I love the fall!!

Our favorite pumpking patch!

Hello friends and family!! For any of you that know me this is it for me. I am the happiest when October comes and I can decorate and I even start to bake (a little). Went and picked up some pumpkins. They finally came in. We get them from a little farm where the kids in the family grow them to earn extra money. And boy are they cheap. I feel guilty sometimes only paying three dollars for the one Soren is carrying. The kids love it even if it does smell like cow poop.

Then I spotted from across the way a great place to take pictures. So I made Daniel go up to the farmers house and ask. I think they were a little confused at first so they came out and watched. Never had an audience before. But I will have to say that it is my new favorite place to shoot. So I guess I will be talking to that farmer a little more.

The kids liked the truck shots the best. I liked the old barn wood and all the different textures.

Loved! Loved! Loved this place.

This time of year I also start to miss my family. Things were so busy over the summer that I have not stayed in touch the best I could. So I am looking forward to trips to Boston and Dallas in the next couple of months. Love the free flying thing.

Being a little crazy!

Sometimes I think I am a little crazy. Most of you reading this will say "a little" who are you kidding. You are huge crazy. So I have been struggling with the thought that if I am a little crazy does that make me not loveable. But when I have tried to change my craziness in the past it seems to steal a little bit of me away. I found this thought on one of my favorite photographers blog.

"at what point in growing up do we learn to do things so halfheartedly? when do we forget to move, breathe and live with our whole body? when do we start practicing saying things we don't mean? when did we settle for being so much less powerful than we really are,,, for using such a small percentage of our natural potential? why? when? i'll tell you exactly when: when we start becoming conscious of the spit flying out of our mouth, and how it really is a ridiculous amount of spit, and o no, what will the people around me think of me now that they've seen all this spit, and will they take their love from me because of it???the fear of rejection is so strong, so deeply ingrained in us, that we imprison the best parts of us in a misguided attempt to keep them from harm. the greatest gift in the universe, traded for fear."

I do have a fear of what others might think of my oddities that somehow they will take their love from me and so I tend to be the one who backs off first. I want to live a life that I believe in myself -that I do not need others approval to let me know that what I do and say is not crazy. Alot of this has to do with my journey with photography and friendships. (I know that Daniel thinks I am crazy and he loves me anyway). I have needed approval with almost every shot I have taken. What is that? Where does that come from? It takes away from my joy. I need people to feel I am fabulous and funny or they will take their love away.

I want to learn to feel this--

"really? so what if johnny thinks you have too much spit, you're alive!!! alive, and no one can take that from you, no one can lessen the glory of that in any way. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing with everything you have. if it's not, then why are your spending precious moments of your life doing it?"

"

I think fall is coming!!!

Today at church one of the little girls in our ward came outside with these in her hands. I say yipee!! I love the colors. My beautiful friend Kim came up with the name Forever October photography. I do think it would be perfect for me. Because it is my stinking favorite month. I have a apple pie candle going all year long and pumpkin spice in my fragrance flowers from Bath and Body. So how perfect for me.

This week has been fun but full. Daniel has started playing softball along with his iron man training. The man has never even seen a game before but he thought he would give it a whirl. I was very surprised at what a good hitter he was. We will have to work a little on the catching. I found myself being very protective. Like "you want to say something. Bring it on. I will take you down to china town." It is not an LDS league so it was a little different. But I kinda liked it.

These are the kinda of pictures I get to take in the fall. Kim recognize the belt. Her favorite by the way. I always hope that people don't mind that I am on their property. But what a perfect barn and lake. One day I am going to be looking down the barrel of a gun because I just hop out of my car and take a picture anywhere.

This weekend I am going with some of "my girls" to St. Louis for time out for women. There are seven of us going and needless to say I probably won't get any sleep. I think I am going to take some drugs because I am getting old and last year it took me a week to recover. I am really looking forward to it. We even went on a test drive in my van to make sure all the luggage fit. What dorks we are!

This is my last shot of the day for you. This little girl kills me. Yesterday at the ward party she wrestled a greased pig to the ground.

My grove is all messed up!

These are the things that are throwing off my grove!

My husband is training for a iron man. Not a little 5k but an iron man. Who does that?

My little baby went to his first day of preschool.

My daughter wants a cell phone so she actually trying to get good grades! (that is her reward for straight A's)

My work at Steiner is slowing down!

Gas prices are causing me to stay home more.

I still have not figured out my camera! I thought I was getting it but come to find out not in the slightest.

Jaden is my new constant companion now that the kids are gone. What do you do with a three year old all day long.

I hope I can get back into my grove because ice cream has been calling my name all week. Normally I would not care but one weekend very soon in October I get to have a reunion with some of my best friends and two of them happen to be fitness icons. So I keep telling myself maybe I can loose 50 pounds by then. Then there is more pressure so I tend to eat more. It is a vicious cycle. I know they love me for me but for goodness sake!

I did get to take some pictures yesterday for my sweet neighbor Lisa and her sister. Lisa is one of my biggest supporters. She always, always tells me how wonderful the pictures I take are even though I doubt myself all the time. She will never know how much it means to me. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing these here but these were some of my favorite.

I am lucky that people want me to take their pictures and how fun it is for me. The very thought of taking someone's picture is so exciting for me. So for those of you who will be spending time with me in the future just be prepared that I probably will be making you and your loved ones pose for pictures!

My neighbor George!

I have to tell you that I have never met a sweeter man than my neighbor. My kids adore him and I think that he adores them. I was so touched when each and everytime my Carson goes to the bust stop for school he is waiting with him. The other day we received a phone call from George asking the boys to come over. He had for each of them a baseball glove and a ball. He taught them how to take care of them rubberband and all. I am very grateful for him and could not wish for anyone better in my kids lives. We absolutely love him!!

Well school has started and almost every day of the week I am swapping babysitting with friends and so I have even more opportunities to practice taking pictures. This is my favorite one. Gracie was telling me that if I took her picture she got a treat. Oh she has been with me before. She was not so happy that it was a cheese stick. I think she was looking for something much more exciting.