Creations From Everyday Life

Right Now:

We are making ribs on the grill:

The kids are excited to camp out in the backyard with daddy tonight, and make smores:

I planted 3 of my biggest Banana Trees in a big wooden box I found at my in-laws backyard:

This is 1 out of my 2 planters growing peas:

Jocelyn grew a sunflower seed at school. Only, she didn't get to bring it home until it was long and stringy... and had no chance for survival. Lucky for her, I had sunflower seeds on hand, and we planted a new one in the same cup. It's just starting to emerge now. We keep it outside so that it has a chance for survival!

Tomato plant. About 3 weeks old. Maybe we'll get something this year?

Pretty flowers I bought today:

Last Friday (April 24th):

All painted up and ready for the party!

To be 3 again...

Let the Building Commence!

First. Thank you to my friend Crystalyn who helped me with my color problem. My desaturated photos on my blog problem. It turns out, it wasn't typepad, but a setting my camera is on. Basically, I use Adobe RGB to shoot my photos, because it captures a better range of colors in your photographs. BUT, the internet world uses sRGB. Adobe RGB looks desaturated in the sRGB internet world... so if I want my photos to look right on the net... I have to convert them in PS before posting.

Just what I needed. Another STEP in post processing!

Back to the story:

Wednesday we gathered friends and family at our dirt lot to "break ground." We were told that construction would begin on Thursday and we really wanted to have a pre construction party!

Beka was our hired photographer for the event. Paid with burgers, and praise.

A future neighbor provided the golden shovels.

Jared wrote the speech by plagerizing several different speeches found on the internet and cutting/pasting them together in Microsoft Word.

Friends provided the good time!

Look at this sexy chick... modeling her permanent accessory...

Speech! Speech! Speech!

There's that sexy chick again...

And a couple of pictures from me:

I also videoed Jared's speech with my 5D mk II, horribly compressed on YouTube:



Typed transcript follows:

This is an auspicious day for the Hummel’s, for it marks another beginning, as we gather to break ground for home. It signals another development in American indebtedness.

As a signature work of architecture, this building will provide artists, researchers, engineers, gear heads, and audiences with opportunities — under a single roof — that are found nowhere else in the world.

As you know, the enhancement of the experience of our family, and friends is among our highest priorities as we implement Magrathea.

This structure will be a space built to feed the soul and to inspire the mind — for inspiration is what drives us. Great spaces can set the stage, provide the forum, and kindle the creative process for the individual and for family and friends — for it is in coming together in concert with others that we create experience larger than ourselves.

This structure will include areas.  Unfortunately it will not include modern cardio and weight training facilities, an aquatics center with a

lazy river, a large gymnasium, racquetball, rock climbing, or an aerobics room.

This corner we are standing on is also one piece of a broader economic development plan that will one day supply tax revenue.  It may be hard to see now, but just look around at the ownership of the land and the potential we are helping recognize for Sandhollow resort.

Today, we will break the earth upon which we will build the foundation of this facility — and the next step toward our future.

This day — this act — symbolizes our commitment to excellence as a ouselves, and to excellence in the Hummel experince.

So, without further delay, lets break ground and let the experts build us, Magrathea.

Yes. That's the name of our home. Magrathea.

Photographs of St. George Temple for Purchase!

I've had a lot of buzz over the photograph I took of the back side of the St. George temple Wednesday (featured on my last post here).

If you would like a professional quality print of it, you can purchase it HERE!

I've been watching the skies lately... waiting for cloudy... but not too cloudy... around the time of sunset, to get a good evening shot of the Temple. Tonight looked promising, and Jared was out of town. So, I took all of the kids over to the grounds and we set up camp.

I think it's pretty obvious what mommy's job is when a newly turned 1 year old walks up to the camera and does
this:

She was totally cracking me up the whole time! I took the above photo with my phone. Pretty good, eh?

And then the skies got pretty:

Although not mind blowing... like I was hoping for. BUT, I promise Typepad does this picture NO justice.

