2-365 Bokeh

Tonight, I was playing around with my settings on my camera.  Perfect opportunity to learn more about bokeh, with a Christmas tree still up in the living room.  I am pretty proud of myself.  All manual settings, and manual focus on my lens...talk about scary folks lol.   I'm sharing more than one photo today, only because I think these are cool, and all completely unedited.  It is all about baby steps :)

1-365 (2012)

So my journey is at day 1.  I don't know if I will blog everyday, but surely I will be taking pictures everyday.  My goal this year is to learn my camera, and be proficient in photography lingo...f-stop, iso, shutter speed is slowly becoming engrained in my brain.  I want it all to become seamless and easy.  Hopefully by the end of the year, my skills will have grown.

I want to have fun, learn, absorb, but more importantly, not put pressure on myself, to be myself and try not to compare myself to others and their journey.  

So, today's photo...isn't something to write home about.  It is about organization.  I would love for everything in my home to have it's own place.  This week, I will be purging and organizing.  These containers are for my ever growing craft supply.  Maybe later on, I will have another picture with how I put these babies to work.

Happy New Year!

Bring on 2012...it has to be better than 2011.

38.365

Sunday mornings

38.365
September 11, 2011

Straight from my camera with no edits.
Feeling a little blah today.  Probably because it is such a somber day for America.  10 years ago, I was in Scotland...Edinburgh to be exact.  Walking down the Royal Mile, about to enter a shoppe called the World's Best Fudge Shoppe.  As we entered, my husband and I were questioned if we were Americans, we said yes.  The counter clerk was going on and on about how airplanes entered the Pentagon and World Trade Center and how the US was being attacked.  We thought the guy was crazy, I started to freak, then Jess told the guy to shut the eff up because he was scaring his wife (me).  The counter clerk swore up and down he was telling the truth.  We got our fudge and left (I really needed the chocolate right then lol).  Jess and I walked into the next store and heard the news unfold on the radio.  Jess was deployed at the time, and I was just there visiting him for a port visit.  He told me not to talk to anyone, (so they wouldn't hear our accent) and most likely the sub would be leaving asap, and if sh*t goes down, to go to the nearest US Embassy.  The Royal Navy was most kind and put all of us wives visiting up in their Officer Quarters on base.  They fed us & provided nice rooms, free of charge.  They truly were concerned for our safety.  The base even had a special memorial service for us, remembering & praying for those lost.
It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.
How I got home, is a long story...for another time.
At the time we lived in CT, about a two hour drive from Manhattan.  We could see the plumes of smoke for weeks, and ash fell for a long time too.
At the time, this little guy was 10 months old.  It feels like yesterday and forever ago, all at the same time.
This is a day that all American's hold close.  We all can remember what we were doing.
I pray for all those who lost their lives, and the family members who never were able to say goodbye.

25.365

25.365
Hipstamatic
iPhone

Sad face...begging me to take him to go to Game Stop lol.
I ended up using this picture for a Christmas layout.

24.365

24.365
Wannamaker Park
N. Charleston, SC

Doesn't this face just melt your heart?  We drove 5 hours one way (stayed the night) just to be at his 2nd birthday.  He was playing with some silly puddy, turned his head and looked at me so serious. 2 year olds are not known for staying still, so I'm so glad I got this calm picture :)

23.365

un-edited

un-edited

23.365

August 27, 2011

East Bay St.

Charleston, SC

We were strolling downtown, and I took this picture.  I actually really love the unedited picture and how the sky kind of looks purple.  We have lived in Charleston twice.  How lucky to have been stationed there twice...sigh.  Anyhow, we consider Charleston our home away from home.  It is my most favorite Southern city...heck, it may even be my favorite city.  The food, the beauty, the slow pace, it all kind of makes my heart melt.

22.365

22.365
August 26, 2011
Bruster's Ice Cream

You take a teen for ice cream, hoping to catch a smile...negative, she covers her face.  Well, I'm blogging it anyways lol...

21.365

21.365

morning drive dropping Kendall off

Dude, the clouds looked so crazy from Hurricane Irene!  I didn't have my camera so I took this with my iPhone.  Man I love that thing.  Don' the clouds look so spooky?

Just a few hours later, it was beautiful...so I have two photos for today :)

21.365 take 2
August 25, 2011
Orange Park, FL

I was riding my bike in our subdivision, and snapped this photo.  A car was waiting for me to cross the street, so I didn't have time to really think about this shot.  When I look at it, it makes me think of home.  We have lived here for almost 3 years, the longest we have been stationed somewhere in 12 years.  Crazy.

