I’ve been working on a new website all day.  A way to advertise the fact that I am thinking more seriously about my photography.  Check it out, click on the logo below…

I’m going to to take 1,000 pictures a week, all in Manual mode, in an attempt to get to know my camera better. That ends up being 142 pictures a day. I, probably, used to take that many pictures in a day when Violet was young, but I’ve gotten out of the habit. The kids wanted to play outside last night, so that was my first good opportunity to take pictures yesterday.

We went out back and I took some pictures of Violets…

Violet, and her mom, made cupcakes yesterday. They had a little snack on the deck.

Then, we ended the day with pictures on the front porch, right before I had to go to pretend school where Violet was teaching. She’s a very strict, but polite, teacher.

I am now beginning a major push to make some art with my photography. I am searching out people to be subjects. I have two easy topics.

Wedding photography is my main drive. Do you know anyone getting married within a couple hour drive of me?

Wedding photography might be my main objective, but babies work for decent subjects, as well.

Here’s a few pics from the wedding album I’m putting together for the wedding I shot in July:

Dad and Ellen, this is the one that you babysat for…

Okay, a bit of business first. Working in corporate America, I am worried about my job. I work for a large, building materials supplier, we have seen our business decrease drastically over the last several years, laying off thousands and closing about 100 of our locations. There’s a plan out there to help the situation; I would like you to look at the website and, if you agree with what you read, please click the link to email your congressperson.

http://www.fixhousingfirst.com/

I’m not much for corporate handouts, but, I guess if it affects my family, I’m for this one.

On to the cute baby pictures, Mason in the bathtub:

Mason wearing Violet’s Native American head-dress, made at preschool:

We constructed a gingerbread house last week, before I heard the piece on NPR today about the proper way to make a gingerbread house. This is the second year we’ve made one, last year we didn’t use Royal icing and it collapsed in on itself. This year I rolled it too thin (even though the instructions said to roll it to an 1/8th of an inch), and the roof caved in from the weight of the decoration. Anyway, here’s some pics from that awfully adorable experience:

I occasionally get a good picture of Violet:

Violet fed Daisy a “hungerburger” for lunch the other day: