Winter

...and then it was winter...

Winter is always an ideal photography time. The snow and frost are really beautiful from the right angle.

Behind the lens though, your cold and sometimes wet. But the final product is always worth it.

The purple mountains against the chill of the sky

Moving Cross-Country

Together is my favorite place to be

These last couple weeks have been crazy busy. Packing, loading, goodbyes, driving, driving, driving, unloading, and unpacking are just the overview of things. Emotions and boxes are stacked high. I have had no time to even think about my blog, so I'll tell you all about my last 3 weeks here.

I moved from North Carolina to Utah. It was a big jump and culture change. It took 5 days of driving but once I saw my friends again, it was all worth it.

My dad drove the moving truck and my mom followed behind in our car. We would often switch between the two vehicles 3 to 4 times a day. Me and my brothers always fought for who would ride in the truck (it was more fun than the car).

Driving across North Carolina, Tennessee, and Missouri was gorgeous. It was so lush and green. We drove through Nashville and St. Louis. We also saw the St. Louis LDS temple next to the highway. But, once you hit Nebraska through Utah, it's nothing but corn fields and desserts. That was the worst of the drive because there was nothing to look at.

 After we made it to Utah (finally) we had to drive 5 more hours to Idaho to stay with my grandma. We weren't allowed in our house for a couple days so why no see family you haven't seen in a year?

But, after 2 weeks, we moved into our house. So many people came to help us and introduce themselves. We immediately felt at home. Once the truck was empty and everyone had gone to their homes, that's when the real "fun" began.

We are now surrounded by boxes to unpack.

This house definitely needs some updating and a basement to finish...

but at least we finally have a roof over our heads that we can call home.

Girls Camp 2k16

Camping is s'more fun with friends

One week of sweat, laughter, friends, and candy can take a lot out of you. Late nights by the camp fire with ones you love are the best. But, these loved ones are your friends that you haven't seen in months and it feels like nothing has changed.

I spent 5 days at a church camp just for girls. Our testimonies grew and our love for nature dimmed slightly. The heat was scorching and the bugs were nasty, but we had fun so that's all that counts.

 We were all thankful to sleep in cabins. They didn't have air conditioning, but we made up for that by blasting fans 24/7. After beds were made and lights were hung, the fun began.

Everyday, you had to go to 3 classes. Whether that was woodworking or paintball you mastered a skill in something. One of my favorite classes was cookie decorating, It was fun to know frosting techniques then eat your masterpiece. Playing with fondant was great, too.

Painting fondant

July Spirit

Fort Macon Beach

What's better than spending a Saturday on the beach, and on fourth of July weekend no less. The sand was hot and the salt water burned our eyes, but it was worth it. We looked out for each other in the harsh waves.
All together, we went home sunburned, tired, and sand in every nook and cranny. I even became a mermaid. Truly a day to remember.

The Fairy Trees

 A rustle in the trees reminds me a fairy is near

A garden to feed little mouths

A library for the readers

Potions shop

With each of these houses having there own personality, it reflects the children that made them and the beauty of their mind.

Fairy Tree

Leave room in your garden for fairies to dance

This has been a fun art project for the past couple days. Painting doors and nailing them on trees to welcome fairies. Each family member painted several doors and decorated around the tree. Moss, nut shells, leaves, all found a spot next to a door.

Of course, these doors can't open and there is no house behind them, but it was a fun project to do. Just a trip to Hobby Lobby, paint, and creativity transformed our yard into a scene out of a fairy tale. Little gardens, stick stairs, and stone pathways. It's fun to look at the little things.

A farmhouse

Peach the cat

Friends are like family you visit to get away from your other family. In this case, our friends have a cat. She is feisty and mischievous. She is hard to catch but fluffy and soft to hold. She likes her alone time. She is a feline.

Our friends really know how to make you feel welcome. They have a different house project going on every time you visit. They have a tire swing in the front and more wild bunnies than you could every count. Chickens and horses, cats and fireflies. It's like a different world, and I'm glad they are our friends.