I'm not a professional, I just play pretend...

I wanna be a photographer. Well, I suppose that I am. Just not a professional one. :) But, upon looking for inspiration (because that's all I can afford at the moment), I stumbled across a photographer (that gets paid!! just imagine!!) who owns Arden Prucha photography and I absolutely ADORE her work. But, as much as her work, I love her blog. One of the things she says is to find your own style. Don't worry about what others look for in a photographer. Take pictures of what you want to take pictures of- how you want to take the pictures- and edit them the way YOU want. If others like your personal style, they will come to you. ((of course, all of this is paraphrased.)) And I realized, I have my own idea of what "art" is. So, I'm not a professional. And once I get better equipment, I'm certain I will develop new techniques and tricks. Surely, I will grow and learn. But, I have to remember that it is MY art. MY style. MY love. I was challenged to start by taking pictures of the "every day"... grocery shopping, playing outside, eating... I haven't yet taken my camera into Winn Dixie (I WILL!!), but here's a little of Braydon's "every day" adventures. (Oh, and the name signifies exactly how I feel... blessed.)

I'm not 100% sure why, but I think this ^^ is my absolute favorite photo I have ever taken. 

These are the things that I want to capture. The things I want to remember more than anything. I don't really think that 20 years from now I'm going to care to see him sitting in a fancy chair looking all prim & proper and not at all like the 16 month old Braydon who loved suckers and stayed sticky and played "peep-eye" through the window by the door and loved to run outside with his football and picked the marshmallows out of Lucky Charms and took feeding himself so seriously. Yes, I will take more "proper" photos of him. But, these are my favorites. This is my art. This is my baby. These are the memories I will want to hold onto. 

AND, just one more.. :) Braydon made a new friend, Peyton Holder, over the weekend. Peyton just turned one & they're gonna grow up and RUN Lowndes High's football teamaround 2026-2028 ;) ... watch out for these two!! Happy Birthday, Peyt!!!! (And CONGRATULATIONS to Britini and Michael Holder!! You kept it alive for a WHOLE YEAR!!!! yesssss!!!!)