Can't Pull One Over on Me, Kid!

Mommy, can I have some cake?

No! I DIDN'T have cake yet, Mommy!

Would YOU believe him?

What Makes ME Smile?

Oh, this prompt from Mom Dot's Small Talk Six is an easy one. Here are a few of the things that make me smile:

1) Finding out that another one of my pictures placed in this week's I Heart Faces contest! Woohoo! That's the 5th time I've placed in the top 10 (with 2 wins). That DEFINTELY makes me smile! I seriously don't understand how I've gotten so lucky!

2) Discovering that my oldest daughter is now old enough/big enough to activate the air bags in the passenger seat of my van. Ok, it might sound silly, but it was really COOL this week when I noticed that the light on my dashboard went off when she sat down. My baby is SO big!!

3) Capturing a fantastic photo. And being asked 4 times this week to take someone's pictures. That's a record! I usually get one photo shoot every 2-3 months!

4) Chocolate. Put some Lindor truffles in front of me and I will smile for sure.

5) Comments. Keep 'em coming! A full email box makes me smile. So do followers. You guys are the best. Oh! And awards make me smile, too, like this one I got from Jessica's Lil Corner:

Just a little side-note. This week, I was talking with a friend who doesn't blog. In fact, she might not have ever visited a blog. So when I told her about what's going on on my blog, she said, "What would compel all of those people to read your blog when they've never even met you before?" Good question! Why do you come back? ;)

6) My kids. They make me smile. They make me proud. And some days they give me a headache. But they are mine, and I am grateful.

PS--for those of you worried about AJ's teeth, they brushed perfectly clean. No worries. :)

Don't Leave the Food Coloring Out

I posted this LOVELY shot of AJ a few days ago, but it was such a classic MESSY FACE that I figured I'd enter it in this week's I Heart Faces kids category. Is this hideous, or what?!

The story behind this photo: the kids were having some vanilla ice cream after dinner the other night. Necco had the brilliant idea of adding some food coloring to her ice cream so that it would be green. She left the food coloring out on the counter, and AJ thought it would be fun to try it out himself. His ice cream was black by the time I saw it. Luckily, his teeth came clean with a little toothpaste. ;)

Give Me Your Best Shot! #4

It's time for another Give Me Your Best Shot! And, guess what? This time I've got a button to grab!

<a href="http://betterinbulk.net/?s=Give+me+your+best+shot" mce_href="http://betterinbulk.net/?s=Give+me+your+best+shot"><img border="0" alt="Give me your best shot at Better in Bulk" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/1momof5/08Nov21_gmbs_1-1.jpg" mce_src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/1momof5/08Nov21_gmbs_1-1.jpg"/></a>

What is Give Me Your Best Shot? It is simply a fun way to share your favorite shot from the week. What has inspired you? Made you smile? What emotions, personalities, and details have you caught? It is not a photo contest or critique, but a way to look back on your week with a few friends.

Why? This week, I blogged about my journey as a photographer (here and here) and mentioned that two of the things that have pushed me and helped me progress the most during the last year have been 1) practice--simply taking more photos, and 2) looking at other people's work. I'm always inspired when I see the ideas that other people have.

My hope is that this little exercise will stretch me a little. But I'm also enjoying the fact that it gives me the chance to look back on my week and assess what I've done.

When? I will be posting a new Give Me Your Best Shot (GMBS) every Friday. Feel free to add your picture any time. I encourage you to use a photo you've taken in the last week (it's just part of the exercise!).

How? Enter your name into Mr. Linky, and then enter the URL of your favorite photo from the week. (ie--the address on the top of your page that links back to your photo, not your main blog page). You're welcome to link to a photo that you have posted previously during the week--you don't have to make a new post. A link back to me would be super (or you can post the handy button!)

What next? Enter a comment so I know you've stopped by (I don't get notified when someone signs Mr Linky, and I don't want to miss your shot!). After you've entered, go visit a few of the other people playing along.

Any questions? Send them my way! Now....go give me your best shot! Here's my favorite:

**To jump to the current Give Me Your Best Shot (and to see all the rest, too!) click here!**

My Cell Phone Bars

I'm sad that this picture is so small, but hopefully you get the idea. This is one of the first pictures I took of all 5 kids....when AJ was about a month old. I layed them down on the floor to try to show their differences in height....this picture will forever remind me of cell phone bars.

Can you hear me now?

See other blogger's flashbacks here:

Fix-It Friday #4

Original photo:

I am beginning to love Fix It Fridays. I have so much fun seeing what I can do with pictures and deliberately trying out different effects. And, in keeping with my typical daily work flow, I used Lightroom 1 to edit this shot of one silly girl. Isn't she a cutie?








I'm getting all geared up for Messy week over at I Heart Faces next week! I'm sure we have plenty of messy around here!

Foto Friday--Q&A time!

