As you can see my posts are becoming more spaced out...Motherhood has taken over my life...and I am LOVING it!! In hopes to make my life more simplified- I have decided to consolidate my counseling and photography blog... here at  Weeds to Wishes. But no worries...I have plenty of  photography sessions to still blog about so I will be getting this blog caught up until the end of this year. 




So come and follow me over here! I have a giveaway coming up this week you won't want to miss!- Cristi

it's about time for family photos!

Thanks to my sister Bianca helping me out... I have some family photos to put up on our walls.  

 

  

Todays date with Summer.

Today I had a date with the water hose...

and this guy. 

I always know summer is here when it's time to pull out the garden hose.  

Oh Summer, how I missed you. 

Ideas for new album

My sister Bianca Merkley is an amazing singer songwriter. We were driving to Salt Lake City from Boise in the craziest windstorm (75 MPH winds!) and saw the most amazing fields blowing in the wind. I looked at her. She looked at me. Then, we hoped out of the car and unraveled our kite! With my camera in one hand and the kite in the other- we took turns frolicking through the grass with the kite. I could not stop giggling! This just might be an idea for her new album cover. Check out what she is up to here. More of this fun coming soon!

Some days I feel like...

Some days I feel like this.

Other days I feel like this... 

What do you feel like today?

Mom vs. Photographer

 As a mom I know the feeling of wanting just the right family photo and wanting at least one photo with smiles. As a photographer I know the reality...  sometimes it doesn’t happen on command. Some of the most beautiful photos can be those capturing a moment without anyone looking at the camera. However, I find myself torn with wanting those smiley photos and also wanting those candid in the moment photos of my family. You just never know what you will get. Last fall, my husband snapped a few of my son and I together. Needless to say, Nixon is not a smile-on-command type of kiddo... But this photographing mama still loves him.

No Smile

My husband is showing a leaf to get that smile...

Nope didn't work

Resort to kisses

and hanging out

More candid 

Big Smiles at the end.

 It is important to relax and just enjoy the moment for whatever it may bring. See more photos on my personal blog: The Diary of a Dame.

Today's Thoughts on Motherhood.

I have taken a lot of time off this last year to focus on being a mom...and some days it feels much like this:

  

... and other days it feels more like this: 

  But most of all- I absolutely *LOVE* being a mom. 

 Because I get to share moments like these and watch:

Wet eyelash clumps

 Serious GQ Model face

Teethy Grins

Shampoo Mohawks

I heart being a mom.

My "inspiration walk"

As many of you may know, I am a counselor and have my own private practice Live Inspired Counseling. I absolutely LOVE to use photography in the work I do. Photography is an AMAZING tool- It not only captures a person’s point of view of the world at that moment but it helps them see outside of themselves and become aware of the beauty right in front of them.

So on occasion we’ll go for an “inspiration walk” where we walk around for ten minutes shooting whatever pops out to us- then we talk more about the emotions or thoughts that come about when we look at the images. I usually have them title their work with the first thing that pops into their mind. It's fun to see what comes and can give insight on how it makes the person feel about what they are seeing. 

It’s amazing the things you will find if you just stop and look at everything existing all around. I often wonder what it's story is? Why is there a t.v. or washer sitting outside in the rain or what is the story of the soda metal thingy (what do you call that?)- and how did it get there?  Here are a few things that I stopped to take notice on my inspiration walk last week- it was raining which made it even more awesome! 

Crackle and Pop

Too much fun last night

Mother Board (not even sure what that means really)

Mysterious Bullet hole

Complete

Broken

Outdoor laundry mat

missing story

first sign of spring

perspective

just around the corner

Already?

How is it that it has already been a year??

Discover: Bianca Merkley

You have to go to this link and read the interview MTV did on my sister! I love her! 

Discover: Bianca Merkley

Ysursa Family Sneak Peak

Reiland Family Sneak Peek...more to come.

The Orosco Family

 What a beautiful family huh? Here are a few more.