Strolling Down Photo Layne.....

Valerie's Senior Pics :)

2011-03-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this young lady is completely lovely. :) I love photography and this sweetheart makes me love my job even more. I had so much fun! Can't wait to get our spring shots. ;)

Because I asked.....

2011-02-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

Because I love snowmen.....and I asked my youngest son to build me one. This is what I got. :) I love the army hat touch. It's so him. lol

Blogging has gotten away from me.......again. :)

2011-02-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

I really want to blog. lol Really. I visit all these awesome blog sites with updates every day or every other day. And I wonder to myself, how in the world do they find the time to do it? Sometimes life gets away from you.................and then you wake up again to the dirty dishes, laundry, whiny teenagers and a very demanding (but cute!) husband. :) But I have been taking pictures....and doing projects...and creating albums. I have, really I have. ;) So just throwing some stuff up for you guys to check out....randomly, of course. Because as you know, I'm pretty random. :)

This is Marylee and her beautiful horse, Ricky. He's gorgeous.....he's awesome......and I'm pretty sure he was the one that slimmed me on my wool jacket. ;) Wait, I think that was Winston, actually. Never-the-less, it's always worth getting slimmed. I love horses.

Beautiful lady....beautiful horse.

The Norris Family :)

2010-12-13T16:52:00.000-08:00

I love the Norris Family. It was wonderful spending time with you guys and I enjoyed the fellowship so much! Even if Sean would have rather been hunting. :) That's okay. lol I'm sure the deer appreciated me keeping him busy. :)

David & Farrah 11/21/2010

2010-12-02T07:28:00.000-08:00

David and Farrah sitting in a tree....

K.I.S.S.I.N.G.....

First comes love

Then comes marriage......

Congratulations you two! I love you both and I pray that the Lord will bless your marriage and your lives for many, many, many years to come! Keep Him first in your lives, He'll never let you down. :)

More pictures to come....

Stefanie & Zack !

2010-11-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

Random. Fav Picture. Ever.

2010-11-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I love this picture. But I do. Maybe because it's more down on their level...... Maybe I'm spending too much time in the field. Maybe I'd get more done if I'd stop taking pictures of my horses. :) I don't really see that happening.

Playin' With My Horsies :)

2010-11-19T09:19:00.000-08:00

This is my Cutie girl enjoying some fresh field grass. I love my horsies. :) And I'm making a habit of playing with them. They love it, trust me.......Look at Dakota's face below...... :)

Okay, so maybe there's a little fear in there. lol I can't blame him though. Being chased around the field by a little crazy lady with a big camera probably wouldn't be my idea of a nice, relaxing afternoon in the field.

Obviously Chester wants nothing to do with this. :)

Miracle.....although, I think we're going to change his name soon, enjoyed racing around the field. That's what he told me, anyhow.

Awwww, they love to play.

And run from me......

And jump.....

And dance..... :)

But now it's time to come in....

Which is good, because my girl here gets mad when she has to come in first. lol She kicks her stall and gives me the 'look'. But that's okay.....she's still my girl. :) I love my horsies.

Happy Birthday to My Baby Boy!

2010-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, so he's not really mine. ;) He should be. lol But then again, I wouldn't want to make his mom cry so I guess she can still keep him. Sigh.......my little Calan is the BIG ONE now. :) And he's still as cute as a bug. And he gives the BEST hugs. Seriously. He sinks deep into your arms and snuggles right into you, wrapping his little arms around your neck.........sigh. If I didn't like his mom........lol. That's right, he'd be mine. :) Now, if we could just keep him this little forever....... :)

KATIE SNEAK PEAK ;)

2010-11-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick peak at Katie's Senior pics. :) What a beautiful, young lady! And she's just as sweet. I had such a great time, more pictures coming soon. Enjoy your last year of high school! Because after that......reality hits all too soon. ;)

Sneak Peak of Megan :)

2010-10-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

Probably my all time favorite of Megan! :) More to come. I also had the opportunity of shooting her bestest friend Katie. :) Absolutely beautiful. Will be posting soon.

Nichole & Randy.......4EVER. :)

2010-10-13T11:33:00.000-07:00

My beautiful sister. I love these shots of her and her wonderful husband Randy. They're perfect together and for each other. I couldn't have picked a better man for her. :) Here's to many more years together to come! I love you guys. :)

Chris & Sara Ferguson!!

2010-09-24T15:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Chris and Sara! May the Lord richly bless your marriage for many, many years to come. We're so proud of you and love you two very much!

Blog Boards :)

2010-09-21T09:35:00.001-07:00

Okay, I'm in love.................with Blog boards. lol Just trying this out. I'll be posting again.....very, very soon. ;)

This Cracks Me Up!!!

2010-09-20T18:48:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I just had to post this because it seriously CRACKS ME UP! lol Seriously. It's probably one of my all time favorite shots ever. :) Love it! But then again, they are two of my all time favorite people. :) Chris and Sara.....congratulations on your wedding! It was wonderful and Sara, you looked absolutely beautiful. I will be posting more 'actual' shots later this week, but until then, have a good laugh at this one. Love you guys!

Lindsey :)

2010-09-14T04:55:00.001-07:00

Here's another sneak peak on a Senior session I'm working on. :) This young lady is sweet, sincere and has a heart of gold. When you compare her to so many other young ladies out there, she is truly on top. She's not typical, she's not caught up in the world and she truly has a heart to serve God. And I adore her. Plus, she's the love of my son's life. :) Can you blame him? lol She's lovely. Lindsey, you have a special place in our hearts. We hope you stick around. ;)

Megan :)

2010-09-06T08:43:00.001-07:00

Okay, I have 4 different sessions I'm working on. lol And there's not enough time in one day to complete all I need to do! So, what happens is that the sessions that involve family members are always put on the back burner. lol But they are not forgotten. :) This is my beautiful niece Megan and this is her senior year. Trust me, we've just started taking pictures......we're doing a session for each season. Yes, that's right. lol Why? Because she's my girl. The downside is....she has to wait longer than anyone else to actually get her pictures. lol But that's okay, I know she still loves me. Isn't she beautiful? :)

Jeff and Rachel :)

2010-09-03T05:58:00.001-07:00

Aww, don't you love the happy groom and bride feeding each other cake and hoping and praying that the one you love doesn't smash it into your face? ;) Well, these two have a lot of love and respect for each other and it was a JOY to capture their special day for them. The wedding colors were red, black and white. Absolutely beautiful. The decorations perfect, the bride lovely and the groom dashing. :) This bride has a special place in my heart, and Jeff is a very blessed man to have taken her as his wife. I pray that the Lord blesses you and strengthens you both in the days to come. Marriage is a beautiful thing. :) Here are a few shots from their special day...

