Week 15 good to WOW SOOC Easter

All week I thought I wouldn't have anything to share for this weeks prompt--after all how do I take pictures that represent Easter the week before Easter?  I had already used a cross last week.  Easter is one of my favorite holidays, but we don't do a lot of the traditional holiday things.  We don't do Easter baskets or even resurrection eggs (not on principle, but out of laziness).  My sister-in-law decorates eggs with the kids, but that isn't happening until Tuesday.  I know other people who love Easter who really get into it all, whether the resurrection side or the bunny side.   So I thought and thought about why I say Easter is my favorite holiday when some years it can pass without being much different than other Sundays and I came up with two reasons.

One is because it is the most important point of the life of Jesus and my faith in Him.  If God did not have the power and did not raise Jesus from the dead than Jesus would just be another good teacher whose life lessons I could take or leave as it fitted my belief system.  But Jesus did raise from the dead.  Without the empty cross I would have no religion, but with it I have new life and a powerful God--the powerful God--walking by my side.

1/40   f/5.6   ISO 1600   62mm

So while Easter and the empty tomb is a critical component to what I believe, it is important every day not just on the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon date each year.

The other reason I love Easter is that it was my mom's favorite holiday.  She died when I was 15 but it was clear she loved Easter (including the Easter baskets) and we always spent it at church and with family.  The few family shots I have from my childhood were taken on Easter Sunday.

This is not my SOOC since I am the girl in yellow.

So my family has coordinating Easter outfits and when we are with family next Sunday they will be taking some pictures for me.  Since I don't have a tripod and I wanted to have some pictures for you, yesterday I dressed the kids up in their outfits and took them outside for pictures.  Not a single one turned out exactly as I envisioned it (it was really bright out so my oldest glasses gleamed; my middle child was apparently chewing on various flowers through out the time or wearing his sister's hat; and my daughter didn't appear to notice there was a camera to look towards.)  So since none of them are perfect, I'm having trouble deciding on which one to share.  Decisions, decisions!  Not going to make one so here are 423 okay shots of my children.  (They told our friends we were out there for 24 hours, but it was 45 minutes tops.)

1/640   f/5.6     ISO 100    55mm

He actually took a small bite of this flower.   It must not be too poisonous.  You'd think it was the 2 year old we had to worry about.  This photo clearly shows the mistake of shooting with your subjects facing into the sun with nothing shading their eyes (the trick of having them close their eyes and open on 3 would not yet work with them--not that I thought about it then; there is a lot to think about still for me.)

1/160   f/5.6   55mm   ISO 100

My oldest and my favorite shot of him, though it is too crooked to straighten.

1/250   f/5.6   ISO 200   86mm

We moved into the shade.  They aren't looking at me, but at least they are all looking the same direction!

1/800   f/5.6   ISO 400    160mm

My middle child.  Sunflower had taken her hat back.

1/1600    f/5.6   ISO 400   70mm  (flaked and forgot ISO was up in the shade so changed shutter instead of lowering ISO)

I don't know why they are squinting here; the sun is behind them.  Sunflower ran circles around the two boys and paused for this shot for maybe 2 seconds.  Thank goodness for continuous shooting mode.  It is fun to scroll through the shots quickly in iPhoto and see her circling them while they sit there.

I'll end with one of my favorite shots of Sunflower from the day:

1/800   f/5.6  ISO 400   145mm

Okay, I was just kidding about the 423 and I promise not to have a horrendously long post on Thursday.   

Have a blessed Easter week and don't forget to check out some more SOOC shots over at Jill's blog.