Busy month!

June is proving to be a busy month for us. It really started way back in May, which makes for a very busy year if this continues. Actually, it might have started in April!

Ayvarie had her dance recital Memorial Day weekend. It was adorable...Grease theme and all. Then, the first weekend of this month was the AAU State meet for trampoline and tumbling. She placed first in her flight for trampoline and third in the state in that event. We are so proud of her accomplishments this year. It's fun to look back and see how she was doing just a few months ago and how much she has improved. She will be competing at the USTA Nationals the end of this week, which should be a lot of fun!

In addition, Ayv started t-ball this year and Ayden is in baseball again. Games are nightly between the two, but I enjoy watching them.

Oh, and I'm still keeping very busy with photography. Sessions are tucked in here and there. The kids and I took a break one evening about a week ago to head outside and shoot. It was Ayvarie's request, and it yielded some pretty cool results of all three kiddos. Thanks to our neighborhood funeral home's garage out back. It is the best backdrop. See for yourself.

This is one of my favorite pics of Ayden.Ayla imitates Ayvarie regularly.We see this look regularly.This is proof we have a goofball on our hands. :)

I'm planning to take a lot of pictures down here this week (while still working on those I've taken). It'll be up to my finicky access if I'll be able to get them posted to the blog timely. Have a great week!

End of another school year.

The kids are counting down the days until summer break.  But, I'm not sure if I'm ready for the year to end.  Ayden will become a middle-schooler and that will mean I'm old.  Well, not that old, but before I know it he'll be driving and that will definitely make me feel old.

Ayden's middle-school orientation was yesterday and field trips are on the calendar for Friday and next Tuesday.  I'm going with Ayvarie to the zoo on Friday.  We're just hoping the rain stays away.  I have my umbrellas ready...just in case.

Ayvarie's artwork was nearby tonight when I pulled out my camera.  I try to take pictures of the kids' art pieces since they don't always last as long as I'd like.  Here is a picture of her flower she painted in Art.  We played with the color a bit.  

..and I LOVE IT!

I will frame the original as I did with one of Ayden's pictures from Kindergarten.  My intent is to fill my house with original artwork...and if from my own family, it's even better!  

Foxy!

Tonight, one of our friends called to let us know about a fox den outside of town.  I had him pick me up so we could capture some shots of the cute creatures that dared step out of their home. They were so cute!





I took Ayden & Ayla out to watch them after I got back.  Unfortunately, by that time they were back in the den for the night.  We'll head out again when the weather is nice to watch them grow.

Happy May Day!

Finally...I get to post!  It was a gorgeous first day of May.  Kindergarten roundup was being held, so I stayed home with the girls and we managed to pull together some baskets for the usual May Day festivities.  It's so fun leaving baskets for our neighbors, family & friends...even those that weren't home!  The kids spent a lot of time outdoors after Ayden was dismissed from school, so I followed them around with the camera a bit.  Ayla was reluctant to have any pictures taken, but Ayv posed for a few.  The one above is one of my favorites...mainly due to her natural highlights that I dream about.  I'm looking forward to trying to round all three kids up for some pictures sometime next weekend.  Not sure how that will go down...I have been unsuccessful so far.

More tests...

This afternoon, Ayla & I ran to Des Moines to pick up a light stand and umbrella for my flash. I've had enough of the bracket, so I've been playing with my off-camera flash (aka: OCF) since I got my transmitter and receiver, but needed something to hold it since I intend to use it outdoors and there aren't a lot of bookshelves strategically placed in nature to set it on.

My kids were coerced into being my models (minus Ayvarie who is the neighborhood socialite these days) as soon as we got home. I had every intention of taking pics of Ayden on his birthday, which was Wednesday, but I left home without the necessary accessories. You know, lenses, memory cards....I only had the camera body with me. It's pretty useless without a lens and card. Tonight was a different story. I had everything ready, including the flash. So, Ayden & I went outside so I could play photographer and he could play golf. Meanwhile, Ayla dressed herself (since she completely undressed as soon as we got home - her usual homebound activity) and joined us, too!

