Waking up in the morning to two grumpy out-of-sorts kids, I knew we needed to get to some trails. There used to be a time when I would say, hey kids, we are doing such and such today so get your shoes on. Now, they have their own opinions and after much squawking, we finally got into the car. We headed not too far out of town to a bike trail and then over to the reservoir where the water quality is questionable.

My favorite photos of the day were of Ethan and they spoke to me in black and white. He may raise the biggest fuss when I have a suggestion for an outing but he gets it out of his system and then wholeheartedly enjoys the adventure. Mother knows best, stubborn little boy.

I am honestly in love with these photos. We didn't quite make it to the field in time before the clouds took over but we ran with it anyway and got some amazing color. I look at my daughter and realize it is so true what they say. They grow up in a blink of an eye. Anticipating the end of the school year, Ella declared that soon she will be a fifth grader. Unbelievable. My beautiful baby girl.

Christmas is racing closer to us by the minute and I just don't feel ready, I never feel ready. My kids actually feel the same. I think they like the anticipation of Christmas and once it comes, then its gone. So we planned a special ski trip this year to break up the long couple of weeks ahead. The thought of clicking into my ski bindings has me giddy since we didn't make it to the slopes the last two winters. But, the warm air and two days of rain melted our snow and the skier in me pouted out loud for anyone to hear. "Ohio drives me nuts!" Its winter! Its supposed to be cold!

Once the rain stopped, the warm air did feel really wonderful and Ella and I took advantage of the break in the clouds. I love connecting with her like this, time slows down and I put all of my attention on her, admiring her beauty and spirit as I play with different angles of capturing her in nature. She soaks it all in. Our windy walk has blessed me with some gorgeous images of her, here are some favorites.

Art Symphony has been a long-time dream and over the years, I often wondered if I would ever really find my chance to make it happen. Thanks to my friend, Anita Miller at the Artist's Roost, I am finally seeing my dream take shape. She has been so kind to embrace me into her space to reconnect myself with studio arts. My photography has been such a focus for the past year that I honestly couldn't remember the last time I picked up a paint brush. What started as me asking to rent some space mainly just to get myself back in front of a canvas, quickly evolved into much more than that! As we brainstormed all the ways I can make use of the studio, I told her of my wish to reach out to the community and teach art to children and also bring adults together in a non-critical environment where they can find their inner artist. So thank you, Anita, for your support in this! And thank you to my friend, Jill Connor, for helping with the event. She hung Christmas lights out in the freezing cold, she baked cookies, she worked the room squeezing paint on palettes while I instructed and at the end of the night, she even washed each and every paint brush for me.

Jill and I at the end of the event. My very first art apron was a surprise gift from Angelique Smith. She even had it embroidered with "Art Symphony" and my name. Thank you to all my friends for your love and support!!

Please visit Anita Miller's website: http://www.theartistsroost.com and check out Jill's absolutely wonderful art: http://jillconnorstudio.com/portfolio/

Well, the opposite became true and I blame it on my strange inability to feel content in any one place and also my love for mountains. From the day I left for college, I couldn't wait to leave the Midwest. It took me awhile but I managed to travel a lot during my college career, I went from Wisconsin to New Mexico, back to Minnesota, out to Colorado, back to Minnesota (flat broke and living with mom and dad), then out to Oregon where I finally graduated and fell in love with my new town. After having kids, it was there in a small Southern Oregon community that I began to understand the real meaning of friendship and sisterhood. Raising kids so far from any family weighed heavily on me. I felt incredible guilt that my kids only saw their relatives but once a year, more, if my parents could make the expensive trip out to us. So, in the absence of grandparents, cousins and aunties, came my best friends and their children. They were my new family and support. Thanksgiving and Christmas were never lonely.