You can purchase it BY CLICKING HERE!

But seriously, even if you don't want to purchase it. Click there anyway to see what I'm talking about. About how Typepad desaturates all of my photos!

Then there was this one from an angle not normally used to photograph the Temple. I was literally backed up against a wall... so this is as good as it gets!

Again. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE or view larger.

And, finally this one after the sun had set and the lights came on...

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.

The Temple - St. George, Utah Photographer

No photoshop actions used here:

I didn't get a lot of things on my "list of things to do" done today. I didn't get the lawn mowed, because the grass was wet the whole time Kate was at preschool. I didn't make/deliver invitations because I was too busy trying to get Calvin and Tess ready to go out the door at 10:30am. I didn't water the patches in the lawn. I DID however pick up Kate. And then met Beka at the temple grounds to test lighting.

We are definitely up for a challenge. I think we decided we need a bigger reflector, a flash bracket, and possibly a 6 foot ladder...?

On the car ride over, I chatted with the kids in my car about reverence and how we should act on the temple grounds. I told them it was okay to run around and play.... but not to get TOO crazy!

They really did listen.

This is why photographers don't bring their kids with them on legit photoshoots (if they can help it):

A couple was having a picnic approximately where we wanted to test lighting in front of the temple. So Beka asked if she could take pictures of them eating... while she played with her settings.

They were like... Sure! Whatever you need!

(again, notice Lily)...

Then, the funniest part of it all. They kept offering us things. Food. Juice.

Beka and I declined... but then our kids got especially thirsty. So here is our gang of kids, drinking down all of their grape juice. It's funny the situations you get into when you're friendly with others ;)

93 Degrees

Was the temperature today according to my truck.

To celebrate a gorgeous day,

• We went to the park to eat lunch and visit with friends.
• Uploaded a wedding guest book for a client on Blurb.com.
• Went to our builder's office to do a last once over on the plans. Made a few changes, and got ready for excavation on Thursday!
• Had snacks and took a short snooze on the couch.
• Went to the community center and swam/laid in the sun for 2 hours.
• Ran .75 miles around the park loop (would have run more, but Jared needed to get out the door to work some extra hours tonight).
• Going to: Eat In-N-Out burger as soon as Jared gets home with it.

Perfect.

Tomorrow I,

• Send Kate to preschool.
• Mow the lawn.
• Make/deliver invitations to an achievement days activity for my 8 year old girl church group.
• Water the dead patches in yard in an effort to get grass to grow (even though it isn't MY yard).
• Pick up Kate.
• Go to the temple grounds at noon to figure out the lighting needs for our, (meaning beka and I) wedding shoot in less than 2 weeks.
• Have a "ground breaking ceremony" in the evening.

Coupon! - St. George Photographer

Click Here for details on a free session

Catching up.

Maybe?

The above (and below) picture(s), are from March 28th... almost a month ago. Can you believe we were having nice weather like that then?

Afterward, it turned cold for a spell... but it's been back in the upper 80's, starting over the weekend!

I have lots and lots of photos on my camera to share. But like I said... they are on my camera. And I've been a little sidetracked... what with having Calvin's new Big Wheel from Grandma Tucky stolen... making police reports... thinking we see Calvin's stolen Big Wheel... calling the police, and finding out it wasn't his after all... Feeling silly, but getting over it... Getting our home loan, and signing all of the paperwork.... school orientations... library... parks... grocery stores.... life...

This week we plan to have a "groundbreaking" at our lot (Wednesday at 6:30pm), complete with speech, golden shovels, pictures, and according to Jared... a ribbon cutting?

Beka. You're my photographer.

We were told by our contractor that they are probably going to excavate the basement on Thursday or Friday. It should be exciting!

Nice...

Baby Cru - St. George, Utah Photographer

Cru, is my friend Megan's baby. I took these when he was about a week old. He's over a month old now!

This one is hanging as a 10x20 gallery wrap on their living room wall! It looks FAB!

