J-Rev

Luke & Kellee Engagement

2012-01-24T10:46:00.001-05:00

I am super excited about Luke and Kellee getting married. I have known them almost as long as they have been dating. 4 years ago Luke moved into Myers Hall at Anderson University, which was also my 1st year as a Resident Director in Myers Hall. Then, 3 years ago Kellee worked for me as a Resident Assistant in Myers Hall.

Luke and Kellee have been invited into our home for many dinners, movie nights, late night talks, and they have even been called upon to be baby sitters for our 2 kids.

It has been amazing to get to know both of them as individuals and as a couple.

They are truly in love with each other and I can't wait to see them tie the knot!

Congratulations Luke and Kellee!

Michael & Alisa -Engagement Shoot

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love shooting at new locations and Alisa directed us to the perfect place. Alisa said she knew of a "bridge thing" with "big things" on it. Michael and I laughed because she couldn't really describe what it was. As it turns out, she was pretty close with her description. She took us to an old structure of a bridge that had been put on the side of the road and grass had grown all around it. It was awesome!

Being that Michael is big into mountain climbing, the first thing he did was climb to the very top of the bridge structure. Alisa thought about joining him and then realized she would rather live instead.

As aways, there is never a dull moment while photographing these two. They are full of energy, laughter, and excitement.

Thanks for the new location and a great shoot!

Michael & Alisa first met while helping out at the Christian Center Rescue Ministries.

Lindsay & James

2011-12-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Lindsay & James were so excited to get their pictures taken, which made this shoot very enjoyable. We shot downtown Anderson in some back alleys and on a bridge at a local park. Both were really cool places to shoot at! It was a bit cold out, but Lindsay & James endured the cold weather and we got some really cool shots.

My favorites are of Lindsay & James with their leather coats on downtown. Not because we got cool shots, but I feel that it matches who they are. I am also a big fan of the one of them in the brush with their coats off. I love the location and the look it gives.

Thanks Lindsay & James for a fun shoot on such a cold day!

Norman & Hilary -Engagement Shoot

2011-12-04T20:35:00.001-05:00

I have known Norm & Hilary for about a year now (from Anderson University) I am so excited to see them get engaged and start planning for their life together. Norm is a quiet, reserved kind of guy and Hilary is a spunky, giggly kind of girl and they are perfect for each other.

I was told about an old barn not to far from AU so we decided to drive out and shoot at this new location and it was totally worth it. We were able to shoot in the old barn, the high grass, and even in the street near the barn. It was a great location and a great time shooting with Norm & Hilary.

Chris & Staci are MARRIED!!!

2011-11-19T16:59:00.001-05:00

Chris & Staci are wonderful people and I am so blessed that I was invited to take part of such an important day. It has been great getting to know these two over the past few years and see how their relationship has developed from dating to engagement. Now, I am excited to see them grow even more as a married couple.

This wedding was amazing! Everything from the location, the horses, the buggies, the weather, and the colors, to the laughter and the homemade Amish food!

Congratulations Chris & Staci!

Snyder Family

2011-11-10T22:34:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love the location we went to for this shoot. Not only was the location amazing, the fall weather was gorgeous. But the best part of the shoot was the Snyders. These two were so fun to shoot. We got just as many goofy shots as we did "normal" shots.

It is obvious these two love each other very much, and I am sure there is no dull moment in their household.

Baby Scott is 6 Months

2011-11-02T01:22:00.000-04:00

Baby Scott is 6 months old this fall, and is such a wonderful kid to be around. Every time I talk to him he smiles really big and makes me feel like the funnest guy alive. I just can't help but smile from ear to ear when this little guy smiles at me, so I smiled the whole time I was taking his pictures.

The Scott Family are wonderful people and I am so glad I have been able to watch their kid grow.

To answer everyone's questions, YES his eyes are really that blue.

Baby Thomas

2011-11-02T01:11:00.002-04:00

Lock up your daughters! Baby Thomas is finally here and he is a cutie!

I have been so excited for this kid to come into this world! The Thomas family waited until the birth of their kid to find out the sex... it's a boy!!!

I love when people wait. Not because that's what my wife and I did, but because I think it just adds to the excitement when the child is born.

Either way, CONGRATULATIONS Thomas Family on the new addition!

