17/52 and Favorite Photo Friday - looking out my front door

{Beauty}

Early Tuesday morning after coming back from walking

our pup Zoe, I grabbed my camera and went out
the door again...to take some photos.

It didn't take long for me to find beauty in the ordinary, the mundane, and the things

I sometimes take for granted that I see and look at every day.

These photos remind me to appreciate and celebrate what is around me
each and every day.

(I imagine I looked kind of funny laying on my belly in the grass, 
capturing the dandelions gone to seed. Ah...what we'll do for a photo).


Happy Friday!

Sunday Snapshot - Exploring

I love watching what they do very well, which is 

to play, investigate, learn,

experiment and explore.

“Explore” basically means to go where you haven’t been before – which is what children 

do all of the time. 

 As they grow, they change and the world looks a little different 

from their perspective.  

(Shortly after this was taken, Will fell off the little board, got his bottom wet
 and of course loved that part).

They often find themselves in new places and situations which can sometimes
 be uncomfortable, scary, exciting or fun.   
Their reactions can be inquisitive, fearful, subdued or joyous. 
 I love joyous.

(Fishing for as they called it..."goo," also known as mud and dead leaves,
they thoroughly enjoyed themselves!)

  It's fun for me to watch these two create games and try new things.
They can get quite creative.

Taken last weekend at a park we'd never explored as a family.
We'll definitely be back...and hopefully soon.

(Violet collector).

Shot with my Nikon d700 with a 35mm 1.4 lens.
f/1.8 - 2.5
1/320 - 1/800 sec.
ISO 250
Spot metering
Taken around 4pm.

This area had beautiful light
and even some soft back light (the ones of Grace and Will 'fishing').
Back light has a haziness to it that can give an image a lovely look.

Edited with Florabella's 'Lume' action from her
Luxe II collection.



(Will with sticks).

Please see more at Ni Hao Y'all's Sunday Snapshot.

16/52 and Texture Tuesday - Free and Easy eDition

{White lilacs}

My lilacs are in full bloom and I am happy about that.

I would say I haven't met a flower that I didn't like and have a few favorites.

Peonies and lilacs come to mind.

Oh and sunflowers too.

Edited with Florabella's 'Classic Film' action

with two layers of Kim Klassen's 'i Am' textures,

one at overlay and one at soft light and desaturated a little bit.

Favorite Photo Friday and 15/52 - Spring picnic

{Grace and Lydia}

I've written about Grace and Lydia before,

but to refresh your memory these girls first met at age 3 and 4 and
hit it off immediately.

Over 5 years later their friendship is going strong.

This week I had some thoughts about doing a little themed session with them,
so brought a few props along to an orchard that isn't far away.

Lydia will be turning 9 soon and every year as her birthday approaches,
I take photos of the two girls together.
It's a beautiful keepsake for them and their mommas.
They girls enjoy each other's company so much
 but haven't had the good fortune to be in the same class in school.
That doesn't seem to matter as we live only 2 houses apart and they get to spend lots of time together.
They're best friends, confidants, supreme gigglers, lovers
of sleepovers, American Girl dolls, cupcakes and sweet tea!
Oh...to be 9 again.

It was so fun to photograph these 2 on this beautiful Spring afternoon.

The apple blossoms were starting to open on the trees.

I can see where the term 'Spring green' came from, the grass and new leaves are such a vibrant shade 

this time of the year.

Oh, and as far as shooting my first 'themed' session, I was very happy with the results!

(The props weren't purchased for this, I already had the items in my home and thought they fit well with the theme).

Lisa hosts Favorite Photo Friday, so please be sure and see what she's up to...

and all of her beautiful photos.

Have a great weekend!

Sunday Snapshot - the unexpected

{Easter Sunday}

Certainly not your standard Easter photos with children

dressed up after a church service and either hunting for eggs

or holding their baskets.

