Happy {belated} Mothers Day!

I can't even express how grateful I am to my mom for everything she has done for me, but here are at least 10 things I'd like to say thanks for.

Dear Mom,

1. Thank you for always loving me, 

even when I was a dramatic and ridiculous teenager.

2. Thank you for making me go to Church and 

making sure we always had family prayer.

3. Thank you for showing me 

how to work hard and accomplish difficult goals.

4. Thank you for sharing your talents with me 

and encouraging me to develop mine.

5. Thank you for your patience. 

6. Thank you for giving me freedom to learn on my own and make mistakes 

and still teaching me to choose right from wrong.

7. Thank you for always encouraging me to live the gospel. 

8. Thank you for your example of strength,

 even when times felt unbearable.

9. Thank you for your optimism. 

10. Thank you for everything you have done for me. 

I cannot even begin to count the number of ways you have blessed my life. 

You are such an amazing and strong woman and I have learned so much from you. 

I am grateful for everything you are--

imperfections, strengths, weaknesses, passions, and all. 

I love you!

I also would like to include my mother-in-law in this Mother's Day Tribute.

Dear Mom{-in-law},

1. Thank you so much for your constant support and prayers for our family. 

2. Thank you for your kindness, empathy, 

and willingness to always help.

3. Thank you for helping raise such a wonderful and upright man 

who respects and loves me. 

4. Thank you for your strong testimony in the gospel and 

your devotion to the Lord and His temple. 

5. Thank you for all the hard work you've done for us/me 

{i.e. helping me plan my wedding, making my temple dress, 

making our t-shirt quilt, among other things}

6. Thank you for your strong marriage and the example it gives me.

7. Thank you for always remembering us 

when holidays come around {even the smaller ones} 

and including us in family events and updates.

8. Thank you for your example of hard work. 

I am consistently impressed with everything you are able to do.

9. Thank you for the weekly calls 

{even though I don't usually do a lot of talking, 

I enjoy listening to everything that is going on.}

10. Thank you just everything that you are as a person. 

I am so grateful to have you as a mother{-in-law}. 

I feel like many times, people don't like their in-law's, 

but I know that I am definitely a lucky one because I got you guys, 

and you and your family are just wonderful. 

I love you!

And finally a treat for you all. I am working on my photography skills. A few weeks ago {okay, maybe a month by now}, I took some maternity shots for the girl we threw this baby shower for, and here are a couple of preview pictures.

Please keep in mind that I am still learning and I am totally open to suggestions or creative criticism :)

Air Force Stuff: Party Shirts

Sorry guys, I've been a slacker on the blog.

My husband is in the Air Force and apparently the Air Force has this tradition called "The Party Shirt." You see, whenever he goes to something formal, he wears what is called "mess dress." Basically like a tuxedo that has a blue jacket and pants.

Well, instead of wearing a normal tuxedo shirt, the guys can have what's called a party shirt. It's basically a normal tux shirt but the sleeves and the back are replaced with a funky {and often ugly, patriotic, silly, or otherwise} fabric. I decided that instead of paying someone to make one for my husband, that I could just do it.

It was actually pretty easy. I will post a DIY hopefully later this week. Anyway, here are some pictures for your enjoyment so you can visualize all that is a party shirt.




{This one is my husband's party shirt}

 

{the front}

{the shoulder}

{the sleeve}

{the back}

{And this is another pilot in his flight}

{the front}

 

{the shoulder/side}

{the back}

{the back closeup}

 

{And back to the front}

P.S. Can I show you guys something neat?? I took the pictures of my husband later at night {no sun}, indoors, and in poor lighting conditions. Thanks to Lightroom {and my little knowledge of it} I managed to make the first picture into the second! How sweet is photo editing?? Seriously!

  

 {gross yellow light}

{ahhh....much better!}