I guess I should check more often!

I actually won a photo challenge and I get to be this weeks guest judge!

Whoo hooo....

I was scrolling through my Google Reader this morning, trying to catch up after being away for a long weekend in Atlanta with Gene (photos to come soon). I noticed that this weeks guest judge at Sailor and Company's Raw E photo challenge had my name.

Which if you were born in the 70's, you probably know two, three, more like ten of us Lisa's. But, I clicked to see the winner's photo and was suprised to see my blog pop up!

I can't believe my supersized cupcake won! I'm so excited to pick this weeks winner, this weeks' theme is yellow (my mom's favorite color!).

I have a yellow photo to share. I didn't take this one, this was a photography friend of ours, Pat Wright. We won a sitting from our church auction a few years ago and he came out to our house to photograph us. This was at the peak of the fall color. JJ looks so sharp!

Make sure to head over to Sailor and Company and check out more Yellow photos!

Bokeh

I have a problem with Bokeh. I'm addicted to it. Seriously... I need an intervention. I've had the Tamron for about three months and I don't think I've moved much from 2.8 or 3.2. I need to let it go and dial up sometimes. I have plenty of shots that are ruined because its too tight.

But, then again, I have plenty of shots that are just perfect. This weeks POTW challenge involved my favorite thing.

Several weeks ago, I took some photos of the water lilies in the coy pond. I noticed the other day that there were some more blooming, so I raced out there with my camera. They are still buds, but just as beautiful.

Here is my POTW submission:




Here are some more from that session:

Pretty in Pink!

This weeks Raw E challange is all about Pink. Now, Raw E challenges aren't like the others. These photos are unedited, untouched masterpieces. I have learned a lot can be done to "enhance" a photo with a little post-processing, so its a little daunting to throw one out there that's "fresh"

I have a very large sweet tooth. A Dentist wouldn't know it because I have never (knock on wood) had a cavity. But I love all things sweet. Pies, cookies, brownies, ice cream, and I really love cake. More frosting than cake. (I'm also a frosting snob, if its not buttercream---blah--garbage!) I love the corner piece with all the piled on roses. Yum....

Every year we celebrate JJ's homecoming. This year I made him jumbo cupcakes. The frosting was suppose to be red (Wilton you lie!), but alas it turned out pink. He didn't care, he ate them anyway.

What's better than a jumbo cupcake... Jumbo frosting! Oh and sprinkles of course!

Party like its your birthday

No new birthdays to celebrate... just a little less than a month till Gene's and a little less than two till mine... but this weeks theme at Simplicty is all about Birthdays!

JJ loved his birthday. Two weeks after he was still asking if there were any cards in the mail for him. Ahh....to be a kid again.

Here is one of my favorites from his birthday. We tricked him with trick candles. He'll never think of candles the same away again!



Hop on over to Simplicity to see more Happy Birthday!

Gasp! I won something...

A week or so ago, Ashley posted a giveaway over at Ramblings and Photos. She was giving away two, really cute, vintage hair clips. I feel like I'm in a hair rut. I change my mind everytime I go to the salon as to which style I want. Layers, no Layers, long, short... I think my stylist is beginning to hate me.

I entered the giveaway, which was easy. I already followed Ashley's Blog, so I left a comment about how cute the clips were. Well.... wouldn't you know I won one! And, the purple one at that! (Either the purple or the orange would have been fine with me, I love both colors equally... go tigers!)



As any good photography blogger should do. I took some photos of my new prize. Have you ever tired to take photos of yourself in a mirror, with poor lighting? Its HARD! No lie, I took at least 100 photos of myself. Most were out of focus, or way off the mark.

Case in point....





But, I did manage to come up with a few that were decent enough to share...









I also realized I could wear it not only in my hair, but as I decorative clip on my work ID badge.



Thanks Ashley for the great prize. I hope to get a lot of use out of it!

Trees

Ashley has chosen this weeks theme at Ramblings and Photos/ In a Yellow House as Trees. By trade, Gene is a Woodworker; by heart, he's an Arborist. He believes fully in the circle... if you use one, plant one back.

A few years ago, we travelled to California for a wedding. We stop at Muir Woods so Gene could revel in the tall trees. This was pre-DSLR days, but I love the sunflare through the trees in this photo.




If I don't know what to get Gene as a gift, I buy him a tree. We have all kinds of trees in our yard to celebrate different things. The tree they planted the day JJ's adoption was final, the tree from our first dating anniversary, as well as our first wedding anniversary. There is a live oak to symbolize my Charleston roots, plenty of Gene's favorites, Japanese Maples.

We even got engaged with a tree. Gene gave me the tree as a Valentines gift... he doesn't believe in cut flowers. We didn't get to planting it till a few weeks later. He used the guise that we would plant it on JJ's special day (his adoption day). JJ asked me to take his picture by the tree (which he helped plant),how could I say no to that! Here are some photos from that event:

JJ being silly (he was in on it)


JJ's really trying to hold it together (the grey speck above his head is the ring)


Gene trying not to blow up because I won't get the camera out of his face


After admiring the tree, Gene pulled me close, told me how much he loved me, and pulled the ring off the branch. I was floored. I had no idea this was coming (well I did, but I didn't). JJ danced around with excitement.

The newly engaged couple (JJ did such a great job with this)



The funny this about this tree is, about week after we got engaged I noticed a green ring had formed around the tree. I've never noticed it on any other tree before and I haven't noticed it since.



I'll say I'm a believer in signs. I took this as a good thing. A perfect circle. Like love, it has no beginning and has no end.

Thank God I'm a Country Boy

Earlier this summer JJ's grandparents bought him some chickens. They have a fancy name, but I don't know it. But they are all females. The live in a coup under his tree(less) house.

Here are some of the gals:



The reason for all females was so we could have plenty of these:



JJ seems to like it:



My kitchen as awful lighting. The deep red walls, mixed with the medium colored wood, makes a terrible place for photographs. I did the best I could, but there isn't much you can do. (besides get a speedlite, which is next on the wish list).

We hope that these pretty ladies continue to produce delicousness for us. They could have at least told me it was coming soon so I didn't buy a whole dozen Wednesday at the supermarket!

This isn't part of a photo challenge, just me sharing my life.
TGIF!