Beth from Manic Mother emailed me this question, and since I've been asked similar questions by others, I thought I'd base my Foto Friday post today on my answer to her.

Hi Lolli,

I am trying to teach myself how to use our Nikon D80 , and I saw your post today and you gave me hope. I feel so overwhelmed by all the info you have to remember in order to break out of "Auto" mode. I was wondering what lens you use most, especially to take pictures of your children?

I was also wondering if you had any good book recommendations, that could help me try to understand it all better. I am hoping a community photography class pops up so I can can learn hands on, I do so much better that way. What has helped you to learn photography the most?

Beth

There have been many, many times along the way when I have felt overwhelmed by all of the information that I needed to learn and really understand (you know--more than just on-the-surface knowledge). I also suffer from inferiority syndrome, always feeling like everyone else had better pictures than me. ;)

There are a few things that helped me really progress.

First, I started practicing like crazy. Instead of taking pictures only when I "needed" to take pictures, I started taking pictures all the time--of things I normally wouldn't have photographed. This year, to kick it up a notch (hopefully!) I began my own Project 365, where I have committed to take a picture everyday for the entire year. Practice and experimentation have been my #1 help. Try taking your camera out of auto when you don't "need" a perfect shot--in other words, don't try to learn a new technique at your daughter's first concert, but try new things when you're relaxed and can stand to throw away a shot or two (or 50).

Second, I read. Basically, I went to my library and checked out everything they had, one at a time. :) At the bottom of this post are links to the books I found the most helpful. At least, they were the best of what my library had to offer. I read the PC Magazine Guide to Digital Photography cover to cover like a novel. (PS--I'm not trying to sell you guys these books, but I thought it would be helpful to have the links to the book info)

Third, I studied the photos of better photographers and tried to "recreate" the things that I liked of theirs. My sister, Andrea, has been an inspiration and a help to me all along my "journey." Right now, I'm loving the things I learn each week at I Heart Faces.

As for my favorite lenses (and camera), I have tried a bunch of lenses and really believe my true "favorite" is still out there to be found. But right now, I have a Canon 40D with a 50mm f/1.8, a Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8, and a Canon 70-200mm f/4L. I like each of them for different reasons. The 50mm is a classic. Small and light, large aperture, great for portraits. I use my 18-50mm the most because it is relatively versatile and still has a nice large aperture. The 70-200mm takes the most stunning pictures because it is a pro lens, BUT it is MUCH harder to use. It's big and heavy, which means that it's tough to keep it steady enough to get a crisp shot without a tripod. It's also hard to use indoors without a flash and fast shutter speed. But outside, it's a beauty. I also love my Speedlight 430 EX flash.

I would love to answer more of your questions in future Foto Fridays! Please email me at lollislife at gmail .com. And now for those books!

ABC's of My Blog

Honestly, I didn't think I was going to get to MamaKat's Writer's Workshop today. Headaches stink. But I went out to Necco's school (Living Wax Museum today!) and came back with just a little bit of renewed energy and spit this out. Sorry. I am not a poet, and this is my first draft. Just be kind and don't laugh too hard. ;)

Prompt # 2: Write a 26-line poem using all the letters of the alphabet, where the first line starts with the letter "A," the second "B," the third "C," etc., culminating with the final line starting with "Z."

Here ya go....

A blog

Began

Conversations, comments, community, connections.

Decided to

Expand.

Friendships

Grew.

Helpful words,

Inspiring pictures,

Just plain fun.

Kept in contact with those who'd previously

Lost touch.

Made new friends

Needed support

Opened up, let go of fears to share

Photography.

Questions asked, some answered.

Reviews and giveaways. Rambling now....

Sat in this chair for hours

Thinking,

Unproductive,

Very tired (up too late)

Week after week

X-traordinary moms, friends, stories

Yummy recipes (a bonus!)

Zip, zap, zoop (I'm done)

Look Where Hands Have Taken Me

I wasn't sure I was going to post a Thousand Word Thursday today, but I thought I'd open my picture folder and take a look to see if anything inspired me today. This is what I stumbled upon first:

It might not look like much to you. A picture of someone (who happens to be my sister) tying her shoes (which happen to be mine).

But this shot is significant (very significant, in fact) for two reasons.

First, it was taken exactly a year ago today. February 26, 2008

Second, I took this picture as part of an assignment. I was asked to take pictures of women's hands doing the every day things that women do. It sounded easy, but it turned out to difficult and time consuming. A real headache. And then, after spending hours (really!) taking and editing the pictures (this was way before my Photoshop and Lightroom days), the time came for them to be displayed in a special slideshow presentation. I sat back to watch my work. The person conducting the conference said, "Thank you to ______ for putting this slideshow together." She did not mention my name, but only the person who put the pictures in the slideshow (BTW--if the slideshow person is reading this--You know who you are! Love you! Not your fault at all). I was floored. I was mad about spending all of that time for nothing.

