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Emily + Weston | On The Terrace

Abbey Kyhl

Meek Family | Bountiful Utah Family Photography

Abbey Kyhl

Silver Lake Engagement by AK Studio Design

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Hailey + Tanner | Thanksgiving Point Wedding

Abbey Kyhl

Riggins | Utah Lifestyle Newborn Photography by AK Studio & Design

Riggins | Utah Lifestyle Newborn Photography

Bianca Madsen

Little Cottonwood Canyon Family Photography by AK Studio & Design

Call Family | Little Cottonwood Canyon Family Photography

Morgan Slade

AK Studio & Design - Abbey Kyhl - Thanksgiving Point Family Photography

Iorg Family | Thanksgiving Point Family Photography

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Kelli + Andi | Utah Mommy & Me Studio Photography

Kelli + Andi | Utah Mommy & Me Photography

Bianca Madsen

Mary & Chase | Davis County Engagement

Abbey Kyhl

Katrina + Connor | Utah State Capitol Bridals

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Albrecht Family | Utah Mountain Family Photography

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Lifestyle Family Photography

VanLeeuwen Family | Lifestyle Family Photography

Abbey Kyhl

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Made it to Texas! First stop Denton!
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So excited for the next five days of speaking to youth and families about how we can be more time wise with our technology ❤️💙
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Oh and I thought I understood heat because Utah is a Deseret but yeah, no. Utah has nothing on Texas 🔥🙅🏼‍♀️
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I still have a few dates open in Utah and Arizona if you want me to come speak to your group ✌🏻Just message me.

The last few months some crazy things have happened that have changed me so much. I’ve found myself at so many crossroads and I’ve found myself taking time to pause and just listen and be guided. It has led me to some pretty amazing places I wouldn’t have maybe chosen for myself but that I really needed.
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I’ve also tried really hard in my life and my business to really listen for promptings from God on what I should do. I’ve owned a business for 12 years and I’ve never relied so much before on those promptings as I am now.
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It’s been interesting what has happened. Earlier this year as I was planning out my marketing plans I had an overwhelmingly strong feeling that Instagram didn’t need to be a part of it for us to find success. So we listened and shut down our photography Instagram account. I held my breathe on that decision. But then something amazing happened. Well actually nothing happened. Our inquiries didn’t stop or slow and our business kept growing. It didn’t need Instagram.
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And now here I am again feeling like it’s time to let go even more. We started our #prayseekserverepeat challenge and I totally thought this little platform would be essential to it, but instead our FB group has flourished and become this amazing little community that I am loving.
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The last few weeks as we have been planning business things for 2019, I have felt this urging to step back from Instagram even more. I was so unsure about that but then our Pinterest account hit 600k monthly viewers and our Facebook exposure has been flourishing. Everyday all these things were happening that showed me I can do all the things I want to do without being actively engaged in Instagram.
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@tysonkyhl and I were talking last night about what is important for our family and what we want us to become and the reality of life is we both spend too much time with our phones in our hands. So in order to be a more present person who has more time to be face-to-face with the people I love, I’m stepping away from the ‘gram a bit. I’m not deleting it but I’d like to live a life that doesn’t include a daily dose of Instagram. So here goes...see on FB friends 👋🏻👋🏻

Last first day of preschool. How did that happen? 😥 I can’t believe how much this girl is growing up. She has more energy and light in her than anyone I’ve ever met. I can’t wait to watch her take on this year and then the world 💛💛💛 #dogoodbekind

It’s this guys birthday. But instead of celebrating him, I’m in bed 🤢. Boo. Nobody should be sick when it’s somebody you love’s birthday. Looks like I am going to have to fulfill his birthday wish...which if you know what he asked for last year 😳🙈 #prayforme

Ditching all my responsibilities to have a super fun day with my girl and her favorite friends 💛

