project 365: el fin.

I've been putting off this post.  partly out of sadness, partly out of lack of words.  you see, to you this project has just been a bunch of pictures, but to me this project is the opening of a new chapter in my life.  to you it has probably been a little long, and a little boring at times.  to me, it has definitely been long, but it has been new, exciting and fun.  it has also been frustrating, stressful, humbling, a little traumatic, and challenging.  but, it represents passion.  it represents the beginning of a long, new chapter in my life--one that I hope will continue to grow and change, and improve.  it represents success, and at the same time failure (there are some doozies in there).  it represents commitment.  as a matter of fact, it's the only new years resolution I kept (maybe I'll do better at keeping my house clean this year :) ).  the end of it represents relief.  17,031 photos later, I am done.
I tried really hard to narrow down these pictures, but I still ended up with quite the handful.  so, here is the last week of the project:

December 23rd

drove to one of my favorite home town light displays...

...with this amazing couple's progeny.  these two good lookin' people are my grandparents.  they are amazing.  we were lucky to be able to make it up for the extended frandsen family Christmas party.

December 24th

went sledding with the fam.  we all enjoyed the snow, and especially enjoyed watching how much the kiddos enjoyed it.

my gorgeous little sister.

and my cute little ella bella.  her nose matches her hat.  I want to eat her up.

my favorite boys.  mack LOVED sledding, the snow, and especially being pulled up the hill.  he is not his mama's boy.  I do not know where he gets that from.

the view from the sledding hill.  I love the mountains.  aren't they gorgeous??

headed back to my brother and sister-in-law's house for hot chocolate, and stevie tried to be british.  so sophisticated.

*photo by patty*
the annual nativity.  we were shepherds, and mack was our donkey.  as you can see, the nativity is quite the production in the frandsen household.

we opened pajamas, and mack showed off his piano skills...

we cheered for BYU, sent the kiddos to bed, had a nice adult only candlelight dinner, and stayed up waiting for santa to get all the toys set up.  he takes a long time.

December 25th

Christmas morning.  mack was a little overwhelmed by all the mayhem, but in the end, he was happy with the cars and shoes santa picked up from target.  what a nice santa claus.

this picture doesn't fully capture the amount of gifts in our living room before opening ensued.  under the piano was completely packed as well as behind the table on the left and right.  when there are seventeen people all opening gifts together, the boxes add up.

one of my favorite moments of the morning.  I love the expression on my dad's face when he opened his gift from all of us.  ever since I can recall, he has been an avid reader, so what better to get him than a kindle?  I want to frame this picture for my house.  doesn't he look so happy?

December 26th

celebrated my birthday (see the 2 candles on the first pie, and the 4 on the second?  creative, eh?  my mom's quite the arteest).  the twins really wanted some whipped cream.  stevie stuck to his uncley duties, and tried his hardest to keep them from sticking their fingers in the pies...

...and he failed.  we still ate them, and they were still yummy.  although I'm just now noticing that abby's finger is in her nose.  hmmm...

*photo by padre*
the traditional birthday picture around the birthday cake.  I love the deej's expression.

December 27th
traveled down to gunnison to visit my grandparents. 

grandma made us a tasty lunch, and grandpa gave us sound advice.

December 28th
caught up with some good friends...  

*photo by mr. automatic timer*
...from high school...

*photo by patty*
...and college.  I miss living close to you guys!

December 29th
drug my family out into the falling snow to catch some shots for a photo board for mack's room.  I wasn't going to put them on the blog, but I couldn't resist.  look at that falling snow!  in all honesty, I think snow pictures are my absolute favorite.   

my classy, beautiful mother.  you've never met a kinder, more selfless person.  I will be lucky if I end up being half the woman she is.

my little brother, lafe.  he's hard core.

and my older brother, and master-mentor-photography wizard, stevie.  he taught me pretty much everything I know about photography.  he's real good.  and check out that beard.  (he's single ladies! :) )

December 30th

the home front.  this was my goodbye to my home for a few months.  only four more months, and we'll be so much closer!

*photos by bubba*
for my birthday, DJ surprised me with a date in Salt Lake that evening.  Dinner and the lights with some close friends, and a getaway for a night while my mom watched the baby.  isn't he sweet?  it was all planned under my nose, and carried out with utmost stealth... except I guessed what was going on.  I guess I know him too well.  it was wonderful regardless.

December 31st

*photo taken of my, by me, through a mirror being held by the deej*
back in the 'burgh.  I thought about putting up new year's eve fireworks, or a picture of the blanket from which we watched the ball fall, or a picture of the airplane we sat on for hours on our way home, but nothing seemed to sum up this whole experience as well as a picture of me taking a picture.  so there it is.  this is how I spent much of my year.  behind the lens trying to figure out how to capture life as it comes slamming into us.
I discovered I like experiencing life that way.
I feel like I see the beauty in every day things more than I ever have.  I notice the texture of buildings, the color of the grass against the dirt, how beautiful the white fluffy clouds are against a bright blue sky, the sparkles in my little guy's eyes, exactly how mine and dj's hands intertwine, how the sunlight shines through the trees, or bounces off dj's hair.  then I think about how I can capture it.  how I can record it.  how I can remember the essence of that moment when I look back twenty years from now.  to me, the world has become more beautiful, simply because I see it.  I know the room for improvement is vast, so I'll keep learning, and studying, and trying to improve. 

but for now, I just want to say
thanks for coming along on the ride.