Affordable Pictures...Can It Be???

Hey all! I hope all of you are enjoying your summers so far! :) Ours here in Montana just started last Thursday and we have had mostly rain. LOL! Oh well, I have also been sick so I have been just in bed and on my laptop editing pictures.

Which is why I am doing this blog post-Pictures!

As a mother, I know the importance of documenting your children and family through the years. As the manager of MY HOUSE...I also know that it can cost a fortune at times and with the economy being what it is right now even a sitting fee can be too high for my pocketbook. :(

It does make me sad, because I know a lot of photographers that I would LOVE to use. I have very talented friends who LOVE what they do and it really shows.

If I was making more money, I would definitely get my family's pics done professionally. I am not talking Sears or Wal-mart professional either. While I feel that those places are good places to go for a "quick pic fix", they just are not for me.

Before I started working again, I was a scrapbooker. Taking pictures was part of that. Documenting my family's life in pictures and words was what I did. So, I appreciate a more on-location feel and different lighting that you just can't get from Sears or Wally World.

My youngest was turning 5 this year and my family was chomping at the bit for updated pics of her. I was worried that we wouldn't be able to get them done because of living paycheck to paycheck. So, I took matters into my own hands and after work on my daughter's birthday, I dressed her up, did her hair and we jumped in the van with my camera and off we went.

Living where we do, there is A LOT of beautiful parks with LOTS of green and natural settings for us to take advantage of. So, that is what we did. It was an overcast day so the lighting wasn't too bright at all. :)

I even found some graffiti to try as a back ground! :) And it was "G" rated! :)

The camera I use is a Canon Rebel T2i. I absolutely love this camera and wonder why I didn't buy a Rebel in the first place.

I actually have to shoot Sasha in sports mode because she will not slow down for anything and is always moving. I have tried posing her and telling her to be still and she still moves. The girl has ants in her pants I tell ya! ;)

By the end of the shoot I had 244 pics that I could go thru and have family go thru and edit. :)

I use two programs to edit. On my BIG computer downstairs I have Adobe Photoshop Elements and on my laptop upstairs, I have GIMP. All of the images you will see on this post are edited with GIMP. I will tell you, if you want a easy editing and free software..get GIMP. The site is---> HERE.

Now for the pics:

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps! :)

Get ready for more from me!!

Hey all! I have been on a pretty long hiatus here on Mommy Management!

When I first started this blog I wanted it to be separate from my weight loss blog and from my creative blog. I wanted to be my parenting/family blog. I was couponing at the time and part of a couple fun groups that would give extra coupons or free stuff if I would blog for them. I really did like doing that, but with the economy here in Montana and my hubby being in the construction field (although he is working more than most people in that field), I had to go back to work. I was working for a friend at the time and that kinda turned into more of a problem than a money solution, so we parted ways and I got a job at The Pita Pit!! :)

At first, I was little worried about actually being out in public and working with more than one other person. I had been out of the work force for YEARS! I volunteered and kept busy as a mom and wife, but I really hadn't been on someone else's schedule and had demands from complete strangers in a long time!

My first day I was scared, but excited! But my boss and my co-workers were so easy going and fun to be around. Even with our lunch rushes, we worked as a team and it all got done. We really are a little family there. :) Of course, customer service and food service-period, is a double-edged sword. But, there are more positives than negatives.

I was able to start bringing a paycheck home and it felt so good. :) I also made friends and have met and come into contact with some amazing people. :) My life is richer now than it has been for a while. :)

Another plus? I started losing weight and that felt good. :) Working at The Pita Pit is very physical at times. :) I was worried that working with food would cause me to gain weight. But I have not gained at all! AND...I wore  capris today that were a little tight last year. :) They were comfy! :) So- THAT is nice also! :)

The only downside of working was the fact I didn't really have time to scrapbook and craft like I did and I also didn't have time to blog either. My scrapbooking came to a complete halt. My blogging did also, but I also didn't have a lot to say.

While I was not doing that stuff though, I was watching a lot of Youtube! I started falling in love with vlogging. Vlogging is blogging, but in a video. I have some faves that I really like. Some of them are just funny and some of them are helpful. :)

I wondered to myself if I could ever do that. I figured that maybe if I could, it would be fun. I wasn't sure though what I would even vlog about.

I decided that no matter what I do or what job I work..I will always me a MOM. I thought I should maybe be vlogging about things that would interest moms. :) So, I am hoping that between vlogging and BLOGGING, that I will have some type of fun. :) I hope so anyway.

I have even started a Youtube Channel and hope to get that on this blog also. :) I only have one video on there right now so you aren't missing anything. :)

Thanks for stopping! :) Become a follower and share if you would like. :)