Flit and Flutter

Last week on my birthday this pretty little butterfly flitted by just to say hello. She even paused just long enough so I could snap a photo... Hope you love seeing her as much as I did!

With Love,
L

Oh Deer!

I love deer! I love them so much!! I think they are SO cute and I can't help but squeel with delight whenever I see them. I spotted these two happy babies grazing in an orchard on my birthday. My cute Danny pulled over so I could go take pictures... he's rather used to that by now! It means so much to me that he appreciates my love of nature and never teases me about it. He even thinks it's kinda cute;)

Guess what?! I spent a lot of time in my studio over the weekend! Can't wait to share a handful of new pages and projects!!

With Love,
L

Lasting Love

Just made a pretty little card to say Happy 41st Anniversary to my dear parents today! I'm truly grateful for both of you! Your example of lasting love and happiness in marriage is beautiful. You are patient, thoughtful, and kind with one another. You look for the best in each other and in life. You've raised a beautiful family who love and honor you and the Lord. Here's to an eternity of happy moments together with one another and all of us who love you so much.

With Love,
L

I See Things...

Zoomed Out...

Zoomed In... (click to enlarge)

Sometimes I see things other people miss, like the little dragonfly hiding in the branches above. On my birthday I spotted this happy dragonfly, a beautiful yellow butterfly, a snake (could have done without him) and two happy deer in an orchard. It was a GREAT day full of tender mercies just for me! I love the world around me and always feel the love of my Heavenly Father when I seek to see the beauty in His creations. The following quotes come from a great little article about discovering nature. Check it out for yourself!

 "...In the course of growing up we tend to acquire a worldly sophistication that dampens this enthusiastic sense of wonder about nearly everything. Cultivating wonder about nature heightens our appreciation of all creation and begins to break down our artificial distinction between things temporal and spiritual... (See D&C 29:34–35.)"


"...Teach your eyes, for example, to see, not just to look. Become alert for movement, large and small, in the grass, in the sky, at the borders of your vision. Look for colors that differ from their surroundings and for subtle changes and mixtures of hue. (There must be a hundred shades of green or brown in any summery scene). Look for shapes that seemingly don’t belong—a bird-shape or pine cone amid the fine branchlets of a tree." Sharon Dequer Discovering Nature

Can't wait to share more shots of birthday tender mercies with you soon! No snake pictures, sorry. I'm not yet that in tune with nature;)

With Love,
L

Summer Days

I love Summer! I need sunshine in my life! I need flowers, birds, and butterflies. I need snow-cones and popsicles. I need morning walks in the park with Dolly and afternoon picnics under shady trees. I need warm evenings outside to enjoy the setting sun.

For so many years I've been stuck in the office missing out on all that sunny goodness. That's the great thing about photography... the world is my office! I'm learning and practicing and enjoying the beautiful moments along the way!

With Love,
L

She...

Well, for some reason Blogger won't let me post the pretty picture I wanted to use with this post.  Sorry about that. Today I'm thinking a lot about the kind of person I want to be; about my hopes and dreams. I hope to be the kind of woman described in this poem by Kobi Yamada. It's beautifully written and says everything I wish I could say. 

{She} ...by Kobi Yamada

She must be something special. She is. Celebrate her.

She loved life and it loved her back. Celebrate her passion.

She listened to her heart above all other voices. Celebrate her wisdom.

She pursued big dreams instead of small realities. Celebrate her priorities.

She saw every ending as a new beginning. Celebrate her resiliency.

She discovered her real measurements had nothing to do with numbers or statistics. Celebrate her self-esteem.

She was kind, loving and patient…with herself. Celebrate her tenderness.

She woke up one day and threw away all her excuses. Celebrate her accountability.

She realized that she was missing a great deal by being sensible. Celebrate her spirit.

She turned her can’ts into cans, and her dreams into plans. Celebrate her goals.

She ignored people who said it couldn’t be done. Celebrate her independence.

She had a way of turning obstacles into opportunities. Celebrate her magic.

She went out on a limb, had it break off behind her, and discovered she could fly. Celebrate her faith.

She discovered she was the one she’d been waiting for. Celebrate her self-reliance.

She added so much beauty to being human. Celebrate her presence.

She walked in when everyone else walked out. Celebrate her friendship.

She just has this way of brightening the day. Celebrate her radiance.

She made the whole world feel like home. Celebrate her warmth.

