California 2016 | Favorite pictures

September 30, 2016
Sorry for the silence! I have been SICK this week! and I've started a new show with Andrew, so that kinda trumps everything. Haha!

So what's been happenin' guys? I've been noticing everybody posting this fall-time stuff on their social medias and it has been SO fun to start getting into the fall-time spirit!

BUT!

I recently returned from a pretty stellar trip to visit Andrew's parents in San Diego, so allow me to hang-on to summer for just a bit longer so I can tell you about it!

I won't bore you with all the details of the entire trip, but I will share some of my favorite pictures and promise you more details in posts to come!!!


I am SO looking forward to finally sharing all about our awesome, fun, AMAZING trip within the week! Be sure to check back here soon and you'll hear all about it! Promise.

Good night!

P.S. What are you doing tomorrow? I'll be listening (or trying to listen above the roar and distractions of my children!) to a Prophet's voice! Join with me! Click here to learn more or click here to watch/listen to the broadcast live.
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Examples of Faith | See you in two Mom and Dad!

September 25, 2016
On our way to California to visit Andrew's parents for a couple of weeks, we stopped at my parent's house to say goodbye for two years. They accepted a call to serve in the Rancagua, Chile mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints! Although it was very hard to say goodbye, I'm so proud of them and so happy that they get to go serve the people in South America and share such a happy message with so many.


They've been gone for three weeks now and there have been a few moments when I've really missed them. The moments when I'm having a hard time and wish I could just call for mothering advice or wish I had my mother nearby to give me a hug or sit down with my dad and watch a good old movie.


Perhaps the hardest part is looking at these photos and imagining what my children will look like the next time they see them.


But I know that they are where they are meant to be and they are doing what they're meant to do. And I know that we will all be blessed because of their faithfulness and selfless service.

Love you, Mom and Dad! God be with you until we meet again, and don't worry about us. We're all being well-taken care of by a loving Heavenly Father who I know is pleased with your sacrifice.

..."continue to preach from that hour, and if they will do this in all lowliness of heart, in meekness and humility, and long-suffering, I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that I will provide for their families;" D&C 118:3


To learn more about how I'm able to let my parents leave me for two years and what I believe as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, visit lds.org or click here to speak to one of our missionaries (they're literally everywhere), and click here to receive a free copy of the most wonderful book ever written.
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Giveaway | Yellow Quakies

September 19, 2016
Hey-oh! Hi guys! Our family just got back from a family vacation to visit Andrew's parents and I am LOADED with pictures! So, while I work on that, may I interest you in a giveaway?


Remember this post from a while back?


Remember how it was all about doing service with your little ones? Well, it was all inspired by this heart-stamped piece of jewelry from Yellow Quakies.

This necklace has become so much more than a pretty accessory. It has become a reminder to do something for someone else and forget yourself for a little while. And I make sure I put it on every Sunday to remind myself and my family about it. Yesterday, we made rolls together to deliver to a friend who's having a hard time right now (because who doesn't love delicious home-baked rolls?!)

c/o my iphone and my husband's AMAZING photography skills! ;)

Not every service project we do together is a big one. A couple of weeks ago, our service project was to call an Aunt we hadn't talked to in a while. The service was probably more on Aunt Lauren's part because I'm sure she didn't anticipate talking for so long, but I want my children to know and understand that giving of your time just to talk with someone can be a service and that service doesn't always have to be some huge undertaking.

Anyway, I'm really excited about this giveaway because the necklace really is so cute and Shaylee is a woman of many talents. In addition to jewelry, she paints, and is a videographer. Seriously. Talented.

So make sure you visit my instagram to see how to enter to win!

See you on Friday!
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Rope and Circle Mirror DIY | Barrett's Nursery Tutorial

September 16, 2016

Have you seen these mirrors around? I discovered it first on Amazon and loved it, but $36.00? Eeeeeeeeeee... that's a bit of a stretch for me.

