a Freshly Picked review + giveaway!

One of the imperatives that parenthood bestows on innocent parents is the unsolicited advice.

{I can already see you nodding your head in agreement}

From feeding and sleeping advice to parenting techniques and proper discipline.

Before you tune me out, let me assure you will thank me for this piece of my mind
I am about to kindly offer you.

You know those cute little feet of your ever-busy toddler? The ones that are “baby stinky” that you love to sniff over and over, making your husband wonder
if the sleep deprivation has officially erased your old you and made you mad?

Well, in my household those little feet were usually barefoot because:

1) I couldn’t find shoes that would stay put on those darling stinkers and consequently end up lost in a mall or park somewhere
{not to mention that my husband is tired of my incessant searching for things that get lost}

2) the shoes that are actually cute and stylish would only fit for 2 months tops during this ever-changing metamorphosis known as infancy.

All this changed when I discovered Freshly Picked moccasins. No more naked, chubby baby feet around here. I always heard raves from fellow mommies about how wonderful these little shoes were and how they were patrons for life, and still I was a little hesitant to drop a few Jacksons down to become a member of the FP club.

{Listen up…here comes the unsolicited advice you’re dying to hear}

However, I reminded myself that I am a believer in “you get what you pay for” and bought my first pair of those shiny, soft, coveted moccs.

That was it. I was immediately converted.

They were beautiful to look at, comfortable on my tiny monster’s feet, and are made to grow with your baby, giving you at least 6 months of wear before baby’s foot outgrows them, not because of deterioration in quality. I have bought hard-sole shoes from many brands and most only fit for about 2 months, max! Well worth every penny spent on these babies, if you ask this frugal momma. The soft-soles are thick enough to protect baby’s feet and soft enough to allow flexibility, especially when baby is learning to walk. The elastic makes it virtually impossible for baby hands to rip them off their feet. They are simply wonderful, trust me.

Now I feel it is my duty to emphatically advice every mom-to-be to put them on her must-have list.  For those of you who are aunts, grandmothers, bffs: hope you’re taking notes too. They don’t want diapers and wipes at their baby shower, or stuffed animals and outfits for baby’s first birthday… they want something Freshly Picked.

Here comes the fun part. Because I am here to help you take my advice, my sisters and I from Lace and Pearls Company have partnered up with Freshly Picked to bring you an amazing giveaway!

Hop on over to Instagram and follow @laceandpearlscompany for your chance to score a free pair of Freshly Picked moccasins of your choice in any style or color! {like these adorable Heirlooms in Cream and Gold!} How awesome is that?! I leave you with some proof that I do take my own advice.

Happy First Birthday, my sweet baby girl!

 

P.S.~ What is your favorite inspirational quote?

Can I get the unedited pictures too?

I can't tell you how many times I get asked this question. You may recall this post here where I discussed what I perceived to be common misconceptions people/clients have about what exactly goes into being a photographer.

Recently I have been asked why I don't give out unedited pictures. Truth be told, at first I was shocked when inquiries came in but now I am realizing that most people just don't get it...and that should be expected.
It can be difficult to understand another man's journey until we have walked in their shoes. This applies to just about anyone and anything. It is hard to see all the work and time that go into producing images that clients pay you the "big bucks" for.

Like I mentioned in the earlier post, it takes hours and hours to get your images edited and back to you once your session is over. Indulge me a little and let's calculate again, shall we?

Time getting to photo shoot location: average of 20 minutes
Time taking pictures at the photo shoot: average 90 minutes
Time driving back home: average 20 minutes
Time uploading pictures to computer: average 15 minutes
Time uploading pictures to gallery for clients to see and select proofs: average 20 minutes
Time editing: average 8 minutes PER image... (average session is about 20 images, so  20x8= 160, about 3 hours of edit time)
Time transferring images, packaging to be delivered: average 15 minutes
Time to deliver them or to ship via post office: average 20 minutes

Total: 6 hours from start to finish.

Doesn't seem like it is that much work, does it?

So, here is my point. It takes time, a lot of time, to produce the final product you receive after your photo session. I want you to be happy with your pictures, so I invest time in them to make sure they deliver my artistic style and meet the quality standards I have set for my work.  I want people to ask "Wow! Who was your photographer?!" when they see your pictures,  and not ask who you hired so that they can make a mental note of my name and put it in the "never call this photographer because her pictures suck" folder.

