Happy Gnome Images

Putting my hobby to good use!

2010-10-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

I know I've been MIA for a while now, but I wanted to give you an update to what I've been doing.

Recently I signed on to do the Milwaukee Muscle Walk to benefit MDA. The Muscular Dystrophy Assoc has always been near and dear to me and I've been volunteering at their summer camp for 18 years. Now I'm trying to raise money by taking photos!

If you want to know more, please visit my new blog! I'm sure I'll still be posting here as well, but I know this exciting new adventure is going to take up a lot of my time!

http://clickinawayformda.blogspot.com/

And if you know anyone in the Milwaukee WI area who would like to schedule a photo shoot please send them the link!

I also want to thank all of my blog readers who have been so supportive of this hobby. I love getting all of your comments and it really has inspired me to want to do more! Feel free to follow me over at the new blog as well if you want to see previews from all of my shoots!

It's Gap Casting Time again!

2010-10-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

Honestly, I don't know why I enter this thing, and yet every year since my girls were born I've felt compelled to send in their pictures. Of couse every mommy thinks their child is the most beautiful child in the world! And what mommy wouldn't want to see their kids picture blown up big as life in the front window of Baby Gap? And truth be told I would have no problem spending that $1000 gap card! But every year Gap finds new ways to make this process less appealing. The size of the image you upload means that every photo in their gallery is terribly distorted. They have some sort of "Viewer Favorite" which, who are we kidding, is just a glorified popularity contest. And then this year they added a stipulation that your child should be in jeans if possible. All good reasons to just say forget about it!

And yet I enter. Because I am a proud mommy. Because I do think I have the most beautiful girls in the world. And because I can't even imagine seeing my daughters face in the window at Baby Gap!

Chalk!!!

2010-09-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Last week at a garage sale we bought a box full of artist pastel chalks. Needless to say we'll never be buying that sad sidewalk chalk again. This stuff is awesome!

Our trip to the Harvest Festival

2010-09-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the girls and I headed out with friends to a local Fall Festival. The girls had so much fun playing in giant bales of hay, riding ponies, feeding goats, eating hot dogs and going down the giant pig slide. The sun was really harsh so the photos could have been better but I know my girls could not have had more fun!

And will all of this hay, how could I not put this in for Mellow Yellow Monday?

Cool Cats!

2010-09-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to admit that I don't like cats. It may have to do with the fact that I am very allergic but cats and I just do not get along. Cool Cats, on the other hand, I totally love. Especially when it's my girls who think they are the cats meow!

Cake

2010-09-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

My little sister got married last Oct. For her bridal shower I made tiny hamburger cupcakes with cookie french fries. They were a big hit. I've always wanted to make them again, but I just haven't found the time.

For more pictures to make that sweet tooth tingle, visit Trendy Treehouse!

Dance Baby Dance!

2010-09-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of respect for those people who can capture the movement and grace of dance in a still photo. It's a moment in time that is over in a blink of an eye. It's the difference between looking like you are lost in a moment of the movement and just looking like you got caught in an awkward position.

This is Sophie dancing at the farmers market this summer. I pulled this photo from a series of 4 which actually looked more like dancing but I love the movement of her hair in this one.

My Nana and Papa.

2010-09-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon a new photo challenge over at Happy Monday. This week there is no specific theme. Just something that makes you happy.

These are my grandparents. They make me happy. I'm happy that at 33 I still have 3 of my 4 grandparents. I'm happy that I still get to see my Nana and Papa almost every week. I'm happy that my girls have been able to spend time with their great grandparents. I'm happy that I have the family I do.

Finger Prints

2010-09-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

The photo challenge this week over at Paper Mama is fingerprints. I posted really cool sandy hands pictures last week but I wanted to try to find something new. Isabelle was playing with her window gels this afternoon when I got this shot from the other side of the door. It's no wonder everything in my house is covered in fingerprints!

Smirky McSmirkerson

2010-09-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

Sophie's Smirk!
(Some photos don't need any words!)

For other sassy smirks, visit I heart faces!

Fall is just around the corner!

2010-09-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite time of year. And now that the air is getting a little crisper and the days a little cooler, I thought I would pull out a few of my favorites from last fall. Please keep in mind this is well before I knew anything about my camera and was shooting in full auto! But it just goes to show that sometimes it's not about your equipement or your skills. It's just about capturing a moment.

Bounce!

2010-09-20T05:01:00.000-07:00

I love these pictures of Isabelle bouncing on her bed. This was right after we got home from her first day at preschool last year. I can't believe how much bigger she's gotten in the last year!

Have a bouncy Monday everyone!

Sisters, Sisters...