(...and Megan, I'm sure you can see what I mean about Typepad distorting the colors of my pictures)!

This one is for Beka, as she made the hat for baby Tess long ago!


Another hat by Beka:


Here, we were just waiting for him to settle. Megan had her hands on him to keep him warm, and to try to soothe him back to sleep while in position for the next photograph. I think the shot is sooo much cuter here with her hands on him because it shows how small he really is!


This old suitcase Megan found was pretty cool. I wish we would of had a cool backdrop to sit it against though. I'm looking forward to using it again when he's old enough to sit in it, and we can take it outside!

Construction Loan Acquired!

We close on it Friday ;)

Bridal Share - St. George, Utah Photographer

Someday, I'll look back and laugh

Notice how everyday I've been posting something chaotic?

Here's today's mess:

But, it helps that they were cute yesterday.

When Jocelyn got home from school, she decided to make everyone a picnic style snack. She made everything herself. Everything from the microwave popcorn, to the white bread and Swiss cheese sandwiches.

Then Jocelyn requested a portrait:

Seeing Jocelyn in the spotlight, Calvin asked for a portrait. Only, the camera can't be in his direction without him saying "CHEESE" in the most dramatic way.

Kate wanted in on the action:

Then Tess

I thought this was cute of Kate "fixing" her non broken bike.

What kind of tree do you think this is?

And isn't this the coolest bike?! It belongs to our across the street neighbors.

So far today,

Tess attempted to make 77 copies of an article I had sitting in the scanner/laser printer:

4 made their way out before I got the print canceled.

And Calvin drew all over every cushion (and arm) of my couch with a ball point pen:

The red marker is from the same offender drawing on the couch several days ago.

Marker is easy to get out of the couch.

Ball point pen. Nearly impossible.

Let's just say, this isn't my first dance when it comes to Calvin/marker/pen/ink pad/paint/on my freakin' couch.

It's only 9:55am, and it took me at least 10 minutes to do this post.

Great start to the day, eh?

Yesterday,

we had oatmeal for breakfast.

Calvin decided that I didn't put enough sugar in his oatmeal:

Later, Tess decided she was hungry, and fished a bowl of partially finished oatmeal off of the table. She put it on a chair, grabbed a spoon, and went to town!

I thought it was pretty resourceful of her:

She was pretty proud of herself too.

And, I have to add that about 10 minutes after the above picture was taken... That bowl ended up as 3 broken pieces on the tile floor.

Then, later... we went to "the new neighborhood" to look at Beka's house (since she was getting cabinets and tile).

Isn't her kitchen rockin'?

And I HAD to take a picture of her master shower.

#1 It looks AWESOME, and I think I'm going to be a copy cat and do my shower the same way.
#2 I thought the photo opp was awesome, because of the spotlight the workers were using.

(and again, I'm frustrated that typepad is blowing out all of my photos, because this picture REALLY does look cool! I promise!)

Then we pretended it was 3 decades ago, and I let Calvin ride in the back of the truck to drive over to our lot).

This is what I"m calling our "rabbit food." My tulips being devoured by the wildlife.

And here is Calvin proudly watering the rabbit food!

Katelyn's Kindergarten Registration.

But, first... I'm supposed to mention that it was JARED'S idea to pick the flowers (in the post below), and the kids just brought them to me. He texted me 2 minutes after I posted the entry to make sure I KNEW (and you knew) it was his idea.

Love you babe!

On to Kate.

She was super excited that she finally got to register for Kindergarten today. The school district already had their main registration, and today was a "make up" date for her specific school. I didn't register her on the district wide date, because I wasn't sure we'd actually get our loan to build. I didn't want to register her, not get the loan, and then turn around and have to switch everything BACK to their current school. Call me lazy if you will.

I just KNEW we'd have to know something by April.

Here it is April 6th, and we still don't know if we will get the loan. Our loan guy swears we're golden. And the paperwork has been into the bank for over a week now. But we're getting nervous because we haven't heard anything!