Think of it this way... if I were a hairdresser and you wanted to come in for a balayage, I wouldn't let you come in, let me do one side of your head, and send you home to finish the rest on your own. I have yet to meet a hairdresser who would be ok with their client walking around with a hack job yet gladly telling everyone who their hairdresser is.
Same thing applies to photography.
Granted, many of you out there may be very good at Photoshop and editing (perhaps even more so than I am!) and would do just fine editing my unedited pictures, but in the end it is my work and the only name that should be associated with my images is my own name. Logical, right?!
My pictures showcase my talent, my style, me. It would be wrong to put your touch on a piece of work that does not belong to you...and I like to take full responsibility for my images, whether it is good or bad.
So please, please understand that you are getting the best version of the snapshots my camera took and help me let my pictures do all the talking.
After all, what you see is what you get and sometimes we only get that first impression to captivate that potential client. Please don't alter my pictures to something I didn't produce and then put my name on it. Don't be the reason someone thinks my pictures stink. I'm not saying they are all fantastic but at least I can take full ownership for my crappy ones. Make sense?

In case you still aren't sure about what I just said, let me give you a visual example. But first of all, a bit of a disclaimer:  I am in no way implying that the people in the photos are guilty of the very issues I am complaining about. Instead, I have included these images to give you an idea, and to continue to remind you as you read, that there is a lot more work that goes into photography aside from the basic, "Take my picture."

BEFORE {straight out of the camera)

~AFTER~ ~BEFORE~ ~AFTER~ ~BEFORE~ 

~AFTER~ Hopefully you will agree that the difference is pretty vast between the before and after images...and that is why my clients are ok with only receiving edited images :)

What It Takes

"You have a great camera."

I get this all the time...and yes,  I do. It is a wonderful piece of equipment and the model itself makes a huge difference in the quality of my photos. However, what most people don't realize is that it is not the camera, or lenses, or other equipment that make photographs look the way they do.

Sure, they make a HUGE difference; but the truth is that it is practice, skill, and lots and lots of time researching, learning from trial and error, and most importantly, it is simply experience.

You know how they say that "practice makes perfect"? Well, I am in no way claiming that my photography is perfect. Au contraire,  I feel that it is far, far from perfect and my husband can attest to my feelings of inadequacy. What I am trying to say is that that adage is so true...and I hope to encourage those who may feel inadequate or incapable or perhaps even discouraged. I am amazed when I look back at the pictures I took when I first embarked on this challenging yet very rewarding endeavor and can see the progress I have made, even if it is not as drastic as I would love for it to be. Bottom line: the effort, time, and devotion you put into anything will be the pivotal keys and will make the difference.

With this said and getting back on the 'nice camera' topic, there are many factors involved in the production of great photography. And may I please say this and hopefully have it resonate: there is a big difference between having a nice camera and taking great pictures. Anyone can have a nice camera...but not everyone can take great pictures.

At first the 'nice camera' comments would really annoy me. Then I realized that I had been just as guilty as they were of thinking/making such "ignorant" {if you will} comments. To be blatantly honest, before I picked up a camera I used to think that photographers went out and spent money on nice cameras and lenses, took pictures, and uploaded them onto their flashy computers and burned them onto a CD for the overpriced photo package someone had bought. "What?! $300 for a photoshoot?! That is ridiculous!!!" I would think...

I.was.dead.wrong.

I could not have been any more ignorant than I already was. I am actually embarrassed to be admitting to this, but I do so in hopes to make anyone who thinks or has thought this will not feel like a cheap/terrible human being. It is very normal, and perhaps even expected, for most to think this way...until they understand how much work goes into producing that CD of high-resolution images.

So, in case you are wondering what exactly I mean by "how much work goes into",  here ya go.