2010-09-16T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning for weeks to participate in Flashback Fridays over at Christopher and Tia. After all, I see all my other cool photography friends doing it and I'm all about what the cool kids are doing. But Fridays are usually a busy day around here, so I'm going to try my best to post them on Thur nights.

I took this photo almost 12 months ago. My girls were enjoying throwing every stuffed animal they had into Isabelle's bed. (I'm ashamed to admit that since I took this last October the number of stuffed animals in our house has most likely tripled. I'm fairly certain they are getting busy while we sleep!) I somehow talked the girls into getting in the bed with all their animals for a picture or two.

It was only after I put the photos on my camera that I realized I had seen this picture before. I dug through my baby book and there it was. My baby sister and I some 27 years earlier.

All I can say is that I'm glad I have my sister. And I'm glad my girls have each other.

Happy Friday!

Hosted by Cecily and ???

Hands Hands Fingers Thumb...

2010-09-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

Every day I seem to find a new fabulous photo challenge that I just can't resist. This is a new one from 2babycakes and the challenge is hands. So here are a few of my favorite little hands!

Thanks for visiting! I love reading your comments and visiting your blogs!

All sorts of brown...

2010-09-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

The photo challenge over at The Paper Mama this week is the color brown. And since there are at least 4 or 5 different shades of brown in this photo I thought it was a good choice. I also happen to love this photo for how sweetly she is looking at that cow.

Thanks for visiting!

For more creamy browns visit the Paper Mama!

A model who knows how to stay still!

2010-09-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures of my girls. After all, they are the main reason I've really gotten into photography. But lets face it, at 2 and 3, sitting still is not their strong point. They also have a thing about looking at the camera which makes it really hard for me to work on skills like focus and catch lights. Luckily my cousin Jennifer was nice enough to do a little photo shoot with me. She follows directions like a champ and we had fun playing around with different light and different poses. Here are a few of my favorites (and hers) from our shoot!

Thanks for Visiting!

The Beach in September

2010-09-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the girls and I took an unplanned trip down to the beach. Weather here was in the low 60's but the girls didn't seem to care much! They were so happy to put their feet in the water and splash around. I was happy to get some beach shots that didn't have sand toys and swimsuits in them. It's nice to get a different feel from a familiar location. Unfortunately my girls were not feeling the love for the camera yesterday so most of my shots are from behind since every time they saw me they turned around!

I love that in this one Sophie is channeling her inner Moses!

First Day of School

2010-09-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

and Isabelle's backpack waits patiently for her.

Check out more Mellow Yellowness!

Thanks for visiting! I love reading your comments and visiting your blogs!

I'm also adding this one over at The Alphabet Challenge! I missed out on A but I'm excited for this new challenge!

My Favorite Shot...

2010-09-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge at Linkie Lueville is "Your Favorite Shot." How in the world do I choose just one???

Even though it's not technically the greatest, this will always be one of my favorites. My girls are a real challenge to get in a photo together. This is honestly one of the first pictures I have (in two years of trying) where they both are looking at me and smiling. I remember when I took this. I knew the moment I snapped it that it was going to be a keeper!

For more favorites, visit Linkie Lueville!

Thanks for visiting! I love reading your comments and visiting new blogs!

Vroom Vroom!

2010-09-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

This weeks photo challenge over at I heart Faces is Wheels. My girls both love playing with cars. I love this picture of Isabelle because of how expressive her face is, even though we can't see her eyes!

For more photos of wheels visit I heart Faces!

Thanks for visiting. I love reading all your comments and visiting new blogs!

Look Up!

2010-09-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

When I first got my camera most pictures of my girls were at a very unflattering angle. I was too lazy and quite honestly, too fat to get down on their level. It just didn't come naturally to me to stoop down to take pictures. Now that they are a little bigger I really try to get on the same level with them for most pictures. But it also forces me to enjoy even more the shots that I get from different perspectives. Here are three different pictures of my girls "looking up."

For lots more on this angle, visit Shoot-tell-Thurs!

Finding the time.

2010-09-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

When you have two kids 15 months apart, finding the time to work out can be a real challenge. Jeff manages.

A perfect smile

2010-09-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

but not so perfect teeth. Last month at the dentist we were told that Sophie will most likely need some serious help to correct her fairly pronounced overbite. Well, overbite or not, this is one of my favorite smiles in the world!

I'm so excited!!!

2010-09-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

This week the photo challenge at Paper Mama is "Excited" and my first thought was of this photo.

