Our First Senior Field Trip! The Very Exotic Salt Flats!

I love field trips! Don't you? I love the behind the scenes look at how places run..but that's another entry for another day..lol. Anyway..I took Lyndsi Daaaaling to the Salt Flats...I had a great time! I hope she did too, even if the salt was very...I'm talking very wet. Poor thing..such a trooper! If you're interested in a field trip or a road trip..I'm soooo up for it. On to a handful of my favs. I couldn't decide..so I'm showing more than usual..lol. First up our own little down town.


The salt flats: Sexy Shoes..baby!
Just over the city of Wendover before we called it a night.

A big Thank You!! Thank You!! to Zack Arias for my new Lighting Skills!

Oh, My Heck! ---> well it is Utah, People! LOL.

On the news I remember seeing a story about a woman last year. She was going to the White House to give the president an egg she had painted that would be representing Utah. For some reason it just stuck with me. I thought it was pretty cool. Here's the egg that's at the White House:

Isn't it awesome?!! I think its so lovely. Its an ostrich egg so its large compared to your regular chicken egg.

I got a phone call that my sister-in-law was going to take a group of girls over to learn how to paint, (well its more of a dyeing than painting) Ukrainian Eggs. I of course jumped at the chance. Its called Pysanky and its completely different than the egg at the White House. Turns out though it was the woman who painted the egg for the White House! Mrs. Carolyn Kemp of West Valley, Utah. How cool is that??!?!! She told us all about the tradition of dyeing Easter eggs and that the Ukrainian women would decorate them and put a lot of thought and prayerfulness into the eggs..after they dyed them they would hope that the symbols on them would bring good fortune to the families they would give them to the next day. I found it to be very lovely and I like knowing where traditions come from!
Here we are Carolyn and I. It was kinda warm hovering over the flame..so I'm a little pink...lol.

Then we tried our hands at it. I guess its just my crafty genes..but I enjoyed it! LOL. Anyway, its like Batiking with fabric. You cover the area you don't want to dye with beeswax (it smelled so good.) Then dip the egg in a color..then cover the area you want to keep that color and dip..from light to dark. Then you melt away the wax and reveal a master piece!
This is after I've dipped and dyed! Just before we melted the wax:

Melting the wax:My Egg - Pretty good for a first timer!
There are only a couple really good places to get supplies if your interested...Here's one!
http://www.babasbeeswax.com/ or just google Pysanky or Kistka (thats the tool you melt the wax in.)

Two baby ducks and a toddler...

We had a jaunt out to the local parks in Pleasant Grove, Utah, with couple of baby ducks and they sure knew how to work it. Of course Miss Sylvia was a perfect angel..so excited to see everything and such a darling girl. Don't worry about the ducklings..they were stars and found a good home at a local pond where they will be very happy.
Here's a few of my favs!

Las Vegas, NV - WPPI !!! Woot-a-Woot!

WPPI - That's Wedding and Portrait Photographers International to you bub. I went to Vegas to the gigantic convention and met new vendors, leaders in the industry and other photographers! It was great fun. I learned sooooo much I didn't have time to take a lot of pictures! Whats a girl to do? So you'll just have to live with these few of the folks I met. We all partied in Paris and Bally's in lovely Las Vegas, Nevada!

This is Alberto Moretta he was nice enough to introduce Jennifer and I to Mike and MeRaKoh.Mike Colon - awesome photographer.
Jennifer Grigg - if you need a photographer in the southern most part of Utah Valley ..call this woman!!
MeRaKoh - awesome photographer!
Then Jennifer and I ran into Julieanne Kost. - The High Photoshop Goddess, while we were getting dinner! You just never know who you'll meet at these conventions!

I even tracked down Anne Ruthmann! I love her stuff and it was so wonderful to meet her!

One Light - Salt Lake City ,UT (Ogden, UT really!)

A huge-huge thank you to Zack Arias! He came all the way to Ogden, Utah from Atlanta, Georgia. Despite some turmulous traveling he was kind enough to teach me and a few other local photographers about lighting. I love this guy! He was so great, understanding and patient. Zack is a fantastic Music Photographer and he shared all his secrets with us! So of course..here's a few pics! Thanks again Zack!!

Thanks to our lovely hostesses...Davina and Kate, for the organization, hosting and the lovely models Shanda and Randy!!

This is Zack..filling our brains...oye..so much info!

Our Sexy Couple - Shanda and Randy:

Night Shots with other Photographers! Anna and Jacque Lynn

April! Ohhh, she's showing off what she's been doing. :)

I love this woman! She is soooo great! We had such a fun time at her house doing her maternity shoot, in Hagerman, ID. Plus there is this great little sandwich shop near her home. Papa Kelsey's it was the first time I had been there you have to try it if you get a chance. Yum. In "Its Time" She's re-inacting her son asking if she's gonna be like the lady on tv who went into labor. It was so adorable!

Thanks April!! I LOVED our time together! Thanks for showing me Haggerman!

Little Benjimin...such cute little toes!!

Here are some cutie pie pics of little Benjimin. I love his baby-bits! Adorable! I love the one of him yawning. I bet you yawn too! :) Thanks Stephanie, for letting me peak at your precious little one. (You're pretty cute too!)

Fashionista Couture in Layton, Utah??

You Bet Your Bootie Baby! Nestled in Hometown Utah, a wildly talented gown designer. Our Very Own, Lyndsi Lytle. Okay, she's my niece..that's Lyndsi with the S. What? *grin* The fam is just brimming with Talent. We can't help ourselves. LOL.

What troopers those models were (actual customers of Lyndsi's) In the snow!Check out the gorgeous gowns and Lyndsi's Blog.

Oh, my..a growing baby girl!!

Look at this cutie baby face!! She's coming up on a year! I can't believe its been that long. Her momma, Lisa is such a gem!