Friday, September 24, 2010

Heading to Vacation!

Hello there,
Yes, my wonderful husband and I are leaving for a quick get away for a couple of days.  And to make this dream come true would be no other than Kara...the best Sister-in-law in the world!  We love you so very much Kara!  Well, she has a 18 month old, Jax, that will be keeping my girls company while Kris and I take some time to relax.  So, here are some pictures of them playing today.
I know that Audrey is a bit too big for the scooter but she can make it move!  Here she is teaching Jax how to make quick turns.
Jax's big smile...yes he is loving all of the one on one training!
Audrey is loving having someone who will race her.  She has been practicing for a long time.
This is the chase...I love to see kiddos smiling and laughing. 
I will try to take loads of pictures and will post some when I get back.  I hope you all have a great weekend and I will update you later...

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Animals

As I am sure you are aware, taking pictures of Audrey is a bit of a challenge since she does not want her picture taken.  I often have to bribe her with chocolate and I then I feel a bit guilty afterwards.  So today, while Lauren is sleeping and I had some time alone with Audrey, I thought maybe I could get her picture and get her engaged with me and the camera.  Well it started off like this...
No thank you Mama!
Then I thought about how she loves to be a dog and I thought maybe if I asked her to make animal faces...
Dog Face
Butterfly
Lion
Turtle...this one made me laugh and then I showed Audrey her picture and then she laughed.
That's my girl...finally engaged with me and the camera.  Thanks Audrey!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

So tired

If you know me, then you know that I am all or nothing...and more often the not...I am mostly all in all things.  Well, I got the all clear to go back to doing all of the things I was doing before my surgery which is awesome!  But, it also means that I have not done much for 7 weeks and now I am back at it like I had not taken a long break.  So, my body is letting me know...slow down!  Ugh!  There is just so much I want to do that I have not been able to do for weeks but my body is so tired!  Obviously, my creativity is tired as well.  So, I just took some pictures of some flowers that I had gotten this week and worked on my processing.  Can you tell the difference?
Post processing...
Before processing...
OK...I promise I will get more energy and I am sure my creativity will get better.  With the weather getting cooler, I am sure the girls and I will be out and about soon.  There are loads of places I want to try out as shooting locations.  But first, this ol' body of mine just needs a little recovery. 

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Has it been that long?

Why yes it has and I miss taking pictures.  When I got back from Women in the Word on Thursday, I was unable to pick up my camera due to my chores needed to get done.  I did take loads of pictures on Friday during the garage sale that I was apart of but then I have not been able to pick up my friend since Friday.  She is missing me and I am missing her!  Wow...I guess now I have to name my camera since I just gave her a gender!  LOL...I crack myself up!
Well, before everyone wakes up here are some pictures I took on Friday.
I love how I framed this shot of Audrey while she was playing with Sam's toys.  
Lauren's old shoes.
Audrey finding new toys.
Yes, she found tiny cameras.  I guess she wants to be like her Mama.  I had seen Karen Russell set up a shot like this but this was the best I could do.  
Audrey taking a picture of me while I am taking a picture of her...too cute!
This is Christina, a little girl of one of the Mom's that was working the garage sale.  I got to play with her and get some cute pictures.  This one was my favorite.  Is she adorable or what?
Well, Audrey is awake and I need to go.  But at least you are all caught up and hopefully I can get back on track with my friend and keeping up with my daily photo commitment!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Random Stuff

Well, last night was disappointing, but I did realize that I do have a good knowledge of my camera and the mechanics of taking a good, quality picture...correct exposure for those photo people out there!  I also saw that complementing and connecting with your model does make a difference.  
Look at that smile.
Also, I did learn that photography is a profession that I could do part time and still be a SAHM.  So, even if the class was not all that I hoped for, I did learn a couple of things.  Learning all that you can is what keeps us young and I definitely feel more alive when I am growing in my knowledge of something!
Today, I got the all clear from the Dr. and I am now at full duty!  Hooray!  Now I feel like I need to try out some new ideas that I have been collecting.  But before the fun, I need to get my chores done!  Yuck!  But a Mama got's to do what a Mama got's to do...
So, below are some random shots I got today...
  
If only my life was Real Simple!
I got these from Hobby Lobby and put them out...I guess I am really ready for Fall to be here!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

SWAP

I am so excited.  I mean really excited because today at 4:45 I will be in a one day class at Fort Worth Camera.  It is called, Shooting With A Professional (SWAP) and we are going to be shooting one of my favorite places in Fort Worth...the Botanical Gardens.  They are going to have models there and we get to see how a professional sets up the shot and then we get to try it out.  I mean seriously...how cool is that!!  So, we are supposed to bring our camera bag, lenses and of course a notebook.  So, in spirit of my enthusiasm...
The pen is from my latest class, Photographer's Workshop by Karen Russell.  It was such a wonderful class and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Of course I cannot go a day with out taken at least one picture of my sweet girls!  

