Dallas turns 30...a couple months ago

I'm slowly making it through our pictures from the past couple months, so I realize that Dallas turned 30 back in December, but he is just too adorable to not post about it.

I asked Dallas one time if he hated having his birthday three days before Christmas and his response was "Why would I hate that?  I just got more presents."  Our first year married we were in Ephrata for his 28th birthday and my mom made a big dinner in his honor.  Then we went around the table and everyone said one thing they loved about Dallas.  Needless to say, the only thing he asked for this year was to NOT do that again :)  We did however keep the big family dinner.  My little brother Stuart was home for the holidays, and my little brother Richard and his wife and two daughters now live in Ephrata, so we had a fun gathering.  We kept the Perkins' tradition of making him a checkerboard birthday cake, but once again mom and I failed to see the "checkerboard" in our creation.  We had a fun day of opening present, eating food, and sleeping (which was especially needed since he had been working 18 hour days leading up to our vacation!)

Happy 30th, my husband!  I'm sure by the time you're 60 I'll finally have mastered the checkerboard in your  favorite cake!

Photo of the Week 2

There are few things I love more than being on the water.

This was taken on a catamaran trip with some friends in October.

I sure do LOVE living in the bay area!

Tammy and Stella Photo Shoot

Before Dallas and I left for the holidays I got the chance to take some adorable pictures of my good friend and her daughter.  Tammy was 9 months pregnant and wanted some shots of Stella with her soon-to-be little sister.  It was such a great opportunity to practice and the first time I was the lone photographer.  True, it helped that I absolutely love both Tammy and Stella, so there wasn't any pressure.  We went to a local park and lucked out with clear skies, instead of the constant rains we had been getting.

These are some of my favorite images from the day.

(Make sure to click on the image to enlarge it.)

I can't get over those gorgeous green eyes!

Like I've mentioned in previous posts, I love and need all the practice I can get, so if you ever want a free session let me know!

Erik Adams Family photo shoot

My older brother is an incredible designer with more creative talent than I could ever possibly dream to have.  He is also amazingly supportive and when he found out I wanted to learn more about photography, he immediately opened up for questions and ways to help his obnoxious little sister.

Knowing that practice is one of the best ways to get better, he asked me to do their family photo shoot for the holidays.  Needless to say it was quite entertaining and a ton of fun.

He showed me how to change the settings and what lighting would work best, basically the technological side of things.  And then just let me snap away.  Here are some of my favorite images.

(Click on the image to enlarge it.)

When we got to taking the whole family shots, things got a bit more difficult thanks to little Will...

Needless to say he was less than cooperative!

There literally wasn't a single shot where Will was smiling.  Luckily my brother is one of the most amazing graphic designers and knows how to photoshop basically anything.

Here's there final project...

I had to laugh when I saw it...I know I didn't get a shot like that!

Marshmallow Turkeys

Who would have thought that marshmallows could bring back so many memories?


The fall of 2007 was filled with a roller coaster of emotions.  It was this time period that Dallas and I met and fell in love, but it was also the time when we found out our little Mara had a brain tumor.  
I remember sitting in my principal's office trying to calm down from the scary news and the fears I had of traveling home for Thanksgiving.  My family had been telling me how different the treatments were making Mara, both physically and emotionally.  My principal told me that the best thing I could do while at home was to create new fun memories that would help me get through the pain of the situation.  She mentioned an activity she did with her nieces and nephews where they made "marshmallow turkeys" while the adults were preparing for Thanksgiving dinner.  Using her idea, we took apples and placed toothpicks lined with small marshmallows for the feathers.  It was such a simple craft, but I remember it was the first time that I saw Mara smile that trip.  Oh how I love that smile.
This quickly became one of my favorite memories with my nieces and nephews.

This Thanksgiving, Dallas and I decided to stay in the bay area and celebrate at my brother, Erik's, house.  My younger brother, Stuart, flew in from BYU for the week, which convinced my parents to drive down from Washington for the holidays.  We had a blast relaxing, shopping, eating amazing food, and goofing off as a family.  I thought it would be fun to make our marshmallow turkeys again.  This time with a little twist; food coloring and gummy worms.  Lincoln, Rulon, and Ellis had a blast dyeing the marshmallows and eating the extra gummy worms.  After starting the project we had them take their shirts off to make sure the food coloring didn't stain which of course made for some classic pics.
Lincoln remembered making them with Mara, which was pretty sweet.
It's funny how a simple piece of fluffy sugar can take you down memory lane.

I feel so blessed to live so close to family.  At times it is easy to get lost in the loneliness that comes with a hard working husband, but it is a comforting thought to know I have a loving family just miles up the road who are always up for fun adventures!

(Remember to click on the image to enlarge it.)

