Bree and Tal

Here are some favorites from my shoot with Bree and Talyn.

These girls are so gorgeous.

The photo shoot was a blast! This was my first time shooting Bree and it will not be my last :) She is a born model. (I don't think she knows it yet)

I love these pictures. And I love you Miss Bree. Thanks again girly!

 

Beautiful Bree Preview

I'm Old

It's true. I'm old. I have a 4 year old!

 What the???

Oh how time flies.

We celebrated on Sunday with a few friends and family. 

I asked Bailie what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday and she wanted strawberry cake with a barbie on it... 

I thought it would be cute to make her cake this year. So with the help of Talyn and LOTS of help from Deveren, we made a barbie cake.

It took WAY too long and at one point I almost threw it away and bought one, but Talyn and Dev convinced me to put lots of frosting on it and it would be great :) 

Deveren did all of the yellow detailing and basically made it look sweet! Thanks baby.

 

Bailie LOVED it!

She was in heaven all day long

Every present she opened was so exciting!

Happy Birthday Bailie Girl! I love you more than you will ever know. You bring so much joy and laughter into our home. I'm so lucky to be your Mommy!

A Few Things We Love About You:

When you sneeze I have to say 'bless you' or you say 'bless me Mom'

Your amazing laugh

How sensitive and sweet you are

Your creative imagination

 That your favorite word these days is 'freakin'

That you ask me every day if your hair is 'long like Tangled'

Your concern for everyone around you

How much you love your brother

When I get to hear your prayers

Finale

13. honeymoon

We went up to Salt Lake and stayed at the Anniversary Inn for 4 nights. If you've never been there it's very cool. They have themed rooms. We stayed in a different room each night. We stayed in the Jungle Safari, Mountain Hideaway, Sultan's Palace, and Treasure Island rooms. 

If you haven't gone, you need to go. They have a ton to choose from.

14. thoughts on marriage: what is the easiest/hardest part? if you could change anything, what would it be?

Marriage is amazing. It is hard. It is a roller coaster of emotions... but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I wouldn't change anything. We live and learn. We argue sometimes. We communicate. We have fun. We love each other. 

The most important part of our marriage is communication and compromise. It can be very hard sometimes, but we work on it every day.

I love Deveren more and more every day and CAN NOT imagine my life without him. He makes me a better. He knows how to handle my ups and downs. He is the best husband in the world.
15. first place that you lived together

 We lived in a basement apartment in Orem. It was so cute. We lived there about 5 months before we bought our home that we are in now. 

 
16. kids: do you have any yet? if not, when do you plan on it? how many do you want? any tips on good/bad birth control?

Yes we have 2 kiddos. Bailie just turned 4 and Brek is 18 months. They are great kids. They keep us on our toes that's for sure, but we love them so so much!

17. most recent picture of you and your significant other and what you love most about them 

 

 

I love everything about Deveren... Ok maybe not EVERYTHING but just about :) 

A Few Things I Do Love...

He loves his family and friends

He is the nicest guy you will ever meet

He still tells me 'I look hot' and tries to get the kids to tell me I look good

He is such a good example to me and our kids

He works SO HARD for us

I love that he makes mistakes like me

He makes it hard not to love him

Wedding Challenge Failure

Yes. Yes I am...

I was looking through all of the pictures on my computer and can't find any of my wedding ones :( I have prints but none on my computer to post. 

Just call me a failure... 

I was SO looking forward to finishing this challenge.

I guess I will finish but there won't be any pictures...

5. engagement/bridal pictures

I will try and find some to post soon

 
6. the colors

 My colors were deep purple, chocolate brown, gold, a deep red, and cream.

7. the dress: was it what you always imagined? did you have it made for you? white or ivory? 

I actually rented my dress. I figure why spend lots of money on a dress that I am only going to wear once? It was white.

8. the little accessories: you know, veil? shoes? jewelry? what did your bridesmaids wear?

I wore a veil that had the same detailing on my dress. After we got out of the temple it kept  pulling my hair out so I decided not to wear it anymore. I wore white tennis shoes and put pretty lace in them. 

