3 weeks to go!

WARNING: I just watched a sad movie and now I'm feeling nostalgic and Mac is on a fly fishing trip so I miss him and well....you've been warned. :)

I really need to stop neglecting this blog! I love getting on and looking at everyone else's blog, so I'm going to try REALLY hard to return the favor. I'm sure I'll be blogging more once we get to Alaska so that we can keep a good record of our time there. Speaking of Alaska....we are moving in less than a month! We are pretty close to ready (well except for the whole packing up thing). It has been a real eye opening experience to go through the emotions of this move....excitement (for the first 8 months we knew we were going) and then recently it has really started to hit that we are leaving our families and friends and our "HOME". I've felt nervous, scared, happy, optimistic, sad, and a million other emotions. I've started to appreciate everyone just a little bit more every day. I'm trying to remember the nieces and nephews smiles, laughs, and their fun little quirks. I'm spending more time talking with my mom and dad, and making the time I have so close to them count. It has really made me realize how much I just take things for granted. Utah has been an amazing place to grow up and maybe one day we will end up back here with our own little family, but for now Alaska will be our new home!

My last day of work is August 2nd! This too has hit me all of a sudden. For the longest time I've thought how nice it will be to change jobs and get benefits (FINALLY). But now I'm a little nervous. Will I like my new job? Will I find "friends" in my new co-workers? Will I fit in? My job right now has its moments of sheer craziness but my co-workers are some of the most amazing people and we have so much fun together! Sometimes it is more like we play at work, instead of working at work! I will truly miss them all. I was also surprised how hard it was to tell my clients that I am leaving. I have a few who are really close to graduation but I am not going to be able to be there when they graduate. I've been lucky enough to travel a part of their journey with them and I'm so proud of what they have each accomplished. It really is amazing to see how much someone can change in 8 months and so rewarding!

More than ever I am learning to trust in the Lord. We have had so many experiences that just reaffirm that we cannot do this alone and I am so grateful that I know that my Savior died for me! We are not given challenges that we do not have the ability to overcome, even though sometimes it seems like there could be nothing worse. I have felt my Savior's comforting love over the past few months and it has given me so much peace and faith that He has a plan for me. I can't wait to find out what the next few years will hold for us. I am so excited to make new friends in Alaska and for that moment when it feels like "HOME" to us just like Centerville.

Mentoring Giveaway with CRAVE PHOTOGRAPHY!!

Here is a pic from Clari's senior session just for fun. :)

Okay, so remember back when my photography went from being "okay" to actually looking professional and unique? Well that was because I did a full day mentoring session with Andee Tate from CRAVE PHOTOGRAPHY. Andee sat down with me and taught me photoshop (with me having basically no knowledge of the thing). I learned business, lighting, posing, everything! It was A-mazing.

So now she is doing a world wide giveaway, all expenses paid by CRAVE, 2-day mentoring session! Check out her blog to learn about the mentoring session and all the other amazing giveaways by other vendors. Come on....you know you are dying to learn how to make your pictures even better!!

CRAVE PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG LINK

HELP! High School Senior Models Needed

I'm realizing I don't know that many high school seniors! I did a photo shoot for my cousin Clari this week and had such a blast that I'm thinking about delving into "seniors" a little more. So I need your help. I am looking for 2 male and 1 female high school seniors to be models. The cost is $75 for a 1 hour session and 25 high resolution custom edited images with copyright release. If you have any questions head on over to my facebook photography page and leave me a comment, or leave a comment on here, or message me at jaime.c.brady@gmail.com.

Thanks for your help! Oh and while your over at my facebook page, make sure to click "like" so you can get updates for deals and giveaways! There are sure to be some spring deals coming up!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.150053095062181.33276.147318735335617&saved#!/pages/Jaime-Brady-Photography/147318735335617

Clari

Head on over to my photography blog and check out Clari's senior pictures. How beautiful is this girl!?

http://jaimebradyphotography.blogspot.com/

Spring Senior Sessions

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jaime-Brady-Photography/147318735335617

