Peace and Pandemonium

I just couldn't resist this amazing light.

I have been drawn to the land lately and have felt the desire to explore landscape photography. Go figure!? My experience in this genre of photography is very limited (pretty obvious in these pictures) but I have learned that it is possible to capture emotion in landscapes. I need a lot of practice but I do like these pictures....they feel like Thanksgiving in Idaho to me.

Speaking of Thanksgiving. We just had the best one!! We spent almost 5 days in Boise visiting my dad. It was so nice to have five days to hang out with family, relax, eat delicious food at every meal, and make lasting memories. My kids had the time of their lives. They each brought home a small stash of "stuff they got in Idaho" basically random odds and ends that they gathered from around the house and then asked if they could keep. They are each thrilled with their new "toys". It was a great way to kick off the holiday season that in truth, I haven't been looking forward to. Thanks to this weekend, I'm feeling more excited about the upcoming month.

I'll describe how I feel about Twilight in three words and I'll even throw in a little alliteration for all you fancy folk.

FUN.
FANTASTICAL.
FANTASY.

and now for some footage. : )

The forbidden bowl of soup...this was Lorena's idea. Isn't she a genius?


Michelle was dreaming about Edward. Oh who am I kidding? We all were. It's hard not to. He's DREAMY!


I couldn't help but capture the irony! "How long have you been 17?" "A long time."


Sweet seats for the flick. Hurray for advanced tickets!


We had such a blast!! The Forks High baseball shirts were handmade by the lovely Lorena and Carol. Apparently I didn't place my order in time and therefore didn't get one. :( They say Cullen 17 on the back.


Michelle, Carol, Stephanie, Kathy, Meagan, Ashely, Lorena, and me.

My friend Elisha just had her third daughter and I asked if I could take some pictures of her new bundle of joy. These precious moments almost make me want to try for a fourth.

Almost.

My brother Michael and his wife Candice were in town a few weeks ago. They spent a some time here visiting family before heading back to Kentucky to prepare for Mike to be deployed to Afghanistan. Mike flies helicopters for the Army and will be heading over seas on the 13th of December for 12 months!! My heart sinks a little when I think about that. I wish we lived in a peaceful world but unfortunately that is not the case and even though I feel uncomfortable about my brother being in a foreign and unpredictable environment for a year, I am comforted knowing that he will be serving his country and serving the people in that country to the best of his abilities. He will be able to put all of his hard work and training to good use and I know that he will be watched over while he is there. I am so proud of him and thankful for his contribution to further our freedom here in this country and in the world.

While he was here in town, I took him and his sweet little family out for some photos. The highlight of the morning was probably when Chief, who cannot swim and in fact SINKS, jumped in the lake water and had Mike and Candice completely frantic! Candice even jumped in the water to rescue her baby. Thankfully Chief survived the ordeal aside from the lecture he got from his daddy afterward. I'm just thankful he didn't take Sophia in the water with him because only moments before he took his forbidden swim, he was dragging my daughter around behind him...literally!

For this photo shoot with Miles it was first things first. Give him a sucker, have him get all sticky and messy, then let him play in the dirt and have him wipe those dirty hands all over his face. As soon as the "make-up" was done, it was time to start shooting away. : )

Miles is my friend Alexis's son and if you couldn't tell on your own, he is so darn cute! He wanted nothing but to play play play and if I even tried to "set up a picture" he would immediately cover his face with his hands and cry. Then occasionally peek through his hands to see if we were watching. ; ) I'm telling you, it was so adorable. This photo shoot was such a blast. I had a really hard time choosing what pics to post because there are so many good ones. I guess thats what happens when you have a freakin' cute kid!!


























Also new to this post...I'm trying out a new watermark. What do you think? Is it too obtrusive? Distracting? Or do you like it? I would love some feedback.

I have been reading from the Tao Te Ching lately. The Tao Te Ching was written in China roughly 2,500 years ago at about the same time when Buddha expounded the Dharma in India and Pythagoras taught in Greece. The Tao Te Ching is probably the most influential Chinese book of all times. Its 81 chapters have been translated into English more times than any other Chinese document.

The Tao Te Ching provides the basis for the philosophical school of Taoism, which is an important pillar of Chinese thought. Taoism teaches that there is one undivided truth at the root of all things. It literally means:

Tao (the way)
Te (strength/virtue)
Ching (scripture)

It is brilliantly simple and completely confusing all at the same time. As I understand it, that is why it is so powerful. This particular verse (among others that I have yet to post here) has really resonated within me.


Verse 20

Stop thinking, and end your problems.
What difference between yes and no?
What difference between success and failure?
Must you value what others value,
avoid what others avoid?
How ridiculous!

Everyone else is joyous
as if enjoying the greatest feast,
or going up the terraces in spring.
I alone am drifting without direction,
like a baby who has not yet smiled.
I alone am moping as if I had no home.
Everyone else has more than they need,
I alone seem in want.
I have the mind of a fool, how confused I am!
Other people are bright and clever,
I alone am dark.
Other people are alert and self-assured,
I alone am dull and muddled.
I am unsettled like the waves of the sea,
like the restless wind.
Everyone else has a purpose,
I alone am stubborn and awkward.
I am different from other people,
Even so, I am nourished by the Great


Photo credit to Claire Noire. An oldie but a goodie. Thank you!I feel like this image really reflects how I feel about this verse and in general. : )

I seriously cant remember the last time I was this excited to go to the movies.

Does he really have to be this hot? Honestly!














And as if it couldn't get any better, this is what I have to look forward to next weekend...











The best part?? I have this to look forward to EVERY SINGLE DAY!




How lucky am I??

Week three homework assignment for my Eye Candy workshop was "sunflare love - capturing joy". I love sunflare and have been wanting to learn how to incorporate it creatively in my pictures. I learned a lot this week but I also learned that I have SOOOOOO much more to learn. This technique can be kind of tricky and I need practice. These are the images I submitted to the forum. The first series was shot in the morning. The second series was shot in the afternoon. The afternoon shots required a lot more post processing. Maybe when I get better at it that I wont have to compensate so much after the fact. Better images in the camera, that is the key, and that is what I am constantly working for.