After a crappy contractor left us high and dry (yep, I said it.  C.R.A.P.P.Y.), a spring snowstorm that left us wet and muddy, and a day spent in the cold and muck trying to make sense of the patio, we made it to shoot day with one of my favorite furnishing companies, Crate and Barrel!  If you read my post yesterday, you know it was a bit touch and go with some major hangups.  I was literally crying tears of relief at the end of the shoot.  The full day shoot with Crate and Barrel and Better Homes and Gardens for their Welcome Life In campaign at the #staggreno was such a wonderful whirlwind!

The morning of, we hadn’t really set anything out, as our whole yard was covered in snow.  Yes, snow!  On the day of a “summer” shoot.  Spring in Utah is pretty unpredictable.  The good part about a spring snowstorm is it melts pretty quickly, but I knew that meant everything was going to be melting during the shoot (and it did!).  Jon had to climb up on the roof to shovel off snow.  Ridiculous.

I woke up bright and early for hair and makeup with the amazing Ashley Sylvester of Sly Beauty.  Her work is amazing and I felt like someone important who has someone who actually knows what she is doing taking care of my appearance.  Ruby and Anna got the royal treatment too.  Jon is naturally beautiful so he needed no adjustment.

Once hair and makeup was done, the crew and producer set up my interview and things really got moving!

They set up “video city” in my dining room and the important people literally watched my every word and move on double screens.  No pressure, right?

 Note they are all wearing winter attire fit for snowboarding and I’m in a shirt.  Because it’s summer, remember?  Oh the magic of video!  The melting snow was making huge dripping noises and every once in a while one of us would get a water splash in the face.  I’m sure they loved that.  After my interview, I worked on putting the finishing touches on the space.  I can truly say I loved every single piece and carefully selected each one.  So glad the crew jumped on board with my vision.

It was so fun to include my family in this project.  The girls were troopers and had so much fun.

Inside, my house looked like this: catering, staging areas, overall hangout for everyone during and in between takes.     

The crew was so wonderful.  Anna made a new bff in the head boss lady and actually sobbed when she woke up from her afternoon nap and she was gone.

Every single person was kind, professional, fun, and so calm under the stress of the snow and mud.  When I say mud, I mean MUD.  The whole backyard with the exception of the patio (thanks to our emergency cleanup) was a mud bomb.  I’m positive some shoes belonging to the crew had to be trashed following the shoot.

I mean, where is a hidden camera and Ashton Kutcher?  For real. I still can’t believe it happened like this.

After the interview, we did a family shoot with Jon and the girls.  Ruby was so well behaved.  Anna on the other hand kept the crew laughing aloud with her two-year-old antics.  I’m so glad they were patient and just laughed at her.  Exactly what we try to do.

Are you dying to see how it all turned out???  Look out– that’s coming up next!