I'm Graduated!!!

I AM A BIG KID.

AN ADULT.

A PROFESSIONAL.

Heidi & Jennie
She gets more pictures cause she is leaving and that makes me sad.

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I will be the first to admit that I didn't want to do the entire graduation thing.

Walking a crossed a stage with hundreds of strangers staring at me isn't exactly how I want to spend my time. When I told people I wasn't walking at graduation, some agreed with my decision while others were sad that I would be missing out on "the biggest college experience." I was told multiple times that I would regret not going. Me, being stubborn, was sure I wouldn't miss that experience. Looking back, I am still not sure if I would have regretted it, but I would have missed celebrating with my family and friends.

On Thursday, May 4th, I took the train one last time for my final final. (See what I did there?) I knew it wouldn't take long--ten minutes--so I was excited when Melissa told me she was in the library studying for her last final. We got to hang out on campus one last time.

My mom, sister, and grandma picked me up and we went shopping and ate food at Black Bear Diner. After lunch, I had a missed call and voicemail on my phone. The call was from Deseret First saying that I got the job in the Lending Processing Department. I was (am) so excited!

This is me accepting the position.

To kill time we went to The Puppy Barn. After that, we went to the UCCU Center to get ready for Commencement. I am so grateful that I had Alyssa for both of these ceremonies. It would have been painful with out a friend.

Heidi & Alyssa

Jennie, Mom, Heidi, Grandma
Commencement

Commencement was cooler/more fun that I thought it would be. The graduates lined up in the Woodbury Business Building which is about a half mile away from the UCCU Center. As we walked down in our lines, which stayed fairly organized--I was impressed, the professors were standing in the hall of flags and they cheered as we walked by. That kind of stuff makes me uncomfortable but it was a cool experience all the same.

The best part of Commencement was that fact that President Henry B. Eyring spoke. There are no words to express being in the same room as him and hearing him speak. I honestly remember few things that were said, but I am going to find a recording to re-watch it. I remember just feeling like the words spoken that night were made just for me.

The other cool/cheesy part of Commencement was switching the tassel from the right side to the left. Seriously so cheesy, but cool.

After Commencement we sped home because Jennie's mission call came! It was the perfect way to top off the day. She got called to the Virginia Richmond Mission, Spanish Speaking. She leaves August 2nd, and that makes me sad. But that is a totally different blog post.

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May 5th was Convocation. This is the day that most graduates take apart of. But honestly, after hearing Pres. Eyring speak, this day was kind of a let down. The speakers were just meh and we were all feeling anxious to receive our "diplomas." I had to overcome my fear of walking in front of strangers one more time.

Alyssa and Heidi
Convocation

Melissa, Heidi, Jennie, Dad

It was an exciting couple of days in the Anderson Household. So many changes are happening!

I am excited for what the future brings!!!

Dose of Beckett

To keep everyone updated, Beckett is still the cutest human ever. His smile and laugh melt my heart. One day Brandt was playing the piano and Beckett wanted to play along. I had to capture this special moment between dad and child.



Easter

I hope your Easter was a beautiful day.

For me, it was a wonderful day. I went to church with my family instead of going to the YSA ward. There was a special spirit during sacrament meeting that I felt. I am so grateful for my Savior. I feel blessed to be living this amazing life.

Here are some cute pictures of Jennie and I in our matching shirts. We didn't plan on matching. It just happened. (It happened on Sunday all the way through Wednesday. Serious sister goals.)



Lion King On Broadway

I wrote this back in March.


I went to The Lion King at Eccles Theater.

It was A-MAZ-ING.

Perfection.

It was everything I hoped it would be (and a little more).

Jennie, Mom, and Heidi

When Rafiki started singing, I died and went to heaven.

And then Mufasa *heart eyes*

His voice when he was singing "They Live In You" was glorious. I just wanted him to sing the rest of the night. I would pay just to hear him again.

I guess my recommendation to my readers is to go see this if you can! If you can't, then make it a goal to see it sometime in your life. You will not regret it.



Calm from the Storm

I have been having a lot of thoughts.

But the thoughts I want to focus on are my thoughts about the temple.

I love the temple. 

I have since I was a little person. 

I loved singing "I love to See the Temple" in primary.

Once I was in Young Women's I was so excited to do Baptisms for the Dead.

Once I graduated high school, I started preparing for my endowments.

I love reading about the temple. I love visiting the temple. I love talking about the temple. I love the feeling inside the temple. I love what the temple stands for. 

(Pretty sure I have already written this before, sorry)

This year I set a goal to go to the temple at least once a month. That is an easily attainable goal. In February, I went to the Draper Temple with my mom. I was so excited when my night class got cancelled because I knew I needed to go to the temple and this was Heavenly Father's way of making sure I made it. Of course the night we decided to go, the weather was insane! And it only got worse on Draper Mountain. The freeway was full of accidents so we took back roads to get to the temple. We barely missed the session we originally planned, but that didn't matter because there was another one in thirty minutes. Every time I go to the temple I feel like I am going to see someone I know, this time, I walked into the Dressing Room and I caught a glance of someone I knew! We ran into my mom's cousin Cindy! She was in our session and it was cool knowing another person in the room.

