Always wave goodbye!

My kids HAVE to wave goodbye when either my husband or I leave the house. My oldest reminds us everytime so that we'll be sure to wave back. I've been wanting to get this shot for a while now so I'll have it and remember... I've tried it from outside and that didn't look so great so a backlit pic it was. What do you think. Should I try for a re-shoot? hmmm.....

Am I a boring blogger? (warning:photo overload)

The reason I ask, is that I've been a blog stalker to so many wonderful blogs. I stalk these blogs because of the inspiration that I receive in photography, but I've been really enjoying READING all of the stories, thoughts, etc. shared with each post. And I look at mine - I don't say much do i? If you knew me, you'd know that I'm not one who is often found with a shortage of words to share, but when writing, I guess I don't have much to say. And if I did, maybe I would bore you more. LOL.... Oh well, here's some of my latest....

Do you Bribe your children?

I'm sitting at my desk and there is an open pack of gum next to me. Bella walks into the room and says, "can I have a piece of gum, mom?" To which I respond, "No, not right now." So what does she say back to me?.... "I'll let you take a picture of me."...

Yeah, she got a piece.

Sharing some recent Fav's...

I've been doing the "photo a day" challenge with my friends at 2peas for the year. I set up another blog and have been posting over there, but wanted to update over here with a few of my recent favorites. This challenge has been really fun for me. It's pushed me to look at things differently while I try to fit my captures into the weekly themes. I hope that at the end of the year I can look back and see that I have grown in my photography abilities. Let's all keep our fingers crossed for me. :) So here they are, my favs over the past few weeks....

Had to share 'em

I knew by the screams from the girls that something was wrong, but I did not expect this... And you know that he loves me even more for having a camera obsession because he got to eat more and more of that yummy jam while I snapped away. Lucky kid! Who could ask for more?

Got me a Macro

This lens definately has a learning curve. More so than any other lens that i've gotten so far. It's going to take me a while to get the hang of it, but it's going to be fun trying to learn. Practice, practice....

A fairy princess that believes in Fairies......

Bella loves to play make-believe. She plays all day long and Cliff and I get such a kick out of sitting in the other room and listening to her talk and play. About a month ago I was downstairs in the office on the computer and she was in her room playing. I could faintly hear her through the vent. After a while she yelled right into the vent, "Hello down there". I'm sure that she didn't expect a response, but she yelled it again. So... I decided to respond in my best fairy-like voice. She acted as if it was completely normal that there were voices coming from the "fan" as she calls it and continued on having a conversation with me, the fairy. She asked me what I looked like, if I had brothers or sisters..It went on and on. And me on the other end am trying to have this conversation without crying because I'm laughing so hard. She says that she has to go, but quickly runs back and exclaims, "I'm a human being!". Then she runs down to tell me all about it. The joy on her face was just too much. I would have loved to have been her as a child and had a real(kinda) fairy friend. Occasionly we still have fairy conversations. Am I mean for this? I'm not sure when I should break the news...
Here she is for you...MY very own Fairy Princess!

Would my blog be complete without pics like this?...

Okay, before we get to the pictures, I just wanted to give a HUGE Thank You for everyone who took the time to read my list and comment. It was soo fun sharing and I'm so glad that so many of you decided to take on the challenge and share too. It has been so fun getting to know everyone a little bit better. If you still haven't, then I say give it a try. It's a ton of fun. Let me know when you do, because I wanna come and read all about you!
Now onto the pics...If you knew my familly, ....well, my husbands family, you would know why my blog feels more complete with pictures of my 1 yr old son holding a dead duck! What the heck?! My husband sent him downstairs and into the office with this thing in his hand. He came down grinning, so proud of himself. Ofcourse I screamed when I turned around and saw him. But what did I do next? Yep, I grabbed my camera and told my husband to take him outside for some quick pics. He's just too proud of this dead bird, and he's not even the one that shot it.... He's totally my husband's son!

No pictures, Just me....( so I added a few pics..)

I read on a fellow bloggers(thanks Amy!) blog that she had listed 100 things about her. It was so interesting to read and get to know her and when she left the challenge open to readers I was anxious to join in. I thought that it was an especially good time, being the 1st(ish) of the year and all. A time to look at myself, who I was, who I've become, who I want to be.... Who I Am.
So for those of you who visit(if any at all...) Here are 100 things about me....

1. I have blonde hair
2. I have blue eyes
(bare with me.. I still have 98 to go)
3. I'm 5'9 ( i won't fill in the weight on number 4)
4. I have 4 sisters and 3 brothers ( no step or half - yeah, go ahead and picture my childhood)
5. I was born and raised in Santa Rosa, Calif and have only been back to visit since I left in '94.
6. I attended college at BYU in Provo Utah
7. I majored in Bio/Pre-med...but never finished(that's a whole 100 other things list)
8. I'll celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary this year!
9. I'm mom to 3 beautiful children.
10. I love to TRY to be creative
11. I love spending money...on anything
12. I have an addictive personality
13. I want to lose 20 lbs
14. I enjoy being pregnant.
15. I look forward to labor and delivery and enjoy everything about it.
16. I enjoy reading a good book, but haven't done so for a long time.
17. I miss the beach
18. I love vietnamese food
19. Getting up at 8am feels early to me
20. I own my own business.. actually 2...3 if you count my husbands chiropractic clinic
21. I don't like to cook, but I do every once in a while
22. I'm thankful for religion in my life
23. My husband spoils me, and if he doesn't.. I do it myself.
24. I wish my kids were best friends at every moment
25. I'd like to go back to school one day and study something medical related.
26. My new favorite addiction is photography (as of 9/06)
27. I like my steaks cooked Medium
28. I love red meat
29. I want my kids to know I love them
30. I enjoy silence.


31. I don't like the jets turned on in a hot tub
32. I hate saunas
33. I'm trying to get over a soda addiction
34. I rarely eat breakfast
35. I love a loud radio when I'm in the car by myself
36. I have to have my hair pulled back and completely off my face and neck when I sleep.
37. I think i'm finally getting over my insomnia (on most nights)
38. I enjoy being around people
39. I'd rather go somewhere and talk than go to a movie
40. I don't like missing out on things.
41. I love really Hot baths
42. I enjoy fly fishing with my hubby.
43. I'm a good shot with a rifle and a shotgun
44. I once shot an antelope...and enjoyed it.
45. I have to close the blinds once it gets dark
46. I love to laugh
47. I love laughing more when it's with my husband
48. I'm almost always on time(except for church)
49. I enjoy learning new things and usually learn quickly
50. I have a guitar, but don't know how to play(maybe someday)
51. I have a great life
52. I have great kids
53. I'm trying to be a better mom
54. I'm a peacemaker
55. I enjoy giving
56. I don't enjoy back massages(usually)
57. My husband cleans house more often than me, but I do it better..
58. I often live out of a pile of clean laundry
59. I'm horribly unorganized
60. I enjoy the internet
61. I might get pregnant again this year
62. I delight in having every piece of laundry clean and put away
63. I hardly ever make my bed
(my house is starting to sound pretty messy, isn't it?)..it's not too bad
64. I pray regularly
65. When I set goals, I am DETERMINED to accomplish them and usually do
66. I once took sailing lessons
67. I used to want to skydive, but since having children, have no desire
68. I have horrible handwriting ( I should've been a doctor)


69. If I could be a doctor, I would be an ob/gyn
70. I can't wear socks to bed.
71. I feel better about myself when I get dressed up.
72. I go nuts if i forget to put my watch on
73. I love having breakfast for dinner
74. I love watching tv in bed.
75. I hardly ever go to sleep before midnight.
76. I don't enjoy gardening.
77. I'm a worrier
78. I don't accept gifts well from others.
79. I'm horrible at saying goodbye.
80. I love to wear dangly earings.
81. I can't leave the house without mascara
82. I drove a 15 passenger van with a bed in the back my senior year of highschool
83. I love loud dance music
84. I bribe my kids
85. I'm 30 and it hasn't been too bad.
86. This is the first year in my life that I've felt like I can say that I think I have a talent


87. I used to scrapbook.
88. I love to be inspired
89. I want to inspire others someday
90. I hope that I'm a good example
91. I should tell my kids, my husband and my friends that I appreciate them more often
92. I feel that there is always room for improvement when it comes to myself
93. I look forward to change
94. I don't want a million kids, but I can't imagine closing that chapter
95. I hate the sound of alarm clocks regardless of the time of day or if i'm awake or asleep
96. I want lasik eye surgery, but i'm scared
97. I love to blog...it's definately become ONE of my addictions
98. I swore I'd never live in Idaho, and now I do
99. I love a new purse because it's easier than cleaning out the old one.
100. Sometimes I clean clutter by putting everything in a laundry basket and hiding it in my closet.

Whew...
Now.. Tell me about you. I'd love to get to know you, or get to know you better. Please leave me your link.
Thanks
~amanda

Girls will be girls...

..right? I took a ton of pictures the other day of the girls putting on make-up. They had a blast! This is my very favorite of the bunch. Everytime I look at it I giggle. I don't know what she was doing with her fingers, but she kept saying, " I look fabulyless". Sweet girl, yes you do!

For the B's

Whew! 5 crazy kids and can you believe I got some where they were all looking at the camera and smiling. It's not pride, but i am patting myself on the back for that one. Okay - so maybe a did a little head switch-a-rooing on a few, but hey, without a chance for a re-shoot, I had to do something. :)
Anyway, I love you guys! Hope you find some that you enjoy... Here's a preview for you!

just my girls...

nothing but their sweet little faces :)! Just had to share. thanks for lookin!

Bella wella at the park

I love when you can look at a picture and feel the joy that your children are having! It puts a smile on my face :)