def: A Boy: A Noise with Dirt on it!

We went to the cabin the other day and the boys found a big muddy spot where a snow drift was melting and boy did they indulge themselves. It was all I could do to keep from freaking out. Jeff just said get your camera! That helped me because I knew later the pictures would be really funny. I took these in the morning and then I locked the doors to the cabin and made them stay out side all day. At lunch time, I took a mop bucket of soapy water outside and said here wash your hands in this and then handed them a plate of hotdogs and some sodas and went back inside and locked the door. :) I actually got a lot of cleaning done since they were outside all day. The mud just went from bad to worse though the longer they played in it. I should have taken more pictures at the end of the day. Eventually you couldn't even tell what color their clothes were. They took them off and just played in their underwear making a mudslide. It was incredible. They had so much fun though. I'm glad I just let them be boys. It was just so hard to relax and let them get sooooo dirty. I hope they remember this day. At the end of the day we had a real hosing off! Wow. I thought their clothes would be ruined, but thankfully, they weren't too bad. All the mud dried though and they said it was hard to blink. Zack said he was wearing a mud helmet because he had so much mud in his hair. It will make a good scrapbook page at least.
Alana

Still Life

I had such a fun time the other day. I just went out and shot for fun. I think I love this kind of still life/nature/landscape/macro photography better than anything. It allows me a lot of latitude with being creative. I love being able to find artistic and graphic angles/lines in the world around me and I especially love old things. Here are a few fun shots I got just milling around my yard. I have been so excited about these. Maybe no one else has an appreciation for this type of thing, but I guess I just do these for me. I hope you can enjoy them and see something artistic in them as well. I'd love to hear your comments on them. (You can click on any picture to see it larger)
Alana

Spring has finally Sprung!

After all the snow and the long winter, Spring is finally here! It is so nice to see the trees all budding out and starting to turn green. All the color has been sorely missed! One of my most favorite parts of spring is seeing our pussy willow bush blossom. My mom had one when I was growing up, so it reminds me of spring in my childhood. They are such fun plants. Their soft fuzzy buds are so unique. My boys always take a branch of them for show and tell each spring. I really wanted to capture some photos of them this year before they went to seed. I have thought of taking pictures of them every year for the past few, but I would get busy and then when I took time to go out, they were all gone. This year, as soon as I noticed they were blooming I made a photo date with myself and I went out in my yard to document the coming spring. I love the new awakening of the world around me. It really feels like a miracle after everything has been so frozen and dormant for so long.
Alana

I'm Back!!!

I just got home from some fabulous training in Salt Lake City, UT. May is National Photo Month so every year Inkleys (Ritz Camera) in SLC does a photo education week to celebrate. The best part is it is 4 days of classes that are absolutely FREE! I love it. I have been down about 4 years now. I always look forward to them. They bring in company reps from companies like Nikon, Cannon and always have local professionals (and I do mean professionals) come present. This year we had 2 master photographers back to back that were absolutely phenomenal. I am always amazed at how willing other photographers are to share and teach. Everyone I meet seems to be so willing to share and give back and tell any "secret" that there is that might help me become a little better. I am so grateful for all the help I've received so far in my path of learning. Wow. I am charged, excited and ready to go take some more pictures. It was very motivational and I fall in love with photography and its potentials everytime I go. I have also met some great friends there. Hi Julia! I got on the trip with a camera that was basically out of batteries and I left my charger home so I didn't take any pictures on this trip, but I told Julia I'd post a few I took last year while I was at this same conference. I found this awsome little sign behind the building where we have our classes. I'm travel weary and glad to see my little boys again but the break was good.
Alana

Trains...

I really have a thing for trains...I guess because it seems around here that they are quickly becoming obsolete. I've actually ridden a real train but it wasn't in the states. We rode trains around Italy (Total blast!) And when I went to China we went in a train over night with a sleeper car so we actually slept on a train. Now that was cool. I love old things like barns, tractors, farm machinery, so I think trains just kind of fit in that category. They were always a bit of a mystery to me as a kid. Seeing them pass by, counting the cars waiting to be the first one to see the caboose.... But never actually getting to ride one or climb on one. So, when I get the chance, I love being close up to them. Just the other day, my son and I stopped extra long at an intersection just to stay and watch the train go by hear its loud whistle and count the cars. Afterwards, my son said, "Mom, thanks so much for staying just so we could watch the train." I guess they still hold some wonder to my kids too.
Alana

Is it winter? fall? Spring? What season is it!!!!

Ok mother nature which is it? We had finally started to have a day or two that was somewhat nice and then all of a sudden we wake up to snow all over the ground!!! It had already started to melt though when I finally got outside to document. May day or Thanksgiving day... you decide.
I just have spring fever so bad we have just got to get some good weather soon! Ugh
Alana