I didn't have bridesmaids... my sisters wore cream tops and chocolate brown skirts.

I got my jewelry at the mall I think. I wore a necklace and earrings to match. 

 
9. the reception

We got married on a Wednesday. The reception was at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It was amazing because we got married in the late afternoon, took pictures at the temple and then walked right over to the JSMB and had a nice sit down dinner and little program. Everything was all ready for us, I heard the food was great (I didn't eat very much because my corset was so tight I couldn't), and my family didn't have to worry about cleaning up. It was great! 

 
10. the cake/food

We just had cheesecake. No formal cake. I don't remember the food... If I could find my pictures, maybe I could tell you! :(

 
11. your song and/or the first song you danced to at your wedding

 We danced to Sara Evans and Vince Gill's No Place That Far

 I can't imagine any greater fear

Than waking up without you here

And though the sun would still shine on

My whole world would all be gone

But not for long

If I had to run, if I had to crawl

If I had to swim a hundreds rivers

Just to climb a thousand walls

Always know that I would find a way to get to where you are

There's no place that far 

(That's just the 1st verse and chorus but I LOVE that song)

12. favorite part of the day and least favorite part of the day

 Everything about that day was wonderful. Everything went as planned. I didn't have any glitches.... It was great.  My favorite part of the day was walking into the sealing room and seeing all of our family and friends waiting for us. I will never forget it. 

My least favorite part was probably the corset I was wearing.... It made me look great but it did not make me feel so good :)

W.P.C. #3

Wedding Post Challenge

3. Proposal: How it happened, how long were you engaged for? was it a total surprise?  pictures of that... etc..

This is a VERY long story so i'll try to keep it as short as possible.

I had driven out to California with my older sister, Brielle, to meet Deveren's family. He said he wanted to show me around his hometown and take me to see some of the sights... And he wanted to introduce me to some close friends. 

First stop was his oldest Brother, Sam, and sister-in-law's house. I was actually going to stay there so we dropped my stuff off and went to eat at a Chinese restaurant. Deveren pulled out a video camera and started recording... He told me that his 2 older sisters really wanted him to make a video of me (they both live in Arizona) so he was going to record bits and pieces of our weekend and send it to them. (THIS WAS A LIE. HE WANTED IT THE PROPOSAL ON VIDEO CAMERA)

So we ate, had a lot of fun and Sam brought out a long stem rose that was made out of copper and handed it to me. He said he made it for me (which I thought was kind of weird but VERY nice.)

After lunch we went to Deveren's parents' house to hang out.
I was given another rose just like the first one.

He took me to see his childhood best friend, Jonny. We talked for a while and right as we were leaving, he told me how great it was meeting me and pulled out a copper rose that he had made. I had no idea what was going on still.

He took me to his high school. He wanted to show me the sun dial that his high school put it in the front of his school. As we walked up to it, I saw that there was a rose laying on it. 

Then we walked over to the football field where he played football and there was another rose laying on the bleachers. 
Next stop, Brad and Katie's. Katie is Deveren's best friend from high school. Brad brought out a rose that he had made me too! At this point I was thinking, 'that is so crazy that EVERYONE here knows how to weld and makes these cool roses!' 
I was starting to think that something was up...
We went to Deveren's old boss' house and talked with him and his wife. He gave me a rose too. :)
One night we met my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin for dinner and my Aunt Paralee so generously gave me a lovely copper rose that ironically she had made!

 I feel really horrible that I can't remember where I got 2 of the roses... 


We went to eat at Buca de Beppo for dinner one night with Dev's parents, little brother and little sister. His mom gave me a diamond necklace and a copper rose!


As the number of roses increased, I started thinking that he would propose by giving me 1 dozen of these amazing roses... I had just received rose #11 so I started getting nervous!
After we left the restaurant, Dev and I were in the car and he was asking me about the roses. As we hit a stop light, our conversation went something like this:


Dev: 'So babe, how many roses do you have now?'
Me: '11... All I need is 1 more' :)
Dev: (Proceeded to get out of the car and reach under his seat. He pulled out rose #12 and got back in the car.) 'Here ya go. I just wanted you to have a dozen roses that you could keep forever.'


