Taking A Beating.

Over the last two weeks I've really taken a beating from internet onlookers.

I've been tempted to delete my blog because of it.

{sigh}

Anyway, here's a few photos I did of Ava.

I love my Job

Not only do I love my job being a momma to the two most beautiful little girls ever, but I love my job as a photographer.

It's amazing to me how much I've grown in the last year and a half.  

I seriously work on my craft EVERY DAY!

And I think...actually I know this is what and why I have grown so much and honestly become very successful.  

I never in a million years thought I would be so blessed like this.

I am a picky photographer and will only photograph that which I want to.

And by doing this, it has allowed me to really narrow down what type of a photographer I want to be AND has allowed me to shoot what I want to shoot.  

I really enjoy teaching photographers.  For years I read and studied, and practiced all the basics of photography.  

I was fortunate enough to work with a photographer shortly after Dave and I got married and he taught me a bit, then I grew from there.

With my knowledge and my distinct style I have been able to teach other photographers who enjoy my work.

This past July I held my first Wish Retreat.  A photographer retreat.

It was 3 days long and it was a blast.

I rented a cabin up near Park City.  

I planned shoots and taught editing classes and we chatted about business.

I had women come from all over.  Two came from Louisiana and one came from Canada.  Then I had women from all of the state of Utah; from Price and Vernal, Tooele, South Jordan and Saint George.

These women are now my life long friends and I am so blessed to have been able to met them.

I already have my 2012 retreat halfway booked and I'm thrilled.

With that enjoy some fun photos from retreat.

XOXO

My name is Kandis and I'm a addict.

Hello, my name is Kandis and I am addicting to pinning. 

PINTEREST has sucked me in and is not letting go.

I could spend ALL DAY pinning.

BUT man does some of these pins make me feel no good.

I really want to see some of these REAL life spaces people pin.  

Everything is so pretty on Pinterest.

I AM IN LOVE WITH IT....I need a therapist for my addiction.

FIND ME ON PINTEREST 

From Pinterest of course!

2nd Grade? ALREADY?!!!

I seriously can't believe I have a second grader.  WHERE DOES TIME GO?!

Although I wish Elle didn't have to go to school and she could hang out with me all the time (just because I'm selfish that way), I am thrilled with her teacher this year.

Her teacher and I have been friends since Junior High!

I never in a million years thought my child would be taught by my friends (outside church that is).

Not only is she my friend, but she is a fabulous teacher.  Like I said...BEYOND THRILLED!

Staying true to tradition I had to take the DOOR STEP pictures of Elle before she went off to the 'new school'.   Yes we got a new school this year and it's is super nice.  Elle already loves it!

Enjoy these few pictures of Elle...TRENDY AS EVER!

XOXO

One large order of McHappiness Please!

Don't you sometimes wish you could go to the drive up window and say "I would like one large order of the McHappiness.....Supersize it? SURE!"

Last week I had the biggest party for myself ever! NOBODY came...but I didn't want anyone to come to my party.  I wanted to sit at my party all by myself and have a big cup of loser-ade, YES.. it was a fantastic pity party. HOSTED for me, by ME...and for nobody else but me.

You see I decided to throw this massive party when I let other people tell make me feel bad about myself.  Notice the word I used. LET. 

I am perfectly aware that I can choose how people will make me feel...and I LET people make me feel like a big steaming pile of poo. 

The party ended and I cleaned up the pity party favors which included a bag full of why me's and dumped the loser-ade down the drain and said "Thanks for coming to my party Kandis, now get out."

And with that I drove to my own little drive thru  stand of "McLife" and saw that there was a giant menu of options and I GOT TO PICK! YES ME! AND ONLY ME.  I decide what I want.

So I decided that one large order of McHappiness I was going to have.  I've also decided on a side of McOptimism, McLaughter and a cup full of McJoy.

I've also decided that I have to make daily stops at McLife to make my order, but I GET TO DECIDE, and every day I decide the same thing.  So it is that sometimes the server at the drive up window can be a meanie pants but I still ordered a McHappiness!  BUT GUESS WHAT? Sometimes they give me a order of McSadness instead, but I still have my McOptimism and McLaughter in the bag.  So the McSadness is easier to take. 