Here are a few of the shots. I touched them with a few actions, but I probably didn't need to. I can't wait to get Ayden's 10-year-old pic shown here blown up and hung on the wall. He seems much older than 10, but I have not aged one bit in the last 10 years...just so you know.

Ayla kept running around the yard, so I'd shoot when she'd get near the flash.I feel pretty lucky to catch this one. She is beautiful!

I'd better get back to verifying my backups so I can erase some cards for the wedding I'm shooting tomorrow. I really hope the rain holds off until 3ish so we can at least get some outdoor shots of the couple and wedding party.

Sleep tight.

Test run.

I got outside for a bit this evening to shoot some pics with my new camera (Canon 5D). Portrait shots were put aside tonight for textures and images of the neighborhood. The sharpness of the images straight out of the camera makes me soooo happy! Plus, the images play well in Photoshop, too. I can't wait to use it for the wedding I'm shooting on Saturday. And fortunate for my children, my plan is to drag their little bums out of the house and around town here real soon to get some new shots of them.

Here are a few samples from my test run:




The colors of spring are so comforting. After our long winter, I am ready for some renewed sights and pictures such as this feed my soul.

Still catching up...

Today was a busy one. We woke to a house in need of attention. Well, it has been needing some attention for quite a few days, maybe even weeks. The kids were very helpful in picking up and then we did the usual run through with the cleaning supplies. I had a wonderful senior stop over to go over her memory book and invitations. Then, we ran to town to get some groceries and meet up with Ros for a late lunch. Then, came our fun evening...at least for me. I pulled out the studio lights and played a bit. My kids really treated me well by simply being good models.

Here is what we snapped:

Ayden was pretty casual.
Ayla tried to copy him, and she did a wonderful job!Then, Ayvarie pulled this face, which is a common expression. I'm glad I captured it!
Of course I snapped more, but there is only so much time in a day to play. Have a good night!

Catching up!

Today was gorgeous! It was hard to stay focused on getting anything done around the house here. I worked on some photog stuff, some personal must-do stuff, and some personal for-fun stuff. This is what came of the personal for-fun stuff...

Little painted piggies. I painted Ayla's toes last week and she LOVED it.

Our annual shoot out on the front steps. Maybe it's bi-annual or any-annual...whenever we feel like it. She's getting so big!
Have a good night!

The pink eye.

Levi phoned me at work today to relay the message that school called with the news that Ayv had pink eye. We had a weekend of gunky Ayla eyes that was definitely related to her cold and now we have to deal with Ayv's ONE irritated eye. It took me an eternity to get through to the pediatrician, so it didn't surprise me that they were more than willing to call in a prescription for us. Now I wait....to see if she has an improvement by morning. Otherwise, I'm home again, home again.

The best part of my day was the weather! I'm not sure if we were some of the fortunate few to experience 60 degrees, but the air felt warm. Even when my house at 67 barely feels warm, 60 outside definitely feels warm! I suggested to the kids that we get out for a walk. Ayla and I were the pedestrians of the bunch while Ayv & Ayden whizzed by on their bikes. It felt good to get some fresh air and soak up some sun. Ayla took in more than the rest of us, I think. The second half of our adventure was A LOT slower than the first half, but she still didn't want me to carry her (I offered). She's such a big girl! As soon as we entered the house and took a load off, she hopped up into my lap and in a near instant, sacked out. She's still sleeping.

Now, tomorrow looks to be a bit sketchy weatherwise. Possible rain/ice and snow? Really. As long as it clears out by Saturday, I'm fine. My plans to hang out with my girlfriends will not be disrupted!!! We're planning to visit Crazy Girl in Cedar Falls. I'm guessing we'll get a caffeine fix at a coffee shop along the way and find nourishment at a restaurant we don't frequent too often. Actually, I'm pretty sure that will happen.

