s.o.s. is a call for help, right??

i think 2012 is a year of clarity and perspective for me. we're only eleven days in and i've already realized so much. to start with, had i gotten off my butt and set the wheels in motion a year ago, today i would be a lot closer to my goals than i am. and i KNEW a year ago what i wanted to do. the sad thing is, i just didn't have the faith in myself. i  didn't have people around me telling me "you can do this" or "get off your ass!" (<--- sorry, but it's what i have to be told, from time to time) i'm definitely the kind of person who needs tough love. i don't like it. not in the least. but, it's the only way to motivate me to do something. i learned that ten years ago when ruthanne (my former mother-in-law, now known as my mother-out-law) would tell me what i needed to hear, despite knowing what i wanted to hear. there are things in my life that i'm sick and tired of. things that make me literally sick to my stomach at times, but i'm the only person who can change those things. the only way for me to even begin to change these things is for me to get my ducks in a row. j has been telling me that for, oh i dunno... four years now. and i keep saying "i know, i know"... but i think i really do know now. and i'm kind of wandering aimlessly... but that's okay. i'll get there. it's not completely "aimless". i know what i want. i know how to get there... sort of. i'm learning. i'm taking notes. i'm picking peoples' brains. i'm working hard, actually. i put more effort every day into learning about what it is that i want to do that i honestly think i get better every day. that's encouraging. i've never put so much work and thought and heart into any thing (other than my children).

oh, before i go... i just wanna run something by you guys... first, take a look at some pictures, though. :)

tickle fight with daddy before bed

watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse... staring at Baby Bear. :)

 I've already posted this one, I know. But here it is in black & white.

 I'm on a huge B&W kick right now. I just love how clean it looks. 

Which brings me to my question... if you'll notice, my "logo" has changed... several times, actually. the logo, the name... all of it. I'm having a hard time with this, obviously. i've played with SEVERAL different ideas. (and by "several" I mean about eleventy thousand). I think I've narrowed it down to these. I need your input, PLEASE. 

First:  blessed. photography          i think this sounds sweet. and versatile. i like that. and it sums up how i feel every time i snap a photo or edit something i've done. just completely blessed. this is what i've used on all of my photos up until now & i like the way it looks, as well. 

Second:    kayla brooks photography              duh. kind of a no-brainer how i came up with this one. i just think the simple names sound so professional... but maybe a bit dull... which i am not. but i still like it (it's on the first two photos of this post.) 

Third:      the sitting duck photography (see the last photo for logo... complete with duck. lol)   I think this one is my favorite. not sure why. i know it's kind of random,but it's very me. 

Fourth:   shade tree photography      you know, like a shade tree mechanic... j said it doesn't sound professional, though, which is obviously the image that i want to project.

Fifth:   l'apertura studios     l'apertura is italian. it means "the opening", but in photography the aperture is the opening of the lens which allows light in... i dunno... it's complicated... i just thought it sounded kind of fancy. and i like the way l'apertura looks on the photos. 

okay, so cast your votes PLEASE. and if you come up with something out-of-this-world, puh-leeeze help a sista out. and if you're willing to be my guinea pig and let me photograph you or your children, i will give you a giant thumbs up... because that's all i can afford to give you. lol. but, i will also promise to always give you a special deal when i finally do get to make some money doing this.. :D