P.S.

Way to go Joe for predicting it was going to be a boy :)

Kaczmarek Wedding Photobooth

2011-10-13T16:32:00.005-04:00

Doing a photobooth at a wedding is so fun because you get to see a completely different side of people. The best part is when they ask if it is okay to do a pose before they do it :)

It is great to see people excited about getting their pictures taken and now I am glad to share a few with you.

ENJOY!

Night of Worship

2011-10-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Night of Worship was an amazing night of worship with Alanna Story & Ally Boardman. N.O.W. was an event to celebrate and support Ally getting accepted into Hillsong College in January of 2012. Alanna Story, being good friends of Ally Boardman, agreed to help make this event an unforgettable.

The amazing thing about Ally is her heart to give. Even thought the night was to support her, she decided to give a percentage of the money made that night to The Andy Project. Just another reason Ally is an amazing woman!

Be sure to check out both Alanna Story, The Andy Project, & Hillsong College

Jessica - Senior Shoot

2011-10-05T23:51:00.005-04:00

Jessica is such a sweetheart and so much fun to photograph!

Jessica and Austin are dating so she is also from MN. I took both of their pictures on the same weekend, but on two separate days starting with Austin. Jessica watched how I worked with Austin to get the pictures I wanted, so when it came to taking her pictures she knew exactly how I worked and what I wanted. It was awesome!

Jessica you rock!

Austin - Senior Shoot

2011-10-05T23:19:00.001-04:00

Austin is my nephew, who is a senior in high school and lives in Minnesota. I can't believe this boy I once knew is now turing into an amazing man!

Austin is like his dad in the fact that they both are not the biggest fan when it comes to getting their pictures taken. After the first 10 clicks of the camera Austin wanted to be done because he felt awkward posing. However, by the time we got to our 2nd location (the dragon wall) he was a natural model and was posing without me directing him. He even jumped in the middle of the road and didn't care about the people driving by and staring at us.

It was a good time taking pictures and hangout with family. Wish I could take pictures of him all the time!

New Image Gospel Choir

2011-09-21T11:26:00.000-04:00

New Image Gospel Choir is one of my favorite groups on Anderson University's campus. New Images is made of a solid core group of leaders (pictured below) who want to worship God through music and the talents God had given them. They take part in the chapels, the local churches, and even put on an event called Image Fest where they worship God through many different styles of music.

Thomas

2011-09-17T01:20:00.000-04:00

Joe and Lorelei are expecting their first kid and I so happy for them. They are two people who love the Lord and want to do everything they can to be the best parents they can be. One of the most fun things about their pregnancy is the fact that they are waiting to find out what they are having. I love that they are waiting to find out and I can't wait to hear if it is a boy or a girl.

AU Soccer Seniors

2011-09-15T01:56:00.000-04:00

For the past 3 years, I have worked with the Anderson University Soccer Teams either as a Team Chaplain or as the Assistant Coach for the Women's Team.

Over the years I have gotten to know these 6 seniors pretty well through practice, long road trips on the bus, having them over for hot cocoa, and playing cards with them. I am excited for these guys as they finish up their last year at Anderson University.

Good luck with the season boys!

Little Jose

2011-09-10T01:17:00.001-04:00

I am so blessed to be a Dad... again. I now have a 2 year old daughter and a brand new baby boy.

My wife is a super mom /wife and I can't think her enough for giving birth to both of our wonderful kids.

People always told me that being a parent is one of the greatest feelings in the world and they were right.

I love being a Dad!

The little hand is his big sister

Lock-In

2011-09-04T00:21:00.000-04:00

My buddy Josh is a Student Pastor at Genius Church and he asked me if I would help out with a Lock-In. I love staying up late, drinking sugar, student ministry, eating sugar, and I LOVE crazy Lock-In games! Here are a few pictures from the fun and crazy night.

Alex (My Nephew)

2011-09-04T00:13:00.001-04:00

Alex is such a happy baby and has one of the best smiles ever.

I live 3 states away from Alex so any time I get with him I soak it all in. I was so glad to know that the whole family was going to be in the Quad Cities at the same time!

He is such a good little boy to hug and love on.

Day 1 Video

2011-08-17T09:25:00.000-04:00

Here is a video of my son's first day of life!

