Utah

I had the opportunity to go up to Utah Last week. Our good Friends Jake and Melanie Erickson were moving up to Logan for a semester of school so I got to hitch a ride, help with their cute little girl Ella and to be an extra driver. Our drive was quite an adventure we had 2 cars Melanie Ella and I in one and Jake in the other pulling the trailer of all there stuff. About half way through our drive right in between Page Arizona and Kanab Utah The radiator in the Tahoe Jake was driving got a bad leak. The leak was bad enough that Jake couldn't keep driving. It was a very hot day and we were 40 min from either city but Jake sent Mel and me to go get what we needed to fix the car. We decided to try going forward to Kanab and Jake said he would try and slowly continue behind us. Despite construction the whole way between us and an auto shop we made it to Kanab and back to Jake in just under 2 hours. A patch kit we decided to pick up in addition to what Jake had asked for ended up being just the thing needed to fix the crack. We spent another hour and half on the side of the road fixing the car, which aloud me to take some great pictures and gave Ella a break from her car seat. Our little set back cost us quite alot of time we were hoping to be in Salt Lake by 8:30 and we ended up not getting in till 1:30 in the morning. Needless to say it was a very long day and we were very ready to get into beds asap. Some of my wonderful Friends were so kind to put us all up for the night last min. The next Day Jake and Mel continued up to Logan and I got to go spend a few days with my best friend and cousin Kamilla and her family. We had a really great time her 2 little boys Lincoln 3 and Micah 9months are so cute and so fun. We colored on the porch with chalk watched some awesome movies and took alot of pictures. I was also able to see my Cousin Ammon and his wife Nicole and their 2 boys, my cousin Ashley her husband Dan and their 3 kids We were able to get a shot of all the kids together for my Aunt Kathryn, she is my moms younger sister but she already has 7 grand kids, and they are all so cute. It was great to see my family and friends in Utah, I am so grateful for all of them. I was able to spend a little bit of time with my grandma Kelson while I was there as well and she is so wonderful I just love her. Family is amazing I wish I could be with all my extended family more I miss them when we are apart and can't wait to get together again. After along flight with a stop in Vegas I happily made it home to my wonderful husband Dahr. I was exhausted from my lack of sleep I had had my whole trip due to late night fun with Kamilla that I crashed I had along day of work in the morning and then we were heading out on a back packing trip. I will write all about that soon :)

Dray

My birthday

Another Year older, wow time goes by so very fast. I have Decided that with this my 25th birthday I would like to resolve to do better with my blog. I have decided this due to all the birthday wishes and love that I received from my family and friends on face book that made me so very happy and yet so sad that we miss out on so much of each others lives. I want to do better at keeping in touch.

My Birthday was really a great one This year. Dahr always goes above and beyond to make my birthdays good but his year I think he really tried hard and he did a great job. Saturday we went to sun splash, a local water park that I have grown up going to. Dahr and I and 3 other couples all went together, Amanda and Jacob, Bryan and Victoria, and John and Noni. We went Saturday evening to what they call night splash, it's less money then doing the whole day and you don't have to worry about getting toasted in the sun. It was a really great time. I'm sure we were the oldest group of people there that didn't have kids with them.

Sunday morning on my actual Birthday we just took it easy around the house. At 1 we went to church together and Dahr taught our Sunday school class an awesome lesson on the disciples of Christ. After church we went to my parents house where Dahr with help from my mom and sister Aubrey made an awesome chicken fettucini with grilled vegetables and cheesy tomato bread dinner. My older sister Amanda brought an awesome salad to go with dinner. After we were done eating my mom gave me a wonderful foot soak and foot massage, it was so sweet of her. My niece Moly was very interested in helping. We kept telling her to be careful because the water was hot and then she would tell me "no Dray hot" every time I put my feet in the water.

Dahr had made me an amazing home made cheese cake on Saturday and I had made some home made red velvet cup cakes with a cream cheese frosting Sunday morning so after dinner and a foot rub we had everyone come over to our place for desert. My whole family came with the exception of my Dad who wasn't feeling well. Dahrs Parents and sister Dala came, and my best Friend Victoria and her family. WE ate all the delicious desert and spent time together, it was a great evening. I got some awesome gifts and I am so grateful to everyone for them. I am ver blessed to have so many great people in my life that really care about me, I would like to just thank them all for helping to make my birthday a very good one.

My Summer of Travel

This is a supper old post that for some reason I never posted, so here it is.

I can't believe that is August is almost over! Wow how the summer has flown. I feel like I have been away more then I've been home this summer. I have quite the summer of Travel.