I don't have any exciting pics from today, but I really like this one from CA. It's not my normal processing, but the car is what stands out to me (and should to you now). The guy sitting in the driver's seat is actually strumming a guitar. If only this car was on the beach...

Happy Valentines Day...2009!

We're home and enjoying the day of trying to get back into the swing of things. The kids reminded us that it's Valentine's Day. Actually, Ayden's cell phone alarm was going off at 7:00 to let us know! I got online to work on some edits and Ayvarie and I ran across this idea on another blog. I think it's fun!This is what I chose to shoot in honor of today. I hope you get to spend time with your Valentine(s) today!

Day ??? (This is just a general update.)

I know it's been a while since I've posted. We had quite a bit happen in our lives over the past few weeks and blogging is the last thing I had time for. Chynna (my oldest cat) fell ill and we decided to let her pass on, which was very hard for me (and Ayden). Then, we received the news of flooding in our house. We received a lot of not-so-good news over the last few weeks as well. We are so glad it is all in the past. We're healthy and happy now...that's all that matters.


Levi is fortunate enough to have me travel with him this week for work. :) A big THANKS goes to Ros for taking over the parental and household duties while we are enjoying the coast. It's great having family nearby and having Ros willing to relocate to our house and keep the kids in line. Unfortunately, it's been rainy and cool here while Iowa has been warm! What that means is that they are sharing the same 50-60 degree temps there that we're experiencing out here in Long Beach, California. Crazy winter!


Here are some images I captured today.

I liked the name of this place..."House of Hayden". Drop the "H" and it reminds me of some little guy I know. It's located in close proximity to our hotel, but it was closed when we were walking by.I'm not sure what to say about this image, but it's colorful! Between the boats in the bay here, you will see a lighthouse peeking out of the grassy mound. It really was a beautiful sight today after the rain subsided.Here is our French waiter at Creme de la Crepe presenting my crepe with Grand Marnier. This is actually the second time he did this for us, so I could entertain myself with a picture. We loved this location. It was quaint, close to the hotel, and unfortunate for him, not too busy when we showed up. On a good note, it made for a great location to chat and the food was tres bien! Now, don't think I have forgotten about my daily photo....I don't remember commiting to posting every day, or did I? You can consider these coverage for today. Maybe one of these days I will have time to get caught up on my personal images again and post the rest from January.

Day 16/365

I didn't get the chance to post yesterday's pic on time. So, here it is! The way the light reflected back into Ayla's eyes was really neat. We were sitting in my office (as we do most days) with the light coming in the window so warm and bright. I picked up the camera and caught this. If you look closely at her eye, you can see me capturing the shot.
Chynna update: If you haven't followed my communication on Facebook, you may not know that Chynna is home. I was able to bring her home yesterday since her blood chemistry returned to normal and she could function again. Since I didn't go through all of the trouble to have the vet test for other diseases, we still don't know why her calcium and platelets were up. We're hoping it was simply dehydration. With her age, we just decided to see if we could get her blood chemistry corrected and then watch her. If she goes downhill again, there is likely an underlying problem. She's being restrained to the upstairs by herself for the time being so I can monitor her intake. So far, she's doing just fine.

Day 15/365 - Sound Melancholy

My sis recently introduced me to Chocolaterie Stam. It's a beautiful chocolate shop on Main Street in Ames. Oh, how I love Main Street shopping! I ended up bringing home a pint of gelato today. The kids LOVE it. Of course they would, being I consider it a posh indulgence. It surely made my day (and theirs) seem a bit better.This morning, I received news from the vet that Chynna is mobile again, although definitely not back to her 100% self. We're hoping another day of IV fluids will help reduce her calcium and platelets even more since they were down a bit today. She was eating (when they replaced the canned food with dry - yes, she is finicky), drinking, and using the litter box. I really want her back home again...hopefully tomorrow.

It's been a mix of feelings today with my indulgence of a small serving of gelato, my communication with the vet, and my thoughts to an event nine years ago that changed my life forever.

