Loni Leah

Doing what girls do best...

Shopping! :)

Pics of me and two of my cutest friends, Maggie and her daughter Emily, at Quincee's Boutique last weekend for the grand opening. Maggie was in town for the week visiting family and doing photo shoots so we were able to get together for a couple hours Friday morning. So happy whenever we get the opportunity to play! Only wish it were longer. (Hmm... Phoenix sounds pretty great right now though. Maybe it's time to book a ticket and visit her...)

 

A little off subject, but that yellow shirt behind my head... I want it. I'm in love with it. 

Picture snapped by Emily...

Again, if your a local, go check out Quincee's Boutique in Provo! :)

Quincee's Boutique! Join us!

My sister-in-law, Kylee, is opening the most darling new boutique in Provo, Utah this weekend! Clothes, Shoes, Accessories, Jewelry, Purses, etc. I've seen inventory as it's come in and everything is so dang cute! So, if you're local, come check it out!  

A couple quick snapshots I took late at night this week before the stores opening...

You can print off the coupon below and receive 20% off one item between October 15th-23rd! Or you can down the PDF and print that off:  Download QuinceeBoutique_Coupon

The most beautiful girls...

My two fun nieces, who are also sisters, spent a good chunk of Tuesday evening hanging out with me. They came along as I was scouting new locations for a photo shoot the following day and ended up as my subjects. The little one just got back from dance class and the older just wanted to come over to my house and play in my make-up for a couple hours so they weren't quite prepared for a photo shoot, but hello! They're naturals! They ended up front & center without any resistance. We had fun. They really are strikingly beautiful girls. 

  

Being an Aunt is the best.

Took these two little ones to the Snow Shack for shaved ice cream over the weekend. Yummmm. We could make this a DAILY tradition. Easily. 

 

 

    Jazz hands out of nowhere. Haha.

  

The protective big sister. They are so sweet together. 

   
They ditched the straws at one point and ended up with bright red, stained hands.
  

A special day...

I went to the Temple yesterday for the first time, which was so wonderful and special! I loved it. Several of my family members and closest friends came and supported me, which meant so much. It amazes me sometimes how many wonderful people I have in my life. I am really blessed.

 

This is me and my mom before leaving my house. Yesterday was one of the windiest days we've had in a while so I'm actually shocked in these pictures that my hair isn't pulling an "it" and draped across my entire face. It was insane. I came home late to see that the vines growing against the house were completely ripped from the wall. 

so cute & cuddly.

My nephew and 3 nieces on Sunday...

 
  

They're laughing at ME. You catch that, right? I believe they think I'm crazy... WHICH I AM OBVIOUSLY NOT. ;)

beautiful sister + kids

Holy snap, it's been cold lately! Oy. Not loving it. Not one bit.

Last night I did a session with my oldest sister and her kids at rapid speed as we raced against the cold air & diminishing light. Poor kids. They did so great though. No major complaints from any of them. I haven't gone through them all, but these are a couple that stuck out to me. 

 

    

Interested in a photo shoot? Drop me a line at lonileah@yahoo.com for more information. I'll be offering some Christmas card designs, so it's a great time to get it all done before the holiday season begins, so you can sit back & relax. Ahh... wouldn't that be great? 

One moved, the other came home.

The amount of photos was a request by my sister.

Okay, so there is definitely that "I've gotta love you because you're family" thing going on, but to be honest, I really do like them. Go figure. Years of sibling torture and emotional scaring, that will probably never go away, thank you very much, they are some of my closest friends. Being the unattached, 29-year old sister, I've been in a position to bounce around and spend a lot of one-on-one time with my siblings and their family's and form a special relationship with my nieces & nephews. It has been so good for me. Something I am insanely grateful for. I love my family. Even if I think half of us are crazy. 

A couple Sunday's ago we got together at the park before my sister and her family moved out of state (traitor!). Only three siblings were missing, which are pretty good numbers considering how many of us there are.

The traitor herself.

What an unruly bunch of human beings.

Older brother.

Sister.

My Dad.

Brothers.

-

So, while one sibling moved away, another just came home. My younger brother and his family just moved back after being in Connecticut all summer. Love having them home.

 

Obedience school... JK

They brought home two turtles from NYC. I didn't want them anywhere near my flesh, but dang, from a distance, they are cute little critters. This one has the cutest little turtle head (click on photo)...

 

Now to my siblings... stop moving on me and stay put for just a minute, ya' big jerks!

Major kudos to parents everywhere.

