I took this photo the other night after dinner, after sweeping, while holding Clara. I had to crank up my ISO pretty high to let the light in, luckily my camera can handle that without creating a lot of noise.

and my other “still life” shots.

That’s it for me!

PLEASE READ THIS 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!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Looking in

Happy Capturing!

Luckily, I found color elsewhere.

Like, Legos!

aaand bowls of fruit!

and macro strawberry shots! (still trying to figure out this lens!)

and Eli! (HE’S IS SO CUTE IT HURTS.)

That’s it for me folks, now it’s your turn to share! Be sure to check back this week to see the featured photo of the week! (I didn’t choose one last week because my blog was so broken. Made it too hard to link up and visit blogs. heh.)

PLEASE READ THIS 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!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Still life (we’ve done still life before but it’s been a loooong time. I just love it. For ideas how still life, go here!)

Happy Capturing!

It’s so very cold outside. Unless you’re in Florida. If you’re in Florida, can I come over?

I’m so sorry You Capture is just now being published. I had a newborn session this morning and those last hours and then I have ten hundred kids. Now, Clara is sleeping and Eli woke up, so I have a quick moment to get this going! (I can’t say I’ve ever posted so late before. Makes me sad.)

Brian bought me a new macro lens for Christmas. It is positively amazing. I’m still learning how to use it, they’re not super easy to use but I journeyed out into the snow last week and located my pretty winterberries.

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

But first:

PLEASE READ THIS 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!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Colorful

Happy Capturing!

And look! The new You Capture button!

Right click on that baby (or control + click on a mac) and pop it into your sidebars! It’s yours!

It appears I’m not super motivated to photograph things in the morning. Not even mornings. heh.

But I did capture my two older little babies when they were brushing their teeth before school. They’re so good in the mornings. They hear their alarm clock, pop up and head down stairs for some cereal, helping themselves. When did they turn twenty?

I love that someday they’ll look at this photo and make fun of it. The pajamas, the socks, the hair, the shower curtain because it’s all out of style. Like what we do when we see old photos of the yellow and green floral wallpaper and the yellow linoleum. Know what I mean?

Anyway. That’s it for me. Now, it’s your turn to share! But first:

PLEASE READ THIS 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!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Cold

Happy Capturing!

But I sure do miss the rest of my family right now.

I LOVED looking through my photos of 2011. I’ve chosen ten of my favorites. Okay, maybe eleven.  Here are my top picks!

Did you have a tough time choosing? I encourage you to step out of your box in 2012 and try new things, new ways of shooting and learn something new about your camera! Believe it or not, YOU are smarter than your camera, so try to maximize what it has to offer!

*SOMETHING NEW!* I’m hoping to profile a participant on my blog on the Saturday after each You Capture! If you’re featured, I’ll leave you a comment on your blog letting you know!

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Morning

Happy Capturing (and Happy New Year)!

After I laid Clara down in her bassinet last night, I sat down on the couch (finally!) and looked at our Christmas tree and thought “how in the world is it December 22nd already?!?!” I also thought “I seriously can’t wait! I hope these next three days fly by!”

On to the photos!

Anna and I began our baking extravaganza yesterday. We made PW’s cinnamon rolls for our neighbors. Next up: cookies and tea ring!

Our sweet stockings for our sweetest babies.

and Merry Christmas from our house to yours! (family photo courtesy of Lauren Alexis Photography!)

Now, it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

I’ve decided to take the week off next week! So, come back on Thursday, January 5th:

Your ten favorite photos from 2011! (they do not have to be You Capture related.)

Happy Capturing and Happy Holidays!

Light is everywhere. And yet, I struggled.

Last night we took the kids to see Santa. Eli really loved the whole experience. It made me realize we should probably take him out more. Right now he basically goes to the Walmarts and also well, that’s it. Just the Walmarts.

So when we took him to Bass Pro Shops with the boats and the four-wheelers, the fishing poles, the lights and the Santa, well, he didn’t know what to think.

I adore the look on his face as he watched other children climb in and out the cart, paying special attention so that he, too, could someday complete the same obstacle. But the colorful bokeh in the background is beautiful.

And I love the way the light from this window pours into our living room. We always had a TV in front of it (no other way to arrange our TV) but then we bought a flat screen and put it above the fireplace and now we have SO! MUCH! LIGHT! I just love it.
And I also love the lights on the tree.
And Clara’s ruffled bootie.

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

(oh and sorry for not getting the new look done, this whole four kids thing is hard work, yo.)

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Festive

Happy Capturing!

But then I know that many of you received tons of snow. So some of you got lucky. (or maybe not, depends on how you look at it!)

Yesterday was Clara’s two month appointment, anyone that knows her knows that she hates being cold, so when it came time to undress her, she was a bit shocked. She was chilly!

(Yes, I know it’s a stretch but I told you, NO SNOW! and also, look at her chubby belly!)

I even had to take a man-made snowflake outside. But it was seriously chilly outside when I went out there for this shot.

And then there’s my winterberry. The perfect sign of chilly weather. Can you even handle how fabulous this is? It’s such a beautiful bold color in the middle of the cold drab deadness of winter. (and it feeds birds!)

(note to self: plant more next spring!)

Now it’s your turn to share!

WAIT. Before I forget, You Capture will be getting a new look next week! YAY!

Okay, now, FOR REAL,  it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Light

Happy Capturing!

I sat there and realized how thankful I am for people. Seems so simplistic but really, how often do we say thanks for the people we interact with on a daily basis. Even those we don’t know.

I loved this week’s challenge. (I’m hoping it wasn’t too much of a challenge for you!)

I had a session this week with a little one:

and then there’s my people:

(first haircut!)

and playful people, sitting in their little brother’s desk.

and (reluctant) homework people.

and I have even more people but Clara is asking me, in not such a polite way, to feed her. So, I better listen.

Now, it’s your turn to share!

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

Chilly

Happy Capturing!

This week just flew by, don’t you think? Our days are so fast and filled with all sorts of kid-associated activities like playing and feeding and diapers and babies who won’t nurse. *sigh*

The newborn phase is so hard. How do we always manage to forget that?

Anyway, I captured very little blue this week. I did take a photo of a vase on my mantle. I have three in this color and I love them. (they’re from Ikea) We actually bought a new TV that will be mounted above our fireplace, so all of my lovelies above my fireplace will need to find new places to live in my home.

I used a texture from Paint the Moon. I love the way the texture makes this photo much more interesting. My mantle is stark white but with this texture it adds a metallic sheen. So fun.

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

BUT FIRST, please make sure you are following the directions. I had to delete three links because people weren’t following the directions. (please link back and at least mention You Capture if you are going to add your link to the linky.)

Also, I realize every You Capture (and every post) from August on is gone, as of right now, it’s nothing I can fix. It’s possible I’ll get all of my posts back but also, it’s possible that every post since then is gone. Nothing I can do to change that.

And finally, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PLEASE READ THIS 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.
6. I encourage you to visit other participants and leave comments. This is a great way to meet new friends!
{more You Capture info can be found here.}

People

Happy Capturing!