Did you know:
*photographers spend literally thousands on that 'nice camera', lenses, lighting equipment, editing software, props, backdrops, etc? 
* it takes a photographer at least 2 hrs to take pictures for a relatively easy/planned photo shoot? Personally, it takes at least 30 minutes of total driving time to get to my appointments. This means I am spending time away from my family,  in addition to sometimes having to pay a babysitter, put mileage on my car and use up gas to come meet my fabulous clients. 
*once the picture is taken, it takes about 10 minutes to upload and back-up picture files?
*it takes me, Kristal, at least 8 minutes to edit each picture? 
I do not batch edit. Batch editing is clicking on a button in Photoshop that will apply a certain look/filters to all of the selected images the same way, across the board. This may work for some photographers, but it definitely does not for me. I pride myself in spending time on each and every single picture to meet my standards of quality and personalization. Translation: that pimple that showed up on your forehead from all that chocolate you had last night? Corrected. The lipstick stains on your teeth that mischievously showed up just as we got that perfect shot? Corrected. That grape juice stain that got on Junior's shirt as you were driving to your appointment? Gone. That picture that would be perfect had one of the kids been looking at the camera instead of the random dog running behind me? Perfected, once I swap out his distracted face for one from another image that has an ear-to-ear grin.
*then it takes more time to transfer those wonderful images onto a cd, package them to look nice and pretty, make my way to the lovely and efficient post office to send that little package with lots of love, and hope that hard work is received with gratitude and satisfaction.


Capice?

That is what it takes, folks.

So, the next time you are thinking that the quote you just got from a photographer is a little too high, you may want to remember that it is not the 'nice camera' doing the work and, most importantly, "you get what you pay for" :)

A little insanity and...a Lacy Mae Designs giveaway!

Just because today is a day to have a good day,
        because I am grateful for the wonderful support I have had as I am learning to be a mother to 2 little gals,
          because I am slowly learning to function with chronic exhaustion and slight insanity,
                         and because I have been supported, encouraged, and inspired by wonderful women out there...
                                                          I want to give back to you loyal customers and readers.

I am giving away some of Mandy's beautiful creations to one lucky reader. Yep, all 3 of these adorable headbands can be yours!
Not only are they super cute, but they are also super comfy and stretchy so your little girl will not even know its there!


Are you excited?! {You should be. Trust me.}

 If you want this more than anyone, all you have to do is:
* "Like" Lacy Mae Designs Facebook page and post on her wall to let her know I sent you
* "Like" KP Photography Facebook page

Then, leave ONE comment ON THIS ENTRY once you have completed the steps above.
But wait! There are more ways to increase your chances to score these lovelies.

For additional entries you may:
* leave some love on Lacy Mae's wall. We all love a little compliment, right? {Peruse her page and you are sure to find something you might just have to have.}
* "SHARE" this giveaway with your friends on Facebook! Simply go to KP Photography and under the link about this giveaway that is posted, click on Share. You may share as many times as you want! Remember to again leave a comment on this post for each additional entry you have completed.
*  Subscribe/follow this blog {see bottom of page}

 The giveaway will be closed on Wednesday, May 9th at midnight.Winner will be announced here on May 12th {my birthday!}. Good luck!!

A new little girl and some darling baby couture

Our second little girl came into our lives a month ago...
 Khloe Sofía Price was born March 26th at 8:15 am, 7 lbs 7 oz and 21 inches long.

It is amazing what having a tiny new spirit in the home will do to the body and soul :) 

We have never been more sleep deprived, gone through so many diapers, or happier. 

Notice the darling headbands that Miss K is donning? There is a lot more where that came from, let me tell you.

These lovely accessories are from Lacey Mae Designs which is a growing business that I am absolutely sure will just boom in the very near future.

I will tell you why.

Because Mandy, the owner, is truly an extraordinary person.

Why she is so extraordinary?

 Let me tell you a little about Mandy's goal with this new business.

 Many of us have needed or will need help and support during our lifetimes. Mandy is asking all women to join her in doing a better job of supporting, loving and seeking all women in need with a major focus concentrated on single mothers and women needing support to get out of abusive relationships. With the support of her husband, Chris, who also shares her passion, they have big dreams for reaching out and making a difference. Their vision and five year plan is to take Lacy Mae Designs into the public as a boutique and cafe where the community can gather in friendship and join in the common goal of loving and supporting each other. In doing so, we will all be better women, wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and examples to other women. It will be a place where encouragement and uplifting strength will be felt and shared. Where others burdens will be lifted as women lean on one another and work hard physically, emotionally, and spiritually, to support themselves and their children (who are suffering at no fault of their own). As their boutique is filled with all the fabulously beautiful things women love, they will be able to financially do what they really want to do to support women and children in need. Mandy's experience, is that often the smallest gifts and knowing that someone "out there" cares and understands, provides the strength to keep functioning as a mother/woman.

Is she amazing or what?

So, if you want to join in the effort, you can help by "liking" her Facebook page here and spreading the word. 

