MY GRANDMA NADA | PERSONAL

MY GRANDMA NADA | PERSONAL

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Pearls, Curls & Love  |  Southeastern Idaho  |  Mikenna Atkinson Photography

I have a strong love and admiration for Bear Lake – it’s been there since I was a kid. We would go every summer, sometimes twice, maybe even three times if we decided to go up just for the day. It’s a little slice of heaven I have always found joy and peace in. Even as a married adult, the first trip we plan is to Bear Lake with family. IT’S TRADITION! Lucky for me, I have both sides of the family now going each year! YAY!

Bear Lake is heaven, but unfortunately every destination has a weakness. Mother Nature, and man is she powerful! Have you ever heard of or experienced a Bear Lake storm? I hadn’t either but then this one trip…

The weather was beautiful, we arrived on time, and set up camp with ease. The one glitch was during the packing process, I grabbed Craig’s backpacking tent- also known as the dog house (since a dog is about all you could fit inside of it), instead of our nice regular 4-6 man tent. We laughed about it, but it gave us a good reason to snuggle. Oh the teasing we got from the rest of the family, but we did get the last laugh…

That first day was perfect, therapeutic even! I had been recovering from pneumonia, and at the time I didn’t know it but I was also pregnant with Mercedes, so that perfect day on the beach was just what the doctor ordered.

 

Second day rolls around and after another flawless afternoon on the beach, mom prepared an amazing chicken dinner complete with colorful veggies. As we sat down, we watched as the sky suddenly became gray and clouded over. In a matter of 3-5 minutes a rain storm complete with wind, thunder and lightning let loose. One minute we were happily smelling the mouthwatering dinner, the next we were frantically trying to get things covered, staked down and packed away. It was chaotic. Maybe it was just the hormones and lack of normal thinking processes, but for the first time in my life, I started hyperventilating.

Then there was Grandma Nada, calmly corralling my siblings into her trailer, and keeping them comforted in anyway she could. I must have looked like a hot mess because next thing I know, she had her hands around my waist and led me into the trailer as well. I was wet, but so was everyone else, but suddenly I felt myself being stripped down, and new clothes placed on my shivering body. Honestly I don’t think I really knew what was going on! Looking down at myself, I realized my Grandma had put me in a pair of her own shorts and a sweatshirt. She didn’t complain that her trailer had become a big wet & muddy mess, she just looked for ways to bring comfort and love to each of us. That’s the woman she always has been!

As a side note, and crazy enough, as quickly as the storm came it only stayed for 5 minutes. Unfortunately for us, lightning had struck a large tree in the campground, and dropped a LARGE limb right onto my parents tent, absolutely demolishing the poor thing. Lucky for us our little dog house was tiny enough it could literally be picked up by one person and moved out of the flash flooding that had taken place. All our supplies were just fine & stayed dry! As funny as it is to talk about now, the one thing that I will never forget is Grandma Nada’s love.

Grandma has always been the soft one! My younger brother Nate used to cry whenever it was time for him to clean his room. The only audible words being, “I WANT MY GRANDMA!” Guess who would show up to help little Nate clean? Yep! Grandma. I still don’t think she knows how to say the word ‘No.’

Grandma’s house was the place to be if you wanted to be treated like royalty. She would peel your apples, and slice them up by hand, put them in a cute little pale pink bowl, placed on a tray next to your personalized microwave macaroni and cheese cup and your choice of beverage on the side. If Grandpa was in the middle of watching a show, it didn’t matter. She would change the channel for us. If papa thought of protesting- which he knew better, she would give him a look and say “Derek.” Of course in a kind, but matter-of-fact way. It got the point across…Gosh I love her! It was almost fun to be sick in our home. If you were, you could be sure Grandma Nada would show up with an ice cream bucket of her homemade broccoli cheese soup, sprite, orange juice and popsicles. Again, a simple way she let you know she cared and loved you. Who does that!

