Making Things Happen 2011

Where do I start...

I had the most amazing opportunity to attend the Making Things Happen Workshop put on by Lara Casey.  Honestly I hadn't even heard of her before until I read this post by Natalie Norton who is an amazing and inspiring person and fabulous photographer.  Now I know that Heavenly Father has put them in my path for a reason.  At the end of December I really, whole heartily decided that I was going to start my photography business in 2011.  Shortly after I ran into that post above by Natalie and decided I would do anything I could to go to this workshop, it is what I needed to help fuel me as I started my business.  I Googled Lara like crazy and read amazing things about this opportunity.  I knew I was supposed to go and everything feel into place so I could attend.  Seriously it was amazing.  All of this happened in less than a month!!!

 The workshop was intense, real and raw.  I had to dig deep, discover my fears and put steps in action so I could overcome my insecurities and find it within myself that: I. AM. A PHOTOGRAPHER.  I can do this, I am starting my own business! 

I can have my own business AND be an amazing mother.  

I can own my own business and be an amazing wife to an ASTOUNDING husband.  

I can take care of my home, have order and peace in my life and be a photographer.

I am eternally grateful for my supportive husband.  He is the love of my life and will help me accomplish anything and lift me up to be the best person I can be!  I am beyond grateful for my parents.  It brings tears to my eyes even as I write this.  They are unconditionally supportive of me and what I want to do.  They have taught me from a young age that I can be ANYTHING and that I can DREAM BIG.  They have helped me whenever possible to accomplish all my goals, starting with volleyball and now in photography!  It broke my heart listening to some amazing women and men with loved ones that were not supportive and uplifting.  It made me realize that I need to express my constant gratitude to those around me that uplift me and help me a better person.

I grateful for my friends all over the world, some I  have met and know personally, some I have not but that doesn't make our friendship any less real.  I love my family all living in different parts of this country, I love my friends here in NY, I would go CRAZY with out them.  I love my mortal muse friends, Tammy, Kat, Suki, Mosey, Ashley, Maureen, Kirstin, Christy, Michele and Lucy!  They are amazing, talented, funny, beautiful women who inspire me every.single.day!  I am grateful for my new friends that I made in NYC at MTH.  It was amazing being in a room of like minded people.  It was a surreal experience listen and sharing our fears and wishes and coming up with ways to be successful.  I have a hard time with words so it is hard to describe the experience I had but I am so forever grateful for Lara, Natalie and Gina.

Starting now... I am going to be more Authentic.  I am going to try and bring myself more into this blog.  More journaling  and writing about me, my life, my fears, my PASSION.  This will be tricky because frankly writing scares me, I am not that great at it but that is all part of accepting who I am!

I took off the followers, not that I don't appreciate everyone who takes time to look at my blog, I just got too distracted watching the numbers go up and down.  Starting now I am going to stop caring what other people think about me, starting now I am going to stop comparing myself to others starting now I am going to be me and follow my gut!  I hope you will still continue to share that with me!

I am April.  I am AWESOME.  I am a PHOTOGRAPHER.  And I love you!  Thanks for the support and LOVE!  2011 is going to be AMAZING :)

xoxo

4:52

Oh my silly little girl, everyday you crack me up with your sassy personality. Your new favorite word is "no," you love to bug your brother, and you are really good at running away when know you are being naughty. You love to babble before you go to sleep, dress and undress your babies 1000 times a day, and give hugs and kisses to everyone in the family. I love you. Thanks for being silly. Thanks for sharing your spiciness, thanks for being you :)

3:52 love

I love this little girl
I love that she was in the only spot in her crib, facing the right direction to bring light to her face
I love her wavy red hair and soft little lips
She loves that little piggy snuggled to her face
And her elephant lovey under her chin
And of course she loves her binky lying in wait
I love you sleeping little angel :)

musing :)

This weeks theme on the mortal muse blog is "creature feature"  I am musing on funny animal faces like this giraffe that I met at the Hogle Zoo in Utah.  Come on over to the Mortal Muse Blog and say hi! 

And just for fun here are some other creatures the kids and I met while we were visiting in Utah :)

Dear winter

Snowflakes

Snowflakes spill from heaven's hand
Lovely and chaste like smooth white sand.
A veil of wonder laced in light
Falling Gently on a winters night.

Graceful beauty raining down
Giving magic to the lifeless ground.
Each snowflake like a falling star
Smiling beauty that's spun afar.

Till earth is dressed in a robe of white
Unspoken poem the hush of night. 

by Linda A. Copp

2:52 moments

I think my theme for the year, not only in my 52 week project but in my photography business and life in general is to capture moments, real, raw and lovely! I want to create these moments with my family and capture the little details of my children so that we can all remember them down the road.

Today my little man was crabby to say the least, it didn't help that he was fighting his nap big time. I finally gave in and told him he could play quietly in his room, and if he got tired he could take a nap on his bed or on the floor, I didn't care. That seemed to calm him down. A little while later when I got my daughter up from her nap, I found him here laying half way in his room, head sticking into the hallway. I thought it was so cute and man he was crashed! I opened up all the window in both kids room, walking around him and snapping pictures and he never woke up!

rusty musing

This week I am musing on monochromatic color... how could I not choose to feature all the lovely red hair flying around my house!  Come on over to the Mortal Muse blog and say hi :)

Happy Sunday!

1:52

I have seen quite a few people participating in 52 week project which seems right up my alley! I am going to have fun with it, low pressure and try to capture moments of my family that I want to remember. Some of these groups have themes and such for the week which I might also try out but I am not going to stress my self out too much because I got a little burned out with the 365.

This picture is funny because the boy is wearing a pair of baby girl shorts. My husband had to take the kids to a meeting and he had an accident. I forgot to prep the car with emergency clothes but my dear husband being so resourceful grabbed some clothes in the back that were meant to be donated. These shorts as his undies and some 0-3 month old girls pants that he squeezed on him as shorts. It was SO funny, I couldn't stop laughing and my little boy that it was hilarious until he tried walking up the stairs in super tight pants!

I love this picture because it captures their innocence and playing in their favorite spot, mom and dad's bed!