Baby Torres 2.0 from JRev on Vimeo.

I'm A Dad Again!

2011-08-16T18:57:00.000-04:00

I'm a Dad again!

Boy: Jose

8/15/11 -7:36am

8lbs 5oz 20.5 inches

I have always known what I waned to name my kid if it was a boy. I am named after my father and now my son is named after me... his father. Now when we go home to visit family it is going to get really confusing when we talk about Jose.

Once again I am blown away how amazing God is and how much he has blessed me. My wonderful family now consist of a wonderful wife, a beautiful daughter, and now a healthy son! Life is good.

We are really excited to watch El (his big sister) love on her new baby brother. When she came to visit him in the hospital, the first word that came out of her mouth was "BABY!" She then saw the balloon on the other side of the room and her second word was "BALLOON!" as she ran to play with the balloon. It will be real interesting once we are all home and El realizes that the baby is staying with us and no one is coming to take him away :)

Thank your for your prayers!

So Excited!

2011-08-13T14:34:00.000-04:00

I am so excited for the arrival of my second child. The due date is only 4 days away, but I wish the kid would come now. If you know me well you know I love surprises and that we have (again) chosen to wait to find out the sex of our kid.

Even with all the suspense I am super excited to see what our kid will look like, it if will have a head full of hair, and what that first cry will sound like.

All I can say is that I am so excited!

3 Shoots in 3 Days

2011-08-06T15:39:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I went home to visit family and take some Senior pictures for my nephew and his girlfriend (who also where in town visiting). My little sister decided to come in town from Iowa the same time, so I also took pictures of my baby nephew Alex too. I did 3 shoot in 3 days and I had a blast doing it! I will be posting pictures soon.

Summer Biking

2011-07-31T15:21:00.000-04:00

This summer has been such a blast. When I first moved to Anderson, IN I was told about some mountain biking trails near by. That 1st summer I rode the trails alone a lot of the time because my friends had never mountain biked before, and even when they did come out with me they where guaranteed to fall off their bikes.

After a few years of biking together we have all gotten better and smarter. This summer I have gone out a ton with my friend Adam and we even put together a little video to capture our time on the trails.

Biking 2 from JRev on Vimeo.

Mason Family

2011-07-17T15:41:00.000-04:00

The Mason Family is a wonderful family. I first met them when my wife and I chased a raccoon out of our garage and up a tree. That was the start of a great friendship. They now have a cute little boy and are on their way to growing a good looking family.

Camera Bag (for her)

2011-06-23T20:20:00.000-04:00

I took my camera to get cleaned and wouldn't you know it, I got a call from a friend to take some pictures of his kid. Since my camera was out, I had to borrow my friends camera. I went to pick up the camera and I just laughed out loud when I saw her bag. It is a nice camera bag, but it looks like a purse. I laughed because I knew I had to walk home carrying the purse... not cool.

From now on if I am going to borrow a camera, I am going to bring my own bag for the pick-up!

Austin D.

2011-06-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

Austin is a up and coming singer and song writer. You can here a snipit of him doing some stuff with The Writer's Block Music Company HERE.

Austin is a fun kid to be around and even more fun to photograph. He was so excited to get his pictures taken and I was happy to take them for him.

Alisa

2011-06-01T09:00:00.004-04:00

Alisa is now an Anderson University Grad! Before she graduated, she wanted to get some college senior pictures. Really all she wanted was to get her picture taken in front of the big "Welcome to Anderson" sign painted on the side of a building downtown. I figured if we were going out, we should make it as fun as possible. We got pictures, downtown, in front of the sign, at Shadyside Park, Anderson University, and some with her boyfriend Michael (who by the way is a great guy).

Thank you Alisa for allowing me to capture some of your last moment as a student at Anderson University.

once again asking for a helping hand to capture a shot

Welcome to Anderson, Indiana

Michael

Alex + 2

2011-05-30T09:00:00.003-04:00

Baby Alex was such a blast to take pictures of. He did nothing but smile for the camera. He smiled laying down, sitting in a wagon, hanging out outside, anything we did he smiled. His Dad and Courtney smiled for me too:) It was a perfect day to take pictures outside and I couldn't believe the wonderful lighting we got from the sunset as well.