We were just about to leave a childrens festival when Isabelle spotted this lion. Usually she is terrified of people in animal suits but for some reason she was really drawn to this one. We tried to get his attention but he was obviously late for something and kept a pretty brisk pace. Isabelle ran after him and finally got his attention. I can honestly say I had never seen this amount of unbridled joy in her face before. But when that lion got down and gave her a hug she almost cried she was so happy. And when the lion finally had to go she ran over to me and her little heart was beating so fast! She couldn't stop talking for days after this about the lion and how excited she was!

For lots more excitment visit Paper Mama!

Still working on edits...

2010-09-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

I have LightRoom 3 but I feel like a preschooler every time I open it. I have no work flow and I'm not even sure I know what that means. I just randomly go in and start adjusting things and usually have no idea what I've done when I get a photo I like. So I wish I could explain what I did here but I can't. I just know that this is one of those photos I like better after post processing.

SOOC:

After who-knows-what in LR:

And because I love the "take my donut and you will pay" look she's giving me I'll be using this picture as my Sweet Shot and Communal Tues entry!

Thanks for visiting!

Bloopers and Outtakes

2010-09-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

As a beginning momtographer I probably have more bloopers and outtakes than actual "keeper" pictures. But every once in a while there's a blooper that makes me laugh so I keep it.

I've never seen Isabelle look this confused before!

For more bloopers and outtakes be sure to visit Trendy Treehouse!

Mello Yellow Mondays...

2010-09-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

When I first found this challenge I thought that I would only be able to participate one a month or so. I just didn't think there was at much yellow in my life. I'm so glad that I was wrong!

Today's yellow comes to you from my little "second shooters."

For more creamy yellow goodness follow the yellow link road!

As always, thanks for visiting. I love getting comments and always try to return the favor!

Cute.

2010-09-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

I realize that as their mother I am completely and totally biased. But my girls are C-U-T-E. Cute! For this weeks photo challenge over at Photo Freak I need to pick three photos that show off how ridiculously cute my girls are. Picking three is a real challenge but here they are. I know most of you have seen all of these before, but every mommy has her favorites!

The Little One:

The Big One:

And Two Little Sisters Together:

For lots more Cuties, visit Photo Freak!

Sisterly love...

2010-09-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Isabelle was feeling generous this morning.

Thanks for visiting! I truly appreciate all your comments!

What's so funny???

2010-09-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

The theme over at Trendy Treehouse is Laughter. My first thought was of this shot of my sister.

Last month we were at a family wedding up North. As soon as we pulled into the hotel we were staying at I spotted a beautiful field of flowers out back. The girls weren't with us, so being the good sister that she is, Michelle volunteered to go sit in the field so I could take some pictures. I'm pretty sure the is laugh is "Why am I sitting in a big field of flowers behind the Eagle River Super 8???"

Thanks for being a good sport Auntie Shell. You're the best sister in the whole world!

And for lots more laughter visit Trendy Treehouse!

Yellow!

2010-08-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

She's not always going to be small enough to fit into the tire of a tractor at the State Fair!

It's Telethon Time!

2010-08-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

When I saw that this weeks theme at I Heart Faces was Photojournalism I knew exactly what I wanted to talk about!

For the past 18 years I have been volunteering one week out of my summer at a Camp for kids with Muscular Dystrophy. These kids mean the world to me. Camp is an amazing opportunity for them to just be kids. We swim, fish, do arts and crafts, have campfires, sing, dance and play sports. Sports is by far my favorite part of camp. Every kid being able to participate regardless of their ability. And everyone having so much fun!

If you've been blessed with healthy children and a healthy family, please consider calling in a donation to your local Muscular Dystrophy Assoc Telethon this weekend. Your money will help pay for things like camp so that these kids can continue to celebrate the "Best Week of the Year!"

The above photo is my entry for this weeks I Heart Faces, but after doing this for 18 years there is no way I could have chosen just one to share with you all!

Thanks for visiting!

I never pass on a chance to talk about bacon...

2010-08-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

This week I found a new photo challenge over at It's a Beautiful Life. The challenge this week is things you hate to love. And for me that's bacon. I know it's horrible for me. It's not helping me on my weight loss goals. All sorts of heart damaging fats. Yada Yada Yada. I love bacon.

So, I know I've shared these photos before but you're getting them again because I LOVE bacon.

Head on over to see more things we love to hate! And as always, thanks for visiting! I love reading your comments and visiting your blogs!

It's time to get blogging again...

2010-08-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

I just looked at my blog and realized I haven't posted in over a week. I've been in a real funk lately when it comes to my camera. I feel like I learned a lot of new skills and now I've sort of stalled out. I didn't even take one picture all of last week. But it's time to get back into it! So I'm trying to make sure I participate in every photo challenge I can find this week. If I don't take new photos I need to at least get back into looking at the ones I already have!