I love how she's holding his face here.....

And.........it's done! lol On their way out as husband and wife!

The bride's parents.

Love this one.

The Bridal Party.

One of my favorites.

They chose to have a "First Look". I love that. It's when they see each other right before the ceremony and have a chance for some private time and beautiful pictures to be taken.

The beautiful bride...

The dashing groom....

So just a few to enjoy. :) The entire wedding will be posted by early next week. Love you guys!

Sneak Peak!

2010-08-18T13:59:00.001-07:00

Weddings.......hmm. lol Yes, they are a bittersweet thing for me. :) On one hand, I'm totally in love with the couple I'm shooting for and so blessed to be able to capture their special day for them. And then on the other hand, I'm so totally STRESSED at the responsibility of capturing their special day for them. lol Usually by the time I leave a wedding, I've vowed to never shoot one again. It's true. Then I get home and see all the wonderful shots, happy faces and oozing love. :) It's almost like childbirth for me........I soon forget the pain and enjoy the product. I'm not sure if I'll continue down the path of Weddings.......I'm just not sure if it's for me. But that's okay, I don't believe weddings are for every photographer. I'm still trying to find my way in this great, big world of photography.......and I'm excited about where I may end up. Kinda like Dorothy landing in the Land of Oz. I just don't know what's around the corner. Congratulations Jeff and Rachel!! Love you guys! There's more coming soon.

Hello!!

2010-08-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's me again! :) I've made a few changes recently. First of all, I've gotten rid of FACEBOOK! lol Yes, it took way too much of my time and can really cause you to be idle minded, and I know that's not what the Lord wants in my life. It's a nice way to advertise your work but then again, the Lord has always been faithful in bringing the work. :) And I'm also going to be changing my website very soon. I've got a new logo and I'm excited to get it out there. :) It's nothing fancy, it's just simple and clean. And I love it. Here's a few shots of some of the work I've been doing. I'll be posting several wedding posts very soon. They deserve their own special slot. :) This is Tyler! He's as cute as a button. And he looks just like his momma. ;)

The Sommers Family. Love them. :)

Beautiful Vanessa!

Gorgeous Brittney!

Love this shot! You're beautiful Angie! I'm so happy for you and Andrew getting married soon! Hope you enjoyed all the pictures. :)

This kid was so much fun! Loved working with you Brandon!

So, yes, I'll be on here ALOT more in the near future! I never get tired of photography. It truly is one of the many joys of my life. God Bless, talk to you soon. :)

Blogged Down..... A Wedding and some Seniors too. :)

2010-04-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been 'blogged' down. :) Just a little. Please accept my sincere apologies. Sincerely. :) Things just started taking off for this little business of mine, and I am so very grateful. So I've kinda mushed everything together from the last several weeks into one big, happy family of pictures. :) Hope you don't mind. It's how I roll. I had the privilege of shooting a beautiful couple by the names of Emily and Matt Trivett. I'm a sucker for a Marine, believe you me. lol It was a beautiful day for a beautiful wedding. I couldn't have met a nicer family than the Hardy's and Trivett's. Thank you so much for including me in your special day. Also, some awesome Seniors I had the privilege of spending some time with...Josh Long, Josh Flatt and Abbey Ward!

Love this one!

Josh Flatt......he's taken girls. Sorry. ;)

Beautiful Abbey. :)

Yes, a Marine. lol

Another fav. :)

Josh Long.....a true sweetheart. I truly enjoyed working with this young man. :)

Love this one, too. :)

And this one.

Okay... so I really have a ton of pics that I wanted to post, but just don't have time. Check out my website gallery for more fun. :) Night-night. ;)

A Winter Engagement...

2010-01-19T18:12:00.000-08:00

Mary and Thomas....yes, the perfect couple. Seriously. :) I met Mary when she was in the 2nd grade. She was so cute! She had this big, pink bow tied in the back of her hair. She turned around and smiled this huge, adorable smile at me. That's when I decided she was going to marry my son. :) Seriously. But....then Thomas entered the picture. lol Whatever! Just joking. I love these two kids. We decided to meet up just for couple pictures and when I got there, they informed me that Thomas had actually just proposed to Mary that day. :) To say the least, it was exciting. So, our ordinary photo shoot turned into a Winter Engagement Session. Here's a few of my favs from the day... They're special spot. :)

She's so pretty....lol.

Um....cough, cough.....love the ring. :)

Look how he's looking at her......lol. I think he likes her. lol

Love this one. :)

My FAVORITE!

Another fav. :)

As you can see, there were no kissing pictures taken. You see, he's going to be a pastor and she'll be a pastor's wife. :) They have standards they want to keep. Sigh.....what a relief to know some young adults with a few standards. :) Thank you, Lord.....there's hope for us all yet!

This Face...

2009-12-10T06:43:00.001-08:00

You see this face? I love this face. This is what I get to see every single morning when I first wake up and every night right before I go to bed. :) I love this face. Just thought I'd let you guys know that. :)

Look at that cute little smile. :)

This is his little innocent look. lol Because he is you know, innocent. :) He does nothing wrong............ever! .....................Okay, maybe sometimes he's a handful. Okay, most days he can be a handful. lol But I love him. Have I told you that already? It's true.

My Girl Alexis....Senior Pics

2009-12-08T05:33:00.000-08:00

This is my girl Alexis. :) She's very talented and beautiful and doesn't even know it. I love that about her. She was probably one of my 'most fun' Seniors to photograph. I hardly had to pose her. :) Alexis.... I love ya, sweetheart. Here are a few from our session together...

Love this look.

LOVE THIS ONE THE MOST!

Enjoy the rest of your Senior year, Alexis! And behave!!!

Rylee Lynn

2009-12-02T17:21:00.001-08:00

Rylee Lynn ..... it was a pleasure meeting you. :) She was absolutely adorable although she wasn't too thrilled about some of my posing ideas. :) But we got a 'few'....and I mean...a few cute shots. Congratulations on your new little blessing straight from Heaven. And thank you for letting me capture a "few" moments of the first weeks of her life.

Love this one....so sweet. :)

She didn't really want to look at me.....so this snapshot was a blessing. lol

Aren't they always so sweet when they are sleeping? lol Precious baby girl.

Can't Forget About Jamison...

2009-11-17T18:14:00.001-08:00

Jamison. Yes....Jamison. :) This young man showed up in a suit and tie (pictures posted down further). I was impressed, to say the least. Thank you for letting me take your Senior Pictures. It was a honor. And may God Bless your future and all your plans. :) Here are a few of my favorites....

