An Attempt

At trying to get my 2 year old to pose for me. It didn't go as I planned. For some reason I got this crazy notion that she would pose and smile pretty for mommy. -- Wrong! I kept clickin' away in hopes of getting a good shot, these are what I came up with. Cooperable or not, she's still my little beauty.

A Couple of my New Favorite Things

I finally broke down and bought some seamless background paper (just a small roll)... love it, favorite thing # 1. Today I got it out (after having it for little over a week now) to get some pictures with it, and got favorite thing #2.. this new picture of Lilly. Needless to say, I gotta get me some more seemless paper and play some more.



And while I'm at it here is a few recent shots. I got these using a "poor mans macro lens" (the end lens from a pair of binoculars taped to my lens kit [check out how to do it yourself here: http://digital-photography-school.com/forum/how-i-took/69750-binocular-trick-no-macro-lens-no-problem.html])

My Family

My Family, originally uploaded by stephgallipeau.

Its was a lot harder than it shows through in the picture to get this shot. Thank god for my remote. I was quite proud that I did so well without actually being in front of the camera. I was also a little impressed with myself with the pose. =) Anywho Id just like to say I love my family... they put up with so much of my mess when it comes to my photography, and god love them for that!

2 Years

"If your brother will give us his okay, will you give me a chance?" - the rest is [a mess] of history. I fell in love with my brothers' best friend and found my soul mate. No one thought we would last, no one thought we should be together. And they felt they had the right reasons; he was 18 and I was 23 with 3 children. Heck, that even gave me hesitation at first, but something stronger was pulling us together... fate. And 2 years later those same people who thought we wouldn't even make it a year can see we truely are perfect for each other. Daniel honestly is my other half. No other person has completed me and made as happy as he has. There were a couple times in my past that I thought I had found "the one" but no one has come close in comparison to Daniel. We have the same personality with enough difference to keep both of us on our toes. We make each others life fun, we put our family above everything else and we dont care what any one else thinks. This is honestly the happiest I have ever been in my life and people close to me can see that. "There is someone for everyone" is what people say and I just happen to be one of those lucky ones that found my perfect "someone."

Daniel,

I love you and I am so glad that everything worked out the way it did two years ago. Without you in my life I don't know where I would be. In just these 2 short years we have come so far. Even though I had a life before you, it seems like you were always there. Maybe because we were meant to be and God knew we would find our way to each other. I've loved in the past, but I've never loved anyone as much as I do you. This may only be our 2nd year together, but I know there will be so many more and I can't wait for each day of our future. You truely are my soul mate and I think you know that! --I la u-- Forever Yours, Steph

"Once in a while right in the middle of an ordinary life love gives you a fairytale."

Daddy - Daughter Photo Shoot

So for Father's Day, I took Danny and Lilly out and did a photo shoot with them. I just love my models. The whole day it was cloudy and looked like it could storm any minute. At one point it was even sprinkling, they were good sports and we just went on with the shoot anyways. Once we got home, guess what... yup the sprinkling stopped and the sun came out bright and pretty! Just my luck. Oh well, I didnt have to fight the harsh sun while trying to get my 4 month old teething baby to stop chewing on her thumb long enough to look at the camera! That in itself was hard enough. Well without any futher ado, here they are.

A storyboard of a few of the shots I took. [Yes he's acting like she's a football] =)

Here are a few of just the hubby, I tried some different processing on a couple of these. Hope they look okay.

Wordle

So a fellow photographer found this site and shared it with us. I thought it was pretty cool, so I did a "word cloud" of some of the words I think describe me. Check it out and check out the site and make your own. http://www.wordle.net/

This other one is just words from my blog. Turned out kinda cool, looks like a bow!

Lillian - 3 months

Awake, originally uploaded by stephgallipeau.

Oh Marley!

Oh Marley!, originally uploaded by stephgallipeau.

You'd think I'm crazy to take on a 6 month old puppy when I'm already raising 4 kids. Well I didn't think so... at first. But let me tell you this dog is my 5th child! I love this pup and I'm already attached after 3 weeks, but oh Marley you are a handful! For the first week and a half, in true puppy form he wasn't house trained. With my house smelling.. well.. not so fresh and having to clean something up everytime I turned around or yelling "Marley it's a sock/shirt/milk carton, not a chew toy I began to wonder "Why on earth did we get a dog?" I guess he sensed my weariness because after that first week and a half.. no more accidents. Despite the occasional stolen toys he takes from the kids rooms to chew on or the attempts at nibbling their food, he is wonderful with the kids. Couldn't of asked for a gentler dog for them. And it's so cute to watch them all interact. Especially when he's trying to keep up Maddie, running along side of her with his legs that are probably shorter than Lilly's. I love that as soon as we walk through the door he is happily there to greet us. I think it's so cute that he knows when it's bed time and follows us to the bedroom to lay down on his bed that is right next to ours. While this dog makes me repeat "Oh Marley, why?" several times a day... I think we'll all be just fine. He is the 7th member of our already crazy family!

Updating My Blog

Fantasy-ish!!!, originally uploaded by stephgallipeau.

So I've been MIA from the blogging world lately due to the joys of mother & wife-hood. I've been working on my photography and editing skills also. With the weather getting warmer I have more opportunities to get out and take more pictures. So with that I really plan on giving my blog a little more tlc too. So if youre by chance a reader and I'm not just "talking" to myself on here, I'd love to hear from ya.

My "Little" 8 Year Old

My "Little" 8 Year Old, originally uploaded by stephgallipeau.

Wrote on 5.18.09 : At this time (about 10am) 8 years ago, I laid in a hospital bed in labor 17 years old and terrified! I really had no idea how I was going to take care of a child, I was still one myself. But 9 months earlier I had to make the biggest decision of my life when I found out I was pregnant at 16. And if I had to go back and do it again, I wouldnt change my decision. Yeah, life hasn't been easy, but it hasnt been terribly bad either. I know that I was brought into this world to become a mom and even though I had a very early start to motherhood I have loved EVERY moment of it. Eight years ago when I sat in that bed I had so much support. A lot of which I still have to this day and I am so thankful for. My parents have been my backbone (even with the sighs I hear everytime i say "guys, Im pregnant again!") No matter who has come and gone in my life they have never given up on me and im sure there were times when they could have. And this is what I have tried to do and plan on always doing for my four beautiful children. I have learn what it is to be a good parent from them and I hope they know how much I do appreciate them. Eight years ago I had been alive in this world for 17 years but it wasn't until 6 o' clock pm on May 18th 2001 when I first held my goregous baby boy Dylan that I began living. That kid is one of the smartest, most creative, sweetest little boys I've ever know and I am so proud to be his mom. I am greatful everyday I wake up to his cute smile and have to yell at him to stop watching cartoons and get ready for school! He's my only boy and no matter how much he can drive me crazy.. I love that boy more than anything else. And within the 8 years that I gave birth to him I have given him 3 sisters whom I love just as equally. I have everything I want in life. I have four amazing kids, an amazing husband - who if I might remind you is only the biological father to one of my children but loves and take care of the other 3 as his own and considers them just as much his children as his own- and I have a great family. I couldn't be happier. And it all started with a scared teenager laying in a hospital bed holding a beautiful bundle of joy who was named Dylan Wesley B. Mommy loves you bubba. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!