05/26/10 My new close up filters.....

All I can say is "Wow!". I love macro photography- close-ups, magnified photos. There's a whole world of tiny details that I miss every day. I read about a close -up filter set you just add to a 50mm lens and you have a macro lens for very little money. So I found one of these sets on ebay and for a mere $9.90 I now have a whole new world to photograph!

A zinnia

Black and blue salvia bloom with an ant

Zinnias

Lantana also with an ant

Unidentified flower with very detailed center

and even a fly on my wire tomato cage!

05/23/10 Drew and his giant jumps....

We went to the park for Drew to play. He spotted this retaining wall and it became a wonderful challenge for him to jump off of. He got a routine going - taught to him by his Big Daddy - where for several minutes before each and every jump he had to "build up steam". He made all kinds of faces, threw his arms around, twisted and turned, as well as made all the sound effects! He had to get himself all built up for his giant jumps!! It was so funny! He constantly makes me laugh!

05/22/10 A weekend with the boys.....

Brad and Ashley went out of town for Brad's birthday and we kept the boys. We had so much fun!! We played all kinds of games with Drew, went to the park, drove around on a "horsie hunt" and watched movies. BUT the best part of the weekend was getting these pictures of them together. I've been trying to get a good one for awhile now. I put them both in this basket because Miles hates to touch the grass and it worked!! Aren't they so cute??

I also got good pictures of Miles and Drew. Here are the ones of Miles (and by the way -- those big blue eyes are NOT photoshopped) .

05/21/10 Sweet Emma....

Today I took Emma's pictures again and had so much fun. She's so cute!! To see more of Emma go to www.kimmartinphotography.blogspot.com...

05/18/10 Walk with my camera....

I love the wildflowers! They have been especially pretty this year. Today on my usual walk around our neighborhood, I took my camera to take pictures of the ones I saw. I love close-ups. Who would have thought there's so much detail in each type of flower, the centers, the colors, the intricate designs "painted" into the petals.

God speaks to me in nature, the works of His hands, His creations. I often think that God didn't have to put wildflowers here, seeds scattered by His hands and cared for by Him. But He did. And He didn't have to make so many different kinds and so many different colors, shape, sizes. But He did. And He didn't have to add so much detail to each and every one to make them special and unique. But He did....

What an awesome, creative, and beautiful God!

"Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!" Psalm 66:5

05/16/10 He's back!!

I have been missing my little painted bunting. He has shown up for the last 2 years and I really love him. But when they cleared all the trees and brush from the lot behind us to build a new house I was thinking that maybe he wouldn't come back. But here he is......
I was so thankful to see him!!

05/15/10 A night with Drew and Miles....

Today was Brad and Ashley's 6th Anniversary. So we got to keep the boys while they went out to dinner. The wildflowers are still so pretty and I've really been wanting to do some pictures in them. So as soon as they left, I carried the basket, my camera, and Miles to hopefully get some sweet photos of him in those flowers. Even though it was very cloudy (looked like it could rain any minute), it was still a little too bright for Miles to open those big blue eyes and look at me! But I still got some really cute ones of him. I tried and tried to get Drew to join in but he would rather throw rocks into the ditch.....

The best attempt of them together.....(Drew told me he doesn't like pictures)....

After the photo shoot, we decide to go on a "horsie hunt". We load the boys into the car, all straped in, and drive the country roads looking for horses. Drew LOVES horses and he thinks this is the greatest adventure....

And here's how he's going to open his eyes and look......

Or he may look for them like this...."like Big Daddy".....he's so funny!

Two suckers, a golf ball and looking for horses....he's a happy boy!

And he couldn't look anymore. He was exhausted....

But not for long....

Big Daddy and him played all kinds of games with that golf ball. Bounced it, threw it, caught it, rolled, chased it, and ran after it... Then Mike got out his bow and did a little target practice. Drew loved it and helped by pulling the practice (not sharp) arrows out of the bag. We had a great time!