F R I E N D S

OK, I told my friend Michelle that I would get this photo of all the kids from our playgroup to her, and I keep forgetting, so here it is Michelle! Of course, I had to also add a few others that I thought were so cute.








And here is an image that I'm adding just for fun-well OK, my whole blog is just for fun, but you know what I mean. I did this a few months ago on the Shuttermom Forum and rediscovered it today. I need to attempt something like this with a kids photo...

Kaia's Recital

I had the best time yesterday at a photo shoot of my friends daughter, Kaia. She had her very first ballet recital, and I took a few images of her getting ready for the performance and at the recital hall. It brought back so many memories of my daughter's years in ballet. I wish I could have had someone take photos of us at that time.

Kaia is a little doll, and she was so excited to get to wear makeup and dance. Here are a few images that I love. Gina, this is all you get to see until I'm finished!

Bumbo

My sister, Andrea, is having a baby girl in July, and I am getting her the COOLEST gift!!! It's called a bumbo, and its a squishy molded seat that infants can sit up in as soon as they can hold up their head. Amazing!

I am going to get one for my self, too. Very useful when doing those baby portraits.

I hope you like it , Andie! Happy new baby to you!

1st Trophy!

This is Garrett just after he received his first trophy for his T-Ball season. He is so proud of it! After showing it to everyone he could think of, and calling those that he didn't get to show it to, he put it on the end of his bed so he could look at it just in case he woke up in the middle of the night.

He's been trying to think of something that he can collect, and now he decided that he'll collect trophys. He's such a boy.

Learning photography

I am just loving my photography class. I submitted my assignment yesterday, and my instructor said it is the best one he has ever seen from a student of his! The assignment was to take three photographs of cars as they traveled down a road. One image has to have both the car and background in focus, the next image was to have the background in focus and the car blurred, and the last image was to have the car in focus and the background blurred, like what you might see in a NASCAR ad. Here is my result of the last image:



See how you can read where it says 4x4 on the back of the truck, but the trees, road and tires are blurred. So cool! I am using my camera in complete manual mode, not auto or any of the programmed modes. And I haven't photoshopped this image in any way.

The only thing about the class so far is that I haven't really learned anything new, but I am getting feedback that I need, so that makes it worth it. I really can't wait to get into new territory, though. There is just SO MUCH to learn!!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I just want to let my mom know how important she is to me. Mom, I could not get by without you. I am more dependant on you than I ought to be, but that's because you are so willing to help. You give me advice, sometimes a kick in the butt, and amazingly, confide in me as if we were friends. I cherish that.

You have always set a wonderful example of how to handle working and raising kids while keeping a great sense of humor. You taught me that sometimes you have to laugh when you want to cry. And you are an amazing grandma, especially to Devon, who needs you so much.

I wish I could have spent your birthday with you today at the best restaurant we could find. Or at the very least, I wish we could have shared a pot of tea in your kitchen.

I hope you have a great year-you deserve it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Mothers Day

I had a great day yesterday. I got three hand-made cards from my kids (the best kind!), a booklight that I really needed (Chip can't sleep if I read with the lamp on), and a fantastic book about photography lighting.

I didn't do a speck of housework all day, but you can bet I'll pay for it today. I guess I'd better get started...

Have a day, make it great!

I'm a Semi-finalist...

in a photography contest! I entered a photo of Trevor as he played in the sprinkler. The Grand prize is $10,000, but I would love to have the $1000 first prize. Not only that, but the photo will be published in a book this fall, whether I win or not. The letter said that my photo demonstrated a "unique perspective and artistic vision."

If I win, you will definitely hear about it!

My kids...

are just so amazing. I look at them in awe and wonder every single day.



This is Garrett, four years old at his first T-ball game.




And this is TJ, three years old and my quiet one, unless we are in the car. At that time he talks NON STOP!



The baby is Morgan, a true doll. She is a sassy little 1 1/2 year old.



And the leader of the pack is Devon. There are not enough words in the English language to describe this kid. Spunky, outgoing and loud are the words I used to describe her in her baby book, and they still apply.

I never in a million years thought I would have FOUR kids. It boggles my mind. I said so once to my husband, and his response was "Well, which ones should we get rid of?" Now that put me in my place! They are all perfect. I am proud of each of them every single day.

And my husband? He keeps me grounded. No one has a more level headed, sensible man than I do. Makes me crazy sometimes, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I am counting my blessings tonight while everyone sleeps upstairs, safe and warm. I am one chick who knows how good I have it.

Stuff

Day two of the blog, and I'm stumped for something good to say. No one knows about it yet, so I guess its OK. I'll just practice putting links to some of my favorite sites that I look at.



Go to SheKnows.com for anything related to being a girl. Love it!

I've been checking out these shoes for a few weeks.

Looking forward to my photography class tomorrow. Only thing is, I was supposed to start a journal (the real paper kind, in a notebook) and haven't done it yet. I would rather have my instructor look here on my blog for what inspires me and the kind of art I aspire to. So much easier to link to things. I'll see what he says about it when I get there.

First Post

Well, welcome to my blog. I don't know whats going to happen here yet, but I know that I will be stopping by regularly. Maybe you will too.

My goal is to post every single day with an incredibly juicy anecdote. I can't think of anything at the moment, but I'm sure I'll have something good tomorrow!

In the meantime, I can tell you that I am starting a photography business VERY SLOWLY. I'm learning and trying new things, taking classes, buying more stuff than my husband thinks I need. Well, thats what a wife is for, right? I'm going to spend the money anyway, so isn't it better to INVEST in my business?

I had a session with the most adorable little boy last week. Took him about an hour to finally smile at me, but I still got a couple of good ones. Here's a peek: