#behindagain

Because 99% of my pictures are taken on my phone these days, I just don't upload them very often.  It takes forever!

I finally took some time tonight... and the pictures are all out of order... so there...

So every year, the school buys us all a nice shirt to wear on Fridays.  I actually kind of liked mine this year, other than it's short sleeved and I am not a cold weather fan, so I have to invest in a sweatshirt.   The school put in the order, asked for our sizes, and failed to tell us that these were mens sized sweatshirts.  Well, at least I'm not the only one who could fit two people into one sweatshirt.  At least it's comfy and warm! #iamnotthisfatinreallife

Cute kitty comes in the house a couple of times every day.  We've left him in all day once (on accident) while we were at work, and once all night (on purpose - we'll never make that mistake again).  He and Toby get along famously, well, better than any other cat that lives here.  And once in awhile, we let another kitten in the house for a few minutes here and there.  Never very long  as I'm sure it won't be long before those little Tom cats start marking their territory.  #crazycatpeople

Justin paid us a visit.  It was the longest we'd gone between visits - two whole months!  Luckily, it will only be three weeks before he's home for a whole week during Thanksgiving and three more weeks until he's home for a whole month for Christmas!  #wealllookbad

#missmycuteboy

My favorite niece at the moment is Sammy.  That's only because I get to see her several times a week at school.  She's not a fan of hugs, still isn't convinced she is actually related to me despite my assurances that her grandma is my sister, but we're working on it.  I'm going to get a hug from her before this school year ends, #ohyesiwill

Oh wait, I changed my mind.  Britnee is the niece of the week, only because she DID give me a hug today for NO reason!   She's never been a fan of Halloween, instead of a costume, she wore an outfit.  She can do outfits. #whocanblameher

I didn't wear a costume either.  Just an outfit.  When I saw Britnee in the hall, I asked her who I was, and she eyed me up and down and shrugged her shoulders.  I said "I'm Arilee" and she eyed me up and down again and said, "um, no".  I wore Arilee's golf uniform and shoes, had my hair in an Arilee inspired bun on top of my head and even wore her eyeshadow.  Everyone at school told me I looked cute and the principal told me the glove was a nice touch.  #ihatedressingup

We had a "gift giving day" at church.  It's not a super Saturday - it's a day to get together to make gifts for friends and family for Christmas and it was a mother daughter affair.  Arilee made a mug for grandma, and another one for Arilee's bestie, Braylie.. it said "worlds best fake sister".  Braylie tends to all but live here sometimes.  She folds laundry, does dishes, replaces the mountain dews she drinks and never complains about the mess in the girls bathroom.  #she'sakeeper

We went to a wedding reception in Rexburg for a business associate of Cody's, and she was getting married to a cousin of T-Dawg's.  So of course, T-Dawg was there... (he's the boy who took Arilee to homecoming, though they aren't currently dating, but Ashlee still likes him a LOT).  We took a picture of them together and texted it to Arilee in the hopes of making her jealous.  #didn'twork

She loves her Feffer Family.  #love

I entered a photography contest.  It just closed this past week, so who knows when/if I will hear anything.  The winners will have their photos displayed at the hospital for the next year.  #keepingmyfingerscrossed

DeeAnn had a birthday. #happybirthdaygrandma

Ashlee caught a baby bird.  She let it go, it flew across the yard and died.  #thecatsdidntevengetachancetochaseit

I took pictures of my friend Annie's family.  You can see more on my photoblog:  http://karavephotography.blogspot.com/ #cutefamily

Cody had a birthday and asked for a pineapple upside down cake.  I made it from scratch using a recipe by Paula Deen.  BEST cake I've EVER eaten!  You can't go wrong with Paula Deen, though.  #delicious

Wendy found this old photo of prom from high school.  My husband is going to probably disown me for posting it on here, but DANG... I think he was a senior, he was HANDSOME... and no, they didn't go together.  #checkoutthat80'shair

Cody bought a smoker for his birthday.  He's smoked a roast or two, some ribs, a brisket (SOO SOO GOOD) and a turkey.  The only thing wrong with this turkey was that the skin wasn't roasted and delicious and that's my favorite part!  Oh well, the inside was delicious and moist.  He's going to smoke another brisket in a few weeks.  #mymouthisalreadywatering

This summer, I did my first (and second) engagement session ever.  I then designed her invitations - which received rave reviews from the brides parents.  Then I agreed to photograph her wedding.  I'm already nervous.  #whatwasithinking

And finally, my nephew Drews story was in the local newspaper.  I got to see him for the first time since his accident a few weeks later.  He's still the same old cute Drew, just in a wheelchair.  I need to take time to go visit him while I'm out and about.  He told me I could visit anytime!  #lovehim

And that pretty much sums up the last six weeks or so.  Based on the quality of some of my photos in this post... I need to use my real camera a lot more and my phone a lot less.  