20.365

20.365
August 24, 2011
My bedroom

It was thunder-storming, I had my venti white mocha latte, and he had his hot chocolate.  We laid in bed and teched out.  He was on his laptop, and I was on my iPad and laptop.  I didn't have my camera next to me, so I took this picture and edited it with my iPad.  We are a family who loves technology and comfy beds :)

19.365

19.365
August 23, 2011
High School Open House

She was secretly dying inside knowing I had my camera in my purse.  I made sure the hall was clear, and then asked her if I could take some pictures of her.  They turned out super cute!  This one is one of my favorites.
ps
she doesn't let me take pictures of her very often, so it meant a lot for me to be able to take these in front of her peers.

18.365

18.365
August 22, 2011
Living Room
Orange Park, FL

So what do you do when it is storming outside, you have no light, and you can't think of anything to photograph inside?  You start taking pictures of your children and annoying them.  He is such a good sport...love him!

17.365

17.365
August 21, 2011
Whole Foods
Jacksonville, FL

Sunday shopping at Whole Foods.  My favorite spots are the cheese, sweets & bread counters.  Yummo!!  I ended up getting the chocolate ganache cheesecake.  Yes it was as good as it sounds.

16.365

16.365
August 20, 2011
Miller's Brew House
Orange Park, FL

Hubby and I had a little date night.  Nothing fancy, just us, a table full of appetizers and a bucket of bud light (it was only $10 or I would have had a Blue Moon) and no children.  I had shrimp that were doused in medium buffalo sauce & garlic sauce...then I would dip it in ranch...so unhealthy but sooooo good!

15.365

15.365
August 19, 2011
Mixx Restaurant
Jacksonville Beach, FL

Girlfriends are little gifts from God that let you know everything is going to be okay.
We had great food, wonderful conversation, delicious drinks and heavenly desserts (I had butterscotch creme brule...so good!)  Our waiter took this picture, and this was the only picture taken on Friday, so I cropped/edited it a little, and it's my picture for today :)

14.365

14.365
August 18, 2011
Buckman Bridge
Jacksonville, FL

Can you see?  It's a double rainbow!  It was sprinkling, very overcast, and we were driving 70 mph over a bridge, but I am so happy that the rainbow showed up in this picture.

I added a few lines from one of my favorite songs (Somewhere Over the Rainbow).  My favorite is the Louis Armstrong Ukulele version.

"...Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare dream, really do come true..."

13.365

13.365
August 17, 2011
Kohls Parking lot
iPhone picture
Orange Park, FL

School had started, and Kendall's cross country practice started on the first day of school and needed a few things.  Jess and I made a trip to Kohls to buy socks.  It came to $120 (for socks & one pair of running shorts), but we saved $79.  When did socks get so expensive?
It had been raining off and on all day, and I realized that I needed to take a picture.  I didn't have my camera with me, but I did have my trusty iPhone (gosh I love that thing).  I originally wanted to take a picture of a cool thunder cloud forming, but this looks prettier :)

12.365

12.365
August 16, 2011
Behind house
Orange Park, FL

I had a very rough night, and was up until 5 am.  Not how I envisioned the children's first day of school going in the morning.  However, my husband made them breakfast, their lunches, took them to school, and for the first time took pictures in the morning.  Our artistic eye isn't the same, but I give him credit...the man took a ton of pictures for me!  So while I didn't take this picture, I did edit it.  That still counts right?
So, here is Jacob on his first day of 5th grade.  He has very sensitive blue eyes, so trying to take a picture in the morning (when it is glaring) isn't the easiest job.  This is his, hurry and take the picture, I can't smile or open my eyes any longer look lol.  

11.365

11.365
August 15, 2011
Oakleaf Plantation
Orange Park, FL

We were on our way home, and I saw the sun was setting (fast at that).  So I pulled over so I could snap this picture.  By the time I had got back into the car, the sunset was barely visible over the tree line.   I love how pretty the gradient in sunsets are. 

10.365

10.365
August 14, 2011
Forever 21
Jacksonville, FL

School shopping with a teenager can be interesting.  Actually, just shopping in general.  Kendall's school has so many dress code regulations, that it makes it really hard to just grab whatever you think is cute.  You have to think about how long the skirt/shorts are, if the jeans are too tight, if the tank top has thick enough straps etc...
As we were shopping, I noticed that the 80's style is back in a big way.  There were bowls full of bangle bracelets on tables, so I couldn't help myself in taking a picture.  

9.365

9.365
August 13, 2011
Kitchen
Orange Park, FL

I spent all day cooking.  I made pulled pork, spicy cole-slaw & beans.  The pork took around 6 hours and the beans took around 4.  By the time we ate dinner, we were salivating lol.  Smelling the food cook was torture, but a good kind, just knowing we were going to be able to eat this yummy goodness.
This is a picture of the sandwiches we ate, the beans were in a small bowl next to the sandwiches.  I thought I picked all the jalapenos out of the slaw, but one found its way, so I had to eat some of the pork/slaw with sour cream (the pork was spicy too).  Yummy meal for sure.