I love the temple because I can go inside with questions, and come out with answers. I felt re-energized and ready to tackle the world. 

At times my life gets a little crazy. Almost every moment is filled with school, homework, and work. And then those few free moments I try and fill with friends and family. It can get overwhelming to say the least. But I am so grateful I can go to the temple and find refuge. The temple is the calm from the storm in my life. I mean that literally and figuratively. 

 Check out these cool photos I got after our session. I love the way the light is reflecting off the giant snowflakes. As people were exciting the temple they thought I was crazy to be standing in the storm with my camera. But they turned around and saw what I saw. A few of them even took out their phones to take pictures too.

I am about to get cheesy with a life lesson but this picture reminds me that there is beauty in the storm. Our lives may be falling apart at the seems, but we can turn to the temple and the gospel. It will always be a constant beauty in our lives. Seek out the temple. It is the calm from the storm.

Christmas 2016

 I can't believe that Christmas is over.

This Christmas was the best. I loved spending so much time with my family. We did all the traditions and added a few more. I could sit here and type out all the little details, or I can remember those and give you a few highlights in pictures.

Dad, Heidi, Jennie, Mom
Temple lights 12/23/2016

Jennie and Heidi
Christmas Eve with matching pjs

Jennie and Beckett
Isn't his seven dwarfs onsie the cutest!
From yours truly ♥

Now only 354 days until Christmas 2017.

Christmas Eve

This year our traditions are taking a detour. If you need a refresher of all the traditions, click HERE. Instead of our normal night, our festivities are leaking into the day. You see, my grandpa is in a rehab facility and so to keep him involved we are meeting at the center. We'll do the nativity with him and then we'll go back and start the rest of the night. 

These past couple of weeks I have been thinking how truly blessed I am to have gotten to know all four of my grandparents. And the fact that they are all still living. I have taken that for granted my entire life. For 21 years, they have been there. Every step of the way. That is such a rare blessing. It hurts my heart knowing that there will come a day that I won't have living grandparents. But that is why I am grateful for my testimony. I know that I will see my family again. Isn't that just the most glorious thought? 

I wanted to keep this post short and sweet. Just wanting to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. 

These pictures are from last year. I never got them posted due to wisdom teeth removal. Also, our house looks a little different ;)

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

I love the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It is my dream to be in the choir (maybe one day, ha). Every year we try and get tickets to the Christmas Concert. Last year we didn't get tickets and I was so sad. So this year when we were lucky enough to get tickets, I was beyond excited. This time of year is stressful with all the holiday shenanigans and finals, but it is always worth it to sacrifice a night to go to this concert. 

I kid you not, twenty seconds into the concert, I was crying. The Spirit just filled my heart to the brim with gratitude. I felt so much love I could burst. The music was spectacular. The guest artist was amazing and funny. One of the songs sung was "Little Drummer Boy." It was just MoTab and kids dancing in the isle. Let me preface that I understood this song before Friday night. But this song took on a new meaning for me. I knew that all I have for Christ is my drum. That is it. At times I feel like my drum is broken but because it is all I have, it is enough for Him. I was in tears, again. I feel like I didn't explain that well, but that is probably because I can't explain it. It was a feeling that can't be put into words. 

I am so glad I got to share this experience with my sister and my mom.

Heidi, Jennie, Mom

Heidi, Jennie, Mom, Jordan, Leisa, Jeana, Roland

 Also, out of 21,000 people, we found my Aunt Leisa, Uncle Roland, Jordan, and Jeana! How crazy is that?

Temple Lights

My cousin Madi, who goes to school in Idaho, came to visit for Thanksgiving. This was kind of a big deal because her family lives in another state so we don't see her very often. When she comes to town, we always try and get together. We went to the temple lights the same night they were turned on. This is a big deal just because I either don't see the lights till two days before Christmas, or I don't see them at all. The lights this year did not disappoint.

Walking around temple square will always be one of my favorite things to do downtown.

Here is a list of why I love looking at the temple:

-to admire the work of our ancestors

-to remember the covenants I have made

-to remember the first time through the temple

-to count my blessings and count the temple twice

-to remember God's hand in my life

and

-to help keep an eternal perspective.

Madi, Heidi, Jennie

Selfie with the temple.

Jennie, Madi, Heidi

Girls Night Out

A few weeks ago, I was at my night class. I was feeling downtrodden. It was just after midterms, and I was exhausted. I needed a break. A moment to get away. So I texted Jennie asking if she was down to leave the city with me. She quickly responded yes. I started planning, during my class. Months ago Jennie and I talked about doing a night at Snowbird. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. I looked up the deals they had on their website. We booked a room at The Inn. We spent roughly 22 hours on a mini vacation. No homework. No responsibilities. Just the two of us, food, and lots of Netflix.