She decided to enjoy more and endure less. Celebrate her choices.

She decided to start living the life she’d imagined. Celebrate her freedom.

She colored her thoughts with only the brightest hues. Celebrate her optimism.

She was an artist and her life was her canvas. Celebrate her brilliance.

She ran ahead where there were no paths. Celebrate her bravery.

She crossed borders recklessly, refusing to recognize limits, saying bonjour and buon giorno as though she owned both France and Italy and the day itself. Celebrate her joie de vivre.

She held her head high and looked the world straight in the eye. Celebrate her strength.

She not only saw a light at the end of the tunnel she became that light for others. Celebrate her compassion.

She designed a life she loved. Celebrate her joy.

She took the leap and built her wings on the way down. Celebrate her daring.

She said bye-bye to unhealthy relationships. Celebrate her happiness.

She remained true to herself. Celebrate her authenticity.

She made the world a better place. Celebrate her.

(PS: "She" is sold as a darling little book. Go buy one for yourself and for the women who inspire you! I think I'll pick myself up a copy today!)

Rollie Pollie

I love capturing the more candid moments. Posed photos are nice, but I'm way more interested in the real stories pictures can tell. Whitney's cute nephew wasn't very interested in having his picture taken, but he sure did like the little Rollie Pollie bug he found in the flowers. What an adorable little guy!! I love how these candids turned out! Too cute!

Enjoy!
L

Happy Day!

My dear friend Whitney came to town! We got to catch up for a little bit yesterday, and today I took photos for their family reunion. I have lots more to edit but had to post just a couple! I think Whitney is one of the very best people I know. She is so kind and sincere and we always have so much fun together! I am SO SO happy they are going to be moving to Idaho soon! Idaho is closer than Texas so hopefully we'll get to play a little more often! Thanks for letting me take your cute pictures!!

With Love,
L

Must See...

Tonight for our Young Women activity we went to see the film 17 Miracles. It was amazing! This film depicts the remarkable trek west made by the Mormon Pioneers of the Willie and Martin Handcart companies. Those faithful saints endured so much and suffered beyond measure. In their suffering the Lord blessed them with powerful manifestations of his love. Because of their faith, they experienced miracles of hope, healing, and deliverance. I believe in hope. I believe in healing. I believe in deliverance. I believe in miracles.

Go see this movie! Take some tissues and be prepared to use them.

With Hope,
L

Just Daydreaming...

I wish I had owned a better camera when I went to Paris. While the local carnival ferris wheel and merry-go-round are quite charming, I must say I wouldn't mind returning to visit the ones in the heart of Paris. I also wouldn't mind visiting Paris in the Spring or Summer... Christmas in Paris was oh-so-charming, but also bitterly cold! Sadly, I really don't know what I could eat there anymore. Um... fish, fruit, and salad I guess. Good enough, but boy would I miss the bread and cheese!

So today I'll just daydream...

I'm spending the afternoon in Paris with Danny and Dolly today! (Dogs are allowed almost everywhere here!) I'm wearing a fashionable little summer dress and have all the energy in the world to roam the streets and see the sites! With camera in hand I pause to shoot every beautiful detail in sight. We stop at a little cafe and I order a Croque Monsieur (bread, cheese, eggs and all!) I feel wonderful! I sit and take it all in, just thinking how happy and lucky I am to be there. We have plenty of time to see the sites, visit the museums, and do a bit of shopping too. Ah... what a lovely day... (dream)!

With Love,
L

Summer Fun!

The carnival is a magical place. A place where a two year old can sit in a REAL LIFE fire truck, drive a hot pink boat, ride a rooster, and swing HIGH IN THE SKY! You better believe it was loud and stinky and there were some rather strange people there, but you just can't pass up on all of that carnival fun!

Brett and Jeni and I tried to take Mauri to the carnival earlier in the day, but the rides weren't running yet.  I've never seen her so disappointed. We tried taking her to an indoor merry-go-round but it just wasn't the same, I guess she had her heart set on the full carnival experience! Needless to say, later that night Jeni and Danny and I escorted Miss M. to the Summer festivities once more, and she couldn't have been happier! I must say, I had a pretty fun time myself;)

With Love,
L

Tis the Season

Tis the season of county fairs and carnivals, cotton candy and caramel apples. I say, bring it on! The next few months may just be full of images like these, there is just something so charming about it all! Now I just need to print these up and get to work in my scrapbooking studio!

