fallness

visit the canyon with Adam and girls




















[my attempt at a family sp. this is what you get when your camera tips while the timers going]

$5 project: where your donations went

I thought Bella said it best so the post below is the essay she wrote mingled with my photos.

What Can $5 Do?
By Bella

This year my fourth grade teacher had the privilege to win the pie contest at the Utah State Fair. She won $105.00 as a prize. Instead of using it for herself, she gave us each $5.00 and told us to use it to do something for someone else. I knew that $5.00 wasn’t much, but my teacher said, “you can make it go a long way if you use it wisely.”

I decided to raise some more money by asking my mom to post about it on her blog, which would reach a lot more people quickly. Pretty soon the donations came in and I had $75.00 to spend. I even got some money from a nine-year-old girl, KayLee, who lives in Alaska and used the money she earned doing yard work for her dad this summer to donate to my project. She was a fourth grader too! I was so excited!



Then I had to decide what to do with the money. At first I thought I could donate some animal food to the Humane Society, but after my friend Tess from school told me she was doing that I decided to donate some toys to the Children’s Hospital instead. I called the hospital to find out what I could donate and they told me where to find a list online. Then I went to Wal-Mart with my mom and sisters and bought lots of toys, art supplies, and other fun things that I knew little children would love. It was a lot of fun to see the cart fill up.

















After the school carnival, together as a family we went to the Children’s Hospital to drop off my donations. When we got inside the building the man at the counter handed us a donation slip for me to fill out. As I was filling the slip out I thought about all of the children that would feel so happy to get the toys and art supplies that I had donated just for them to play with. It made me feel really good to be doing this for kids that couldn’t be with their family, that were very sick, and very lonely.












[while her sisters were playing around she was looking at all the "in memory of..." engravings.]

I’m glad I had the opportunity to do this project and that I could make a difference to all of the children at the hospital. How did this change my life? Well, I’ve never done something like this before so it really touched me that even at age 9 I could make a difference. Sometimes I felt like when I did something really nice it didn’t really affect anything. Now, I know that it can affect someone or even something when I do just a little service.

Thank you so much for all of the money that you donated. If it weren't for all of you, I wouldn't have been able to buy so many things. Most of you didn't even know me! Yet you still donated. Once again thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoBella


I just wanted to throw my thank you in as well to those of you who donated and helped get the word out. I really think this opportunity helped her to see the world differently and how she, at 9, has the power to do great things. Thank you.

weekly plan

finish Angle Of Repose
organize studio
clean fridge
get more acquainted with Primary secretary duties
knit pumpkin hat



finish Megan's costume
make and send giveaway tags
trip to costco
get ready for general conference on Saturday and Sunday
laundry
change sheets...all beds
figure out how to share a printer (stinky vista)


[view from car]

visit the canyon with Adam and girls (drove through Friday night and it was gorgeous)
make banana bread
make jam
girls: dance, violin, & piano
kindergarten nursery rhymes show (megan's reciting twinkle twinkle little star)
find a dance class for myself
buy pumpkins

how about you? What's on your list this week?

giveaway winners

Congrats to
#4 Charity
#10 Robyn

Charity email me your address (Robyn I've got yours) and I'll send the tags out this week. :)

Enjoy!

this weeks headlines

one for piano
Tess finally started piano lessons Wednesday after school. I dropped the ball last year finding her a teacher in time, but this year I was fortunately enough to find a great teacher who lives close. As I sat watching her lesson I couldn't help, but think her teacher reminded me of my own grandma and then I felt even more excited that we had found her. I think it's going to be a great match.



thank goodness for backup
This has been my set up since my computer failed me last weekend. Thank goodness I had some sort of back up. I never realize how much I depend on my computer until it's gone. Besides needing certain files, not getting to create the tags I needed for Sunday, or having photoshop, the laptop has worked great. Luckily, Adam is picking up my computer this afternoon so I won't have to go another weekend without it. :)



always better to buy
I'm not sure what i was thinking except some where in the last few weeks I decided making costumes this year was the way to go. I guess after I made the apron I thought, why not do it old school. Megan picked out her costume, she wants to be Little Red Riding Hood, and I hit Joann's yesterday to pick up the pattern and fabric. $40 later. Yes, $40, I left feeling duped. I guess those nice $30 costumes online aren't such a bad deal after all (even though I have yet to spend $30 on a costume). What was I thinking? I was just having this conversation over the weekend with Robyn and Jill that you can't make clothes for cheaper than you can buy them.

a cold reminder
I heard through my screams and curses after getting a shot of cold water from Adam while enjoying my nice warm shower this morning, "nothing is worse that not feeling alive!"

and last, but not least



August & September giveaways
For one reason or another my August giveaway didn't happen so I'm making that month up. I'm giving away 10 Happy Birthday photo tags to two readers. Just like the ones seen in my esty store. If you would like a chance to win just comment and I will announce winners on Saturday eve.

have a great weekend!

i like my fall

i like my fall crunchy with piles of leaves for jumping.
i like my fall stylish with sweaters, jeans, and boots.
i like my fall together taking longs walks.
i like my fall tasty with hot cider and caramel apples.
i like my fall colorful with deep yellows, reds, and oranges (preferably no white like we had last year...remember this).
i like my fall scented with cinnamon, cloves, and pumpkin spice.
i like my fall cool with open windows and a slight breeze.
i like my fall lit with glowing jack-0-lanterns.
i like my fall festive all awaiting Halloween.
i like my fall crackling with cedar wood fires.
i like my fall scenic with canyon drives and family hikes.
i like my fall.

How about you? How do you like your fall?

backyard campout aka sleepover: a photo essay

Friday night Adam's family had planned another backyard campout. Remember last year? Well it was such a hit that we decided to do it again. It was suppose to go off without a hitch like last year, but right off the bat plans changed when Adam came home ill (I went without him).