Bad boy. :)

Gotta love a young man in a tie. :)

Fav!

Havin' some fun. :)

Love this one, too. :)

Keep up the good work, blue eyes. :) And enjoy your last year of high school. :)

Shelby and Ashley.....Best Friends :)

2009-11-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

Shelby.....how did you grow up so fast? I remember this young lady coming over to my house for the first time. She was a little shy.....at first. lol We found out that she liked to wrestle....nonstop.....for hours. Needless to say, she ended up staying the night with us and our kids and we've loved her ever since. :) Now she went and grew up on us. And she's beautiful. Shelby, enjoy your Senior year and keep on laughing. Love the laugh. Love the girl. :)

Love the laugh.....

My favorite two....

And then there's Ashley.........Shelby's best friend. :) She was just as striking and I loved the friendship between these two....

Beautiful.....

Love this one!!!!!

Just For Fun...

2009-10-26T06:24:00.001-07:00

This shoot was a just for fun, kinda modeling shoot. Lauren is a beautiful, young lady so she makes my job pretty easy. We had some fun ideas and I'm really happy with our results. I'm sure we'll be doing this again real soon. :)

Love these shots!

Can't wait for her wedding! lol Soon, maybe?

Josh's Senior Pictures...

2009-10-18T18:48:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know....he's adorable. :) I'm sure he'll appreciate reading that he's adorable. That's how seniors are. :) Josh, I had a blast shooting your senior pics. I didn't even mind hiking 15 miles through the pit to get to the railroad ties. It was sooooooooo worth it. lol Thanks for being such a trooper and putting up with this old lady. :) May the Lord bless your future and the plans that He has for you. Here are a few of my fav pics of the day...

Jeff & Rachel's Engagement...

2009-10-13T19:24:00.000-07:00

They met in college. He wants to be a pastor. She wants a man of faith. They really are perfect for each other. :) Jeff and Rachel, it was a pleasure to shoot your engagement session. Thank you for the privilege. I can't wait for the wedding! August seems so far away. Congrats to you both, you guys are so wonderful together. A few of my favs:

Love this one.

Love this one soooooooo much! :)

I love this one of her. She's beautiful...

The Hickey Clan...

2009-09-24T12:30:00.001-07:00

Yes, I know. Two blog entries in one week is unheard of. But it's true. Here it is staring you face to face. :) I must not be feeling like myself lately. This is a very, special clan of siblings. lol They were so much fun and easy to photograph. They were so different from each other but then again, very much like each other. Weird. lol But as you can see, all three are just as cute as can be. Enjoy...

Love this one. :)

One of my favorites. :)

She so pretty. :)

I LOVE THIS PICTURE SO........MUCH!! Seriously. lol

That's it for now. I've got quite a few sessions lined up in the next few months. I'm lovin' my job. :) God has been so good to me. :)

Lovely Lauren...Senior Pics

2009-09-19T13:13:00.000-07:00

She's lovely....she's lively....she's Lauren. :) I had the privilege of shooting (I love to say that :) this young lady last week. Lauren is one of a kind and was a pro in front of the camera. I really enjoyed this session and enjoyed working with this young lady. I just know your future holds many adventures and blessings! Keep on being beautiful...

This last one is one of my favorite pics of all time! I'll be blogging again very soon. :)

Life is Good

2009-08-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's true.......I'm almost 40 years old. lol Well, not for another 5 months......but it's gonna happen. :) And that's okay with me. :) Really. I really don't mind. But I do know one thing, getting older can change your views on some things. Things you took for granted all of a sudden become more important to you. Death also has the same affect on people. We had to bury my brother-n-law two weeks ago. :( He was only 48 years old. It was sudden but not totally unexpected. He had been battling cancer for 9 months and eventually it was the radiation treatment that took his life. But the most important thing was that he accepted Christ as his Savior two months before he died. :) Yes, God is that good.

And life is good. So my husband and I are thinking of doing something. :) I'm not going to say for sure, but I'll let you know if it works out. :) But like I said..........life is good.

Josh & Mrs. Laughter

2009-08-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

Josh and Bree.......two people very much alike. :) I had so much fun shooting these two. I like Josh's distinctive features and he was a pro in front of the camera. :) I LOVE shooting people that enjoy their picture taken. lol Not many people do. So it was a real pleasure to capture some moments for these two. God bless you both.

I love her look in this one.

One of my all time favorite picks. :)

Love this one of him. :)

Oh yeah, she's sassy all right. lol But she's a sweetheart. I'm looking forward to taking more of these two. Call me anytime! :P Love you guys!

Beautiful and Related...

2009-08-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, I seriously have the most beautiful nieces in the world. :) Seriously. This is Erika. I had the privilege of shooting these two sisters a couple of weeks ago. Here is some of what we captured...

I love her eyes. :) Beautiful. And.....she's single. lol

Erika and Megan.....spells trouble. lol

I loved all these shots. :) But they make my work so easy. lol Even though they have different mothers, they share so many similarities. It's scary. lol But I'm sure you'll see more photos of these two posted in the near future. I just won't be able to help myself. :)

Monday and Randomness...

2009-07-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's Monday. :) And it's just beautiful. lol Why is it that Monday always seems to be the day for disaster? Seriously. If it's going to break, it will break on Monday morning, bright and early just to set the tone for the rest of the week. :) Yeah. So, I dealt with some nasty virus stuff this morning and spent the rest of the day driving from here to Kingdom Come. I'm whooped. But I thought, well, I'd better get on here and post something! :) I'm sure you'd be disappointed if I didn't......right? lol Sure you would. I know all of you love me. And I love you too. :) So here are some random shots I've taken recently....reminding me of this wonderful random Monday I've had to endure. Random......that's me all right. :)

So, yep, that's it. More later. :)

My First Real Wedding....Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Merrill :)

2009-07-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the day after I got back from Jamaica, I was scheduled to do my first wedding. Yikes. To say the least, I was a little bit nervous. :) But you know what? I had a BLAST! I'm pretty happy with the turnout and I learned a few things also along the way. And I think that's what's important. But I really and truly enjoyed it....I just may venture down this road again in the future. :) But this is lovely, yes truly lovely Sarah and her new husband Nathan. They were adorable and obviously, totally in love with one another. I wish them many, blessed and happy years together. And I pray that they always keep Jesus in the center of their marriage. Marriage definitely has it's ups and downs. lol You're going to need Him. :) Here's a few of my favorite pics of the day...

Love these candid moments. :)

Yes, these guys were alot of fun! I didn't have to coax them too hard to get this shot. :)

She's so stinkin' cute! lol

One of my favs. :)

So that's it for now. :) More posting later.