Enjoy!
L

I Love to See the Temple

I just love the little messages the LDS church has online. I think they are so uplifting and inspiring. Today I was thinking about how grateful I am for the blessings of the temple. I thought I'd share a little video that helps explain the blessings of the temple and why we as Latter Day Saints are so engaged in building temples throughout the world. I believe the temple is sacred and holy. It's Heaven on Earth, a place where eternity and mortality meet... a place I can go when searching for answers to prayers, guidance, and peace. It's like going home.

Enjoy!
L

Okay, Just One More...

Okay, one more sneak peek of our Top Secret photoshoot. I can't resist.

As I was showing Danny these photos he looked at me and said, "Mauri's not a baby anymore, she's a little girl!" He's right. She is growing up too fast! Can we slow it down a little?! No? Than I guess I'll just keep snapping photos and catching the moments as they come.

By the way, I've been busy working in my little studio and I have some cute things to share soon!

With Love,
L

Hello Lincoln

I'm dying over the photoshoot I had over the weekend! Top Secret Father's Day stuff or else I'd share more... Little Lincoln is TOO CUTE! I just adore him! He didn't even fuss when we put him on a suitcase to take his picture. Now that is a sweet baby!

With Love,
L

Want to Stay

I used to write poetry and music. I say "used to" because I've had a serious struggle to write for the past several years. I sit at the piano and play, but no words come. The music is there, but the words just aren't.  My ability to express myself with words left me during a time of personal difficulty and heartache. I try to sing and my voice isn't strong like it used to be. Chronic reflux and a hernia in my esophagus limit my vocal strength. I don't even think most people know how important music and writing are to me anymore. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I keep this blog, it has me writing again. Mostly silly posts that probably don't change the world, but they help me.

I wrote and recorded the song "Want to Stay" about six years ago. Sometimes I listen to it and wonder who that girl singing with so much confidence is. Is that really be me? The words of this song give me great hope. Hope that with faith in the Lord that which has been lost will someday be restored. Hope that this is all just a training ground for better and brighter days. Hope in Christ.

I was standing in the same place day after endless day
Waiting for life to happen, hoping to find my way.
I used to dream about the girl, I someday hoped to be
I couldn't see that all along, God was molding me.

I took a step out of the darkness, and into his marvelous light
I know I'm where I should be now, cause this just feels so right
Hope this feeling never fades, don't let it slip away,
Cause where I am right now is where I want to stay.

Even though I can't see now, just what the future brings,
I will obey and I'll press on in small and simple things
I'm holding on to faith in God and trusting in His plan
He sees the things that I can't see and he takes me by the hand

He takes me out of the darkness and into his marvelous light
I know I'm where I should be now, cause this just feels so right

Hope this feeling never fades, don't let it slip away, 

Cause where I am right now is where I want to stay.

I won't cast away my confidence when uncertainty abounds

I will be still and see God's light, shining through dark clouds

With the Lord as my light I can clearly see the path that I should take

He knows the way and he understands, he suffered for my sake

He takes me out of the darkness and into his marvelous light

I know I'm where I should be now, cause this just feels so right

Hope this feeling never fades, don't let it slip away, 

Cause where I am right now,

Yes in the light of God is where I want to stay.

With Hope,

L

Puppies Puppies Everywhere!

We've had our fair share of furry fun here at the Johnson house! Over the weekend we watched our neighbor's dogs and this week Dolly and I are tending her cousin Millie.  (Isn't she so CUTE?!)

Dolly doesn't quite realize she's so much bigger than the other pups! I think at first they were all a bit scared of her, but after a little bit they've become good pals! Doll Doll is just so happy to have little friends to play with! That said, I think she'll just have to settle with me as her buddy when the others go home! Sorry Doll Bear.

With Love,
L

Polka Dotted...

First things first. I have a complex about shirts like the one I wore in the photos above. I LOVE the look and want to wear them, but I always worry that I'm too short and they make me look pregnant. I'M NOT.

Well that was awkward.

Anyhow, a while ago I saw the most gorgeous photo of a quaint little home covered in polka dots. It just made me happy! Really, what could be cuter than that?! So, for Danny's 28th birthday I decided to cover our home in colorful polka dots, just for fun. Perhaps it wasn't the most masculine decor, but I think he liked it.

I think I would like to wake up one day and find that everything had turned to polka dots. Not permanently or anything, but just for a day or so. It's fun to think about. Random.

L