Old Fashioned Western Photo Shoot

I decided to try doing the old fashioned western photos while we were out in the country riding horses with my ex in laws. It was very fitting since they have all the stuff for a western shoot!

WOW

I took this picture thru the windshield of the truck when we were going down the highway with a point and shoot camera! I am amazed at how well it turned out!

Back Country Horse Trip

On Monday I took 3 of the kids and we headed out to my ex in laws place for a couple days visit. I get along well with my ex's parents. They are good to me and my kids.

When I first told Sid that we were going to go and spend 2 days with my ex in laws he said he thought it was a little weird that I get along with them so well. But now he loves them as much as I do. In fact we are going there in October so Sid can do a sheep hunt!

Anyway my father in law took us all out to the back country. My two nephews, the ex's 2 cousins and the girl that works for my father in law were already out at the camp.

We rode for 2 and a half hours before we got to the camp. The scenery was spectacular!

We stayed in camp for 1 full day and then 2 nights on top of that. It was great being out there. The kids had fun playing with their cousins that they didn't get to see much this summer. I had fun cooking on the wood stove with Corrina, the ranch hand that is out there.

The Competitors

Last time Sid was here, Danika was showing him how she had downloaded pacman onto her phone. Sid let her play the Simpson's game on his phone. He showed her how to play. He told her to try and beat his high score.

We went out later that evening and he left his phone with her to try and beat his high score. Well she did. She put her name in his phone as the high score. He was laughing and said now they have a competition!

So at work he called me and said "I beat her!" He asked for her cell phone number and he texted her I BEAT U I BEAT U I BEAT U. She thought that was so funny!

Last night she talked to him on the phone telling him that on Monday (when he comes to town again) she is going to "so own him" because she is going to beat him on the game!

It is funny to watch them with their little competition!

Portraits

This morning my friend brought her daughter who is 13 over for portraits. She had to take an hour to get ready before they could leave. She took so much time and care to get ready, one would think that she would WANT to get her photos done.

Once she got her, she was almost impossible to get a good pose of her! However I was able to get some good ones! I just kept taking pictures and asking her questions and letting her talk!

Paige is a really cool kid! She is so animated and hillarious! I love to joke around with Paige and bug her! So it was a fun photo shoot!

Fort McMurray

I went for a walk while I was in Fort McMurray one afternoon on the weekend. There is a great walking trail that goes around a rather large lake. Well it goes MOST of the way around the lake. Me being me, I HAD to hike the remainder of the way. So I walked thru the bush and along the shore line until I ran into a trail again!

Here are some pictures from my walk!

A New Look at Life

I am going to go out and take a some photos this afternoon. Our hotel is right near a walking trail around the lake. I can't wait to walk it. I am sure there are tons of photo oportunities that are waiting for me out there!

I find this city so beautiful. There is something about the north that I love so much. Twilight is the best up here. I was looking off the balcony last night and I could see tons of things to take photos. Except that I didn't feel that I should be out walking around alone in a strange town at 2am!

Sid and I are planning on walking around the lake tonight after supper. I want to take some photos of him while we are walking.

The kids want to know what he looks like and so does Norine and some of my other friends. I can't wait until he has days off so that we can spend whole days together and not just the evenings. It will be great when he isn't so tired all the time from working 13 hour shifts!

After 4 nights in Fort McMurray I think I should be well rested and very happy that I was with the one person that I love spending time with!

The new person in my life

I have found someone that I like sharing my time with. The kids haven't met him as of yet. They will meet him the next time he is in Edmonton. They know about him but haven't met him yet. There is plenty of time for that.

Sid is such an amazing person. He is so sweet and gentle. Totally different from the other two that I have had experiences with. He doesn't drink, smoke or do drugs. We want the same things in life. He is so gentle and I believe him when he says he will never hurt me. I love hearing that from him...it really puts me at ease.

We haven't been together for long but it feels like we have known each other for years. It is weird how it works like that.

Sid is such a hard worker. Sometimes I think he works too much! He needs to learn to relax and have some fun. That there is more to life than money and what it can buy. I know that he is concerned about not having enough to make ends meet but working that hard isn't good for anyone!

Anyway, I am happier than I have been in a long time. I am so glad that Sid came into my life. I love talking to him and being with him as much as I can.

For Sid!

This picture reminds me of you! I love taking photos of people doing their work on an average day!

Nunie!

Nunie is a little girl that lived across the street from Rosa with her Mom, Dad and baby sister. Nunie is 3 and has so much character. What a beautiful child! Nunie is also very LOUD!!!

