30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 28 Close Up

I saw this frosty little leaf while I was scouting out a spot for a photo shoot.  I couldn't help but snap a picture of it.  It turned out to be a fun photo shoot full of laughs, despite the cold.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 25 Resolution

Being the end of the year, I've been thinking a lot about goals I have for 2012.  One of them is spending more quality time with and enjoying my kiddos more.  I think with the busyness of life, days turn into weeks, months, and years...and then all of a sudden you have an 8 year-old!  I don't want to miss out on the special little moments with my kids, especially while they are little, so I'm going to savor every moment I have with them.  Even in the mundane, trying times-being thankful that I can kiss their chubby little cheeks, laugh at their jokes that only make sense to them, and count their eyelashes while they fall asleep.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 25 Something Pink

Libby wanted a princess birthday party this year.  It was her first official "friend" party and she invited some sweet little friends over to celebrate.  I had a lot of fun making her cake, complete with a princess tiara!

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 24 Something Yummy

So I took this girl out for her 8th Birthday coffee date.  She was so excited to see how yummy her drink was with the lid off.  We had so much fun!  She's growing up to be quite the little lady.  Love you Libby!!

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 23 Technology

Okay, so this is just a play on technology.  I'm constantly amazed at the things my kids (mostly my 8 year-old) know how to do that I didn't at their age:  controlling a DVD player, surfing the web, designing a blog, making excel spreadsheets, sending e-mails, texting...and now the latest-DOWNLOADING APPS!! (apples!)

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 22 Shoes

Here's a shot from a photoshoot I did this week.  These are some of my favorite kiddos...not so little anymore :)  I think at least three of the kids wear shoes that are bigger than their mom's.  I'm sure that's a fun milestone for them.  I just love those Martinez's!!

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 21 Sunflare

Here are a couple more pictures that make me long for warmer weather.  We woke up to a sprinkling of snow this morning, only sticking to the sidewalks.  It doesn't look like we'll have a white Christmas here...wondering when we'll get our first "real" snow?

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 20 Long Exposure

Our family went downtown to see Boise's big Christmas tree.  On the way there we stopped at the old train depot that overlooks the city.  It was such a beautiful night and it was fun playing around with the exposure.  I've always wanted to try a shot like this.  We had a great time walking around downtown and even stopped off at Tulley's Coffee-what a treat :)

Great Big Giveaway!

Amanda Buechler Photography is having a great year-end giveaway!  Check out her blog: http://amandabuechlerphotographyblog.com/2011/12/13/the-great-big-year-end-celebration/#comment-656

Don't forget to check out all the amazing businesses that helped her along the way in her business....there's some cute stuff out there :)

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 19 Hands

Here's another one for today.  Here is a picture of my Libby's hand.  She's in the middle of doing some math here.  Her hands have always reminded me of my little sister, Amanda's hands...right down to the little freckle on one of them!  It's been fun to watch Libby's hands grow and change over the years.  They've always been very feminine, but now they are starting to look so big...like a big girl's hands...so ladylike...so bittersweet that she's growing up.  Oh, by the way, she also ROCKS at math!!

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 18 Faceless Self Portrait

Here's a faceless self portrait of me reading a book!  I was playing with textures again...the possibilities are pretty endless :)

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 17 Something Red

I looked back through some pictures I took on some family adventures this summer.  I don't know if I should have done that or not because it really made me miss the warm weather.  Daniel sure was enjoying this little ladybug.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 16 Black and White

I love black and white photos.  Here's a trio of my baby and some of the silly faces he pulls.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 14 Silhouette/Day 15 Bokeh

I thought I would combine days 13 and 14 since I used the silhouette and bokeh together.  Bokeh is fun to figure out.  It's such a neat effect and it's the perfect time of the year to practice it :)

This is what I get when I try to take too many pictures of my kids :)

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 13 Eyes

 My husband has amazing blue eyes and I'm surprised that none of our kids came out with his bright blue eyes, but I'm so in love with my little man's big brown eyes!   When I look into Daniel's eyes I see an amazing future...he's going to be a mighty and strong, protective and wise man.  Some days it's just bursting at the seams to come out :)  

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 12 Sunset

The picture doesn't quite do this sunset justice.  This was just before the Shine 5k race that my friends with Race For The Nations sponsored...a fun night race on the Eagle greenbelt.  What a fun night and a great turnout to raise money for missions.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 11 Something Blue

Something blue for today are my Christmas bulbs.  I love other colors besides red and green at Christmas.  (Hoping next year to go cut down our own "real" Christmas tree :))

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 10 Childhood memory

This is a childhood memory that I love to bring out every year!!  It's my very own Christmas ornament that I've had as long as I can remember. It's gotten a little scratched up over the years, but it brings back SO many childhood memories of Christmas...decorating the tree as a family while listening to Christmas music...sitting by the tree early in the morning with all the light off except the tree's...dreaming of what would be in all the packages under the tree...hearing my Dad read the nativity story out of the Bible on Christmas Eve...and so many more! Hoping you make good memories with your family this Christmas season :)

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 9 Someone you love

So I'm going to try to just bust out the rest of these photography challenges.  I've learned that I love to take pictures, but blogging is another matter!  I'm pretty slow about it :)  Oh well.