It is that time of year!! I've got some specials going on right now for our awesome Utah High School Seniors! Click on the link above to see my facebook photography page and some deals listed there. Here is what I'm offering:

~~~HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SPECIAL~~~ Book your senior photo shoot now through May 7th and get a 1 hour session with 25 custom edited images for only $100. The first 2 to contact me will get a $25 discount!

What's in it for you, you ask? (since most of you reading this blog are not high school seniors) Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you and the power of referrals! So here is what I have to offer all you readers out there:

If you refer a high school senior who books a session you get $25 off any 1 hour session of your choice! If you refer 2 seniors who book a session, you get $50 off. Get the idea? Spread the word!

Goodbye to the orange shag carpet!

Can you believe it? I sure can't. We are down to less than 6 months until we move to Alaska! I am trying to appreciate each little moment while we are here and especially being so close to our families. We have taken that for granted for the longest time.

We got a really special surprise this Valentines day...Our bathroom/room flooded! A pipe burst right above our bathroom and when my dad turned on the water outside...well, you can put 2 and 2 together. My dad and Joe said that there was water just flowing out of the vent in the ceiling in the bathroom. Man I'm glad I wasn't there! I probably would have been freaking out. Anyway, we have had an exciting week since then....we got kicked out of our room since there were like 20 high power fans down there drying everything out. Mac and I slept in the extra bedroom....in a twin bed. YIKES! It actually wasn't too bad and we slept surprisingly well for THREE nights in that tiny little bed. Forced cuddling. Check. :) Today we are getting new carpet in our bedroom so hopefully tonight we can finally move all of our stuff back in so that we can return to life as normal. I'm a little sad to see the 30 year old orange shag carpet go, but it had a good run.

FOR SALE!!!

I can't believe how bad I am at this whole blogging thing, but whatev. I'm a busy woman!! ha. So I intend for this to be a quick post because I'm getting ready to go out with my BFF Amy Call, but I just felt like giving a little update.
1. Moving to Alaska is official. We are stoked. I think I'm really starting to appreciate our winter's here because I know it is going to be colder in Alaska. Who would have ever thought I'd walk outside in January and think to myself, "20 degrees really isn't THAT cold." :)
2. Mac is starting his 2nd to last semester at the U of U! We are so excited, except that paying tuition makes me want to poke my eyes out. Seriously, am I the only one who thinks the U of U is Ridonculously over-priced? $3,900.00 later.......
3. Joe came home from his mission! My little bro is so funny. His new best friend is his Ipod touch that it took us 4 days to track down since they were sold out everywhere. He loves it, and I even had to tell him "no music at the breakfast table." I can't wait to be a mom and be able to tell that to my own kids!
4. We are selling some prized items in an effort to build up our savings for our Alaskan adventure. Check them out on KSL and spread the word around to your dirtbike riding/photography loving friends! Motorcycle: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13799804&cat=650 and Nikon Lens: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=13926940&cat=659
5. Mac and I are getting into shape this year!! It may already be the 8th of January and we may not have started on this new years resolution yet, but the desire is there, and we are working on the follow through! Being healthy physically is so important and we really want to get into a regular work out routine (hopefully with our INSANITY work out program, it just scares me a little to think about....)
6. I got called to be a primary chorister with my good friend Lauren Mair!! It is actually a ton of fun and a good break from teaching primary. I love being in the Primary and can't wait to dust off my creative juices to use for my new calling.
7. Mac was called into the Young Men's Presidency (can't remember if I blogged about that earlier, but let's be honest, I rarely blog, so I probably didn't!) He loves it and is enjoying the challenge of getting through to those stubborn phone/Ipod loving young men of his.
8. We moved in with my parents (**SIGH**) We really miss our apartment and our parental independence, but it was a necessary sacrifice in order to be better off once we get to Alaska. It is actually really fun being so close to family and even though we have almost had a few fists flying during a few phase 10 games, we all still really love each other.
9. Mac and I adopted a new TV show to watch via Netflix (our BFF). We have been watching Castle and love it. We love the humor and are suckers for the Crime solving dramas.
10. I swear we really do live exciting lives but thinking of a #10 has proven more difficult than I imagined......Um....we're Pregnant!! No just kidding, we really aren't. We just get asked when we are going to have kids so often that I thought I'd give you all a little tease!! WE ARE NOT PREGNANT.....just wanted to clear that up! :) My real #10 would be that mac and I hit our 1 1/2 year anniversary in December. While we can't believe it has already been 1 1/2 years, at the same time, it feels like we have been married forever. I am so grateful for him. He is the most selfless, giving, loving, hardworking, funny, sweet man ever. I love you Honey!

We love all of you so much and appreciate all your love and support! We know it will be hard to be so far away from everyone and everything we have grown up around but can't wait for this new adventure to begin. Happy be-lated new year and here's to 2011!! It's going to have to step up it's game to be better than 2010!