holding on to the little things

i bokeh; bokeh eye. [launch :: theme.. red]

Good Morning!

I'm so excited to launch the new photography link up series, that I mentioned last week..

If you would like to participate, you can link up any photograph, but each week I will be linking up my favorite bokeh photography that I took within the last week.  The theme for this week is red, so grab your camera, interpret and photograph "red".

My photograph is one I took Tuesday at the "train park" while on a play date..

This photograph really excited me when it popped up on my screen.  I had never accomplished the little circular light thingies before that appear in my bokeh, so I did a little happy dance.

If you've never heard of the word bokeh before, don't worry..  Bokeh is "the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image. Bokeh has been defined as 'the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light'. .. Bokeh occurs for parts of the scene that lie outside the depth of field."  

I am going to try to put this link up every Tuesday, but this week hasn't gone as planned.  Oh what it means to be a mommy.  But each week, I will feature my favorite previous bokeh photographs.  But remember, if you don't have the equipment or you have trouble getting a photograph that demonstrates "bokeh", I still encourage you link up!

There aren't any official rules, but I do hope you follow me one way or another, and I do hope you link back to this post!

Love y'all,

<3xojo

letti&daddy [her favorite face after a long day]

This picture was taken last Friday, after Scarlett hadn't seen daddy all week while her and I were in East Texas with Grandma and Grandpa, but this is the loving embrace I see each night when he gets home from work.

I am so lucky; she is so lucky.

Love y'all,

<3xojo

P.S. To achieve this bokeh, I stopped down to f/1.6.  My camera's largest aperture is f/1.4.  This allows the most light and the greatest amount of depth of field.  The most my old camera and lens would stop down to, was f/3.5.  You can still achieve some great photographs at f/3.5.  It was 8 o'clock at night, so my ISO was set to 1600, and my shutter speed was 1/125.  

linking up .. embrace the camera .. show off your shot ..

i took a picture.. [because she asked and..]

I took her picture, because she asked and who could say no, to those adorable cheeks?

We met this adorable little girl, who is almost three, at the park yesterday.  She followed us around, and was the sweetest!  Her name is Rafaella.  She didn't talk too much, but we played a lot.  She even helped push Scarlett in the swing.  I wish I would of been able to capture photographs of this, but the swing was at the height of her head, and I had to make sure she didn't get knocked down.

We had a wonderful morning at the train park!

Love y'all,

<3xojo

i took a picture.. [girl and her kitty]

Grandma and I were pushing Scarlett around the town square, just as the fair was wrapping up, and we came upon the cutest little girl, holding a kitty cat, with the reddest sun-burnt face..

Isn't she a doll?

Love y'all,

<3xojo

thank you & sponsor call [tbb votes & june]

Hi my lovlies!

I'm sitting here on the back porch with my amazing family.  The breeze is blowing, the sun is setting and Scarlett is running around in her diaper playing with the water.  I am so thankful.  We just came home from sitting down at the picnic table outside our front door.  It is on this pretty green grassy park that we can seriously skip to.  We ate delicious pizza, and before that, we had a dessert of Orange Leaf yogurt.  Life is good.

I wanted to sit here and type out a little thank you.  Thank you for the Top Baby Blog votes.  It really does mean a lot to me.  I am currently sitting at #2, but I know as soon as some of the more established blogs make their call for votes, I will fall a little.  But that is okay with me.  My goal is to just stay on the front page.  I like Top Baby Blogs, because it means I get to meet new friends!

I have never officially sent out a sponsor call, but I thought I would run a little speical for June. All sponsor spots are BOGO, buy one month get one month free.  

This means..
A small spot is $5 for two months, $10 for four months and so on and so forth.
A large spot is $10 for two months, $20 for four months and so on and so forth.

Sizing reference..

    

I refer to my sponsors as friendships, and the link for the information is here.

You can e-mail me for this offer anytime in the next couple weeks! 
All revenue is reinvested. 

Please contact me at friendships[!at]hottlt[!dot]com if your'e interested in snagging a spot.

Love y'all,

<3xojo

[if you haven't yet today.. top baby blog vote link]

we need you.. [top baby blog reset again]

Hi friends!

