120/365... Macro lens joy.

The world is simply amazing when you are looking through a macro lens. You see everything in a whole new, indescribable way.

Instinct has always warned me to say away from bees. Now, I can't get close enough.




I've read about a butterfly's straw-like tongue but today I saw it in real life. I marveled at how symmetrical the butterfly was.



Yesterday, I was looking at beautiful images of mountains and oceans. I was quite envious of those that live in those beautiful regions.

Today, I'm thankful for the beauty that I can find right in my front yard.



I still have a lot to learn about this lens (like don't use it on a VERY windy day) but I am certain that I am going to LOVE learning how to use it.

Macro lens joy.

119/365... Happy New Canon 7D Dancing joy

I started doing the happy dance when I clicked "order". I was doing the happy dance when I heard the UPS truck driving down my road. The happy dance continued when I signed for the package from B&H.



I am certain there was a bright light coming out of the box as I opened it. I may have also heard angels singing.



It was love at first sight. She feels so good in my hands.



The XSi has been an amazing camera to me. I just may cry when we say goodbye.



It's GO time!



This was my second shot taken with my new love. The first was of the floor and out of focus. I was inside and just shooting out the front window. Taken with the 70-200mm 2.8 that I rented for the week. Holy lens!



And this is one of my favorites taken with my new baby of my almost 5-year old baby.



I shot almost 100 images today. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

I am anxious to use my macro lens but we had crazy wind today. We are supposed to get rain tomorrow. I am READY to capture some raindrops :)!!! YIPPEE!!

Gosh... I'm STILL dancing!!!!

A special "thank you" to all who have shared their excitement with me.

Happy New Canon 7D Dancing joy.

118/365... Cherish the moments joy

Before we know it, they will stand eye to eye.

For now, we are cherishing their little hugs that barely reach above our knees.

Cherish the moments joy.



In other news... there are many sounds that I love. My babies laughing, birds chirping on a clear spring day, the UPS truck driving down our street to deliver my NEW Canon 7d!!!!! I predict that I will hear that beautiful sound sometime tomorrow morning!! Do the happy dance with me :).

117/365... Tulips joy

My mother-in-law has the most amazing tulip garden.

Sadly, the bloom time of a tulip is short. It's even shorter when young children are around.

Tulips joy.



Sending HUGE hugs to my dear friend of 26 years, Christy! Happy Birthday, Gerdy! Hope you had a fabulous day! Love you!

116/365... Spices joy

Maybe they thought my day needed a little spicing up.

Spices joy.



Want to send a birthday hug to a special little girl who turned ONE today! Happy Birthday, Amber!

115/365... Friendship joy

Today was the celebration of the upcoming marriage of one of my dearest friends, Angie, and her amazing fiance, Roger.

We also celebrated friendship. I thank God for the friendship I have with these amazing women. I am proud and honored to be their friend.

Friendship joy.



This poems speaks my heart...

Why God Made Friends

God made the world with a heart full of love,
Then He looked down from Heaven above,

And saw that we all need a helping hand,
Someone to share with, who'll understand.

He made special people to see us through
The glad times and the sad times, too;

A person on whom we can always depend,
Someone we can call a friend.

God made friends so we'll carry a part
Of His perfect love in all our hearts.

114/365...Rainy zoo day joy

Making a zoo with wooden blocks and plastic animals was the perfect thing to do on this rainy Saturday.

Each animal had their own cages with food. The zoo even had water fountains, trees, and bridges.

Ahh... the brilliant mind of a child.

Rainy zoo day joy.

113/365... Beautiful bokeh joy

It started to rain this afternoon. Just a light rain. Perfect for trying to capture some raindrops on leaves, flowers, etc.

I didn't get the shot that I had in my head. Of course, a macro lens would help. A LOT.

But I did capture this. I think it's beautiful.

I have a thing for budding bushes and trees... and beautiful bokeh! (Bokeh is the out of focus areas of the image).

Beautiful bokeh joy.

