Joleyn Larson Photography & Design

all she want’s for bampa’s birthday is her two front teeth. lil peanut lost her 2nd biggest tooth.

tr.jr working on his co-project. he and another kid had to share the work and make this giant map of south america. look at all the detail. {shine}

new watermark.

 For over a decade, Beth has touched the hearts of women worldwide—offering freedom, deliverance, and depth through her powerful teaching of God’s Word. In her new message, So Long Insecurity, Beth is sure to make yet another remarkable impact on women today and for generations to come as she exposes the lies that have debilitated women for ages. 

In this one-day simulcast event, women will learn to conquer fear and doubt and will discover the liberating confidence and security that can only be found in Christ. Worship throughout the day will be led by Travis Cottrell.  First Evangelical Free Church of Bismarck, ND will be hosting this life-transforming event….more details to come. Plan to experience Beth Moore’s contagious passion for God and His Word on Saturday, April 24^th.

good morning mom, we love you, but it’s time to grow up..and that’s an order! love you to the moon and back.

birthday…mine today. wow another year. this last year went so fast. the kids were painfully quick to let me know that i could no longer be 29. they wouldn’t even let me celebrate my 2nd or 3rd anniversary of being 29. nope, naddah….35 it is. not even a good morning kiss to wake me up, more like a jump on mom and let her know it was time to grow up today!

what is it about the number 35? I sit here saying it over and over and over….thirrrteeeey five…..thirrrrrty fiiiiiivvvvvvah. Thirty Five.   no matter how you say it, i still have to wonder and maybe it’s just me…. but I do wonder at times if I will ever feel…like I’m growing up…or does everyone experience this feeling of not “feeling” old enough to be thirrrrty-fiiive.  not really sure how i feel about it yet. don’t think it’s sunk in enough that i can write about it anyway.

what i am going to say is that wow…i feel so blessed. so many people helping me celebrate my day…it was so wonderful, so caring, so full of love…that i feel extremely happily wonderfully blessed. tracy taking the afternoon off to spend time with me, spending the entire morning running around behind by back buying up all the gift “ideas” i threw at him. he made my cake, got me chinese….fed the kids, wrapped the gifts. it was an amazing day filled with phone calls and cards and friends and hugs…and just everything a girl would want on her birthday. and can i just say facebook was never more friendlier than today. thank you all for such a wonderful day…it will probably keep me high for the next week.

making up my list….did my best.

me and my peanut

my cake..white, white…white…with two attenna candles.

me and my kiddos

last but not least…my hubby and me. i just wanted to say THANK YOU…for making my day so special. you know how much birthdays mean to me, and that sometimes they are so hard for me too….but you go out of your way to make things happen, to bless my day….and i am so appreciative of it all! i noticed everything you did…and that my dear…makes me feel like a queen for a day. who wouldn’t want that on her birthday. i love you. thank you. … me

love yourself.

make peace with who you are and where you are at this moment in time.

listen to your heart.

if you can’t hear what it’s saying in this noisy world,

make time for yourself.

enjoy your own company.

let your mind wander among the stars.

try.

take chances.

make mistakes.

life can be messy and confusing at times, but it’s also full of surprises.

the next rock in your path might be a stepping-stone.

be happy.

when you don’t have what you want, want what you have.

make do.

that’s a well-kept secret of contentment.

there aren’t any shortcuts to tomorrow.

you have to make your own way.

to know where you’re going is only part of it.

you need to know where you’ve been too.

and if you ever get lost, don’t worry.

the people who love you will find you.

count on it.

life isn’t days and years.

it’s what you do with time and with the goodness and grace that’s inside you.

make a beautiful life.

reflections for a daughter on her birthday

thanks mom and dad….i love you.

alex got to make his valentine’s box this weekend. figured we had the box, we had the motivation, so we got ‘er done.

he wanted it to be different…so we made a parade float and the theme is … a walk in love town where people share feelings. 

“ME” peeps…you so have to get a kick out of that. hmmm…sharing our feelings?  

THE GIRLS IN MY CIRCLE

When I was little,

I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,

And then I started to become a woman.

And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,

God would show you the best in many friends.

One friend is needed when you’re going through things with your man..

Another friend is needed when you’re going through things with your mom.

Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.

Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.

One friend will say, ‘Let’s cry together,’

Another , ‘Let’s fight together,’

Another , ‘Let’s walk away together.’

One friend will meet your spiritual need,

Another your shoe fetish,

Another your love for movies,

Another will be with you in your season of confusion,

Another will be your clarifier,

Another the wind beneath your wings.

But whatever their assignment in your life,

On whatever the occasion,

On whatever the day,

Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,

 Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself ..

Those are your best friends.

i love taking these kinds of tests. what kind of person are you? what kind of spiritual leader are you? what bible verse best describes you? what is your personalilty?  you fill out all the questions…picking the very best answer that you think is you. then when all is done you get a little message saying….joleyn took the “what is the symbol of your personality?” quiz and the result is bountiful basket. then i sit and read with hopeful anticipation that it is in fact about me and my personality. what i’m about, what i love, who i am at my inner most being.  it’s not set in stone, you aren’t meant to conform and never change,  to be that exact definition, but it is fun to just stop and see yourself through words and lines in a paragraph. just for fun….

You are very loved. Everyone finds you a welcoming, warm person. They look to you for advice and comfort, and someone to just have a good time with. Your personality is seen as cliche and average, but in truth, you have talents and skills and ideas that no one has thought of before.You are someone with style. You are good with colors, and you know how to color people’s worlds and minds to your way. You think new relationships are a coloring book, to fill them in with fulfilling conversations and meetings.You may seem nice and perfect and beautiful, you have a policy of “forgive but never forget”. You always remember your enemies if you have any, and you know where to steer. Sometimes, when you’re completely lost, you are dependent on friends for help. You hope they’ll be there for you, but sometimes you fear that they won’t be. That is something you are afraid of. You are ready to give, but you are also ready to accept. To many, it seems like you change your personality just for different people, but in fact, you are the one thing that’s not changing. Other people grow on you, and grow fond of you, not the other way around. You are always yourself, and you are definite.