For those of you lucky local peeps, you can stop by her cute shop and browse the myriad of darling things she has to offer!

S N A P ! 2012

No, I'm not expressing a sudden realization that it is no longer 2011. 

What I am suddenly realizing is that I desperately want/need to attend this amazing conference. SNAP! is a craft and DIY social media conference that will be taking place this April here in Utah { www.snaptheconference.com} There are so many reasons why I would love to attend, but just to name a few:
* I would love to see Jess, even if it is just to say hello!
* Being surrounded by successful and positive people who want you to find success as well is very invigorating to me. A really good pep talk does wonders for my soul.
*As you can see from my frequency of posting, I need some pointers as to how to balance being an entrepreneur with the roles of mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter, etc.
* Simply, some "alone" time in the midst of hundreds of brilliant, strong, and creative women is always a treat.

So, have I convinced you yet of why I NEED to go?

 Last winter, my genius friend Jessica from Allora Handmade and The Queen Bee Market mentioned on her blog this upcoming conference...and it instantly was put on my wishlist for things to sign-up for. Well, here I am, almost a year later and still not registered and the money I was supposed to save and allocate for such sign-up is still lost somewhere in WishLand...{sigh}

One of these days I will be a completely recovered procrastinator. I promise. But in the meantime, some help sent my way would not only make my day but would be greatly appreciated.

Let the bribing begin.

Listen closely.

SNAP is giving away 3 tickets to this amazing conference...and you can help me be one of the winners. Starting Saturday, January 21st, the "linky" on the SNAP blog will be open for voting for a whole week. This means that you can go to the linky and vote for my entry! The top three entries that get the most votes will be selected and then a random winner will be chosen from those 3 lucky ducks. 

SO- as a way to thank you and coax you into voting for my entry, I will be giving a free mini-session OR 8x11 print {for those of you who don't live in Happy Valley} to a randomly selected participant if I win!. All you have to do is:

* go to the *LINKY* and vote for my entry beginning January 21 through January 27 

* come back and post a comment here stating that you did so

* if you get friends, family, other people you know to vote, you may comment for each person you "referred"...make sense?

Get voting and cross your fingers for me! :)

Nuovo

I used to really dislike New Year's Eve up until a couple of years ago.
The whole hype about being at the perfect place with the perfect person 

wearing the perfect little dress and saying goodbye to the last 12 months... 

just wasn't appealing to me. 

But now I love it. 

I realize that the new year brings new beginnings, a clean slate; 

more opportunities to do what we fell short on and 

to learn and grow from the mistakes we made along the way. 

It provides another chance to appreciate the people around us, 

express our love to our family and loved ones, to embark on new adventures, 

take on daunting fears, accomplish goals, 

and turn dreams into reality. 

With this said, I have vowed to be more consistent with life...

which I hope that you will see apparent on this blog.

Without further ado, I leave you with a little preview of posts to come. 

This beautiful couple is getting married in March! 

They were so much fun to work with; can't wait to share the rest.

Emotiveness

It's quite true that a picture is worth a thousand words...and there is just something about a black and white photograph. Personally, black and white just speaks to me in a different way than color does. It evokes serenity, pensiveness, intimacy.

I am in awe with the emotion that is easily captured when the subjects exude an intimate and loving connection.

Beautiful and radiant mother and precious daughter take the emotive component of this picture to a different level.

Angelle, you are such a beautiful woman and mother, inside out, and your perfect baby girl is truly a gem.

I couldn't decide whether I would share the color or b&w copy, so I just had to post both. Which one is your favorite?

His Hands

So, remember my super cute and talented friend Jessica 

{a.k.a one of the bees from the Queen Bee Market and designer behind Allora Handmade}? 

Today on her blog she talked about how she has felt God's hand in her life... which got me thinking... that despite all of the different components that make each human being an individual, we all have at least one thing in common.

Probably the most important thing we can have in common: 

we are all a child of God who is deeply loved by him.

There have been times in my life when I have felt his love and care for me more intensely than others, but I have always felt that he is there. No matter what. Whether life may give rain or shine, warmth or gloom, there has never been a doubt in my life about His unconditional love and presence in my life.

I realize now that those times when this feeling of assurance was not as strong as it could be, or should be, were {and are} a result of my own doing/choice.

He never abandons us; we step away from him.