Enjoy.

Formal

2011-05-26T16:47:00.001-04:00

My little niece had her 8th grade formal this past weekend and I just happen to be in town,with my camera, :) So her mom asked me if I would take some pictures. Since I love taking pictures and I love my niece I said yes!

It was funny watching her get all dolled up because she was in the bathroom with her mom doing her hair and her dad doing her nails (or something like that) while she just relaxed and enjoyed being the little princess she is.

Once she was all ready we ran down to Long View Park, in Rock Island, IL where we got some fun pictures.

When I don't have my light stand I just use what I can. In this case I had my big brother hold the light for me.

Mom jumping in to take some pictures too! She has a really good eye.

Standing next to Dad's bike

Dad and his toy. I wish I had one.

Getting a picture before she heads off to the ball

Mom, Dad, Daughter

Picture with her Aunt

Tennessee Family

2011-05-10T16:56:00.000-04:00

My wife has cousins that live in Tennessee and they just had the cutest little baby boy. It just so happened that the family got together when they were in town from TN. I also happened to have all my camera stuff in the car, so we did a improve photo shoot in a bedroom up stairs. It was a lot of fun and a lot of crazy with ALL the family running in and out of the room. In the end, we got some great pictures!

Sanderfur Girls

2011-05-10T16:46:00.000-04:00

When I lived out in Des Moines, IA, I worked at the same church the Sanderfur girls' grandma went to. I met these two wonderful young girls a few years back before they turned into beautiful young ladies. It was awesome to go to church here in Anderson, IN and run into them again so many miles away from Des Moines, IA.

Chris & Staci - Engaged

2011-05-10T16:39:00.000-04:00

Chris and Staci are amazing! They are both Resident Assistants at Anderson University so we have been able to get to know each other pretty well over the past few years. They are both two of the funniest people I know here at AU, so I know where to go when I need a laugh. I am so excited to see where God takes the two of them.

Joe & Lorelei - Engaged

2011-05-10T16:31:00.000-04:00

Joe has been one of my best friends at Anderson University. We both started working at AU at the same time and we hit it off from the get go.

When Joe asked me if I would help out with the proposal and them take some pictures I absolutely said YES! I make sure the candles were going, the room lights where turned down, and the ring was in the final spot for the big question. To add on to all that I had to hide and take pictures... it was amazing!

The next day we headed out and took some fun pictures of the two of them.

Congrats guys!

1st Shoot

2011-05-10T16:01:00.002-04:00

I can't believe this where it all started.

This is my 1st shoot. It was for one of my best friends Marcus and his fianceé Missy . These are a few of their engagement pictures at a beautiful park in Davenport, IA that I shot with a 35mm Canon SLR. I had so much fun taking pictures and laughing with these two.

Thank you so much for allowing me to take pictures of you two.

This last picture has to be one of my favorite shots ever. I love how the sun back lighting them and casting a really cool shadow on the ground.

Alex + 2 (sneak peek)

2011-04-19T12:23:00.004-04:00

Had a great time this weekend taking pictures these 3 wonderful people.

More pictures to come.

Photo Fun

2011-03-29T14:03:00.007-04:00

I love getting together with my buddy TJ. We both do photography and love to pick each others brains about lighting and other fun photography stuff. Here are some fun pictures we took and edited in Lightroom.

Lightroom

2011-03-29T12:29:00.004-04:00

I love Lightroom!

Now that I am getting more serious about photography I have to get serious about how I edit my pictures.

Learning post production has been a long process for me. I started doing everything in iPhoto because that is all I had. I was amazed at how much iPhoto could do. I can make pictures black and white, crop them, add edge blur, boost colors, and so much more all with a few simple clicks. iPhoto was the best thing ever until I was introduced to Lightroom. Now, I think iPhoto is for babies.

Lightroom takes post production to a whole new level. There are all kinds of things you can do with it. There are presets, an amazing develop module, cool slideshows, you can send prints from Lightroom, make collages, watermark pictures, and even up load all your pictures right to a web page of your choice. Lightroom truly is a photographers dream come true.

There is so much to learn in Lightroom and I would guess I am at a level one or two of knowledge because there is just so much good stuff to learn. I love the web page lightroomkillertips.com. These guys really makes it easy to learn the program step by step.

