10 Tips For Shooting Your Kids! {Photography Contributor}

Hi!  It's Kimmie!  Let's talk about shooting kids.  (ha!  No, not THAT kind.  Though I'm not one to judge... it's Spring break and it's getting crazy up in here.)  No, I'm talking with a camera.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and bet that the number one reason a non-professional photographer (professional as in that's their ONLY job and they make lots o' money) buys a fancy camera is kids.  (and I'm applying this to nieces, nephews, grandkids, immediate offspring, furry kinds, etc.)  They're important to us.  We want to document them and the many cute things they do.  One problem.  It can be REALLY REALLY hard.

Why?  Because they're uncooperative.  They won't sit still.  They look frozen or awkward in the frame.  They're fast little buggers.  They're just plain weird.

I'm going to make a confession right here, right now.  I should never, ever photograph my own children. They make me crazy when I'm not trying to capture their "absolute adorableness" - throwing us together with the express purpose of making sure I get semi-professional looking results that are not blurry, rife with screaming and tears or full of chewed up bribery candy is like asking a fish to fly.  Can't be done.

20+ DIY Ideas for All Those Photos {Photography Contributor}

Hi!  It's Kimmie!  I'm pretty excited about this installment of photography 101.  Why?  Because I decided to take a step away from the technical for a moment!  I mean, the technical is great and all; we all need to know the basics, of course, but today's post is right up my crafty alley.

There are so many pros to living in the digital age when it comes to photos!  You can take tons and tons - literally - and not have to worry about cost.  You can store the photos without taking up any physical space at all.  You can capture moments you never could before due to movement and high speeds.  It's great!


But what do you DO with your photos once you've taken them?  If you're like me, you have grand designs to make good use of all your personal and family photos - displays, framed gallery walls, scrapbooks, photo albums, journals, and more!  I've got hundreds of pins for this!  BUT.  (If you're like me) none of these ideas come to fruition, and there your photos sit on your external hard drive being visited briefly when you scroll through them to take a quick stroll down memory lane.

Cake Batter Blondies {Recipe Contributor}

Hi, it's Jen! I blog over at The Arizona Russums when I'm not busy hanging out with my husband and our sweet little girl, Baby Z, studying for grad school, or cooking up dinner in the kitchen. I'd love for you stop by!

Do you want to make the world's easiest "homemade" dessert that's sure to please any crowd, young or old? If your answer is yes, then cake batter blondies is probably the recipe for you. Six ingredients, a bowl, a spoon, a pan, an oven. You don't even have to get out your mixer.

Cake Batter Blondies
Recipe adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction

Favorite Irish Poetry for St. Patrick's Day {Literature Contributor}

Hi, all! It’s Natalie from Cosmos Mariners again, back with some new reading suggestions. Since it’s March (and St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner), I’m sharing some of my favorite Irish poetry. Yes, poetry!

The mere word may send you back to dreary interpretations in your high school English class, but the poems and authors I’ve listed below are accessible, interesting, and thought-provoking—even to those of us who day-dreamed through Literature.

Seamus Heaney

(source)

Heaney, who recently passed away, is, hands-down, my favorite Irish poet. His career spanned half a century, and his poetry often reflected the tumultuous times in which he lived. As a native Northern Irishman, he was deeply troubled over the political unrest that plagued his country during his lifetime. Violence, war, and the rebirth that can come out of these terrible situations are some of the themes that occur throughout his works.

Rock your Disney Side!

Hello everyone! I'm Carrie, the resident Disney Travel Expert here at Hi! It's Jilly! And I am so excited to bring you some of the best deals from the Disney Parks to make your next Walt Disney World vacation even more affordable! I blog over at My Favorite Finds, and I'd love to see you come and find some JOY in your everyday!

Rock Your Disney Side: What's better than being at the Magic Kingdom for 24 hours? Knowing you pulled off a super fun Disney trip at a great rate! With all the excitement brewing about the Rock Your Disney Side 24 Hour Event that was released this week, everyone is wanting to visit Walt Disney World for a quick weekend and enjoy the extra time at the Happiest Place on Earth!




