Photo Challenge, Day 30: Self-Portrait

One more, how time has flown! This challenge has been an incredible opportunity for me to increase my skills and really, just to take a few minutes for myself and for a mental challenge each day. I hope to do a few more of these soon! Thanks for all the comments and keep checking back - I may start a November challenge a day or two late to keep the fun going!

No makeup, on my way to bed after a long day. Hence, PhotoBooth was my camera of choice:)

Photo Challenge, Day 29: Black and White

Pausing before a trip down the slide.

Photo Challenge, Day 28: Flowers

My first flower from my son!

Photo Challenge, Day 27: From a Distance

Madison, WI, my past and future home:)

Photo Challenge, Day 26: Close-up

I love this watch that I got for Mark as a gift when he became a dad for the first time. It's his favorite and I think even more so because of the special meaning behind it. Do I get extra points for some bokeh in the background?

Photo Challenge, Day 25: Something Pink

Not the earrings that came on this card, but a nice match, nonetheless.

Photo Challenge, Day 24: Animal

Ari's best friend, Miss Mousie (I know, really creative), a gift from her Aunt B. This little guy is so soft, I had to buy one for friends having babies as well.

Photo Challenge, Day 23: Sunflare

Had to use an old photo for this one, as I have had no sun+free-time-to-shoot moments for days. I love this photo, completely unretouched.

Photo Challenge, Day 22: Hands

My favorite little hands these days. Little but capable of so much destruction;)

Photo Challenge, Day 21: Faceless self-portrait

I took this photo at the dock on a pond near a playground we always head to in the warm months. It was only about 60 degrees, but the sun made the wood warm and great to sit on.

Photo Challenge, Day 20: Bokeh

So, before this challenge, I had no idea what bokeh meant, much less how to create it. It refers to an intentional blurring or gradation created in a photo. It took me a week to get it to the point where I felt comfortable finding the right subjects and taking the photo. This hydrant is near the train tracks near our house. Our car and the tracks are in the background; I saw the color of the hydrant and had to shoot it!

Photo Challenge, Day 19: Something Orange

I love that 75% of our decorations are orange. A convenient shot.

Photo Challenge, Day 18: My Shoes

Loved to death...and now I have to pack them away for the winter. Sigh...

Photo Challenge, Day 17: Technology

Practicing for day 20, I took this shot of my BF (some people call him my husband) while out running errands after the kids hit the hay. I may have gotten the Redbox DVD back late because of it...rats.

Photo Challenge, Day 16: Long Exposure

LOVE long exposure photos! I've never shot them before and had so much fun. My favorite kinds of photos of this type are the nighttime shots, with car/city lights, or sparklers, etc. A single bright source of light, motion over many seconds captured in one. Here's my indoor, iPod version, a message to my husband:)

Photo Challenge, Day 15: Silhouette

My (somewhat) willing model, Mark, helped me create a backlit silhouette against one of the just-laundered, but not taken to their cabinet yet, sheets. I tried a number of different light sources, but liked this one the best.

Photo Challenge, Day 14: Eyes

Or eye. Mine, tired, but at least with a little mascara...

Photo Challenge, Day 13: Yourself with 13 Things

I'm a pillow addict. I need more couches, chairs, beds, benches, etc to hold them. This is a swath of my collection. Oh, and did I mention that I love color and wild patterns...?

Photo Challenge, Day 12: Sunset

I missed sunset the night I was supposed to do this post, and then realized that there's nowhere high in Wheaton that I have access to anyway. So, the upstairs of our house will have to do. Love the pinks on nights like this!

Photo Challenge, Day 11: Something Blue

If you're a parent, you understand the fury this scenario can spark. In the middle of re-diapering a squirming, screaming, incredibly strong 1-year old, I get to the point of affixing the last flap and...rrrrrrrip! ARGH! This is my something blue.