We do love the music!

   I have always tried to encourage my love of music to my kids. I do believe it is something that feeds my soul. The possibilities are endless, and no two songs ever have to be the same. It is mind blowing. I love all types of music. I cut my teeth on the Rolling Stones, I get the "Led" out, I can have a Hard Days Night and still, I Feel Fine, thanks to the Beatles, and there is plenty more where that came from. It was very varied lol. Born in the late seventies and really growing up in the eighties and nineties, you would think I would feel jipped on some iconic music. But dig deep enough and there is some really great stuff in those decades too. What impresses me more than listening to music is watching it be made.

   I have a great ear for good music. But there is something deep and kindred about watching someone "make" music. To see an inanimate object come to life and fill the air with its song, it is nothing short of amazing. I once had an up and coming singer who performed at a local coffee house come up to me and say thank you for my "undivided attention" lol. I was just blown away at how his fingers just flew over the strings! I sort of felt like a stalker. But I guess it made him feel like he did something really good. Hopefully he wasn't creeped out lol.

   Anyway, Biggest did her stint with the violin. Taught by the fabulous Mr. Lister. And yes, I love his name. He went on to retire, much to her dismay so she didn't go back. Now Middle has grabbed on to the cello. Oh how I love the cello. It is so deep and soulful. Today is her first day of practice at school. If you haven't had a chance to check out the Etowah County Youth Orchestra, so do! What an amazingly talented group of kids. They do class twice a week at school called beginner strings. An awesome thing for kids to do!

   This is Middle's cello baby for the year. She is very pretty! She's a modest gal and doesn't want to show too much of her body :) Just like she should be!

 

A few more changes

  I mentioned in a previous blog post, and on my facebook page that there would be some big changes coming to Brooke Bikneris Photography. We had a few things pending, so making those decisions really couldn't be put into action until a few big questions were answered. The major question was about my husband's job and if we would be moving. Praise the LORD he got  new job, and we won't have to move for it. It's hard to make decisions that are best for your business if you don't know where that business is going to be, location wise.

   Some of the things that are changing are my prices. Some are session types that I will offer. The things that bang around in my mind are endless. And I am finding my way in incorporating these things into my business. I will be offering new products to my clients as well. These things are in effect now. Please go to my website to see the updates. www.brookebiknerisphotography.com

   Sincerely looking forward to what will be going on the rest of the year and for a banging 2012!
   

Narrowing it down

   I have been actively pursuing a photography business for a year, nearly on the nose. Over that time, I haven't really taken the time to REALLY photograph my girlies for a portrait of their own. I mean, I have taken their pictures, but I wanted to do something specific. I had all these ideas. But frankly, I just want one picture of the three of them together. So I am on a quest. I am taking a challenge. This is the first photograph that I will be putting into the hat of which photo will actually go on the wall. It may be a canvas, it may be a metal print. I haven't made up my mind yet. It is exhausting trying to get my OWN kids to take a picture for me. What is it about your own kids?

  I also have to pick two portraits to display in a local salon. They love supporting the arts, and do so by having local artists display their work, and I will be the first photographer to do so. It is very hard to decide which ones will be picked. If I know me, I will lose sleep over it.

Here is the product of today!

Pet week at I Heart Faces

This weeks challenge at I Heart Faces is Pet Week.

This is my entry ~ Wee Little Pippa.
Pip is a whopping 4 pounds now. We adopted her from the local humane society when she was 12ish weeks old and a pound and a half! We love her to bits!

This photo was entered into the I Heart Faces photo challenge – www.iheartfaces.com

How can you spark a passion for conservation in your kids?

   I am a HUGE lover of animals. And consequently, so are my kids (and the honey has been recruited as well). Conservation is a whole other "animal". What makes someone care about something they usually only read about? Is reading about it enough? I don't think so. These are some old pictures from earlier this year in Gatlinburg, Tennessee at the Ripley's Aquarium. I am a lover of experiences. And we have always gone to the "touch" pools to feel what we normally never get to feel. This started when I was 18. We had already graduated and my friend and I flew for the first time, out to California to stay with her aunt. I was determined from then on, I would try something new that I had never experienced on each trip I went on. That trip resulted in a tattoo (given by a small, blue haired man named "Soup Bone" ~ apparently he was given the nickname since the giver said he was no bigger than a soup bone) and a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There I felt sting rays for the first time, and sea cucumbers (gross~ola). I have been hooked on breaking out of my comfort  zone, if even in a small way, and trying something new ever since! I try to be conservative as much as possible. If you are friends of mine at all on facebook, you will see all the rescue posts...I just can't help it. If it just saves one animal it is worth it. Even the tat from Cali is a Ridley Green Sea Turtle. Endangered. One day I WILL have chickens, and they will be of the heritage variety - if I can save it, shame on me if I don't. That is my philosophy anyway. 

   So I try hard to get my girls into doing new things. And after looking at the pictures again, I can see the spark of passion for these sea creatures written all over Biggest's face. It was just me and her that day. We were on a trip with The Dreamcatchers Troupe ~ they performed at Country Tonight! And even though the place was packed, we were so engrossed in touching those rays that it felt like we were the only ones there. It felt like a rock concert. And we could have stayed all day. Middle and Little LOVE the parrots at Birmingham Zoo. They love to feed the little Conures the cups of nectar.

   While I am a HUGE advocate for giving animals their space and not crowding them or teasing them (disclaimer ~ I AM that woman that if I catch your kids running around, chasing the peacocks at the zoo, I will get all over them for it, if you don't want me to, WATCH YOUR KIDS). I also appreciate the opportunities to connect with them in a personal way. It goes so much deeper, and has so much more meaning. I am very thankful that my kids can too. How do you spark a passion for something in your kids? Everyone needs a passion for something.

When the kids are away...

   The dogs will play. Little Pippa. She was quite upset to see Biggest get on the bus this morning. She has had zero "my bed" privileges for awhile now. But since she kept looking for Biggest, I let her get on the bed with my walking shag carpet, Angus. Pippa is all of 4 pounds now. And is a punk. Plain and simple. Angus has the patience of a saint. She pulls on his ears, on his tail, slaps him around even. Googie just takes it. So what happens when the kids are away? Well, the dogs will play, of course!

  Pippa and Angus having a Monday morning Smack Down.


     This is the nest that Pippa made. I thought great, she is going to curl up and sleep all morning. WRONG.

   Taking a breather.

   This is Angus' tail.  

   Slow and steady wins the race. But Pippa is going to sleep well tonight!

Sassy

   I am entering this particular photo I took at the very beginning of my photographic journey in a Photo Challenge for Evoking You. It is their very first one. The theme is "Sassy". Yeah, I think she is :) This is "Middle". Before she cut her long blonde hair. She is my Sister Golden Hair Suprise. She is sass to the core. And she rocks it!

Thanks for having this theme, Evoking You. It made me dig this one out of disc storage. What says sassy more than graffiti and lollipops?