I did take a few new shots yesterday at the museum. My girls loved the butterfly house and when the bug guy came out with bugs they could actually hold they were over the moon!

Thanks for visiting!! I'm going to try hard to visit everyones blogs again because I know how much it motivates me when I get comments!

3 going on 30...

2010-08-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Isabelle is my first born. She'll be 4 in November. I love her to death but she's a very emotional child. We're never in short supply of tears and or general drama. There's always a reason for her to be sad about something. We're working through it the best we can, but in the meantime I really just want to appreciate and love the smiles when they come. I love this smile.

For more beautiful black and whiteness:

Thanks for visiting!

Retro Preschool...

2010-08-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it was almost a year ago that we were getting Isabelle ready for her first day in preschool! I look back on these pictures now and 12 months seems like a lifetime ago!

Since she doesn't start school until the 13th of Sept this first photo will have to due for this weeks Trendy Treehouse Challenge!

And poor Baby Sophie so badly wanted to go to school with her big sister!

Until she realized she got Mamma all to herself!

I can't wait to see what kind of adventure this years preschool class takes us on!

For More first day of school photos make sure to check out trendy treehouse!

Be Careful What You Wish For!

2010-08-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that my holy grail photograph is my two girls together. They don't love having their picture taken to begin with but asking them to sit next to each other is like asking Democrats and Republicans to come across the isle and get along. It just doesn't happen. So imagine my shock and joy when Isabelle says to me "Mama, take my picture with Sophie!" and Sophie actually complied! Now here's the real kicker. I don't actually love either one of these photos. They just look so strange and awkward. It's nice to see a little sisterly love, but this isn't who they are on a regular basis. Now if one of them was pulling the other ones hair or stealing her favorite stuffed animal this would be more representitive of our regular day. But the two of them standing with their arms around each other makes me feel like I've been pulled into some bizzaro universe.

So, welcome to bizzaro world. Enjoy your stay!

Thanks for visiting!!!

Pretty in Pink

2010-08-24T04:51:00.000-07:00

There is no shortage of pink in our house. With two little girls there are times when laundry gets sorted by whites, colors and pink. This week the challenge over at RAW(e) is Pink. I chose this one because I love the pink color of the plexiglass wall she is standing in front of. So funky!

For more pink pictures in the raw check out:

Thanks for visiting! I love reading all of your comments!

Flowers or Weeds? You decide.

2010-08-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

I remember a time when it was just Jeff and I. He's always been a romantic. He would bring me home bouquets of flowers "just because." And I loved him for that.

Three years later I'm still being showered with flowers. But now they're these pretty yellow flowers that grow in the yard. To most people they're just weeds. But when your two year old comes to you with a fist full of them, they're the most beautiful flowers in the world!

And this last one is my pic for Paper Mama's photo challenge flowers. I just love how much she's enjoying that dandilion!

The beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan...

2010-08-23T19:56:00.000-07:00

I live in WI and looking at all of the beautiful beach pictures posted over at I Heart Faces is really making me want to vacation somewhere a little more beachy! But for now we'll have to be content to go play in the sand of Lake Michigan.

Will a Storm Trooper fit in a Cozy Coupe?

2010-08-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

The answer is yes.

Happy Monday everyone!

Isabelle attempts a macro....

2010-08-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

I think this is the first time I am posting not because of a specific photo challenge but just because I really love this picture.

Black and White Wednesday

2010-08-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

This is one of Isabelle's best friends. We're so happy we got to hang out with you guys at the zoo yesterday!

Arts and Crafts Challenge

2010-08-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

The photo challenge this week over at the Yellow House is Arts and Crafts. I love the texture of these paintbrushes!

Touch up Tues!

2010-08-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

This is my first time participating in Touch up Tues. Post processing has always been my achilles tendon. I feel like a kindergardener every time I open LightRoom. Part of it is that my style is very minimal. I want my pictures to look like I didn't have to touch them afterward. But of course I do. Especially now since I'm spending more time shooting in Raw.

Anyhow, I was looking through some older photos and came across this one. Shot in auto mode before I had any clue how to use my camera, it was in serious need of some adjusting. I feel like it's still a little off in color, but a lot better than the original!

SOOC:

And my edit:

For more before and afters, visit Touch up Tues!

Thanks for visiting!

Simplicity Black and White Photo Challenge

2010-08-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

I've posted this picture before but it's one of my favorite black and whites!

Thanks for visiting!

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!

