Just a quote for the day.

Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to.

~John Ed Pearce

Bragging Rights . . .

I just have to brag . . .

Most of the people who know me also know I’ve been taking a photography course through the New York Institute of Photography for the past 18 months or so. As a matter of fact, I posted earlier in my blog about having a creative block trying to figure out how to compose or even WHAT to compose image-wise for the most recent unit I was working on. I was really having difficulty with them.

I finally decided, got the pictures taken & dug deep for a couple old ones, and these are the ones I submitted. You’ll have to forgive me, I’ve posted a couple of these before.

I received my instructor critique back in the mail today, and here are some of Brian’s comments:

“If everyone photographed like you did, I’d probably be out of a job. Thank God there’s only one of you!”

“I was walking around the office here at NYI showing off your prints and I kind of got a unanimous vote of confidence here. These photos are really pretty fantastic. Please don’t get into business management (my degree), you don’t want to waste this talent. This is extraordinary work.”

“I’ve worked with a lot of children’s photographers who on a good day aren’t really able to get the amount of spontenaiety and expressions that you have sitting right here. Not to mention the lighting and the composition. This is just really phenominal stuff and its pretty impiossible to really point out any one thing that’s either wrong or incorrect about them because you pretty much have your own signature style and I don’t want to mess with it.”

“You have that magic touch or another that is just really pronounced in all of your work.”

“The bridal shot is probably one of the best single shots of a bride that I’ve seen. One of the famous cinematographers, lighting guys in movies, said that you know lighting is successful when its invisible and that’s exactly what you have here. The lighting is almost invisible. You captured her beautifullly, this is really fantastic!”

“Your work is an absolute pleasure to look at.”

Okay, my little ego trip is over, I was just so excited and thrilled I couldn’t help myself! If you made it through this whole thing, thank you for putting up with me!

Lexi & Damon

I have a couple friends (they’re sisters, actually) and they were so wonderful to have had babies within the past year, just for me to photograph! Ha Ha Ha, yeah right! Anyway, whenever we do get together, they are nice enough to let me take pictures of their kiddos for practice. We had a BBQ the Saturday of Easter weekend and I took some pictures of Lexi & Damon. What Fun!

Pretty Flowers & a Doe

Recently on one of our many drives around the Wildlife Refuge, we came across a group of 7 does that didn’t seem to care we were there in a running vehicle. This doe actually got to within about 50 feet of us. The girls all though it was pretty cool!

We also passed by this beautiful flowering tree I thought was GORGEOUS, so I had to take a picture, of course!

School for Reagan

Reagan and I are working on a project together because her feelings are hurt that she isn’t big enough to go to school like her sisters. I’m teaching her how plants grow by letting her plant some seeds of different plants and watching the growing cycle. Soon, she’ll be able to help me move the seedlings outside.

She’s having a total blast with her “school” project.

Playing Catch Up

Sometimes I feel like I’m always trying to play catch up, that life is just flying by & I’m hanging on by a string! Don’t get me wrong, I love being busy & following my munchkins everywhere, I just can’t figure out where all the time is going! I can’t believe it’s only been a week since I posted last, it seems like ages.

I worked in an ELL (English Language Learners) classroom last week as an Ed. Assistant. I had a great time, and the kids were great ~ 5th & 6th graders. Tuesday, I start full-time at Irrigon High School as an Ed. Asst. until the end of the school year. I am really looking forward to getting out of the house and being back on a set schedule again. My OCD/Type-A brain really needs it! LOL!

Harley & Katelyn had their first T-Ball game this morning, and it was a ton of fun unexpectedly. I was not looking forward to watching T-Ball, but it ended up being pretty entertaining & fun!

Emma had her range day for her Hunter’s Safety Course this morning, too, so she & I spent time at the range getting her “certified” to hunt. She had a blast!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! We had all four girls for Easter this year, and what a crazy day it was! The weather couldn’t have been more gorgeous after the horrid week of rain we had ~ bright sunny skies and warm breezes! The girls woke up at 6:00 this morning (ugh!) to baskets full of flip flops, jump ropes, and chocolate bunnies. We had brunch at Desert River Inn with Aaron’s mom & stepdad, Tom & Carol, his brother and sister, and his step-sisters and step-brother. We had wonderful food! After brunch, we all met up at Grandma & Grandpa’s house for an Easter Egg Hunt for all the kiddos ~ more candy! YAY!

Our happy family

Emma finding one of her eggs at Tom & Carol’s house.

Happy-go-lucky Reagan.

Searching, searching, searching . . .

The mighty “haul”.

Just Some Fun.

Every morning, the girls & I leave the house at abiout 7:10, and we drop Emma off at school which leaves us a little over half an hour to kill before I drop Harley, Katelyn, and Asia off at school. So between the two schools, we always take a drive out to the Wildlife Refuge just for fun. These are a few pictures from the past week or so.

Just some deer.

I really like the way this circle looked in the fog. I can’t dedcide if I like the B&W or color version better, though.

A rather friendly red-tail hawk that sat & ‘modeled’ for us.

I’m such a dork!

Ok, so I LOVE Spring! Everywhere I turn, there is something new and gorgeous growing or blooming. Today, what caught my eyes were some trees planted by the girls’ school. I don’t have a clue what they are (Dogwoods, maybe?), but they’re just gorgeous!


I love the color & texture of the flowers against the dark leaves. They are absolutely gorgeous!

Quote

I found the coolest quote today, and I can’t wait to have a scrapbook page to use it on.

I am the book and you are the binding

- you are my family tree

Be good to me

- take care of me.

~ Ben Kweller

Anyway, I thought it was neat, I actually found it on Tara Whitney’s blog on an old scrapbook page she had made. She is one of the most talented photographers and scrapbookers ~ (right Misty???) I’d love to meet her someday.