i clicked it up a notch.

One of my favorite pictures this month was this one:

Day 299 - hands

I'm on day 22 in my 30 day project.

Asher staring out at all the snow that we got today. Brrrrrr

(f/1.8; 1/200s; ISO 100; 50 mm lens)

Day 298 - faceless self portrait

I've got nothing for ya :/

Day 297 - Bokeh

I was supposed to photograph bokeh, but that didn't really happen :) Sorry. Here's another picture I took that day.

(f/ 1.8; 1/250s; ISO 100; 50 mm lens) 

Day 296 - something orange

Day 19 in my 30 day project.

My wallet:

(f/1.8; 1/100s; ISO 800; 50 mm lens) 

Day 295 - your shoes

Day 18 in my 30 day challenge

My dirty, worn, and very used converse :)

(f/1.8; 1/200s; ISO 1600; 50 mm lens) 

Day 294 - technology

Day 17 in my 30 day project
One of my most useful things to have ever bought... my computer.

(f/1.8; 1/13s; ISO 1600; 50 mm lens) 

Hollywood's Not America

Life. Is. Busy.
I have to admit, this is a wonderful point of life that I am in right now. I have a wonderful job, I have wonderful friends, and this semester I have some really great teachers. I also have a very awesome God.


I'm so busy, and yet I feel like I don't have much to say. Maybe using some bullets will help get this going :)

• School: I am doing well in school - straight A's so far. Which is quite the feat, especially since I'm in the same Biology class where I dislocated my jaw from too much stress two years ago and then had to drop said class. Thankfully this time around I have a great teacher and helpful classmates. Oh how things can change in two years. I'm only taking three classes because I dropped one about a month ago, and I'm so thankful that I did. I feel like I do as much homework now as I did Spring semester when I had 5 classes. I feel like I can hardly keep up with school. This is probably for a variety of reasons: mono is still affecting me, I have harder classes, and I'm working more. 
• Work: Work is so great. I love my three little men. I don't see Caden much because he's in school until 3, but he really seems to be excelling. Maxwell is a brilliant/ hilarious child. He'll randomly tell me things, and I'll be shocked that he knows it. I would give an example, but I can't remember any at the moment... darn, I should really write them down :) Asher is getting bigger every day! He can walk, and he does a good job, but he still prefers to crawl. He's super serious when strangers are around, but when I'm around or his mom or dad then he's usually super happy and smiley. He's figured out that I will cuddle with him almost any time that he wants, so when I arrive at his house he's started crawling over to me right away. It's so cute. He knows how to wave goodbye, and he knows how to dance (he shakes his arms when music is on) He knows how to give kisses. I'm so happy that I get to be apart of their life :) 
• Friends: I tend to tell people that I don't have many friends (which is true) but at this time in my life I am thankful for the few friends that I have... mostly because I can hardly find time for them. 
• Home: As most of you know I moved about a month ago after my family left. I moved in with a family whose husband/dad will be deploying for about 9 months in November. I'm here to hopefully help where I can, and to keep them company/ them keep me company. I'm so happy to have made this choice. Coming home to a family is 100 times better than going home to an empty apartment. It helps that this family is such a wonderful, godly, and loving family. It's been such an easy transition (at least for me it has been).
• Photography: I get asked to do a shoot every couple months. For now I am okay with that. I've only done family shoots thus far, but I'm doing my sister's senior pictures when I visit Ecuador at Christmas time (how cool will that be?). I'm doing a shoot for the family I nanny for in the next month or two - pretty sure that shoot will be so fun to do :) I'm also doing a family shoot for the family I'm living with in the next month or so. I've been REALLY glad that I started the 365 project, but in a way it will be nice to be done come 2012. It's getting so hard to find the motivation/ new ideas.  I'm sure I'll still take a lot of pictures, but probably more event type things. I hope to take a photography class sometime next year. 
• Church: My small church of about 30 people (more or less) seems to be growing slowly. Tonight I was informed that about half of  the Chipotle (where David works) is going to start trying to attend. This made me laugh, because little did I know-- hanging out at Chipotle is a ministry. I am being sarcastic about half of Chipotle, but I was told today that three more people who work there want to start attending (this is excluding David who has already been attending for a few months) 

That's about the extent of my life. I hope you enjoyed hearing about it ;) 

Sometimes I remember to write down what the kids I spend time with say because kids are hilarious. Here are a few of the silly things they've said/done: 

"You have to get older so that you can die" -Maxwell (4)

Neighbor kid: What are those red spots?
Me: What red spots?
NK: The ones on your face.
Me: Oh, that's acne, you'll have that someday.

