Project 365!

I am posting today to share with anyone listening, my latest photography challenge . . .

I will be attempting to participate in one of my favorite photography blogs challenge called Project 365. Basically it challenges you to take a photo each and everyday. I figure if I put it on the blog it will hold me waay more accountable than if it just rattled in my brain for the next year.  I will be taking this challenge seriously but at the same time I will try and 'keep it real' because with two small kids and a house to run, I'm sure there will be days that I miss.

A little more on the project . . . 
Ironically, the project starts on November 1st which is symbolic since November 1st is the day I enter my 30's! I'm still unsure how I feel about it. One day I'm like eh no biggie and the next day I get really weirded out about it. I never thought it would have that effect on me, but I guess it sort of does!

I really will try hard to complete this but will probably only post on it once a week or so, time permitting.

I hope you enjoy the challenge as much as I already am!

Credit, to Click It Up a Notch, http://clickitupanotch.com/project-365-and-project-52-link-up/

Conclusion to Farm & Pumpkins

These are the last of the pictures from our weekend at the farm with pumpkins!

There are some scenery pictures. Some gator pictures (this was a huge draw for the kids).

A picture from the scavenger hunt that Aunt Jess put on for the kids. This was no average scavenger hunt, there were two parts that spanned over two days for the kids. They loved it! This had some pretty cool stuff too (candy corn, PJs, trick or treat buckets, glow sticks, books... I know I'm forgetting more stuff too.) Thanks again Aunt Jess!

We did a lot of leaf collecting. This was so fun! I hope this is a tradition every year. We all got really into it, even Preston!

Then some nature hike pictures with Grandpa. I really enjoyed this. We (I mean Alyssa, by holding the shoe box open) caught a cream colored small frog, twice, without managing to touch it at all. I wish I would have gotten pictures of that feat but I enjoyed myself too much to see it through the lens--- next time!

Farm & Pumpkins ~ Part 2

 Here are a few indoor shots.
-The kids doing crafts at the table together.
-Wresting, obviously that is an integral part to all cousin get togethers!
-More outdoor pics from the pumpkin patch and on the way to the pumpkin patch.

Farm & Pumpkins - Part 1

The last weekend in September my sister, Andrea, and I took a joint sister/cousin trip to Rapids with our kids to visit my folks and sister Jessica.

With the last weekend of September, Fall was already in full swing in all our houses and we had major pumpkins on the brain! My mom grows her own pumpkin patch so we excitedly piled in the van and drove up a few Saturday mornings ago.

About an hour after we pulled in, the rain started. Boo! The kids (and us big kids) were itching to be outside. I didn't get many inside pictures but I know all of us enjoyed my parents new and beautiful house We were excited to be there and help dictate the decorating (sorry mom!!).  :)

Here are part 1 of the pictures. All of which occurred on the 2nd day we were there.

Welcome Baby Aaron!

 Almost a month ago I had the pleasure and honor of attempting to capture my newest baby nephew in all his newness and cuteness in his newborn baby stage.

As you can tell in photo 3, my munchkins make it too easy to forget that they were once this tiny and sweet and innocent.

Nevertheless, I had a great time on my first attempt at a newborn shoot and I can't wait for the next one!!

Congrats again Walter family on your newest addition!

Happy Birthdays Grandma & Grandpa!

 A few pictures from our Gerlach family picnic celebrating Don & Carole's birthdays.

:)

September warm up shots

~~9.19.2013~

After a couple weeks sans camera, I had a pretty huge reason to get it out on 9-12-13. Our newest baby cousin was born! Well, this post isn't about Baby Aaron, but he was the reason I pulled my camera out this Friday afternoon. I needed to get warmed up for the big newborn shoot I had the following morning.

 (I really can't remember why Evan is shirtless... he's recently just started taking it off when he's hot. This has already started to stop naturally with Fall cooling him off).

Here are a few of my favorites.

An interactive zoo visit

 Whoa! I'm back! I've been busy snapping pictures and learning a new editing software as well as everything else with two small kids that keeps a mom busy everyday!

I'm trying to get caught up editing with new and more advanced software and learn more techniques at the same time!

Here are a few cute pictures from our trip to the zoo on September 1, yes, I'm over a month behind in sharing these!!

We had a great and unique time at the zoo on this trip. We didn't do our usual loop. In fact, we stayed in the Family Farm for the (pardon the pun) lion's share of our time during this visit. We got a rare glimpse at the larger birds, saw the Kohl's Theatre puppet/music show, and Evan participated in the interactive small mammal show.

It was a nice change! Preston's not quite there for these more interactive visits, but Evan really enjoyed himself.

The first picture of Evan with the eagle in the background was pretty cool. That was as close as he would do with a picture with the eagle. Yay America!

The camel picture was special becuase if you can't tell, the camels are actually swimming in their pond. That was a pretty cool thing to see.

The last is Evan with one of the elephants. They were pretty active under their new awning and I had to capture it!

Can't wait to share more of my latest photos. There are many coming!!