For day 9 I chose my hubby!!  He definitely is someone I love. Riley is probably the hardest working man I know.  He does such a great job taking care of our family, putting off his needs/wants to make sure that our family has what it needs.  He is the awsom-est (yes, that's a word at our house!) daddy to our kids too!  He's the wrestler, the jungle gym, the jokester, the fixer of "munches" (another Rogers family word meaning owies), and he's the maker-uper of lots of fun words (only good ones!).  He has snuggling coffee time on the couch with the kids every morning, building relationships/memories with them and pouring into them the Word of God and godly principles.  Riley is usually the one to get up in the middle of the night with the kids...and not just because I'm such a hard sleeper.  I know he would do it anyways.  Riley is the greatest husband too!  I don't know where I would be without him.  He is gentle and fun and silly and compassionate and serious when he needs to be.  He is an amazing business man, doing an awesome job at building up his business. I'm so proud to be called his wife and so blessed to have him as my bestest friend!  He's truly amazing and I'm so glad that he is MINE!!  I love you Riley-o.

30 Day Photography Challenge...Day 8 A Bad Habit

Wow!  This 30 day challenge is seeming to take a lot longer than 30 days ;)  Life happens and family takes priority, but I think I'll be diligent in completing this challenge!!

My bad habit is....CHOCOLATE!  (or just about anything sweet)  I was making the cutest little molded chocolate alligators for my baby boy's 1st birthday party and I just had to sample the chocolate.  I wouldn't want to serve something to my guests without tasting it first, right?!

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 7 Fruit

Here's my little bug having a snack.  I can't believe that Simon is going to turn 1 this month.  It has gone by way too fast.  He must be having a growth spurt....can't seem to get enough to eat lately and he sure loves bananas!!  

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 6 From a Low Angle

I love this flag!  It's right next to the BMX track where my kids like to ride...and it is a HUGE flag.  I was actually on my back when I took this picture-about as low as I could get :)  I know it's not the 4th of July, but we're coming up on Thanksgiving soon. I am so thankful to live in a free country where I have the freedoms of speech and the press and especially the freedom of religion-to worship God.  I'm also thankful for Idaho's gorgeous blue skies!!  What are you thankful for?

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 5 From a High Angle

I love that my kids play so well together and really love each other.  Here they are playing trains...perfect fun for a rainy morning :)

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 4 Clouds

So between company coming to town, starting home school with my kids and having sick kiddos, blogging took the back seat for a while.  I'm back and ready to continue my 30-day photography challenge!!  We finally had a cloudy day and I was able to snap a few pictures.  I'm really starting to love the new area of the valley we are living in.  It's more of a farming community and I love the big wide open spaces, all the crops and a beautiful view of the Owyhee Mountains!

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 3 Something Green

Well there's not a cloud in the sky today so I'll just skip that one for now.  Instead, I'll move to the next day's assignment which is: Something Green.  This is a fun alligator chalkboard that we have hanging in our hallway by the kids' bedroom.  My Mom and Step-Dad made it for the kids one year for Christmas.  So cute!! I woke up to a birthday greeting written on it this week from my sweet girl and don't have the heart to erase it yet.  I'm also having fun playing with textures in photoshop :)

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 2 What I'm Wearing

Today I'm just wearing some jean shorts and a tank top....not too interesting.  But what you may not have seen before is what I'm wearing on my feet:  huaraches.  My husband and I made them ourselves!!  You can find out more at invisibleshoe.com.  This summer we have taken up barefoot running.  I have to say that it is AMAZING!!!  I have been able to run with more ease and much faster-clocking my fastest mile- this summer running barefoot than ever before with "running shoes" on.  We are literally running barefoot.  (nothing between our skin and the pavement) We use our huaraches for running off-road or to wear when the ground is too hot to run on.  They have also become our everyday shoes-so light and comfortable :)  

I looked ahead at tomorrow's 30 day photo assignment...clouds.  Looking outside right now there is not a cloud in the sky.  Typical Idaho summer sky :)  This could be a challenge!

30-Day Photography Challenge...Day 1 Self-portrait

 Well, here goes nothing!  Day one is a self-portrait.  Let me say that it is such an awkward thing setting up the tripod to take a picture of YOURSELF!  It just feels wrong, kind of in a vain sort of way.  There's no one to smile at except the camera and it's hard to get it to focus just right.  Some of the photos I took trying to hold the camera in my hand turned out fun.  I saw myself in a little different light.  I noticed some things that I didn't like about myself (like bad posture!) and I also saw some things that I did like.  I realized that I really like not being 20 anymore...and I have some lines that are starting to prove it :)  I saw how much I look like my younger sisters and my Mom.  It was fun to see glimpses of them in me...makes me miss them even more being so far away from them.  So here's a few trial shots, but I actually ended up liking the last photo.

 

30 Day Photography Challenge

I think I need a little jump start to start taking pictures everyday.  I came across a 30 day photography challenge at White Peach Photography that I'm going to try.  Are you up for a challenge too?!

Warm Lake

We went to warm lake for a little day trip.  It sure is beautiful!!  Daniel sure enjoyed practicing casting the fly rod.  While the bigger kids and Daddy played in the water, I got to relax on the beach with the baby-I could just squeeze him all day.  It's just what this Mama needed!

Me and my sweet Libby....she's growing up WAY too fast!!!