Lately I have made it a goal to make a more concise effort to recognize the little things, as much as the  big things, that are undeniable testaments of His hand in the life of my friends, family, and more specifically, my own life.

I am grateful for the many blessings that I am fortunate to have. I may not have the home of my dreams, a fancy car, the income to support all of my worldly caprices...but it doesn't matter... because I am in no way short of the things that matter: 

a wonderful companion/best friend, 

a beautiful and sweet little girl to raise,

two families that love God and love me, 

siblings that are my best friends, 

best friends that are like my siblings, etc, etc.

The list can go on and on. 

All of these blessings have taught me to understand how much He loves me. I say taught because I firmly believe that like faith itself, we have to want to see His greatness and influence in our lives; how He moves our mountains, calms our ocean's rage, and makes us whole.

I know that He lives, and just as surely that I know that He is watching over me and all of His children, I know that he loves me the way a father loves his precious daughter...      

                                                              and clearly now i see him with his hands

                                                                      calling to me and though I'm not yet as I would be,
                                                                          he has shown me how I could be.
                                                                               I will make my hands like those from Galilee. 

{excerpt from Kenneth Cope's "His Hands" }

Happy birthday America!

We will be going to the traditional downtown parade, 

having a cookout with friends, 

and waiting for the huge firework show in Salt Lake.

How about you?

Happy Fourth from my little American pie.

A few tips and tricks

As a photographer, the way a session turns out is mostly dependent on you. {That is what most people think anyway}
I agree and disagree at the same time. I can do my best to nail the exposure, pick spots that have perfect lighting, suggest wardrobe pieces, and move you around like you are a puppeteer and I am the master.
However, there are some things that you can keep in mind {as the beautiful model} to make sure that your shoot will rock your world. Are you ready to be deliriously enlightened?

* Share with your photographer {ahem, that would be me. I hope!} before the shoot every single detail that has been lingering in your mind that would make this shoot absolutely perfect according to your standards. Whether it be a particular pose or prop idea, I would love to hear it!
* Know which profile is your best. We all have it! I know, it is silly, but walk over to your nearest mirror {like, right now!} and look at the amazing reflection staring back at you. Is it your left or right side that is your best looker?
* Smile! And smile and smile. Practice your smile and different expressions that best flatter your features. Personally, when I smile toooo genuinely my heritage suddenly becomes somewhat Oriental and not Hispanic {yes, I am Hispanic :) }My "small" eyes get more of the limelight when I smile a certain way. So, rehearse those smiles and expressions so that they are natural and flattering. {rehearse, rehearse, rehearse=natural.}
* Wear clothing that compliments, not accentuates, your body. I say compliments instead of accentuates because the latter can work against you. This is a no-brainer right?  I know I avoid horizontal stripes and too tight fitting clothing after Thanksgiving... But enough of that.
* Don't get so focused on the mix-and-match thing. I  promise that the less you try to match with each other, the more *natural* {important word} and relaxed your pictures will feel. Again, the key here is to complement...everyone can wear a different color and your pictures will radiate harmony if you pick the right stuff.
* Practice great posture. Not only will your knees and other important body elements thank you, but we will spend less time focusing on correcting slouches and more time snapping away at those candid moments.

That's it! Just a few things that will help make your photoshoot even better. Easy peasy, right?

What do you after you have been in quarantine for too long?

{and technically still should be?}

Take a trip to Salt Lake to get some fresh air and have your breath taken away by beautiful sights.

Drip, Drip, Drop

Little April shower,

What can compare with your beautiful sound?

I'll tell you what! Sunshine!

Boy am I glad you are finally here to warm our days 

and help beautiful things grow.

Happy Easter!

A little late, but you know what they say, better late than never! Hope your Easter was one of happiness, reflection, and family. Since I married Chip, I have really gotten into the spirit of each individual holiday; this includes decorations and doing my best to invite the festivity into our home...which can lead to compulsive visits to Robert's {craft store in Utah} and a never ending list of more crafts to make. All of which lead to the making of this:

this...

and this...

that suddenly it becomes really easy to forget about the real meaning of Easter. It isn't about the bunny or candy, or beautiful and lacey pastel colored dresses and fancy dinners. It is about one extraordinary man's ability to conquer death so that you and I and everyone out there can be with those we love and cherish the most, together forever.

Hope your Easter was focused on the 3 most important things we can have: faith, family, and friends.

