Monday, October 25, 2010

Goals # 11, 41, 45

So I am happy to say, I have completed 3 goals from my 101 list.

#11: Go to a temple I have never been to before.
This past week I went to Ohio with Brad as he had a business trip. I was able to go to the Columbus Ohio Temple. It is a small temple but the spirit it just the same. There will be pictures to come of this beautiful building.

#41: Visit 3 states I have never been to before.
We have become bi-weekly travelers. In so doing I have been able to visit: Wyoming, Montana and Ohio. I may have been to Wyoming and Montana before but I do not remember them so I am able to cross this goal off as well. Ohio is beautiful in the fall. I thought Colorado had some pretty colors, nothing compared to Ohio. (pictures coming)

#45: Encourage someone else to start a 101 list.
I don't know if I did much encouraging but my cousin Courtney read my list and felt inspired to write her own. We have some of the same goals so we will be working and encouraging each other. It is nice to have someone to help you along the way. I can't wait to see how she does in her challenge.

So there you have it. I have completed 5 goals in the 1st month. I think that is pretty good. I still have a long way to go but look forward to the challenge.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Rexburg and Idaho Falls Temples

Here are just 2 of the pictures I took at the temples while in Idaho. Please visit my photography blog to view more of them.
BastianPhotos.blogspot.com

Rexburg Idaho Temple


Idaho Falls Temple

I absolutely love taking pictures of temples. It just makes me happy!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Mini Vacation

We went on a mini vacation to Yellowstone National Park. Let me tell you, the drive through Wyoming is the longest drive of my life.....EVER!
However, it got us to our destination and these are some of the things we got to see.

This was out in the middle of NO-WHERE!


We were suppose to drive to Jackson, WY the 1st night but we got as far as Landers, WY. There was an accident on the freeway and it was stopped. So we found this nice little hotel and camped out for the night. We Brad went to check us in, the guy asked Brad what his occupation was, Brad told him IT and Brad had the great opportunity to give service, he helped the guy fix something on his I-Pod. The people were really friendly and kind. We were thankful to just rest from the car.
The next morning we headed to the Tetons and Yellowstone.

This was our view of the Grand Tetons. All day long it was cloudy, rainy, and sleet. Maybe if we get to go again we will actually get to see them.

Next we headed to Yellowstone National Park. I loved it! We saw wildlife, Old faithful, sulfur pots, the Snake River etc... We had a great time!

We had a picnic at Sergeants Park. It was nice to be able to stretch our legs. We were hungry and tired.


Some of the wildlife we saw.


Toward the end of the day we finally made it to Lower Falls. It was amazing!



That night after leaving Yellowstone, we meet up with our dear friends the Fosters. They used to live in Colorado Springs with us but moved back to Idaho. I don't know why, but we didn't get a picture of all of us. Anyhow, we played games that night and laughed, and ate, and laughed and played games. It was so much fun to hang out again.

The next morning we headed to Mesa Falls in Idaho and Warm River to feed the fish.

Mesa Falls, ID


I was able to capture some of the fish. You couldn't even see them in the water until you threw food at them. The kids loved it. It was a lot of fun.

Alicia just got a new camera and was trying it out.

After Mesa Falls and Warm River we headed to Rexburg Idaho. We saw the Rexburg Temple and also BYU-I campus. We went to the Botanical Gardens to take pictures. It is really pretty there. (Temple pictures to come.)




We had a great time. After Rexburg we went to Idaho Falls were we took more pictures of the Idaho Falls Temple. Those pictures will come shortly also.
The kids loved to see Payton and Brynley and we got to see Dave and Alicia. It was awesome, oh and we can't forget Ellie, she is so dang cute.

So I hope you enjoy this long post. I know to many pictures. Believe me I have more but I didn't want a complete overload of pictures.

We really miss the Fosters and can't wait to see them again!

#4...Design a new business card

I have competed #4...Design a new business card.  We are getting ready to launch a new look on our photography website and with that new look we also needed a new business card.  I really want to show you, but I think I am going to wait until we are ready to show it all so you will have to wait, but I get to cross off #4.  I am really excited!

Friday, October 1, 2010

101 things to do in 1001 days

I have read a lot of blogs where people have started a goal list. I thought it would be fun to give it a try. It took me about a month to decide what I should do, what I wanted to accomplish. I know some of the things seem silly, but I think a lot of them will be fun. When I first started my list it was about photography but as I started to think about it, I wanted to focus more on my family, especially mine and Brad's relationship.

