quick break from party prep!

I just wanted to play with my new actions abit. I like it and it will cut my editing down alot but I think her eyes might be too blue.  I like them but most days her eyes are greyish blue rather than a bright blue.

 

Katie's Birthday party!!

So for the next few days we are going to be very busy around here getting everything done for Katie's  70s murder mystery party!!  After her party we will go full tilt into christmas.  This will be only the 2nd time we have put up a tree in our home.  I know it sounds so odd.   We do have a good reason.  Most years  we go back to the states around the 15 and its considered a bit rude to put up your tree before Sinterklaas's birthday.  I could not justify getting everything out of the loft (and having to put it back) and the cost of a tree that we could only enjoy for few days.  This year however we leave much later for the states and I know that it might be rude to Sinterklaas but its my house and I am sure he will understand!  I hope to have some good photos to post soon.  I am currently taking the finding the Holiday joy class and I hope to start my Daily December photobook a project from Ali Edwards after katie' party!

I heart faces

Ok This is my first entry in to the I heart faces.  This is a photo of my daughter taken close to our home.  There is a huge weeping willow that grows very close to the waters edge.  When she was a little girl she used to call this tree "grandmother willow" from  Pocahontas.

I heart faces weekly Challenge

really neat giveaway

This would be great for someone like me!
http://photopropfloorsandbackdrops.wordpress.com/2010/11/19/photo-prop-floors-backdrops-presents-the-photographer%E2%80%99s-dream-give-a/

Sweet Simon

I had so much fun with this little guy today.  He just never stopped smiling!  I have taken photos of this little cutie since he was just a few days old.  It comes in handy that he lives just a few houses down from me.  Mom wanted some shots like the ones I took of her 2 older sons a sort of high key with simon playing with something.  Its always fun to do but when the really get comfortable ...they really start to play!  So much energy!

November

November is always such a busy month for us.  Katies birthday and Opa's as well.  Then of course you can not forget that Sinter Klaas who comes from Spain in his boat next weekend.  I just made a some quich shots today useing our front window and a white sheet.  I think they would have been better if I had done them earlier in the morning.

I just still do not have the hang black and white conversion yet.

This photo is for Mike...you know who you are...calling our baby a rat!

Its the first time I really tired to shoot a dog before.  This one is pretty good but the background lets it down abit.  I took this photo in natural light again from our front window.

Our last day in Germany

Katie sitting on a wall outside of the castle she was waiting for me to take her picture

When were done at the cave we saw a poster for a castle on the wall.  Our guide told us that is was not far from where we were at.  We then got directions and off we went

Ru  finn and Odie our little dog.  Odie hates to be left behind!

It was a nice climb up the hill and to our surprize there was a little snack bar just outside the main castle.

The kids shared a coke and a giant pretzel

Its really hard to catch finn.  If he knows i am taking his photo he starts to sing or dance!

I was trying to catch the leaves as they blew off the tree.

I was terrified while I took this photo!  I was also on this little wooden stairs half-way up

I have a horrible fear of falling.It might come from the fact that |I fall down alot.

I did not go up to the very top but Ru and the kids did

They seemsed to have a good time up there.

This was such a bright and pretty yellow tree

you can see it behind katie when I took her pictutres on the wall.

We had a wonderful time here.  The weather was perfect.  We were really amazed at how much was till standing with this castle.  We have been to our share or runis.  We made several commits to ourself about how well preserved it was as we walked though it. When we left Ru asked the lady at the gate how much of it was orginal she told us none of it. She said the floor was real and they used all the stones they could find on the ground to re build it.  Needless to say we were a bit disappointed after that. Good thing the weather was so nice and the photos turned out pretty good!