Life is good regardless of what we are given at the drive thru of life, it is up to us decide how we are going to look at it. 

Pitty Party OVER.

HELLO McHAPPINESS!

Enjoy a few photos of a resent shoot I did of my niece Teri Dawn.

XOXO

Someone to everyone.

I have a big character flaw I think....that is that I feel like I need to be someone to everyone.

I feel the need to be liked by everyone and obviously that's not the true case.

You see as I've grown with my business I've gained a lot of fans, and quite a few haters too.

For some reason these haters feel like it's their obligation to tell me just how pitiful I am.

I know I need to get a tough skin, but it's so hard!

I know this all goes back to my ED problems and now that I don't have ED to cover up the hurt and pain it is right here on my sleeve.  I've actually thought of going back to therapy because I'm not sure how to deal with the hurt without covering it up.  

I really want people to like me....is that to much to ask?

(would you believe it if I said I am actually crying?! cause I am.)

Anyway.....I needed to throw myself a pitty party for a second.

Don't talk me out of it.

If I'm going to be back blogging, I'm going to blog about the good and the bad...maybe this is a way I can deal with it all.

(just giving you that warning)

Oh here's a few pictures of my littles.

XOXO

Exorcism Episodes.

Oh my goodness, so my Ava is the hardest child lately.  

She is no longer going through the terrible two tantrums...she is having EXORCISM EPISODES!

And I just don't know what to do about it.

She gets this really enormous monster cry/scream/growl thing started and she won't stop for hours!

I just try to ignore it because there is no reasoning with her.  Reasoning with Ava is like reasoning with a goldfish.

So I tried to avoid anything that might trigger an exorcism, but everything triggers it.

Now I'm not trying to compare kids, but Elle was just so easy and this NEVER happened.

So with this one I just kinda feel like I'm blind.

I feel like I'm a good momma, but when this happens I wonder how someone can be a good parent to a possessed child.  When I feel like I want to scream at her (I don't, but I want to).

Any suggestions would be great.  And I'll even give you a virtual hug!

XOXO

I'm gonna do it....AGAIN!

So I miss blogging, for real!

I used to be great at blogging, but then I kinda got the wind knocked out of my so to say.

Although I've been crazy busy and so I use this excuse as to why I don't blog much anymore there is another reason why this cute lil' blog has been neglected.

When I was at my peek of blogging I was also at my unhealthiest.  (With my eating disorder) and at that time I got a lot of blog stalkers whom I didn't know.  In this time they would leave me really mean spirited comments....but I still kept on blogging my little bum off. 

As I started to heal and get healthy I realized how badly that was hurting me....so in an subconscious move I kinda just stopped blogging.

But guess what people?!  Although I'm still miffed by the negativity I got and seriously really busy.  I have decided that I enjoyed blogging and sharing with others.  SO...guess What?!  I'M BACK!

Now I just got to think of something to blog about!

Are you shocked I'm posting?

I'm kinda shocked myself!

Yes I've been MIA but for good reason. I've been sooo busy. HOLY MOLY friends!

But I couldn't be more thrilled with how busy I've been.

In April I was asked if I would do the marketing photography for the Days of 47 Rodeo! HECK YEAH!

So I was busy doing that.  You can see my pictures on two billboards in the Salt Lake Valley (one on 1-15 and on on SR201)  Plus you can see my stuff in Gardner Village and Maverick Country Stores.  This is big!

Oh and guess who is on them? ELLE! YEAH!  

It's so cute every time we drive past the billboards Ava says "wook Elle, your beeboard".

I have also been really busy planning my photographers retreat.  This will take place at the end of the month.  I'm so excited.  I have one lady coming from Canada, and two from Louisiana.  

I've been doing a lot of commercial work for business around the country too.  They send me product and I photograph it for them.  

All this has been a dream come true.  I can't wait to see what the next year has in store for me.

XOXO

Kandis