A beautiful Lion Head Neutered Male for Sale

Baylee with her bunny tonight

Jennica's really close

Were almost there. . . . . She can balance really well and she is almost there.  She doesn't dare ride a bigger bike but I swear it would help her.  Soon, very soon.

Easter

Did you do a little bit of this today?  Happy Easter!

My newest nephew

Little did I know when I was taking these pictures that this sweet little baby boy had a disease that I had never even heard of before.  Last Thursday evening (not yet a week ago) my brother and sister-in-law's pediatrician knocked on their door late in the evening.  He delivered the devastating news that their newborn had tested positive for Cystic Fibrosis.  He had an appointment for them up at Primary Children's Hospital the next day.  Life will never be the same for them anymore.  It is crazy that life can change in a moment like that.  To stay updated on their journey you can follow their blog that my sister Cori set up for them.  It is called taylorpack.blogspot.com. 

 The Doctors wanted to test all of Shawn and Jill's other children.  McKenna their 2 1/2 year old tested as a maybe on her sweat test.  She will have DNA testing this week to either confirm or deny that she has CF.  We are praying that she does not have the disease.

The babies

Jennica and Braxton turned six

The twins birthday was over spring break this year.  Since I threw them such big parties last year I thought we would just do a simple celebration with the family.  I did let them invite the neighbor kids to eat cake and blow out the candles.  It was fun to just relax and watch them have fun. 

What the kid's did this weekend

Our neighbor's the Zolman's have sheep and I've been wanting to take their picture for some time now.  Well, I didn't have any luck getting a picture of a sweet sheep with a kid hugging it.  Instead I got pictures of some worn out sheep that outran a pack of neighborhood kids.  Kind of funny.

Look how tired the sheep were getting.  At the end all of their tongues were hanging out of their mouths.  The kid's out chased the sheep.  They hardly wanted to stop.

Sick Day

Baylee woke up too sick to go to school today.  She complained of a headache and a stomach ache.  I put her in my bed and gave her an ibuprofen.  An hour later she woke up and said she was feeling much much better.  But, as the day progressed I began to wonder if she was sick at all?  You decide?

Baylee's Bunnies

Baby Animals at our house

Certainly can tell it's spring at our house.  Lots of baby animals running around lately.

bunnies

Quote For the Week

I love to be inspired. . . .so I've decided to find a quote that I want to incorporate into my life at least once a week. 

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It never was between you and them anyway."

Mother Teresa

color correcting pictures

I finished an online mentoring class with Jodie at MCP actions.  I found the class very helpful.  It was the first time I had ever taken an online class with several other participants.  I was a little worried something might go wrong and I would miss the class or not be able to participate.  Everything was good.  It was a color correcting class.  I'm obsessed about getting the skin to have the exact measurements its supposed to so I loved it.  I found the best way to correct skin is with color curves.  Who knew?  I was always adjusting my color balance which I found out is definitely not the best way.  I love learning new things in photoshop so it was great.

Cori this is for you.

My sister Cori has spring break next week.  Since her husband is so busy with school she will be home with her kids without a whole lot to do.  Anyways, I love this little kid craft blog so here is the link.  Check it HERE.  And this one too - check HERE.

The many faces of Braxton

Braxton is such a ham.  He is an amazingly sweet boy.  I grew up in a family of seven kids - 5 girls and 2 boys.  My Mom claims (and I believe her because I was there) that her two boys were harder than her 5 girls put together.  With that said, I was afraid to have a boy.  I thought it would be so hard.  Braxton has made me totally change my mind about that.  He is so easy going and he is also a great politician.  He knows how to make each person in the family feel like they are the most special to him.  Just love this little guy.

Okay the above picture is the bug eye look.  He tends to squint for the camera so I say, "Open your eyes", and this is what I get.  Kinda funny.

Switching from Canon to Nikon

Many people jump into photography every day and wonder what they should buy Nikon or Canon.

First thing to know is that I have no clue how to use a Canon in manual.  I purchased a Nikon and read the manual and taught myself from reading online how to use the camera in manual.  I practiced, practiced, practiced.  With that said I often get asked if I can help someone use their canon in manual.  I can't.  I've kind of looked into it and it seemed complicated to me.  Nikon's just seem easier.  That's my opinion and probably not a fair one at that.  But, with that said I have noticed a few professional photographers that have switched from Canon to Nikon.  I have never seen any professional photographer go from Nikon to Canon.

Check out THIS and THIS.  On Pinkletoes blog (the last THIS) make sure you read the comments on her posts.  

Now, I also want to add that there are some amazing photographers that use canon.  This post is really just my opinion.  I think Nikon is a little more user friendly.

Finally, I have many friends/neighbors that have asked me to teach them how to take a picture like I do.  I feel the need to share whats in my camera bag so a person can understand that having the right equipment is what makes a professional photographers picture better than someone who owns a start up SLR.  Knowledge on how to use that equipment is key - most definitely - but still equipment is important. 

Here's whats in my bag:
Nikon D700
70-200 2.8 Nikor lens
50 mm 1.4 Nikor lens
105 mm 2.8 Nikor lens
SB 600 Speedlight

There is also several memory cards, gray cards, props, soft boxes etc etc. . . . .

Monkey's

What We've Been up to

I decided to let my kids make a little indoor garden.  They've had a fun time planting peas.  Hopefully it will warm up soon so we can plant them outside.

Also, I finally purchased a Bosch Mixer.  I've never owned a mixer at all so I'm really excited about this.  I'll have to post my sister's Bread recipe that she claims not even I can mess up . . . so we'll see how I do.  I'm planning on making bread this weekend.  I'm even planning on grinding my own wheat for the bread.  Wow, I'm feeling domestic.

A swollen mouth

Poor Baylee's cheek started to swell up last night right before bedtime.  We gave her Ibuprofen and then promptly took her into the orthodontist this morning.  Evidently the wires that were due to be cut on the back of her mouth had cut into her cheek and was causing major irritation.  Hopefully, it will go away before she has to go on antibodies.  Darn it.