Camera Unloaded...

Morning friends! Today I am sharing a few pictures from the past few weeks. We've had a lot of baby reading sessions. Libby can not get enough of reading to her little sister. She absolutely loves it and little sister loves it just as much. Their sweet smiles melt my mama heart!

There's also been a lot of crafts going on around here. One morning Libby got up, found our glitter, and made fairy wings for her Barbies. Yes the kitchen was forever covered in glitter, but man did those Barbies look good ::wink wink::

Next we have A LOT of pictures of Miss Tallia. We just can't help ourselves. She has some serious rolls going on...like those sweet wrist rolls above. Gaw! She's too dang cute! I also couldn't help myself in the bathroom at church taking a sweet picture of her looking in the mirror. She loves seeing herself in the mirror lately. 

and last, Keagan received the sweetest box in the mail from his Aunt and Uncle in Nevada. They sent it for his birthday. IT is a sunshine box. They filled it with little goodies, like a sticky hand and some of his favorite candies and chips. I loved the idea! I want to copy it and use it for Christmas gifts for family. Imagine the fun you could have sending a box of sunshine to family. Too cute!

What have you guys been up to? Hop on over to the Blissful and Domstic Facebook page. I love connecting with you all there :)

XO Danielle

A Picture Each Sunday....

This past week I decided that I needed to start a new tradition with my little ones. They are growing and are soon not going to be so little. When I think back on how little they actually once were, it makes this mamas heart clench a bit. My sweet little babies have grown and are now 10 and almost 8. Gaw! How did that happen so quickly? I remember my Mom telling me that those baby years go by in a blink of an eye. I don't think I truly understood what she meant till recently. Over the holidays, as I prepared to make some calenders as gifts for my Grandma and parents, I was overwhelmed with the realization that my red headed babies were no longer little. They have grow up in what feels like over night. As I searched for pictures to include in the calenders and I wiped a few of my Mama tears, I realized that I actually did not have many nice pictures of my kids solo or together. Sure I had those candid moments and tons of all those funny silly faces, which I absolutely love, but sometimes I want a simple, facing forward with a smile kind of picture..ya know? As all of us Mamas know, this can be quite a feat with little munchkins, no matter how old they may be. Because of this, I decided to try something different this year. I got the idea from Stephanie, who has been taking a picture of her family every Sunday. I loved this idea and thought how great it would be to have those pictures at the end of the year to look back on and see how much our family has changed and grown.

I am very excited for this new photo challenge I am giving myself. I want to capture our Sundays, no matter how crazy they may be. I know that I will not always get those "perfect" pictures I am hoping for, but I know that I will make memories with my little ones, as I snap away.

This past Sunday I took our first round of Sunday Pictures. Oh how I love these little munchkins that God has entrusted me with. They truly make this Mams heart so very happy. Throughout the year I will be using the #apictureeachsunday. Feel free to join in with me, as we document our lives.

XO Danielle

Photography: Cherish This Season

funny freckled face

full of giggles and squeals

you light up our day

in each and every way

oh how we love you so very much

This past weekend I was looking through pictures on the blog, while doing a bit of blog housekeeping, and came across my Photography Series I started a while back. I realized I haven't done much updating on it since then. One thing that I have learned over the past few months is to not only focus on the faces in pictures, but the little things as well. Each of us are in a different season of life, so those little moments will vary in all of our pictures. The important part though, is that we capture them. Capture them, so we remember this time of life we are in. This past weekend Miss Priss had a dance recital. I have been so proud of all the hard work she has put in this year. She learned a new skill and has been flourishing. It is so amazing to see her freckled smile, as she dances. You can see the love and happiness there. While putting on her sequenced outfit, her face began to light up. She was dolled up in her stage makeup, glitter, and stockings. She was ready to dance and I didn't want to forget this moment. I didn't want to forget the beauty that was her joy. I found a blank wall and snapped a few. I didn't need any fancy lighting or backdrops. If we just keep it simple, we won't miss out on those moments....those moments when our children do something for the first time...the moment when we make something we are really proud of...those moments when we share a first with the ones we love. Capturing those moments are a blessing. They are a blessing when we can look back and remember the great things that we have in our life. I hope when Miss Priss is my age...30 years young...she will look back and be thankful her crazy mom was always snapping pictures. I hope she will be thankful her Mom made everyone take regular photos, so we always have those "Kodak Moments". So snap a picture today...make a memory...and enjoy this season you are in.  Your life is good and beautiful. Revel in it.

XO Danielle

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Photography: Finding Beauty

 

Good morning Lovelies! I am still trucking along with my photography homeschooling. I am taking my time reading A Beautiful Mess Photo book. The pictures are so freakin gorgeous, that I find myself re-reading every single word. They have created such stunning photos that I am in bloggy stalker mode, trying to learn everything I can to be able to capture photos like them. I love that Emma and Elsie share tips for a fancy camera and then for camera phones. This helps me since a fancy shmancy camera is not in this mama's budget, although I wish it was. I use my Samsung S3 camera phone and I have been so happy with everything I have been able to capture. I then use Picmonkey.com to edit my photos and I have been bitten...by the photo bug that is....you know where you want to capture everything because nothing gives you greater joy then sitting at the computer and editing pictures of your clothesline late at night....because the sun shinning through takes your breathe away. I never knew my wash rags could look so amazing. :) So now I am trying to find beauty in each day. It is in those littles things that so much beauty is created. I love learning new things and capturing moments. So Emma and Elsie thank you again for your amazing spirits and the sweet tips you share every day on your blog and in your book. You gals rock my socks!

XO Danielle

What have you guys been capturing lately?

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Photography: This Guy...

 

Do you have a little mister, who refuses to have photos taken of him. I do! This guy acts like the world itself will end if a "nice" picture is taken. He stink face's it up (he's mastered the stink face pout) and pictures become close to impossible.

He acts confused and says he has no idea what I'm talking about (Above all I asked him to do was look at the camera. Confusing right?)

Because of this we end up with a lot of outtakes. Ones where he is mid sentence or staring off to the side....I think he saw a butterfly or something :)

I mean I get it...he's 8 and who wants to just smile at a camera when you can hit your rock star pose in absolute glory? 

But then there is that sweet moment where he just looks at the camera and I quickly snap a shot. He forgets to be goofy and just stares. Oh those gorgeous eyes (don't tell him I said they were gorgeous. He hates that). I love every single one of those freckles too. He is a handsome guy inside and out.

 

Thank you bubba for the challenge you bring to picture taking. I am always determined to get pictures of you, whether they are silly, rock star inspired, or simply staring into the camera.....I love them all.

Today grab your camera ladies, find a simple background, and snap a few shots of your munchkins. It's in those outtakes that true memories are made...... memories that us Moms will look back on years from now and smile at the sweet children we raised.

Cherish the Moments.

XO Danielle

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