Why yes, you can send my name to Mars

Best five bucks I ever spent...just kidding...it was free.

Family Portraits: First Run

A few weeks ago my friend Cherie asked if I would take some family pictures for her.  I said, "Um, you're aware that I have absolutely no experience & really don't know what I'm doing right?" 

She said, "No problem."

So I said, "Yes!"

We headed to Grapevine's Botanical Gardens where there were approximately 200 other families taking pictures... (Okay maybe not quite 200).

There was a beautiful little grove of trees with light streaming in through the branches so I decided to experiment with sun flares.  I've never really done that before but it turned out really well!  I had to use the manual setting instead of aperture priority (the crutch I usually rely on) to get the right exposure.  

Too much?  How do you know when it's too much?!

Amy was a little shy at first, but slowly warmed up to the camera and we got some really cute shots.  

I feel like I still struggle with proper exposure.  I need to learn how to use my light meter well because I generally guess on my settings and then check out how the picture turns out on my screen.  It works decently, but it's certainly not the most effective way to shoot.  For example, this picture is over exposed.  Whoops.

And I feel like this one is too...

Good thing the Gurneys just looked so good anyway...  

Thanks Gurneys for being my puppets while I figure things out a bit!

The Glory Days

Ahh... there it is.  Best pumpkin ever.  Lindsay is nearly suffocating me in approximately 90% of our pictures from growing up.  I think she loved me just a little too much :)

The Children of Halloween

As fun as adult tooth fairies are, we just didn't measure up to the cute children at our ward Halloween party.  

Tinkerbell & the cutest lion I've ever seen.

He wasn't too sure about Grant's extra poofiness.

This little pony is in my Sunbeam class.

And this little beauty will be in my class next year.

And the cutest little redheaded sisters.  Look at that curly hair!  (I dream of my children having curly hair... I'm afraid I dream in vain...)

Oh to be a four year old Tinkerbell... 

I need to go find some old pictures of me & Grantie from Halloween when we were but young babes :)

Halloween Delights

It was Halloween.  I love Halloween.  Not so much the scary part of it, but more the decorating, candy filled, giggles and silly costumes part of it.

I especially like the candy part... Crunch, Snickers, Skittles, Milk Duds, Reese's, Kisses, 100 Grand, Laffy Taffy, Dum dums, Milky Way, Twix, Butterfinger, Starburst, M&M's, Smarties, Blow Pops, Razzles, Caramello, Gobstoppers, Swedish Fish, Whoppers, Sugar Daddy's, and of course, Tootsie Rolls.  I can never decide which are better- the chocolate ones or the fruity ones...

With all that candy, I think some children will have teeth falling out soon...  Good thing the tooth fairy is around...

Did I mention I love candy?  Mmmm....