Neighbor Kid: I'm not saying he isn't cute... he's just... fat. (said about asher, a 9 month old baby)

Talking about a level on a star wars DS game: "When I got there I was like, mama mia... I can't do this!" --Caden 6 years

Said in a very superior voice: "I don't have dreams... cause I don't sleep!" Maxwell (4)

Micah (6): "Tell me I'm handsome."
Me: "You're handsome"
Micah: "Your face is handsome" *laughs hysterically*

Max: Miss Christina, can you read me a book?
Me: sure
Max: I call this reading without mom.

At work we were getting ready to go see my new house and I told them that they would probably meet some kids. I told Caden that he would probably meet another kid named Caiden. Caden goes: How old is Caiden?

Me: He's 3

Caden: Oh, I'm WAAAAAYYY older (6)

Max: Oh Caden, you'll get married before Caiden and be a dad before ALL of us. (4)

Caden: I'll also die before Caiden.

(this is where I'm thankful that the Caden's have different spellings :) ) 

At Target the other morning Caden is running behind me, and then I hear a loud smack. I look back and see Caden flat on the floor. He jumps up and says: I'm okay! and then starts running again. 


While playing with a little boy I babysit outside:
He says: Let's play dirt.

Happy Friday, Folks! 

Day 293 - Long Exposure

Today I'm on day 16 of my 30 day project.

(f/4.0; 2.5s; ISO 400; 27 mm) 

I was worried about following through with this prompt. Mostly because I never do high exposure. I'm used to capturing kids who are on the move, so I like to have a pretty short exposure. If I had been able to get closer to the road, then I probably could have gotten a better picture. But next time I'll do better :)

Day 292 - Something Blue

Okay, I'm on day 15 of my 30 day project which is actually a silhouette, but since I already did that I'm doing something blue. And then I will tell you about my day at the zoo. (that rhymed :))

Something blue - the background counts, right?

(f/4.5; 1/25s; ISO 800; 37 mm) 

The boys and I at the zoo. 

The height difference here makes me laugh. Also, Sorry about the watermark.. aha. 

I think this was my favorite animal today. He was running around in circles and coming up real close to where we were standing. 

The boys were in awe of the mountain lion that was right above us. And Maxwell has cheetos all over his face. 

Day 291 - Eyes

I actually did my picture today! Way to be :)

(f/5.6; 1/125; ISO 1600; 55 mm) 

I'm pretty sure I bribed Maxwell with food so that I could get this picture. :)

Day 290 - yourself with 13 things

So, I was sure I wasn't going to do this. It was just one of those days (or weeks) where I had no motivation to pick up my camera. Thankfully when I got home tonight after finally printing some pictures at Sams, I got a little bit of motivation and took this.

So for day 13 in my 30 day project:

(f/4.5; 1/50s; ISO 1600; 22 mm) 

Hey this counts, right?

Day 289 - Sunset

Yeah I fail. Today was supposed to be day 12 in my 30 day challenge... and it was supposed to be a sunset... but I didn't take even one picture.

Oh motivation... where have you gone?

Day 288- Silhouette

Today (day 11) I was supposed to be something blue on my 30 day challenge, but I think I'll do silhouette instead and do something blue on day 15.

(f/5.6; 1/1600s; ISO 200; 55 mm)

(f/5.6; 1/1600s; ISO 200; 55 mm)

I really love how these turned out. Thanks for being such a great model, Lindsay! :)

Day 287 - childhood memory

I've got nothing for ya :/

I thought about what I would do for a childhood memory, and I had a few ideas, but I never got around to it.

Smells often remind me of my childhood. New (wood) furniture always reminds me of when we moved to Colorado 5 1/2 years ago because we had a bunch of things from ikea, and they had this certain smell.

Day 286- someone(s) I love

I'm on day 9 of my 30 day project!