It has been a while since I've sent out one of these little pleas, but the numbers have been reset on Top Baby Blogs, and I was hoping and maybe doing a little begging.. In hopes that y'all wouldn't mind sending a vote our way.  If it helps, Scarlett made me do it.  Lol.

You can vote once every 24 hours.  There is a link here, and like always, one in the top of the left column.  We really thank y'all!

Love y'all,

<3xojo

dear letti [fourteen months]

Dear Letti,

Your overly sensitive, loving, caring mother can't believe another month of your life has passed by. You're growing so fast, and I can't seem to slow you down.

Paw Paw always teased, how you water them and they grow. Well, this milk stuff must make you grow extra fast. We are 14 months breastfeeding and still going strong.

All week people have asked me how old you are, and they always barely believe me when I share the answer. You're very alert, inquisitive and wanting to be involved in everything around you.

You're learning so much, and I can't take all the credit. You are so lucky to grow up with the village that surrounds you. I am so happy and overwhelmed that we have the ability to give you everything we had growing up and so much more. I know, we must make sure while you're young, that you know how lucky you truly are.

We think and try to guess what life will hold for you. We want to protect and love you every moment. You are our baby. You melted our heart with your first lip quiver.

I did the math today, and I've only known you for about 5% of my years, but it already feels like a lifetime.

With each passing week, you're learning and saying new words. Some of your newest words include: hot, sit, up, I got it, eat and drink.

You keep us on our toes little girl. For this I thank you. I thank you for making our days ever so bright.

I love you Scarlett. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.

Love, Mommy

May 17th, 2012

tiny threads & local [house dress & grocery store]

After our last visit to the Fair on the Square, when we passed the grocery store, it reminded us that we didn't have anything at home for dinner, so we turned around and did some dinner shopping..

They are buddies.

She found her reflection and was perplexed a little bit.

This led to giving herself kisses.  The cutest thing ever!

I'm ready to shop mom.

Ha ha.

Oooo. Aaaa.

Pretty popsicles.. The best part of summer as a kid.

Being silly.

Pretty colors.

We let her out in the last isle.

She investigated.

Until I convinced her we had to find Grandma.

Pointing at Grandma.

On Scarlett..
Baby Birgitte dress. Thrifted.
Stride Rite shoes. Emilia Lace-Up. Amazon.

I actally found two Baby Birgitte dresses one day.  The other one has fruit and vegetables all over it, and is equally adorable.

Have you ever brought your camera into the grocery store?  I got a handful of looks, and even one, "What did you just take a picture of?"  Me.. "Bananas." .. Which led to the exchange of business cards and a couple conversations through-out the store.  

Love y'all,

<3xojo

good evening.. [scarlett + dirt meet scarlett + water

Good Evening-ish..

I don't think I've ever taken as many pictures in one day like I did today.  It was a non-stop fun-filled day, and I can't believe midnight has passed, and I still have the energy to sit here and type to y'all.  I am pretty sure Scarlett spent more time outside than inside.  This little girl is making quite a habit of taking your finger and pulling you to the nearest door in hopes you will open it for her.

After dinner, for a side, I made oven-fried zucchini by combining three recipes I found plus tweaking them a bit, we let Scarlett take us outside.  The sun was setting, and I was excited to capture some photographs using a high ISO.

I had to empty my memory card, so Allen and Scarlett headed out before me.  When I found them, Scarlett was playing some dirt on the side of the road.. Only three people live on this street, and we rarely see a car..

We need to take her to the beach, soon!

"Hey Mom, it's just dirt."

Ooooo.. If I wasn't so tired.. I would make a .gif out of those pictures.. Using my imagination and thinking too cute. 

The pretty moon above us!  I wish I would of taken a picture of the sun.  There is always tomorrow night.

When we noticed how dirty Scarlett was really getting, I mentioned, she is going to need another bath.. Allen's solution instead..

Big cheesy grins!

She's crazy happy!

I guess she wanted to feel her cold hands on her tummy.

This was a first, and I couldn't get enough of it.  I seriously have 20 or 30 pictures of her raising her feet to rinse.  I guess she's seen one of us do this before?

I think that is blackberry juice on her diaper booty. Lol.

This is probably my favorite picture of the evening.  I love how she grabs her leg by the thigh to hoist it up to the water.  So resourceful.

Cutest belly ever!

Who me?

Bye bye water.

Love y'all,

<3xojo