Years ago, when I begrudgingly signed up for a facebook account at the request of my hubs, I truly believed that it was just a fad that would disappear just as quickly as it had emerged (kinda like my pogs and slap bracelets back in the 5th grade)…. obviously my crystal ball failed me on that one.

While I have my gripes about online social networking, I’ve definitely got to admit that I’ve become a facebook faithful. It’s hard for me to imagine a better way for me to stay in touch with past clients while also recruiting new ones. To that end, I’m proud to announce the recent creation of the Alyssa Jul Photography Facebook Page

So, if you please, I’d love to have you as a fan of my page and it really will be an easier way to stay in contact with you as this jam-packed, whirlwind of a summer gets going. Also, to all of my Twittering friends, don’t you worry. I’m sure I’ll be joining you soon as well….. *Sigh* I miss my slap bracelets.

What’s a blog post with no picture?!  Here’s how excited Waylon is for the new facebook page!

Well, I am headed to “The Cowboy State” tomorrow and just like cowboys I will be up before the sun… did I mention I don’t like getting up early? I guess that means tomorrow is going to be a Venti day!  I am extremely excited because the forecast is calling for 85+ degree weather and I have a jam-packed schedule lined up with 12 clients over three days!  For all y’all that have never been to Wyoming, I’ll do my best to post a couple cool landscapes (even though they’re not my specialty)!

So… all this to say I will be out of the studio with limited access to my phone and email, so please forgive my delayed responses in advance!  I’ll try to throw a post or two up so feel free to check back soon! I’ll be back in the studio by the 2nd, see you then!

If you’re a Wyoming resident and want to get on the notification list for my photo-visits, just shoot me a quick email, I visit all the time!

And just for fun a shot of  Waylon in true form! This is exactly what he’s doin right this second and I’d be willing to bet this is what he’ll be doing 90% of the time that I’m gone.

Mmmm, breakfast!  I love breakfast!  Corey is not a huge fan of breakfast and  I am usually busy enough that I will eat toast on my way out the door. This morning, however, we slept in and woke up to a bright sunny day with no plans. I was sipping my coffee with my eyes still halfway shut, so happy to have a day with nothing on the schedule, when I decided that it would be the perfect day for a Memorial Day breakfast treat.    

I realize it seems a little traitorous to cook something with ‘French’ in the name on Memorial Day, and I contemplated changing the name of the recipe to American Puffs or Freedom Puffs, but my Aunt has been making these for as long as I can remember and they have always been, and will continue to be French Puffs. So please forgive me.

These delicious little devils are like light, fluffy muffins  dusted in cinnamon and sugar.  Pair them up with a cup of coffee and you’ll be just about as close to heaven as you can get down here on Earth.   I had a near disaster when I opened the fridge to find we have no eggs, AHHH and I was just at the stupid grocery store yesterday!  Lucky for us our neighbors raise chickens and I ran next door and begged an egg off of  ‘em. Just like that breakfast was back on.  It’s been 45 minutes since they came out of the oven and I’m already on my 4th puff (No judging allowed)! 

So… If you can get past the name, and you’re in the mood for a yummy treat… I’ve posted my Aunts top-secret recipe below! 

1/3 cup shorting or butter 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 egg 

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

Set oven to 350

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.   Mix shorting, sugar and egg. Add in dry ingredients and milk.  Grease muffin tin,  and scoop batter into tin.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. 

Remove from baking tin and brush on melted butter, and dust with cinnamon and sugar.

Enjoy!

This past weekend Corey was outside from sun up to sun down working on our new french doors and deck, our landscaper was regrading and laying sod in the front yard, and  I was inside cleaning like a maniac, I  basically went “Monica Geller” on the house.  I’m sure many of you can relate to the loathing I harbor for house cleaning, but I had put it off for so long that I was embarrassed to have clients walk through the house to get out to the studio.

So after a long weekend of Rilo Kiley, Willie Nelson, and Shwayze (a strange musical mix I know) and lots of dusting, sweeping, scrubbing, nailing, sawing, tilling, and Waylon sleeping through it all… We have a new front lawn, a super clean house, and a deck (well… almost a deck).  

It was a very productive weekend around the house, and probably one of the last for a while now that wedding season is in full swing. Chores are super easy to complain about but it sure feels good once they’re done!

I grew up in Wyoming, but we had lots of friends and family in Oregon. Often, my mom would throw my sister and I in the Sentra and we would make the 1,000 mile trek to the West Coast. Our goal was always to make the drive in a day… which meant no stopping. Now, I’ve never had a real big bladder and let me tell you, driving through Montana with  water bottle in hand and a strict no stoping rule was not a good combination. Those cross country road trips with my Mom and sister helped us coin a phrase that we still use today: “I’ve got to go… Montana Bad.”  So, if you ever really, really have to find a bathroom, and you tell me that you have to go “Montana Bad,” I will know immediately how serious you are and pull over ASAP.

I love thinking back to the fun stories like that that I have with my Mom. Talking, laughing, making up phrases, and just plain hangin’ out all come so easily when I’m around her – She’s the best! Ya, ya I know that everybody thinks their Mom is the best, which is how it should be… But, I’m so truly grateful to have such a supportive, self sacrificing, and all around loving Mom in my life. I’m excited for lots more years of memories and laughs with her, and I hope that one day when I’m a mom that I can emmulate her.

I love you and miss you Mom! I wish you were here so I could give you a huge hug!

Our recent trip to Oahu was a huge success in all respects. We managed to get in some great R&R, spend time with some awesome friends, see the sites, soak up the rays, and eat ourselves silly. It was my first trip to the islands and won’t be my last. I especially loved the North Shore, Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, and the Paradise cove Luau. By the end of the trip we had amassed multiple thousands of photographs which still haven’t been edited, but I grabbed a few fun ones just so you could get the flava of the trip.

We found this cool cactus on one of our hikes and it already had our initials carved in it!