fifty two on friday ~ week 12 (reflection)

One of my new favorites of Miss Leah. I think it is so funny that the harder she tries to not let me take pictures of her the more I love the images I get of her. I rarely get that cheesy "cheese" smile from her. It is all Leah all the time, take it or leave it. I wish I could have gotten more of her reflection in the window but I was literally backed up into a corner and had no where else to go.

Next up is the lovely and talented Nampa Idaho Photographer, Amy Mae Bowman, be sure to head on over and check out her take on the theme this week.

sunshine fun

I have been waiting and waiting for the sun to come out
AND for it to be warm enough to play outside
with the kids so I could practice back lighting

they did not give me much
in the way of cooperation (surprise, surprise)

in fact, they were purposely being stinkers
at one point Leah ran off giggling
and Jordan gave her a thumbs up

all while there was this to die for sunlight behind them

they did give me these two that I am happy with

ha! take that kiddos
score one Mommy
score five hundred fifteen million kids
maybe I will catch up someday...doubt it but one can dream

four frames

was all they were up for and I got "technically" bad pictures
from a really great day!

 horrible lighting

 heads cut off and blurry faces

 and I will cherish every. single.one.

 Even though I look like a complete dork.

We had so much fun making party hats. Then I set up the camera on the couch with the timer mode to take a picture in our hats. I managed to eeek four frames out of the little buggars but that did not give me enough time to actually set up the camera correctly. Either way I LOVE them and wanted to share our silliness.

I had such a wonderful birthday! Thank you everyone who called, emailed and sent cards!! I am truly so grateful to have so many wonderful friends and family who love and care about me.

fifty two on friday ~ week 11 {color}

I just love this picture.
I tried to get the kids together but I could not get up high enough and they were acting too crazy. I am posting some of the "outtakes".  I just love these two.

Oh, and yet another failed attempt for the color theme that I tried earlier in the week...
that quite possible only a mother could love.

It was taken after I attempted this shot.

I am sure looking forward to when I really know how to use my yummy macro lens. 

Be sure to check out the talented  Meghan Boyer, Maryland Photographer, her photography is gorgeous.

fifty two on friday ~ week 10 {nature}

I did not get out to take many pictures this week. I have a been sick and I have been feeling really crummy. Luckily I took this early in the week in our yard and it fits the nature theme just fine. It is definitely one of my favorite themes so I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone came up with this week.

Be sure to check out the amazingly talented Angie Papalas, Chicago Children's Photographer and see her interpretation of this week's theme. You will be so glad you did!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I truly have all the happiness
and luck that life can hold
and at the end of the rainbow
I have found my pot of gold ~ adapted from an old irish saying

smile

I affectionately call both my kids
my little sugar butts

I get a call almost daily from my Mom
she wants to know where are the pictures??
so here it is

I don't have any thing cute or clever to write about today
but I just l.o.v.e. the expression on Leah's face
I hope my little sugar butt makes you smile today

fifty two on friday ~ week 9 {depth of field}

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. ~Henry David Thoreau

Depth of field determines how much of an image is in focus in photography. Sometimes abbreviated "DOF", depth of field is an important tool to master. DOF allows the photographer to have control over what is in and out of focus within their image.

In some cases, it may be desirable to have the entire image sharp, and a large depth of field is appropriate. In other cases, a small depth of field may be more effective, emphasizing the subject while de-emphasizing the foreground and background.



Please be sure to head on over and check out the site of  San Antonio, TX Family Photographer Amy Craft, to see her take on the depth of field theme.

perfect combination

Leah likes to change her clothes at least 500 times a day

It is adorable to see what a fashionista she is

She is a lover of accessories, anything pink and is a huge fan of dresses

She makes it extremely difficult to get out the door when we are getting ready

She will routinely turn down at least 3 outfit choices before she gives the nod of approval

She also loves to steal my books and run off to find a hiding place to "read" them

For some reason she prefers my books over her own

I think it is cute and it makes me nervous every time I see her with a book because of her tendency to rip them she hasn't done that in a while so I am hoping she is over that

Lately she can be heard saying, "that is my favorite"...

everything that she likes or wants to do is her favorite

If she wants to watch Shrek she will say, "I watch Shrek Mommy, he is my favorite",

if she wants to watch Toy Story she will say, "watch Toy Story Mommy, it is my favorite movie."

Day to day, hour to hour something different is her favorite

Leah is the perfect combination of sugar and spice

and everything nice just like every girl should be

Now if I could only get her to go to sleep at night without a fight

THAT would be nice

organic

Firefighter Jordan

I never imagined when I started my 52 week project 8 weeks ago that I would meet so many kind and wonderful women. I knew they were talented and I knew they were a great group of women but I did not know how great or how kind.

I was blown away when my new friend, the lovely and talented Crystal , saw my headless post from week 6. She commented on the post to let me know if I thought Jordan was interested she thought she could get her hands on a t-shirt from her mans firehouse in San Diego. Have I mentioned that Jordan is obsessed with everything fireman/firetruck related?? So of course I was over the moon excited and of course I said yes.

 I cannot thank her and Fireman Dan enough for the joy they brought to my little man. So sweet and so wonderful. Their kindness overwhelmed me and brought tears to this mamas eyes. To see your child so happy is truly priceless. When the package arrived not only was he treated to a t-shirt but a couple of other treats too!

I knew the package was on the way so we had talked about it for a few days so he was super excited when he received his package from a real fireman! It was wear your jammies to school day so he was already wearing these jammies when the package came to the door this was not staged for the pictures.

His mouth literally fell open when he saw his own firetruck book in the package. We had just gone to the library the day before and he picked out two firetruck books and he insisted that he was not going to ever return those to the library. He kept repeating that this was his very own book. So. Crazy. Happy!

He is my little book worm. He quickly sat down to look though all the pages. We have read it several times a day, every day and he already knows all the words. It is terribly cute to hear him read the book. He won't even let me read it to him anymore because he says that "he is a bigger guy and can read it to me." At the end of reading his firetruck books at night he often asks, "Isn't reading fun mom?" I couldn't agree more.

He put his shirt on right away but backwards of course, so he could see the truck. It only took him two days before he agreed to let me wash it. He put his helmet sticker on his fish tank, he said he wanted to do that "so he could look at it every night and so his fish could see it too." 

He thanks me over and over for telling my fireman friend that he liked firetrucks. He could not believe that I knew a real fireman. Thank you fireman Dan & Crystal you guys are amazing!

fifty two on friday ~ week 8 {light}

We were so excited that we could finally see the sunshine this week. Even if there is snow in the forcast next week I can finally see the light - spring is near, spring is near!

Be sure to check out the super sweet Delsa Thompson, Los Angeles Photographer for her take on this weeks light theme.

comfort

When things don't go the way we planned
Sometimes we just need a hug from a good friend

sabotage

She was trying to thwart my plan to take her picture by wrapping herself up in her drapes

I don't know about you, but I think she failed