How do you do it... without medication AND emergency backup!!? 

I walked away from a 3+ hour venture at the park yesterday after watching five of my nieces & nephews, and a load of neighborhood kids, while my sister and others packed a moving-trailer with more respect than ever for their parents! I feel like I need to exhale just thinking about it. How come you all make it look so easy? 

The hours spent counting five heads in my head repeatedly so I didn't lose one, snatching one kid in my arm as I ran after another running in a completely different direction and keeping an eye on my cell phone and camera at all times because they seem to disappear and turn into play toys. Phew. Parents are the ultimate rock-stars.

Don't tell your mom I didn't stop you from nibbling on a flower, k...

 The kids each brought me a flower... obviously park property. Oops.

Man, they are so insanely cute and lovable though. They make me laugh so hard. Plus, they're preparing me efficiently when I have my own children, right? Thanks little buddies.

That can't be right...

2 months? No way. Has it really been that long since I've been on here? DUDE (throwing out one of my favorite go-to words)... I am lame. At least I'm aware of my lameness though, right? Acknowledging is usually the first step, to something. Or whatever they say.

So I don't really have any riveting, edge-of-the-seat sort of things to chat about, just a simple and long over-do hello, which should answer the question some of my friends may have... Yes. I am still alive. Still addicted to Diet Coke, usually happy and even rockin' out a $6 pair of bright red glasses this week. A purchase encouraged by my 7 year old niece, who I trust to be my style guru. Hello, there is a pink rhinestone on the side. We are so on the same page, this kid and I. 

I just love her... 

I've been taking lots of photos lately. Maybe if you come back next week (no pressure, of course) I'll post some more photos of insanely cute subjects I've photographed lately. Like this little rock-star. 

In honor of Mother's Day

Sharing a page I did of my parents a while ago. I sat down with both of them and asked them questions one night and then typed their answers out to print and tuck away in the pocket on this layout - I really love this method of journaling (Q&A's). I learned al lot about their courtship and early years of marriage that I wouldn't have known unless I had taken the time to ask. I also enjoyed hearing their answers. Sometimes your parents share a little too much information when they think you're old enough to hear it though.

I was thinking in honor of Mother's day I would interview my mom over the weekend about motherhood and do a layout sometime next week with the answers. I've included some of the questions I'll be asking...

Q&A

1. How did you feel when you found out you were going to be a mother for the first time?
2. How many children have you had? What are their names, birthdays, birthplaces?
3. Were there any unique circumstances surrounding their births?
4. Why did you give them the names you did?
5. What are some of the funniest moments (things said or did) you can remember about your children?
6. Do you remember anything your children did when they were small that surprised or amazed you?
7. What are some of the blessings you have received from raising your children?
8. What did you find most rewarding about raising a family?
9. What was the most difficult thing about raising a family?
10. What advice would you give to your children about being a parent?
11. If you had it to do all over again, how would you change the way you raised your family?

Have a great Mother's Day weekend!

Family of 5

Sharing another layout I did from 2007. Photos are from a shoot I did with my older brother & his family that same November.

 

Gonna stick with tradition and watch some American Idol tonight and cheer on some of my favorites... which does not include this guy. Sorry. Just not my cup of tea I guess... although I can appreciate the week he sang in his metallic silver dress suit with the Elvis hair! Last week... oy. Not so much.

Are you watching? Rooting for anyone in particular?

April already?

Wow. That really blows my mind. *sigh* 

It's been a while, hasn't it? Thought maybe I'd check in and say "hi" and share a layout I did a couple years ago. A layout I did about my older sister.

 

• I painted the flower pattern down the side with spraypraint and a Heidi Swapp mask.
• The dotted border at the center is American Crafts that I covered with vellum.
• Painted the chipboard ribbon charm a blueish color and used buttons at the center as flowers.
• I cut a slit to the side of the photo to create a pocket to tuck the journaling tag in and out.

Happy Birthday, to my sister.

Wanting to wish my older sister a Happy Birthday today. She's the big 31.  Wow... are you really that old? ;)  

We were only separated by a grade in school so it seems like I always had my sister around. She's always been an incredible example to me. The peacemaker in our family. I wish I were more like her. I leaned more towards family trouble-maker. Shocking, right? 

 

I hope you're pampered like crazy today. You deserve it. 

(Hopefully I haven't publicly embarrassed you too bad by this post either or sharing old photos.) 

Thanks for putting up with me, Sis. I love you. Happy Birthday!