Here, back in the Midwest, but still far from family, I am once again creating a different kind of family. Neighbors have become my sisters and their children are like new cousins. Recently, we celebrated a birthday here in our neighborhood. And I was reminded again how special we are to each other. It is so often that we tag team with the kids and watch out for them even if we have to scold them like our own (just the boys really). So Happy Birthday to Kumani who is now double digits. Here are some photos from the gathering, neighborhood style. The boys smell sugar and are closing in. Get lost, boys!

Sorry Hello Kitty but you are going down.

Chris, in his protective piñata helmet. I wouldn't trust these kids with a bat either.

Audrey is very talented.

Craft time for the girls. The boys retreated to the tennis court with sugar-satisfied bellies.

Just today, one of the neighbor boys has moved away back to New York. He has grown on me even though I disliked him at first. I've had to remind him umpteen times to watch his language and stop corrupting my kid. But I've also hugged him when the wrestling matches get out of hand and tears are shed. His sweet, wonderful smile has ended up in many of my photographs including in this post and I will miss him for sure.

I pack way too much crap necessities for only two nights of sleeping away from home, completely prepared for anything!! Except, when I find myself in the middle of the night, wishing I would've spent the extra $40 on that awesome sleeping pad I saw at the store. At least I have my ear plugs, damn those night noises.

Camping makes me squeal in delight like a little kid and I savor every moment. Whats even better is bringing along friends who haven't yet taken the camping plunge. Here, the first eve was spent exploring the trails leading to the lake. Who needs swimsuits anyway!

The directions there were not hard and I was able to see some countryside that I hadn't ventured along before. We pulled into his driveway which had a closed gate. How giddy were we to jump out of the van and manually push the gate aside! What a thrill! A simple task like that was maybe a pain to farmers who constantly have to assure there is no exit for their farm animals; but for us, it put smiles on our faces knowing we were about to leave our stresses behind. We drove in and promptly jumped back out to close the gate, yet more smiles:)

As we drove along the driveway, past the sheep and barns, I felt lighter and lucky for this little adventure.

Lou has 250 acres on his farm so we jumped on the "Gator" to go looking for the cows.

Lou and his wife were so kind to invite us out for the evening. They filled me bags of fresh lettuce and collard greens that the kids helped pick from the garden and encouraged me to stay and enjoy a glass of wine. Oh how I wanted to stay longer but after our joyride through the countryside of plants and weeds as high as our chests, Ethan had a major allergic reaction to something growing out there. His eyes were itchy and swelling up and he couldn't stop rubbing them. I thanked them profusely for their kind invitation and rushed to the nearest pharmacy back in town. At 9:00 pm, we ran through the grocery store just as the pharmacist was leaving. She looked at Ethan and grabbed me some Benadryl and anti-itch eye drops. Thank you!! Oh well, it was all worth it Ethan assured me.

That was my beginning of a great day. Then, with my spirits fresh, I grabbed my camera and met my friend at the local shopping mecca. I knew I wanted to do some sort of stylized urban-ish fun and silly shoot. I thought of Nicole right away. She has just the personality and the funky mismatched wardrobe for it. So we met and dug through her pile of clothes and jewelry and started playing.

I spied a gorgeous dress and necklace in her stash that I wanted to wear for a few self-portrait shots. She was able to get some good ones of me before the rain came. Thank you Nicole! Its not often I get in front of the camera anymore. Happy Mother's Day weekend to me.

The weather is chilly and the sky dreary with hints of sun, just enough to tease. I didn't have the energy to gather any models and I really just wanted to be alone. Since walking a far distance wasn't an option, the glorious budding trees across the road were my first destination, as I've had my eye on them for a few days now, and from there...this is what I saw.

Behold nature's textures! How blessed we are to have this beauty to lift our spirits.

Ella has become my favorite muse and luckily she calls me mom so I pretty much always have the best model (in my opinion) at the ready. She has such a sweet and kind demeanor and I wanted to keep the color palette in this shoot, very natural, soothing, subtle colors to match her pleasant personality.

This flash of hot pink represents the feisty humorous side that Ella is letting out more and more. She is one funny girl! I will treasure this photograph, she is such a beauty in so many ways.

