Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Bluebonnet Pictures

It is tradition here in the hill country to take pictures of your kids in the bluebonnets each spring. Here are a couple previews of the ones I took of Molly yesterday. I'm still working out some kinks with photoshop, but hopefully I can start posting awesome edited photos soon.



I'm having a hard time previewing my pictures... long story... so these probably aren't the best ones, but they're pretty cute, right?! 

I love this girl. We have had a week and a half of LONG nights and lots of not much sleep. But it is all so worth it and wouldn't change a thing about our little Molly girl.

And a quick Wardle family update:  Bret had a job interview in San Antonio yesterday that went really well. Today he has two interviews - one in Waco and one in Temple (both cities are about an hour-ish north of Austin on the way to Dallas). He is really excited about these two opportunities. Hopefully one of these three jobs will work out for us. 

Sunday, April 21, 2013

For Heather (and me):



(I just realized that there is an image of a guy and girl behind the words... I thought it was just some groovy colors.  I'm not talking about the dating game, in case you were wondering.)


It's late. Bret is in bed. I just got off an awesome phone call with a dear friend. I love talking to my high school besties. Its amazing that we can live in 4 states and have 4 totally different lifestyles (military, mommy, entrepreneur, tax accountant, temple worker), and yet when we share our desires and concerns with one another we always seem to relate. 

So Heather, for you and for me, in all our endeavors: Let's just go for it. Let's be brave. Let's not wait to be perfect but become perfect in the trying and doing. 

And to anyone else who (like us) has awesomeness running through their veins and brains but is putting up their own brick walls and fastening their safety belts and saying, "Maybe tomorrow," let's be amazing NOW. Or let's at least be mediocre and say we tried. 

Ready, Set, Go.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Outdoor Photoshoot

The other day I realized I only ever take pictures of Molly inside, which is fine, but its pretty simple to figure out lighting inside... either there is good natural light or there isn't. You can adjust proximity to window and angle, but it is just kind of ambient light - not real hard to figure out. 

I wanted to try taking some pictures outside to start thinking about and practicing with lighting. Of course Molly wanted to be my subject so she came along too! I've learned some good things by analyzing my pictures. I like the backlighting. The sun kept coming out and then hiding and I like the ones with the most sun - I think some of them look a little dull and overcast. I didn't use a reflector to bounce any light back into her face and in a few of the pictures that would have helped. But note to self: I need another person with me next time. It was way too hard to adjust my camera, check the lighting and make Molly smile. She won't just listen to me... I'd have to pick up a toy, shake it around, then hurry and put my camera up to my face... and then she was looking away! 

Anyway - it was a good practice session and I really like some of the pictures. I haven't edited any of them, but I took a photoshop class last week and can't wait to edit these! 




Oops - she can't quite sit up by herself yet. My bad.

(Obviously this one is overexposed but I can take the exposure down easily - won't that be nice!)

I wanted one of her playing with her toes... instead she couldn't stop pulling up her dress. Oh well.


Mom - this one is for you. Nope, the hat doesn't quite fit yet. And I think it will be cuter when she can sit/stand by herself... and maybe some hair would help too!


I could NOT get her to look at me - she was enthralled by the grass and dirt. It made me realize that I'm going to have to stop being such a control freak when she gets bigger. Kids like dirt. Bummer for me.


Getting out of trouble...

with my siblings.

Megan, Drew, Abby, Carly, and Jack... this is what Molly has to say to you...

(add your own sound effect)

Today my mom informed me that my siblings are quite upset that I haven't updated my blog in quite some time. Fair. But in my defense, I feel like each time they complain that I haven't sent them pictures I tell them to check the blog and they're like, "Oh, yeah! I forgot." Not the greatest motivation for me to spend time uploading pictures... especially when pinterest and job-searching always sound so much more appealing.

Anyway, without futher ado, here's some recent Molly pics for your Molly fix: