I heart faces week 12 kids entry ~ Pouting

It's time for a new contest over at I Heart Faces, and this week's theme is pouting. The photo I am entering is of my daughter when she was 9 months old. I had just started playing around with manual mode on my D80. I took this photo along with the rest in the shoot in my daughter's room using only natural light from her windows. I wanted something different for her 9 month session, so I made the flower cap from a newborn cloth hat, TONS of fake hydrangeas, and a multitude of hot glue. The pot, though decorative, was made of light weight plastic. My baby girl was able to pull up and kept tipping herself over in the pot...I caught her, but it was enough to make her very mad. Yes.....I did this to my daughter.....I know it wasn't very nice of me, but she looked so cute! When I saw the theme of this week's contest, I knew immediately which photo I would be entering. Thanks for looking at my entry. Click on the link or the iheartfaces button to view other adorable pouts or enter one of your own.

Stress, paperwork, and the beach!

I'm so stressed! Most people look forward to spring and warmer weather and I do too in many ways. However, the beginning of Spring and the onset of warmer weather are also a source of dread, irritation, and self-loathing for my procrastinating ways. Many people also look forward to tax time for the blessed refund. I, on the other hand, dread and loathe tax time....I'm the wife of a self-emloyed man. The paperwork, the time taken away from my kids, and the chunk of money we always have to shell out make me one cranky individual. Most years, my favorite day is April 16th! I love the feeling of liberation once the forms (and unfortunately the money) are sent on their merry way. It makes me want to scoop up my babies and run as fast as we can to the nearest park, or better yet, the beach!! Oh the beach...I love the beach. I get really tired of rinsing sand off the kids 3 times a day and inevitably sleeping with sand in between the sheets, but I love the beach. Mostly I love taking pictures of the beach. So, since I am in desperate need of some external motivation, I've decided to post a few pictures of playing outside and enjoying the beach. I am trying to push myself to finish up so we can hit the road for a few days!

We picture {this} Black and White Photo Entry

I just discovered a great new website today. We Picture {this}. They are having a contest this month on black and white photos. My entry is a picture I took yesterday of my cousin's little girl. I have dozens of my own children, but I decided on this one. I know I just posted this, but oh well. Here it is again!

Fun at Wilbur

We joined some friends and family yesterday for an evening at the lake. We had such a great time, especially the kids. They were positively filthy by the time we left, but oh well. They both fell asleep in the car on the way home and slept all night in their dirty clothes. They really need baths! The little blonde girl is my husband's cousin. She played with Seth the whole time we were there.

I heart faces week 11 adults entry

This week the theme at I Heart Faces is "no flash". My entry is a picture I took at Cape Hatteras last spring of my husband's brother and his wife. It was noonish at the beach...no flash needed. This was my Nikon D80's first trip anywhere. I was still shooting only in auto mode and was totally intimidated by all of my camera's features. I guess I've been pulling out oldies for this week's entries, but oh well. Head over to I Heart Faces and check out the other entries. While you're there...enter one of your own. It's fun!

I heart faces week 11 kids entry

This week at I Heart Faces, the theme is "no flash". The picture I chose for my kids entry is of my son, Seth, last summer. He was 2 1/2 in this picture. Seth was so happy to be fishing with his daddy off our deck. My goodness, I love that kid!!!

Check out all the other entries, or join the fun and enter one of your own at

http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

My Real Life Through My Viewfinder

So...I realized that this blog is called MY LIFE through my viewfinder, and there is not a single picture of me, my wonderful and handsome husband, or my two amazing and beautiful children. So, Here are a few pictures to begin with. My kids have their own blogs, but I am a terrible blogger, and have lots of things on my plate these days, so their blogs are rather neglected. My children are Seth age 3 and Sophie age 17 months.

I'm not a photographer...just a mom with a really nice camera (the best gift my husband has ever bought for me, by the way). I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE taking pictures and have had several friends ask me to take photos for them. I don't consider myself a photographer, but I do consider myself a FREEtographer - definition....one who takes pictures for others free of charge.

I was once a public school teacher, but traded in my grade book for dirty dishes and dirty diapers....I've never regretted it for a second! I taught 8th grade math and the occasional English class (though not my favorite subject). Now I teach my own two monkeys, but mostly I think they are the ones teaching me. I love motherhood and plan to add one more monkey to my mayhem within the next year or two. I think that will be it for me. I am considering homeschooling when my children are old enough. My husband is self-employed, and we really enjoy the scheduling freedom this brings us. When my oldest was born, the school decision seemed like an eternity away. I cannot believe that this year, he will turn 4. Though, I still have a little more time, the decision will soon need to be made.

My life is calling me away from my computer....there are messes to be cleaned and children to be dressed.

I heart faces week 9 entry ~ Creative Crop~Adult

After cropping



This photo is of some friends of mine. They asked me to take some pictures for them to use on a Christmas card. I loved the original image, but thought I'd see what it looked like cropped closer. I loved the tenderness between mother and child. Check out other great photos from this week's contest or enter your own at http://www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com/