Over the past few months I’ve realized I love food, I love treats, I love food. Did I mention I love food? I think apart of this is because of two people. My own mother, and my Grandma Nada. Grandma is a fantastic cook. I love her Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, homemade coleslaw, sprite marinaded pineapple, broccoli cheese soup, chicken divan, apple pie, the list goes on. Every Sunday we would go to Grandpa & Grandma’s house for dinner. It was something we looked forward to each week our own a special occasion, and you never had to worry if the licorice drawer would be empty- Grandma kept it stocked with Chocolate Licorice. There was no such thing as ‘too much.’

 

I love her for so many reasons! Grandma is such a classy lady, she curls her hair, and wears a string of pearls each week to church – I love it! I was given a string of pearls years back, and each time I get to wear them I feel classy just like her! Pearls & curls a recipe to a classy outfit. She is a beautiful lady! I am grateful to have a piece of her walking around my own home!

This sounds kind of silly, but the day I realized my daughter had my Grandma’s toes, I was so excited and proud! I’m sure you’re wondering what that means- I feel like most toenails are more of a square or rectangle shape but my daughter, like my Grandma have a round shape. It’s kind of fun to have a variety! I have to say it makes me smile whenever my daughter looks at her feet and says, “I love that I have your Grandma’s toes.” It’s kind of funny that she would even care! But it’s exciting for me to see my daughter sharing a piece of my grandma with me!

I may have this story wrong, but this is how I remember it…My Grandma had a Cedar chest at the bottom of her bed. She would let me look through it every once in a while, but there was this one item I fell in love with. A sage green silky blanket. It was my Aunt Susan’s. I must have seemed attached to it because Grandma made me one just like it. I am proud to say, I still have it! That blanket went everywhere with me. When I got married, I remember putting it on my pillow like I did every night, I LOVED the feel of the silk on my face…and then I looked over to see my new husband wondering what in the world I was doing! Yeah, that was a fun conversation to have. .. “Yes I am 19 years old, I still sleep with my baby blanket, it’s silky and I love it against my face”… The day my Grandma surprised me with the same blanket for my new baby girl, my heart couldn’t have held more love! Again, notice a pattern? Grandma Nada is always looking for ways to be a blessing, to let you know she loves you, and you are cared for. From the birthday cards that come in the mail, to the visits to my home- at least an hour away, to a beautifully prepared dinner, she always gives it her all.

ear Lake Idaho- Yes, yes that is my green silky blanket…

I love my Grandma Nada. She is a lady I love, I admire, and miss not having within 10 minutes of my home! I’m so grateful I’ve been able to grow up with her in my life. I’m grateful she always made time to love me.

-Mikenna

When Craig and I were dating, I must have talked about him regularly because Grandma asked me one day if I ‘really liked him.’ I said yes, and her response, “Well I need to meet this guy then!” When the time came, she did meet that guy. I will never forget her smiling at me and commenting, “He’s a keeper.” I was thrilled to have her approval. Craig still loves “HIS” Grandma Nada.

-Bountiful Temple | Bountiful, Utah

l love this picture. It’s just a small glimpse into the love and care Grandma gives those around her. Even on the crazy wedding day, here she is making sure Grandpa looks his best! I love looking through the pictures and seeing the two of them like always, holding hands.

GRACE HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE | MIKENNA ATKINSON

GRACE HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE | MIKENNA ATKINSON

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The entrepreneurial drive runs strong in my family- and it seems it’s reached its fourth generation! Grandpa owned a sign company, my Dad runs a Home & Landscape, Mom- Health and Wellness, and here I am with a photography business. If you’re counting, that only makes three generations, but there’s one I have yet to mention…we will come back to that later. With this drive comes a variety of ideas and dreams but let’s be honest, not every idea comes to fruition and that’s ok, but there was this one…

