Fall Photos

God has gifted me with the most beautiful children, ever!  Seriously!! 

It has been 2 1/2 years since I got my kids pictures done professionally... which is pathetic!!  and there are so many great photographers out there now and such creative ideas for picture taking lately... but there is one problem, they cost too much! We are greatly blessed, and not lacking! God takes good care of us and meets all of our needs, there just isn't any pocket change for $200-300 sitting fees, etc.

So I decided to take things into my own hands... after all, I have dreams of being good at SOMETHING in my life, why not photography (except that I am too lazy to learn my camera).  So Saturday was a gorgeous sunny day... almost warm for November and I knew that I wouldn't get many more days like that!  So I tortured my kids into putting on semi-nice clothes and go outside in the setting sun (it gets cold fast, when the sun goes behind the trees!) and I took pictures, pictures, and more pictures!! OVER 300 to be "almost" exact!! Well I deleted all the obvious blurry, no rescuing pictures... and then I picked my favorites to share on Facebook... I narrowed it down to 30, I mean, how many people want to look at 100 pictures of my kids?!?!  Well, I do, because they are beautiful, if I say so myself, but I won't bore you! :)  So for Sweet Shot Tuesday, I am picking just a few to share with you!!!

So I think I did pretty good... not $200 good, but nice enough for my picture frames and the picture frames of grandmas and grandpas, and aunts and uncles of my adorable children!! :)

Some real photographers share their pictures with My 3 Boybarians and her Sweet Shot Tuesday Link up, go check them out!

I know it's Wednesday

I know it's Wednesday... but I didn't have my computer yesterday, and I am not good at planning ahead, so I don't schedule my posts at all; some day, I would like too! :) so this is my Tuesday post...





I love to participate in Sweet Shot Tuesday, and I really thought that working on Prject365 this year would motivate me to play around with my camera some, but it really hasn't... in fact I need to go take a picture of ... something today!!  I think of Sweet Shot Tuesday as something out of the ordinary, not just my plain jane run of the mill pictures, after all, there are some serious photographers that link up to this. So out of my last week, this is the most interesting photograph I can come up with... what do you think???  This is in the rotunda of the Pennsylvania State Capitol Bldg... looking straight up.

and so there is proof that I played around with my camera a little bit, here is another shot... maybe with the flash?? I don't remember.

Fun on the farm

Okay, I know it is Wednesday, but I really want to work on my photography, and that includes linking up to Sweet Shot Tuesday with My3Boybarians.  Plus there is an awesome giveaway for one participant... so I must participate!! :)

Here are a few pictures of some of the fun we have living out here in the country!! and the fun I have photographing my kids and their excitement... (one posed shot and one action shot of 3 of my 4 kids)

and for some reason, only 3 of them rode past me with Daddy... don't know why the 4th didn't take a spin!!  My kids have an awesome Dad... and I have an awesome husband... I did get a ride, too, but no pictures this time!! :)  I love riding the 4 wheeler with Wes!!! :)

So my photography readers... any suggestions, criticisms, praise??!?!!

Photographer's Block

Okay, so I would never really call myself a photographer, except that I do take pictures, so I guess that might make me a photographer.  I committed myself to taking at least ONE picture a day for the year 2011... and I have been doing pretty good.  I did it with the intention of finally taking my camera off "AUTO" however, that really hasn't happened.  However, the last 3 days have been a complete bust.  It becomes 10 o'clock at night and suddenly I realize that I haven't touched my camera all day!!  so I sit on my couch and pick up my camera and try to find something interesting in my living room to take a picture of ... these are my pathetic attempts to keep taking one picture a day...

a lighthouse mirror hanging in my hallway... nice and all, but not really all that phenomenal as far as photos go... not even an interesting photo subject

and a wad of pretty... but fake, flowers I bought with the intention of making my house a little "springier" but then I did nothing with them.... look, they still have the price tag on!

thankfully, my son lost a tooth today, so that at least gave me an interesting photo subject, but it sure isn't comparable to all the photos you will find linked up with Darcy at My3Boybarians and her "Sweet Shot Tuesday" link up.

so somebody, please, send me some inspiration... or my Project 365 is gonna fall flat this year!!

