30 and flirty...no way.

So the night that we were going out to celebrate my big 3-0, there was a big blizzard. We were snowed in.

This is looking out our front door.

My 30 year old self-portrait. Those cat eyes are kinda wiggin' me out.



This is our babe in true Bre-form.

Kel and I were able to go out the next night. We went to dinner and a movie. I know, so original. But let me tell ya, it was one (semi) HOT date. :)

To many more....

Texas

I should have taken more pictures of my trip, but at least I have a few. It was so great to go back to Texas and see my girls. They had every day planned out and I had a blast. On Friday night my chica bonitas threw me a party of which I didn't even get a single picture. What is wrong with me? Then Saturday was a fun filled day of shopping and then eating out on the patio of Brio. True to Texas form, it was a beautiful Spring evening.

Elizabeth

Haley

Bree

Before everyone arrived.

Thank you for everything! Y'all are so inspiring to me and I love your guts like crazy!

the 40 week beat down

I am so ready to have this baby. I will be induced on Friday if he/she doesn't come before then. Pregnancy has been horrible every time, but this time especially so. I prayed and prayed that I wouldn't be sick for 5 months again. Please just let me feel better at 13 weeks. Finally at 5 and a half months I start to feel better, but it still can be sketchy. I have also been congested from month 2. I hate being congested for a week for a cold, this time it has been for 7 months! My nose has bled every day. Awesome. Moving to Colorado made it even worse. I can't breathe anyways when I'm pregnant - the extra thin air and stuffed nose made it as though I have been tortured through a slow suffocation process. Then sleep has been virtually non-existent this entire year. The nausea in the first half made it impossible and then the pure lack of oxygen this second half as made it especially delightful. Also, this go around this baby has been SO low, I swear my whole pelvis is black and blue, especially my pubic bone. I can't even walk some days because it is so painful. I also get pretty bad contractions early on. I was a 4 and 80% effaced at 37 weeks, but my body will just do a little bit of labor at a time and then stop. It is so uncomfortable and annoying! Thank goodness my weight gain slowed down significantly though. I have only gained 4 pounds in the last 2 months so I actually ended up gaining the same amount as I did with Bryn and Beck. I am so grateful for my children and I am so excited for this one to be born. I know that there are those of you out there that aren't able to bear children and might be thinking to just get over it, but this has been my life this past year. It has been overall a pretty bad year and I want to remember the bad because when it begins to brighten I will appreciate it all the more. So here's to a happy new year to me!

is this EVER going to end?

Trying to catch up. This is at about 32 weeks.

33 weeks.

about 35 weeks.

And the winner is....!

After a bit of confusion, I seemed to have left out the most important part - the rest of my email address! Why do I usually seem to post in the middle of the night when I am not functioning on all cylinders? Oh yeah, 'cause that's when my kids aren't climbing all over me and touching the keyboard. So many times when I reread my posts I see misspellings and such because I am either rushing it or I'm really tired.

OK, so after much ado about nothing, the winners (yes, I said it with an "s") because I goofed (how embarrassing :) ) Amanda was actually the first one to post and say that she tried and it didn't work. And Lisa was the first to email me. So yay! I am so excited! Thank you to all of you that emailed me! I was pleasantly surprised to have so many responses so early. I guess FREE is a pretty good motivator. :) Congrats ladies, I will be in touch!

~coming out~ (and free pics) - right address!

I seem to have put the wrong email! So sorry!!!! Here it is julimckendrickphotography@gmail.com (i think you will have to copy and paste!)

(My new watermark) I'm so very excited!

I finally decided that today is the day to come out of the closet (sorta speak). I have been asked countless times over the last several months if I was "official" yet? Well, I kind of dragged my feet... a lot. For a few reasons of course. 1). I wanted to take more classes. Do more workshops. Learn more about different kinds of editing software. 2). I'm not good ENOUGH. 3). Didn't have time to sit and think about how I would want to do things and then actually write it down in a some what logical manner. 4). Maybe the biggest reason - my struggle between my love (OK, more like a crazy obsession with photog) versus my sheer laziness.

Alas, it has come to this. I love taking pictures. I want to make this transition as seamless as possible. I want to take a very casual approach. Hopefully this doesn't kick me in the rear in the future. I'm not the type of person to always think of specials and take random pics just to post. If I am going to do this, I want to truly enjoy it with out taking up any more time away from my kids then just doing the actual shoot and editing. I guess I am more of no frills type gal, although I will be doing my berry, berry best and striving with all my young girl heart (wasn't that line in some movie?) to improve.

OK, so I mentioned a few reasons why I shouldn't go "official." Here are a few reasons why I feel I should. 1). What better way to improve? Stretch myself, take risks and practice! 2). I love looking at other people's creative styles and deciding how I would do it differently. 3). I eat, think and dream photography. 4). I want to.

