Bringing 50's Back!!!

Be-Bop-A-Lula...yes we brought it back and we brought it back with class and style (except when Summer B.A.'d all of us in the middle of our watching "American Graffiti")! We all spent a fun night filled with old school festivities. Micah cooked up a gourmet feast on the B-B-Q while Briti ruled the Shake Shack. Everyone backed their cars up for a front row seat at our make shift drive-in. It was fun and now I'm too tired to write anymore so just look at the pictures.
Oh - and if your really wanting a good laugh you'll have to check out Katie Hoffman's blog! In all of 60 seconds with Cora Greiners roller skates on I managed to fall twice!!! And I'm talking the kind of fall where I literally questioned if I broke my big bootie!!! If it wasn't for my lovely and almost weekly routine of "orange tanning" that gives my skin an all over golden cover up glow - you'd be able to see one heck of a black and blue rear end. (Or at least I'd be able to see it...)

Boot Camp Graduation!!!

Trey was happy to graduate his week of Bella's Boot Camp!!! But I miss him already! He gave me a big thumbs up as I documented the special moment. I love the other pictures of him in his chosen time out spot. He was so good about accepting the consequences of not listening or choosing to have a freak out moment. He would even time himself and not leave time out until his time was up. We had a fun week together and I think we both learned a little better how to be in charge of our freak outs! I love my cutie pie Trey.
I called to check in on him once he was back at home for a full day. He had a few episodes and his siblings egged him on knowing that he was working hard to control his freak outs. His mom said that she could hear him all day telling his siblings, "You're NOT Bella! You're NOT Bella!" He wanted them to remember that he didn't have to answer to them - I gotta say that I'm kind of liking the influence and the sort of power that comes along with this mothering type of thing! I could get very use to it!!!

Boot Camp = No Baptism?

I just got home from an event at the St. Regis that I went to with my mom, Trilby, Lindsey, and Micah. I left amazed at the money that some people have their willingness to spend thousands of it in seconds!!! It must be nice. But because today was the first official day of Bellas Boot Camp - I asked Briti to watch Trey for the night. She had some humerous things to report back.
Briti and Trey were on the way to "Maggie Moo's" (our p.f. ice-cream place!!!) and she asked him how old he was. He replied that he was 7. She quickly responded with a lot of enthusiasm in reference to what his next birthday would hold. "So you're going to turn 8 and get baptized?" He responded with his eyes downcast shaking his head and said in a dissapointed voice, "No, I don't think I'm going to get baptized." Somewhat shocked Britni then asked him if he didn't want to get baptized. And then he very innocently and humbly responded with, "Well I'm at Bella's Boot Camp and I probably won't be able to."
Now that is one heck of a sweet boy! Don't worry everyone, I'm not torturing the kid! Tommorow when he wakes up were going to talk a bit about that! I'm even going to see if I can somehow get it on tape. How priceless would that be?!
A little later Britni was still talking with him and asked him what he had learned so far in Bella's Boot Camp. He said that he hadn't learned anything, afterall it was only the first day!!! She said she was going to tell on him cause she knew he had already learned something. Then he reluctantly told what he had learned. He said, "I learned that I'm the one that's in charge of my reactions, that I'm the one that decides if I'm going to freak out or not. And to listen the first time." Then Britni decided to test him and asked him who was in charge of her actions - he responded by pointing to her.
Now that's one heck of a fast learner!!!
And to finish off the first day of boot camp we said our nighttime prayers. Trey asked Heavenly Father to help him be a good boy and listen the first time and make the right choices and not get mad. Ohh I love that child! What a fun treat for me to be able to spend this time with him!

Bella's Boot Camp

Along with the first day of summer came the first summer "freak out" for my nephew Trey Brockbank. Trey is 7 years old and is the sweetest boy in the world. He has an imagination that can keep you entertained for hours and is so fun to be with. However, he being Megan's third child he has a way of disrupting an afternoon at the beach with a lovely little tantrum.
Megan called my mom and was worrying about how her family's summer was going to turn out with Trey freaking out whenever he got frustrated. After hearing some of my mom's great advice I decided to add some of my own.
I told Megan that I wanted to come pick Trey up to stay with me for a few weeks at my version of Military School...hence the name, "BELLAS BOOT CAMP!" She thought it would be a great help and even though she'd miss him terribly she was willing to try it. In talking with her we wanted to make sure that he didn't think he was getting rewarded for misbehaving by getting to go stay with Aunt Bella. So I told Megan to make it sound like it was going to be a bunch of hard work and discipline. Well after realizing what he was in for Trey wasn't that thrilled to come to my house. He started calling it, "Boob Camp" (not in reference to my chest...but in reference to being a whiner...geez you perverts get your minds out of the gutter!!!) and said he would refuse to get in the car.
Surprisingly when I drove up to his house this morning, his bag was packed and he was all ready to go. He got a little teary eyed when he said by to his siblings and his mother. You would have thought he was going off to prison or something. Well on the way back from San Diego I began to talk with him about some of the things we were going to work on together. We are really trying to focus on him realizing that he is in charge of his own emotions and he can make the choice to react to others in a good way or in a negative way. And we are also focussing on him listening the very first time he is told to do something.
He really is such a good and sweet boy. Today we already had a lesson learned and a time out given. I have to say I was surprised at how quickly he recognized why I gave him a time out and that the consequences he receives for making a wrong choice aren't an excuse to react with a tantrum!
I love being able to spend this time with him. It's fun for me to be an Aunt that gets to be a pretend mom for a second or two.

Calin got her ears pierced!!!

So in our family you have to wait a few years to join the fashion world in adorning your ears with jewels. You have to be 12 years old to be exact! I was thrilled when that day came for me long ago...and Calin invited me to be a part of her special day too. I did my best to put the fear of getting an infectious and painful disease in her, but to no avail - she went through with it and is sporting a lovely pair of diamond studs! I can't believe how grown up she's getting. She's a mini Rachel Hunter in my eyes! What a beauty!

And a Few More....

Don't You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Her?!?

Are you kidding me? Life is not always fair! Can you believe the looks on this girl? Britni Samuelian/Seastrand is absolutely gorgeous and I being her best friend and all captured it all on film! What a looker! I took these yesterday with Jason as my ever helpful assistant! What a team the three of us make. I'm going to miss you guys when you leave back to Vegas. Now I have to get a life and find a job again! YUCK....but at least I've got my hobbies: photographing beautiful best friends!!! T.B. 4-ever!!!

My Bun in the Oven!

The little baby is basically my own. They finally picked a name...actually they stole a name! They stole the name I was going to name my first baby girl...cause after all it is in fact a GIRLS name!!! So because of these hideous facts I will be calling the Baby “Scott” from here on out. Regardless of the bad name choice...I love the little guy!
Back when Katie Lark got married, her friend Tara had the cutest little thing to wrap her baby in and go about her daily tasks. Knowing that Lindsey was pregnant at that time I purchased a carrier for myself to carry her baby in! I am obsessed with it. He’s my little pea in my pod!!!
I carry that little boy in it for hours. He loves it! And so do I! I get to feel like I’m pregnant and have the love of my life cuddled up right next to me. Not to mention it’s pretty dang cute with those crystals etc!!! I sure wish I’d thought of this contraption...it’s ingenious!!!