Return to Blogging/Photo of the week

Hello dear void.

I have noticed a pattern with my blogging.

I will write once or twice a month for a few weeks and then spend an entire month trying to catch up on all the blog posts I'm behind.  This cycle occurs every three to four months due to business, being exhuasted, or plain unmotivated.  I think my latest disappearance was a little of all three.

To help with the consistency of this blog (although I'm pretty sure it's only my momma that checks this regularly) I'm going to steal some ideas from my friends' blogs.  My friend, Tracy, has a photo of the week, and since I have such a love for photography I thought that would be a fun way to share some of my captured images.  I will continue to catch up with our happenings over the past few weeks, Christmas details, etc.  but I wanted to start this tradition first.

This picture was taken at the California Academy of Sciences located at the Golden Gate Park.  It truly has become one of my favorite places to visit; I've even become a member and can get someone in free each time I go...hint hint...  I have blogged about it in the past, so I won't go into all of the details from my time there.  The picture below was taken in the indoor rainforest dome, third level, among the hundreds of butterflies.  My friend, Kelsey, joked that the animals were all posing for me that day.

I think this picture may prove her theory just a bit!

Merry Christmas 2010!

Merry Christmas 2010!

            It is always difficult to sum up the happenings of an entire year.  We have been extremely blessed and feel so grateful when looking back over the past 12 months together.  We started off our year with new callings in our church.  Dallas got called as the Ward Mission Leader and I was asked to be the first councilor in the Primary presidency.  We have both enjoyed serving and finding a deeper love for the other ward members.

            Dallas finished another year of accounting with PWC and works harder than anyone I know.  He loves the people he works with and has been given some incredible opportunities.  I continued private tutoring throughout the year and was offered a teaching position at my previous school mid-October.  It has been such a blessing to return to a familiar environment with my own classroom again!  I teach small group reading intervention for k-2 grades and have loved getting to know all the children.

            Since I spent the greater portion of 2010 unemployed, I became very creative with my time.  Dallas was so patient as I went in and out of hobbies from knitting newborn hats for the Oakland hospital, to creating folder games for our future family, to picking up photography classes, and we can’t forget our continual flow of friends staying at “Hotel Perkins.”  I have become quite the tour guide and have loved being able to see all the beauties of the bay area.  Some of my favorite activities included visiting the King Tut exhibit, Japanese Tea Gardens, Point Lobos Sate Park, Alcatraz, Point Reyes, Alamere falls, Wicked, Baker beach, whale watching in Monterey, and sailing in the bay.  Dallas would meet up with us whenever he could, even if that meant shopping with a big group of giggly girls.  He’s a saint!

            Our summer was just as eventful.  Our youngest brother left for his mission in Brazil, our other brother got back from his mission in Australia.  We traveled back east to help another brother and his family move home and were able to visit the historical church sites along the way.  It was such an incredible experience to walk hand in hand with my husband in the Sacred Grove.  We had a fun time at all three of our family reunions: white water rafting in Sun River, OR with the Adams; Bear Lake, target shooting, crazy family games, and the Pickle Ville Playhouse with the Whitts; boating, four wheeling, card games, and incredible food with the Perkins.

            We continued the fun in the fall by seeing the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast, spending a weekend at a beach house in Monterey with all of our cousins, taking a trip to the state parks in Utah and the Grand canyon, and spending a week in southern California.  Dallas even let me drag him to Disneyland in my sparkle pants for two whole days.

            With all the joy, of course, comes heartache, but we continue to rely on our faith and each other.  It is humbling to reflect on the blessings we’ve been given by our Savior.  We love you all and pray that you are happy and well this holiday season.

Love,

Dallas and Kirsten

Parc55 Wyndham Hotel at Union Square

After this post I will be officially caught up with blogging.

Dallas has been working insane hours lately.  He's up for promotion this summer and is having to "prove" himself with every move he makes.  I am constantly impressed with his work ethic and am so grateful that he has and will do everything in his power to provide for our family.  Obviously, with all of his work comes the down side...we hardly get to see each other.  Most days he leaves around 7am and doesn't get home until close to 10pm.  Needless to say, we end up missing each other a lot!

Last Friday he called from work saying that I needed to pack an overnight bag and drive into the city.  I love it when he tries to surprise me, I always end up finding out some way or another!  I picked him up from work and we drove over to Union Square downtown San Francisco.  He had gotten us reservations at the Parc 55 hotel.  It was absolutely beautiful!  We had a perfect evening being able to spend time with one another, dining at the hotel restaurant, ordering desert through room service, and sleeping in Saturday morning.  It was exactly what we needed!

Thanks again, sweetheart, for an incredible weekend.  I love you so very much!