Miss you, Jenn.

Day 14/365

This is a last-minute pic of the day. I've been toying with trying to capture this fabric in the right light. Tonight, I used my lamp for my lighting. I like how it turned out. My hopes were to take some snow pics so we can remember this winter (although, I don't see how we will forget).


Instead of exposing myself to the cold and snow for pics, I got to trek through it to take Chynna to the vet. Ayden called me while I was on my way home today to tell me that the girl couldn't stand up. She was so weak. I had plans to call the vet this afternoon anyway because the last couple of days, she started to lose balance when walking. She still wanted attention, but that might have been an early sign of something being wrong. Especially since the kids don't normally get the chance to pick her up and she let them! Either way, her calcium and platelets are high. So, our first step is to try to get her strength back and her balance in check. The vet has her tonight to give her an IV. We're hoping that by hydrating her, it will balance out the calcium and she'll be on her way to better. On the other hand, with her platelets being high, there is a chance for possible blood clots moving through her system, which could cause strokes. I sure hope that doesn't happen, but I can't sit by and choose to do nothing for her. I want her better! I am not ready to think that her problems could be something worse, so I'm not...

Day 13/365 - Gymnastics & Dance

Tonight, Ayvarie had her gymnastics and dance classes. Ayla said she wanted to go to gymnastics, too (I can't even remember how she pronounced it, but it was too cute!). Ayla followed Ayv into her room to find her own leotard, which is one that Ayv outgrew. Both girls appeared in the doorway dressed for class. She was such a proud little girl wearing that simple garment. The image below is Ayla putting on a pair of pants to match big sis. It's so much fun watching her mimic Ayv.
It won't be long and she'll be in gymnastics and/or dance, too!

Day 12/365

On a day like today, I feel Starbucks is a necessity. Ask my sister, my husband, or even my kids and they will agree (that Starbucks is a necessity for me...cold and snowy outside or not). When my kids tag along, Ayv requests hot chocolate while Ayla asks for "appuh jew". Ayden will usually have what Ayla is having. Thankfully they have kid sizes and pricing! My "Four Bucks", as Levi says, becomes six or seven bucks when they are with me.



I'm definitely ready for spring, but that won't change the desire for my venti nonfat beverage of choice.

Day 11/365

Today I had my first session of the year (a couple of previews are on the Imaging Rox blog). On my way there, I found the roads to be covered with snow, and it was COLD. With the storm predicted for tomorrow, I wasn't expecting the roads to be in the condition they were in. I can't wait until spring!

While charging batteries, backing up files, and packing my camera bag, I snapped this.

My desk is often covered with random papers and TOYS. This is one example.

Day 10/365

It snowed. This measurement was taken on the hand rails of our steps at the side of the house. It seemed the snow was set there perfectly. Although my measurement may not be exact, I can't imagine it's any less! Either way, it prevented us from our little excursion to see our friends. With the possibility of blowing snow later today, I think I'll hunker down and work on some photo projects that are nearing completion.

Our thoughts are with the Meader's today...

Day 9/365

On my way to the parking lot after work, I snapped this photo. It's great having my point-and-shoot in my purse. The building that houses this sign looks a bit rugged compared to most buildings on campus, but I like it. Next Saturday is the First Lego League competition, so the timing of this image is appropriate.



I wish I had this sign for Ayden's room!

Day 8/365

Chynna took her place on the kitchen rug again this afternoon. I thought about going outside to shoot, but the fear of being cold took over and I pushed that idea aside. So, my oldest girl became my subject of the day. It doesn't seem like I've had her for over 13 years now, but I have.

If the weather treats us okay this weekend, we have plans to visit some great friends. I'd like to see if there's time to go out and shoot while we're there. They have great scenery!

What would a post be without one of my kids? Here are a couple more from my mini-session with Ayla on the 6th. I'm pretty sure this B&W will be blown up for my office.