I loved teasing Nunie! I kept telling her that her Ball was MY ball. She found a peso on the ground and she said "It's MY peso!" I told her it was mine. She ran across the street and stood on some spiral stairs. She yelled across the street "Hey Lady! I have your peso!" doing a little dance. I kept bugging her until she stuck the peso into her panties! lol

The best was Norine and I were eating chicken that Rosa had made for us. Nunie and Rodolfo were playing around with us while we ate. I gave Nunie some chicken and she asked "what is it?" I told "it's cat" and she was goofing around saying "I love cat!" and it was funny. Then she went to talk to her mom, who was standing on the other side of the wrought iron grate that was in front of Rosa's house. Her mom asked her what she was eating and she opened her mouth for her mom to see the contents. She asked what is it? Nunie said "It's CAT!". I was sure her mom was going to lose it!

Rosa's House

Jose took us to meet his sister and her family. What a wonderful woman Rosa is! She has 3 older kids who are very sweet. The oldest is Angela and she is 18, Junior is 16 and Robbie is 15. Rosa also takes care of Jose's youngest son, Rodolfo.

I took so many pictures of our time at Rosa's house. Rosa cooked for us almost every day. She always made so much food. She made fresh cherry juice everyday and it was to die for! It was more like a fresh fruit slush than anything else!

La Playa or The Beach

When we first got to the hotel we walked the block to the beach. It was great! I took these pictures with my little point and shoot camera.

We had fun walking on the rocks out into the water. It was cool when the waves came in....litterally!

The Airport

I'm sure Norine thought that I was the WORST travel partner EVER on the way to the Dominican. I slept in the car on the way to Calgary. I slept on the plane to Toronto. I slept in the Toronto airport (see picture above...Norine is not the best photographer but I love her just the same :) ) and I slept on the plane from Toronto to Puerto Plata! On the way I didn't sleep much at all so I think she was happier on that leg of the trip!

Dominican In April Trip!

We went to the Dominican in April and I have been having a hard time downloading photos onto blogger. I am hoping to have them all up and running soon. As well I have been having issues with my desk top computer where all my photo editing software is. It is really bugging me to even look at my pictures and KNOW that I can't alter them at all until the desk top is fixed! GRRRRRR

Anyway....haven't taken many photos. I went to Fort McMurray for the weekend and I had a great time. In my rush out the door I forgot to take my point and shoot camera. After I got there I was really kicking myself because I had plenty of opportunity to take some amazing shots.

I am off to the same place next weekend and the camera gear IS COMING!!! I can't wait to spend some time on the trails taking photos. Just mundane things I'm sure but none the less fun for me!

Things are going well for me. I am enjoying my new job and my a new friend in my life. More about that in the future ;)

Update on Me

This post is not photo related but it will explain my absence!

I recently took on a job with Catalyst Services working on a catalyst truck in the oilfield. I am loving the job so far.

I did a week and 3 days of training. Then I worked last Thursday and Friday in the shop. It wasn't super hard work and I like the people that I work with. They are really nice guys!

This week I am working at the Petro Canada plant. My first real out of the shop job and I can't wait! The guy that is going to the orientation with me is really nice. I can't wait to learn all there is to learn about the job!

Country side pictures

The Countryside

The second day we were there, we rented a jeep and Jose took us to visit his mother in the countryside. She lives 5 km from Puerto Plata but it takes 40 minutes to get there because the road there is so bad. It is up a steep hill for parts and the road is what most would consider a mountain bike trail not a road for cars and motorbikes!

It is amazing that people live out there. We passed a cemetary on the way. That was interesting! We passed a school and several small stores out there.

Jose's mother is such a sweet woman. She has nothing but she will give you whatever she has! She cooked for us while we were there. Jose's two oldest boys live with his mother, along with his brother and his uncle. They live in a tiny little 3 bedroom house. Each bedroom has 2 beds in it and not much else. The kitchen is outside the house just a couple steps out the door.

Jose bought his mother a gas oven but she is terrified to use the gas so she still cooks on a fire in the kitchen all the time.

Packing

I'm packing for my trip to the Dominican Republic. I was frantically trying to make sure that I had all my camera gear ready to go for the trip. I have to remember to buy AA batteries for my flashes! I have all my lenses and my point and shoot. My waterproof pouch is in the bag!

I can't wait to take photos and such while I am gone. I have a list of things that I want to take photos of while we are there!

I found a great place to go stay for a week while we are there in November. It is in the jungle and would be a great place for photo oportunities!

I want to get some more photos on the plane and in the airport!

His Love

Axel is going to be 7 in a couple weeks. His passion lately is video games. He has gotten really good at a skateboarding game that we have for Gamecube. He spends alot of his time playing this game.

I love seeing his little hands work the huge controller when he is playing! He just knows what buttons to push to get the people to do what he wants them to. His hands have become so adept at using the controllers in the last little while.

A Special Day

On Tuesday I got a call from my father in law. He asked if I would watch my two nephews that lived with me when they were small. I said I would love to. So they came over at 4:30 on Wednesday. They slept over and Grandma came and picked all 6 kids up at 1pm on Thursday to take them out to her house.

I have not seen much of these two little boys in 6 years. They are great kids! Their Dad and his wife are doing a wonderful job raising them!

It was fun having 5 rambunctious little boys and 1 girl in the house!