Critter Giveaway!

Remember my sweet friend Charity? A.k.a the creative mind behind PitterPatHeart?

Well, she has done it again.

She has created more lovelies such as Camera Critters. Think of the last time you were taking pictures of little people, you know,  babies and children. I don't know about you, but sometimes that perfect shot seems impossible to capture because I can't keep their attention long enough to say Cheeeessseeeee! 

Most Critters are not pleasant. But- I can assure that her Camera Critters are not only darling, but they help solve this dilemma of mine and hopefully yours!

SO- without further adieu...let's dive into the details of another GIVEAWAY!

One lucky follower will receive their choice of a Camera Critter.

 {I KNOW, CUTE RIGHT?!}

To be entered in the drawing, all you have to do is: 

* "Like PitterPatHeart on Facebook (here)

* "Like" KP photography on Facebook (here - or you can simple click on the pink button at the bottom of this page)

* Leave a comment on this post telling us which Critter you would like if you were our winner!

Those are required. For bonus entries,  you may:

* Follow this blog (click on Follow at the bottom right corner of this page)

* Follow PitterPatHeart's blog here 

* Share on your Facebook wall, blog, Twitter, whatever! (You can do this as many times as you would like!)

* Come back to this post and leave a comment for each of these additional entries upon completion. 

Winner will be chosen at random and announced on Saturday night, April 16th. 

P.S.- Don't forget to check out all of the other Critters in the PitterPatHeart shop!

Isn't Charity nice? ;)

An old friend & new inspiration

Have you noticed a new element on the blog? Yup, that cute new thingy up at the top? My amazing and ubber talented friend Ruth designed that cute, girly logo for me as a gift.

I know- I have awesome friends. Ruth has always been the type of person to hesitate to speak bad about anyone, to worry about the well-being of those whom she loves as well as perfect strangers, to stay up till 1 am finishing a project out of the goodness of her heart for a very nagging girl she calls friend. {Yes, that would be me}

I am so blessed to have friends like her. Friends who will be there when you need them, be loyal and honest, defend you when your reputation is being questioned, offer a shoulder through tough times, celebrate your triumphs, and offer a hand when you are down.

Thank you for inspiring me to be more like that. Thank you for being you. Gracias por ser mi amiga...y por el bello logo! :)

Spring Renewal

The coming of Spring is much anticipated in my life. I grew up in Texas, where it is warm and sunny most of the year. 

Needless to say, I struggle enduring cold, harsh, gloomy winters.

There is nothing like the rebirth and renewal that this season brings with her.

So- to celebrate the official arrival of Spring, 

I compiled a list of all of the things that make me feel renewed. 

Happy. 

Invigorated. 

Get the drift? :)

* The color mustard. I don't know what it is about this color, but seeing it, wearing it, observing it in the world around me makes me happy. Right now a new pair of shoes in mustard would seriously make me jump up and down at least a couple of times.
* Pedicures. Soft, polished heels and perfectly lustrous pink tips make me feel girly and pampered.
* Music that strikes a chord. From Diana Krall to Samantha James, Luis Miguel to Michael Bublé, Belanova to Rhianna, Usher to Justin Bieber (Yes, I like ONE of his songs. Just one.)
* Girlfriends. Getting a random email, phone call, or text  just to say hi from someone who knows little details like where you are from, your birthday, your sisters' names, etc - always makes my day.
* Going on dates with such girlfriends and our hubbies who share inside jokes with each other and have most likely known each other since high school and if not, act like they do.
* Tanning. An exploding dose of instant endorphins? YES, please!
*  Accomplishment. A unique photoshoot, a new blog design, a craft concoction, a new recipe made to scrumptious perfection. Any accomplishment is always a boost of confidence and empowerment.
* Rewarding shopping. Working earnestly hard for something that took time, dedication and effort and rewarding myself with that new handbag or lens that I have had my little eye on.
* Exercising to begin the day.
* Reading a good book in the tub.
* Listening to motivating discourses given by successful people.
* Smell of desert rain in the spring and summer months. 
* Surprising someone with something they have been needing/wanting.
* Getting friend requests on Facebook from someone I haven't seen or spoken to in years yet are very present in my memories.
* Observing my darling handsome hubby engage with Kamila in storytime or frolic or whatever activity it is that keeps them busy while I sit back, relax, and soak it in. 

Just to name a few.

What about you?