In January 2022 I noticed there is A LOT of talent and in-home businesses or ‘side hobbies’ in the area, I wanted to find a way to get them into the public eye. Well, when I was a kid my parents participated in 1-2 craft boutiques a year and I remember sitting in the basement helping seal the bags of screen-printed calendars, notepads, and grocery lists, and putting price stickers on the backs of hand-painted décor. It got my siblings and me involved in ‘the family business’ but looking back, I think it also gave me an appreciation for small businesses. There is SO MUCH time, effort-physically, emotionally, mentally, and money that goes into getting these mom-and-pop shops up and operating, but also to stay running behind the scenes. I have a lot of respect for those that give it a try- it’s not for the faint of heart. What does this have to do with anything? Well, because I had a small part in the boutique preparations I decided I could put something like that together for the area. Oh boy.

I started by reaching out to a handful of small businesses and creatives in Grace to get a gauge interest-wise and the response was overwhelming. That small group of women have no idea the impact their encouragement and excitement had on me. Who would have guessed they would be the fuel to my fire? Oh, I am so grateful to them! At first, I figured we could get 20 vendors in the space, and when August rolled around I thought that was as many as we would have interested( at this point I hadn’t publicly announced that we were even hosting one…). I had one 5×10 space available when my husband piped up with an idea of his own. Our daughter had been learning how to sew for the past year+ and had recently made a set of burp cloths for our new baby, as well as for her aunt’s new baby. We thought she could make and sell more if she wanted to have a little spending/saving money. Craig’s idea was to finance her start-up costs- booth fees, material, etc and she would sew a variety of items under the direction and watchful eye of her sewing teacher- a very special individual we call ‘Poppi,’ Mercedes Grandpa. Yes, my elementary-aged daughter was about to start her own side business. Mercedes recruited her Grandma (my mom) to design and set up her booth display which also brought in her ‘Papa’ (my dad) when we decided to use their old boutique booth display walls!

This was no simple effort, each member of the family contributed to her success and in the end, she paid back all her start-up costs and still had money to invest in savings, as well as more material. WHAT A GIRL!!! It’s been an incredible adventure to behold. Through it all, she was able to learn how to make a plan, and finance skills- she did all the accounting at the event, and she learned how to talk to people about her products- scary when it’s a big group of strangers! and she put in the time to make and package her products. We figured she sewed five days a week, from August-October, for two hours each day which would be around 100+ hours of sewing. This girl is starting to understand what it’s like to run a small business and it’s been so good for her! In case you’re curious, she made burp cloths, neck warmers (that double as cold packs), hand warmers, mother & daughter waist aprons, mug rugs, and even a handful of hair ties.

People are amazing, there are people who will give up everything to be a blessing and when those people pull together, great things happen. I saw it happen within my family to support their granddaughter, daughter, niece, sister, and friend. I saw people pull together to help clean up after the event, people who made ‘exceptions’ so that we could make this event happen in the first place. It was a weekend I will never forget.

While there was a long list of details from start to the finish I learned a lot, and I will say that if you think I came out of this making a profit, let me take a second to laugh…It was a lot of fun, but my goal was not to profit for myself, it was more of an experiment to see if Grace could really host a successful boutique and I will say it surpassed my expectations, it was so worth it!

So let’s review, we held the boutique for two days and had over 20 different vendors participate, we were able to see friends and family, meet new people and even pick up a few new clients. It was fantastic! After it was all said and done, it was time to review…

What Worked?
-We also designed and handed out 300+ Grace Business directories (and you can still obtain a copy at Sam’s Market, 3C Grill, Rigby Plumbing, London Drug, or All Good Things).
-Advertising on Facebook DAILY especially on local classifieds/news pages.
-Vendor highlights- were a fun way to showcase who would be participating.
-Hosting in a central location- main street Grace where people naturally passed by while running their errands.
-Having a variety of ‘crafts’ rather than multiple repeats. Each vendor was unique and with that came unique products!