Back and Been Busy... :)

2009-07-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, I really mean to post on here at least twice a week! Yeah....that doesn't seem to always happen. :) But as most of my family and friends know...I'm back! :) Bronzed and well rested too. My trip to Jamaica was....let's just say interesting. lol The first 6 days I got to experience "true" Jamaican life. :) Yes, most of you are now saying..."Cool! I would love to do that!" lol That's what I thought too. :) But this Western pampered girl wasn't use to taking cold showers every day. lol There were some things that I had to just get use to. :) The Jamaican food was WONDERFUL! We had fish, fruit (fresh mangos from the backyard), ackee, Jerk chicken and peas and rice. And so much more. :) The people were very nice.....um, some REALLY friendly people. lol It's common for Jamaican men to want to marry an American woman to be able to go to the United States to live. So the men are VERY flirty. I can't really blame them though. You see, Jamaica is a socialist nation. Which means there are a few elite and wealthy, with the majority of the people living in poverty. The resort areas are absolutely breathtaking. But when you go deeper into the island, you get a real taste of what socialism is. And it's not pretty. So my heart really goes out to these people. A lot of them have a true love for God, although pot and alcoholism run thick. Like anywhere else. So here are a few pics from my visit, I'm not able to post them all today but I hope you enjoy these. Love ya all!

Font Beach, Caribbean Sea, Jamaica.

Mangroves on the Black River, Jamaica.

Jerk Chicken....this whole meal cost about 4 American dollars. One US dollar equals 86 Jamaican dollars.

Pretty waterfall.

Bamboo Avenue, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

Yes, cows and goats run free. :) At least he was on the correct side of the road.

My favorite. :)

That's it! I will be posting pictures from my very own, FIRST wedding very soon! It was awesome! I think I may venture down the wedding road......here I come!!!

Jamaica!!!

2009-06-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hello there blog readers...it's been awhile. Sorry about that. :) I've been pretty busy ( I know I always say that) but it's true. :) Every summer I like to make a special trip somewhere I haven't been before. Now, since my husband doesn't want to travel internationally, I do not let this bother me. I DO want to travel internationally. So we have a deal, he buys the tickets and I take someone else. lol Works for me. :) I learned a long time ago that when I force him to do something he really doesn't want to do or enjoy doing, it ends up making us both miserable. So, I bite the bullet........and go fill up my passport without him. :) It's okay though, because life goes by too fast not to do what you really enjoy. And I'm blessed to be able to do this. So, my next journey is.....you guessed it! Jamaica!! I'm so excited I can't even see straight! lol We have a wonderful employee by the name of Russell who is originally from Jamaica. His beautiful wife Violet has graciously invited me to come and visit for a week or so. So, I'm packing my bags and heading out of here on Tuesday! I'm really looking forward to this particular trip because it won't be the usual tourist trap vacation. I think it will be a lot more fun to see the island with someone who has always lived there. :) So I am truly looking forward to it. And yes, I will be posting TONS of pics as soon as I can. Love ya all!

Yikes..My First Wedding...

2009-05-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

Hello there everyone! :) Okay, last weekend I had the honor of working with a fellow photographer friend of mine, Christi Nelson of Rawsii.com. Check out her site, she's awesome. I had contacted her about being able to shoot at one of her weddings for some experience and to see if I wanted to go down the avenue of "wedding photographer". :) Well needless to say, I had a blast! But oh my, what a lot of hard work. Seriously, the photographer never stops the entire day. But I can see why some photographers would choose to do this kind of work. It was really exciting to be part of such a special day. The bride and groom's names are Jessica and Aaron and I really appreciate them letting me join in on all the fun. And hey, the filet mignon wasn't bad either. lol Thanks Christi, looking forward to working with you again!

Now mind you, I was the third shooter there that day and I didn't have to worry about doing any of the posing.......which took the stress off of me and allowed me to just shoot and have fun!

This was where the wedding was held. I really enjoyed getting shots of this beautiful mansion.

One of my favorite shots of the day. :) I think I may just look into this wedding side of photography......we'll see. :)

A New and Pretty Face...

2009-05-25T19:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, it's been too long since I've blogged last....my loyal blog readers. :) But, I've been busy. :) I hope everyone had a safe and happy Memorial Day today. I hope you enjoyed your families, good food and good conversation. We went to the Parade here in Mishawaka.....it's been going on for over 50 years. I love that. I love parades. I love the patriotism you feel as you watch American Vets proudly walk down the street....waving and saluting at other vets and supporters. I'm so thankful for the men and women that have chosen to serve...and give their lives to protect me and my family. My own two Marines are constantly on my mind and in my prayers. Oh yes, as a Marine Mom....I fully appreciated and understand. But back to the pics, this is Brianna. She's the daughter of some old friends of ours that we haven't seen in a very, very long time. She just went and grew up on me. :) She's lovely. And Brianna, remember, the Lord has a special plan for your life......looking forward to spending more time with you. Love you sweetheart.

Isn't she lovely?

In the Shadow of the O' Rugged Cross...

2009-05-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've had some disappointments this week.....some trials, some events I wish just didn't exist. Yes it's true blog readers, sometimes things just don't work out the way that I want them to. :) It's true. I know, unheard of, huh? Sometimes life just makes you want to stay in bed, pull the covers all the way up and say......"Is it really worth all the trouble?"

The truth of the matter is.......is that Satan is busy doing his job. And yes, he's good at what he does. He's a pro......been doing it for decades. But it seems like to me that whenever God starts to move in my life.......here comes trouble. Something pulls me this way......and something else starts pulling me the other way. The Word of God says that a man's heart is evil and deceitfully wicked. That's what it says. And because I know this truth....I never follow the old heathen saying....."Just follow your heart." Hmmm, no......I choose to follow Jesus. Some of us are caught up in sin because of our own choices. Satan has nothing to do with it. It's not always easy to do what's right. The flesh and spirit battle against each other every day. Daily, we must choose to take up our O' Rugged Cross and follow Christ.

But you know what? It is worth all the trouble. God is love. He's merciful and at the same time, Just. And He's holy. I know nothing else in this world that is holy.....just Him.

You see, I'm a sinner. Imperfect, guilty, hopeless.....sinner. But because of what Jesus did for me.....up on the hill called Calvery. Calvery.....He chose me. He chose you. It takes my breath away when I contemplate exactly what He accomplished that day. You nor I will ever, ever know anyone in our lives that would do for us, what He did. Ever. Be honest. That is just how much He loves us. Love. That's what He is.

Jesus..........He's the answer to all our problems. He's the true meaning of life. And He has never, ever let me down. Ever. People do....and they always will. That's where we get ourselves in trouble....when we put a person in the center of our lives. Another human being is not capable of fulfilling all of our needs. Only God can.

