New Mexico /// Holt Family Reunion

I'm starting to feel like the summer is flying by and I just want to make it slow down! I mean I would like the ridiculous heat to end but not summer! I can't believe we are already into the 2nd week of July! Crazy. I was telling Brett this morning that I was sad about it because we were crossing events off our list and it gives me fewer events to look forward to.

The big event we just crossed off the list was the Holt Family Reunion in Silver City, New Mexico! Neither Brett or I had ever been to New Mexico so it was fun to see what it was like there. This was also our first "road trip" together! We didn't talk a whole lot though since Brett has tests this week so he had to study but it was still a good time. The weather is great and was such a nice break from AZ! +30C during the day and mid 20C at night! SO NICE! I hadn't met very many of Brett's Holt cousins so it was great to meet a ton of them. They were all so inviting and a really fun group! The Stailey's did an incredible job of organizing the activities, meals, sleeping arrangements, and everything else! They put on such a great reunion. Here are some photos of our time in Silver City!

I guess before I get into the reunion I should mention July 1st/Canada Day! We were both pretty sad we missed the celebrations back in Raymond but we tried to make the most of it and put on our matching Canada shirts I had bought us a few months ago!

Before the trip could start Brett needed a little hair cut. Here is a little before and after! I do love a clean cut man! Oh and his hair grows faster than anything in this world I swear. It makes me so mad because he hates it and I would kill for it!

Day 1:

We left later on Wednesday and got into town just after 1am, so needless to say we didn't do a lot the first night! The first day we got to Silver City it was July 4th! We were planning on getting up and going to the parade... but that didn't end up happening! I was a little sleepy and had a hard time getting up and ready to go... whoops! We ended up meeting everyone for lunch after we ran some errands at Walmart! Which included getting some new sunnies for us both! After lunch Brett played basketball and I visited! I really had a great time getting to know his Holt side of the family better. We were really missing his immediate family though! It would have been so much more fun with all of them! Next time right Jenni? ;) After we wrapped up at the lunch site we headed over to the Stailey's for dinner! (I really feel like all we did was eat! As soon as one meal was over another was being started! It was awesome.) After dinner was the fireworks show! It got pretty chilly so we didn't make it through the whole thing! I am becoming a baby to cold weather. It's not good.

Day 2:

We woke up really early on our second day to meet at Walmart for breakfast and to begin the Holt's Amazing Race! We hadn't slept great the night before due to some crazy thunder and other noises... but we somehow managed to pull ourselves out of bed! So I was looking GOOD this day. No shower, no make up, no sleep looks the best on me for sure... Anyway we were put on the "Horny Toad" team and given our orange bandannas. Our first stop was the City of Rocks!

We were given tasks to complete and we really had a fun time! We explored a little bit and it reminded us a lot of the hoodoos at Writing on Stone!

 After the City of Rocks we headed to the Copper Mines! They were really interesting. The picture really doesn't do it justice at all! There were so many colours and it was HUGE. 

The last leg of the race was at an old military cemetery. Each grave stone had a sign of the soldiers religion and for the LDS faith there was an angel Maroni. 

Day 3:

We were supposed to get up early again and do some more racing but unfortunately do to the serious rain they were having at night the place we were going to was flooded and closed : ( So instead I slept in and Brett got some more studying done! After lunch though we decided to do some exploring and went and checked out downtown Silver City! It was pretty small but had some cool stuff! We ate some homemade fudge, took fun pictures, and went into some antique stores! In one of them we found an old vintage camera and Brett got it for me to add to my little collection! I am the luckiest! He also is such a good sport and will pose for me on occasion! Overall it was a nice way to spend the afternoon!

That night we played in a corn hole tournament, ate a great mexican dinner, filled out a "Murry Holt History Quiz", watched a slideshow of some pictures and videos from the weekend, and ate lots of treats! It was a great way to end off a great weekend!

We both haven't stopped talking about how much fun we had and how happy we are that we went! I also really enjoyed not having to share Brett with the clinic and am feeling grumpy that he is back at it today! Oh well... We had a blast while it lasted and can't wait for the next one!