So, to kick off my "officialness" the first person to email me at julimckendrickphotography@gmail.com will get their very own session by yours truly for FREE. That's right! Totally and completely FREE!

May the best man (or woman) win!

Good luck and wish me luck too!!

Oh yeah, you can check out more info about the "biz" by clicking on the top right link to Juli Mckendrick Photography.

P.S. Thank you so much mom for helping me get this stuff together!

Just Juli.

I am in love with photography. I have learned exponentially over the last several months and expect to continue to grow through experience and continued photography and related classes.

I don’t want this to seem like work. I want to continue my obsession with capturing life in not just new and unique ways, but life-just-the-way-it-is. I love candid pictures. Everyone doesn’t necessarily have to be staring at the camera the whole time. I love to capture people interacting with each other naturally and candidly. Although, I will make sure that I will get those shots where everyone is looking so that the most important aspect – the face - is in clear view.

I want this new adventure to be just that – an adventure. In order to do this, I want to take a super casual approach. While I will do my utmost to give my client my very best, I expect to have a lot of fun in a very laid back atmosphere. This in fact, isn’t about the photography “business” for me, but enjoying what I am doing and at the same time trying to help friends, new acquaintances and family receive affordable, timeless portraiture..

Miss Ruby Sue

GIVEAWAY! The uber talented and always ultra chick Stephanie Read

was able to take a few pics of these fabulous head bands.

Click here to see ME and some other friends sporting Miss Ruby Sue's hair pieces!

Oh Happy Day

Today was a good news Doctor appointment.

I know some friends and fam know that I have been having a lot of appointments, but don't exactly know why. Well, it seems lately I have been having a bit of bad luck in the

health department.

I decided to write about it to

1 - give thanks

and

2 - let everyone know at once so that I don't have to tell the same story over and over.

I have had a series of blood tests and sonograms and scans which have indicated

1 - that I have had mono (finally recovered)

2 - I have an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease

3 - Have a nodule in my neck (on my thyroid) which was feared may be cancer. After several appointments at Centennial this week, we found out today that it is not. However, I will need sonograms yearly to keep an eye on it.

Today is a happy day for me because I was finally able to start taking my medicine! I can't wait to start feeling better! Just a few more weeks and some more blood tests to make sure that I am receiving the right dosage, and I should start feeling good! Thanks to everyone for taking turns babysitting, dinner, and encouraging texts.

I'm scared to check my mailbox. I so don't want to deal with all the fun bills.

We have a $3000 deductible. Nice.

BTW - the daddy/daughter dance was so fun tonight! I love my calling!

Nerves

I start my first photog class tonight.

{that's the cool way to say photography, I think}

I feel so nervous.

I hope I don't get lost.

I hope that the teacher doesn't hate me.

I hope that the kids will be my

F

R

I

E

N

D.

I hope that I won't feel like an

idiot.

I hope that I'll enjoy it as much as I think I will.

I will.

Wish me luck!!!

HYPOthyroidism

That's what I got.

The really cool one that makes your metabolism S L O W down and makes you GAIN weight.

Maybe that's why I could never get this last 5 off from my really

awesome second child.

Good, great, grand, wonderful!

Oh well, I suppose there are a lot worse things in life.

Now to get this sweet goiter in my neck a sonogram - the next health item

on my check list (don't you just love that word? Goiter. Goiter. Goiter. I could say that all day long, goiter).

Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow!

OK, brace yourselves! It's me, me and me magnified in HD. Woohoo! So my friend from the 5th ward was doing little photo shoots for us girlies for our hubbies for the big V-day. I thought that it would be fun, so why not? Kel would never in a million years expect this. I told Stephanie to feel free to photoshop the crap out of me. With lotsa talent, sweet equipment, and photoshop I hope that Kel will like the new and improved (or rather enhanced!) me! So I am thinking of creating a shrine of myself on Kelly's desk (hehe).

This is a major problem. I look like a freakin' giraffe! I'm only 5'4'' and am all legs and arms. No torso! Hello! Creating a human in that super freakishly small space sucks!

Stephanie is great. I think there are a few more pics on her site. Auburnsoul.blogspot.com

Check her out, she's fabulous!

Cupid, Draw Back Your Bow!

My friend from the 5th ward was doing a Valentine's shoot for us girlies for our hubbies v-day presents. It looked pretty fun, so why not? Kel would never in a million years expect it. I told Stephanie to feel free to photoshop the crap out of me. Thanks to lotsa talent, a great camera, and photoshop to make something presentable of me. I am excited though because I never had a photographer for my wedding even, so now I have something decent to show my posterity of myself when I was just a las :)

Who Knew?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 1 or fewer people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Today Is All About Me!