So this day....I choose to take up my O' Rugged Cross......and follow Jesus down the path of righteousness. What road are you traveling?

Drivers Ed.....

2009-05-14T16:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure when it happened. But it did. My little boy grew up. This is Joey. He's actually our second child....kinda stuck in the middle....the quiet one. :) Unless you get him mad. :) Then you'll hear from him. When he was a baby and would become frustrated or upset, he would SCREAM at the top of his lungs. No seriously, SCREAM. I wanted no more children after him. He almost ruined it for his younger brother and sister. But thankfully, he grew out of that. Now if my husband and I can get two words out of him, we become like estactic little teenage girls who just got to see Elvis Presley for the first time. No seriously. We get that excited. We so love him dearly. :) But now, he's taking drivers ed. Yep, he's driving me around town. Sometimes it's not so pretty. I can feel the gray hair growing in thicker. But, I just snap on my seatbelt, say a little prayer......and away we go! It's loads of fun. If you haven't experienced this yet with your child........you're in for a treat! I have two down...........and two more to go!

My FAVORITE all-time picture of him. :) He's so cute!

Love this one. :)

And this is me.........................that's how I roll. :)

Been Busy..... :)

2009-05-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

No seriously....I've been sooooooo busy. :) But that's a good thing! I truly love doing what I've been doing. I was just telling my husband this morning....thank you. Because I really couldn't do what I love unless he totally supported me and backed me up. Sometimes I spend hours and hours editing....he comes downstairs to visit me every now and then. :) But I'm truly blessed.....just can't seem to put it into words today. Here are just a few favorite shots that I've taken this past week. Enjoy. :)

These two young ladies are simply beautiful.....and best friends. :)

Love this picture!

Some of the sweetest young ladies I know. :)

Love this one!

My two boys. :)

I love Zack.....

This picture cracks me up. This is a true expression if I've ever seen one! :) Okay, more editing to do! Be back soon.

JB.......for Just Beautiful...

2009-05-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is JB....I know, she is just lovely. The funny part of this whole session is that she informed me (with a very serious face) that she took terrible pictures. She truly tried to convince me that she was just NOT photogenic AT ALL. Lol.....okay, well.....I have to disagree. :) She's beautiful.

I LOVE THIS ONE!!!

Thanks JB for allowing me to capture an important part of your life! You are a true sweetheart. :)

James...

2009-04-30T17:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, this was a lot of fun.... :) Here are a few shots from our Senior picture session with James. :) Not only is he adorable...but he is a true gentleman. You don't find that these days in young men to often. He also has a special place in my heart. :) With our oldest son Tony leaving and joining the Marines...James kinda took our youngest son..Professor X under his wing. I couldn't have picked a better mentor for him. :) Thank you, James.

I LOVE this one!

Sorry ladies....someone has already stolen his heart...lol......wink, wink...JB. :) This one is my favorite shot of the whole session.

You are going to be sorely missed next year! God bless you, sweetheart. :)

Michael & Lauren...

2009-04-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Okay...this is my nephew and his beautiful girlfriend Lauren...yes, I know...she's lovely. :) So they've been dating for awhile now and wanted some photos together. Who was I to tell them NO? Like that was going to happen. lol Enjoy.

So sweet..

Notice the name "Mike" etched in the tree? So random.....love that! It was already there.

That's right....the whole spideyman kiss thing.

Yes, this is the real Lauren...lol. She cracks me up.

Just a few of my favs. I'll probably take more later. lol

Alex and her fan club...

2009-04-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

This is Alex....the sweetest little girl in the whole wide world! No, seriously. lol I'm her great aunt and I had the honor of being able to photograph her. She is absolutely beautiful.

This picture cracks me up....she's very dainty and the grass was tickling her little feet. It's like she's saying......."You seriously want me to sit here?"

My awesome nephew Billy......Alex's proud daddy. :)

Love this one!

Dainty....lol.

RRRWWWW....lol.

Aww, there's Alex's beautiful momma, Michelle...

Love this one too. :)

Kissy baby... :)

Love this one.

So sweet...

Can't wait to take more of this little one... :)

Professor X

2009-04-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Professor X loves his homework....no really, he does. :) Can't you tell? He's also very smart, way above his grade level....well, kinda. :) This is where Professor X goes pretty much every day to do his homework. But I want you to look closely........see the red arrow? Oh yes, it's pointing to what he really wants to be doing right at this moment in time. So I wait......with camera in hand. I already know the temptation will be too great for him... And I wait.... still waiting... And when he thinks I'm not looking.........WHAM, there it is! It was too much for him. I hope you understand. :) He's only 9.

Gotta get his goggles on straight........it's hard to do! You try it.

This is kinda a sad looking little Marine...

ON YOUR FACE AND GIVE ME 20!!! And just what kind of Marine lets his rifle that far out of his reach anyways?

It takes a lot of concentration and hard work to be Professor X. I hope you understand. :)

My Baby...

2009-04-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

What is going on? lol This is totally random. None of my boys have wanted to skateboard other than maybe down the driveway and back. But not Jonathan....no, not him. :) We have this really nice park close to our house and for $4.00, you can skate all day. He made me PROMISE him to take him on last Saturday. Pinky promise. So, off we went, he was totally drooling at the mouth. lol So as we get to the gate to pay, they won't take my debit card....yes, it's sad, I didn't even have four dollars on me. So he's like, "Mom, dig for change!!!" Lol...I love this kid. So yes, I had change at the bottom of my purse (I usually do) so Jonny got to skate his heart out for a whole hour! He wasn't even scared....although he did fall several times, got back up and skated away again. So yeah, it was great except for the too loud heavy rock music and some of the kid's were cussing at each other like drunken sailors..lol...but all in all, it was worth it. Now we have to go back once a week. Sigh....who would have thought...skateboarding? What about soccer?

There he goes......sorry, no falling down pictures...don't want to embarrass the little guy. :)

I've also been informed that we need a different type of board. The kind that leans up on both sides....what was I thinking? So, yea....I'll be going to the store this week. But that's okay. It's my mom duty. :)

Just For Fun...

2009-04-16T19:50:00.001-07:00

Okay, this shoot was just for fun, for practice and for some free shots for the family. :) This is my nephew's beautiful girlfriend Lauren. She really is striking and I had a blast working with her. She'll be modeling for me some more in the near future. I decided to work on a high ISO setting with a little more grain in these shots. I love the look. I'll be trying different looks as I go until I find the absolute perfect look for me. :) Enjoy...