Hello Summer

I keep seeing posts about how summer has finally made it's way to Southern Alberta... Ya you guys with your perfect plus 25-30C weather! I could punch you. When I walk outside my house it is a full on mad dash sprint to either my air conditioned car or the pool. Yesterday it got up to 52C and I thought I was going to die! I know I really have no place complaining because 9 months of the year I live in heaven but trust me... June July and Aug are brutal. Okay I am hearing myself and I am going to be the one to get punched pretty quick here... Sorry! I'm just jealous and missing SOAB summers is all! Please forgive me.

The last little while has been pretty calm around here and we have been loving it. Brett is in clinic now, working on real people, and has a pretty steady 8-5 schedule accompanied with NO studying! Which equals one real happy wife! I even had my first appointment with Dr. Holt the other day! He was very patient with me and made sure not to hurt me! I only got a cleaning done but still! It was painless! He has also done a few root canals, some extractions, and fillings! He is on his way to be an exceptional dentist : )

 I have been keeping busy with lots of editing (with my new photoshop 6! Loving it, my cousins are the best for getting it for me!), visiting teaching, cleaning, cooking... you know the usual. Lots of people share grave concern for me and my lack of a job but really I am working. I fly home almost every month and shoot as many sessions as I have time for and then fly home and edit! I am actually coming home July 24-30 to do shoots if anyone reading this is in need of a photographer... wink wink (shameless plug). Anyway even though you probably think I just sit at the pool or watch netflix all day I really do keep pretty busy.

My new Adobe Creative Suite 6! Thanks Peterson Family!

A necklace that the daughter of the lady I visit teach made for me :)

Here are some of the things we have been up to over the past few weeks:

• Getting into shape - Brett is trying to gain weight, I am trying to lose it... I hate boys. We go almost every night after Brett is done school to his school gym and it has been working good! I also do a Jillian Michael's DVD every once in a while and she kills me. To the point of losing function of my legs for days.
• Staying Cool - We have been to the pool here at our apartment complex a few times but had the opportunity to go to a Water Park in Phoenix! It was so much fun. I love crazy amusement park rides but for some reason the water park rides freak me right out! I like being strapped in and secure but with the watersides you don't have that. I could just shoot out the sides and no one can tell me differently. Brett rode them and I enjoyed watching! Seriously though, people would shoot off those rides losing half their swim suit and screaming their heads off. Quite entertaining.
• Teaching - Brett and I both have callings in the Sunday School! I teach ages 12-13 and Brett teaches ages 14-15! I bawled the first day I got this calling. I have dreaded the day I would actually have to speak up in church. I never comment in class because I never feel like I actually know the answer and I have mild panic attacks when I get asked to pray. Brett was amazing and helped me through it and helped me plan my first lesson. I think I am getting better but every time one of the youth raises their hand to ask me a question I about pass out in fear I won't know the answer. 
• Celebrating Our Countries - We went to an early 4th of July fireworks show this weekend and it was pretty good! We sort of pretended we were in Raymond for July 1st since we will be missing it this year :( It's Brett's favourite holiday and he is a little crushed we can't make it. I'm pretty bummed too! I bought us matching Canada shirts the last time I was home so we plan on sporting those tomorrow! Expect an Instagram about it.

Us at the fireworks show

We are loving our life in AZ but we are really looking forward to spending some time at the Maxwell Cabin in a few weeks! We miss our families and friends lots but I have to admit I like having Brett all to myself most days!

I hope everyone has an amazing Canada day and July 4th! 

California Love

My beautiful cousin got married this last weekend so the hubby and I made the trip over to beautiful California! I know I realize I haven't even posted about my own wedding yet... but that post will take time and effort... and since I can't use time as an excuse I am going with I don't have the effort! SO you get to take a little look at my weekend in Cali instead. I wasn't the official photographer at all but instead a bridesmaid! It was nice getting to actually enjoy a wedding without the stresses of being the photographer! I loved it. Mackenzie looked stunning (Not going to lie... I was jealous of the photographer who got to shoot her! She looked so beautiful!) and it was so nice to meet her now husband Jordan! Their venue was incredible and made me wish SOAB and Bakersfield could switch weather patters real bad so there were actually outdoor wedding venue options! A girl can dream right.

The Rehearsal Dinner-

Wedding Day-

iPhone Photos-

(stolen from Morgan)

I couldn't resist doing a little "Cousin Ring Shot" so this is my ring and Kenzie's ring! It turned our a little blurry but whatever! Both or pretty vintage and similar! Our guys did good : )