If you are looking for a program to help with your photos I would suggest you look into Lightroom.

ICE STORM 2011

2011-02-03T11:44:00.011-05:00

Everywhere else in the midwest got hammered with snow, but here in Anderson, IN we got slammed with ICE!

FebuHAIRY 2011

2011-02-03T11:09:00.006-05:00

It's that time of the year again where all men on campus start growing out their beards for Man Month... aka FebuHAIRY. This will be my 3rd year doing FebuHairy and as always I am totally pumped. This is the only time I can grow a beard and not feel bad for looking scruffy.

Sometimes getting people involved is hard because their girlfriend's don't like their boyfriend's looking scruffy on Valentine's Day.

I can't wait for...

-Man Movies

-The Snow Bowl (football in the snow)

-Flannel Fridays

-Spitting whenever I want

-Steak Dinner Night

and so much more!

I will continue to post pictures as the beard starts growing.

(to see previous post about FebuHAIRY search labels that say BEARD).

New Staff 10-11

2010-10-31T14:56:00.015-04:00

One of the best things about my job is that I work with a great staff. At the beginning of the school year we all went out to dinner, but first we took some photos.

Matt 1st floor
Courtney 1st floor
Caleb 2nd Floor DK 2nd Floor Sarah 3rd Floor Tana 3rd Floor

The RD's

2010-10-29T14:47:00.017-04:00

Once a month the Resident Directors get together and do something fun. This month we went out and did a photo shoot, had a chili fest and then played board games... we LOVE board games. Enjoy the pics.

Fall

2010-10-22T14:49:00.007-04:00

I haven't always given much attention to fall or the the colors it brings. Once I started dating my wife Leanne she would always talk about how she loves fall and everything that comes with it. Now I am just as huge of a fan as she is.

When you look out our living room window you see this amazing tree and the wonderful colors. One day, I got my camera out and decided to take some pictures. Here is what I got.

Learning Lighting

2010-10-22T14:30:00.012-04:00

I was going through my pictures and came across some pictures from when I got new lighting for my photography stuff. I have learned a lot since these pictures... and still learning now.

Hair Cut

2010-10-10T14:56:00.005-04:00

El got her 1st hair cut for her 1st birthday. It was more like a trim than a cut. She did so well! She just sat in the chair and let the lady do her thing.

Happy Birthday El

2010-10-10T14:33:00.011-04:00

On Sept. 15th we celebrated El's 1st birthday. It was AWESOME!!! Leanne made a bunch of cupcakes for her party and a Ladybug for El's personal cake. I was super excited that my mom, brother, sister-in-law, and niece all came down to party it up with El. They all helped a ton to pull of the parties, yes partieS. We had one at Anderson University for our friends, co-workers and the students. The 2nd party was at Leanne's parents house to celebrate with family. They both where a blast! I can't for the next year

taking her car new car off roading

Her new shoes

Water Girl

2010-08-13T22:21:00.006-04:00

At just over 10 months and El has gone on her first boat ride and it was awesome. Her life jacket pushed up against her cheeks and make her face look really funny and CUTE! When we stopped to jump in the water and swim I fell in and El starting crying her head off... that was funny. All in all our 1st family outing on the boat was Awesome!

The 3 of us

2010-08-13T22:13:00.007-04:00

My baby sister came into town to say with us for a little while, so I though I would also have her take some pictures of the 3 of us.

Baby Jake

2010-06-14T16:01:00.009-04:00

My mother and father-in-law had met a great couple when they lived in KY. Recently, they adopted a baby boy and named him Jake. They were staying at Leanne parents since the birth-mother lives in IN. We happen to be at Leanne's parents at the same time, so I decided to take some pictures for them. I know they will make great parents.

Fisheye Lens

2010-06-14T15:22:00.009-04:00

For my 30th birthday Leanne bought me a new fisheye lens for my camera. Since Leanne can't keep a secret or surprise to save her life I got to open it early. I am super excited about it. Here are a few pictures I shot at a wedding I went to.

Feet In

2010-06-13T17:09:00.008-04:00

The last time Leanne did something she never did before... Leanne put her feet in the Mississippi River. Growing up in the Quad Cities putting feet in the Mississippi River is not a big deal for me, but for my wife it was.