101 things to do in 1001 days
October 1, 2010 to June 29, 2013
These are in no particular order:
1. Go to Disneyland
2. See the Braves play in Atlanta (5-12-2011)
3. Take pictures of all the temple in Utah (that are currently built 13)
4. Design a new business card (10-12-2010)
5. 1 photo shoot weekly for 6 consecutive weeks
6. Fit into wedding dress
7. Attend General Conference
8. Sell temple prints
9. 52 consecutive weeks w/ different theme, post picture weekly on blog
10. Attend the temple everyday for one week (tue-sat)
11. Visit a temple I have never been to...Columbus Ohio Temple 10/2010
12. Earn enough money from photo shoots to buy a full frame camera
13. Take a photography class (5-11)
14. Learn or improve 5 new photography skills
15. Read standard works: Old, New, BOM, D&C, PGP (1/2 way through BOM, Finished Gen)
16. Stop biting finger nails
17. Buy a home
18. Cook dinner every night for 30 days
19. Run half marathon
20. Go back to school
21. Create a March of Dimes team
22. Go to education week or women's conference
23. Weekly outing with Tyler and Katie for 2 months, then continue
24. Memorize The Family Proclamation
25. Memorize The Living Christ
26. Hold Family Home Evening for 2 consecutive months
27. Kiss Brad every day for 15 seconds for 2 consecutive months whenever he comes home and leaves
28. Read 5 church books within 10 months
29. Quiet time with Brad for 30 minutes; no kids, no TV, no phone. 3 months daily
30. Bridal shoot or wedding (wedding in April or May)
31. Read entire conference issue for November and May
32. One night a week no TV from 6pm to bed 2 months
33. Morning scripture study before getting on the computer for 2 months
34. Write in my journal weekly for 3 months
35. Make 100 baby blankets for the NICU
36. Design another website for photography
37. Save 10% from every photo shoot
38. Read from Book of Mormon every morning with Tyler before he goes to school. 3 months
Have family scripture study daily, 1 month then continue 1/2011
39. Pay off credit cards (1 to go)
40. Host a game night
41. Visit 3 states I have never been to before (Montana, Wyoming, Ohio) 10/2010
42. No fast food for a month 1/2011
43. Watch a sunrise and sunset in the same day with Brad, NO KIDS
44. Visit 5 different museums (visited 2)
45. Encourage someone else to start a 101 list 11/2010
46. Complete a 1000+ piece puzzle by myself
47. Visit 3 national parks (Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, ...)
48. Attend an outdoor concert
49. Donate blood at least 3 times
50. Friday night date night for 2 months
51. Kiss in the rain
53. Go golfing with Brad
54. Finish Tyler and Katie's 1st year scrapbook
55. Donate $5 for PEF for every goal I do not complete
56. Invite a new family once a week to dinner for 2 months
57. Climb the incline with Brad
58. Make a new quilt for my bed
59. Finish Tyler's bed spread
60. Make a bed spread for Katie's bed
61. Volunteer at Tyler's school once a week for 2 months 12/2010
62. One week, do not go grocery shopping for food and live off food storage
63. Start riding my bike again
64. Learn to bottle applesauce
65. Identify 100 things that make me happy
66. Plan a 6 month dinner calendar 1/2011
67. Make a "bucket list" of 20 things or places I would like to do or visit, be specific
68. Learn to make homemade bread
69. Get a couples massage
70. Floss every day for one month (Nov 2, 2010)
71. Go on a picnic with my family
72. Do 50 consecutive push-ups (hundredpushups.com) (I can't even do one now)
73. Go on a girls weekend trip
74. Blog at least once a week on family blog for 3 months
75. Start a new family tradition
76. Take a photo of 26 things, one for each letter of the alphabet and post on my photography blog
77. Go horseback riding as a family
78. Learn to identify 10 constellations
79. Memorize 25 scriptures
80. Try zumba 12/2010
81. Put together a family tree with as many pictures as possible 4 generations
82. Take a picture of my kids with their grandparents and great grandparent
83. Do the 200 sit-up challenge (twohundredsitups.com)
84. Become an organ donor
85. Post on DPS for 3 months, every challenge
86. Go to bed every weeknight at 10 for a month
87. Potty train Katie
88. Make a portfolio
89. Take a random road trip with Brad, we could try spontaneously, but we have kids
90. Watch a movie with Brad in the country
91. Have a big 4th of July celebration party (Brad's favorite holiday)
92. Milk a cow
93. Take a trip to Texas with my mom to find more genealogy
94. Go whale watching
95. Write 101 love notes for Brad 2/14/2011
96. Pay for someone's meal who is behind me in the drive thru
97. Serve 10 people in a month, random acts of kindness
98. Read 15 minutes with Tyler and Katie daily, 1 month then continue
99. Write a letter to self on 1st day of challenge to be read on last day of challenge. Letter should include how I am feeling about self, goals, and where I am spiritually. Also relationship with Brad. (10-2-2010)
100. Write another 101 in 1001 if I enjoy this challenge
101. Move back to Arizona!

I hope to be able to make these goals a habit, to improve myself. I am really excited about this challenge. I hope this inspires you and you try to improve your own life, or do things you normally wouldn't do.

Mesa Arizona Temple

Mesa Arizona Temple