Fourwheelin', watersliding, roaming in caves... it's been a busy few weeks around here.

I am keeping myself busy with a number of photo shoots lately, so much fun! And well it seems that the photo business is going well enough that it is finally time to make myself legit! I am getting ready to register for a tax ID and am working on a full blown web page. We did a little thinking with my "silly" name and well turns out it really is just a little too silly. So we have been having the great re-naming conversation and yesterday we settled on one! Drum roll please... more info coming soon about Reflection Road Photography! I'll let you know when the website goes up, it's crazy to me how cheap it really is to have a site, but then there is the building of it. Gotta do some learning here, but I figure if I concurred my fear of Photoshop I should be able to design and update a simple website, right??? But if any of you have tips or a friend that might like to help me out I would love any help.

Other big news, after six long months on the market our house finally has an offer. Don't know the details yet, hoping for the best, but trying not to get my hopes up. We don't have anywhere to go! Anyone got room for a family of five with two home businesses???

Sometimes you come across something on the internet that just has to be shared with all that you know...

I found this link on the TwoPeas message board (and TwoPeas really is a great place for anyone into crafting so check that out if you haven't, link at the right).

Awkward Family Photos

there are some of the craziest photos that I have ever seen, made me laugh out loud, make sure you peak into the older posts too, then come back and tell me what made you laugh...

We went to the rainforest! For third grade they do this wonderful rainforest project each year, they turn the hallway in to a fabulous lush green paradise, wish I could have gotten a little better shot. Left my 50mm lens on and well just couldn't find the spot to get a good wide angle view. I think the second photo gives a little bit of insight to what it was like. Each student gets to pick an animal and do a report, then makes some handdrawn animals for the rainforest. The first photo is Kaleb's animal the Red Eyes Tree Frog, it has three eyelids, did anyone know that! Then they also make dioramas (so not spelled right???) boy were these interesting to see. I held back on "helping" Kaleb and I am proud of what he did all on his own. Although i did get a couple ideas to share with Lind next year... They host a potluck dinner for families so everyone can come and check it out. The kids love it!

Playing with some Black and White conversions (yep it's Photoshop speak again), anyway...
I had the pleasure of attending my Cousin Allison's bridal shower on Sunday. the first pic is of Alli and her big sis Stacy, Alli has the long hair. Aren't they both just beautiful girls. When I was younger these two were my first real babysitting jobs, gosh how time flies. Of course brought the camera along and nominated myself offical picture taker for the day. Had some fun doing artsy shots of the tables and food and such. And of course got a couple shots in of Carter, he is so funny when i try to just take his picture at home or where ever he just runs the opposite direction, but give me a few willing subjects and he jumps in front of the camera shouting "picture me, mommy" crazy boy!

Just a couple shots of spring! I love it when things start blooming!!! And isn't that a fun shot with the bee, can't believe I caught him on camera, I saw him as I was taking shots and tried to get one of him not knowing that I had one, silly me.

Well all this playing in Photoshop has finally paid off! I designed these grad invites/announcements and actually got paid for it!!!

Some artsy shots I took last night while hanging at the cabin...

A day full of 4-wheeler, fishing and fun...

So we finally had a "hot" day! Love it, temps in the 80's and a friday to beat all. Did a little garage sale shopping in the morning, then hung outside with the little people until daycare pick up, then it was off to the Berg Cabin for some real fun. Linds and Carter and I went to the cabin last weekend and Kaleb was so jealous about all the fun we had, that we just had to go again yesterday. The kids fished in the pond, fishing was a little tough Kaleb and Linds only caught one fish each, but they caught them! Then it was time for smores and playing by the fire, as darkness fell it brings out the frogs and a frog hunting we went, right now there are 10+ frogs sitting in a box in my kitchen! Not sure what will happen with them??? And of course what would be a better way to end the night then with a 4-wheeler ride! The kids are already asking when we can go again!

More digi scrapping! Got some pictures from the wedding I was in this past January (most beautiful wedding I have ever seen), and had to play today! Got nothing done and the house is a total disaster, but I am loving this page. Now the only thing that makes me go ick, is while I was finishing this up we got a call for someone wanting to show our house tomorrow. No playing now gotta close up this computer and clean. Of course all three children and being icky too and all I really want to do is be somewhere quiet and snuggly... better luck tomorrow.

Had to get out and take a few pictures of spring trying to arrive! Of course did a little "playing" with them...

Yesterday we walked home from school and there is house down the street from us with a fabulous flower garden and I had to get some shots of the first budding ones before the snow destroyes them. Yes that horrible weather guy is saying snow again sometime tomorrow, which totally sucks because it is our spring break around here and I really wanted to get outside with the kids, ok I really wanted to be able to send the kids outside and do my stuff in peace and quiet, but looks like we may have to settle for indoor activites. Looking on the good side at least I can sleep in for the next seven days!!!

Alright I know, I think that my blog may have to be renamed Adventures in Photoshop, but I am having way to much fun and have to scream it out somewhere!!!

So check out these shots I took of Linds today, I was trying for shots of the Carter monster, but he would not sit still...

First shot is basically right from the camera, I did add a bit of fill light in Picasa but that's it. Next photo is the one I am LOVING!!! Threw the shot in PS and did some playing, finally figured out how to get that fabulous eye sparkle (hoping that you can see it over the web), the printed picture just blows me away. Last picture I played a little more, ran the Vintage action from Pioneer Woman, I am still deciding how much I like it... it really is a different look and well I do like it for it's artsy-ness. Thanks for looking!

I'm doing more playing in Photoshop, what 'cha think of this one Katie???

I'm not so sure about the photos, in the real paper world I am a total inker, love to paint all the edges of my photos, and here they just seem well unfinished??? Is there anyone out there who can explain how I can get a "frame" around my picture in PSE??? I am having a horrible time trying to figure it out on my own, nothing is working the way I think it should... I am totally having a blast though and I may even have to re-install the full version of CS3 that scared me off when it first went on my laptop last spring. We shall see...

Check back again for the lastest installment of my learning Photoshop...

So I've watched a couple tutorials on digital scrapbooking and well figured it was time to try my hand at it, very basic page, but I am still working on finding the elements that I need and how to work with them in PSE. I was a ton of fun and maybe someday I will do a digi designed Christmas card or something, wouldn't that be fun... for now I am just playing while trying to learn a little along the way.

Look what you can do after spending a couple hours downloading and adding and playing with photoshop! I am so excited I just had to share! So my friend Katie is huge about "Actions" these are things that you add to photoshop and then just hit a button to get a funky fun look. And well I have had info to learn how to download and use these things forever, just hadn't found the time. Actually, photoshop sort of scares me, I am way to used to how easy picasa is and well I'm just lazy. Today I found some time, Kaleb helped, he was home sick and sitting in my spot watching TV during my down time, so I had to look for something else to do. Boy are actions fun!!!! There are tons of free ones out there and I downloaded 7 or 8 color type ones. This photo of Linds uses a "Denim" action, then I played with the border in Photoscape (thanks Julie for turning me on to that), and added another effect. I totally love how this looks, and I had to share my reward for hanging in front of the computer all day. Check out the CoffeeShop blog for some great free actions and lots of good info for the photoshop challenged like me!

CHEERLEADER IN TRAINING! YOO RAA RAA!
So Linds did the cheer thing last night, she had a blast and I think Carter enjoyed hanging will all the girls too!