It was awesome watching her get so excited about putting her feet in the Mississippi. Now she can check that off of her to do list.

Light Game

2010-06-13T16:46:00.007-04:00

I'm trying to get my light game going for photography. I have a friend Andy Brophy who is an amazing photographer in the ATL and he does a lot of his photography with "one light". Check him out at onenineimages.com.

After seeing his stuff and talking to him I got some lighting equipment. I have a lot to learn, some of my pictures are to dark or to bright, but I thought I would share some pictures with you.

Kitchen

2010-06-10T14:23:00.006-04:00

At our home in Des Moines we had a super nice kitchen where we cooked a lot, sat at the countertop, and just hung out. You could also fit like 10 people in the kitchen.

Now in our new home at Anderson University in Myers Hall our kitchen is NOT the place we do a lot of cooking or hang out. This really comes down to the fact that our kitchen fits 1.

all in all we still know we are blessed, I just wanted to show off our kitchen

QC Shirt

2010-06-10T14:05:00.006-04:00

My wonderful wife Leanne and my beautiful little girl El got me a early Fathers day gift which is awesome. If you know me at all you would know that I am a big fan of my home town... Moline, IL aka The Quad Cities. My family knows this and that is why Leanne and El got me this very awesome shirt.

T.V.

2010-05-05T10:32:00.002-04:00

I really like this video.

Television is a drug. from Beth Fulton on Vimeo.

Rachelle -Senior Shoot

2010-04-13T23:50:00.046-04:00

Rachelle aka Malibu is the sister of Kellee (one of my Resident Assistants).

Why Malibu? Because I was taking this shot of her in the doorway, a group of students said Rachelle looked like Malibu Barbie .

Rachelle is full of energy and a blast to be around. Her mom and sister went with on the shoot which made it extra fun because they helped bring out Rachelle's true personality and humor.

Rachelle is an amazing girl and I am so thankful I got to work with her.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Little El

2010-04-10T15:08:00.007-04:00

I love taking pictures of my daughter... she makes the funniest faces.

Having some fun with the camera.

Annie Dreyer - Senior Shoot

2010-04-08T15:29:00.021-04:00

Over spring break TJ and I took senior pictures for his sister.

Annie is a fun girl with an amazing spirit. The best part about Annie is her smile-laugh combo, it is awesome. You can't help but to smile and laugh with her.

It was a pretty easy shoot because she also does photography. This meant she knew where to stand, how to stand, what to look for in a shoot, etc...

Plus, she provided the cool looking chair.

Hope you enjoy the pictures

the 1st few pictures are at this crazy looking abandoned barn thing with high grass all around it.

(yes that is the technical term)

Shooting on a country road with Anna's cool chair.

old loading dock

There was this awesome old abandoned 2 room house we came across that had these long stairs leading up to it. Inside was gutted and full of old wood. In the back was a amazing looking old weathered outdoor fire place

T.J. Dreyer -the other photographer

Eleana and Leanne making sure I do a good job.

Trip 2 Dreyers

2010-03-19T12:01:00.005-04:00

Leanne and I took the 1st part of our spring break to go visit some friends in Missouri.

Here is a little taste of our trip.

Fun with Jose, Leanne and Eleana Torres from TJ Dreyer on Vimeo.

Redemptions Hill + Dreyers = FUN

2010-03-15T20:32:00.002-04:00

Leanne, El, and I are in Missouri to visit our friends TJ and Allie Dreyer. I love hanging with TJ because he has just as many toys as I do. Mac, Canon DSLR, FlipHD, etc...

Here is a video I put together of all us hanging out at Redemption's Hill's new place for their Missional Community.

Tomorrow... we go take pictures!

Redemptions Hill New Building from TJ Dreyer on Vimeo.

Joke Time

2010-03-08T00:36:00.003-05:00

I told El her 1st "dirty joke" and she loved it!

She's my #1 fan.

Joke Time from JRev on Vimeo.

My Girl

2010-03-08T00:03:00.007-05:00

When you have a kid, everyone likes to tell you who your baby looks like. I can't really tell who El looks like, I just think she is a good mix of us both. 98.1 % of people say that she looks just Leanne (minus the dark hair).

1.9% say she looks like me because we have the same smile, gas, hair and fashion style.