When we arrived, we checked in, got settled, and off to a photo shoot we went. Since we were in between summer and winter, it was a ghost town. Most of the people we saw were workers. It was a huge contrast to when we go up with our family (during Oktoberfest). I kept nerding out over the lighting. We didn't have a lot of time to play since the sun set so quickly but I still got some of my favorite images.

For example:

  Once the sun set, we got hot chocolate and went back to our room.

The lighting was interesting, so I told Jennie to sit in the car and just chill. This is what happened:

Of course it isn't a perfect photo, but I was just playing. It was so much fun to shoot for fun. I don't get the opportunity to just play with my camera. So this weekend was needed for my mental health but also to help unleash my artistic side.

 Back to being outside, look at the views.

Nature is seriously amazing.

The world around me is a huge testimony builder. (Side track to our first snow storm this year. The mountains being frosted with snow is my favorite! They look majestic and the snow gives them dimension.)

The rest of the night was spent watching Netflix and eating a lot of food.

The goal was to spend the night living like a Gilmore. I think we lived up to that goal.

The next morning, we had breakfast at The Forklift.

Holy it was delicious. And because it was the off season (look at all the empty chairs), we got our food with very little wait time. I think I am still dreaming about the French toast and bacon that I had.

After breakfast, we went back to our room and started watching Christmas at Cartwright's on the Hallmark Channel. Even though I could guess the plot line, it was still cute and I am slightly sad we didn't finish it. But I got a new pick up line that I am going to have to try ;).

All in all, it was the perfect 22.5 hour vacation. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we are adults and have to act like it. Hopefully we can do another getaway soon.



My Photography

I am feeling extremely blessed!
I need to express my gratitude for photography and how it has blessed my life.
Ever since 6th grade I have loved photography. I was lucky to grow up with a Grandpa who loves photography as well. He has taught me so much through the years. I love his hand-me down photography equipment, and being able to borrow a lens or too.

Jennie at the Exchange Place, SLC, UT

This passed year, I have had amazing clients. They have been patient with me and my learning curve. I wouldn't be who I am as a photographer if it wasn't for them.
I am proud of the work I have done. Looking at my growing portfolio gives me this sense of accomplishment. It is exciting to see the growth from each session.
I have grown so much as a photographer in the last nine years. Photography has been a great artistic outlet for me. Besides, it is still my dream to grow up to be a stay at home mom while running a photography business.

Music and the Spoken Word

I am a choir nerd. I know, surprise surprise.

I got an email from my subscription with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir saying they would be preforming at the new Eccles Theater. This was some very exciting news. 

I immediately texted Jennie and my Mom saying that we should totally go! 

And they agreed.

This theater is beautiful. And MoTab was amazing.

I know the chances of me attending this theater again are fairly slim. 

(Believe me, I looked at tickets for future shows.... I can't afford that.) 

But I am so grateful I got a free look at this venue. It was a perfect combination of modern and classic. The starry ceiling was a nice touch.

All I can say is, if you ever get a chance to go to Eccles Theater, go.

*Bonus*

MoTab sang this song today (obviously not this video) and I just loved it. It is a great reminder that we should appreciate the beautiful world God has given us.

A Sunday Mini Road Trip

Melissa came home from her mission!

If you need a Melissa refresher course, she was my roommate my freshman year.

She is originally from Smithfield, so this meant a mini road trip for her homecoming. I asked Jennie to go with me so that I didn't have to drive that entire way by myself. It is always more entertaining to go with someone. We listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the entire drive. There may or may not have been Christmas included in the music selection.

We hit some heavy rain traveling both ways, but with a prayer in our hearts and MoTab on the radio, we kept driving along.

Of course you can't travel up north and not visit the Logan Temple.
(One of these days I'll actually do a session there).

Jennie & Heidi

Heidi & Melissa

Beautiful fall colors across from the Logan Temple

Logan Temple

Jennie & Heidi ft. Logan Temple

Logan Temple on the hill

Labor Day

 Now that Labor Day has come and gone, I figured I should probably blog about it.

Savanna (SJ) bought a new car! So she texted asking if I was interesting in going for a drive on Labor Day. Of course I was down for a drive.
We drove to the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. Drove passed Cascade Springs, into Midway, naturally taking the long way home through Guardsman Pass, and down Big Cottonwood Canyon.
We stopped at a few different spots for photo opportunities.

SJ and the new Jeep

Savanna & Heidi

 

 To end the day, we had some family friends over and played volleyball, pickleball, and ate Disneyland Copycat Corndogs. I didn't get pictures of the festivities, but I did get one of the sunset.

Snowbird

Another Anderson Family Tradition!

My Grandparents have a timeshare at Snowbird.

We go swimming, hang out, and celebrate birthdays!

It is always a party when the Anderson clan gets together.
Our Snowbird weekend typically falls on the first week of school. So Snowbird is the official closing of summer. Kind of sad, but also a nice transition into fall.
Now if I could only get up into the mountains more often.

Jennie & Heidi

fun pano of the trees

Dad, Brandt, Meme, Keshia, Joe, Heidi, & Jennie