My Official Photography Blog!!

I officially opened up for business!  I will no longer be blogging here, as I have a new photography blog over here.  I hope to see you over there some time.  Comments pretty much make me smile for a week, so if you do visit let me know.  :)  

Software updates are pretty fun

I'm between camera's right now, so it's good fortune that while I don't have a fancy camera to take pictures with I do have a software update on my editing software to play with.  I took this photo of Jake  while fiddling with settings in the middle of the night.  It was never meant to be kept or seen, haha!  It's BAD.  And that's why it was so much fun to see what I could do to save it.  I could have spent 20 minutes getting it just right, but pretty gratifying for a quick fix.

 I love this guy.

Happy

We went to Capitol Hill and the Avenues to eat Gelato and dream of maybe living here some day soon.  Jake has just graduated and it is pretty nerve racking waiting for everything to fall in place.  Who knows where we will be in 30 days from now.  But as much as I would love my own home or maybe a grand adventure far away, even if I stay right here in my tiny rental on the 3rd floor next to the train, freeway and refinery...I am happy.  

Jake offered to take the camera for a second so I will not disappear from all our family memories.  I am so grateful he did.  This is so special to me.  Thanks Hun.  (PS, isn't he getting darn good at photography?)

The Living Planet Aquarium in B+W

I went on my first outing with the Photo Walking Utah group early this morning before opening hours at the aquarium.  I found that many of my subjects lent themselves well to black and white photography.  I love how when you view something in black and white it really makes you look at the picture completely different than when it's in color.  You really pay attention to emotion and story in people pictures and in ones like these to the form and texture.  I'm especially fond of the two abstract looking photos of the jellyfish close-up and the bubbles at the bottom.  

Summer Time

Summer time hasn't officially arrived, but it always seems to feel very summer near the end of May to me.  We've been playing at the park a whole lot and its starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.    Ethan loves swinging fast and high just like his big sister.  He's growing up at lightning speed!  I really think he'll be walking any day now.  That hair!  It sticks straight up.  I really love it that way actually. :o)  I make zero attempt to keep it down. 

Zoe apparently owns only dresses or long sleeved shirts...we may have to cut some sleeves off in the next couple days.  Look at this face.  This is a young girl!  This is no toddler, people.  It just happened overnight.  She doesn't hold still for a second.  

Matching Easter Dresses

 I love making dolls and I've made a few lately.  My favorite part is sewing the faces and hair, but I never get around to making clothing for them!  Smaller size does not make it much easier than real people clothing like you'd think it would.  At least not to me.

Well, Zoe claimed this doll as her "Dolly" and takes it everywhere.  She sleeps with it and takes it to the store.  It was feeling funny that she was in her unders all the time.  For Easter I made her a matching dress to go with Zoe's Eater dress.  Zoe's the girliest little ballerina princess, so this pink tulle number was perfect for her.  Problem is she wants to wear it daily.....eeeek.  I hide it for 6 days out of the week. :)

I will be listing some of the dolls in my shop soon (just after mothers day).  'Bout time, right?

Quote of the week: "Look Up"

I love inspiring quotes, and this one isn't complete if you haven't read or heard the talk from which it came.  Check out Carl B. Cook's talk "It Is Better to Look Up"

Another line from this talk:  "We must look up and step up. And as we do, I know we will cheer up, for God wants us to be happy."  Lets go be happy today!

Randomness: bald spots, golden bicycles, ants

• Whoever thought of making car horns into little buttons that you push with your thumbs instead of a big one in the center you hit, was not thinking the situation through.  
• I chopped it off.  My gorgeous full, silk locks are all gone.  JK, my hair is falling out and was so gross.  I even have a BALD SPOT!!!  Oh motherhood.  Luckily the bald spot is hidden, but the cut had to be done, what with the long strings of hair all over the house and all.  I was inspired by this movie, and this lovely lady.  Something that says the 20's in France.  I'm looooving it.  
• Is my daughter the only 2 year old that sleeps in her shoes, only wears a dress, and will not leave the house without a purse?  She obsessed with Disney princesses too and has never even seen any of the movies except Tangled.  What a girly girl.
• Ants.  On the kitchen counter.  Of third story apartment.  Whaaaat?
• I want a gold bike! (spray paint?)

"Time OUT, Mommy!"

I let Zoe pick out her own cereal and she chose the neon colored swirly Trix.  Well, she wanted to eat them morning, noon, and night; and nothing else.  So I made a rule that we could only have them for breakfast, and only one bowl.  After dinner she asked for a bowl and I shared with her the new rule about her cereal.  "No cereal until breakfast time."  She tried demanding it.  "Cereal.  NOW."  I held my ground.  "Mommy, time out! In one....two...three.  Time OUT!  I'm too heavy to carry you," as she points to the time-out chair on the verge of tears.  Jake and I on the other hand were on the verge of tears because of holding back our laughter.

It was so funny to watch her imitate me and try to put me in time out.  But like so many other times she has imitated me it has made me stop and think.  Is this what I sound like?  Is this the impression I want to make on my daughter?  Are the ways in which I react toward her the way I would like her to react toward others and myself?  While parents (and people who aren't parents) debate about parenting methods until they are blue in the face, I think everyone would probably agree that the best way to teach a child is through modeling.  If there was only one piece of advice I could give to any parent it would be to be, do, and say the things you want your child to emulate, and definitely do NOT be, do, or say those things you would not be proud of.  Having a toddler is like looking in a mirror that shows you the true self you never saw.  It's a bit funny, and a bit sobering all at the same time.