I LOVE THIS SHOT!!!!!!!

This is my beautiful niece Melissa. She's the momma of the two cute boys coming up. But I wanted to concentrate more on her in these shots. Striking eyes.

I love these shots......and Michael (that's my nephew) you'd better behave! lol

Typical day in Melissa's Life..

So....more grain? Or stick with a clearer shot? What do you think?

Would you like some sugar with that tea?

2009-04-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

This is why I love America. Because as of right now, we still have a right to voice our opinions. We're Americans....so we have lots of opinions. lol This is one of the many organized Tea Parties that came together yesterday. This is in my hometown, South Bend in front of the County Court House. There were only a few hundred people involved, but that's okay. I'd rather have a few hundred people who care than none at all. These were a mix of people, Republicans, Democrats, Independents.....coming together to protest our pork loving, money spending and liberal Obama administration. Enough is enough. Of course the local liberal media didn't cover it that much, but that is to be expected. :) There wasn't any fighting, voilence or such. Just the people wanting their voices heard. You see, we're a Republic....not a Democracy. Note*Say the Pledge of Allegiance to yourself. :) These two forms of government: Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between (a) The Majority Unlimited, in a Democracy, lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and (b) The Majority Limited, in a Republic under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority. A Republic has a very different purpose and an entirely different form, or system, of government. Its purpose is to control The Majority strictly, as well as all others among the people, primarily to protect The Individual’s God-given, unalienable rights and therefore for the protection of the rights of The Minority, of all minorities, and the liberties of people in general. The definition of a Republic is: a constitutionally limited government of the representative type, created by a written Constitution--adopted by the people and changeable (from its original meaning) by them only by its amendment--with its powers divided between three separate Branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Here the term "the people" means, of course, the electorate.

Yes.......We, The People....need to stand up for what is right in this country. Not just as Christians, but as Americans also. We are still a Christian nation...this land given unto us by God Himself. People came here to freely worship Him and serve Him. They came to be free.....

State Theatre PhotoShoot in South Bend

2009-04-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, boy did I have fun on last Saturday! :) I belong to a local team of photographers called the X/Stop Project here in South Bend. We get together, share ideas, talk geeky camera talk and do fun shoots together. So instead of being competitive towards each other, we've come together as a team to be of help to one another. Yeah, it's that cool. :) So I've got to meet a bunch of really awesome and talented photographers and I look forward to spending more time with them in the days to come! Here are a few shots I got while hanging out in an old state theatre that is currently being used as a church. It was so cool....I could shoot there all day. I had the honor of capturing beautiful, young Whitney and also the very attractive, hot momma Sara. lol Thanks ladies, I had a blast!

Whitney!!

Striking!

SARA!

So what did ya think?

Simply Megan...

2009-04-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

Megan.........simply lovely. It's really impossible to take a bad picture of her. She makes my work easy. :)

She's a Ford Truck girl... :)

My FAVORITE!

Spiderman....Spiderman.....

LOVE THIS ONE!

So what did ya think? :)

Desires or Goals.....

2009-04-07T13:23:00.001-07:00

Wisdom..........some people spend their entire lives trying to get it. Some people are never able to acquire it. And some truly desire it. The Bible says to wear it around your neck and never forsake it. There are two kinds of wisdom......the world's wisdom and God's wisdom. Only one kind truly makes a difference. This is Pam. :) If she sees her photo on here, she'll be very, very mad at me. :) But that's okay, but what can you do? There are only a few people in my life that I think truly walk in God's wisdom. She's one of them. :) She wouldn't agree, but what does she know? lol Desires or Goals. This is what we discussed today. Are your desires becoming goals that are overtaking your life and shadowing God's will for what He wants in your life? It was a deep discussion.....and truly blessed my life today. Pam...I love you! I'm glad your in my life. :)

Lovin' Lucas & Landon: Brothers

2009-04-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is momma Missy....she's produced the following cutest little boys in the whole entire world! :) Well, at least I think so. Besides my own 3 boys of course. :) But these two are too bad either. So here are just a few shots (I took many) that I really like. Hope you enjoy them. P.S. She needs babysitters.

So, yes.......aren't they adorable? lol We've got some spring shots lined up so I'm really looking forward to those. You just can't go wrong with a couple of really cute kids to shoot. They make me look good. :)

Private First Class Sara Cole United States Marine!

2009-04-01T16:15:00.003-07:00

Yes, we just got back from here! This is Parris Island, South Carolina....it's a lot of fun. lol Okay, maybe I'm not telling the truth. It actually looks like a prison surrounded by swamp. It's a lot of fun. :) This is where my "adopted" daughter spent 3 months; running, sweating, humping, eating, sleeping, showering with 50 other girls (ewwww), running some more, crying, yelling, oh and running some more. But she had a goal...and she reached that goal on March 27, 2009. She became one of the Few, one of the Proud....a United States Marine. We are so proud of her, she was ranked number 11 out of 88 girls in two platoons (see, I got the number right, Sara!) and was squad leader the entire time of bootcamp. Which is not an easy feet! So yes, we are so proud to have another Marine as part of our family. We love you, Sara!!!

Sara and Jonny.............Jonny was born wanting to be a Marine. He thinks he's ready to join now.

PFC, Cole, Sara Fay....... :)

Love this one!

Sara and her wonderful and proud parents..............we have to share her. :)

Jonny.......just gotta love him. :)

He carried this pack for two blocks. :)

Yes, female DI's are this scary......um, glad I never joined. I wouldn't have made it through the first week. :) But, that's how I roll.

Kinda Crude......but oh so True!

2009-03-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's kinda funny in a way...........unless you're in the midst of it! When we change Captain Jacks food..............this is what happens. Take a wild guess, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. We eventually all have to leave the room.

Heaven.....

2009-03-17T09:01:00.001-07:00

I was at my Women's Prayer Meeting the other day and an old friend of mine pulled out this poem she wanted to read to us. It went like this.....

HEAVEN

The sun shines all day long.

The angels are singing heavenly songs.

The air is fresh and sweet to taste.

Not a single moment goes to waste.

Everlasting is the joy you feel,

Sweeping through your soul is real.

Laughter replaces your tearstained face,

Holding fast in His love and grace.

Our reward is so close but far away,

Our wonderful promise we'll claim one day.

And this He gave by shedding His blood,

This He gave with all His love.

On that cross He called us by name,

And on that cross He hung in pain.

And still He loves us with no shame.

And with Him our sins were taken away,

As He left this world, His promise still stayed.

And now He waits for us to come,

To the place He sits with God as One.

To fulfill the promise He made as His Son,

To claim the battle He's already won.

It's our salvation we work towards everyday,

In a world where evil is here to stay.

