April is Autism Awareness Month

This is a month of awareness that is very dear to my heart. As most of you know that read my blog Ashton is Autistic. He was officially diagnosed around 18 months with Classic Autism, but had clear signs of Autism very very early in life. I won't get into our life story - I just want to raise awareness! =)

This year I chose to show my support by having my nails done in the colors of the autism puzzle piece...

So please, spread the word, donate to Autism organizations, and educate yourselves. With the fast rate of Autism rising chances are you will one day know someone or have a love one that is affected by it!

Two WONDERFUL programs in need of donations:

A.Skate - http://www.askate.org/

Surfers Healing - http://www.surfershealing.org/

Teaching my 8 year old photoshop CS5

We used this photo because, well, it was already up in ps and Amelia looked at it and said "oh, this should be rainbow"! So, I showed her how to add a gradient map layer and she had fun with it. I also showed to how to erase back the seagulls and lower the gradient map opacity ... this is how she liked it =) I think it actually looks really cool.

LEM photo challenge - "Anything"

A few from my week!

It's been a crazy past two weeks. Busy and fun. I really don't have much time to tell you a story, so here is my week in pictures! =)

First my beautiful great niece arrived!

Then we spent the day/evening in Old Town where Ashton found this wonderful hat!

See, isn't she CUTE!

Yes, adorable!

Then Ashton got sick for, oh, about 7 days!

And the kids colored my back window with window crayons! Who knew!?

And the neighbors came over for some fun in the pool

Even though Ashton was sick he tried really hard to enjoy the fun too!

Then we went for a hike it was fun!

Ashton enjoyed the water, of course!

Walking home was a bit frustrating .. kids got LAZY!

Then the kids earned some mulla for ice cream (Thanks generous neighbors)!

Our Tsunami warning!

More from Friday morning .... bye bye ocean!

The fog was insane!

Then we went to the Irish festival - fun, but holy cow was it CROWDED!

Then today Ashton was so CUTE singing sweet noises to me! =)

Well, if you made it this far - thanks. =)

Making that money ...

So, the kids wanted money for the Ice Cream Truck Sunday and I suggested that maybe they should make thier own money, you know, EARN it =) Well, they sure did - they earned $17 dollars.  They ended up not buying from the Ice Cream Truck because he never rolled by. Instead they went to the Ice Cream place and all got a scoop of ice cream. They were even so generous to take along a few other neighbr kids and bring back Ashton (who is very sick right now) some ice cream too!

I heart faces photo challenge: People's Choice-Best Face from February

This was hard seeing I didn't take as many photos as I usually do this month, but I did love this one (I had another picked out but I took it in March). Anyway, this is my sweet niece! I just love her to pieces!!!!

I heart Faces - Fix it Friday

Here is my play on this weeks Fix it Friday. All I did was saturate the colors in everything except his face and arms, added some contrast, slight sharpen, and added some texture!

Original by Dana Suggs Photography -

My edit

 My B/W

My new love ....

I never intended to purchase anything today from the MCX. Actually, I was just browsing the store waiting for the Commissary to open their doors, so I could do a little food shopping. I found myself smelling all the new perfumes that I haven't yet smelled, and well, I just fell in LOVE with this perfume - Very Hollywood by Michael Kors. I wasn't even going to walk out the store with it either (I kept telling myself no .. you don't need more perfume), but it kept dragging me back over to smell it again and again. I am very happy I bought it. It's definalty my new favorite fagrance and the bottle is just so purdy!!!! =) 

Hope

My daughter can be quite the little model at times. This morning she woke up and asked me if we could do a little photo shoot since she had the time AND it was her day off (yes, that came strait from her mouth). Got to LOVE her! Anyway, thought I'd share .. maybe another one (or two) to come later! Have a happy Monday everyone!

Back from Vegas

Here are a few highlights from our trip. I don't normally do the "strip" while we are there (I lived there for a year and it's just some place I try to avoid now). Although, I do stay on the strip as my little man LOVES to stay at the Castle aka Excalibur. My daughter spends most her time with her Great Grandma. Ashton, my son, is too much for my Grandma to handle so I generally do things with him, while Amelia and Great Grandma spend time together. Overall, it was a good trip. I did get hit by a taxi and he took off. Ashton handled the excitement of the trip much better than I expected. Although it wasn't easy by any means! I got to visit and photograph one of my favorite places - the Redrocks. I wished I could have made it out to The Valley of Fire again - next time.

Redrock

Isn't it just gorgeous!? I could photograph this place forever and never get sick of it!

The road on the scenic route in Redrock Canyon

I love this one =) But of course if you've been on my blog or flickr you know I love flare photos!

 Ashton at the Redrocks.

I did try to get him to walk the strip, but all the commotion - people, lights, noises - he started to panic. So we went back to the room where he was happy.

I think I can say this was the highlight of the trip for him! Ha. He LOVES to watch the chicken go round and round.

See - happy (and very loud, lol)

Well, that about sums up the trip. Now I need to go peek around and find some new photo challenges to enter =)