Happy Thanksgiving!

This year, we celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving meal a bit early. The Ramsey's, Sage's and us hosted a group of Indian students from Iowa State for Thanksgiving dinner on Monday. We loved the opportunity to visit with the students and share dinner. In my opinion, a shared holiday dinner is always better. The Ramsey's are wonderful hosts - even though Erin is 9 months pregnant! And Michelle rocked the turkey. I contributed the sweets and our new friends contributed the wine. It reminded me of holidays when I lived overseas...they were always shared with friends instead of family. This year we thoroughly enjoyed sharing our Thanksgiving with friends in Iowa.

Pinocchio

This was a portrait assignment.  The task was to shoot the same person for two photos.  One should be flat and plain and the second should show a characteristic of the subject not shown previously ("bring it to life like Pinocchio").  Erin was my model for this...isn't she the most beautiful pregnant woman you've ever seen?

This assignment was to shoot three things: A type of vehicle, a stone residential structure, and an urban sculpture.  I found all three items in my neighborhood.  I like all of them except the creepy thinking rabbit...but it is an "urban sculpture" so I guess it's supposed to look like city art.  City art is my least favorite.  Jason likes to call it "crap that taxpayers probably pay for". If I was going to pay for a city art sculpture, I'm not sure I would have chosen the rabbit.  But they didn't ask me.  I'm sure there are some artsy people who love it though!

Studio Photography.  

This assignment was to shoot photos in the studio at school.  The difference in studio work is the lighting.  We had a choice of three categories for this assignment: food/beverage, type (something with writing on it), or fire & ice (contrast two things using color or arrangement).  I chose to do my own little category - Fire & Icing. =)

Neon Sign.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Weeks ago, my photography instructor gave us the assignment called The Seven Deadly Sins.  Since I have a constant photography subject in my house, I decided to use him for all of my photos.  This was a really fun (albeit time-consuming) photo shoot.  It took a couple of weeks to get all the photos, but I am really happy with the final product.  Enjoy!

p.s.  In case you need a reminder the Seven Deadly Sins are (in order of appearance):  Gluttony, Pride, Greed, Anger, Sloth, Lust, & Envy

Real Progress.

So many of you have offered your encouragement and prayers of healing for my face. I am finally recovering from the Bell's Palsy! I thought I'd give you a little glimpse of the progress...

Here's my face in the resting position - it's hard to even tell the Bell's is still there.


My smile and eye have almost fully recovered.


Compared to this picture taken the week after Alex was born...

Thank you for praying for me. I am on the road to healing. On a side note, I found out that a few celebrities have also suffered from Bell's Palsy. George Clooney is one of them!

It's our civic duty.

Jason and I have been very concerned about the economic news lately. It's more than just the price of gas, the new president elect, and the stock market. The thing that alarms us the most is the amount of people now asking for a bailout from the government. People, this is WRONG! I am so frustrated by the organizations (the auto industry, states, cities...everyone!) who are now getting in line for government aid. There is simply no way our government can bailout everyone. More importantly, once the bailout train gets going, who will put on the brakes?!

Well, instead of griping about it, we have decided to do something. Today we took a few minutes to write an email to our State Representative Boswell (who represents our Iowa district) and our State Senators expressing our concern over the bailout madness. I urge you to do the same. This website lists the name of your State Representative and this website lists the names of your State Senators. Just a couple of clicks and you, too, can email them.

If you are not sure what to write in your letter, here's an example:

Representative Boswell:

As a concerned citizen of your Congressional District, I feel it is my civic duty to make sure my voice is heard on the issue of government bailouts. As your constituent, I urge you to vote against additional bailout packages for states, cities, and American companies now requesting aid. Approving more aid will only encourage the endless line up of entities requesting help from the government...and let's face it - the government CANNOT help everyone. There simply isn't enough money for that! The bailout requests are out of control. It is not possible for the American Government to attempt to salvage every failing American Corporation and sector. Industries, such as the automotive industry, which have failed to keep up with current technologies and failed to ascertain the need for inexpensive fuel-efficient cars should be allowed to fail. Even if this comes at great expense to the American people and economy. Companies that make bad decisions should and must be allowed to fail. Virtually all great successes in this country have been surrounded by great failures. It is the true spirit of capitalism that has made America so strong. The latest attempts of government to throw money at every struggling company have, and will continue, to erode the very foundation that has kept America strong throughout its short history. Please, I beg you, reject fear, and inject some common sense into the Congressional dialogue. Do not approve, and fight vigilantly against any additional bailout funding - whether part of a Democratic or Republican agenda. You are my voice and the voice of thousands of Iowans, please make us heard in Washington.

Respectfully,
Nicole Reynolds

This has been THE year to get involved politically. Why stop at the General Election?! Take a minute and write to the people who represent you in Washington. Make your voice heard.

On the Road Again...

The Reynolds Family just returned from a week-long vacation in Texas.  We flew into Dallas to visit family and friends and then took a road trip to Houston.  We got to introduce Alex to his great-grandparents, great-grandmommy, Papa Gene, and tons of other friends and family.  He was a real trooper on the trip.  He seriously didn't even make a peep on the plane rides! Everyone around us was complimenting him on his behavior and they all thought he was cute.  Of course we just smiled and acted like he is that perfect plane-riding Angel every day, all day.  I have lots of pictures to post of our trip and my photography assignments.  Hopefully I'll catch up this week!