(f/3.5; 1/80s; ISO 800; 18 mm)

I really wish I had more time today to focus on the prompt that I was given. I was just so busy... so I snapped the picture and went on with my life.
I had all three boys today because Caden is on fall break. So, we went to the library and made it just in time for story time. I then let the boys check out a couple of books which they were so excited about.

I love these boys... even on days when they follow you around tearing the house apart while you try to clean it.

Day 285- a bad habit

I'm on day 8 in my 30 day project.

(f/3.5; 1/20s; ISO 800; 20 mm) 

It's true. I bite my nails... but only when I don't have nail clippers near by and my nails are too long. It's because I really can't stand having long nails. I'm not sure why that is.

Moving on, today I forced Asher and Maxwell to go on a walk with me, and I led the way for about 5 minutes and then let Max choose the way we were to go... and we ended up at a park. with swings. This is huge! The other park that we go to only has a tiny little playground and NO swings. Now we have another park within walking distance to choose from! I have to admit, that was probably the highlight of my day :)

Quick Update - REALLY quick :)

I'm not sure if this video will ever upload... it's taking FOREVER! 

Life has been SO busy lately. 

It's midterm week (can you believe it!?!?) 

and I'm working 40 hours this week. 

I do apologize if I don't get around to posting and commenting on your blogs. 

Anywho... Asher started walking... isn't he just darling? :)

Not sure how to rotate the video. Sorry :)

Day 284 - Fruit

Day 7 in my 30 day project.

(f/5.6; 1/125s; ISO 800; 55 mm)

This little boy LOVES fruit. It's like a dessert to him. :)

Day 283- From a Low Angle

Day 6 on my 30 day project.

(f/ 4.0; 1/80s; ISO 800; 28 mm) 

Max was such a good little model for me on this day :)

Day 282 - From a High Angle

Day 5 of my 30 day challenge.

(f/3.5; 1/320s;ISO 200; 18 mm)

Which one do you like better?

Day 281 - something green

Day 4 of my 30 day challenge.

(f/4.5; 1/80s; ISO 1600; 37 mm) 

Day 280 -Clouds

Here is day 3 for my 30 day challenge. I cheated slightly on this photo because I actually took it on Monday, but I really like how it turned out. :)

(f/ 11; 1/3200s; ISO 100; 50 mm lens)

Day 279 - What I Wore

Day 2 of my 30 day challenge.

(f/5.6; 1/80s; ISO 800; 55 mm)

I had to remind myself not to dress in sweats and a t-shirt today. So instead I dressed for fall weather, which worked out pretty nicely since it was chilly today.

Day 278 -Self Portrait

Today is Day one on my 30 day project. I was supposed to take a self portrait.

(f/4.0; 1/100s; ISO 100; 24 mm)

Half of my face counts, right? I was slightly distracted by kiddos :)

Day 277

Finally putting some things up on the walls in my room.

(f/4.0; 1/13s; ISO 1600; 50mm lens)

Day 276

Here's an attempt at my first collage...

Not sure what I think... haha, but those boys sure are cute :)

And I totally spaced on adding a watermark. Oops.

Edit: I redid the collage, and I like this one much better :)

30 Day Photography Challenge

I think I'm going to join Courtney at Click it up a Notch, and do this photography challenge. I feel like I've been getting some pretty good pictures lately, but maybe this will help me think outside the box a little more. So I will start today with a self-portrait... super! :)

275

Last morning in New Mexico.

(f/4.5; 1/100s; ISO 1600; 29mm)

Claire tries to soothe Madilyn. I really liked how the contrast came out in this picture.

274

Saturday I took a few pictures of a lovely 90th birthday party. Oh how I love celebrating life.
I do plan on putting some more pictures up from it (mostly for you Karin... we missed you!), but I've been crazy busy and I just found some time at 11 p.m. to edit a couple pictures. Right now I'm trying to keep up with my project, but hopefully this weekend I will get to editing them.

Here's a little sneak peak:

(f/6.3; 1/80s; ISO 1600; 50mm lens)

Okay, I'm not sure why my aperture was at 6.3, if I had consciously thought about that I would of had it closer to 2.0.
Also, I really dislike the new watermark... I don't think I'll be using that one again :)
Isaac's eyes look great in this though!