Capturing the IT photo!

So here's the deal.

I love taking photos.

I especially love photographing people.

I like capturing moments, emotions and 

feelings if that is really possible.

When I am photographing a subject 

my only goal

is to try to capture their soul. 
I am not greedy or selfish.
I only want for that one photo.
That one photo that stops you in your tracks,
draws you in, pulls at your heart,
and causes you to say, 
OH MY GOODNESS
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
YEP THAT'S THE PHOTO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
All the mamas out there know
what I am talking about.
The photo that you say, "That is my child!"

The ONE photo that I call IT!

IT is magical!

IT takes your breath away!

IT is truly beautiful!

It is not easy capturing the IT photo.
You need to be patient really patient.
You will need to be funny, silly, serious, quick, 
quirky, spontaneous, premeditated and clever 
all at the same time especially with children.
As a photographer you have to have many tricks up your sleeve
or lots of smarty candies, goldfish or gummy bears.
Whatever it takes right?

It means stooping as low as using potty talk
with teenagers! The kind of potty talk that
enthralls a 3rd grader at recess.
Things like,
"Does Santa toot or poop?"
Super intelligent stuff like that really gets a
17 year old to break out in laughter
not because you are funny but because
they think you are legit crazy!
It's the shock value you are looking for.
Be ready to click away as soon as
you release the crazy talk.
It is your only shot!
It releases all inhibitions for about 5 seconds
and then you go to the other tricks
up your stuffed sleeve. Yes you do have to stoop
to a new low but trust me
when I say that it will be worth it
when you hit the editing room!

I decided to do this post and share 

some of my IT photos 

of some of the beautiful souls 
I have been privileged to capture and spend time
with even for a little while.

May your days be blessed with many

IT

Moments!

Mama's Chicken Salad

I am a freak when it comes to 

chicken salad!

I am very picky and I know what I like

and I definitely know what I don't like.

I prefer to make my own and I have quite a few

versions depending on my mood.

Today I was thinking I could be a little healthy

and I added some perky cranberries and some nuts.

I surprisingly traded a second slice of bread for some 

yummy smushed avocado! 

I have to admit it was pretty clever of me!

The avocado really kicked it up a notch!

Oh Yeah!

Mama's Healthy Chicken Salad

4 boneless & skinless organic chicken breast

2 stalks of celery chopped

1/2 cup of dried cranberries 

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

2 Tbls of finely diced white onion

2-3 Tbls of Mayo

1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

I like to cook my chicken in my cast iron skillet 
with a little olive oil.

I season my chicken with salt and pepper.

I do like it just a tad crispy around the edges so halfway 

thru the cooking, I will cut up the pieces

so it has a chance to crisp up a little. 

Mama has been known to add some of the yummy drippings

left in the pan to the mayo mixture 
before adding the chicken to it.

(Don't tell anyone!)

YUM!

Let the chicken cool and then dice it up and set aside.

In a small bowl add the mayo, vinegar and 
drippings if you dare!

In a big bowl mix the chicken, celery, onions, 
pecans and cranberries.

Mix in the mayo mixture and salt and pepper.

Toss it all around and 
get it into the frig so it is nice and cold.

Scoop it on top of a nice salad, 

load it up in a wrap 

or slap it on some yummy bread!

There ya go!

Enjoy!

Go HERE for more of Mama's Recipes!

HOPELESS WANDERER

Sharing a post from 

Baby Girl #2's Blog Today

HOPELESS WANDERER

by Isabella Nucci

“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”-C.S. Lewis

I think we are all searching for something. Whipping our heads side to side, rapidly trying to see something greater than ourselves, greater than the people around us. We want that extra-ordinary, that something that stands above the ordinary and mediocrity of our daily. But I am essentially just a hopeless wanderer. I’m searching for something that doesn’t exist, but yet I still search for it, holding on to the faintest idea that there might be a glimpse of it somewhere, anywhere, near or far. My heart pulls me like a chain and by it I follow, letting it lead me to the ends of the earth, continuing my search for what does not exist and instead becoming a hopeless wanderer, treading upon empty ground. I am often plagued by my undying desire to know more, to see more, to search for the answers, to end my wandering and come to a conclusion to this never ending desire that I feel within to know.
We are all a little confused, just a little lost, but we cannot forget that we have each other. In this dark path where we look for the stars we blindly grope for a hand, a hand not to guide us, no, no, but to walk along side us, searching together.
There is one thing I know for sure, however, it is that even when we feel overburdened by our lack of conclusion, when we are tired and our feet are heavy from this inconclusive journey, this hopeless wandering, we cannot give up. For there is a reason for this journey. I know that we will learn something, even though it may be easy to just end the darkness, to give up on this journey, there is truth along the path, like little puzzle pieces to the mystery of this life, that along the path and in our wandering we can come closer and closer to finding the stars. As long as we just don’t give up, or rather give in.

But as for you? Now that is for you to decide as to whether what you are searching for renders you a hopeless wanderer. 
But I can promise you this, I will hold your hand through it all.