Potential Changes
-Consistent isle space (this got a little tricky with some of the support poles).
-More advertisements in local papers & on social media
-Larger hosting space
-Explore the possibility of food vendors

There is plenty to think about for the coming future of the Grace Boutique, I hope it will grow, and I hope it will become an annual tradition for our community to look forward to. I loved being able to showcase so many shops in our area in one room, and I truly hope you were able to get out and support them! Thank you to the community, thank you to Grace High School for being willing to house us for the weekend, Scott & Beth Buxton with VividArt Printing for the booklets, and flyers, thank you to Jodi & Jodi with Signs By Jodi for the large banners and all those small businesses that we willing to contribute financially to make sure this event happened!

BIG THANK YOU to our vendors:
81 Eighty
Bellame & Airmojii by Stacey
Caribou Caramels
Country Prim
Diamond H Boutique
Dream Catchers by Olivia
Ecker Leather
Hannah Tomkinson Earrings
It’s Sew Cute by Mercedes
JHK Leather
KB Creations
Kodiak Creations
Kristyn’s Craftroom
Loaly
Lower 21
Mandy Williams Art
Pop’s Shop
Red Aspen by Holly
S&M Honey
Signs By Jodi
Simply Made Boutique
Sugar Box Bakery/All Good Things
The Little Dress Shoppe
Usborne by Samantha
Western Jewelry

IF you would be interested in participating in the Grace Boutique in the future OR being a part of the Business directory, please follow this link and I will make sure I add you to our contact list! https://forms.gle/E4SiM7CyZ2aBQn1e6

To keep up with the latest news and updates on the boutique, make sure to like and follow our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087139822100

 

 

P.S. Somehow I missed snagging a picture of a few of our vendors at the event I apologize!

 

Have you seen our most recent family session? It’s absolutely perfect, one you won’t want to miss, and may even leave you inspired to get your own family portraits scheduled this year! Follow this link to check it out: https://mikennaatkinson.com/crookston-family/

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

DECORATING FOR CHRISTMAS

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Introduction: The decorations are up, the presents wrapped, the snow is here, and we have sugar running through our veins. It’s Christmas!  For the first year, in at least three, I’ve been excited to decorate and although it’s just small things around the house, I’m actually quite pleased with the results! So just for fun, and memory’s sake here’s a Christmas post to celebrate!

I’m not exactly sure why this year hit differently than the past few, maybe because in year three we’d just had Kenzie and my energy was zapped, then the past two I was finishing up my degree and ‘extra’ time wasn’t easy to find.  All I know is this year, I was actually excited to decorate! I patiently waited until December 1st and then we pulled out the boxes and let them sit in the living room for another week- just until we could get down to Logan and hit up Robinson Tree Farm. Boy, Craig and the kids sure did pick out a beauty! It’s full and probably the tallest tree we’ve had yet, and as an added bonus, it came with a live ladybug.

I’m not sure how many strands of lights I used, I want to say around six or seven but something about a pine tree with lights just melts my heart. I could stare at it all day with or without all the ribbons and ornaments to finish it off! This reminds me, we’ve been doing a red, white, and silver tree since we decorated our first tree 11 years ago, so I decided to splurge… A gold and white tree it would be! I purchased ribbons and a few fun floral sprigs but the bulbs would have to be DIY! FYI, the paint for the glass did not stick to the walls of the bulbs, BUT a little hairspray and glitter on the inside worked like magic!

 

 These ornaments have easily become one of my favorites. They are a really thin metal with our yearly family picture printed on both sides. It’s been fun to watch our little family grow. I’ve had one printed for the past three years and I truly wish I had done this sooner!  My next project was painting these cute tags! they are MDF wood and they were cut by Crafty Little You here in Grace, they put together a set that included the beads, the wooden unfinished tag, and the personalized vinyl names. I am truly in love! I haven’t had a staircase to decorate since I was a kid and it’s just different when it’s your own! Isn’t this charming! I did end up wrapping the railing with lights too, but forgot to snag a picture… whoops! 

 

I discovered a love for bottlebrush trees this year. I think they are absolutely charming and fill in those awkward and empty spaces perfectly! These ones came from Amazon but I know there are plenty of places that carry them! Also, do you just love my clock?! That little face makes me so happy!  