But they sure are a heck of a lot easier to instagram from my phone, that's for dang sure!

follow me on instagram:  jaacka8 for daily life (private) and beyondmyfrontdoor for photographic proof that I do take some pretty decent pictures sometimes.  #instagood  

Catch up - a picture overload...

If you follow me on Instagram (jaacka8 - private - or beyondmyfrontdoor - public), you will have seen most of these photos.  It's become SO much easier to post pictures there, but I do realize, that not everyone has Instagram.  

So even though I should be vaccuuming right now, I'm going to do some updating instead.  Besides, I had to transfer all my pictures from my phone to my computer so I could update the iOS system - so I might as well blog them, too.

Pictures are totally out of order, and there are many, but this is what we've been up to the last couple of months.  

9/11 - Cody and I went back to Yellowstone.   Stopped at Kepler Cascades this time.  

 We took family pictures before Justin went back to college at Kelly's Island (up by Heise).

 I went with Cody to Salmon.  He did a lunch and I went to the Sacajawea discovery center.

 We went to Mesa Falls for my birthday.

 Some kind gentleman took our picture.  I think he just wanted to use my camera.

 I took pictures of the Beehive class.

 We went golfing a lot.

 Arilee didn't play so hot this summer.

 My Aunt Carol (my dad's oldest sister) passed away.

 The surviving siblings.  Everyone was there except Uncle Ray.

 Her casket was beautiful, as was her funeral.

 I took mom to get her hair done at Cathy Dabells.

 Ashlee went to girls camp.  So did Arilee, but she is much to cool to pose for pictures.

 Ashlee and her bestie, Lexie, ready for camp.

 Justin finally got "Cute" to lay on his lap.

 When Ashlee got home from camp a week later, she was SO tired and she cried and cried and told me the cats were big and SO ugly.

 We golfed some more.

 A powerline caught on fire and the power went out in the whole town for an evening.  We played games by lantern light.

 Cute girls.

 Justin gave Ashlee this headband and she was obsessed with wearing it all summer.  She tagged along with us at golf and would keep score and drive the cart (shhhh - don't tell Galen).

 Bert came home from Missouri for a visit so we had a family get together.  The only picture I took was of Ace's little girl Boni.

 Ruth Ann took us to tour the new high school.  It is ginormous.  And has a beautiful dance studio.

 Arilee turned 17 and had a party with friends - they sat around the campfire and talked all night. That's my kind of party!

 Grandpa and Grandma Dial came over to wish her a happy birthday before her party.

 We had Tres Leches cake!

 Cody's office.

 We went to Salt Lake to do some back to school shopping.  The girls and I killing time at Golf Galaxy while the boys test out new clubs

 We went to Temple Square while we were there.  There was a fire out in Tooele, making the sky a nice shade of orange.

 We had dinner at the Cheesecake factory and breakfast at the hotel.

 We went to Scheels so the girls could ride on the Ferris Wheel.  It was our way of making up for not being able to make it to Lagoon again.

 We also went to Ikea.

 Cody trying out golf equipment at Golf Galaxy.

 Trying on school clothes.

 I hung out with mom while dad cooked chicken for the county fair.

 I took pictures of a cute couple.  Too see more of my pictures, click my photography blog: karave photography

 More golfing. I think it's all we did all summer.

 We played Chapman this summer and Cody and I ended up in third place when it was all said and done.  I played my first 18 holes of golf ever.

 Chapman...

 The girls made a sign to remind people to SLOW DOWN in the driveway since the kittens are usually running across to play in the trees across the driveway.  They are about five months old now, almost as big as their mama.

 Cute being cute...

 The poor baby kitten we found in the bushes that mama rejected and later died.

 Justin left for college.

 We had registration at the high school.

 We took mama cat and Cute to be fixed.  The other three boys, Tuna, Bolt, and Socks, are on their own.  Cute is the only friendly one of the bunch.  He will lay on our laps and Toby puts up with him.  He likes to come in the house for an hour or so, but that's it.

 We went on one last "excursion"... to Beaver Dick Park.  There were frogs all over on the edge of the river.

 Ashlee got a phone for her birthday!

 She had friends come over to watch a movie - Lexie, Katelyn, McKenna and Abbie.

 We fixed cupcakes and our house was SO hot (the window AC unit keeps popping the breaker), so we had cake and icecream outside on the front porch.

 Tigger finally died.  Lennis was going to go out and shoot him, but decided to wait until the next day.  Tigger went over to Wendy's house that afternoon and died in her back yard.

 First day of school - a junior and a 7th grader.

 Cave Falls (for my birthday)

 Waiting at Mesa Falls for the kayakers to go over the falls.

 Happy Birthday to me!

 Homecoming dress shopping.

 Powder puff football game.  Juniors beat the sophomores but lost to the seniors.

 my first flat tire!  I learned my car doesn't come with a spare tire.  Who'd a thunk it?  

And I think that's about it...