But it wasn't for nothing. That "little" assignment started a seed growing inside me. My little interest in photography and what I could actually do with it started to change. To grow. I went to the library later that week and began my own informal independent study. I was determined to get better. To learn. And I did.

I can't believe it's been a year since my "hands" project. It's kind of cool to look back and see my progess as a photographer, and to think of where I might be a year from now.

I guess you could call this an anniversary of sorts. And I didn't even know it before sitting down to do a Thousand Word Thursday. Thanks, Cheaper Than Therapy Jen!

No Flashing!

Guess who I got to spend the day with today?

Aren't you just a teensy bit jealous? Isn't she the cutest little doll?

I had so much fun taking her pictures (even though 2 1/2 month olds are NOT the easiest models!). When I was done, I noticed an email from my sweetheart asking if I wanted to go out to lunch, so I headed out to pick him up. By the time I got home, the kids were already back from school. Where did the day go?

My day seemed to slip past me. I am struggling with my constant headaches. Today my headache is almost unbearable.....and I've got Cub Scouts tonight. Help! And yet, I still blog.....You all know I can't pass up a good blog carnival, and my friend, Kim, pointed me to a great new carnival called You Capture (click the button to find out more!). This week, we were challenged to take a picture without the flash....and since I try to hardly ever use the flash.....and since I took about 300 pictures of this cute baby girl today (all without the flash) I thought I'd play along!

Ok, Woman!

This morning, I mentioned to CandyMan that I was about to get into the shower and asked if he'd be leaving for work soon. When he said yes, I turned to AJ and said, "When Daddy's getting ready to leave for work, come upstairs into my room with me, ok?"

And then my 3 year old replied, "Ok, Woman."

Where in the world did he come up with that?

When I came downstairs, Daddy was still home, and AJ was in the kitchen doing this:

"Mommy, I'm making you some orange juice for breakfast."

Where did this little man come from?

Visit Angie @ Seven Clown Circus (one of my favorite bloggers) for more Wordful Wednesday!

Hey You! Yes, You! Want to win a Keurig?

Visit Momlogic

Luke, Raphael, and Spidey at Tea

I found this old picture while clearing out my photobucket account to make room for new photos. About 3 years ago, I found Twizzler playing with his action figures in a most unusual way (is he going to kill me someday for posting this??)

This is apparently what happens when you're a boy surrounded by sisters.

For more Wordless Wednesday photos from other great bloggers, see 5 Minutes For Mom and Extraordinary Mothers and MomDot and A Daily Does of Toni and Three Peas!

Tuesday Tribute. Blessed to Call Her Mom.

Yet Another Jay and Deb Production.

Last week, when my kids were still recovering from their illnesses, and I was still without a car to drive, I missed a shower for a friend. This was not the typical baby shower. This was a shower to welcome home a new little boy, who was so lucky to be adopted into an amazing family.

Yesterday, my friend Shauna, came over with her little boy and girl, both adopted into their family in the last year. I was struck by the love between Shauna and her kids. And so I wanted to dedicate my Tuesday Tribute to Shauna, a wonderful mother. Those kids are so lucky to call her Mommy.

I'll be adding more pictures from yesterday on my photo blog, Simply You Photos, later today. :) The kids were so stinking cute, I had about 75 favorites!

Tackling the Rocks

Yesterday, my blog friend, Cocoa of Chocolate on my Cranium, wrote an inspired post that called out to me. I was thinking of skipping Tackle It Tuesday until I woke up this morning with her post on my mind.

She spoke about "tackling" the rocks first.

I found this picture and it fit perfectly with what she said and with what was on my mind:


Have you heard the analogy of filling your jar with the big rocks first, then the pebbles, and finally the sand? When we do the big, important things first, there is room for the little things. When we do the little things first, there is hardly ever room left for the big ones. And after reading my Not Me Monday post yesterday (and every Monday) you know that I have a tendency to fill up my day with the little things and then rush around to finish the important things before the day is done (or before the kids come home from school or the husband comes home from work). Sound familiar? Or am I the only one?

Do you ever find yourself tackling the little things, the really unimportant things (maybe the FUN things?) first? I certainly do. So today, I committed to to tackle the things that I knew I needed to do before sitting down at the computer and doing the things that I wanted to do.

I unloaded and loaded the dishes, wiped the kitchen counters, and swept the kitchen floor. I gathered all of the new dirty laundry (why is it that I seem to have MORE of it everyday?!?) and put away the clean laundry that I folded last night. I took a shower and did my make-up before I had to go somewhere. I played with AJ and took a few pictures. I read my scriptures. I sat and talked with CandyMan.

And now I sit at my computer, typing this up. In a minute I will leave for a park and picture date with my friend. And I feel more accomplished than I have at 10:45 in the morning for a long time.