{My New Toy!! Hee Hee!!}

I can not explain the excitement over here!! I just got myself my first Mac. It is a MacBook Pro 15" widescreen notebook. It is absolutly beautiful & I haven't even turned it on yet. I'm so overwhelmed!! My old laptop that I have had for the past 4 years finally fell apart (literally) this last week and I needed a new laptop for these classes I'm taking in March and for the wedding I'm shooting in April. I've been wanting to go to Mac for a long time. I've been told that when it comes to my photography and digital editing and design, it can't be touched. Can't wait to put it into action and to learn how to use this new beast.

{Captured By Lisa}

Well I finally did it! Whew... I have started my photography portfolio online. I still have a lot of work to do on it, but at least it is up and running. Please check it out. I have bridals that I will be "capturing" in the next month and a wedding in April that I will be sure to get on there right away.

{Lighting Demo}

I decided I was ready for some improvement in my photography skills so I signed up for a class offered by the very smart, very beautiful, very fabulous...Nicole Hill. Boy was it worth the drive from here to Orem. She was amazing and I learned so much in such a short time. She carries my highest recommendation. Here is a sample of the photos I took at my last class using different kinds of lighting: open shade, shooting into the sky, & backlit sun with models provided. I was so happy I signed up for her next class and her friend is offering a PhotoshopCS3 class that I signed up for as well, so I will be going down there twice a week in March. Can't wait to learn, learn, learn!!!

{Ogden Hot Springs, awww, nice}

Ok, so I had the funnest time last night. I cant believe that I never knew about these hot springs just at the mouth of Ogden Canyon. We showed up and walked forever in the snow down the wrong trail (totally down the opposite direction), but then we finally figured it out and found where we were going. It is a pretty scary narrow trail, especially with all the snow and ice and a 15 foot drop down to the river at some spots. What an adventure!!! We soaked under the moonlight for almost 2 hours. We had to keep filling a bucket from the reserve to keep the water hot, since they were man made and they just have a hose streaming water into them. It was just about a full moon and it was so bright and beautiful when the clouds parted, and there was a waterfall across the river and canyon road. But getting out was not a picnic at all. I was shaking sooo hard it was soooo cold. Thank goodness for heated leather seats in my car!!

{Ultimate LDS Church History Tour}

I am so excited! I am going with my parents and my 2 brothers on a Church History Tour in July (yeah, I know, HOT! huh). I've never been to New York, or Nauvoo. I've been reading "The Work & The Glory" series. I can't wait to feel like I've jumped into the story and beable to see all those wonderful sites. Here is the itineray: Day 1: Today we travel to New York City and overnight.
Day 2: Today you will enjoy the beautiful scenery as we drive through rural Massachusetts and Vermont. This is a beautiful area with small towns and true country lifestyle. We will make stops to take pictures along the way.

Day 3: Spend a full day in Sharon, VT learning about the birthplace of the prophet Joseph Smith. This afternoon we will visit all the Church History sites in and around Sharon. One such site is the Joseph Smith Memorial in Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont. Joseph Smith was born here on December 23, 1805. In 1905 the LDS Church erected a 38.5-foot-high granite monument to commemorate the 38.5 years of his life. A full-time missionary couple live at the home.

Day 4: Today we continue our sightseeing of the beautiful countryside as we travel through Vermont and upstate New York to Palmyra. We will spend part of the day touring the Palmyra area.

Day 5: Full day visiting all of the Church History sites in Palmyra. Including: The Joseph Smith Sr. home, the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah, the Grandin Printing Complex (where the first Books of Mormon were printed) and the Peter Whitmer farm in Fayette (where the Church was organized).

Day 6: This morning we will start our drive to Kirtland, Ohio. On our way to Kirtland enjoy the majestic Niagara Falls. There will be plenty of free time to enjoy the falls and maybe even take a ride on the "Maid of the Mist" boat that takes you to the base of the falls. We will spend the night in Kirtland.

Day 7: Today we have a full day visiting all of the important sites around Kirtland including: The Kirtland Temple, the Newel K. Whitney Store (school of the Prophets), the Morley Farm, the New LDS Visitor Center and more.

Day 8: This morning WE FLY to Independence, Missouri Area. The Saints went by wagon train. Other tours go by bus, but we are going by airplane. This afternoon we will visit Independence including the Independence Visitor Center and Temple Mount. There will also be time to visit the headquarters of the Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the afternoon and evening of Day 8 and the morning of Day 9 we will visit: Independence, Far West, Liberty Jail, Adam-ondi-Ahman and more.

Day 9: We finish experiencing all of the sites started on Day 8. We then travel to Nauvoo, where we will have time to do an overview of the city before getting settled into your hotel.

Day 10: Today we have a full day in Nauvoo. You will have time for a temple session in the new Nauvoo Temple, if available. You will have time to see many of the restored buildings of (Old Nauvoo) and Church History sites. You will also have time to walk the Trail of Hope, where the saints crossed the Mississippi to head west.

Day 11: Today we visit the Carthage Jail were the Prophet and his brother were martyred. This afternoon we travel to the airport for your flight home.