've made is I've increased my prices. I want to better serve you. I been doing constant training and have learned a lot about making your session a great experience and giving you a great product.  I am available to help you with everything including outfit choices, locations, timing, challenging children, natural smiles, weather, posing, etc. I want to give you all the tools you need to not just like your pictures, but to LOVE your pictures. I want you to feel amazing and have an amazing experience working with me and I'm dedicated to learning everything I can so that you will always remember these memories we are making.

I will still offer mini sessions throughout the year and I will give my current clients first dibs at scheduling mini sessions. They will be on a date and time chosen by me, at one of my favorite locations. These sessions will be budget friendly and a limited number will be available each time. 

You can see my new pricing HERE. 

Thank you again for supporting me, for letting me capture your families and for telling your friends about me. Each time I get a referral from a client, I am reminded once again how important you all are in my life and in my business. Thank you for putting your trust in me.

Bring it on 2018! I can't wait to see what you have in store for me!!

THE CONDIE FAMILY || SPECIAL FRIENDS

I don't even know where to start with the Condie Family. There are just some people who walk into your life and you are never the same again. These are those people.

I met Annalisa and Greg during a very dark time in my life, I was struggling with depression because I was struggling with infertility and I didn't know how to deal with it, who to talk to or how much to share. I don't even remember how we met or how we connected, but I know that Annalisa was meant to be here in Chicago during that exact time. I'm sure it wasn't just for me, but I am just as sure that it was an answer to my prayers.

We shared everything about fertility and the lack of it. We talked about trials and struggles, we talked long hours in her driveway after YW meetings. We shared recipes and planned activities together. She served as my counselor when I was the YW President and when I was released I knew that she was the perfect person to take my place. She loved those amazing girls every bit as much as I did.

Several years later, I was over the moon excited when she announced that they were pregnant with twins, and it didn't even hurt my heart that it wasn't me because I knew how much it meant to them and how much they had struggled. They were born just a few weeks before they graduated from medical school and moved away from here. I am grateful for the "unexpected" trip to help them move to Kalamazoo so I could spend a few more hours with them!! {that is a really fun story!!}

They moved again to Virginia, Greg finished school {finally, am I right?}, are now back in Utah, and just bought their first house. YAY!!!! I was SO, SO excited that we were able to work it out so that I could take their pictures while I was in Utah. I got to see those cute twin boys, who I haven't seen since they were just weeks old. I got to meet their newest son who I've never met and I got to see how grown up their oldest daughter is.

Annalisa and Greg, I don't know if you know how much your friendship and example have meant to me over the years. I don't know if you know how much of an impact you had on me all those years ago. I don't know if you know that all those nights of talking about infertility were the healing balm to my broken heart. I don't know if you know that you were one of the first people I called when I found out my mom had cancer, because I knew that you knew how I felt. I knew that you understood, and I knew that you would know what to say and what to do, because you had been there.

Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there for me, for loving me and for supporting me all these years. I am so grateful that I get to call you my friends.

IF I HAD ONLY KNOWN || TWO YEARS LATER

If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be where I am today I would NEVER have believed you. Two years ago we were sitting by my mom's side knowing that any day, any moment could be her last, watching her slip away from us, knowing that there was nothing we could do to keep her here and that we had precious little time left with her. Two years ago I was heart-broken and I didn't believe that I was ever going to be able to move forward without my mom. Two years ago my marriage was falling apart, but I was so heartbroken over losing my mother, that I couldn't do anything about it. Two years ago, I was broken. I was afraid and alone. Two years ago, my life was shattered in pieces and I had no idea how to put it back together.

The last two years have not been easy. There have been many, many tears. There has been anger and pain. There has been laughter and joy. There has been heartbreak and heartache. There has been hope and healing.

And today?

Today I am not only living, I am living my best life, I am happy and I find joy in everyday. I have found a passion and a purpose. I have found ME. I'm not sure I can explain how much this means to me and how much it has changed my life and my view of those around me. I'm not sure I can explain my why, the reason why I believe photos are SO important and why I pour my heart and soul into every session. 