So, I registered her anyway. AND transferred Jocelyn's records.

Which means... I've probably jinxed us, and we won't get the loan after all. Heck! We'll probably find out TODAY that we aren't getting the loan!

So, cross your fingers ;)

Back to the registration story at hand.

IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.

Of course I had 3 kids with me. Tess was fairly good until she figured out people were eating in the faculty lounge.

Calvin discovered little cones in the office, and proceeded to block off the entrance to the office. After I put a stop to that, he ran off down the hall. I have no clue where he went. But I had GOBS of paperwork to fill out, so I let him be. I figured someone would bring him to the office if he was getting in the way. I mean, he's obviously too young to be a student, so where else would you bring him? Yes, I know... I was throwing out all the signs of being a space cadet/negligent parent... but I think we all get to a point where WE DON'T CARE. Especially when they made me fill out an Immunization form with every single shot Kate's had... even though they took a photocopy of her immunization. IMO, they could have at least detected I was in distress and offered to finish filling that part out for me. That's what they did at Jocelyn's current school at least. I provided the photocopy, and they did the rest of the work!

But, anyway...

I filled out 1,056 forms.

 

The secretary seemed sooo confused at the fact that my "mailing address" was different from my "permanent address." So, I was standing there explaining that we currently reside at the "mailing address." But we're moving to the "permanent address." And, that I need to put our future address down to register... because you have to have an address in school boundary. AND (reiterating) that we were MOVING to the new address in the fall, but I didn't want to switch schools only after a few weeks. The OTHER secretary who was listening in says, "that's a great idea!" Lesser secretary was like, "oh... o...k..."

Then we finally GOT OUT OF THERE, but the kids wanted to play on the kindergarten play equipment. How could I deny them. They were obviously under exercised based on their office behavior.

Kate thought it was super awesome to be playing on HER future playground. So awesome in fact, that we stayed until the PM kindergarten children showed up and started playing... (while they waited for class to start).

Then, the best part yet. Katelyn took it upon herself to introduce herself, make some friends (which isn't exactly her character), play jump-rope, and discuss the fact that her birthday was next month.

Calvin ran around and growled (along with clawing in the air) at all of the boys on the playground.

Tess mostly sat by me and sucked her thumb.

Except for here:

This Morning.

It's one of those happy days ;)

After the 20 minutes it took me to WAKE UP, I made the kids a hot breakfast. Fixed hair. Got Jocelyn and Kate out the door. Ran to Jocelyn's school with Calvin and Tess in the running stroller to see what I needed to do to transfer Jocelyn next school year. Came home. Ate a snack with C&T. Sat down at my computer desk. Turned on the blog for some tunes.

Admired the flowers the girls brought me yesterday;)

My favorites. Desert Globe Mallows.

Two cute boys + Sessions in Kentucky

A few weeks ago, I photographed a mom and her two sons visiting from New York. They were super fun, and the boys did super well (considering their whole extended family... [aunts, cousins, grandma] came with them... and we were at a park AND I had all 4 of my kids with me since it was spring break).

Also.

I finally updated my photography website: amyhummel.com

I've added 3 new "Portrait Packages" to my pricing info to ease decision making when ordering. Prints are still available ala carte. All of my pricing, including packages & ala carte are considerable lower than popular portrait studios, such as Kiddie Kandids and I can offer the same + more services. I researched it this weekend to compare my prices. If you desire something that you can't find on my pricing page, ask and I'll put something together! I researched it this weekend to compare my prices.

In the gallery section of my website, I also have a new category titled "products." This is a gallery where you can view some of your options. Currently, I have examples of a n 11x14 gallery wrap, proof book, and samples of Christmas Card templates. I currently don't have templates for other occasions, but would be willing to design something (for those who don't remember... I'm also a semi-retired* professional scrapbooker - both digital and paper).

