Goooooo Yankees! (or Happy Anniversary)

I joke often and say that my husband is a New York Yankees fan because he is Puerto Rican and it is required by his culture. I then have to chuckle at myself because I am a Yankees fan by marriage. I knew nothing of baseball before we married, but I am well versed now. I have actually watched games for my husband during various deployments to Iraq, so I could report back to him about the game. I follow standings and schedules. We are a Yankees family, plain and simple.

So, it was only natural when we discovered the Yankees were going to play the Texas Rangers IN Texas ON our 7th anniversary ON a federal holiday, we had to get tickets. The best tickets available. No expense spared, for this was going to be only the second time we had ever seen the Yankees play live. Section 23, behind home plate, row 32, in the shade the whole game, seats 10 and 11, near the edge of the row with leg room. It was absolutely wonderful!

Oh, and the Yankees won, 11-1. In true Yankee fashion.

Johnny Damon, number 18, outfielder, at bat:

Alex Rodriguez, number 13, 3rd Base, at bat:

Derek Jeter, number 2, Shortstop, at bat:

Mark Teixeira, number 25, 1st Base and former Texas Rangers, sliding in for yet another run:

And the real story of the day, Phil Hughes' pitching. He allowed only three hits through 8 innings and 100 pitches thrown. Quite a performance!

I ♥ Faces Contest, Week 20 :: Silhouette

Week 20 at iHeartFaces and we are confronted with the challenge of capturing a silhouette. I was fortunate to get this fun one of Karyn after our hot air balloon ride on Thursday. I was struggling with a great child entry, but happily, the rules are changed this week, allowing only ONE picture! I am saved.  But I am sure there will be more fabulous entries if you head on over:

(Technical Details: Canon 40D, 24-70mm/2.8L lens at 40mm, ISO 500, shutter 1/2500, f/13, manual mode, edited in Photoshop CS3)

As a Friday Fix-It Contributor, I cannot be considered for a win, but I have to say I am learning as much as anyone else by participating in each week's challenge!

Up, Up and Away :: Round Rock Photographer

Clear skies, light wind, 5 am phone call from the balloon pilot to say the flight was a go. And go we did...up to about 2400 feet in Willie Nilly, the festively colored hot air balloon piloted by David Smuck, owner of Austin Aeronauts. Only a week late, my mom's birthday present of a hot air balloon ride was magnificent, affording beautiful sunrise aerial views of Round Rock and the Austin skyline. For only the second time in five years, the balloon sailed right over Interstate 35 and all the morning rush hour traffic. I would describe balloon flight as gentle, amazing, and a great way to start any day!

A shot of everyone in the basket...there was no way not to get to know one another as it was pretty close quarters! This couple actually got engaged during the flight! I had my suspicions as soon as we pulled up to the launch site and saw they had arrived in separate cars. Karyn Kuniyuki, fabulous friend and photographer, was not shy in discreetly asking the fellow if he was going to propose. He said yes and Karyn and he set up a signal so she could sneak some pictures of the special moment. A gorgeous ring. Gorgeous! Best of luck to you both!

(Following image courtesy of Karyn)

In proper ballooning tradition, after returning to earth, we shared in a toast, champagne and croissants.

Let's Go Fly a Kite :: Round Rock Photographer

Nature likes to throw curve balls. Like too much wind when you have a hot air balloon ride planned for your mom's special birthday. Or rain when you have planned an outdoor breakfast picnic in lieu of the balloon ride. But Mother Nature could not foil our quest for adventure and played right into our hand with all the delightful wind she blew about last Thursday.

When given lemons, make lemonade. Or, when given wind, go fly a kite!

I ♥ Faces Contest, Week 19 :: Blurb Photo Book

iHeartFaces is doing something a bit different this week. Entries into one of two categories, Professional and Beginner/Amateur, will be considered for inclusion in an iHeartFaces book published by Blurb. If you have any interest in making your own digital photo album, Blurb is the place to look! Full of inspiration to get you started, their products look absolutely wonderful.

Here are the rules and BENEFITS to this week's contest:

1) There will be two categories (Professionals and Amateurs.) You will only be able to enter one of them. One winner will be chosen from each category and then we will have a special "Readers Choice" winner as well. All three of these winners will receive a free copy of our I♥ Faces photo book from Blurb.

2) All participants whose photos are chosen to be in this book will receive photographer's credit for their photo and 10% off the purchase price of the book.

And the best part for me this week: I get to compete! I can be counted! And it really does makes the selection process harder. I can't wait to see all the other standout pictures this week and I just know the Blurb Book is going to be spectacular!

"I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥Faces web sites."

Family :: Harker Heights Photographer

My sisters and I all married military men. Therefore, we all live in different states. One is in a different time zone and will be in a different country shortly. We are used to this separation, which makes us treasure the together times that much more. Happily, we were able to share a few days while we celebrated our mom's, er, 29th birthday!

The cousins had fun getting to know one another better, the aunts had fun playing with other children, and the nieces and nephews loved the attention lavished upon them by people other than their own parents. It was a great occasion and I am so happy to share these pictures of my beautiful family.

I ♥ Faces Contest, Week 18 :: Laughter

This week is particularly fun over at iHeartFaces because it is all about LAUGHTER. Show your guffaws, your smiles, your silliness...and even better than showing us, show the very popular Pioneer Woman (aka Ree Drummond), this week's Guest Judge! So she will be looking at the shots this week. Intimidating? A bit. But how cool.

Click the button below and join the fun!

:: CHILD ENTRY ::

:: ADULT ENTRY ::

I contribute to Fix it Fridays, so I cannot compete for a win, but I can certainly share in the fun!

$0.42 a Gallon :: Nix, Texas

I ♥ Faces Contest, Week 17 :: Hats

The contest continues at iHeartFaces with a theme of Hats. Knowing how many crazy hats we have in our house alone, I can only imagine what all the fine participating photographers from around the world found in THEIR houses! Click the button below to see other entries or to enter your own:

:: CHILD ENTRY ::

My daughter was a chicken for Halloween. This picture was taken months after Halloween. She just really loved her chicken hat. And froggy boots. 

:: ADULT ENTRY ::

This image was taken on the streets of Austin as my husband and I rushed from a parking garage to the hotel where his unit's Ball was being held. Yes, even in formal attire, I am armed with my camera. Because I can manage to get pictures like this:

As a Contributor to Friday Fix-Its, I am ineligible for a win, but not ineligible to participate. So participate I do!

The Better to See You :: Harker Heights Baby Photographer

All I saw were eyes. Huge, magnificent blue eyes. Oh, I also, fleetingly, noticed some kissable, pinchable baby cheeks. What a beauty!