SOOOOO Sweet, right?
I got super nervous all of the sudden and just sat there waiting for something amazing to happen (like a proposal maybe)


NOTHING.
Nothing happened.
He just drove. In silence.


I was not very happy.


That night Deveren wanted to take me up to a look out spot to show me the lights of Sacramento. So we drove and drove and drove. We ended up getting lost. 
After a little while we got back on track. Deveren decided to make me put a blanket over my head so it would be a surprise when we got to the top. Now remember, I wasn't too happy with him from previous events (or lack thereof) and now I have to put a blanket on my head? 
Sweet.
So I did. We got to the top and he helped me out of the car... Then told me to sit down and wait for him. 
I kept hearing him walk around me and then randomly say 'Dang it!' 


Now I started putting things together.... and I got REALLY nervous.


He told me to stand up and take the blanket off. 
I opened my eyes and there was my honey standing in front of me, with the BEAUTIFUL lights of Sacramento behind him, holding a copper rose like the ones a had been getting the past few days. But this one was bigger.
There was a little rolled up note stuck inside the top. I pulled it out and it said:

SHE LOVES ME, SHE LOVES ME NOT, SHE LOVES ME.


Dev: Do you know what a baker's dozen is?
Me: No.
Dev: It's 13 roses.


He got down on one knee.
He proceeded to pull down the petals of the rose, and as he did he would tell me something he loved about me. I could tell he was really nervous because he couldn't think of things to say so he just started pulling the pedals down as fast as he could! 
He told me how much he loved me and then popped the question!


I said yes of course.

(Our first fight was about not getting a real ring because he didn't have any money, and I didn't want him to go into debt over a ring, so I was expecting a fake one from Walmart... I could have cared less)


Inside the rose there was a ring holder.

And a ring. He got me one of the wedding bands I wanted!!!

(His mom did some trade for a jewelry company so he got an amazing discount... No debt!)

 

I couldn't find a picture of just my band, but this is my ring now.

 

He proposed with one of the bands and gave me the other one for an anniversary :) Best hubby ever!

 

 

My Aunt actually gave him my main diamond :) We have the best families!

Wedding Post Challenge #2

The challenge continues....

2. When you knew he was the one: Self explanatory.. but how and when did you know?

Like I mentioned in the previous post, I met Dev on a Friday night. We went on our first date on Saturday. After the movie, we went up to a friends' house and played games, then he dropped me off at my apartment because he had to go up to Magna, Utah to pick up a friend with Carlson. They ended up getting lost on the way home so they didn't even get back to my apartment until midnight or 1 am. I told him I would wait up for him so I made Amy come outside with me and talk to me on a blanket while we waited for him. (Thanks Aim!) 

He stayed and talked until 6 am when he had to leave for the airport. 

I knew there was something there because when I had to say goodbye to him I was SO sad. I was afraid that I would never see him again and that terrified me.

Being with him was easy. It felt right from the beginning. I NEVER questioned our relationship for a second. NEVER. If you know me, you know I question EVERYTHING.

That says a lot. 

 

I just asked Deveren and he said he knew I was the one when we were in Mexico.

I asked him to elaborate... He said, 'I prayed about it in Mexico.' Typical guy answer. Gotta love him

 

I just found these on my computer... I think these were taken when we were engaged.

Wedding Post Challenge

I stole this from Chloe... I don't know if I have ever written down our meeting/dating/engaged/wedding stories so here I go!

1. How it all began: How you met, first date, first kiss, how long did you date? First picture together.....etc.

Deveren and I met on Friday, July 7, 2005. He was in town for a mission companion's wedding (Billy Stronks). I was living with my good friends Amy and Chloe in Provo. Amy's good friend Chris Carlson (I will call him Carlson because that's what I call him) had a mission buddy in town and they had talked about setting me and the the mission buddy up. Amy told me his name was Devron (rhymes with Chevron), and that he was blond.

Well the date never happened for some reason. Dev told me later that they went to go pick up some girls to make out with. They couldn't find any though, so they came over to our apartment :) One of their other mission buddies that was visiting from Salt Lake came over with his fiance and the guys all spoke Spanish to each other for 4 hours. Super fun, right?

