Congratulations Shaun and Kalee

All details have been removed to protect Shaun and Kalee but here is a great example of blending your engagement pictures into an announcement that really represents the two or four of you.  If you know Shaun and Kalee you will shortly be receiving one of these in the mail.

Ten Things

(Ten Things) I can learn from my children. This post is prompted by http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/ ,check out other opinions there.
1. Laugh often; It's a great work out for your abs. Giggle until you nearly wet your pants.

2. Remember exercise is another word for play. Riding your bike for fun instead of cardio. Skip, play hopscotch and hang from the monkey bars without thinking about your biceps.
3. Forgive easily. Being "right" can be very lonely. Better to forgive and move on.

4. Play nice, include others.
5. Wear clothes that are comfortable, not just because they have the right label.
6. Dance whenever you feel like it. With or without the beat. Partners are optional, that's what imaginary friends are for.
7. Be fearless. A cannonball makes a bigger splash than a swan dive. Grass stains and dirt are signs of a life well-lived.

8. Look at the world with a sense of wonder. The flight of a bumblebee, the velvet wings of a butterfly and the twitch of kitten whiskers.
9.Eat chocolate chip cookies for breakfast without feeling guilty. No counting calories, fat grams or carbs.
10. Find beauty wherever you can. Dandelions make pretty bouquets too. And now it's your turn, what can you learn from your kids?

Savannah and Luke

First off, I would like to welcome Savannah's family from Texas to my blog.  I'm posting a very small portion of their engagement pictures. Isn't the internet awesome? Here are some random picks....

This is the first time the new couple has pictures taken together, you try to get them to loosen up and enjoy it and take advantage of any available props.

You go through a couple of clothing changes and different locations. Neither of these photos is acutally off-center, I'm just considering where they may write all the details about their wedding, reception and where they are registered.  It's distracting when that information is covering up the couple.

Engagements are taken to announce the bright and shiny future of the new couple so you try to involve their personalities and interests as much as possible.

We worked in and around some old weathered buildins and stone structures. Our plan had been to enter the old school house but the pigeon droppings deterred us.

Grooms often act "tortured" by the whole event but Luke was not actually harmed in any way.

The bride-to-be also survived. Soon Savannah should have a CD of her pictures and she can email you as many copies as she likes. I always include the copyright release. So what do you think?

Words....

    I'm linking up with http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/ , check out other opinions there. The topic is "how do you feel about cussing in blogland; acceptable? unacceptable? Do you keep reading?" I'm not a fan. But then, I'm not a fan of cussing anywhere. Words have so much power. They can calm a troubled child, sooth a broken heart, celebrate a victory and offer quiet sympathy. With so many available words in any language, swearing seems lazy. Okay, okay, so I'm from Utah where if you make "gosh" mad you go to "heck", but I'm not that isolated. Remember, I just spent a month on a Navy ship. Bad language, the kind your mother threatened to wash your mouth out with soap, is everywhere. It may have started with Rhett Butler in "Gone with the wind" when he told Scarlett...."Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn" at the end of the movie. Cussing has become very main stream. It's in all movies, on television and in most written literature.
    It seems when people do swear, even in their own opinion they find it offensive or wrong. Most people will ask you to "pardon their french?" What makes cussing french? Was it invented in France? Or do we just blame offensive things on the french people?
   I especially don't like the use of swearing in the place of adjectives. Really, people? There are seriously so many available words. Words that are gentle and kind. Words that can build somone up. Words that when used by a creative and intelligent mouth can describe unknown worlds and deep emotions. You sell yourself far short if you use cussing in many of your sentences.
   Sometimes after witnessing an especially fowl display of bad language, I'm saddened. Why? Because someone has to kiss that dirty mouth.

Remember, what you say is a reflection on who you are and where you come from. Doesn't your mother deserve better representation?

...A moment of silence;

Okay, so in reality all the moments will be silent from now on. The music has been removed. I just listened to my playlist for the very last time. In case you miss it. I like soft rock with a little country influence. I like female artists that get back at men that have done them wrong. I like all strong female leads. So when you visit my blog from now on, you should bring your own music along. I like Taylor Swift, LeeannWomack, Miranda Lambert, Dixie Chicks (even when they are politically incorrect; like in "Good-bye Earl"), Shedaisy, Terri Clark, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Sinatra (yeah, I know he's not female.) So maybe you should enlighten me and share your favorite artists or song and I'll add them to my MP3. (Yeah, I'm not cool enough for an ipod) Thanks for all the helpful comments on improving my blog. And yes, I'm still working on it. First, I have to edit some pictures though. I'll post again soon.

10 things....

As prompted by http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/ I will list the 10 things I wish I had known about blogging back when I started....1) Avoid gimmicks; I think I've used them all from slideshows, to the playlist (it's still here, but I think it's days are numbered.) They just slow down your blog and who wants to wait?
2) Don't pigeon hole yourself; When I started the blog I thought my life's ambition was to take really great pictures. It still is...but it's not my whole life, I also have a family and a profession and I love to write so all of those things encroach on my not so generalized blog name.

3) Your audience is bigger than your follower roll. There are plenty of people out that stop by and visit but never leave a comment. Instead they leave wiser, or happier or maybe sadder because of your post. They just lerk or stalk in the background, because once you share it, it's really out there.
4) Change is inevitable; You will probably notice a number of changes if you check back very often. I'm adding a page about my adventure at sea. It only holds one post so I have to create a new post with just my favorite highlights from serving aboard the U.S.N.S. Comfort. And there is a new about me page, hmmm maybe you can make some suggestions...what do you want to know about me?

5) Comments are nice but not essential. A blog helps you connect with a greater universe of people than you can find at your local grocery store. It opens up your world but only if you participate. Lerking is good, stalking is better but commenting is a connection. It's been my experiance if I take the time to comment and let others know that I am connecting with them, then they choose to comment and connect with me.
6) You will embarrass your children. It's a given. Just go with it. I've had lots of practice and I'm getting better at it everyday.

7) Write for yourself. You really are the only one that matters and it's the only way you can be authentic. If everybody is entitled to 15 minutes of fame, this is like your first 30 seconds. So relish it.
8) Be consistant; Say something everyday, or every tuesday or every month. If readers expect you to update your blog and you don't do that very often. They lose interest and they stop stalking you. Everyday blogging is of course the best, but it's hard to do. Especially if you have a family, a job, a cat, a dog, a photography business, some limited interest in exercising etc.

9) As often as possible, post what you know. Learn something new, so you "know" something new and share it with all of the people that check out your blog. Make it a judgement free post, after all whether something is a weed or a flower, mostly depends on whom you ask.
10) Relax! The more you can go with the flow, accept change and adjust, the more you will enjoy blogging. And the more others will enjoy following your blog. Whew! Enough said... and now stay tuned for more changes in the future.....