Frosted Flakes

After a day like today all I need is a bowl of cereal

Colombia Trip

I went to visit my parents in Colombia, Mexico. I thought I could post from down there but it's a ranch town with barely cable TV and the signals were very low on my iPad so I didn't want to risk spending lots of money trying to upload so I compiled all the photos in this posting with the dates I took them on. I have some on film I have developed yet, but I'll post those later. 

January 14th - these seeds grow on my parents ranch on a tree by their house. Of course my Joey would find something funny to do with it!

January 15th- An old ruin in the downtown square. 

January 15th-This horse had blue eyes!

January 16th- Who needs video games, TV, or dolls when you have a stick and some rope. My Sophia the inventor.

January 16th- Selah and Daddy are watching Sophia play. 

 January 17th-Beautiful sunset

 I love visiting my parents, I know Mexico is getting a bad rap and I'm not going to say that's its all perfect but it's beautiful. I go knowing and trusting that God will protect us no matter where we go if the purpose for going is in His will.

Chavo Del Ocho

My Dad sent me this piñata from Mexico last year for my birthday. It sits in my office and I think about my Dad every time I look at it. 

Every 11th

Today as like the past 4 11ths I have been taking pictures of my Selah. She was born on September 11th and I've been documenting her growth by taking her picture every 11th day of the months. (and tons of pictures in between) She's been a blessing to my life and I just love her so much...

Rainy Day Reflection

I love rainy days, I love that it feels like the whole earth is so much greener afterwards, I love that it forces you to reflect more on where you're at, not just physically at, but emotionally, spiritually, etc. I use to think that when it was raining you couldn't really take any photographs, most for fear of damage to my camera, but now I really enjoy going out and seeing what I can see...this was right outside my back door...

Piano in the Rain

I've heard of singing in the rain, but a piano in the rain...poor piano, dilapitating out there like that, but still beautiful...

In The Eye of the Beholder

People often say that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.

   -Salma Hayek

                                                                                                                                                              

I'm reminded of a photographer, Sally Mann, when I took this shot. She's a photographer that took what many people consider controversial photographs of her children. And I'll admit, I was uncomfortable with some of them, however in the larger scheme of it all, she made photographs of what came natural to her.  Annie Leboweitz also made a photograph of her breastfeeding one of her children, although, I think for her it meant something totally different than the reason I took this photograph. One of my sisters will kill me if she was to see this photograph. She thinks its the grossest thing, breastfeeding. She thinks there's no medical reason to do it if there is formula and she feels she has bonded the same way as one who breastfeeds. She has six children and they are all wonderful, healthy kids so I cannot argue with her but I do believe that the bond and closeness you create when nursing is totally different. I think she may accuse me of exposing myself, but this photograph was taken in my house, my bedroom, with my camera, by myself and I don't mind nursing in front of anyone. While in public I do place a blanket over myself, I don't do it because I am ashamed, I do it because other people may be uncomfortable. I started off this post with a quote from Salma Hayak. She's a Mexican actress and she got a lot of heat from the media for a photograph taken of her breastfeeding an orphaned black baby in Africa. I thought that was one of the most beautiful photographs of her (and believe me some may argue she has way better looking photographs) but I loved it because she was doing what should come natural to any human being, she was helping.  Let me tell you I would have done the same. I'm sorry to whoever out there may find this photograph offensive or gross, or that I'm exposing myself, I promise that is not my intention.  At the end like Salma Hayak said it's all in the eye of the beholder.