Sweet Number 5

My sweet little girl turned 5 today! Once again it is so hard to believe that she has been blessing our family for 5 years now. She is still my sweet little early riser who is always happy in the morning. She continues to keep us on our toes and keeps us laughing with her antics.

I have been sad thinking about her turning 5. It makes she realize that she is no longer a baby or even a toddler. She is a kid now, in school and learning new things every day. But it makes me long for the times when she was that little sweet baby.

Playing on her blanket and letting me put whatever bow I wanted to in her hair.

Still riding in the back pack and smiling for her crazy mother with the camera.

Eating that first birthday cake!

Having hair that did its own thing!

And putting up with a mother that was terrible at taking pictures!

Dear Lord, Thank You for my sweet little girl. She has changed my life for the better and is a joy everyday that she is in it. May she be blessed with a happy, healthy and long life devoted to you.

Lucky Number 7

My sweet son turns 7 today! Where oh where did these last 7 years go? He has changed so much from that little man of just a few years ago.

His hair isn't quite as blonde and he rarely wears footed pajamas anymore.

He no longer wants tennis shoes that light up!

He does still like to make sandcastles but they are much bigger now.

And now he talks on the real phone, no more play phones for him.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! Thank You for making me a Mommy 7 years ago.

A Special Day

My entire family headed to the coast this weekend to help celebrate the marriage of my niece. They were married in Half Moon Bay and the wedding and reception were wonderful. My niece was beautiful and her husband looked pretty good too! Here are just a few of the pictures that I took.

The Bride getting ready to make her entrance.

My brother escorting his first daughter down the aisle.

The lovely couple.

Professing their love for each and saying their vows.

The New Mr. and Mrs.

The lovely attendants. My nieces are the two beautiful ones in the center.

What a beautiful bride my niece made. I never saw her smile as much as she did this day.

Toasting on the balcony

Posing for the paparazzi.

My entire family on the dance floor!

We had a wonderful time and it was so nice having my entire immediate family there. My brother and his family came from Indiana, my brother made it in from Alaska just in time and my father, who did not think his health would allow him to travel to the wedding, was also able to make it. It was a blessing to have him there for his first grandchild's wedding.

Jessica Sprague Day 8

This is probably my favorite new thing, Typography. Now I will be able to add text to pictures! I also learned how to download and install fonts! The install was difficult. I wish I would have changed the color of "find" so as to add more contrast. Next time!

Jessica Sprague is so creative and talented and she is also a great teacher. If you want to learn about digital photography, she has great online classes. Check her out. This class was free and she gives you lost of free downloads. What a deal!

Jessica Sprague Day 6

Straight Out of the Camera

Edit with a TTV

I don't know if I did this one exactly how I was suppose to but I loved how it turned out. It was suppose to be a TTV or Thru the viewfinder picture. I did that then added some of the other techniques. I love how it is rustic but feminine too. I think the changes make it a much more interesting picture.

One reason I think that it is more interesting is because now it makes me think about my Grandmother and my Mom. My Grandmother was a true pioneer woman, running a ranch all by herself; very rustic. My Mom on the other hand was a genuine Lady; very feminine. This picture was taken out at my Grandmother's ranch.

Jessica Sprague Day 4

Straight Out of Camera

Clipping Mask

I finally did Day 4 of the Jessica Sprague tutorial. This was a clipping mask that clips your picture to a shape, thus cropping it in a sense. This is subtle change, just giving the photo the roughed up edges. Another way to age your photos.

Jessica Sprague Day 5

Okay, I skipped Day 4, I was too tired to think that hard; so instead I went to Day 5. Once again I had a whole lot of fun!

Straight Out of the Camera

Edited in color

Edited in Black and White

Straight Out of the Camera

Edited in Color

I have a lot of pictures that I think this technique would be fun to play with. I love old things and this adds textures and age to photos which makes them look antique. I love it!

Jessica Sprague Day 3

After

Before

This is actually my second try and I like how I was able to play with the color; especially of the barbed wire.

After

Before

My attempt at day three. This was my first try and it is okay. My third try I really liked but I can't get it to load. I wonder if all the changes made it too big to load? I will have to work on it.

Jessica Sprague Day 2

Day 2 was Brushes in Photoshop. They could be a lot of fun! And I could spend way too much time playing with them.

Jessica Spraque Class

My first attempt at playing with layouts and layers. It looks like it is going to be fun!

Scenes from the 4th

We again enjoyed the small town 4th of July Parade in Cayucos, CA. It makes you feel like you are in Small Town, USA. It was a beautiful day, not to warm, not windy and full of fun and festivities!

Sprinklers

The weather forecast called for extreme heat this weekend. It was 104 degrees today and it is going to be hotter tomorrow. Oh Yeah!

So yard work was done early this morning, while it was still tolerable. Afterwards the kids wanted to play in the sprinklers. It wasn't even noon but it felt so good. The backyard was shaded and with the sprinklers on it was really quite pleasant. It was nice just relaxing and watching the kids play.

It was funny they both wanted to leave their t-shirts on. My daughter got the snow sled out and was pretending that she was surfing. She did end up "surfing" when she fell on her behind from all the silly dancing she was doing.

It is so nice that they are still small enough to share a chair and young enough to still want too! It makes me happy when I see them get along so well.

Our little Lila Girl enjoys the kids being outside with her. Now that it is so hot, they don't go out for as long of a period, but my daughter loves going out to play with her still. It is almost always the first things she does when she wakes up in the morning.

While they were taking a rest from all the sprinkler fun, I had fun taking pictures of them. It is funny how they will sit and keep talking to me even though I have the camera in front of my face.

It doesn't look like it from these pictures, but my son was having a good time and he wasn't upset.

After enjoying the sprinklers we went to see UP. My sweet son cried at the beginning and the end of the movie. He is so sentimental and matters of the heart always pull on him. I hope he always has such a kind heart.