Photo Challenge #57

Probably one of my favorite shots I've taken....ever.

Converted to black/white and cropped in PP.

Photo Challenge #56

Using leading lines.

Palo Duro Canyon, Texas

#55 Photo challenge

The child has zero fear. Mom, on the other hand...

Little Miss standing precariously close to the edge of a small ridge in Palo Duro Canyon.

Photo Challenge #48

Miss Mac and her first lost tooth.

Actually, it isn't lost. She yanked that sucker out herself. She did that about a week and a half ago, but I'm just now getting around to taking a picture with the real camera. I did take one the night she pulled it but with my cell phone.

Photo Challenge #32

Shooting range. Practicing stop motion shots for photography course. Hindsight is 20/20. I should have submitted this photo instead of the one I actually turned in, because even though I got good feedback on the photo I submitted, I like this one better.

Lesson learned: Stop second guessing myself!

Photo Challenge #30

Miss Mac has been going to the shooting range for about two years now. Usually daddy helps her shoot the .22 that was her big brother's when he was her age. On this day, another LEO was at the range with his son and he let us borrow his ... ok, I am sure the thing has a name, but heck if I know what it's really called...shooting support chair thingy. This was a huge help because the .22 is still pretty heavy for Miss Mac to hold, aim and shoot all by herself. Even with the support thing, big brother still lent a hand.

Photo Challenge #29

"The Tank"

A big reason for my lack of time and energy lately! Our grandson is staying with us for a while. I'd forgotten how time-consuming and energy-draining babies can be. He's a sweet one with a really happy disposition. I'd just become quite spoiled with how it easy it is with a 6 year old to just pick up and go when I need to run errands. I'm building up some serious upper body strength lugging this guy around!!

#13 of photo challenge

This is a "cheat". I didn't take any photos for this day so I'm cheating. The photo is actually from last summer during our family vacation to Denver, Colorado. During the trip, we visited the Downtown Aquarium. My son is reflected in the aquarium glass and I think that lends a nice look to the photo.

The Downtown Aqurium in Denver is a neat place, although a bit expensive. However, the exibits are interesting and well-maintained. I highly recommend visiting if you have children. Both our youngest (5 at the time) and our son (15 at the time) enjoyed it.

#12 of Photo Challenge

This is Miss Mac. I intentially tried to give this an "aged" look without the use of post-processing. My goal was to have the photo look like a typical snapshot taken in the 1970's. I used a high ISO and set the white balance to "shade" in order to achieve a grainy look.

Day #7 - photo challenge

I love my husband. I don't always like him, or the things he does, or the way he behaves. I'm fairly sure...no, I'm positive he could say the same about me!

Love isn't about always getting along. It isn't about the good times. And it isn't always easy.

Love is being able to look back on almost 15 years and saying we have really made it through a LOT of crap without killing each other! Love is still wanting to spend time together. Maybe not that 24/7 obsessive stuff when you first get married, but still able to enjoy each other's company.

I love my husband. He does so much for me, and our family. And...he puts up with me!

Day #5 of 365 Challenge

This is our cat. As you can see, she is praying to her god, the heater vent. She doesn't like being cold, and she has figured out that heat comes out right here.

I have had a pet of some kind in my life ever since I was little. I've had dogs, cats, even gerbils. I've had dogs hang their heads out windows, cats hat snuggle under blankets. But this cat does two things that are just odd. Even for a cat.

She knows when the heater comes on, too. Usually about 2-3 minutes after it turns on, she will run up the stairs and jump up on the banister. And sit there. Face into the heat.

When we have a fire burning in the fireplace, she will lay, either on the hearth or on the floor in front of the hearth, on her back belly-up like dogs do.

My lack of sleep the past two night is the reason for a really boring picture tonight. That, and my original attempt bombed. I tried to take some night shots of our little solar snowmen lights that we still have in the front yard. But, it is cold. Couple that with being tired and having no patience to mess with apertures, f-stops, etc. and you end up with pictures of your cat staring at the air vent.

Ta-dah!

Growing up

Today was Day 3 of Vacation Bible School!

And today was the hardest...for me. It was a day of letting go, of watching the little girl transform even further into a big girl.

Vacation Bible School was an exciting new adventure for us. Miss Mac is homeschooled, and therefore has missed out on the separation-anxiety that comes with the first day of school or even day care. The closest thing she has experienced was the play room at the gym and she was only away from me for, at the most, an hour. VBS was key because later this summer she has other day camps and classes scheduled.

Day One, we were both a bit excited and nervous, but after walking her to her group and getting her settled in, I did manage to let go of her hand and leave. Day Two was easier because I overslept, and we were running late so I had to walk her to the classroom and leave quickly so she didn't miss anything.

But today. Oh, today. We were on time when we pulled into the parking lot, and she saw other children walking up to the door - most with mommies, some older ones by themselves. And she said, Mommy, can you just pull over there (points to curb by the steps) and drop me off so I can go in by myself?

*gasp, swallow, try not to cry*

I did. She got out all by herself, ran around to the steps, waved, then pulled open the heavy doors. To everyone else, she appeared to be just another child going into VBS. To me, she was a little girl going into a new chapter of her life - one filled with confidence and self-assurance.

Kid Logic

My youngest daughter, Miss Mac, is currently upstairs cleaning her room. Well, that is what she is supposed to be doing. However, it is far to quiet so I believe she is playing rather than cleaning since every toy that normally resides in two pink storage buckets in her closet was scattered throughout her room and in order to putthings back in the buckets, and then back into the closet, noise must be made. You know, the sound of toys hitting against toys as you toss them into the storage bucket? Yea, it isn't.

So, I call up to her:

Me: Miss Mac, you need to be cleaning, not playing.
Miss Mac: I AM cleaning!
Me: It is too quiet for you to be cleaning.
Miss Mac proceeds to walk very heavily across her floor.
Miss Mac: Can you hear me cleaning now?

Now, before you think her a spoiled, sassy child, she isn't. She didn't say or mean it maliciously. It was honest, innocent...and just adorable.

Days Like This...

Ugh.

Days like this just suck. There is no other polite way to describe them.

And on days like this, I seriously think that if I could go back in time, I would opt to join the circus instead of being a mom. At least you can train animals.

Ugh. Just ugh.

Mission Accomplished!

A HUGE thank you to my oldest daughter who unknowingly helped me accomplish my mission of getting a picture of the TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle) 2 from Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers show.

Surprisingly just a few days after posting my mission, a chance run-in with my oldest daughter at the gym provided necessary information to finding TIV. She went to have her car inspected, and what should happen to be at the automotive shop? You got it! The TIV 2 is there getting some work done. The best thing is my husband worked with the co-owner of the shop years ago (pre-LE days!), so not only did I get to take pictures of TIV 2, but the Little Miss got to actually sit in the driver's seat!

So, missioned accomplished beyond wildest possible expectations!

Results from the shooting range

Here are some pictures from our trip to the shooting range yesterday.

My son's result from shooting husband's sniper rifle.






Little Miss's results from shooting the .22.

Pretty good shots, I'd say!