2010-08-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say that I was confident enough in my photo skills to get consistantly good photos every time. But I don't. Most days I'm lucky if I get one or two photos that I truely love and feel proud of. Yesterday was one of those days. Isabelle is not nearly as cooperative with me when it comes to taking pics as Sophie is. So when I get a genuine smile from Isabelle (instead of her quick-take-the-pic-so-I-can-have-a-sucker face) it really makes my day.

Since photography is a hobby that has really taken on a life of its own for me, I need to be reminded sometimes why I got into it in the first place. I want to preserve smiles like this.

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment!

These are a few of my favorite things...

2010-08-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

When I saw that this weeks Trendy Treehouse challenge was "Favorite Things" my first thought was some kind of tribute to Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes with maybe a few snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelases throw in for good measure. But then I remembered that it's 90 degrees right now so snowflakes are out and if I put my girls in white dresses they would only stay white for about 30 seconds. So, dreams of a Sound of Music tribute were cast aside. And Lord knows I post enough pictures of my girls on here.

And technically speaking, my girls aren't things,they're people. Which leaves me in the clear to admit to my very favorite thing. Bacon. I love it. Really.

And one more to make your mouth water!

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I love checking out your blogs as well!

Sophie takes picky eater to a new level.

2010-08-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

Sophie has always been a really picky eater. If she had her way it would be noodles and parmesan cheese or french fries for every meal. We keep offering her new foods, but most of them don't even make it close to her mouth let alone in it. And at 2.5 she tells me "No thank you. That's too yucky for me." Seriously?

Anyway, one of the few new foods that she actually likes is orange peppers. She won't touch the green or red peppers with a ten foot pole but can eat an entire orange one by herself.
(And by the way, am I the only one who gets crazy looks from the grocery store employees when I break out the camera and pose my girls in front of produce?)

For more fabulous stories and photos of orange, check out the Paper Mama.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I'll be sure to return the favor!

Mellow Yellow Monday

2010-08-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Isabelle requests that I take her picture in the weirdest places!

For more beautiful yellow photos check out mellow yellow monday!

Got to Wear Shades Photo Challenge

2010-08-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Both my girls love their glasses so this one was a hard choice. I finally went with this one of Isabelle, not because of the glasses but because of the attitude she's throwing around behind them!

For more Made in the Shade photos, visit I heart faces!

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I love hearing from everyone!

Black and White Wednesday- Who's hungry?

2010-08-11T06:45:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure our three year old is going to eat us out of house and home. It usually isn't more than twenty minutes after any meal that she is asking what kind of snack she can have. She also for some reason is having a hard time remembering which meal comes when. I think she's gotten tired of me correcting her because now she just says "Mommy, when is breakfast, lunch, dinner?"

For more beautiful photos be sure to visit black and white Wed!

Vintage Sophie

2010-08-10T17:01:00.000-07:00

The theme this week over at RAW(e) is Vintage. I know they list the themes in advance but I totally dropped the ball on this one. Luckily my little Sophie is a lover of all hats and will gladly put on one of the twenty or so that she owns any time I ask. So, for my vintage unedited photo this week I give you Sophie Ingalls Wilder.

Check out RAW(e) for lots of other vintage shots that are straight out of the camera!

Vacation?

2010-08-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

The photo challenge over at Trendy Treehouse this week is vacation. I was going to skip it after seeing all of the beautiful photos that have been coming in. After all, we don't do a whole lot of vacationing since having two kids! But then I decided I still wanted to enter something. And the one vacation we take every year is to go camping with 25 of my extended family members. I know camping doesn't sound like much of a vacation for most people. What other vacation do you have to pack everything you could ever need, set up your own sleeping arrangements, cook your own food and poop in yucky public toilets? But for some reason we still do it every year. And it's always a fabulous weekend!

This first photo is my choice for this weeks "vacation" challenge just because I love all the colors!

This was also the first year that we went out of our way to take the ferry to the campsite. Isabelle could not believe we were driving our car onto a boat. The ferry ride takes about six minutes so by the time I got both of the girls out of their carseats to look over the side of the boat it was time to get back in the car!

And everyone has to help out with dishes when we camp!

Who doesn't want to just lay in the grass and enjoy an oreo?

Did I mention it was in the 90's all weekend?

I'm not sure Sophie understood the rules for this game!

And last but not least, here we all are. Every family tree has a few nuts but ours is loaded with them!

Thanks for stopping by!

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair!

2010-08-10T05:50:00.000-07:00

This week is the WI State Fair. Jeff and I look forward to this week all year. Unfortunately this year Jeff has been working extra hours and I don't know if we're going to be able to make it to the fair together which makes me very sad.

The girls and I have headed to the State Fair twice already this week. We had lots of fun but boy oh boy is it a lot of work to take two toddlers and a stroller to a busy fair! Neither one of them wants to actually stay in the stroller so it seems like just an extra pain in the butt, but we need it for the long walk back to the car.