Monday, September 13, 2010

Mondays

Well, Kris made it back and the girls and I are so happy.  I feel that I am completely healed from my surgery, which makes me so happy!  With all of this good feeling and energy, I just want to conquer so many different things and yet I am not productive at anything!  UGH!  Drives me Bonkers!  So, I thought well maybe if I went outside to get some fresh air and take a couple of pictures, maybe I would get some momentum going.  Well, below are the pictures...
I love this shot.  I love the tenderness of Audrey helping Lauren up the slide.  Of course it would have been better if I was at a different angle but the sprinkler was shooting out water where the best view point was and I wanted to stay dry.
A huge smile! 
Now...lets see how much momentum I can get going here!!!!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Busy Day

As a SAHM, there are days when you are running all day long with out taking a moment to stop and take a breath.  Well, it is 9:30 at night and I am now taking a breath and I just now realized what today is...it is 9/11.  And, like everyone else I remember the fear that I felt on that day and I remember how deeply I felt for those people that died and their families.  I remember how much I longed to hear from those I love and to know they were alright.  That day, was a busy day...there was no list of things to do...there was no objective to accomplish.  That day I do remember.
Today...after my running around to get this and that for my family, doing laundry, cleaning up after my girls, and so on...remembering that day...I am so thankful for the love I have in my heart for my Lord, Jesus Christ, and the love for my family, and the love for my friends, and the love I have for my fellow human being.
Thank you Bonnie for capturing this Mama loving her Lauren.  
Good night everyone...

Friday, September 10, 2010

Park Play

OK...so I may be a bad mom to take Audrey out even though she is not feeling up to her normal self, but I was seriously loosing my mind being in the house.  I am feeling so much stronger after my surgery and I really wanted to get out and try some new shots.  Of course we were only there for about 30 minutes before Audrey told me that she did not feel well and wanted to go home.  My poor girl...but to see her smile for at least the first 15 minutes was what this Mama needed and I think Audrey needed it too...
I love this girl so very much!
I love this girl too.  
Super cool park!  Thanks Edith for the suggestion!
Now...from a photographer's perspective this was more challenging than working inside my house and to be honest, I was intimidated to use my custom white balance function because I did not know how steady the girls were going to be.  I will go back to see if I can get better shots composition wise.  The goal is to get it right out of the camera and not to do so much processing!!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Business Trip

Today Kris left for his business trip to speak at a leader's conference.  Just to type that sentence makes me so proud of him and I am so very, very proud.  But selfishly, I know I am going to miss him for the next couple of days.  As we were leaving the airport Audrey tells me that she will be so happy when Daddy gets home.  That is truly my girl...missing Kris just seconds after he is gone.  So, knowing he is going to be gone I wanted to try to capture some pictures of him before he left.  I know typically you get pictures of my girls, but today is all about my Babe...
Here I was trying to be artistic and think outside of the box in showing Kris leaving for his trip.  I took loads of pictures but this is the only one that looked somewhat good.  Seriously, how artistic can you be with a suitcase?
I really only had 1 minute of taking pictures of Kris before we had to leave to take him to the airport.  My Babe...always pushing time lines to the last minutes possible.
Is this the pose I will have to battle as long as texting is apart of our culture?
OK...so it is not a great shot composition wise but there is contact with the photographer, that's me, and I will take contact and a smile any day of the week!

Have a great trip my Babe and your girls are missing you already!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

New Toys

On Monday we met up with a wonderful friend and her family for dinner.  She was so gracious to give us a box of toys that the girls have not stopped carrying around with them.  Audrey keeps telling me all about her new toys and showing me how to play with them.  It really is just too cute.  I am sure if Lauren could talk she would be doing the same thing.  From a photographer's perspective, I do not want to show a bunch of pictures of toys like it is an inventory of items but to highlight them by telling a story in a picture.  This increases the level of difficulty especially when I am dealing with Audrey that does NOT want her picture taken and Lauren who is constantly on the move.  So, below is the best I can do for today...
  Audrey drumming on her Lady Bug. 
Check out those Catch Lights!  Thank you Lauren for looking up at Mama.
Also, Audrey has a cold and keeps trying to get up to play and then wears out quickly and then she is back on the couch to recover for a bit.  I thought I would try the same idea of trying to get a picture that told a story instead a picture of her laying on the couch feeling awful.  This is a picture of her cuddled up to her favorite blanket that her Grandma Bonnie made for her when she was a tiny baby.  
Poor Audrey...

