Is summer really almost over?

I love summer - I think I always have and just really didn't appreciate as much as a kid. I'm sure my kids love summer but don't appreciate it as much as they should while they are young. This summer seemed to fly by so quickly that here we are with about 2 weeks until school starts - haven't started school shopping and this year, all three of my kids will be in school.

Yes, 1/2 day nursery school - 4 days a week - counts. Melody will tell you that it is real school.

My job requires me to take 2 consecutive weeks somewhere during the year and what better time than the summer, when all the kids are home to drive me nuts? Since taking up photography I have learned to soak up and revel in the moment - even if it's the one that will drive me to drink. (Don't worry, parents - I barely drink...I swear.)

As a person obsessed with documenting individual moments, I find value in nearly everything that happens, bad or good. And not just the big moments - even the little ones. For instance: One day last September, after a good rain, the kids went out the backyard to play on their playground. All of a sudden, we hear the PAIN cry coming out of Melody's little mouth...and Adam finds her like this:
This was taken in the bathroom, right before I gave her a bath. This picture is hilarious!!! Melody looks like she's growing a goatee. Adam was kinda annoyed that I stopped to take this picture instead of giving the poor kid a hug - "for goodness sakes, she just took a header off the swing, there's no need for a photograph." he said. I'm not a horrible mom, I did ask Melody if she was ok and she said yes...there wasn't any blood or broken bones...just a whole lot of dirt and grass on her face. Look, she was fine, 2 shots later:
...still I'm glad that I took these pictures - they still crack me up!!!

Big moment pictures are a must, right? I don't know who took this picture of Angelica, but I know that it wasn't me as I was the 5 month pregnant (with Melody) Matron of Honor for a friend and Angelica was her flower girl:
...I do know that this picture wasn't taken by a professional (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say maybe my dad took this picture). What a shot - check out the lights in her eyes (proof of a flash for certain because that church is as dark as pre-dawn with their lights on). I'm thinking the same person took this picture too:
...those lights in Angel's eyes, pretty cool. In this picture she's 2 and Dylan is 3. He was the ring bearer. They walked into the church right after I walked in and Adam stood at the front of the church to wave them in his direction and keep them walking. It was all going well until they got about half way when Angelica saw all the guests who kept awwing, and stepping into the aisle to take their picture. So she dropped the basket and high tailed it to the back of the church, crying, prompting Adam to run up the aisle to get her and leaving Dylan to walk the last half of the aisle by himself, waving at people, nearly running at me with the pillow in hand.
Since big moments are not readily available (not a bad thing), I take pictures of everyday things. I love taking pictures of people but I love practicing on things too:

Flowers and slow moving animals are great practice subjects. Either they are still or move slow enough for you to adjust your focusing (or for your auto focus lens to make the necessary adjustments).

Keep practicing - I am - it will take years for me to be the photographer I want to be. Ask any pro photographer; it took them years too...