Belinda Olsen Photography » Utah Wedding & Portrait Photographer | Logan, Utah | 435-881-2184

I love Christmas!  It’s a time of celebrating Christ’s birth, spending time with family, holiday baking and all sorts of happiness.  This year our tree is about reflections.  We collect an ornament from everywhere we go on vacation and as we put up the ornaments we reminisce all of the fun things we’ve done together.PINIMAGEPINIMAGEThis year we added something a little different to our Christmas tree, Star Wars!  My husband and his brothers luuuuuve Star Wars.  Last Monday for Family Home Evening we made these snowflakes.  It was fun! If you want to make your own snowflakes visit this link.  🙂PINIMAGEPINIMAGE

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  • Christy - Never has a “Charlie Brown Tree” looked so glamorous! Gorgeous pictures, and I LOVE the cool bokeh on the one!ReplyCancel

  • Cindy Steel - I must say, I LOVE the Star Wars edition. haha! Beautiful tree! Oh and great family shots below too, love the lighting!ReplyCancel

This year I had the opportunity to photograph all of my family and I loved every minute of it!  This is the first year in quite some time that we’ve all lived in Cache Valley.  My parents were on a mission to send out Christmas cards this year with updated portraiture.  Later I’ll show you their pictures,  their Christmas card design and the amazing company that printed them!

For now, it’s time to show you my older brother’s beautiful family!  I had great plans for us to go to an off-site location for their session.  Due to circumstances changing slightly, we ended up taking their pictures right in their front yard.  I am really grateful we stayed at their house, because I loved the way things turned out!  My sister in law commented she never thought about taking pictures at her house but loved that a piece of their personal family history was part of their pictures.

Beautiful images can be captured anywhere and are not contingent on their location.  A session with me is about capturing family relationships, expression and emotion.  Those are the things that make families unique and that I want for you to remember.PINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGEPINIMAGE

Love you guys!

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  • Ryan - Great looking family. I to love the having done our portraits at the house. I think it is something more people should do.ReplyCancel

Last week I posted about my 101 in 1001 and I am incredibly humbled by the support I’ve received.  I am really grateful for the phone calls, emails and comments I’ve received of people encouraging, being inspired by my list and willing to help my accomplish items on my list.   THANK YOU!

Guess what?!  I can already cross #8 off my list.  Thanks Janey for linking to 101 in 1001 on pinterest!

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  • janey - You’re so welcome! Thank YOU. I’m still preparing my list btw. 🙂 Also, check your inbox.ReplyCancel

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photo credit

I have so many things to be grateful for!  I also have so many things that I want to accomplish.  I casually say, ‘I want to…..’ all the time.   One photographer I admire, Melissa Jill, has a 101 in 1001 she’s doing on her blog which has greatly inspired me.

What is 101 in 1001?  It is a list of 101 things that you want to accomplish in 1001 days (almost 3 years). I love their motto to plan, create, motivate and achieve.  Some things on my list are things that I’ve wanted to do forever, things I’ve done and want to do again.  Some things on my list are crazy dreams that I need to work really hard to accomplish.  I can totally do this.  It’s an average of one thing every ten days.

Starting Day: November 25, 2011

Ending Day: August 22, 2014  This is the calculator I used to figure out my end date