Last but definitely not least…my train! As a kid, we always had a train around our tree and I loved it! I mentioned to Craig we should get one…last year he surprised me with this beauty! This train is absolutely perfect! My kids will play with it for hours! I think everyone should have a train! 

 

 

MAKING THE RETURN

MAKING THE RETURN

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I don’t have to tell you that it’s been a hot minute, minute as in approximately 20 months or so since I wrote a blog post. I have missed the weekly ‘mind dump’ and sharing sneak peeks of the most recent sessions, it became an outlet of sorts for me to share a small part of my life with all of you- whether you wanted it or not ;). I will admit, my goal is to get back into at least a once of week post but all my fellow mothers know that life rarely goes exactly as we plan regardless of how many Excel spreadsheets, sticky notes, and calendars we organize our lives onto. Yes, I did say Excel, I love spreadsheets and use them ALL. THE. TIME! My brain loves them!

Now would also be a good time to give a little disclaimer, I am pregnant, just started my last trimester, with two months and a few weeks to go SO if I have shall we say, “squirrel brain” then just write it off as a symptom of pregnancy! All that being said, here’s a mini life update!

In the fall of 2020 I decided to get my bachelors degree, I knew it’d be work, but what I didn’t expect was just how much work and sheer balancing act that would result. I started the semester with 18 credits, and by the time I graduated I was able to get down to 15 to finish in five semesters. My husband spent many nights on the couch by himself catching up on a movie, or a quick nap, and my kids probably watched enough movies for the rest of their lives (at least it feels that way!), thankfully WildKrats, Liberty Kids, and Magic School Bus provided some educational entertainment!  During the school madness, we were still homeschooling, and still trying to keep track of the everyday tasks.  I will say it over and over again, I know it was the right time and I loved what I learned during my courses and with that, I’m extremely grateful to finally be graduated, and I think the rest of my little family is too! So, what have I done with the extra 40 hours each week?   Well, I’m made Dandelion jelly and salve, fed my family a homecooked meal at least 5 out of the 7 nights each week, the basement has been 80% decluttered and reorganized, the laundry is down to two baskets regularly sitting on the floor rather than 6+, I may still have a months worth of ironing to do, but that’s just because I don’t enjoy ironing ;). But in the middle of the ‘normal’ I’ve enjoyed being a little more flexible, I’ve visited my parents more in the past three weeks than I had in the past two years combined (excluding Sunday visits), I’ve signed my kids up for extra activities and I even went to the park a handful of times without planning it out first- this is a big deal because I am NOT a spontaneous person, I like to have each item in my calendar and if it’s not there, chances are it won’t be happenin! Needless to say, I’m becoming more flexible, while still being mom and it feels so good!

So, I’m sure you’re asking yourself why should you care, and what does this have to do with anything and anyone other than me? Well, that’s a great question! My answer is this, I want you to know that regardless of how hard, or time consuming your current circumstances feel, as cliché as they sound, they really don’t last forever. But what does is the joy, and the learning and growth you allow yourself to have in the middle of it. It took me going back to school, and putting in 30+ hours each week on a computer, in my own world, to realize that I really do enjoy just being mom, not having to be at the computer all the time, or hitting deadlines. The career life just wasn’t for me, but spending time with my family is my happy place. When that chunk of time was given back, so came my joy of sitting down with my kids and learning alongside them, being able to feel like we could have a conversation that ended in 30+ questions, and have the TIME and desire to look up the answers. When I got that time back, I found excitement in being outside because I didn’t worry about how late I was going to have to stay up to make up for lost homework time. I am finding even more joy than before in hearing the rain and wind without worrying if the power was going to go out. Those little things that blended into the everyday ‘grime’ have become things I get excited for!  Right now you may be overwhelmed, but just as the line says, “This too shall pass,” and truly it will and I hope you are able to learn something from and gain strength from the growth.

-Mikenna