The warm temps quickly had the kids shedding layers.

This one plays tricks on me. Looks like Ethan is free-falling.

Breaking the rules of course. Watch out Marcus!

Getting these lovely goofy grins from Marcus isn't so easy, but I prevailed. Color coordinated? Ella looks like she's giving Maddie some worldly advice.

Once again, fun with camera, snow, and kids! Get outside!

There is something I know about myself and over the years, this side of me has both been blissful and a curse. I have so many creative ideas flowing through my head most hours of the day but my free time and bank account don't always support these ideas which can leave me feeling frustrated, cranky and unfulfilled. I have learned to channel these feelings towards positive outlets that time does allow and money isn't an issue. This past month has been challenging for me. Because of this cold, rainy weather we've been having, I haven't felt much clarity to find that special space of creativity. But once in a while, that happy place presents itself and I remember that art and photography holds magic in the eye of the beholder and when I lift my camera, I am the beholder. Remembering that, keeps it much simpler and reminds me that its all just for fun.

What better place to find inspiration and take pictures than in my own home and of my own children? This is a continuation of capturing daily life as it actually is (in no particular order).

I took this moments before bedtime when both kids were completely relaxed and lost in their last minute projects. These two run in opposite directions most of the time and its so nice and peaceful to see them quietly spending time together.

My kids are obsessed with Photo Booth. Seeing Ethan without his two front teeth makes me laugh. He can't quite pronounce certain words without those teeth! So funny and sweet. Ella's very special place. She loves her desk and spends hours here drawing and creating. She's just like her mom. Drawing is to Ella as basketball is to Ethan.

One of the lovely things about capturing daily life for me, is that I'm taking photographs of the kids doing everyday normal things. I'm not only pulling out my camera when there are milestones or celebrations. Many years from now, I will be so happy to look back at these simple quiet moments in my children's lives. Here, Ella is home sick from school. I love these stolen days home with her, just the two of us.

These next few were taken at that lovely early dusk golden window. Shooting into the intense light left this peaceful soft chiaroscuro from black to white.

The photo below is completely untouched. The gorgeous haziness is a happy accident that many photographers use Photoshop actions to achieve.

How could I deprive my children of the joys of winter? Yes, it is true that fresh snow in December is reason for celebration while fresh snow in February is reason to book a trip south. Earlier this week, I could feel my cold-weather appreciation dwindle along with my fellow Ohioans so I grabbed my friend, Melanie, and we headed out for a winter hike to see what nature was up to.

A native of Southern California and new to Ohio, Melanie is experiencing her first winter. She is loving it and so eager to bundle up and explore. I appreciate having a new hiking buddy.

She's a good sport to let me take photos of her. Winter looks great on you, Melanie!

One of my favorite subjects to photograph are pets! Hiking at this particular trail, I know I will encounter fellow walkers with their dogs. Thankfully, I am not a shy person and I have no problem approaching people and striking up a conversation. I do like people, but really I just want to photograph their dog. What I find is, many people are flattered and are happy to oblige. If the vibe is right, I will always offer to take their photos with their dog and email it to them.

This little guy was a gem! How lucky we were to come across this. Content and warm.

The hike was a successful one, as it completely left me feeling uplifted and content. Melanie felt the same and we agreed to go on another hike in two days.

Winter Appreciation Hike #2: Wow! What a difference, we woke to warm temps and the snow was melting fast. The sky was clear and the sunshine was glorious! We grabbed a third buddy, also a California native but has lived in Ohio quite some time. We went to a different lake this time and I showed them a mountain bike trail that I braved last fall.

Angelique! Your name is as stylish as you.

We found a lovely perch to rest. Here's me soaking in some Vitamin D.

Melanie captured this awesome photo below.

Am I really including this dorky photo of myself? Imagine me with a long flowing dress instead of men's snowboarding bibs.