112/365... Hug a tree joy.

It was the perfect day to hug a tree.

Happy Earth Day!

Hug a tree joy.

111/365... Nice surprise joy.

I was expecting to find them getting into mischief because they were "too quiet". They surprised me when I found that they were reading the way 16-month old children do.

It was a nice surprise.

Nice surprise joy.

110/365... Living my dream joy

Another baby step closer to making my dream a reality.

Living my dream joy.

A special "thank you" to my sister-in-law for my "life captured" necklace!

109/365... Iced coffee joy.

I'm always cleaning, doing laundry and dishes, dusting, vacuuming, and so on...

I treated myself to an iced coffee when I was done.

I was able to put my feet up for about 4 seconds to enjoy it.

Iced coffee joy.

On a side note... Pledge works really well on stainless steel and granite. Smooth and shiny... LOVE it!

108/365... Spring's beauty joy

Capturing spring's beauty.

Spring's beauty joy.

107/365... Mommy's instincts joy

Hubby put the playset upright after it blew over in the windstorm last week. He made a list of materials that we need to repair it.

I am so thankful that I trusted my instincts and didn't let our babies play on the playset after hubby put it back up because it fell over again this morning.

Looks like hubby's material list just got a little longer.

Mommy's instincts joy.



Happy Birthday to a special 14 year old! Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Emma!

106/365... Simply beautiful spring day

It was a simply beautiful spring day. My children smile more and cry less when they play outside.

They also go to bed earlier.

Simply beautiful spring day joy.



Blue skies. White clouds. Pink tulips.

Doesn't get much better than this.

Happy Friday, everyone!

105/365... Busted joy.

They were sharing a special brother-sister moment under the big maple tree and enjoying a warm spring morning. I, of course, had to capture this special moment. So, I grabbed my camera and walked across our quiet street to set up my shot. I was in the mode and ready to shoot when I hear...

"Mom, why are you in the neighbor's yard taking our picture?" Busted!

I'm actually glad they busted me because who knows how long I would have stood there trying to capture every angle and gesture they made. Instead, I joined them underneath that tree to enjoy the warm spring morning.

Busted joy.



In other news... tonight I went to dinner with my dear, dear friend of 26 years!!! You know that friend is someone special if you cry when you first see each other and you don't want your time together to end. Love you, Gerdy!!

104/365... Just us girls joy.

It was just us girls tonight.

We enjoyed getting ready for our night out together. She loved the pretty dress and fancy shoes that I picked out for her. She helped me choose my outfit. I put a little blush on her cheeks and lip gloss on her tiny lips while I put on my makeup. I even put a special little clip in her hair. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she said "my pretty". Then she looked at me and said "momma pretty, too".

Then, hand-in-hand, we went to my sister's baby shower to celebrate the upcoming arrival of my first nephew.

Just us girls joy.

103/365... Him and his shadow joy

Before I know it, his shadow will double in size.

Him and his shadow joy.

102/365... Birthday dandelion joy

My birthday dandelion was just as beautiful today as it was yesterday when my 4-year old proudly picked it just for me.

Birthday dandelion joy.



Thank you to all for the touching birthday wishes yesterday! It was a wonderful day!

101/365... I love my birthday joy

I had the perfect birthday.

A kiss good morning. Beautiful weather. Time to myself. A family picnic on our patio. A Wacom Intuos 4 Tablet!! Numerous emails, facebook posts, texts, and voicemails. A nice chat with my grandma from Tennessee. Hubby making birthday cupcakes with our oldest two. Lots of hugs and kisses. Flipping through photography magazines at the book store. Lasagna dinner at mom's. An after dinner walk. Pink cake. Generous gifts and keeper cards. My son's bedtime prayer thanking God for me and my birthday. A kiss goodnight.

I love my birthday.

I love my birthday joy.



There were so many details about today that I was so deeply touched by. My mom had this banner hanging outside her house between her blooming weeping crab apple trees.

No matter how old I am, mom always knows how to make my birthday extra special.