And because every post is better with a picture.  Here's my Zoe having (herbal) tea time with Mommy.

Quote of the week

My sweetheart brought me tulips for Valentines day.  I love the simplicity of a tulip bouquet.  I also have always loved this quote.  I've been watching a documentary series about the universe and how it works.  It's so complex......yet....so simple.  Amazing.

Love Makes the World Go Around

Happy (late) Valentines Day!  It was a rough day for me which included no husband (night classes), sick kids and self, a spilled a gallon of milk, broken glass, no nap from the toddler, and....wait for it...grocery shopping....dun dun dun.  I hate grocery shopping, especially with two sick tired kids.  On the bright side it also included flowers and painting little hearts on little nails.  

On another note: I made this globe for my kiddos recently and am very pleased.  I made one for my Niece a long time ago and it pilled at lot!  So this one has an ocean of cotton instead of acrylic felt.  The land is wool felt.  I'm working on a pattern for my (ever so empty) Etsy shop.  It's turning out to be much more difficult than I anticipated.

XOXO  to you all!

Quote of the week

Or should I say, quote of the year!  I also love the quote "a goal without a plan is just a wish", but this one is new to me and it really has a tough love attitude.  It's the truth.  NO EXCUSES THIS YEAR!  I'm working on patience and inner peace this year.  I hope you all had a happy new years day!

Blogger Journal

Oh gosh, it is a new year, and if you subscribe to my blog you may have gotten my accidental journal entry that was meant for my journal blog but then posted here.  It has been super convenient to use blogger as my journal.  I can journal from my phone anywhere I am, I can edit entries, add photos, scan old journal entries and post them, I have unlimited room to add updates to things.  You can make any blog private when selecting that only the author can view the blog in permissions.  Then with the touch of a button I can print it all out to a blurb book some day.  But now I've found the drawback...you could accidentally reveal your dark side to the world when posting to THE WRONG BLOG, oops haha.  

But seriously.  Blogger Journal.  It's awesome.

Randomness: milestones, biggest loser, and scrabble

I want to start doing a weekly post about well...my week and stuff I've been thinking about or liked...or....whatever.  Here's #1 in Weekend Randomness.  (title blatantly stollen from Jasmine Star)

• My baby's been rolling around for over a month now, but I never seem to catch him actually doing it.  I turn around for a second, then turn back, and there he is on his tummy pushing up and looking around.  Sneaky baby.
• I've been trying to "potty train" my toddler since halloween.  And with zero (yes zilch) successes all the rewards (halloween candy) have somehow disappeared! *Looking accusingly at my husband now*  Disaster after disaster in her bedroom at night, all ending with poopy messes on floors wall and furniture, have kept me strong in my drive to keep trying.  Note: these disasters are caused by her wanting to clean herself up without help.  Cute, but not so cute when I have to rent a rug Dr every week.  Guess what?  Success!  I made another prize bag and finger painting seems to be even better motivation than candy.  Throw in there some markers, nail polish and TV and we've almost got a full day of dry diapers! wooooot woooot!
• Santa brought me my present early after hearing about another one of the above mentioned disasters.  Hello iphone, I don't know how I have lived without you for my whole life.  
• I haven't done any Christmas preparations at ALL.  Feeling nervous.  At least I can find comfort in having canceled all cub scout meetings for the month.  A momma bear's gotta do what a momma bears gotta do.
• My two year old, Zoe, was running around the house chanting Christ-mas-time...Christ-mas-time.
• Do you think Accuvue will honor a rebate after a full year has past? 
• Neflix added The Biggest Loser to movies you can watch instantly.  I think this is going to change my LIFE! 
• I played my first 7 letter word in Scrabble and it made my week.
• I made ornaments a couple years ago to sell on Etsy and still have a few left.  I still LOVE the globes.  

Bunny love

My cute cousins did some quick posing for their family Christmas card in freezing cold and very windy conditions.  Luckily we got a few quick ones before the cold got to them too much.  My cousin Hanna earned the money to buy her very own bunny and was carrying him around all through Thanksgiving weekend at our Grandpa's.  Isn't she adorable?  (the girl that is, not the bunny...although the bunny's pretty cute too, haha)

Lauren on the ranch

Lauren was such a good sport going out in the cold weather and mud to get these shots.  But I love how the breeze gave a little motion to her hair in some of these shots.  Wow isn't she lovely?  As I looked through her pictures, I can't believe how much she looks like her sister Amanda.  Something I never noticed as much in person.  

Quote of the week 2

My little Ethan at 2 weeks old

Christmas Lifestyle Portraits

Christmas and babies.  Two of my favorite things and I got to spend my Saturday with both!  Heidi's girls loved the camera, and obviously the camera loved them right back.  And that cookie recipe is one I've got to get my hands on.  I think I ate 6!!! (Not something I should admit to the world, haha)  I'm so glad I got to be a part of the holiday kickoff at the Elder's home. 

Quote of the week

via Pintrest

Petite Belle

It was so fun photographing this little doll.  She is such a cutie and quit a willing little model.  I loved watching her parents adore her.  It's so funny how she is the same size as my new Ethan, yet 4 months older!  Because of her small size (or rather me being used to giant babies in my family), it was kind of surprising to me how much she could do, sitting up and flipping around.  She had this cute little coughing cry when she got tired that just made my heart melt.