This is the first year at the fair where I'm actually using my camera in manual mode. I found it more than a little frustrating with all of the changing light conditions. Blinding sun one minute and then dark animals barns the next. Pushing the stroller and trying not to lose the two of them in the crowd meant I had precious little time to actually mess around with my settings. I'm hoping that by this time next year I'll be able to look back on my photographically frustrating trip to the fair and have a good chuckle!

So, here are a few of my fair favorites. If you live anywhere near Milwaukee I highly suggest a trip to the fair. Beautiful animals, wonderful music and everything you could ever hope to eat-on a stick!

Isabelle has a quiet moment with a cow

Isabelle loves sitting on the chairs that you put a quarter into and they vibrate!

Only at the State Fair is it totally appropriate to have ice cream for lunch!

I was so proud of Sophie. This was her first time riding the ponies.

I'm bummed that my girls love lemonaide as much as I do. That means I have to share!

(I'm also choosing this photo for Communal Tues and Sweet Shot Tues. Hand shaken lemonaide is one of my favorite things at the fair!

Giant tractor wheels

And you have to wash down that ice cream with some cotton candy!

My girls love the wheel walker clown!

Baby Ducks!

And finally, what should we have for dessert?

Thanks for visiting!

Water...

2010-08-09T19:52:00.000-07:00

We've spent a lot of time this summer in the water. Last summer was hard because Sophie was still pretty small and it was difficult to take both of them to the pool on my own. This summer is a different story. We are at the beach (don't get too excited, it's Lake Michigan) or at the pool once or twice a week. And when all else fails you head to the backyard and the garden hose!

(I've posted this before but it's a favorite!)

For more amazing water photos head on over to the Paper Mama! Thanks for visiting!

Yum.

2010-08-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

I love food pictures. Unfortunately they make it really hard to stay on my diet since food pictures make me want to eat! So for this weeks food challenge over at Two Moms, I'm going to choose fruit. And now I'm hoping that the rest of you posted things like cupcakes and cheesecake!

Surprise!

2010-08-09T05:16:00.000-07:00

The theme this week at I heart faces is Surprise! This has always been one of my favorite pictures. Sophie was about 16 months at the time. This litte guy jumped onto the side of her stroller. I thought she would freak out but she just sat there quietly while he jumped right onto her hand. That's when I grabbed the camera hoping for a cute enough shot. I still feel a little bad that when he jumped up onto her nose I took the photo before getting him off of there, but the look on her face was something that needed to be captured!

Make sure you head over to I heart faces for lots more surprised faces this week!

Apparently I love bugs

2010-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Last week was my first time participating in Macro Monday because last week was the first time I ever used my macro lens. I'm still going through some of the pictures I took and I keep going back to this one of the Japanese Beetle. My mom hates these things because they are destoying her garden, which I totally understand, but I love the color of their wings.

Humorously, they also remind me of my younger daughter. Who knew something that cute could be that destructive?

So, I'm using this picture for this weeks Macro Monday and because of the color of the flower, Mellow Yellow Monday.

Thanks for visiting!

They like me! They really like me!

2010-08-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited that the picture I took of my beautiful cousin and her new hubby on their wedding day was picked as the winner of this weeks challenge over at Trendy Treehouse! I just had to share my excitement!

And here they are in all their wedding lovelyness. Congrats again Christi and Pat!

Black and White Wednesday

2010-08-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first time participating in Black and White Wednesday. I only really just started learning how to use my camera (in something other than auto!) within the last 8 months or so. As my pictures got better I realized that I really needed to learn how to use the photoshop and lightroom programs that have been collecting dust on my computer. A few months back I wouldn't have been able to tell you the difference between hitting the black and white button in picasa and actually doing the conversion yourself. I'm still terribly new at it but practice makes perfect!

This photo is one of my Grandma's favorites. She shows it to everyone and anyone who comes to her house, including the mailman.

Thanks for visiting!

Photo Challenge Feet!

2010-08-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

I think it's safe to say that I'm officially addicted to photo challenges! I love looking through my old photos for that perfect shot or feeling inspired to take a new one!

I was just introduced to this blog and I'm so excited to be participating in her first photo challenge.

Sophie loves her pink boots. She loves them even more when she wears them with her purple tutu!

For more Happy Feet check out this link!

" />

My girls are so much fun!

2010-08-03T07:05:00.000-07:00

There are days when I feel bad that I usually post pictures of Sophie. I love Isabelle just as much, but the simple truth is that Isabelle just doesn't like to have her picture taken. But sometimes a trip to the park is all we need to get smiles out of both of them!

