Friday Photo Week 28 {Nebraska Photographer}

This week was nice. Got to see some friends, play outside, got the bottom of the house primed for paint. It is getting warm again~ boo. And we still need LOTS of rain.

I spent some time this evening with my boy outside and playing with some light. I have a session tomorrow and I always like to get into a "groove" the day before so I know what to expect (kind of) the day of a session. Plus, my session is with a three year old, so not far from my little monster's age!

I love this shot of my little man. He is getting better about listening when I ask him to pose for me. Of course, it doesn't last long, but what can I expect? Plus, I am one that likes shots like these, it shows his true expression when something catches his eye. It's not forced.

It's hard to believe July is half over already. Where did Summer go?

Until next time~ Stay warm!

Weekly Photo Week 27 {Nebraska Photographer}

How was every one's Fourth of July?? We had so much fun with our neighbors playing softball. My fiance' was totally in his element. He had played baseball for 13 years of his life, so this was right up his alley. I got a base hit both times I was up to bat. I then had to go watch our son on the slip and slide. However, while I was able to play I realized I should have played softball in High School, it's so much fun!

This week's photo is one I took for my photo a day challenge I am also doing. I took a lot of photos for Day 6 which was "chair". This one melts my heart as it shows the innocence of my little man. And he is quickly growing up. He went all day in big boy underwear yesterday without an accident! He also had a dry pull up in the morning and after nap. Things are looking up for potty training!!

Wow, and it's already going on the second week of July. Where is the Summer going??

Happy Weekend!

Friday Photo Post Week 26 {Nebraska Photographer}

We have been pretty busy this week. In between editing my latest wedding, I still have the day to day activities and to add to the fun, we had Vacation Bible School.

I was really excited to have my son participate in VBS this year. I remember going as a young child, and looked forward to every day. I want my son to experience these things. Also, he is going on 3, we need to get him used to organized activities ;-)

We had three mornings of VBS, and each day was fun. My son LOVED the music time, and would stay in the circle the whole time dancing and singing with all the other children. He would sit for a little bit for craft time, though would want to get up and play shortly after we started.

He did decorate his backpack very well, and still continues at home!

Overall, I am so glad we did went. He surprised me each day by having his good and bad moments, more the third day as the activity caught up to him. I got to chat with the other moms, which I always enjoy. And he was exposed to organization. All good things preparing him (and me) for when he is off to school.

Definitely looking forward to next year!

Friday Photo Post Week(s) 24 & 25 {Nebraska Photographer}

I am REALLY going to try to be better about my Friday posts. It's been crazy busy lately, but I really do need to be better about posting SOMETHING at the correct time!

My first photo is from our trip back to MN last week. We had such a good time with the family and got to see some of M's old friends at a wedding. It was the first time he saw me at work as I was the photographer at the wedding. It was fun, and all went well! We took some family photos while home since this was the first time all three grandchildren were together. We will get more in October, but this was a very special moment for all of us.

O grandparents and all the grandchildren

My second photo is from today. It was the last branding of the season and I couldn't have asked for better light. Seriously of all the brandings I have been to and taken photos, this one had the BEST light!! I looked behind us and saw this horse. Perfectly content waiting for his rider. No bridle or halter, not even grazing. Just perfectly still. Oh how I love these animals!!

Patience

Stay tuned for my color challenge blog post this week! Also, I hope to have my June 9th wedding blogged later next week too!!

Happy Friday!

Friday Photo Post Week 23 {Nebraska Photographer}

Yes, I do know it's not Friday! I have been extremely busy recently but wanted to catch up the blog a bit. I will more then likely not post this week's Friday post until Sunday because I have a wedding this Friday in Minnesota.

So, this week's photo is of my son and his dog. I never get tired of taking their picture. I rented a 22-70mm 2.8 L lens for the weddings I am shooting and tested it out with these two.