Dev told me later that he had a conversation with Carlson in Spanish about me and that he should ask me out. Carlson said I wasn't his type and that Dev should make a move... 

Finally the Salt Lake buddy left so Carlson and Devron decided to stay and watch a movie with us. The rest of the evening was kind of a blur... Maybe because I chose to block it out, maybe not. You will never know. 

According to Dev we sat next to each other, cuddled, held hands, and kissed... I do not recall the kissing part :) Ok maybe I do, Don't judge me.

Carlson and Dev stayed til wee hours of the morning. Dev asked for my number so I gave it to him. I didn't think he was going to call because he was from out of town, and I probably would never see him again.

He called the next day.

Our first date was to the Pizza Factory. The server had to come back 4 times to take our order because we kept talking and not looking at the menu. We were there for hours just talking. I remember his Mom calling him and I kept thinking how cute it was that he talks to his Mom.

Then we went and saw Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. 

These pictures were from our first date. Yes for some reason we took pictures. Weird I know.

I don't really know how to answer the last question. How long did we date? Our first date was the 8th of July. He went back home the next day. We talked on the phone and text each other for 2 weeks. Does that count as dating? After those 2 weeks, my family went to Mexico... My family goes there every summer. When we landed, my first thought was 'How am I going to talk to Deveren'?

I bought a calling card.

While we were there I wouldn't stop talking about him to my family.  About the middle of our trip my Aunt asked me if I thought there was a future with this guy... I said 'Yeah I think so'. 
Remember, none of my family had met him yet. After a little while of talking to my mom, my Aunt said, 'If there is a future with this guy we need to get to know him. What better place than Mexico?! Call him and see if he can get work off to come out here.'

2 days later we were at the airport waiting for his plane! I was nervous. And scared. What if I didn't recognize him? I had only seen him once. Right as he walked past the shark tank all of the nerves and anxiety went away completely. I knew RIGHT away it was him and felt dumb for questioning myself. Our second date was in Mexico. 

That place means a lot to me. A lot happened there. We told each other we loved each other, and had many conversations that included 'hypothetically speaking, if we were to get married' talk. Not to mention, seeing a couple having sex on the beach! Man what a memory.


 5 days later we each went back home and talked on the phone constantly for 1 1/2 weeks.

The following weekend he drove out here with a buddy to ask my dad's permission to marry me.

The next week I drove out with my sister to his house to meet his family. That's where he proposed. Stay tuned. 

 

 

 

 

Change

For those of you that know me, I like change... 

I love Dev's job because I get to move every summer. I don't like being in the same place for too long

I don't like cooking the same meals over and over again so I'm always looking for new recipes to try

If I had a bigger house I would be moving furniture around constantly.

I love switching things up...

I'm the same way with my hair. 

I wanted something a little more low maintenance for the summer (we will be gone for 5 months... that's a long time to not have your hair done!). 5 months blond highlights= NO BUENO.

Plus, I could never be one of those people that has the same hairstyle for 30 years.

It was time for a change, so here is my new look 

I absolutely love it! Thanks SO much Sara!

I trimmed it, dyed it dark brown (a little bit darker than my natural color), and added caramel highlights...

Baby Indi

A few months ago my good friend Whitney and I were talking and she was telling me that she wanted some nice pictures taken of the baby right after she was born. Of course I said yes to her brilliant idea. So the last few weeks I have been waiting for the phone call to go to the hospital...  

Last week she got induced.  

15 hours later, Baby Indi Belle Tidwell made it here... Perfect and oh so beautiful

I got to be in the delivery room as she was being born!!  

Probably one of the coolest experiences... Ever. 

It is so cool to be on the good side of childbirth :) (Not having the baby)

I got to enjoy the atmosphere and the look on Cy and Whitney's face when they saw their little angel for the first time. 

IT WAS SO AWESOME.

Anyway, on to the pictures...

 

This was RIGHT after Indi was born. Doesn't Whitney look amazing?

One of my favorites

This one's for you Cam

Hilarious... Love it

 

 

Congrats Cy and Whitney... She is so gorgeous!