To capture a moment

We recently discovered that one of my uncles is very sick. He has just been diagnosed with aggressive stage 4 double lung cancer... Not good.  The good part is that he still has strength, right now, to enjoy his family.  A couple days ago he started his second round of chemo and has just now begun to lose his hair.

Knowing this, his children, who were all together for a rare moment this past couple weeks, decided that we should take a day and get some family pictures while Uncle still has enough strength to do so.

It was such an honor for me that they asked me to do the photographing.  It was a beautiful day, complete with being with my family and sharing time and a nice meal with them.

Shoot 'em, blow 'em up and hang 'em

Gee, photography is a violent hobby...


...but I really like it!  :D


Just shot my first wedding this weekend...it was a lot of fun...

...pictures to follow - eventually...there are a LOT to sort through... {grin}

Baby legs

 Roly, poly baby legs!  Adorable baby legs belonging to an even more adorable baby...

But then...

I could be a smidge biased, given I am "gramma" to these cuties!

I'm raising the cuteness factor

{but I may be a tad biased}

Don't say I didn't warn you...

P.S. You may also find yourself succumbing to optical overstimulization - I couldn't make a decision.

Told you.

Black and White Wednesday - Destruction

This picture was taken of the hospital I was born in, the hospital I had my tonsils removed in and the hospital to which I was taken the first time I was raped. My dad was born in this hospital and my auntie was the Nursing Unit Manager of the Pediatrics Dept. My brother and sister were born here. My sister was born a few weeks premature; she fought for her life here. My dad was brought here when he hurt his back when he was (I believe) hit by a tree while working as a lumber jack. Up until our house burned down, he had the letter I "wrote" to the doctors as a three year old, thanking them for helping my daddy.

I cried when they tore it down. This was that day.

Head on over to Long Road to China to see more fabulous photos!

Wordless Wednesday

Click here to join in

Black and White Wednesday - The Eyes Have It

I have just recently posted this picture on here but when I found this blog carnival at The Long Road to China I knew which picture I wanted to use this week.  Unless I totally change my mind when I go to add the picture.  It could happen.  I am fickle that way.  {Grin!}

I guess we will all see wen I get to that point {I know! The suspense is killing ME TOO!}

Ok, so here is what I decided...TWO pictures

This is my beautiful daughter, Rush.  Yes, she is the one who ran away from home.  I sure do miss looking into those beautiful eyes of hers.  And just look at how LITTLE my Bug is in the back...

I cry just about every time I see this picture of Jellybean.  It was taken at PB&J's wedding.  At this point she had been crying (sobbing, uncontrollable crying) for 45 minutes.  It began in the middle of the ceremony.  Yes, the flower girl was a blubbering mess of ooey, gooey emotion in the middle of the ceremony.  Why?  The pastor had just said that it was time for her sister to leave her family and start her own.  We had always told her the wedding meant PB was going to be part of our family now.  When the pastor said that, she believed that meant she would never see her sister again and that she was no longer her sister.  Poor little thing. 

More edits to check out

The big reveal

and now I open it up to positive critiquing - not that what you say has to be a positive comment but please, I am sensitive {GRIN} word things nicely.  You wouldn't want to see me hear that you made me cry.  HA HA HA!

In the morning After I finally go to bed and rise again

I will be posting some pictures that I would LOVE to get some feedback on.  I have recently been given, yes given, Lightroom and Photoshop Elements and so, I have finally had some time today been able to play around a bit.  I would love for you to tell me what you think, give me some pointers, what catches your eye positively and negatively so I can learn from my mistakes and to see what people, as a whole, are optically in favor of - you know, eye candy.

For now, I am going to go to bed; tomorrow, er today, is Day Two of babysitting one of the cuteste not-related-to-me boys I have ever had the joy to spend time with.