You can laugh bigger, scream louder, and stay out all day and all night at this exclusive Magic Kingdom event! And for this event, our preferred travel agency-Destinations in Florida-has group rates at three of the best Disney Resorts:

Top Five Photo Tips for Anyone at Anytime {Photography Contributor}

Hi!  It's Kimmie. Alright, let's be frank here.  You're not all bloggers, right?  And you're not all taking photos of food, right?  And you're not all going to set up a crazy outdoor photo shoot just to take pictures of your daughter's new table you painted right?  And you're not all even using a super fancy shmancy camera, right? Right.

So before I move into specifics - ISO, white balance, shutter speed, food photography, kid photography, what have you - (and I WILL go into specifics, I promise) I thought it might be pertinent to cover some tips of the photo trade that will ultimately benefit anyone, no matter the camera, no matter the scenario.  Tips you may have heard before, but tips that really help in almost any photography situation.  I call them:

Pretty all inclusive, right?  

Okay.  This is like a David Letterman style top 10 (except only 5, not 10) (and not nearly as funny, because I'm not a professional comedian) ("Darn it, Derek, I'm a coal miner.  Not a professional film or television actor!" ntm for 5 Kim points.) (So... not like Letterman at all.  Sorry.)  I digress...


5.  Simple doesn't have to be boring.  So, you need an awesome photo to display a particular item.  You don't want anything to complicate the photo and take away from the focal point, especially a busy background.  Where does your mind go first?  Plain white, right?  It's the most used, the most versatile.  It bounces light, so that's good.  It can also be... well, a little bit boring right?  Take these two photos as an example.  

Plain white is... ok.  Add a little prop along with your focal item, and it can make it pop.  Same goes for portraits.  School photos with the plain gray background?  Boring.  Bring a prop in?  Fun!  

Honey Spice Bread {Recipe Contributor}

Hi, it's Jen! I'm a Seattleite turned Southerner who now dwells in the desert. I am a wife, new mama, and grad student. You can find me blogging about faith, grace, and adventure over at The Arizona Russums.

Considering I just pulled this honey spice bread out of the oven about an hour ago and half of it is already gone, I'd say this is a recipe worth sharing. It's perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a midday snack. Although we love banana bread around here, the flavors in this bread were a nice change of pace!

HONEY SPICE BREAD

What you need...

Favorite Walt Disney World Photo Spots {Disney Contributor}

Hi! It's Carrie.Taking photos is a MUST on any Disney vacation.....at least on mine! It's not unheard of for me to come home with literally hundreds of photos from our Disney Vacations. The details that go into every aspect of the parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney area offer so much to look at-and perfect back drops for awesome family photos. As your friendly Disney contributor here on Hi! It's Jilly, I want to take some time today to share my Favorite Walt Disney World Photo Spots with YOU!

Natalie's Valentine Book Picks {Literature Contributor}

Hi, new blog friends! I’m Natalie from Cosmos Mariners: Destination Unknown, and I love books. In my life before my daughter, I was a college professor and gifted and talented teacher; I loved being able to share my love of literature with my students everyday. My baby is a little young to talk about books yet--she much prefers trying to eat them--so I’m excited to get my literature fix each month through my guest posts here on Jillian’s website! Each month, I’ll suggest a few books based on a theme. Hopefully, you’ll find some new favorites!

This month, the theme is “love.” What else did you expect for February?! The two books I recommend for your pre- and post-Valentine’s day reading will make you believe in the power of true love. (So cheesy, but so true!)

Natalie’s pick #1:

The Mercy of Thin Air by Ronlyn Domingue

I stole this book from my sister’s library years ago, and I am so glad that I did because I loved every page of it!

Awesome Discounts at Walt Disney World

Hi! It's Carrie. Are you planning on visiting Walt Disney World for your spring break? Or even your summer vacation? If so, you will want to take advantage of the Room Discount and combine it with the Free Park Ticket Offer! I'm here this week to share the current Walt Disney World Resort promotions with all of you here at Hi! It's Jilly! Anyone who books with me and mentions Hi! It's Jilly will get a resort credit of up to $35! How sweet is that!

How To Pick the Perfect Camera For You {Photography Contributor}

Hi!  It’s Kimmie. I blog over at Bugaboo, Mini, Mr. & Me. I've been looking forward to starting my photography posts here on Hi! It’s Jilly for weeks and weeks!  Let me begin by saying: I'm no expert.  I'm far from an expert.  Suuuuuper far.  (I call myself a "photo-er" not a photographer, because it sounds less professional.)  BUT.  I love photography.  And I've come a long way with mine in a short amount of time.  Don't believe me?  Ok.  Check out this post from early in my blog.  