* lets just say I've been focusing more on photography lately than scrapbooking. Except for a couple of weeks ago when Creating Keepsakes asked me to do a project for their August 09 issue for payment ;)

Not that I think my blogging audience reaches this far, but I am planning to spend a month in Kentucky in June. I'm planning on opening some time for sessions while I'm there, so if you are interested e-mail, leave a blog comment, or fill out the contact form on my website. Session fees will still be only $50 (excluding bridals), plus a $50 travel fee. I will mostly be in the Louisville Area but would be willing to discuss other locations.

My Super Man.

This is what Calvin decided he wanted to wear today. I tried to convince him to ride on his new Big Wheel Grandma Tucky bought him for his birthday. But, no can do.  He can "Fred Flintstone" power this vehicle a little more efficiently!

"It's raining out here," he's saying. Concerned looking.


It wasn't really raining. Just cloudy. Although, I think it's sprinkling now...

He was watching for it anyway.

Video proof of Tess's mischief.

I'm just now figuring out how to transfer video from my 5D to a useable format on my computer. I tried converting this video from a .mov to an .avi... but for some reason, it goes wonky... and the quality is poor. But I thought I'd post it anyway.

Tess had gotten into a box that I keep my seeds in. She thought it was great fun to shake every package to listen to the different sounds they made. Her favorite packet to shake was the peas (the last one she shakes).

My friend Beka and I

are working together to photograph a couple getting married. Tonight we went to take some bridal portraits to be displayed at the actual wedding, happening in 1 month. So far I narrowed the pictures I took from over 200 to around 70. Beka took LOTS more.

But, before I go spend some time with my husband for the evening, I really wanted to take a look at a specific shot I set up. I'm very excited about how it turned out.

What do you think?

To Terrorize:

Miss Tess, caught opening all of my seed packets the other day...

Fridge Lock.

Today I HAD to go to Wal-Mart to get a fridge lock, and a security door knob cover for the pantry to keep Calvin OUT! We've had a major problem with him raiding food since we've been in this house. Bits and pieces of cereal are everywhere. He's gotten into the block of cheddar cheese several times, and has even been caught with a very sharp Kitchen Aid brand knife several times... trying to cut himself a slice of cheese. I've found the GLASS jar of applesauce in strange locations. Yesterday he got into the eggs, and cracked 2 underneath the kitchen table. I didn't realize this until I noticed slimy stuff under the table when I was serving lunch. Somehow he had disposed of the yolks, but the egg whites didn't clean up as easily. Then, later yesterday... Tess was in the backyard, and I noticed she had a yellow substance around her mouth. It was then that I discovered another egg had been cracked outside as well. Tess was eating raw egg yolk off of the ground.

The last straw was last night at about 3am, when I heard a chair scooting across the kitchen floor. This only means one thing. Calvin is pushing a stool/or chair into the pantry to raid it in the middle of the night. I flew out of bed and ran into the kitchen only to catch Calvin sprinting as fast as he could in the direction of his bedroom screaming, "NO MOMMY, NO MOMMY, NO MOMMY!"

Today after I picked Kate up from preschool, I went to walmart to get the "locks." They have deterred him so far, but I'm not sure it will last too long. I've caught him trying to get into the refridgerator several times since the lock was installed... and he definitely knows what is keeping him from gaining access. And, I've noticed him pushing at the device that releases the latch. I just don't think he has the correct combination of strength & coordination to pull it off. Yet.

Really, this wouldn't be such a big deal if he'd eat normal meals. It fustrates me when he fills up on random cookies, crackers, chips, and pieces of cereal... and refuses to eat dinner with us. Yet, 20 minutes after dinner is over... he's back in the pantry/fridge scrounging! And it really fustrates me to have smashed cookies, crackers, chips, and pieces of cereal ALL OVER THE HOUSE!

I'm conficent the door knob cover will work for a LONG time. I'm pretty sure Kate will have a hard time figuring this one out, and maybe even Jocelyn.

Let's hope the fridge lock works out for awhile!