Don’t mind me...I’m just sitting here bawling like a crazy person. 😭😭😭Most people that know me a bit think I’m this super confident, independent, take charge type. But those who really know me, know that I only have the ability to ever be any of those things because of this guy.
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He’s truly the reason I can do anything in this world and right now he’s gone. It’s pathetic what a mess I become when he’s away. I fall apart. And of course then I feel terrible because I think, “I should be nicer, kinder and more loving to him when he is around.”
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The last few days there have been so many times I just wanted to talk to him because I knew he would know what to say. I miss all his jokes and sarcasm. We had a super emotional day yesterday with baseball and I know it probably wouldn’t have even been an issue if he had been around. Even my kids are feeling it. We just don’t work without him.
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He was able to come home today for a few hours and it seemed like the world was just set right. When he left my little eight year old started crying and said, “I just feel happier when we are all together.”...me too buddy, me too.
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Later I was thinking how I can’t be myself without him. I can’t be the mom I want to be, I can’t be the friend I want to be, I can’t even be the business owner I want to be. I just feel less and I feel like we just have to hunker down and brave the storm until he comes home.
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As I was thinking about how much I miss him and how much he makes the world right for our family, it occurred to me that Christ has the power to do that same thing in our lives. He has the power to make the world right for us.
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The last two years have been such a faith growing experience for me and I have learned more than ever that I also can’t be who I want to be without His guiding influence in my life. The closer I come to Christ, the more I truly feel like I am who I am supposed to be. And especially in these times when I’m a mess of a mom and can’t call on my husband, He is there, just waiting for me to seek His help and comfort.
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#shethatseeks

4 games ⚾️ 8+ hours ⚾️ Saturday well spent

My plan today...#prayforhawaii

If you see me over the next five days just know that my husbands out of town (#huntingwidow), my schedule is over booked (#wedding #work #baseball #baseball #baseball), my kids and I are living off fast food (#littlecaesars #inandoutburger #wendys #mcdonalds) and I’m running on empty (#ineedanap)...but it’ll be all good and I’m determined to keep this smile on my face. Even if I’m faking it a bit 🤪 and totally losing my marbles on the inside!

Help this boy out! Look how cute he is, how can you say no. All this boy wants is to do a fantasy football league. But apparently you need more than five people to make it fun...so who wants to invite us or join us or whatever (I have no clue how it actually works) and make this guy happy?? C’mon! #fantasyfootball #idontgetit #cluelessmom

The further into this 100-Day Challenge I get and the more I see others serving one another, the more incredibly clear this message becomes to me.
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The most important and impactful service that we provide to others is genuinely caring for and loving them. Talking to them. Reaching out to them. It really does come down to “mastering the art of awareness.” Seeing people and seeing how we can help and fill their cup.
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Because I jumped into this challenge I have been actively looking for examples throughout my day of service and they are everywhere. We live in a world that would have you believe that goodness is gone, but that just isn’t true. There is so much goodness, so much love...we just have to be seeking it.
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We have to see the value of people who ask questions about how we are doing. The kindness that comes from the person who holds the door open for us or the lady who stops her car to let us merge in. We have to see all these tiny connections we have with each other that are done out of love and the goodness of people.
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And we have to never forget that in our busy world, that can sometimes crush us with the overwhelm, that we can give a minute here and a minute there to love others and it counts, and it matters, and it’s important.
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#shethatseeks #prayseekserverepeat #100daychallenge #littlebylittle #thomassmonson #ldsliving #christian

Yesterday was so busy pouring into people that I forgot to post our countdown image 🙈 but getting this morning started off right!
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We are 10% of the way through our 100-day challenge and I have loved seeing so many people rising to the challenge. Whenever I speak to groups I always ask, “How can we be 10% better in our lives?”.
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Ten percent is so achievable! And yet it is still progress. Forward is forward. Small steps add up. So let’s be 10% better today!!!! 10% more aware of those around us 💛💛💛 Here’s to a great day!!!!