Today officially marks the start of my 27 years here on earth. I feel like that number is not my age. Time has gone by in a blink and I think that I still feel youthful. Actually, I guess I am getting kind of old and crusty :) In thinking about what I have accomplished in the nearly 3 decades that I have been alive I decided to do that 25 Random Facts tag that I have gotten about a million times on Facebook and leave a little tid bit for my pos (terity). Here goes....

1. I was born and lived in Colorado until 4th grade.

2. Moved to Wisconsin where I lived until I graduated from high school.

3. Home-schooled (except for 4th when I moved to WI) until 7th grade.

4. Was on Homecoming court my sophomore year.

5. Was on Prom court my junior year.

6. "Competed" in a couple of figure skating competitions - Badger State Winter Games (I sucked)

7. Took Tai Kwon Do for the first couple of years during high school. Was a green belt when I left (what a nerd).

8. Oh yeah, "dated" one of my instructors (he was a senior). Broke up with him...that's why I quit....awkward!

9. I am the oldest of 12 children.

10. I have never watched what I eat, but I LOVE to excersize. Always have, it just feels so good!

11. Was a Recreation Education major at BYU-Idaho. Because of that I have....

12. Snow-shoed and cross country skied through the Tetons.

13. Snowboarded hills, mountains, sand dunes and behind cars (don't ask)

14. Back-packed through the Palisades for 3 days (no shower, eek)

15. Went to go pee and was about 15 feet away from a mountain lion (God was watching over me there)

16. Snow-mobiled through Yellowstone National Park.

17. I always wanted to be a forest ranger.

18. I got my Bachelor's degree in business.

19. When I was two I fell off of a church stage and broke my collar bone. My parents didn't know for 2 weeks.

20. I had a near death experience at the age of 20. I was jumping off the roof of a friend's house in AZ. I had to clear a sidewalk, over a iron-rod picket fence, and across another sidewalk into the pool. Apparently, I thought I was super woman and ran down the roof to dive (yes, folks dive) into the pool. At the very ledge of the roof I realized that I would never clear it. However, I had too much momentum from running and couldn't stop myself and fell poolside onto the concrete. The second worst pain I have ever felt in my life (aside from having a baby). I couldn't walk for weeks, my ankles and feet were so swollen. I think back about the possibility of continuing that dive and landing on the concrete head first. I'm a genius.

21. Notorious for doing back flips off of rock cliffs into quarries (it's a wonder I am still alive).

22. Kayaked in Puget Sound, white water rafted Snake River (pushed in, thought I would die of hypothermia!)

23. Had the Tiajuana Federalis steal my money.

24. Married my BFF and absolute-no question about it soul mate.

25. Hiked Mt. Saint Helen's.

Food for Thought

So I am laying in bed unable to fall asleep for my usual nap because all I can think about is food! First Sundays of the month always are bothersome when I am trying to sleep:) In addition to thinking about my ever increasing hunger pains I have a few other things on my mind. Since Kel has been gone since Thursday I have had a lot of time to think to myself. The kids and I were supposed to be on this trip as well, but because of Kelly's work being so crazy busy and some of my motherly feelings (leaving Beck for a few days) I decided it would be best if Kel just went. So much for US airways working with us on this. Two plane tickets flushed down the toilet. Oh well, I think that we made the best decision. Last night I finally sat down to watched "Steel Magnolias." I had tvoed (?) it awhile ago, but knew that Kel would not be game to watch it with me. I didn't have the whole thing recorded but got the gist of it anyway. I really liked that movie. It got me to thinking (probably because I was feeling so lonely over the weekend) about how it seems like to me that women in the church often don't seem to be as tightly nit as women outside of the church. We all are friends, some better than others, but it seems like everything is so on the surface (in general). Nothing very deep and personal. OK, so realize this is just my opinion and that I am just watching chick flicks where all the women are so genuinely close. I feel like women (including myself) get so caught up in our kids, husband and house (none of which are bad) that we don't take time enough to cultivate the relationships like in the movies! I guess I really just want my life to be like a movie! Maybe I am just missing my high school and college days of hanging out with the girls. I'm sure that Andrea, Shahna or any other wise women will have something insightful and profound to say that will help me put things in better perspective :)

What I've Done Is BOLD...

What I've Done Is BOLD...Ok, I have been tagged by Elizabeth. It was kind of depressing though because I had to unbold (is that a word?) SO many things. Guess I'm just not as cultured...wa wa waaah:(

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance [not the patient]
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check [not on purpose]
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I tag Bree, Brooke, and everyone else on my list!