So for this week's entry into Sweet Shot Tuesday, I pull this from the files of our trip to Florida 2 weeks ago.

Why is it that my "Sweet Shots" are almost always of FOOD... I think I have an obsession! :)  This one is a "homemade hostess cupcake", and it was delicious!!  So if you are ever near Sarasota, FL, take a little detour and check out this cupcake company!!

time alone

Life has been beyond crazy lately... hence the quiet blog... I have a million gifts to be thankful for this week, but still can't find time for Multitude Monday (and now it's Tuesday night)... the good news is I can count gifts tomorrow, maybe!  I also don't have the brain power for Top Ten Tuesday, but go check out all the other awesome posts linked up there.  However, it doesn't take long to upload a picture and link up to Sweet Shot Tuesday... and I am only making the extra effort to participate because I want to win $50 in shop credit to Allora Handmade... :)

So with my crazy life... is there anything sweeter than a little time alone???  At Panera Bread???? with a bowl of French Onion soup???

I am definitely not a professional photographer, so I hope this is a random drawing! :) Any suggestions for a  newbie photographer for photographing food???  some people make me drool with their pictures, or they are such great pictures I feel like I am there, that I could touch it, smell it, taste it!!  I would like to be able to do that someday! :)

Anyway, random post, my brain is mush, but I so enjoyed my little evening away and my dinner alone at Panera Bread!!  and I took this picture in my attempt to keep up with a Photo A Day for 2011!!

Saturday Snapshot (on Sunday)

linking up to

and entering this photo in the March 23 Photo Contest with Kent Weakly

scrapping weekend and other gifts

mostly, this was just your normal week, but I did have two big events in the past week... a Scrap Book Retreat and an unexpected snowday ... both brought lots of gifts from my big God!!

275. Seeing 5-10 Robins in my back yard... on MARCH 1.

276. kids playing outside... hurray for fresh air!!
277. watching my girls coloring... so precious (btw, I am not a fan of coloring myself)
278. listening to my kids read!!!
279. taking a short walk outside in some brisk air, with bright sunshine!
280. getting a partial weekend away to scrapbook... no cooking, no cleaning, no laundry... just scrapbooking
281. having one of my sisters join me for the Creative Memories Retreat
282. pictures
283. creativity
284. memories
285. delicious scones
286. a tree in the middle of a lake

287. hearing a great salvation testimony in church on Sunday!!
288. my husband returning safely home n the middle of an unexpected ice/snow storm!!
289. a snow day (trying to give thanks in all things)
290. pretty ice covered trees

 
291. ending naptime early to go play out in the snow!!
292. SLEDDING... being a kid again!

293. racing the kids down the hill

294. taking lots of fun pictures while outside

295. gorgeous scenery... right outside my front door!! (love this barn)

and a bonus picture to show that I was having fun, too... although the sun wasn't in a good spot! :)

counting my blessings with A Holy Experience


linking up to Sweet Shot Tuesday... can't choose just one! :)

Getting to know my camera in 2011

As I said last week, I am attempting at least one photo a day for the year.  Some days it's easy and I have a hard time just picking one to post in my facebook album... other days, I am getting ready for bed and realize I haven't taken a picture yet!! :)  but I am still managing so far.  I have looked at the other settings on my camera and even taken a few shots while NOT on auto setting, but I really don't know what I am doing... do you think I can find my manual 4 years later???

So this week, I found Brooke McGlothlin and she is blogging about her adventures of a #PhotoNewbie!  I am linking up with her today!



I have a few to share from this past week.

This one, where I actually wasn't on auto setting... don't ask me what setting I was on, because I DON'T KNOW!!!  I am linking this photo up to Sweet Shot Tuesday, because chocolate chip muffins are so sweet! (and so are snowmen muffin cups)

and this one... just because she is SO cute... and I didn't use the flash!  I am getting a little better at holding my hands steady.

and this one... just because I like my new platter from Dayspring

and these two... because I love to make handmade cards and it isn't a post if I don't mention it somewhere!!

so what am I learning about my camera????  I hate it and I love it.  sometimes I forget to "enjoy the moment" because I am too busy trying to get the perfect picture, but other times I capture something that just makes me grin and I love it again...