I did take one of those with the camera in my phone,
and intended to take more photos of the kids with their Easter baskets with my
big camera, but that didn't happen.

 Grace and Will wanted to play.

So play they did while we waited for my family arrive 

for Easter dinner yesterday afternoon.

(A serious Superman above).

Grace was pushing Superman on the tire swing
and you can tell how he felt about it!

Taken with my Nikon d700 (with my favorite lens right now), the 35mm 1.4

Settings were:

f/ 2.8
ISO 320
1/3200

 (I wanted a fast shutter speed to freeze the movement of the tire swing).

I used Florabella's Classic Color, 1968 and Soft Warmth actions
to edit these.

14 months ago my husband Dan started looking for a new job

because his company was struggling.

He traveled all over the country to interviews

and there were several 'almost' offers.

We were on a roller coaster and not a fun one.

2 months ago his company shut down without any notice.

No job, no severance...ouch!

So he stepped up his job search and got an offer on Friday!!

It was a wonderful surprise for Easter and honestly I think

we're still on 'cloud 9.'

For now we're staying put and aren't moving but

it's highly likely we will be in a year or two to Northern California. :)

If you know Dan and I well, we are 

soft spoken, low-key people, who love to laugh, and love

our children and family more than life itself.

We have a quiet, but strong faith in God.

God was in the details of all of this, in ways too numerous to count.

My own life lesson from the last 14 months has been to completely trust in Him.

Always.

We're praising and thanking God!!!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own

understanding; in all ways acknowledge him,

and he will makes your paths straight."

~ Proverbs 3:5-6

14/52 and Favorite Photo Friday - Easter week

{Easter week storyboard}

A little fun yesterday after school with Grace and Will. 

They colored eggs and enjoyed a yummy snack.

I didn't make those cookies, though sure would have liked to...

Hope everyone has a blessed and beautiful Easter!

Sunday Snapshot - brothers and sisters

"It was nice growing up with someone like you - someone to lean on,
someone to count on...someone to tell on!"

~ unknown

"Help your brother's boat across, and your own will reach the shore."

~ Hindu proverb

"In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips."

~ unknown

The groundhog in Wisconsin was correct this year and we're

having an early Spring.

Sunshine, warmth and children playing outside together...today

they're making some childhood memories.

I think brothers and sisters can be embroiled in a sometimes - love 

and sometimes - hate relationship from the beginning. One minute

they're playing happily and the next, they're arguing about something

inconsequential. They learn to "push each other's buttons," manipulate, 

cajole, tease, share (whether they want to or not) and tolerate.

And they learn to forgive.

Grace is the typical big sister - she likes to boss Will around, tells on him

and sometimes has him wait on her like a "butler." They both have

strong personalities and want the other to play their way.

Will is a typical little brother - he adores Grace, follows her everywhere, 

spies on her, and bugs/torments her at times.

Both are delighted to get the last cookie, Popsicle, soda - anything

that denies the other something they might want.

That being said, they truly love each other and usually

are delightful together.

As I've said many times, we are so blessed to have them in our lives.

I happen to be an oldest sister with 3 younger siblings(a sister and 2 brothers).

My husband is the youngest brother of 7 children.

We both well understand this complex, yet wonderful

life long relationship Grace and William have.

And Stefanie at Ni Hao Yall has changed it upin a good way for her Sunday Snapshot.It's new and improved with a twist!
These were taken this week when we were off school for Spring Breakand took a walk around a local nature conservancy.I chose the top image as my best one. Not sure it's my best but it's my favorite becauseit was a candid of them doing what they do best...be kids.
All shot with my Nikon d700 and a 35mm 1.4 lens.
The settings were:f2.51/2000 sec.ISO 500
I brought all my pics into Lightroom and adjusted the exposure as needed.Then into photoshop CS 3 where I used Florabella'sClassic Color action at about 50%,1968 action at around 20%and Warm Color Pop at 32% on everything except their skin.