Having Way Too Much Fun With Instagram

Today is the last day to enter my CSN Stores giveaway!

I am loving the free iPhone app Instagram! I downloaded it a week or so ago and I am having way too much fun with it!

You can take pictures (or select from your library), add fun filters, and share to your Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr, Posterous, and Foursquare all at once, individually, or in any combination you choose. I mostly share to Twitter and Facebook. You also have an Instagram stream of all of your shared photos, and can follow and comment on other's streams. In case you want to follow my stream, my user name is - wait for it, it's a shocker: narniamum.

The filters are all super cute, most of them with a vintage feel.

You can magically transport your kids to the 1970s . . .

Make any photo look artsy . . .

Make girl's night drinks look as good as they taste . . .

Make your every day life look postcard worthy . . .

(In-N-Out, yums)

Have you tried Instagram? Are you having as much fun as I am?

Feature: Hope Adams Photography

I've won a lot of things online . . . but this may take the cake!

Earlier this year there was a month long photography session giveaway on the Becky Higgins blog. One of the photographers giving away a session was Hope from Hope Adams Photography here in Southern California and we won a family session with her!

We met Hope at a park near the Orange County Fairgrounds (and my alma mater). The kids were a overly distracted by all of the cool stuff in the park, including huge hills, a stream, and ducks! Maddie is slightly obsessed with ducks. They were both insanely squirelly, so I don't think there are any pictures where I am not making a weird "Ok, everyone, let's smile" kind of face.

James just wanted to play baseball . . . and when he had to stop throwing the ball for even one second he would let out this blood-curdling high pitched scream.

Hope was really patient with the kids (and us), and let them roam all over the park and playground and just took natural shots as the presented themselves. How gorgeous is this picture of Maddie?

For those of you wondering, the marks on James face were scabs from a scratch wound he may or may not have received from his older sister. Ah, the love. . . actually they do usually love each other, but every now and then one will get irritated and take a swipe at the other.

I absolutely love Hope's style and how easy she was to work with! I could have posted at least 20 more great pictures, especially of the kids! If you are in the Southern California area I can't reccomend her enough. Make sure to visit her site and her blog!

Picaboo - Get a Free Book!

People, I am so excited I can't even tell you! Why you ask? Cause I got something fantabulous for basically free, and I'm gonna get another! And you can too!

I follow several frugal living / mommy deals type of blogs which is where I found out about a great deal Picaboo was having a few weeks ago (and about the current one). I was able to get a FREE large photo book, I only had to pay shipping. The software Picaboo uses was easy to download, simple to use, and their shipping was super fast. A few days after I uploaded my book I got it in the mail!

I chose the Classic Custom cover . . . and it's breathtaking!

Love it it pieces.

There are so many different styles and layouts for the inside of your book. I went with a clean, modern feel because I thought it served our pictures best.

Any pixelation issues are definitely the fault of my low-lighting and use of a camera phone.

The pictures in the book are crystal clear.

Maddie is absolutely thrilled to see pictures of herself and her "Buddy" in a book!

Here is the really cool, exciting part! Picaboo currently has another FREE book deal going on! You can get a 20 page 8 1/2 x 11 photo book and all you have to pay is shipping (about $8, but so totally worth it)! You have to order before August 31st to take advantage of this awesome deal! You can choose either the Large Classic, Classic Leather, or Custom Classic (that's the cover I chose) valued up to $39.99! I will so be taking advantage of this deal - wouldn't this make awesome Christmas presents? (Everyone on my Christmas list forget you read that. Mom, that means you!)

Here is all you need to do:

Go to Picaboo and download their software

Create Your Book - give yourself some time to do this!

Use code FREEBK at checkout

Remember it will be about $8 in shipping costs, and the shipping was really quick, I think it is 3-5 days and mine came in about three . . . and order your book before August 31st!

There are so many awesome ideas you could use for your photobook! You can "scrapbook" a vacation, or special event, or even write your own story!

What will you do with your free book?

Shop Feature - MP Photography

I cannot express how much I love these pictures of Maddie and James.

I was so excited to get the cd of photos from Marisa of MP Photography. We had the kids take pictures with her in early June, and I am so beyond thrilled at how they turned out.

My children are more interested in checking out the sound and lighting system hidden in the bushes than they are posing for pictures.

Some of these shots leave me speechless . . .

I cannot reccommend Marisa enough. She was so sweet and worked so well with my rambunctious children, especially Maddie who just takes off and runs around like a wild thing when she sees any open space.

These pictures take my breath away.

If you are in the Southern California area, please consider using MP Photography, I know you will have as good of an experience as we did!

Sneak Peak

We got the kid's pictures taken this weekend by the lovely Marisa of MP Photo. The photos were shot on location at the Americana at Brand in Glendale. It was gorgeous, almost too gorgeous, it had a very Truman Show-esque feel to it, especially as we started taking pictures before the stores were open. Maddie was obsessed with the water fountain and was a little bit on the wild side. She didn't want to sit or pose for pictures with her brother, but was much more interested in exploring, climbing things, and making new friends.

We will get the pictures in a few weeks, but for fun I thought I'd share a picture of these cute leg warmers I made Maddie from the tutorial at Sew Much Ado.

They're made from women's knee socks, I got 2 pairs at Target for $2 each, an argyle and these stripes. I ended up going with the stripes for the pictures and Maddie loves them so much I think I will whip her up the argyle ones as well. The go really well with all the little 80s shorts she got from Auntie Liz for her birthday. The polka dot ballet flats were a last minute purchase from Walmart for $3! How do you pass up $3 shoes?

Maddie's was all 80s-ed out for the photos, but James played it a little more cool in some dark wash jeans and a white tee - both in a size 2T, good Lord! Here are a few shots off Ed's iPhone of James relaxing while poor Marisa chased after Maddie. Jamie is a photographer's dream, he smiles and poses and is a one take wonder.

We also took some shots in their matching Angels t-shirts, in which they looked insanely adorable. Maddie showed of her throwing and catching skills, which are frighteningly good for a 2 year old.

I can't wait to see what the pictures look like! If you are in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend Marisa, she was a pleasure to work with.