capturing time

I always say I'm busy.  Everyone that knows me witnesses it.  Many say I should rest but I haven't learned how.  Every time I stop, I feel like I am neglecting something.  Like my downtime should have been spent being productive.  This week though, I really needed a breather.

Last weekend, I started trying to wrap up some things for my sister's upcoming baby shower.  After doing some running around on my own, I spent a day with my mom getting decorations, choosing food, getting favors etc.  I had planned to spend a little time with some friends and take some pics on Sunday but when our schedules didn't line up and I realized that I could meet up with them Monday, we rescheduled.   I completely forgot that last Monday was Veteran's Day and that Giada didn't have school or daycare.  It was supposed to be a beautiful fall day so I planned to bring her with me to meet up with our friends and then take off on our own and get some shots of her. I had some work to do and phone calls throughout the day but squeezing in some time with my favorite little girl was worth it.

Photo session one was great.  Just some casual family shots followed by the kids playing for a while.  When we left,I had a few thoughts of places we could go and as we drove, I took a chance and checked out the Arboretum at the County park.  I had never been there before so I had no idea what to expect.  I hear that it is beautiful in the summer but it's not exactly flower weather here right now.  More like fallen sticks and leaves.  I was hoping to get a few good shots for our Holiday Card.

One of my favorite subjects to take pictures of is Giada.  She amazes me and I feel some of my best pictures are ones of her. I wonder sometimes if it is because I know her so well and can anticipate much of what she'll do or if it's because I just thoroughly enjoy capturing the wonder and light inside of her.  She has no fear of the camera.  The only trouble I have is that she sometimes tries to pose and its the last thing I want most days.  I want to catch her being herself.





For this outing, I brought props and dressed her in fun clothes.  She did as she pleased as I followed her snapping away.  I even handed over the camera a few times to let her take pics of me and things she found worthy of recording. She reminded me that day that we used to say goodnight and pretend that we were holding a camera up to each other.....her from the bed, me from the doorway and we'd take a 'snapshot' of each other with our invisible cameras.  She said we'd  stopped that recently and we should really start doing it again.

She is only five but she knows better than anyone how to make me stop and breathe for a moment.

my beauty

Note:  I wanted to get this published so I didn't edit a thing.....therefore I apologize (for that and for having to look at my wrinkles and roots)  In addition....I will publish more pictures of this day soon but don't want to spoil the surprise of the Holiday cards. xo ~h