So I had this thought yesterday. I love running numbers and figuring out possibilities. If 1000 people joined the 100-Day Challenge and served 100 people during the challenge that would result in 100,000 people served!
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Wouldn't that be amazing?
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And there are so many ways that we can serve more than one person a day. Like doing indexing that could be 100 people at one time!!!! Or last night my friend @tinafbrown and her YW left notes on cars at the temple so I am sure they sent love to dozens of people. @madebykate_ had a pregnant friend and her son over for dinner, there's three served. My friend, Tenille, stopped to help a family on a bike ride and then mowed a neighbors lawn. @teilaj invited her mother in law to join the challenge. @debbielaughlinwriterphotog spent the day spreading smiles and kindness to everyone she came in contact with. @amanda_anderson_beautiful_life let her kids get a cat after begging for it for a long time. @_elisecurtis is doing some awesome giveaways for seats to @saltldsretreat ! Sharing one of the quotes we are sending to everyone would #sharegoodness to everyone that is in your social media world. On Sunday my family delivered cookies to at least 10 homes. My kids took school supplies to their school yesterday which serves their teachers and the students who will receive them. This morning I prayed for Hawaii and all the families that are in the path of the Hurricane.
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It adds up so quickly. So can we do this? I think we can!!!!
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If you need ideas download our free idea guide. And if you really want to stay connected and get lots of great ideas come join our FB group! Both links are in my bio! #prayseekserverepeat #shethatseeks #service #100daychallenge

I’ve found myself tearing up all morning. I’ve never done this before when the kiddos head off to school. I’ve always gladly sent them off and been excited and ready to get back my time and schedule.
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Maybe it’s because it’s the boys last year together in school and I worry how that will affect their relationship and how incredibly close they are.
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Maybe it’s because it’s Jackson’s last year of elementary school and I hate that he’s growing up.
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Maybe it’s because I have absolutely loved having them home. I’ve loved how much we’ve talked and how close we’ve become. Especially Jackson. He’s gone from a little kid to a young man and I love who he is becoming.
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Maybe it’s because a year ago I made my #sevensummers goal to build a life that would allow even more time off from work and make Jackson’s last seven summers of childhood amazing...and we did it. We had an amazing summer full of so much. My cup is overwhelming from so much amazing summer. I am so in love with what this summer has been for us.
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So here I sit, with eyes full, because holy moly I am going to miss these kids so much.
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😢 #backtoschool #stopgrowingup #slowdown #sevensummers #summertime #sixthgrade #preschool #thirdgrade

Prayer is one of the most simple and yet powerful ways we can love each other. Hurricane Lane is heading towards Hawaii and I hope that today we can all include the people that are there in our prayers. God can move mountains, He can certainly move hurricanes too. #staysafe @natalienorton’s family, @brookeflanaganphotos, @vanessahicksphotography, @jane_johnson and everyone else in the storms path. 💛🌬🙅🏼‍♀️ #hurricanelane #prayforhawaii #serviceinseconds #shethatseeks

Today just flew by. What a great day celebrating my boy and his birthday and getting ready to send my boys off to school tomorrow.
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I have to just share one of the highlights from today. There is a widower in our ward that a few months ago we felt prompted to start visiting with our cookie wagon. We were nervous to reach out to him because we had never even said a word to him before ever.
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But those cookies turned into casual hellos at church, then him sharing vegetables with us from his garden. Then visits in his home in Sunday’s to get to know each other better. Which brought us to today. Our cute, wonderful widower friend called to wish Jackson a happy birthday. I was teary eyed listening to them talk to each other on the phone. We are forming such a sweet friendship with this neighbor that I am so grateful for...and it all started with a little bag of some “okay” cookies and a hopeful heart.
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I feel so blessed by all the ways Heavenly Father is adding to our lives and the people He is bringing into it. #prayseekserverepeat #shethatseeks #100daychallenge #service #loveoneanother

☀️ The future is bright ☀️
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One of my biggest goals with the #prayseekserverepeat challenge is to get my kids involved in serving others and to start to seek out ways they can be helpful.
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My DNA made me susceptible to depression and anxiety, which means theirs does too. It’s more likely than not that at some point they will face all those same emotions. But even though sometimes it is nearly impossible, serving others has been like a healing balm in my life for those emotions that can so easily overtake me. It can be a glimmer of light on a dark day.
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Today we took some extra supplies to our new teachers and a little welcome to our new principal. I asked Jackson how he felt after and he said, “It makes me feel really happy to serve and help.” Let’s hope he remembers that as he gets ready to start a new school year tomorrow. 😎✌🏻#shethatseeks #service #100daychallenge #serviceheals #firstobservethenserve