  1. ride a tandem bike
  2. Disneyland!
  3. make paella.  I’ve always wanted to cook with saffron.  It’s such a pretty color. Most likely I’ll make it with chicken, shrimp and steak.
  4. photograph newborn twins
  5. watch all 31 Audrey Hepburn movies
  6. make homemade pasta
  7. make an apple crate bookshelf like this one I’ve seen all over pinterest
  8. have something from my website pinned on pinterest…of course not by me 🙂  Thank Janey! 
  9. grow a garden
  10. make an awesome photo collage for my house
  11. make snow angels.  really, I’ve never done this.
  12. run a 5k
  13. make a snow man
  14. have a photo published
  15. be a guest writer on another blog  Thanks Shelly and Chad!
  16. buy something fun from photojojo 
  17. read and review 12 business/photography books
  18. photograph a beloved session  This concept is tied into every wedding, engagement and family session.
  19. eat french fries at the Boise Fry Company
  20. wake up early and go to bed early every day for a week  I *honestly* really love the early morning hours.
  21. make my mother in law’s famous cinnamon, coconut and lemon syrups  a great brunch courtesy of my brother in law.
  22. ride in a hot air balloon
  23. make homemade fruit leather
  24. visit the spiral jetti at the Great Salt Lake
  25. take my husband to see a musical
  26. semi-master calligraphy
  27. enter photos in a print competition
  28. upgrade my 15” laptop  I can’t believe I ever edited on a little lap top.  I’m in love with my 27″ iMac!
  29. go camping  the first of many after this post was Strawberry Reservoir with our neighbors
  30. try light painting photography
  31. master off camera flash
  32. visit my mother in law’s grave. I’ve only been once in 4 years.
  33. change my blog layout to include a sidebar   Thank you Emily from Seaside Creative for the remodel
  34. master custom kelvin temperature setting
  35. learn lightroom
  36. try 10 new cheeses  January 2012
  37. cook with 10 new herbs
  38. get eyelash extensions.  I’ve wanted them for more than 5 years.  It’s time to do it!
  39. photograph a session with film and send it to Richard’s
  40. play Halo with my husband…this is one is 110% because I love him!
  41. photograph season prints to display in my home and rotate with each season.  Thanks Kristin for the great idea!
  42. go paperless using Evernote  I’ve also added my recipes to evernote!
  43. go cross country skiing
  44. print and distribute Belinda Olsen Photography marketing literature
  45. have a baby.  I don’t entirely get to plan this one…
  46. outsource!  Thank you Colorati!!!
  47. be a full time photographer
  48. mentor a new photographer
  49. have my dad teach me how to tie a fly
  50. go fly fishing with my dad (using the above mentioned fly)
  51. get 500 ‘likes’ on Belinda Olsen Photography FB page today I’m at 351
  52. see a movie in 4-d
  53. photograph a child with special needs.  They have the sweetest spirits and love unconditionally.
  54. organize my computer files  after countless hours and feeling liberated. Check. and. mark.  March 2012
  55. take photos for a local company  visit my work website to see a few www.aquamira.com
  56. blog everyday for a month
  57. volunteer at a soup kitchen or the local food pantry
  58. visit a state I’ve never been to…hopefully Texas.  Austin is calling my name!
  59. start selling fine art photography
  60. stay at a bed & breakfast
  61. take a pottery class
  62. share a Book of Mormon with someone I know
  63. go to a Jazz game and sit in the lower bowl section
  64. have a real Christmas tree
  65. become a NILMDTS photographer
  66. dance with Craig in the rain or at least splash in a lot of puddles together
  67. get letterpress business cards
  68. make a business promo video
  69. go to a drive in movie
  70. visit the Guggenheim (first choice!)  but any art museum would be awesome
  71. go ice skating at the Center Street Ice Rink in Logan
  72. make sushi
  73. learn how to can 
  74. climb a tree
  75. get a massage
  76. attend a SMUG meeting
  77. take voice lessons
  78. play my cello in a public setting
  79. pay off my car
  80. photograph a birth
  81. drive one of my grandpa’s restored cars
  82. have my mom help me sew something for me to wear that has a zipper in it.  I am intimidated by zippers and always put in elastic.
  83. have a professional manicure done with an awesome design
  84. conceptualize a shoot, have it styled by local vendors, and shoot it
  85. develop a photography referral program/gift
  86. photograph the sunrise and sunset in the same day  Christmas 2011
  87. host an Amy Atlasesque party. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you must check out her portfolio!
  88. make a headboard
  89. develop and offer albums.  too many people have pictures taken and they sit on a disc somewhere.
  90. read Jesus the Christ all the way through
  91. buy a piece of art from a local artist
  92. go to the driving range
  93. meet with a nutritionist
  94. meet with a personal trainer
  95. try all of Ruby Snap’s seasonal cookies for a year. (there will be a pass for any cookies that have alcohol)  Her cookies are the best!!! December, January was coffee cookie which had a pass, March
  96. fly a kite
  97. go karaoking
  98. get my client questionnaire & portrait agreement online with machforms
  99. start a blog series to include recipes, food photography
  100. create a Belinda Olsen Photography newsletter
  101. hit comment #500 on my blog.  Right now I’m at #138….go ahead and leave some comment love below to help me hit this goal!   xoxoxo
Phew.  That was a long blog post!  I really think that you should start a 101 in 1001 and work on accomplishing your ‘bucket list’ with me.  I would love to have help accomplishing things on my list and would love to help you accomplish things on your list too!

