Category Archives: Personal

All ALONE!

My husband and I took a little mini vacation all by ourselves for our six year anniversary! I was so excited for a little break and time alone with Nick.

I lasted one night, then I started missing them really bad. You know, the two little people always at my side. Everything we did seemed like things they would love to do! Camping, hiking, eating…okay I know, they were probably eating without me.

I did have fun though and it was really good to have some time alone with Nick! We do not have a babysitter, so time alone only happens when family comes to visit us or we visit them. I really need to change that!

We went camping down at Robbers Cave State Park for two nights, beautiful park. We love hiking down there!

vacationI want my backyard to look like this! Someone else needs to do all the work though.

vacationlight2Hello beautiful light! I want to insert a bride right in the middle of this! Brides like to wade into dingy water in their wedding dress, right?

vacationlightThis made me think I had entered an enchanted forest.

vacationmothWhen we finally got to put the tent up it was dark already. It took us 30min-1hr to figure out how to pay. I might have pouted a little bit about missing the sunset on the lake, I wanted to take pictures!

So when we(by we I mean Nick) finished putting up the tent, we(Nick again) noticed that the rain tarp was missing. Then I remembered seeing it at the house. I love how I remember things like that. You know, when it is not helpful.

At least it did not rain!

I actually enjoyed getting to fall asleep looking at the stars but the no privacy thing was a little different. You could see right into the tent since most of it was just the netting.

We got up and started hiking around six am Saturday, beautiful light! That is the only thing that can get me up that early on vacation. Well that, and the promise of a really hot day.

Later that night we, get this…went to a movie theater! You know that thing where you watch a movie with a group of people you don’t know and pay too much for cheap food! I did not know these were still in existence!

I think the movie could have totally bombed and I still would have enjoyed it! It has been that long since I have been.

It was a great weekend and I was so happy to pick up my two little men! They on the other hand, did not want to go home…

My little men

I have committed myself to taking a self-portrait everyday for a year, looking back this might have been a bit of an overcommitment.

My boys enjoy going outside with me to take pictures, not to actually be in them. They just want to play.

So while I am trying to take this

day106website

This

jumping1web

And this

jumping3webIs going on in front of me

fishingwebSometimes I can’t help it and have to stop what I am doing to take a picture of what they are doing!

And sometimes it becomes this

boyswebThey make for really cute distractions and sometimes my inspiration

Addicted to lighting?

We had a big storm roll through NE Oklahoma last night.

I love storms, they make me smile. I am one of those people that loves getting caught in the rain.

We were actually at Walmart when the storm started and the Tornado Sirens started going off. We left anyway (after carefully checking the sky). It was pouring, the siren was going off and I was sad I could not just stand there in the rain.

We made it home safe and sound.

As I was watching the clouds swirling around (they were definitly swirling, probably not good) above me, I realized I am a photographer why not take pictures?

I got my camera and tripod (it was dark) and started snapping. Unfortunately the sky had gotten really dark by this time and I did not get the cloud shots I wanted.

I asked my husband, “how do you think people take lighting pictures” and he said something about slow shutter speeds. So as soon as the rain stopped traveling sideways I set up my tripod in the open doorway and started snapping.

It worked!

And now I will be looking to the sky’s hoping for storms (sorry to all the people that hate storms).

MayLightingStormThe first time the lighting raced across the sky right in front of my camera I squealed(yes squealed) and started saying, oh please, oh please.

Since I was taking pictures at very slow shutter speeds (13sec for the photography buffs) I did not know if it worked for what seemed like forever!

Nick came running out thinking something was wrongs, oops.

MayLightingStorm2This image makes me want to take up storm chasing

MayLightingStorm3It would be fun baby, the kids would enjoy it.

Nick gave me a look.

Oh well.

I was also thinking, “I really wish I was standing in an open field right now”. In the light of day, I am thinking this would probably not be the best idea. I still want to do it though.