This to me is the best view. My son LOVES to take walks down our driveway. Has even made it to the end and back (it's a mile round trip) but it helps him sleep! The thing is, we have to watch for snakes. We have had a couple in our yard recently. Both have been bull snakes, but one was 5' long!!! YUCK! Ah Summertime!

Here is to warm weather, the hope of more rain, and busy busy weekends! 

Friday Photo Post Weeks 21 & 22 {Nebraska Photographer}

Yes, I missed last week, again! So making up for it with two photos this week.

This weekend will be my last weekend for the month of June that I am free. Busy and I LOVE it! Hoping to be able to have some family time this weekend.

Ok, so last week we branded a small bunch of calves. It ended up being a chilly rainy (we need it!) morning, but fun nonetheless. I even got in there and wrestled some calves! In each place we have worked, they have branded differently. Here in the Sandhills, they wrestle every calf, verses using snares like in Colorado. It can be hard work, but it makes things go so much faster. Plus, it's fun!

My Photo for week 21 is of M and my son. My son loves to look at all the calves gathered in the pen. You can see it on his face, he just wants to go play with them!

For week 22 I have chosen a photo of my friend's son. Last weekend was Circle C Days in Cody, NE. It's pretty much the biggest thing that happens in our small town, and it's been going on for 50 years! They have all sorts of events, and next year you will see our family out there!!! :-D

Next week I will post some sample photos from the lens I rented for the first two weddings of the season! REALLY looking forward to it!!!

Friday Photo Post Week 17 { Nebraska Photographer

Ah, Friday again. A week from today I will be on the road with my little man on our way to my future in-law's. It will be the first of many road trips in the following two weeks. Bridal showers and family time, I love it! So, please forgive me if I miss next week or it's a day or two late.

So, this week I decided to reveal more personal information, don't worry I won't get TOO personal!

Growing up my Mother always told me that the way her Mother taught her how to cook was, "She gave me The Joy of Cooking cookbook and said to me, 'You know how to read, you know how to cook'". So, obviously, this is what my Mother did to "teach" me. I do not recommend this method of learning how to cook and M will attest to that.

When I moved in with M seven and a half years ago, I had my Joy of Cooking cook book, and I was ready...or so I thought. Seriously, we ate spaghetti, tacos, and I think I made meatloaf once, other then that it was Hamburger Helper. Wow, it's amazing I didn't weigh 300lbs.

When we moved into our house I got more creative. Purely because the previous owner had forgotten her recipe box and she had some really good ones in there! Spaghetti and tacos were still on the menu, but casseroles were added to the list. We got a grill and M started to cook more, well, grill anyways. Until we moved to Colorado, we had a steady menu of over and over and over again meals.

When I became a stay at home mom I vowed to try new meals. By this time I had perfected most back goods (my cookies, I'm not afraid to say, are amazing!) and I tried a new meal every week. Most of them didn't make the cut. I once made BBQ beef with cornbread on top, it sounded good at the time...the dog wouldn't even eat it, oops. The ones that make the grade get put in my giant book of recipes, pretty much a three ringed binder with the print outs.

My Recipe go-to

The best thing about all these new recipes is the ones we really like, we have when we have our parents visiting. Most of the time, my parents will ask for the recipe and they make it all the time too!

Over the last two and a half years we have tried lots and M has even started cooking more. He loves making Peach Cobbler and Chili (I don't dare try to replicate them, it never tastes the same).

I am glad I can share this with M. I hope when we are old and grey we are still finding new recipes to make together. Oh and Pinterest is the best site to find new recipes! Made one today with oatmeal and peanut butter, the little man LOVES it! And it's good for him! No worries, I won't be starting a cooking blog anytime soon.

Happy Friday! Go make something new this weekend and tell me how it turns out!

Friday Photo Week 16~ Personal Insight

Sorry for being late this week! I had every intention of posting last night...ah well!