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  • Ryan - #139 🙂
    There are quite a few of these that I want to do as well. When you book your trip to the jetty let me know. Also, the home-made pasta thing. I know of a pretty decent school of pasta in Magna just make an appointment.ReplyCancel

  • Melissa - This is awesome!! I know of two little children that would LOVE to help you cross off make snow angels and make a snowman. Also possibly iceskating at the park. Also if I have another baby, what the heck you can photograph that too. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Tara Siddoway - This post totally inspired me. I’m going to do that. Now I just have to figure out that many goals. 🙂 Also, I love that you’ll play Halo with Craig. Maybe that’s a goal I can put on my list-play Zelda with Paul. And the reason will be the same, only because I love my husband 110%!ReplyCancel

    • Belinda Olsen - Tara, your 101 list will be awesome! It’s really easy to think of things. I just started with all the things I always said I would do, church things I wanted to do, things for Craig and I to do together, seasonal things, places to visit, business goals…this list comes together quickly.

      Melissa, I’d love to make snow angels with your cute kiddlets. I just need to buy a decent coat and gloves first!

      Ryan, I will take you up on it.ReplyCancel

  • Kelli - This is awesome Belinda! Few things on here I can help you with…let’s do it! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Christy - You’re on your way! I expect some posts and pictures about it!! 😉ReplyCancel

  • kristin brown - wahoo! i need to go back and look at my list again and update it! you have some fun goals!ReplyCancel

  • Alex - What a great list! Look forward to seeing how you do with it. 🙂 I’m about to start my second 101 goals adventure and it’s the best thing I ever did.ReplyCancel

  • Aimee Mosman - I love this! My dad had us do this one time as a family home evening activity when I was in High School. I think I crossed only two things off the list. I need to do it now. P.s. I have several Audrey Hepburn movies and I’d love to let you burrow some, or watch them with you. I think I only have about 6 but that’s a start!ReplyCancel

  • Ang Campbell - I love that you’ve got a 101 in 1001! I do too 🙂 I’ve been at it for almost a year now. I track mine on the Day Zero Project website. Here’s the link to my list (which isn’t quite 101 items long yet… which is why I haven’t been able to cross of goal #1 yet LOL) http://dayzeroproject.com/user/AngRoCamp/list/46424.ReplyCancel

  • Angie Romig Campbell - I love that you’ve got a 101 in 1001! I do too 🙂 I’ve been at it for almost a year now. I track mine on the Day Zero Project website. Here’s the link to my list (which isn’t quite 101 items long yet… which is why I haven’t been able to cross of goal #1 yet LOL) http://dayzeroproject.com/user/AngRoCamp/list/46424.ReplyCancel

  • Chamomile - That really cauterps the spirit of it. Thanks for posting.ReplyCancel

  • Heather Palmer Baer - You really haven’t eaten Cajun food in Louisiana yet? You’ve got some great things on your list! I may have to adopt a few and start my own list! 🙂ReplyCancel

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.  Today has been a great day!  I actually had the chance to do some cooking today (which I haven’t done since my surgery).  We had a giant dinner at my mom and dad’s house with ALL of my siblings.  This is the first time in 17 years this has happened and I was thrilled for us to start this tradition!  We watched our classic family Christmas movie, Nora’s Christmas. I went and saw the Muppet Movie with some of my siblings.  I definitely went to the movie in the wrong attitude and rolled my eyes at the first song.  Twenty minutes into the movie I got past the ridiculous, crazy, cheesiness and just laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was a great reminder of my childhood  🙂

Logan Utah PhotographerPINIMAGEI love Bakerella and smiled when I saw her Muppet character cake pops a couple weeks ago….seriously her work is amazing!

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  • kristin brown - ha ha! i saw the muppets also with the same bad attitude… when that first song came on i almost walked out! it ended up pretty cute though, once i realized it was SUPPOSED to be cheesy. 🙂ReplyCancel