But in the end there is a place,

A world full of love and grace.

Where the air is fresh and sweet to taste.

Where the angels sing heavenly songs,

And where the son shines all day long.

And I was like, WOW! I LOVE THAT! It gave me goosebumps because sometimes we need to be reminded that our existence doesn't end here.......there is a place that has been prepared for us.

So of course I wanted to know who wrote this. My dear friend Phyllis leans over and shows me the paper she is holding. And at the bottom of that sheet I found my own name.

Written by Danielle F. Layne 4/24/97

Um yeah, how could I forget my own writing? Because life sweeps you up and is running full blast forward. Because I haven't found the time to write lately.....in a long time.

I think I'll start writing poetry again. :)

The above picture is of my Mindy.........and Heaven is the place I want her final destination to be also.

Skateboarding.....and Jonathan.

2009-03-14T19:41:00.001-07:00

I love this kid. :) I'm not real big on the whole skull skateboard look, but apparently he thinks it's cool. lol I don't mind as long as it doesn't get out of control. You have to understand Jonathan to appreciate him. :) He's definitely strong-willed (I need that Dr. Dobson book!), determined, creative and his own little man. We careful with this one. :) He's got enough spunk and spirit for 10 kids. lol Like I said.........I love him.

I was excited he wanted me to take these pictures! I usually have to bribe him. :)

Showing me his stuff!

Sigh......he's so stinkin' cute! lol I'm just a tad bit partial.

He's so serious in this one it makes me laugh. Trust me he's not a serious kid at all!

This is the real Jonny. :)

Oh, and he LOVES pickles. I think he pulled this one out of his pocket. :)

That's my boy. Love him.

Random Photos of our Trip.....

2009-03-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Here we are in Phoenix, AZ.....with a newest member of the Phoenix Police Department! :) It's always good to have a direct connection with the po-po. :) Please don't look at my very flat and unexciting hair.....I was sick, give me some slack.

Jake is still......................well, Jake. lol He's been doing this since the 5th grade. :)

Hmmm, I wonder where the nearest doughnut shop is????

A proud momma pinning the badge on her police officer son. :) That's not me, that's the real momma..........I have to share. :)

Zack-Attack!!!

My man Russall, Jake (yes, that's his real face :) ) and Kelly.....

Who's the cutest little Asian girl in Phoenix? That's right......Janet! lol My future daughter-n-law.

The graduating class............one guy had a 99.3% shooting ratio......

My Superman and his best bud Cruz in 29 Palms, Ca. :) Okay, if you ever have the chance to take the 29 Palms Highway..............yeah, make sure you go pee first. :) It's 70 miles of...............mountains and thats it. They should post a warning sign for simple people like us.

Really cool amphebious things.......I love camo.

This was our view out of the plane window...............yes, it's photoshopped edited but I'm thinking it's going to be on my wall soon. :) Love this picture. All in all, we had a wonderful trip and really enjoyed our visit to California. Even though my son is in the middle of a desert, surrounded by mountains and bored out of his mind.... :) I know he's in good hands. God is in control.

Two of My Boys.....

2009-03-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we're off to see the wizard........yes, we're on our way to sunny Phoenix, Arizona and a brief stop in warm and breezy California! We'll be attending the graduation of a very special young man as he becomes one of the newest members of the Phoenix Police Force. Not an easy job. But we are so proud of him. His name is Jake Daniels, an adoptive son of ours. I know that has nothing to do with the pictures for this post....lol...I just wanted to post by boys. :) I usually don't get the two together for some reason. They have a love-hate relationship. But that's okay. We're also going to go see our Marine Superman in 29 Palms too! Can't wait for that! :)

This is Joey looking at a school letter letting us know that he has ONCE again been caught! Yes, he has an addiction of chewing gum. All the time. We don't know what to do with him. The rebel.

This was his punishment from his dad.....note fist on forehead. :) Well, he's not out selling drugs is he????? lol Bad boy.

They are intently listening to their father explaining to them why they must always listen to us. :) We do this kind of brainwashing daily. :) It's a must.

Just Playing Outside.........

2009-02-24T18:28:00.001-08:00

It was so pretty outside today! Even though it's still cold up here in northern Indiana, the sun still stopped by to say Hi today. :) I miss the sun. He hasn't stopped by too often lately. February tends to be a dreary month, although it's been rather fair this year. But alas....the snow came to visit us again and probably intends on staying until late March. I hate uninvited guests. :) I'm definitely a fall girl......and I'd even settle for spring. My little friend Sarah stopped by today....I saw her cute coat, the sun was just coming down, I had dinner on the stove....But yes, I grabbed my camera, grabbed my Sarah....and out the door we went running! It's a sickness you know.

And yes, as always....Captain Jack had to get into the action! I love my puppy.

Let's Look At Some Macro........

2009-02-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, macro. I love macro photography. Especially when you can't quite tell what you're looking at. Thats the best kind. :) So, I went out into my backyard and was surprised at all the goodies I was able to find. I'm going to do some more marco..........it brings me happiness. :)

This is an old screw I found laying on the back of one of our worktrucks........I love this strange picture for whatever reason...

Yes, a garden hose.............why not?

Love this one too. :)

And this one.....

My beloved Bible...............I know, the pages should be a little more worn out looking. :)

Just a lil' Mindy.....

2009-02-12T18:44:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know I said macro yesterday......but, I decided to go with portrait instead. Why, you may ask? Well, since you asked..........because I LOVE taking pictures of my children. :) So there! That's the truth. I'm a little partial to them. Although I am not one of those moms who think their children are perfect. This one can be mouthy, bossy to her little brother, the ultimate eyeball roller and she sometimes just doesn't want to do the dishes. Yes, it's true. She's normal. And I love everything about her. :) Isn't she pretty? lol

Plus, she loves to have her picture taken now. Last year? Well, that was a different story!

Yes, I know.......she's breathtakingly beautiful. I wonder where she gets it from? :)

I'm a Desperate Photographer......

2009-02-11T11:08:00.000-08:00

This is all I have for you today. I'm almost ashamed to admit I really don't have much to post today. :( But I had to put something up! My goal for tomorrow is to shoot some macro shots. We're having this unbelieveable weather here in Indiana right now. It seriously feels like spring! Sorry my little "green" friends out there.....I'm just not buying the whole global warming gloom and doom ticket though. :) But nevertheless, tomorrow will be my macro day......and I don't mean macro.....oni and cheese day. Although, that kinda sounds good too. :)

I Think I'll Be A Pet Photographer....