This week I thought I would tell you a little bit about me. I love music. No, seriously I love it. I have iHeart radio on my iPhone and it's on constantly. When my son and I go to play outside, I bring my iPhone with. When we are eating supper, it's on. It drives my fiance' crazy, but I can't stand silence. Music is my outlet. I sing at the top of my lungs (my son has been known to tell me "that's enough"), I dance around like a fool. I love that I found a couple Generation X radio stations and can rock out to some oldies from middle school and high school. Ah music, you are my soul mate!

So tell me, who is YOUR favorite artist or song?



Friday Photo Week 14

It's Easter weekend. I love this holiday, OK I love all of them! This year it was so much fun dying Easter eggs with my son. He is at that age where he is into everything! It took a lot of effort to tear him away from the food coloring, but alas we finally got him to bed. This morning the first thing he says to me "Shaw, watch eggs". Uh oh. All day I had to crush his dreams of dying more eggs. Until next year buddy.

Thank you to the genius that posted the whisk idea on Pinterest! It worked like a charm!

I had plans for this week's photo to be of my son playing in the sprinkler on Sunday. Yes, April 1st we saw temps in the 90s, with no wind. It was so nice! Not ready for that steady heat yet, but it was refreshing.



Last year he was terrified of the sprinkler. This year he ran constantly for a good 45 minutes (never taking his hat off). He even, at one point, ran face first into it to try to drink the water! This summer should be fun!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Friday Photo week 13

Now that we live in an area where I can grow a garden, I am going to attempt it. Those of you who know me, know this is going to be quite a feat. It should be fun for my son to help me out there.

Here is the exciting part~ I actually got something to GROW!! We bought some tomato seeds and planted them in some recycled pudding cups. Stuck them in the window with the most light and waited.

AHA! Not one, not even two, but FOUR sprouts!! I am hoping to keep them going to eventually get them outside in late May. Here's hoping!!

I have to give a lot of credit to Sprout Robot, it is a GREAT website that helps with what date to start which vegetable. I hope to have jalapenos, red peppers, tomatoes, and a few pumpkins (for the little man!). Will keep you posted!

Friday Photo Week 12

Oh Spring how I love you! We have had a busy week around here and the craziness has just begun!! Calving has started and I love seeing the little ones running around outside in the sun. Hope to get out there in the lot soon to get some cute photos. I sometimes wish I could bring them in the house! Then I remember when we did have one or two in the past, and hate the clean up! lol

I am so in love with our lifestyle, it makes me smile everyday. The fact that my son and I can walk around our yard for hours and find new things to look at. He "counts" the cows in the morning (this is more like 2, 8, 5, 2, lol. He is only 2.5 after all!) and gives me a calf estimate (almost always is 2-8, has yet to happen, lol). Riding in the tractors, visiting his horse, and running free with his dog, this is the life!

The fact that his Dad works right outside our door thrills my son! He can run out to the fence and watch his Daddy drag meadows and wave each time he drives by. I feel very blessed. Especially since I was raised in the suburbs!

Again, loving this weather and could hang out outside all day :-)

Enjoy your weekend!!

Friday Photo Post week 11~ On Sunday...oops!

I was gone all day Friday shooting an engagement session (post to follow this one) so I was unable to post my weekly blog that day. Then yesterday it was 83 degrees!! After I got done editing my session, I went outside and stayed there the rest of the day. So, here we are two days late, but better then never!!

Those of you that are fans of College sports, you know it is officially March Madness season. My beloved Spartans won the second round and are on to round three today. Being in Cornhusker country (Nebraska) it is hard being an MSU fan. It will get worse come football season, seeing as Nebraska didn't make it onto the bracket.

I decorated our sidewalk yesterday so all those who enter our home know who we support!! (The green isn't quite right, but it's all that was in my son's sidewalk chalk box).

GO STATE!!



Friday Photo Week 10

It seems as though spring is in the air! It was in the mid 60s on Monday and even low 70s on Tuesday! The wind has picked up, but the warm weather has returned for the end of the week and weekend.

My son and I definitely took advantage of the nice weather and ran around the yard. We didn't have any trees in our yard at our old house, and here at our new house, we have quite a few! I am very excited about this, as I grew up with swings and tree houses, and I want the same for my son.

