Oh the Craziness

As if life has not been busy enough... why must us wives always add more to the craziness?

Like taking group family photo with too-busy-to-pay-attention-children?  And I know that the natural impromptu photos are the best... but come on... just one where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling... is that too much to ask?

One out of 6,524,671 photos attempted by the blonde and brunette.

Taking up crazy hobbies with my good friends including blogging, gardening, photography, and what else can we add to the mix?



Or throwing in Tupperware parties into the blend of Thirty-One parties, Pampered Chef parties, Stella and Dot parties and so on.  Why must we torture ourselves trying to be over-achievers?

And sometimes when my kids are insanely bouncing off of the walls and I sit silently in the middle of a tornado... I ponder if they are the crazy ones or am I?

But what would life be like without all of the insanity?  How quiet would our lives be?  If their feet went pitter-patter instead of sounding like a herd of elephants--- would life not be the same? 

I dread the day when my boys grow up and do not drive cars around the house...making all kinds of truck-tractor-car noises.  In my minds eye, I can vision them being in their forties and me begging them, "Drive the little cars on the walls just one more time." 

So, for right now, I am learning how to bask in the craziness.  I am enjoying the insanity of raising boys in its entirity.  I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

 

What I saw

{This is something that I want to publish just so I can remember it.}

The brunette blogger and I started a new photography project...

It started merely as a simple thought, "How do I get better at photographing people when my own children never let me take pictures of them????"  Even the cat was getting sick of having her picture taken.

I have always been kind of artsy fartsy and needed an outlet.  I used to paint a lot with water color and do charcoal art work...but after children...those hobbies got shoved to the backseat.  Then last year, I thought maybe I would look into photography as an outlet.  Aaron bought me a DSLR camera and I bought a couple of books on photography for dummies.  But then Aaron broke his back. It took me many months to compose myself enough to even attempt to put a little time aside for myself.

And then an idea struck me.  It excited me---- the kind of excitement that I have not felt in a long time amidst my everyday. boring. life.

What if we did short sessions, just with a few people at work?  Our coworkers have been talking about taking family photos for Christmas cards.  They complain about the prices of sitting fees and not having rights to their photos by professional photographers....  So, what if we charged a dirt cheap fee, did minor editing, and then gave them their photos on a disc?  What if we decided to take this seemingly simple project a step further and donate all of the money earned---100%--- to charity.

When the idea crossed my mind, I roped the brunette in.  She was all for it.  The blonde was eager to help too... but has been very busy traveling with her hubby and taking care of her children.

So, it began.  The feedback was overwhelming--- so many people interested in giving us a chance to take their photos.  Worst comes to worst...they do not like their photos and their money gets donated to a good cause. 

I was amazed at what I saw...

When I looked through the view finder of my camera, I saw more than a ward secretary or a nursing assistant's daughter-in-law or a cancer survivor's children or a nurse that has taken care of my own family or a supervisor with her family...

I saw a mother's unconditional love....

A child with dimples like no other...



The most beautiful blue eyes...



A ham in front of the camera...

Dad's who could not wait to leave (and actually walked home) and Dad's who were totally into taking family photos...


And oh the feet photos...




And a completely new perspective on lighting (it seemed so wrong---going against one of the golden rules from our previous class---but man oh man it felt so right!)


During these "Short Sessions" as we called them, I learned a lot about positioning people and also about my camera.    I shot every photo in manual--- which was my own personal goal.

Now girls, time for the next class:)

Sneak Peak

The brunette blogger and I have started a photography project...here is a sneak peak...

Any input from the blonde blogger is welcomed!

Thanks for the fun morning!