Then check out this post from when my newest son was born.  I'm proof that self-taught can be pretty awesome!

I had so many ideas swimming around in my head I wasn't sure where to start.  I decided on a specific post about how to start taking pictures, but after conferring with the masses (aka peeps on Facebook) I realized maybe we should start at the VERY beginning.  As in, choosing a camera.  One that’s spot on, perfect for YOU.  

With all the choices out there, it can be pretty daunting.  But, I've got some tips, steps, pros, cons and ideas compiled for you!  Let’s get started.

Disney Resorts for Families of Five or More {Disney Contributor}

Hi everyone! My name is Carrie, and I blog over at My Favorite Finds. On My Favorite Finds, you'll find tutorials, recipes, organization ideas, and Disney travel tips! I love to share my {FAVORITE} ideas with my readers, and I hope you’ll check it out. I’m addicted to Starbucks, reading, shopping, and my sweet kids and hubby. I’m always looking for a new recipe or craft to fill our bellies or beautify our home. 

I’m also slightly addicted to planning, and going on, Disney vacations with my family. In fact, I love it SO much that I am a Vacation Specialist with Destinations to Explore, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. I can send you ANYWHERE. I really have a passion for Disney travel, so I will be sharing my Disney travel tips here with you! Ocassionally I'll bring you some general travel tips, and even some fun crafts! I love sharing my ideas about Disney planning on my blog AND on Couponing to Disney at Chip & Co.

Blog/Facebook/Pinterest/Bloglovin'/Twitter

With over 20 resorts to choose from on the Walt Disney World property, there seems to be endless possibilities for accommodations. But, not everyone is the traditional family of 4 traveling together. We personally are a family of 5, so finding ANY hotel anywhere for the 5 of us can be challenge, especially now that the little princess isn't in a pack and play anymore. The first step in planning your Disney vacation is deciding which magical corner of the Walt Disney World Resort you're going to call "home". So, today I am going to share with you Disney Resorts for Families of Five or More!

In the Value Category, Disney's All Star Music or Disney's Art of Animation Resorts offer suites that will accommodate up to 6 people, PLUS one child under the age of 3 in a crib. So really, you can fit 7 people in the suites! The suites have a master bedroom with a queen size bed, which is atypical of the other Value Resorts {most of them have doubles}, and then there is a sleeper sofa and/or a sleeper chair to give plenty of room for everyone else! Another plus side of the suites is they have a kitchenette-making breakfasts before heading to the parks, a quick afternoon lunch break, or snacks as easy as pie!

Broccoli Cheddar Bake {Recipe Contributor}

Hi, it's Jen! I'm going to be contributing recipes on Jilly's blog once a month, and I'm so excited to get to know y'all! You can get a peak into my life over at The Arizona Russums. Please stop by... I'd love to meet you!

I've made this recipe twice in the past two weeks. It's that good. One time I made it as a main dish, because I try to do meat-free meals every now and then. About a week later I made it as a side with pork chops. This is great way to sneak some veggies into a delicious dish. My sister-in-law doesn't even like broccoli at all and she loved it!

Broccoli Cheddar Bake

What you need:

Plan your next vacation on Cyber Monday!

Hi! It's Jilly. I'm excited to be adding Carrie from My Favorite Finds as a contributor to my blog! I've been the travel contributor on her blog all this last year, which has been so great. Now she is going to be a contributor here! Yay! She will be sharing all things Disney with us. My family is fanatical about Disney, so it's a perfect fit!

Today she will be sharing with us some GREAT Cyber Monday deals for your next vacation to Disney, your next cruise, or your trip to Universal Studios. So, if you're thinking about going to any of those places you might as well get a quote, because the quotes are FREE and you could even save yourself a little money. That's always good, right?!

Now, heeeeeeeere's Carrie!

Are you thinking of your 2014 vacation yet? Spring Break? Cruise? Hawaii? Disney Parks? Sea World? How about Universal Studios? Then now is the time to book! With 50% off cruise deposits, ONLY a $200 deposit for a Disney vacation, and more special offers, you'll want to take advantage of our exclusive Bonus CyberMonday offer to add some extra savings to your 2014 vacation! So today, I'm sharing with you some of the highlights of special offers that are currently available! Remember, using a travel agent is FREE, so what do you have to lose?