I guess this could be a never ending debate. I hope she looks like her mom more than me because after all... she is a girl.

Here are some pictures for you to decide who she looks like.

Blue Steel

Baby Noises

2010-03-07T19:42:00.004-05:00

We set up the Mac and recorded El watching herself.

I love the noises she makes.

Baby Noises from JRev on Vimeo.

Tapes

2010-03-07T17:55:00.004-05:00

Recently I got a Dazzel DVD Recorder and have been converting our home videos to DVD. It is pretty sweet because I have been putting them on my computer, editing them, and turning them before I turn them into DVD's.

It's amazing how simple it is to record, edit, and create a DVD now. Back in the day to make a cool looking video I needed 3 VHS tapes, 2 VCR's, and 1 CD player.

I would take the master tape and record only the parts I wanted onto tape 2. Then, I would hook up a CD player to the VCR #2 which had tape 3 in it. I would then record what was on tape 2 to tape 3 and add music. The end result would be a great looking edited tape with music.

To tell you the truth the quality was pretty bad after dubbing a VHS so many times.

I am so happy things are so much easier and nicer to edit and save videos.

Thank you for Dazzels and computer editing programs.

Shaved

2010-03-02T10:34:00.005-05:00

March 2nd. All cleaned up and felling fresh. Febru-hairy is a fun month, but you feel gross at the same time. It probably wouldn't be as bad if I could grow a nice even full beard. I can grow a good mustache and beard around my jaw line but that is where it stops. From there it just grows in patches which makes me look and feel gross.

Also, I hate when I can feel facial hair on my lips. When I feel it touch my lips I start to lick it. So not only do I look goofy because I have a patchy beard that touches my lips, but half the time I am licking it like I am getting cherry flavor out of it.

It the end it is worth it because half the campus is walking around with goofy looking beards which makes me blend right in. Also, there are not too many times when people get to shave the ugliest beard they can think of and get complements and high fives from everyone.

I think next year I am really going to work on my mustache.

FebruHAIRY 2010

2010-03-01T13:36:00.002-05:00

March 1

This is what I came up with.

One Day Left

2010-02-28T16:50:00.004-05:00

Only one day left of FebUhairy! Tomorrow we all shave and do some type of goofy beard. I still don't know what I am going to this year. It is hard to come up with something because my beard grows in patches and is not super thick at all. I guess it will be a surprise for all of us.

FebruHAIRY 2010

2010-02-26T08:59:00.001-05:00

Only one weekend left !

Back 2 Back

2010-02-26T08:50:00.005-05:00

I have won the intramural indoor soccer championship back 2 back since I have been here at AU. For a man who has about 10 years on a lot of these college students it really makes me feel good winning.

Last year's games went into double over time and I scored the winning goal, it was pretty intense. This year was not as exciting although it was still intense. We were up most of the game but they started to come back in the 2nd half. Final score was 6-5!

Cyber Accounts

2010-02-23T14:14:00.004-05:00

I have too many cyber accounts. I have...

hotmail

gmail

blogspot

facebook

myspace

iTunes

mac/me.com

Flickr

yahoo

walgreens

that's not counting the bank and bill accounts. These are just some of the fun accounts.

Yesterday my sister-in law Rachelle wanted to share photos with me she had put up on Flickr. But to do so I had to make an account to join Flickr. But to join Flickr you have to have a yahoo account, which I didn't have. Since I take a lot of pictures anyway I figure it would be fun to have a flickr account. After creating a Flickr and a yahoo account it dawned on me I have too many cyber accounts.

Today I decided to cut back on my addiction by deleting my myspace account. I haven't used it in years, but at least I am taking the right steps to cutting back on my cyber accounts.

Baby steps!

FebruHAIRY 2010

2010-02-19T15:02:00.005-05:00

Half way through the month and this is what I look like

Tonight is Man Movie Night and next Wednesday is Men of Myers Steak Night!

Things I Miss About The Quad Cities

2010-02-17T14:33:00.007-05:00

here are a few things I miss about the Quad Cities... aka home

You got to love Whitey's Ice Cream

Laughing El

2010-02-05T19:02:00.005-05:00

hanging out with some friends and they really got El laughing

FebruHAIRY 2010

2010-02-02T22:15:00.006-05:00

Febr-u-hairy is here once again. To see pictures from last here click HERE.