My vacations began with an awesome trip to Disneyland in June. It was my little sister Aubrey's birthday and Disney land was doing a get in free on your Birthday promotion this year so I decided to plan a trip to take her. We made it a girls trim my Mom and my two sisters, Amanda and Aubrey, and I all went. My mom hadn't been in 26 years and it was Aubrey's first time so it was quite the adventure. We also spent a day at the beach while we were in beautiful California. It was a great way to start my summer.

At the end of June Dahr and I were invited by some of our Dear Friends to come and spend a week with them on their house boat at Lake Powell. Unfortunately we couldn't get a whole week off so we had to settle for four days. It was so amazing! I love getting out and enjoying this beautiful world that our Father in Heaven has created for us. We spent our time there boating and jet skiing and building our relationships with great friends. Awesome trip

July 4th Dahr and I went camping with his family up at Mount Gram, which is just out side Saford Arizona. Camping with Dahrs Family was a first for us in our Marriage, we go camping with my family all the time but we had never done a camp out with the Dietrich's. Mount Gram is a beautiful mountain it's is thick with pines and aspens and dotted by lakes and streams.

It was just a short camping trip and sadly we got a little rained out, but it was still a good time. We brought our dogs and I think the really struggled with the rain. On the 4th we packed up camp and headed down to Saford where Dahrs grandparents and an Aunt and Uncle live . we had a Family bbq and went to the most amazing fire work show. It was a great Trip!

At the end of July I went to visit my friend Posey in Indiana. I wont write to much about that because I already blogged about that trip. I had a great time and love the opportunity to strengthen friendships with the people I love.

This month In August we got to make a quick trip up to Utah for a wedding that was just beautiful and as always we love seeing every one there. The day we got home from Utah we had to hed up to Sedona for three nights in a beautiful resort. We love it there the views are beautiful and its always nice to have a place close to home to get away to. We hiked walked through all the cool shops and just really had a great time.Finishing off the month we had a quick weekend trip down t0 to Rocky Point Mexico, even if only for a few days I love a chance to get to the beach.

We have one last Travel for this summer, we are doing a Mexico cruise in September that I cant wait for, it should be a great way to end an awesome summer.

Indiana

One of the maternity pics I did with Posey and her boys.

I just got home from spending a week in Indiana with my great friend Posey and her 2 adorable boys Vance (4) and Brogan (2). Posey, her husband Ben, and the 2 boys moved to Indiana in January from Arizona I spent regular time with them when they lived here so I have really missed them over the last six months. Posey has been one of my best friends since Beauty school in 2003, it's been hard to have her so far away. She is currently expecting their 3rd little boy, wow is she going to have her hands full. I went to visit for Poseys birthday and to babysit her boys for her so Ben and her could get away on a little trip. The boys and I had a lot of fun. The weather was beautiful and we spent a lot of time out side just really enjoying it. Indiana is lush and green, a big change from my native Arizona. It was nice to miss a week of record breaking heat back in AZ, but no matter how good the company and amazing the weather there is truly no place like home.

Summer in the desert

I can hardly believe that summer is nearly here it seems like only yesterday in was Christmas. Summer is my favorite season so I'm glad to welcome it with open arms, I just love everything about it. Mostly I love the beauty and life it brings. We landscaped our yard at the end of last summer so it's been wonderful to see all our plants and flowers come into bloom this year. I hope you enjoy my photography of my little sanctuary.

My photography

My photography business is starting to really pick up. Between that and Hair I keep my self Very busy, I really love it though. Photography is something that I have always loved and been interested in but it's just been the last 3 years that I have really gotten into making something out of it. I have done quite a few weddings and have more coming up. I don't really advertise that I'm in the photography business so most of my clients I've gotten just form happy customers word of mouth, which I would say is the best way to build a clientele. I have had plenty of new baby pictures to do lately with all our friends and family expanding. It's also the time of year for senior pictures which I really enjoy doing. I have done all the pictures on my blog and you you can check out my photo blog to see more. andrayasphotography.blogspot.com

Graduation 2009

Dahrs "little" brother is graduating from high school this year. Deven is a great young man, I can't believe how quickly he has become so. Growing up in a home where you are the youngest of five by such a large margin I can't imagine to be easy, but he has managed to do a fine job of it. Through all his hard times that he has faced, the ones he still faces, and the many more that will come his way, he has and will continue to be shaped into the strong man that I know he will be. He has a full ride scholarship to the Engineering program at ASU for the fall so we are all very proud of him. He is currently looking for work so if anyone knows of anything let me know and I'll pass on the word. I am glad to have Deven as my brother inlaw. He is a strong young man.