Some OCBR shots

Taking pictures of the parade line up and repairing the Bronco at the same time.

This is a cool Bronco trick. One drives on top of the other. Just for fun. They get a big kick out of this and I take lots of pictures.




This is my happy place defined. My camera in hand and a sweet smiling face in front of me. What a treat to photograph this guy. One creative dad made his son's wagon into a Bronco. It has a cup holder and license plate. It was a huge hit at the festival. Precious.

Sarah wanted to take this dog home. Uhm... NO. He was cute. He had a big bad bark just like our chihuahuas.

Fearless Tour 2009

Saturday night Dawn and I took the girls to see Taylor Swift. I was kind of neutral about going because I am not a huge country fan. Sarah on the other hand loves Taylor Swift. The concert sold out in about 10 minutes. We lucked into some tickets online and had a great time. The concert was really more contemporary pop music. Taylor put on a fabulous show with dancers and costumes. She inspired girls in the arena with ages ranging from 3 to me and older. She talked to them about peer pressure, boys and following their dreams. I was very impressed with her. I hope she can maintain that positive role model status. The girls are modeling the shirts Dawn made. She got very creative and used pictures from the Internet as iron on transfers. The results were wonderful. This also happened to be Alyssa's birthday. Her tickets to the concert were part of her gift. She is posing with her best friend Wesley on one of the trailers at the arena. What a sweet bunch of girls. I love them and I am so thankful for each one of them.

We are busy as usual. The flu or something is going through the schools. I get subbing calls every single day. I have barely even been home. I have lots of wonderful pictures from our Bronco weekend I hope to post this week.

Go Climb a Mountain

That is exactly what Mike will be doing these next few days. He's in his happy place. It's time for his annual Bronco Roundup in Hot Springs. They come from near and far. They come in a variety of shapes and colors. They come for the thrill of the climb. I come for the pictures. The men stand and talk about their machines and then push them to the limits. I wish I could hold my camera steady as we climb a 90 degree slope. It would help distract me from visions of sliding back down or rolling over. I rode along briefly today. We only attempted mild trails. The harder level ones scare me too much to enjoy them. It is a family affair with kids playing happily in the dirt. This little guy showed me his car collection. He was a cutie. If the weather permits I will go back for more good shots.

Battle of the Bands

Thursday night a local radio station had a ladies night out. Dawn and I went to check it out. They had music, snacks and shopping. It was CROWDED. The best part of the night was seeing this band perform live. The band is called SafetySuit and the guys are from Nashville. They were awesome are just now hitting the big time. I was close enough to get a few shots nobody stopped me. The tickets didn't say no cameras allowed. Their album is currently playing on my ipod. The music is clean and positive. I just love it.

I couldn't work out today because my home gym has been transformed. The funny thing is the car that drum set came in. I don't know how they fit it all in. These boys are determined. It was LOUD. I think there is some potential there. I hope so, rock stars make big money. They have a looong way to go. They consumed lots of junk food and slept very little. Maybe I will drag up enough energy to walk or run later. I may need a cleaning crew to come in. I really don't mind they are happy and had such a good time.

Class Begins

I have been on a waiting list for months for a photography class. It's an online class taught by Karen Russell. She is a scrapper turned photographer. When I got in the class there were about 800 students on the waiting list. That's incredible to me in our economy. The class is highly recommended on various photography sites I visit. I began to understand why after I received my binder. Is that gorgeous or what? The binder is 3 inches thick. By the time the class is over it will be packed with lessons. Check out the handmade tag. So far it's fabulous. The teaching is right on my level. It covers technical aspects, composition and lighting. I can't wait to work through each lesson.

Saline County Fair

Friday night Sarah and I joined our neighbors at the fair. It's been a long time since I last attended the Saline county fair. Sarah was begging to go and I wanted to take some pictures. She had a fabulous time with her friends. The little girls live in the cul de sac next to ours. Now that Sarah is a little older she has become brave enough to walk over. The girls have quickly become 3 peas in a pod. This is great for Sarah who is a very social child. The fair was certainly something to see. Here are just a few of my initial observations. It should be illegal to put dangerous machinery that close to people. I had visions of any number of injuries from these rides. People become vegetarians for a reason. The hogs are probably one of those reasons. I have never been around that many rednecks at one time. It was scary. There was a strong police presence and it was needed. The kids rode a few rides that looked safe enough. We checked out the animals and produce. Finally, we decided to get ice cream at McDonald's and call it a night. I don't know who the cutie is sitting in the cage. I just hope he had a good bath that night.

Thursday Night Lights

Football season is in full swing for Benton Junior High. I am not much of a football fan, but it is fun to visit with friends. It feels like a high school reunion every week. Sarah loves to go hang out with her friends and visit the concession stand. Of course, I am always up for a good photo opportunity. Good sharp photos are a challenge here. I am sitting so far away and it's dark. I have a decent zoom but it does not have image stabilization. Flash is pointless so far away. Another mom there was shooting with a $2,000 L series lens. Can you imagine? I would love to see how her pictures turned out. I can't tell you who won or who we played. I only watched the band and cheerleaders. One dad did have to run out on the field after his child could not get up. I can report one knee torn/broken and one arm broken. This is from Jamie the day after. I have been told the cheerleaders actually have a high incidence of injuries from all the tumbling and pyramids. I think Jamie is pretty safe with that french horn. The band marched a very simple formation on and off the field. Their music totally makes the game. They have a cool play list of fun songs.