Sand-Ls

Because I love going to walk on the beach! 

Because I love my daughter's new shoes! 

Just Because!

Raw

Since I got my camera a couple of years back, I have always been afraid to play and take photos in the RAW setting.  I finally decide to flip the switch on my camera and play in that mode.  I am amazed at the difference.  I don't know what I was so afraid of but I don't think I will be changing that setting on my camera.  Now onto lighting, exposure levels and trying to have fun.

Playing Learning Loving

So I have really been able to play with some of the photos I have taken and I am so enjoying all that I am learning.  Do I remember how I did this?  No, not at all.  Well maybe a tad, but I know where to find some great information.

This is my Straight out of the camera shot (SOOC).  I already love the colors.

But I like it better glossed up and perttified.  I know that is not a word but ask my husband and he will tell you I have my own dictionary.

Little A

I got to go out and play with a friends little ones.  Here is little A, Handsome little man about to turn One!

One of those days

Today is one of those in Photography, well actually one of those weeks.  I have felt uninspired and like I am traveling backwards on the learning curve.  Earlier in the week I set out to do shots of friends.  I came home and felt my shots were not up to par with what she was looking for (Luckily I am not in business just probono to learn).  I am blaming poor lighting choices on my part and I am looking forward to trying again. Today I set out to create some nice shots for my husband for Father's Day on Father's Day.  My shots were all blown out, blurry and just dreary!  I am having a brain lapse and can't figure out if it is light, camera settings, operator error.  I feel like all I have learned and studied has been washed down the drain.  As much as I am not liking the feeling of inadequate~ness, I am hoping that even professionals still have bad days.  I love taking photos and I know we are not all perfect all the time.  I am going to continue to practice and play and love it, even on my bad uninspiring days.

On a note of progress, I did create my first storyboard and I love it.  Learning to love it all...

This Does Not Help!

So far the last few weeks I have been in baby fever, baby envy whatever you call I have caught it.  It might be spurred by my sister having her next one, hearing of friends expecting, holding little gorgeous babies (like the one above) and the realization that unless my husband has yet another procedure we will not have another. 

It isn't healthy, I don't want one I have to give back when I am done.

I do so LOVE the ones I have but as soon as my youngest is out of diapers, I am out of baby anything.  I love and miss being one who is depended upon for just about everything.

Even writing this is not proving to be theraputic.

I am not a crazy woman, I just love babies.

Here is to more growth and baby-ing my babies until they are sick of me.  I love you my babies.

Thank you, Lisa, for letting me borrow you beautiful baby today!

Spitfire

As my mother in law put it last night...Here is my Spitfire...She is my youngest and is the one who keeps me on my toes.  How I love her so!

Babies First Snow!

The twins had their first experience in the snow today! They didn't touch it too much and our little girl needed to have Dad hold her hand to walk in it....It was really cute!

There was a pretty cool icicle hanging from the kids swing set!

Our oldest and I made a very small snowman yesterday. He is now covered with another inch or 2 of snow!

Haircuts!

My Daughter and my step son both got their Haircut over the weekend! I think the both look Marvelous!
Everything is going really well since my step son has come...He is really a great kid!

Our daughter asked to cut her hair to the middle of her neck and I had to convince dad that it was okay. When the stylist started to cut I got pretty sad and decided that she is too young to make this decision for herself. She looks adorable but I do miss her longer hair!

All I want for Halloween is My Two Front Teeth!

Our oldest has finally lost both of her top front teeth. This was a battle! She already has one big tooth coming in. She still looks so cute and loves being toothless. I thought she might be a little self conscience about it but she is in love with her new look. She is too funny!

Where has the last 20 months gone?

Seriously, Where has the time gone? Twenty months has flown by! A lot of it a blur of sleepless nights and hourly feedings, but mostly wonderful happy moments. Our twins have become very independent, exploratative little people. They are no longer our "little babies"! We are currently in the process of weaning, yes I am still nursing our twins. We are having little emotional outburst because they think they can nurse at any given moment! We are trying to limit it to nap time and bedtime....Their vocabulary is booming. They have both begun to put sentences together! Our little man says, "Can I have a bite? Where'd it go? What's that? Apple, Airplane, Outside" and many more. Our little lady isn't as vocal as her big brother! She does say "Mommy stuck, please, What's that?" and a few more. They are a blast and I am so very thankful for them every day! Here's to the next stages!

My daughter lost the first of her top teeth and so I took the opportunity to take a picture of her. I can't believe how different it makes her look! She still looks beautiful but she is looking so much older and I am not ready for her to get any older. She is such a beautiful, kind, smart and very helpful little girl...I am so proud to be her mother and really to feel blessed!

On another note, I was finally able to catch some catch light in her eyes! It is something that has been frustrating me for awhile. I really am happy with the way this photo turned out!

My Youngest did not want to co-operate with me, my oldest was a Poser!

Check out the face of my little one! She was not happy with the fact that I put her back in the stroller. I only let one of them out at a time today since there were quite a few kids already running around. That way I could keep a close eye on the one running around! I am not sure if that was the best idea but it sounded good at the time! I did get a couple of shots that I like today.

I am not sure which one of these photos I prefer. I do like the straight out of the camera shot but I like the softness in the second one!
This is my favorite for the day! I love that she is so willing to pose and play...I only hope my little ones start to enjoy it as well!

What am I doing?

So today was a highly frustrating day in photography! All of my photos were turning out way to dark! I do however love the photos my Friend, Angelina, took of me trying to look like I know what I am doing when taking a shot of my daughter! When I got home I told my husband of my problem and he asked to see my camera...Wallah! He was able to fix it! Without reading the manual mind you! So at the end of the day I was able to play and get some better photos!

Hands!

I like these shots I got today of my son's hands and a marble in my friends son's hands!

Can you guess what this is?

This is a fun photo that my husband took... It was taken at my daughter's swimming practice! It is a reflection of these lights in a puddle next to the pool!

Playing with editing!

So I am playing around with editing my photos...I am so far from knowing anything it isn't even funny...Here is a shot I took of my son yesterday....I love the look on his face and the fact that both of the twins are looking at something very thoughtfully!

Day 2!

Last night my husband and I got to go out for a couple of hours and celebrate his birthday at his favorite restaurant. It was great, the most stress free couple of hours I have had in a long time. I did get to take a couple of photos while we were out. The Bruschetta is my husbands favorite. Many thanks to our sitters, You guys are awesome!

New found love for Photography!

These are some of the first photos I have taken with my new camera. The lighting is off on her face. This is a favorite for me though. I need to learn the ins and outsof photoshop for some retouching but I am hoping to learn how my camera operates manually so that I can achieve some great straight out of camera shots.