I thought it would look amazing on my wall with a boxwood wreath (I ended up buying a boxwood tile topper that was WAY cheaper) and my clock, but kind of gave up on it until an idea trickled into my brain. I knew that Hobby Lobby sold circular candle plates and rope, but I just had to think of something to make a brim around the mirror. That's when the embroidery hoop just popped into my mind!

The whole thing cost me about $10.00 and it was REALLY easy to make. Get ready for a tutorial!


You will need:
Circular mirror (like this one from Hobby Lobby that I used my 40% off coupon on)
Embroidery hoop (same size as the mirror)
Natural Rope (I purchased the same rope trim for this as my rope + wood frame and picked the stitches out to separate it from the lip)
Glue gun
Super Glue
Sand Paper
Stain
Foam brush
**I thought I wanted to use the screw eyes/cup holders to attach my rope, but decided that it would end up looking too much like Mickey Mouse. So ignore those pretty gold cup holders in the pic above.

Step 1: sand and stain hoop
Use the foam brush to apply the stain and follow the directions provided.

Step 2: Glue

Set the mirror face down on top of the back side of the embroidery hoop and use your glue gun to glue the hoop to the mirror. Glue around the outside edge so that none of the glue seeps to the inside of the brim.


Step 3: Rope

Trim your rope to just the right size and super glue the ends so it won't fray. Use the glue gun to glue the rope to the mirror.
**I also hammered the ends of my rope to make them lay flat**


Step 4: Hang
Easiest tutorial ever, right? And I LOVE the end result!



So give it a shot and let me know how it goes! Share a picture and tag @suesnews. I'd love to see how yours turns out!



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Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Chandler, Arizona and surrounding cities. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.
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August 2016 Family Photos | KC Film and Photo + Roots Floral Design

September 12, 2016
Family Picture time! I loved preparing for this shoot you guys. Truly. The outfits sorta just came together of their own volition. I spent less time on this dress than just about any other dress I've ever made (which is really saying something!)


But the story behind this shoot is HILARIOUS. It's one of those "hilarious" stories that's not funny at the time, but sorta funny looking back on it. Let's just say, it involves a change of date, a car out of gas, bad timing, a really, REALLY bumpy road at 30 mph, a car breakdown, and a 4-year-old learning a valuable life-lesson about not touching water when you've REALLY got to go (luckily she learned this lesson after the shoot, and the car ended up being an easy fix).


Even though there were A LOT of things that went wrong with this shoot, my photographer, Kallie worked her magic and still somehow managed to produce some beautiful shots of our family. And those floral crowns from Roots Floral Design? SO in love.

Don't the floral crowns from Roots Floral Design just add the perfect little touch? Plus they smelled REALLY yummy!

The best parts of the whole experience happened while we were in the car, though.

After we hit the horrible, horrible holes in the road that broke our car and continued our way up the dirt road, Andrew was cursing under his breath, I was covering my eyes (like the monkey emoji), Chelsea was startled from sleep, not sure what Barrett was doing, but Alexa could be heard going "uhhh-uh-uh-uhhhhhh-uhh-uhhh-uh" over the bumpy road. It was hilarious!


And while we were driving back down the dusty road, Chelsea said the sweetest prayer. She prayed that we would be safe, that we would have a good time, and that Daddy wouldn't hate Family Pictures. Haha! It really was the sweetest prayer I've ever heard.


Thank you so much to Kallie for taking our photos, and thank you so much to Roots Floral Design for our Floral Crowns! I really flipped your world upside-down when I asked you to make our crowns a day early!


And I'd be remiss if I didn't say a big thank you to this guy for totally going with the flow and all the ideas I had for this shoot, from the location to the floral crowns. He is so supportive and perfect for me. I sure do love that soccer-playing, hard-working, fun, hunk-of-a-man!

his smile still melts me. also, there's a photo-bomber in this pic. did you notice? ;)
Susan is a birth photographer/videographer serving Mesa, Arizona and surrounding cities including Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, and Tempe. Considering a photographer for your birth? Contact Susan for EDD availability.
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