Six months ago I decided that I needed something in my life that brought me joy. I wanted something more. I needed to do something different. The last year and a half had been brutal and I needed something that made me feel like I was giving back, something that made me smile. If you have known me very long, you know that I am passionate about photos, documenting and story telling. I have bookcases full of scrapbooks from the last 20 years of my life. I have pictures of EVERYTHING. Just ask Tanner! 

I decided to put all of my faith in myself, and stop being afraid to fail and I invested in photography classes from Amy & Jordan Demos. I watched every lesson and I did EVERYTHING they told me to do, I learned how to shoot, and edit, I learned how to pose, I learned how to run a business and how to be successful. Then, I practiced and I prayed. Oh, how I prayed. I prayed that I would be good enough, that I would have someone who would want me to take their pictures. I prayed that I would be able to JUST cover the costs of the classes with new clients. I prayed again that I wouldn't fail. 

Today I've updated my BLOG, and my FACEBOOK with a new logo, a new design and ALL new pictures that I've taken in the last 6 months. Not only did I cover all of the cost of the classes, but I've more than tripled the amount the classes cost.  I was able to take Tanner to see Les Miserables, I was able to go home to Utah, I was able to pay off some debt. I am SO DANG PROUD of where I am today!!!! I am SO DANG PROUD of the work that I am producing now. I am confident that I AM good enough. I am confident that I know what to do to get the kind of images I want to get, EVERY TIME!!

In addition to the classes, I have gained an entire community of photographers around the world who cheer for each other. Who help each other, who answer questions and give guidance. I have made so many new friends and have received so much love and guidance from this whole new community. I didn't expect this when I signed up for some online photography classes. {they are SO MUCH MORE than just classes!!}

I didn't expect this to change my life so much. I didn't expect to find so much Joy and feel so fulfilled. 

This was taken by my new AJ Friend Emily Broadbent

I sit here tonight with tears streaming down my face in gratitude to a loving Father in Heaven who NEVER gives up on me even when I don't have enough faith in myself. He directs my life every day. I KNOW that He guided and directed me to those classes. I know that it was exactly what I needed RIGHT NOW in my life. I know that he is aware of me and my needs. I know that he provides for me and that he will NEVER leave me to figure it out on my own. I know that I can trust Him, because he is the same today, yesterday and forever. 

I can't help but think that my angel mamma is up in heaven CHEERING with me tonight. I feel her with me often, but tonight I wish I could call her and hear her tell me that she knew I could do it, that she always believed in me. I wish I could show her how far I've come. {I'm sure she already knows}. I feel her guidance. I feel her love. I know that she is watching over me always, but I am so grateful that I have felt her so close as I have taken this huge step in my life. 

I love you mamma. I miss you every minute of every day. I don't know how I've lived 2 whole years without you, but I have. I've made it and even though I can't see you, I can feel you in my life and I know that you are so proud of all the hard work I've been doing to learn and to grow. 

I love you more!!

IF YOU GOT THIS FAR: In my mamma's honor, I'm giving away a FAMILY PHOTO SESSION {$295} VALUE, go to my Pinned Post HERE to find out all the details!!

LULAROE, SMALL BUSINESS & NEW FRIENDS

If you haven't heard of LuLaRoe, I'm not sure where you've been living for the last two years. :)  I found them a little over 2 years ago and have made SO many friends through LuLaRoe and their community. Also, BONUS, I love their clothes. I had so much fun with Lindsay capturing the joy and hard work she puts into her LLR business. She is a mamma to two adorable little girls {who I get to photograph later this month} and she is so blessed to get to stay home with them, work her own business and be present in their lives. They are only little for a few short moments - or so it seems - and they grow up way too fast. {believe me, I know!}

It's a blessing for me to support my friends and their small businesses, while at the same time they support my dreams and passions, in my own small business. I am fortunate to have a large community of friends who support me and cheer me on.  Running a small business - while working a full time job - is a LOT of work. Don't let anyone tell you that running your own business is easy. I assure you, it's a lot of work. My dad has run his own construction business since I was a baby. I grew up without vacations or sick days, especially in the summer when the weather was good. We didn't ever know what time he was coming home, because running your own business has no hours. But we for sure knew how to work, and how to work hard. Thanks Dad!

So the next time you have a chance to support your friend in their small business, remember that you are helping them live their dream. And if you've never heard of LuLaRoe and want to find Lindsay, HERE is her site!