So, first, I’m sorry for being a whole day late on this. One of these days, I’m going to sit down and right a real post and in that real post will be all sorts of updates on me and my life and after reading that post you’ll think “ooooh, so that’s why she’s barely posted and why she’s always late with You Capture and why her hair always looks funny.”

Okay, maybe not the last one but probably.

Last week’s challenge was happy and this just makes me happy. Is it coffee that makes you happy? (YES) Is it children that make you happy? (YES) Is it a greasy Big Mac on a rainy day that makes you happy? (YES) (at least for a little while until it hits your stomach.)

Anyway, my kids are happy and that makes me happy. So, here you go, all sorts of endless happy for you.

This last photo is especially cute because it’s a shot of the car before heading into the “milk car wash.”

My works makes me happy. Almost 99% of the time.

(it’s babypalooza over here, friends.)

Now, it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!

{additional You Capture info can be found here.}

Festive

Happy Capturing!

Every time I sit down for You Capture, I realize that it’s been yet another week of not coming here and writing. And each week I think that I need to take the time to write, to share, to catch up. But I’m still struggling with finding that time. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s small, but it’s there. I’m doing everything I can to get myself there. I’ll get there. Soon. Also, there’s a lot to catch up on. I really don’t even know where to begin.

This past weekend I taught my Mastering Manual workshop which has quickly turned into one of my absolute favorite things that I have ever created. The idea that these people are anxiously and timidly walking into my studio and walking out the next day with this amazing knowledge that will allow them to take the prettiest photos they’ve ever taken, well, let’s just say that I am a fan. I’m been teaching it once a month and each month it just gets better and better. Yesterday, one of my attendees showed me an image she took and I literally gasped and said “can you believe you took this?” and she just laughed and said “not at all.” But she did. And she did it correctly. GAH. I love it so much.

Anyway, I spent the whole weekend basically talking about light. So, this week’s challenge was completely appropriate.

Of course I work only with natural light. Basically no difference with my images today.

I am slightly infatuated with cranberries this year. Not eating them but displaying them. I love the bright pops of color and how different each one is. I also love that they’re just $1.50 per bag, which is a cheap, easy and vibrant way to decorate.

Also: pretty. I love the way the light is reflected on the berries.

I absolutely love the light in my studio. I also love the bokeh in the background on this shot. What I love most about the bokeh is that it’s created from actual natural light bouncing off the gold. No artificial light here, people. (at least, not this time.)

The weather this weekend was pretty gross. Cold, rainy, foggy. But we still found pretty.The light in the background of both of these images was a simple porch light left on next to my studio.

That’s it for me, friends. Now it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!

{additional You Capture info can be found here.}

Happy

Happy Capturing!

Hi friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. I managed to squeeze in three sessions and spend some good time with my babies – so it was really nice. I’m thankful for weekends like these.

Here’s a peek of Clara’s itty bitty teeny weeny cutesy wootsy baby shoes. I love them. and her. She’s such a good dancer.

The dancing was just added information. It had nothing to do with her itty bitty teeny weeny cutesy wootsy baby shoes.

And that’s all from me! (short and sweet!)

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!

{additional You Capture info can be found here.}

Light

Happy Capturing!

I sure do appreciate the four of you who come around each week. Thank you so much for stopping by.

Everyday for the past many, many years, I’ve enjoyed a turkey sandwich for lunch. It’s simple and fairly healthy. However, out of nowhere, I have a strange aversion towards turkey. (No, I’m not pregnant. DON’T EVER THINK THAT AGAIN.) Even on Thanksgiving I could not partake in the poultry side of things, however, I made up for it in mashed potatoes and gravy.

ANYWAY. Lately, I’ve been trying to figure out new things to try for lunch. I have a few requirements: it needs to be easy, tasty and cheap. Last week, I took Anna and Noah to the dentist, interestingly enough, or not at all, I skipped lunch that day because it was so much effort to think of something to eat and also I had a late-morning scone. While they were back getting their teeth cleaned, I smelled something delicious, I looked over and saw the receptionist eating Maruchan noodles. What a smart woman! The smell was divine and they looked so tasty. I realized I was so hungry and went home and ate about 75 Tosititos. (no lie, friends, no lie.)

So, today, whilst grocery shopping, I bought these. Move over, turkey, Mama’s got a new lunch!

Easy? Yep. Pour some hot water and let sit for 3 minutes.
Tasty? Oh, yeah. Have you ever had a bad Maruchan noodle?
Cheap? 23 cents. OH YEAH.

Now, before some of you health nuts start leaving concerned comments, please know that I take my chronic high blood pressure very seriously. I realize the sodium content of these noodles equals that of the weekly recommended amount so, might I recommend cutting the sodium with a cakester:

or

perhaps a gingerbread cookie.

or, you know, maybe both, for good measure.

I feel like I’m saving lives with my health advice today.

That’s it for me, now it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!

{additional You Capture info can be found here.}

Shoes

Happy Capturing!

I’m so sorry for putting this up so late. It’s been one of those days.

Yellow is my favorite color. I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to yellow.

For whatever reason, I didn’t do so well this week.

Apparently, I have a thing for yellow cakes. or maybe almost-yellow cakes.

Pancakes on Saturday.

And a citrus cake at Panera.

Now, I have a giant bowl of lemons in my studio basking in the most beautiful natural light you’ve ever seen, you would think, YOU WOULD THINK, that I would have photographed that one of the 3,928 times I walked past it but my brain is broken so I did not. I apologize. But it would have been pretty. And lemony.

Anyway.

Now it’s your turn to share.

PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES, especially, yes, especially if you have never linked up!
1. Anyone can join in on the challenge at anytime.
2. Please make sure the photos you use were taken for the challenge, meaning do not search your archives for an appropriate photo. The goal of You Capture is to get you out taking photos each week!
3. Use YOUR photos.
4. When linking up, only link to your You Capture blog post, not your main blog URL. (incorrect links will be deleted.)
5. You MUST link back to You Capture in your post. (please do this! don’t link up to promote your blog or even to promote your own photo challenge, k?!)
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!

{additional You Capture info can be found here.}

Lunch

Happy Capturing!