Trendy Treehouse challenge "Weddings"

2010-08-03T04:55:00.000-07:00

I love weddings!!!! I loved my wedding, I love family weddings, I love any wedding. They are a time to celebrate all things good. Love, family, faith, and food. Nothing tastes quite as sweet as wedding cake!

So, now that I'm trying to learn more about using my camera I love weddings even more because it gives me a chance to take pictures of people other than my girls. But I'm very careful not to become the "Uncle Bob." According to the photographers I know, there's an "Uncle Bob" at every wedding. The guy who thinks that just because he has a DSLR that he knows better than the professional photographer that the couple hired. He gets in the way of shots. His flash is going off in church. He's just generally annoying. I vow never to be "Uncle Bob." I vow to stay out of the way. And if you, the pro, feel like I'm staring at you, it's just because I'm stalking your equipment.

So, the photo challenge over at trendy treehouse this week is weddings. My cousin Christi got married two weeks ago at a beautiful affair up in Northern WI. I just loved their getaway car!

Thanks for visiting! For more beautiful wedding photos head on over to trendy treehouse!

Raw(e) Photo Challenge Lamps

2010-08-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's room needed something fun to spice it up a bit. Thank goodness for Ikea! This fabulous sun lamp looks perfect up on her ceiling. The only problem is that we can't take pictures in there anymore because it gives everything a yellow cast!

Visit other lamp pictures at Raw(e)!

For all 11 of my followers...

2010-08-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to apologize for all the posts cluttering up your reader. I think next week I'm going to post all the photo challenges in one post. Have a great night and thanks for visiting!

Mello Yellow Mondays...

2010-08-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

I love this idea for a photo challenge! I think yellow is one of those colors that gets under used and under loved. Here is my first entry for this challenge. I love the color of this corn. I wish I would have taken the picture sooner but Isabelle plows through corn on the cob like a crazy lady!

Animal Kingdom...

2010-08-02T16:16:00.001-07:00

The photo challenge over at the Yellow House this week is Animal Kingdom. I had a really hard time choosing for this one. My girls and I go to the zoo at least once a week and I love taking pictures of the animals. They are all so different and beautiful in their own way. I'm choosing the lepeord because I love his eyes, but I'm posting some of my other favorites as well!

Thanks for visiting!

Best Buddies...

2010-08-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

Sophie is a cuddly baby. When she wants to be. She gives the best hugs in the world and the best part is that she's pretty selective about when she gives them and to who so you know when you get one that she means it!

The Photo Challenge over at the Paper Mama this week is "Best Buddies." This is a picture of Sophie with her best friend Margot. Margot and her big sister used to live right next door to us. We shared a back yard and life was wonderful. And then Margot and her family moved across town. We still see them but we miss those days where we all just randomly ended up in the backyard. I think Sophie misses them most of all.

For more pictures of Best Buddies, check out Paper Mama!

And here are two more of Sophie with her best friends, Margot and Teddy. No one knows how to show their love more than a two year old!

Macro Monday!

2010-08-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

It's my first time participating in the Macro Monday photo challenge. But I think that's fitting since this week was the first time I ever used my macro setting on my lens! It was lots of fun and I'm hoping to do more macro stuff very soon.

For more macro shots check out www.lisaschaos.com

Flashback Friday...

2010-07-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

This is my first time posting a Flashback Friday. I have no words to describe my Grandma so I'll just post two pictures. After all these years her face is still so full of life!

Me and Grandma in 1981:

Me and Grandma last weekend:

Check out Flashback Fridays for lots more memories!

Thanks for visiting. Leave me a comment and I'll be sure to visit your blog to return the favor!

Yellow House Photo Challenge: Urban

2010-07-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

This week's Yellow House Photo challenge is Urban.

My first thought when I saw this was "Man, nothing comes cheap when you live in a big city!"

Thanks for visiting! Let me a comment and I'll be sure to visit your blog to return the favor!

My Tuesday...

2010-07-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

How is it that at three years old she already knows how to stand in the fridge like she's a teenager?

Also, check out Communal Global. What a great collection of photos from people around the world!

Trendy Treehouse challenge "Sports"

2010-07-27T05:53:00.000-07:00

The theme this week over at Trendy Treehouse is sports. Now really, there is only one week out of the year where sports have any bearing on my life and that's the week I spend volunteering at summer camp. For more than half of my life (18 years to be exact) I've been volunteering for one week a summer at MDA Summer Camp. Camp is nothing short of amazing. It's the best week of the year for these kids and for me. We play different sports every day. I can imagine that the kid in the wheelchair is rarely picked first in gym class but at camp they have a chance to play on an equal playing field.

