Gladioli

So, I'm taking a floral design class this semester. I've gone to two classes already this semester, and I'm LOVING it!!!!! The professor is hilarious, she's so animated; let me tell you how un-boring that class is! PLUS...it's all about FLOWERS!!!!!
PERFECT class for me :)

Anyway, today she did a demonstration in lecture, and she had TONS of flowers just left, so she told us all to grab one on our way out. This is the flower I grabbed....It's a gladiolus. Funny...I always thought they were called galdiolas...apparently not!

I put it in a vase and put it on our kitchen counter and now our house has a pretty little addition for the next week or so:)Every time I look over and see it on the counter, I think of D&C 59: 18-19

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;
19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. 

I am so grateful for all of God's beautiful creations! We truly are blessed to live on such a beautiful earth. I named my blog what it is named because our lives truly are filled with beauty each and every day.

Here is just a small piece of beauty that Heavenly Father shared with me today

Isn't it GORGEOUS???

Oddly enough......I've never really liked gladioli that much....but today I've changed my mind! They're so tall and graceful; and they just make such a statement with their bold color!
Yep. I'm now a fan, which is good, because it just so happens to be that the flowers I planted in our pots by the window are gladioli :)
The only reason I bought them was because they looked cuter, smaller and just generally different from the normal ones. Now I don't care if they end up looking like the normal ones at all, because I love them!

I'm so excited, they aren't supposed to bloom until late summer, but I just planted the bulbs fewer than 2 weeks ago and the greenery is already about a foot high! Yeah! Can't wait until they're grown so I can enjoy them (and take pictures of them of course)!!!

YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!

I'm so excited!!!!!!
I got in to a photography class this summer!!! I didn't think I'd be able to get in because it was full, and there were so many other people trying to add it, but i did! What a blessing!!

So now....I MIGHT ACTUALLY LEARN HOW TO TAKE GOOD PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!

I'm SUPER excited for this class.....when I leave I'll actually be able to shoot on manual (which is a MUST to improve that I can't really  do right now....I haven't learned how) and I'll learn lots of other basics! Yeah for finally being able to take a photography class!

Ethan Again

Okay, I really am terrible....but I SWEAR my camera has a magnetic draw to my ridiculously cute little nephew!!!!!

Here's why:

This is why...

This is why I LOVE Photoshop!!!

                                  BEFORE                                                                  AFTER

Wooden Pens

Making wooden pens has become a hobby in my family. It started out with my dad, he's always making cool things out of wood, he's a marvelous woodworker. A few years ago, he learned to make wooden pens, and since then, he's taught us. My brother makes quite a few now...he was going to sell them at a booth at the Salt Lake Avenues Fair this last year, but sadly because the fair overbooked booths according to the fire code and he was one of the last ones to sign up, they ended up cutting his booth. Anyway, I've made one pen, and I have a few more ready to make, and now Ben has made one too, so it's quickly becoming a fun hobby among all of us :)

Here are some pictures of the Beauties my dad has made