Practice, practice, practice!

Yesterday at the Solomon Ward in Mesa, AZ. a few of us got to practice taking posed family shots.

The ward held a chili cook-off with families invited to participate in a free photo shoot. Two gals, Emily and Terri, did the brunt of the work, but I got a few shots off.

Emily's dad brought in some umbrella strobes that provided supplemental help with our strobes to overrule the ghastly fluorescent light in the cultural hall. The gal in charge arranged for western props, and we used quilts as a backdrop. I was quite happy with the outcomes although I did not get any "poppers" among my shots.

Here is one I was comfortable with:

Retire Maybe

If I can hold on, retirement will be a possibility next June. Not guaranteed, just a possibility.

First I have to survive the start of a new school year. This year we return in August instead of July. Well, a new grandchild is due in early August. SoldierBoy is due back from his third event in Iraq in mid-August. Then SailorBoy is saying his "I do's" in late August in Orlando, Fl. . Somehow, I am supposed to be teaching during all of this. One blessing from all of this will be that the 6 of us in our family will finally be together in one place for the first time in four or five years. Hooray for that promise!

Then, I face the task of enduring 45 long weeks with fifth and sixth grade students who have minimal to moderate interest in school.

At least I will have all of this time to prepare myself for the time when retirement is a reality and in which I hope to travel and do some photography before I go officially senile.