I don't eat onions!

Friends, this was a good day!
I got all of my laundry put away.
Well, I got it put into the basket anyway...and delivered to my room.
Maybe I will put it away tonight, but I doubt it.
Friday nights are not for chores!!

I spent the day with a buddy of mine who cooked us lunch and let me shoot pictures the whole time!
It was so fun not to have to stop and put the camera down to stir or mix or blend or anything else.
Just look at her delightful onion. It was begging for a picture!

Lucky thing I don't eat onions, or this beauty may have been in the pan instead of on the veggie stand!!
More about all of that later.
I am off!!

Day 17 done!!

I am feeling like all my posts lately are pictures.
Sorry about that... it is just where I am right now.
I only have so much time in a day and it is amazing how much of that time can be eaten up by laundry, cooking, homework, child delivery to events, sleeping, grocery shopping, dishes and other assorted things. You know...MY JOB!!!
And I am not even counting general house cleaning...not sure when that is gonna get done!! ;)
So forgive me as I get through this time in my life.
I am hoping at least it is staying partially interesting with something different to look at each day!!

As you know I am desperately trying to keep up with my Joy of Love assignments each day!
We are on Day 17 and I have succeeded so far. I am pretty proud of that. Not sure that there aren't but a few handfuls of people who are on track...which by the way is not a requirement of the challenge but one one I have put forth on myself.

Today was things you do when you stay in...at home.

Ha, when I stay home it is usually to do chores and I didn't want that to be my topic.

Instead, I had the rare event of only having my daughter home for a short while after school today. Just she and I for a few quiet moments.

I bribed her with a root beer float to take some pictures with me!
Actually, right when she walked in I said..."Hey, I need your help with something!"
She quickly responded, "Sure Mom, you know I will help you with whatever you need."
She was glad it included root beer and icecream!!



I couldn't ever get it to look exactly how I wanted with the two of us, so I switched to just her.
Girls!!



Ooooooohhhhh, aaaaaahhhhhhh. Sparkly Bokeh!!!!

I have got to get!

Photo!

Look at this!
Just look at it.

Totally, right in the middle of a jump, in focus picture!
Gotta love it!
That is all I wanted to say.
See ya later for a real post...gotta take my pictures first!

Unwilling Partner

OH boy!!!
Today's assignment: Together, self portrait.
Meaning you and another living being in the picture.
The only requirement was you, yourself in the photo!!

I had vision of my dog running across the yard to calmly sit in my lap while the camera did it's work. HA!!
Here is what really happened!

First we tried outside.

Which was fine for exactly 20 seconds until the neighbor dogs heard us and set to barking on the other side of the fence.
Strike one!
I then tried several other locations outside, none of which I liked, strikes 2 and 3.
But I didn't give up, no I did not!!
We came inside and I decided to just try to get pictures of myself in a mirror, while the Shelbster took a break.
A photo shoot can be hard on a puppy!


I found that it is hard to make yourself not look like a crazy person who is taking a picture of yourself trying not to look like you are taking a picture of yourself. You know what I mean??

And....
It is hard to know where the camera is looking and what it is focusing on.

Or if you will accidentally push the button while talking to the dog as if she actually cares what is going on.

Sigh!
I literally loaded 80 pictures and most of them were like this!!


I finally decided that I didn't hate this one!


Then it was back at it with my trusty companion.
Can I tell ya, she was just as unwilling!!

Come on Shelby...please just take a picture with me...

...PLEASE!


At this point in my day I was out of time and had to be out the door for an appointment.

But, I was determined not to give up yet!
And, after reading the tutorial again, got a fantastic idea!
So I set up the tripod again and let my 10 year old act as my remote shutter release!
That means he got to push the button!
Genius, right?!?

So, I requested the presence of my dog once again.
She just wanted to look at the squirrels out the window.


Come on Shelbster...just look at the camera already!

Don't ya just hate it when their lips get stuck up on their gums and they have snaggle teeth and they look like they are insane and ferocious!
Yeah, I hate that too!
But everyone at my house is very familiar with this face and insisted that I include it in this chronicle.
Alrighty then, now here she is just about to spring off of my lap.

I just tried to ignore her as I coached my son to keep pushing the button as I tried to not look insane and ferocious.


Deep heavy sigh!
Oh well, you get what you get!!

I learned a ton today despite all of the craziness.

The two shots on the stairs were taken with the lens that came with my camera...a 30-75 something or other.
All the other shots I took with my new lens!! Oh, I really really like it!
It is a bit temperamental...but hey aren't we all.

Some days...

Assignment compete for Day 15: Kiss.



I have to say this has been my most humdrum feeling picture day.
I absolutely did not want to even take my camera out of the bag!

What it comes down to is that I have a little something going on, that I can't write about, but wish I could, but can't, but wish I could, but can't.
So I have that inner struggle going on and just have to get past it.

Now, I don't want you to be worried...it is just more growing up and living life, and trying to be Christ like in my actions.
Some days that takes a lot of energy, and this is just one of those days!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Our photo assignment today was wedding rings.
20 years ago when these rings were first purchased and inscribed, you could clearly read the words...

"My only Love..."
Now it just says nly Love!


I wanted to try to be a bit creative as well, and this is what I came up with.

I can't decide if I like it or not.

I don't have time to chit chat today.
I have a child home sick and I need to plan a fantastic Valentines Feast.
I have a feeling it might just be a simple steak and taters night.

Love to you and yours today!!

Photo!

Day 13 for my joy challenge!
Routines!

Monday is not only laundry day but trash day too!
Each Sunday my daughter, in all her dressed up splendor gets her trash chore done!

Oh, yeah...that is a routine!
Done!