I couldn't choose just one pic, but here is my choice for Trendy Treehouse. The others are just because I love to share!

Bowling is a camp favorite!

Believe it or not there is a hockey game going on in here. Watch out for your ankles!

And these kids have such great sportsmanship!

Thanks for looking!

Raw (e) Photo Challenge..

2010-07-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

The challenge this week at Raw(e) is (2)6. The directions are to go into the second folder of pictures and choose the sixth photo in that folder. So here it is. The second folder of my smugmug site which happens to be a folder of favorites. This is a shot of my daughters last fall. It's the first photo I ever had printed on canvas. I feel like my photos have gotten a lot better since then (and I've lightened up on the Post processing a TON!) but this is still one of my favorites.

Photo Challenge Father and Child

2010-07-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

This is my first time participating in the Two Moms photo challenge but as soon as I saw that the theme was Father and Child, I knew exactly what photo I needed to submit. I took this photo from my hospital bed after my second c-section. Isabelle was brought to the hospital to meet her new little sister for the first time. I remember reaching for the camera and almost tearing my stitches but it was totally worth it. When she came into the room she had a mouth full of goldfish crackers. I love that she stopped chewing to stare at her new baby sister in daddy's arms. This photo will always be my favorite. This was the day my family was complete.

I Heart Faces Challenge Purple

2010-07-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

My girls wear a lot of purple, so finding a photo for this one wasn't going to be hard. Or that's what I thought. Once I had them all gathered up I realized that I should really try to pick one where the purple actually means something to the photograph. I love this picture because Sophie loves her purple tutu almost as much as she loves her pink boots!

Thanks for visiting!

My Favorite Photo....

2010-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Since really starting to learn how to use my camera I feel like the process has been two steps forward and three steps back. Every time I master one aspect something else comes along that sends me back to square one. For the most part I find it extremely frustrating. But it also gives me motivation to keep working at it since the photos I like keep getting better and better. I just want there to be more of them! So, this is my current favorite. And trust me, the girls are not standing around every day giving each other hugs.

Yum.

2010-07-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of coleslaw. I can't stand how it tastes but I love how it looks! I wish I could say more about this, but honestly, it's coleslaw. This is about as exciting as it gets.

And the photo challenge this week over at Simplicity is the color white. I love how the white in this food makes all the other colors really pop!

I Heart Faces Challenge Over My Head..

2010-07-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do I ever try to do posed shots with my girls. They rarely turn out and we all just come away frustrated. But for some reason I had this chalk picture in my head and really wanted to try getting it on camera. Isabelle was really confused as to why I wanted her to lay on the ground and keep her hand in one place. Needless to say, the concept of this shot went way "over her head!"

Trendy Treehouse challenge "Faces"

2010-07-20T11:05:00.001-07:00

When you live with a mommy who always wants you to smile for the camera, not every face is a happy one. And no one knows how to say "I'm not happy" better than Sophie!

Paper Mama Photo Challenge

2010-07-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

This weeks photo challenge over at Paper Mama is "Action." This was taken at the kite festival a few weeks ago. It was pretty sad since there was almost zero wind and thousands of people who showed up to see a kite show! None the less we had a good time trying to get our little kite up in the air!

Paper Mama's Photo Challenge

2010-07-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

This is my first week participating in Paper Mama's photo challenge, but when I saw that the theme was photos that make you laugh I knew I had to post this one. Sometimes it is those unexpected captures that mean the most and there is no way I could have planned this one!

My Best Shot (so far!)

2010-07-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

It seems like every day I find more and more photo contests to enter online. I love the challenge and it keeps me interested in growing as a photographer. The theme over at Yellow House this week is "your best shot."

This shot of Sophie is one of my favorites. I feel like her eyes are really telling me something. It's also totally not my typical Sophie. She is usually always smiling and full of life. This photo shows a more contemplative side to her that quite honestly I didn't know she had!

Shutter Love Tuesday!

2010-07-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Today's theme at the Trendy Treehouse is By the Pool. This one posed a challenge for me since I never take my camera when we go to the pool. Usually it's just me and the girls and having two little ones who love to run in opposite directions means that I should not be distracted by my camera! So we decided to use the hose in the back yard to fill up a little bucket to splash in. That's still a pool right? And nothing tastes better than water from the hose!

2010-07-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

Why Happy Gnome?

2010-06-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

I always told myself that if I ever started my own business it would be named Happy Gnome. I've been told there is a bar in the twin cities with the same name but I've never been there. I am no where close to owning my own business yet, but I wanted to use this as my blog name to inspire me to keep working toward my goals!