There is a little cluster of trees at the Y of our driveway and my son loves hiding behind them and jumping out at the dog. Now, the dog doesn't find this as amusing, lol. I am thrilled that my son finds so much joy in the trees. We have a tire swing and he giggles whenever he is on it. Lots of memories made here, I'm sure!

I wanted to bust out my camera, as I haven't gotten a lot of photos of my son here yet. I wanted to capture his long eye lashes that make me melt. He put up with my camera banter pretty well. What really made me laugh was the next day, he picked up his play camera and was telling me "turn around Momma, say cheese!" and then would "click" and show me the photo. Oh I was laughing so hard! Apparently, I am always telling him to "turn around" and look at me. Oh how I love my child!

Happy Friday! Get outside for a bit this weekend!

Friday photo week 9

It looks as if March is coming in like a lamb up here in Northern Nebraska. We are suppose to get some nice weather early next week, and I hope that holds true! I did, however, see the destruction of the early tornadoes down south. This weather is absolutely crazy this year. Makes me curious as to what the rest of the year will bring us.

Earlier this week we had a bit of a snow storm. Started out as rain, turned to sleet, then snow. We had enough in the drifts for my Son and I to make a family of snowmen in our front yard. Though the day of, we were inside enjoying the warmth.

I'm always intrigued by the ice that forms on the windows. By the end of the storm, the windows were covered in little ice trails.

Here's to a beautiful Spring! Happy Friday! 

Friday Photo Week 8

Is it really almost the end of February? This Winter has seemed not existent this year, am I right? However, yesterday the wind was blowing HARD here in Nebraska. I am a really good sleeper, and it woke me up! Needless to say, my Son and I stayed inside for the day.

I was looking up a homemade play dough recipe, and all the ones I found called for cream of tarter. Now, is this a staple in kitchens? Am I the only one that has never purchased this? lol Seeing as we live 60 minutes from the nearest grocery store, it's not as if I could just pick some up. So, I compromised and mixed good ole flour and water.

One cup water and two cups flour to be exact. Now, we had to add some more flour here and there to make it "doughy", but that was the fun part!

At first it was pretty sticky, and messy, but after we played with it awhile it didn't stick as much. It had a stretchy quality to it, not unlike bread dough. It would bounce back into a ball when put into a certain shape, which was fun to watch. Oh it was hours of entertainment!! I stored it in a plastic container until I can make the real stuff next week. Though, I have no complaints over this recipe at all. 

Good cold, windy day fun!! Happy Friday!!

Friday Photo Week 6

This project has been great for my personal growth. In the past I have gone weeks without touching my camera because of other things going on. This year I wanted to change that. I have gotten back into looking at things and envisioning a beautiful photograph. Sometimes they turn out, sometimes not. But as long as I am shooting and trying new things, then I am doing what I set out to.

This week we had a full moon. Did you see it? I have a new fascination with the moon because my Son is now obsessed with it. He has to find it every night before bed, gets excited if it is still out in the morning. I really do need to buy the Goodnight Moon book for him.

It wasn't a "mega" moon but it was still beautiful. I love that you can see it's texture in this photo.

Next week I will share some photos of tomorrow's Bull Bash in Valentine, NE. I'll let your imagination run wild with what you think it might be ;-)



Friday Photo week 5 (on Saturday! oops!)

I completely forgot about my weekly photo yesterday!!

It's a bit chilly today, so I brought out my toy blocks that I purchased for sessions. The odd thing about these blocks is that each side is different and no two blocks are the same. I used to think this was rather annoying especially while at a session and trying to find a specific letter in record time (never happens, and I always ask the children to help, they love it!). Now that my Son is getting to that age, I wanted to bring them out and see what he thought. Well, they are a huge hit! I like that they are all different as it makes him think about what he is looking for. It's a nice game for us (while learning too!).

Maybe I should find some different ones for sessions??? :-)

Happy Super Bowl Weekend! GO GIANTS! ;-)