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Rainy Day

You may not know this about me, but I love the rain.  Love it!  I like the way it smells, the way it feels on my skin, and of course the wonderful things it does to our beautiful planet.  I personally believe rain is another example of how God is the Blessed Controller in all things.  But as a photographer, rain is hard to capture.  I wanted to capture the simplicity of the rain while also try to capture the beauty it can bring...oh yes and do it in full manual mode.  Wow...it was a challenge!  So, out of loads of shots, below is all that I got.  
This is a small puddle close to my carport that helped me keep my camera dry while I worked with all of the technical stuff.
So, yesterday was an eventful day with Lauren taking her first steps and I wanted to make sure that I got out the video for you all to see, but I did get a few good shots of the girls yesterday and wanted to share those as well.
Audrey playing dress up.  Thanks Jenn M. for the dress-up stuff.  As you can see, we are still enjoying it!
Lauren with her new walking shoes.  

Monday, September 6, 2010

Big First Steps

Today was a big day for Lauren!  Yes!  Today she took her first several steps.  What is so funny that I have been working all day on getting a good shot of Lauren with her new shoes that we got for her yesterday.  Kris and I were hoping that with the new shoes she will start walking, since she has been working on it for weeks now.  Of course, she walked today but with out the shoes or my camera.  You will have to take in the moment with a short video I got on my phone.  It has poor quality but it captures the moment and any photographer would be happy with that!!!

Lauren Walking!
Happy Labor Day everyone!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Sister Love

As a mom, I have put some hard routines into our day that I will not deviate from.  One is that we get dressed and ready for the day.  Even if the girls are sick...they are still dressed and ready for the day.  I am sure that once they are teenagers that this will be a battle between us but until then....everyone in the household gets dressed and ready for the day.  With both of my girls part of getting ready for the day is fixing their hair.  Well, on my counter top there are loads of things that the girls play with while I try to get their hair pulled back.  Today, they did the cutest thing.  They shared water from the water bottle that I have on the counter to wet down their hair when it is really out of control in the morning.  Check it out...
Caught in the act.
Lauren really does trust her big sis.
By the way, these photos were taken by my babe.  He did such an awesome job of seeing a moment unfold and capturing it on the camera.  Good job Babe!
This is a photo I took last night.  I am still debating if I want it to be a silhouette or keep the post processing.  Decisions, decisions...

Have a great day everyone....get out there and do something outside!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Off-day

Today, has been kinda of an off-day for me.  I just feel like I am not myself.  I think it is because it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL outside and I am stuck inside because I am still on light duty.  So in other words....I cannot take the girls anywhere and the back yard is too muddy to take the girls outside to play.  So, I am left inside to look and wish I could go outside...September 15th cannot come fast enough! Thankfully, the girls could not tell the difference between today and any other 100 degree day.  
Below are some shots I got of my dear sweet Lauren.  I am working on trying to get her to look at me when she is focusing on something else and bonus if I can get her to smile.  I am trying to work on interacting with my subject but trying to keep her engaged in what she is doing.  Tough task, even for her own Mama.
Here Lauren is moving the chair was happy to turn around and laugh at my funny sound.
Here Lauren was showing me the phone she is playing with.
Here I was trying to capture a sweet looking photo but unfortunately...I focused on the wrong area!!!!  UGH!  One day...I will get focus right!!!!
Happy Friday everyone and I hope you all enjoy a long with weekend with your loved ones.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Spa Day

Being a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM), part of my job description is to clean the house, as well as laundry, feed the family, and keep up with the household to keep it a well oiled machine.  So, I have justified paying the sweetest woman you will ever meet to clean my house once a quarter.  Many moms pay to have their nails done, shopping excursions, or even a message.  For me, my Spa Day is walking into my clean house and taking a deep breath of the fresh clean smell and know that it is all done.  There is NOTHING better!  I love Spa Days!!!!!
So, to celebrate my Spa Day I took a couple of pictures to share the sweet parts of my special day and work on creating a memory with the little touches that Christie does to make these days so awesome!
 
I just love how the book is set up for Lauren in her crib and with the stuff animals sitting up as if waiting for her.  So sweet...
My work space never looks this clean.  This is so Beautiful...
This was the message left on the fridge.  Too cute!
Thanks Christie for all that you do and I really do appreciate all of your hard work.  You do such a great job and this Mama is so grateful...