2009-01-31T18:40:00.001-08:00

That's it! I seriously LOVE taking pictures of animals. I'm not sure why. But I seem to have more patience with them then lets say.......a large group of human beings that all seem to want to do their own thing. :) They are so sweet...and I love their expressions. I really believe I'm meant to work with kids and animals. Big people scare me. :) I need to get over these roadblocks in my career.....I know. I'm trying. The above picture is of my calico cat...Miss Kitty. She is patiently waiting for her dinner...at the kitchen counter. No, she doesn't eat her dinner there....she just thinks she's human. Sigh......if she only could appreciate being a cat. :P

This is my sweet Lila. She's so cute! And she absolutely LOVES being photographed. Although tonite she seemed a little "over" the whole picture thing but she was a good girl and did a wonderful job!

This is her sad look...........I had my daughter speak firmly to her to get this look. Yes, I will go to any means to get my shot. :P Thats how I roll.

This isn't exactly the shot I was looking for....but, it shall do. Yes, she is being forced here. She doesn't know she has any animal rights....shhhhhh, don't tell her!

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want To..............

2009-01-30T10:31:00.001-08:00

Yes............it's my birthday today. lol And I'm 29 years old.............okay, maybe I'm not........but it's my story so I'm stickin' to it. :) But anyway, I'm just not very excited about my birthdays anymore. ;) And it's not because I'm getting older......I really don't mind. It's just that I think the older you get, the less exciting it seems. :) Does that make sense? I mean, when we were kids, everything evolved around it either happening 'before' your birthday or 'after' your birthday. :) One's birthday became the center of our own childhood timeline even to the point where we're not just 12.....but 12 and one half! Growing up becomes our one and only goal in life! First we want to be able to go to school, then we want to be a double digit, then we want to be a teenager, then we want to legally be an adult and then we want to be old enough to walk into a bar and order a drink. Even if we didn't drink! It was just the whole principle that we could! And then..............well, you get married, have kids and then you die. :) Okay, just joking.....there really is a lot more to life than that! lol Okay, I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell anyone else................................this is my last year of my 30's. Yes, next year will be my big 4 0 !!!!!! Yikes.

On a upnote.....I went to the doctor's office with my 20 year old son about 8 months ago and I noticed that the nurse was looking at me strange. As my son and I cantered playfully back and forth, tossing insult for insult :) I threw out there the whole...."I'm your mother and you'll do what I tell you to!" threat. Well, the nurse stopped and looked at me and said, "Oh, you're his mom???? (She thought I was his girlfriend!!!!! Ewwww!!!!!) She smiles and turns and as she's walking out the door, she yells back over her shoulder..."Well keep using that moisturizer sweetheart...it's working!")

So, yea........I'll hang on to that story for awhile. It makes me feel good and kinda weird at the same time. :) But I'll take what I can get!

So what do I want for my birthday???? Well, let's see..........I want a free trip to Thailand with Bobby and Lindsey Earle or I want to go sip mocha's with Jasmine Star and have her teach me EVERYTHING she knows about photography!!!!!!!!! Or I want to go sliding down my multi-colored rainbow into my gumdrop lollipop land of imagination!

lol..........okay, what I am really GETTING for my birthday are some Totally Rad Actions that I have been coveting for some time now. :) My husband asked me what I wanted and I told him some TRA's for my PSCS3! He said....."Huh?" I sadly shook my head and said, "Just say yes or no." He's a rightside brain person you know. Everything is black or white, good or bad, wrong or right (which he says he is most of the time). So he said, "Oh, okay.....yes." I love him. No questions asked. :) He figured it was some silly photography thing again.

The above picture of me is from this past June when my husband sent me to Israel for our 20th wedding anniversary. It was a one way ticket......I never did figure that out....hmmm. But I love this picture because this is on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee in the exact place they believe that Jesus called to his disciples as they were fishing out in the water. And after Peter realized that it was his Lord calling to him, he jumps into the water and swims as fast as he could to the shoreline. They had believed that Jesus was still dead. Jesus had prepared breakfast for them there and that's when He asked Peter...."Do you love me, Simon Peter?" three different times. Him asking three times represented the fact that He had forgiven him for denying Him the three different times during His trial. How can you just not love Jesus?

Natural Light.......

2009-01-26T17:11:00.001-08:00

I've been learning about natural light. It really is a photographer's best friend. As I continue with my studies, I have to say that I am throughly enjoying this lesson on natural light. And I'm have a ton of fun taking pictures and trying different aperatures and ISO's. In other words, how much light I allow into my camera through the lens and how fast my shutter goes. :) I'm getting a little camera smart......so watch out! That could be dangerous. :) So here are a few pics from this week that I like. I'm still playing with Photoshop and 'actions'........love actions....I really do. :) I'm in heaven.

This is Jonny.........the masked man. And this is what he does. :P

Isaac................Jonny's friend forever.

I snapped this down the street while driving in my car.......yeah, that's how I roll.

Snapped this while sitting at a traffic light in downtown Mishawaka. It just makes me feel good looking at this picture.

Photoshopping.....it's the Way to Go!

2009-01-23T06:34:00.001-08:00

Okay blog readers........I'm back. I've meant to blog a lot more this week (I've got some cool pictures) but I've decided to focus more on my postproduction efforts for now. What I mean is that I'm trying REAL hard to learn the PSCS3 thing I've got going on. :) It's an awesome program but it completely overwhelms me! Probably due to the fact that I am just now really learning on how to do this editing thing. :) And I love it! I've also been roaming the internet looking for inspirational websites and I fumbled upon The Pioneer Woman. She is AWESOME!!!!! No, seriously, she is. And she helps other photographers and just plain ol' women :) in all different kinds of areas. Cooking, gardening, photography, homeschooling....she's really cool. :) Check her out. So, just a sneak peak at what I'm learning.....above you'll see a beautiful and unedited photo of my niece. Isn't she lovely? She loves this picture and so do I. But after about 5 minutes of "messing around" with it.....this is what I got:

Isn't that a lot better?????? lol Now I'm sure there is more that I could do......it just takes time so don't be so hard on me. I've also enrolled in an online college class for Photoshoppers like me. Who need a little bit of help. :) And, I'm also still finishing up my course with the New York Institute of Photography (awesome course by the way). So.........I'm rolling in information over here like a pig in the mud. :) And I'm loving it!

More 2008 Photos........And That's All Ya Get!

2009-01-19T18:51:00.001-08:00

Okay, wow..............I'm tuckered. Here are a few more favs from the year 2008! My goal this year is to get a larger variety of subjects! And also to fully utilize my photoshopping skills to make an ordinary photo into an extraordinary photo! But nevertheless......I do really like this batch and I hope you enjoy them also! God Bless!