Upon waking up today, I looked outside to see the snow was gone, the wind was howling, and the clouds had taken over. Luckily I got my day in the warm sun and I hear spring is coming early this year. Wish with me for more snow and more hiking! Get outside!

At first, I wasn't sure how to really go about taking photos in this way. Everywhere I looked in my home, I only saw clutter and bad lighting. Should I quick clean my house? Pick up all the random school papers and artwork? Make sure my kitchen is sparkling clean? Hmmm, well, I'm not known for keeping a perfect house and really, who has the time? We are a busy family and our home is lived in. Documenting daily life in a spotless house really isn't our life.

There is a day coming when Ella is no longer taller than her brother.

"Mom, take a picture of my cars". Me: "Sorry Ethan, the light up here isn't good enough. The pictures turn out blurry". Ethan: "Here, does this help?"

Because I really didn't have an understanding of the amount of time it would take me to edit photos taken during bath time, I didn't hesitate to grab my camera and snap away. First of all, the lighting casts an ugly dirty glow and trying to make the tub look sparkling white while keeping skin tones looking real, takes a Photoshop wiz. That, I am not. But! I have found some pretty amazing Photoshop actions that have really helped me out. I haven't quite nailed it perfectly but I started to drive myself a bit crazy. See the "before and after" to see what I mean.

Bath time is a great opportunity to capture those really sweet moments of time slowed down. I am glad I got these pictures while he's still little. After a while, he will be kicking me out and locking the door.

The photo below is one of my favorites. Long ago, we removed the door separating the bathroom and walk-thru closet to make more space. Here, we see his squeaky clean little legs below the curtain. And like I said before, clutter happens.

Our kitty, Lily, calmly takes it all in. She's missing her outside exploring time due to Winter temps, but she's content to wait it out.

Another learning experience for me. Thanks for reading!

To learn more about Photoshop actions, please visit http://paintthemoon.net/blog/information-central/action-basics-and-video/

I couldn't pass up the chance to go walking with my camera. I tracked down my son and his buddies to capture their excitement of being outside again in t-shirts and shorts.

That would be my son in the tank top. I'm not sure it was quite warm enough for that but I gave up long ago trying to keep him dressed in appropriate clothes. I rousted my daughter and her friend outside too. Feel their freedom of running barefoot!

I love this picture of Ella running towards me, her arms out of focus blurring into the background.

Sometimes its the blurry photos that catch my eye the most.

When did my daughter become so grown up? My love!

May the forces unite!

Cody the Mighty making sure no other four-legged creatures dare enter his planet.

Thank you to Marian for allowing the world to see you without makeup. Isn't she a beautiful mama? If we pretend hard enough, we can imagine that we see a beach here instead of a gravel road.

The wonderful world of background textures. A big Thank You to one of my favorite blogs for inspiring the use of textures and other Photoshop tricks. http://paintthemoon.net/blog This website is an excellent resource for beginners like me. Check it out.

Every day is an opportunity to be creative! Capture life today! Thank you, kids for being yourselves.

The afternoon was sunny which was very important as I don't have fancy gear like external flashes and portable lighting. I rely mainly on natural light. Shooting inside the dance studio with only my camera is challenging and is an educational experience on what my camera can and cannot do. Here, the light hits Anna so beautifully.

Below, Anna is a silhouette and the result shows the beautiful shape of her form and posture. The graininess produced here resembles film and is a look I really like, but is a result of my ISO being higher than my camera can handle.

Gorgeous shot of Anna with my daughter, Ella, watching. One might think the picture is ruined with the clutter in the background but I love the story in this photograph. This turned out to be one of my favorites.

This one is so fun with her beautiful smile, head of curls and the way she's lifting her arms. I added some black around the edges to give the background some depth and lead the attention into the middle of the photograph.

From dancing so hard for me, her feet blistered. She's used to the pain, she says! In these pictures, I can almost feel her soreness.

Thank you Anna! Let's do this again sometime.