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Today's Daily Shoot assignment is "Go for an unusual point of view and make a photograph that can only be made from that viewpoint." Well, I don't know if this is a particularly unusual viewpoint, but it's the best vantage point to see how Molly is cradling her face. She either sleeps like this - with her face cradled by one paw - or she crosses her front feet and rests her chin on them. She's a funny girl. 

Yesterday, after all that playing at Nana's, she came home and found her cushion. At that time it was just tossed in my bedroom - not its normal place - but she went in and went to sleep on it like it was bedtime. I guess she wore herself out! Apparently she wasn't the only one. Last night is the first night in years that we did not have to reprimand the boys for talking after it was sleep time. I guess 3-4 hours of sledding will wear a body out!

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Well, it’s been a very, very busy Tuesday, and I didn’t get a dedicated “texture” photo…but here’s some nice texture! My sweet son Dale bought these roses for me last night. Not only did he see roses and decide to buy me some, but he thought it out – one rose was $3.98. A dozen was $12.98. A dozen was a better deal, so I got a dozen! Good boy!

Here’s a storyboard I just had to put together. Molly is learning to obey, and she now stays in the yard when the kids leave for school, but she doesn’t do it happily.
 
She’s really turning into a great dog. Whew!

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I snapped this shot quickly this morning because I thought it was cute…then I played with some freebies from Totally Rad Actions, and I decided I really liked the photo! Molly is so tolerant, and Kristi just adores her!

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It’s snapshot Sunday, and I thought it was time to take some shots of the youngest member of our family…

This is Molly. She’s a sweetie, even if she did pull all the clean laundry out of my chair so she could curl up in it. She could have at least folded the laundry first.

(If I lay my ears back a bit will you not be mad about the clothes on the floor?)

(Okay, I’ve been cute, I’ve been apologetic…can I have that Goldfish cracker now?)

Day 364

Sunday snaps! Here are a few snapshots of my boys and Molly playing a game. The game is called 5,000, and the point is to get 5,000 points by catching the ball at the time the thrower calls it – either in the air, bounced off the ground, or whatever. Dale was throwing while I was watching, and I saw Andrew get points, and I saw Austin get points, but Molly didn’t seem to understand all the rules. She seemed to be under the impression that she would gain points by grabbing the ball and running with it. The boys didn’t give her points for that. Dale did say that she got 5,000 points during one round because she got the ball on the ground.

In that first shot, notice that there is a boy on the ground with Molly. They were fighting over the ball. I guess she untied his shoe in the midst of the fracas. I love that she plays like “one of the boys.”

Day 336

Just another Sunday snapshot today…but this one cracks me up. This photo doesn’t tell its own story, so I’ll have to share it with you. As you may have noticed over the last year, Kristi sometimes gets funny things in her head, and her newest one involves Molly. Her new favorite game is “Molly, make a dog face!” She usually says it two or three times, then praises Molly for making a dog face. lol. She then moves on to her next activity, but she comes back pretty soon to have Molly make another dog face.

On the rare occasions when Molly won’t “make a dog face” Kristi has found that she can tempt her with a few pieces of dog food and Molly will make the appropriate face. I’m so glad Molly’s training is in good hands.

Day 335

We spent the afternoon at Nana’s house. She made a delicious meal, and then the kids played all over her 2 acres. It was a fun afternoon!

Day 313

Here’s a shot I took of my youngest boys and my new bench. And Molly – she’s so cooperative. Hmph.

And here’s a shot I took of Caleb asleep…I love the way he copes. He doesn’t like to sleep alone, so he makes sure he’s not alone…

Oh, and one more note about Caleb and his funniness…those marks on the wall were made by him. He scribbled on the wall with crayon, and those are the marks that the Magic Eraser couldn’t erase. For the longest time he was afraid of the “skeletons” on his wall – even though he had put them there himself!

Day 310

I tried to go for a photowalk this evening. Hmph. It rained on me. But I did take a shot of this little house I love. I’ve taken several shots…

From today…

Last fall…
 

A couple years ago…
 
(I didn’t want to get close enough for the “framing the house” shot today because it was obvious that someone was home.)

This shot was taken while Molly and I waited out the worst of the rain. There was a clap of thunder and she looked towards it – see how huge her eye is? I don’t think she cares for thunder.

Day 259

I thought it was time to chronicle the daily tasks of a superdog.

After the trip outside for the necessary bathroom/bark break Superdog must have her nap.

Superdog takes a moment or two to check for scraps, then settles in as the sentry.

(That’s her alert look. ‘Thought you might need to be told.)

After a few more minutes of flopping from side to side and watching children pass by it’s time for speed bump duty.

All of that work is exhausting. By the time the kids have gone to bed, Superdog must rest.

Day 226

Just a few snaps today…I didn’t get creative with photos because it was a very busy day! We spent a few minutes outside visiting with our great neighbor, Vance. (That link will take you to a blog that explains why he’s a great neighbor.) His dog, Shady, seems to believe that she’s the queen of the universe, and she wanted Molly to know it. I snapped a couple shots of the two dogs making tentative attempts to be buds. As long as Molly understood that Shady was queen, all was good.

Day 183

I loved how Molly was “cradling” her own face…she’s such a funny girl. At this particular moment, most of the kids were outside playing and I think she was pouting that she wasn’t out there too. (I don’t know why she wasn’t.)

Day 109

Amanda, I want you to know that YOU are the reason I'm posting today. It has been a crazy, busy, whirlwind, exhausting day, and I was just going to make an excuse and put it off. But I saw your comment on my Facebook status, and decided I couldn't possibly let you down. :-)

So here is Fancy...we were going for a cute shot of Fancy and Molly, but Molly licked Fancy's tongue, and Fancy wouldn't pose with her anymore. ROFL!!!

This was pre-lick...

This was after Molly was banished...

I didn't take the time to make sure my lights were just right, or even use my reflector. Fancy wasn't really into posing, and I was too tired to try to get it done in the time I had. I can see all sorts of things I would fix if I did it again. Oh well...that's a task for another day. 

Day 48

Winter has finally arrived in Western Montana. And it all came at once. We got snow (only about 1 1/2 inches) and cold together. Right now it's 9 degrees F, and with the wind it feels more like -3. It's cold outside! Which means I'm not traipsing out there looking for my leading lines challenge photo, and I'm just going to have to make do with something I've already taken (I'm not happy with any of them).

But while I was playing around trying to get a "leading lines" photo, I snapped a shot of my mischievous littlest man, and my ever-patient dog.

And I had to get a shot of him without his cast...he's all healed up, although the doctor said no sledding for 2 weeks. Waaaah! That's no fair when we finally have snow!

Snowy lines
 

Fiery lines

Day 40

Yet another day of no great photos! But I did take a whole series of shots of Caleb playing with Molly. He was "hiding" from her (that's why his head is tucked in), and then "peekabooing" at her. She thought it was great fun! She rolled and licked and played happily!

(As always, if you click on the image you can see how really terrible the photos are. lol.)

This great template was another freebie from Jenn at DesignbyJenn! Thanks Jenn!!