And then while I was driving I couldn't help but notice the crazy dark clouds in the distance and wondered if it was going to ruin our plans.

It did, but sadly it didn't have to.





About an hour into it the wind came up hard and fast. It was bad enough that we started to take everything down fearing it would begin to rain. Tess and Lori, however, decided to play through it (the wind not the clean up).

The saddest part is once the wind died down it was actually a great night. We didn't put up the tents again, instead decided to make it a big family sleepover.







The adults talked on the porch for most of the evening while the kids played. Then Randy and Jared made a fire so the kids could roast marshmallows,




[just she look like she's in the most peaceful kind of sleep.]

Afterward, after everyone was good and tired, we figured out our sleeping arrangements (I was fortunate enough to share a room with Lori) and then fell delightfully to sleep on our air mattresses. At least until the loud kids woke us up in the morning.

It wasn't quite the campout we had last year, but it was a fun family sleepover nevertheless.

2 reasons

Have you ever had an experience when you're looking through your photos and one of them catches your eye and for a moment you've forgotten what you were looking for in the first place? This photo was like that for me. I know what your thinking....it's not much of anything, however, to me it's a whole lot of everything. It speaks to me about life and the one I pray I won't have to remember because I will always have. Here are two other reasons why I adore this photo, reasons I don't ever want to forget.



1) it captures so perfectly the moments I love the most with Adam. Just the two of us hanging out in our bedroom, not doing much of anything, but enjoying each other. As you all know life is so busy these days finding a moment to be together seems few and far between so Friday afternoon when Adam walked into our bedroom feeling ill and looking for a quiet place to lay I was more than happy to oblige. I was in the middle of reading The End by Salvatore Scibona and because I talked it up so much he asked me to read it to him. All I know is when it was time for me and the girls to leave, we went camping with his family without him, the book stayed at home with him. He did in fact like it enough to put his current book on hold.

and 2) Tess is the one who captured it. It's not the first time I've seen a photograph she's taken and been impressed by it's composition or creativity (after all she's only 7). I wonder if she will ever, like me, fall in love with this art? I hope because from what I've seen from her she definitely has an eye. Now if I could just convince her to enter one of her photographs into the Reflections contest. I guess we'll see.

today

* I'm writing this on a laptop because I'm experiencing computer woes. I fear I may be out my computer for a week or so. Other than the obvious, it has been seriously inconvenient since I had a project I had to finish yesterday. I kept hearing in my head, "make it work". What can I say, I'm such a fan of Tim Gunn.
* I made banana bread with the girls and I can smell it cooking in the oven. (edit...I'm pretty sure I over cooked the smaller ones)
* I took a 2 hour nap. I fear it may mess me up tonight.
* I got a new calling as the Primary Secretary in my ward for my church (it was a complete shock). A calling, for those of you who don't know, is volunteer service for various organizations in my church. The primary is the organization over the children 11 and under.



* I can see the mountains are beginning to change colors. I'm offically ready for autumn.
* I've been debating about either adding more to my etsy store or closing it down. I've been told it can't be found so I am adding a link to my sidebar in case anyone is interested.
* I've been watching Return of the Jedi with my four. I definitely like the other 2 better.
* I feel like I've got something I need to do that I'm not doing, but I can't imagine what it is. I keep looking at my calendar thinking something will be there.
* I have photos I want to upload and share from our attempt to camp last weekend.
* Have I told you lately that I am not a fan of computer problems.
* It's 8:30pm. I think I'll go back to bed and read a while and hopefully get a good 8 hours.

$5 project

Bella, my 9 year old who is such an amazing thoughtful person already (you can learn more about her here and here), came home from school yesterday with the most fabulous assignment. Her teacher won a pie contest at the local state fair and instead of keeping the money for herself she is giving each of her students $5 to do something for someone else.

This morning while talking to Bella about what she might do she told me her teacher read of few of the past essays from other years and some of the students were able to raise more money by asking family members to match the $5 donation. It definitely got my wheels spinning and I thought about the blog community...what if I wrote about this on my blog and she was able to get donation from all over? Other than she would be able to give much more with more money, she would also have something very interesting to write about in her essay.

Forgive me. I never do things like this...ask for money. Ever. But I thought it was such a great assignment and would love for her to learn how a mere $5 can grow and really make a difference to someone or to a community.

Here is what we're asking...
Be apart of something and donate to this project. It could be as small as $.50 or you could match the $5 she was given or you could give more if you are so inclined. If you would like to donate please send money using paypal to afmphotography@gmail.com. Please include somewhere in your donation the words $5 project so I know it's for this & your address (I know she'll want to send a personal thank you). The catch, her assignment is due on the 28th so she would need you to donate as soon as you can.

Please please please do not feel like you need to or feel any obligation to donate to this project. I know we are all struggling right now and saving every penny with the economy being like it is. If you are unable to donate and would like to do something you could always spread the word by adding a link on your blog to the post. However, if you are looking for a way to give (and can) my I suggest this little project. It will not only help someone, but help Bella, and hopefully her sisters too, learn a great lesson in service.



Where will your money go?
She has not finalized what she wants to do, I think it will depend in the end how much money she receives. Here are two of her ideas she brought up this morning.
1) do something for animals, like donating something to the humane society
2) put together Thanksgiving dinners for families in need
3) buy flowers and deliver them to individuals living in an Old Folks home
I would love her to do something like that so she can see first hand the difference giving can make to someone, but in the end it will be her decision.

When it's all said and done, I will post about the whole experience (included her essay) so you can see where your money went and the difference you made to someone in need and to a 9 year old trying to make a difference herself.

Thank You!