The rules are this...

FebruHAIRY RULES:

1. Grow a beard starting February 1st

grow beard the whole month

March 1st shave beard into something goofy like a Fu Manchu, handlebars, etc...

2. Fridays are Flannel Fridays:

-If you don't have a flannel shirt, you can get a great deal at Goodwill!

3. Eat Meat:

a. During Man-Month you want to make sure you eat as much meat as

possible... IT'S WHAT MEN DO.

Picture Fun

2010-01-21T19:55:00.006-05:00

Eleana and I hung out at home and I decided to take pictures on a Mac... Enjoy.

The Dr. said Eleana is "off the charts" height and weight but she has a normal size head. We never realized the how small her head looked until we took the picture.
Eleana looks like a Powerpuff Girl

Cell Phone Pictures - Philadelphia

2010-01-18T23:28:00.012-05:00

Went to Philladelphia for a soccer confrence and left my camera at home so I all I had was my phone.
Here are some pictures I took on my cell phone when I was in Philadelphia.

Home made pickles from a market

Not the Caribou Coffee Leanne and I love so much :(

There was no phone inside, just empty pop cans.

Cobi Jones

You got to eat a Cheese Steak when you are in Philadelphia

Free Soccer Dinner

Steak and Fish

The Big Dog (pig in a blanket) and Dane

TRAVLING

2010-01-12T18:36:00.012-05:00

We traveled a lot this Christmas Break.

We started in Westfield spending Christmas with Leanne's family.

Then we headed to D.C. for a conference Leanne had to work at. Eleana got to see the White House!

After D.C. we went to the Quad Cities to spend the new year with my family and see some friends.

Mario squishing El's head.

Mario and his grandson Chase

Grandma Mary and El

Me and my Grandma

Mario, Austin (his son) and Chase (Austin's Boy)

5 Generations

4 generations

Soliz house

Torres and Soliz fam

1st Real Snow of 2010

2010-01-12T16:38:00.009-05:00

Here are a few pictures I took from the 1st real snow fall here at Anderson University.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T12:40:00.008-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone. Eleana is now 3 months, 1 week and wonderful as ever.

We will be doing our fair share of traveling for the holidays. We start with spending Christmas with the Bunnell Family which is only about an hour from Anderson.

Our next trip is a long haul to D.C. which will happen right after Christmas. We have to go back to AU pick up some students and then off to D.C. we go.

After we return from D.C., we continue our journey to the Quad Cities to spend New Years with my family.

We are super excited to see everyone but not looking forward to all the traveling. Life would be a lot easier if our families would both relocate to where we are.

Here are some fun pictures for your enjoyment.

Christmas outfit (one of them)

Wearing dads hat

1st snow

Off The Charts

2009-11-27T10:42:00.005-05:00

Last week, we took Eleana to the Dr. for her 2 month check up and shots. One of the ladies took Eleana and put her on the scale to measured her weight and turned around to put her on the table and measured her length. The lady then wrote the numbers on the table and said, "Welp, she's off the charts!".

At 2 months she is "off the charts" at 14lbs 7oz and 25 inches long.
When she was born she was 7lbs 14.9oz. and 21 inchs long.
She is in the HIGH 98% ht and wt.

After she called my baby fat, she put Eleana on the table and got her ready for her shots. I was not ready to see my daughter cry from someone hurting her. She needed shots, one in one leg and 2 in the other.

As soon as the 1st needle touched her skin Eleana made a face I never want to see again. She opened her mouth as wide as she could but no sounds were coming out. As the 2nd needle went into the other leg she screamed as loud as her little lungs would let her. The 3rd shot was quickly after the 2nd and the nurse quickly told me to pick her up. All I could do was hold her as tight as I could as her high pitch scream instantly sent me into tears.

We all cried for a while and then tried to calm each other down. Going to the Dr. for her shots is not something I am going to get used to.

onenineimages

2009-11-17T20:13:00.007-05:00

This is an amazing video done by Stuart Atkins to show the skill of my friend Andy Brophy.

onenineimages from stuart atkins on Vimeo.

Little Talker

2009-11-17T00:43:00.005-05:00

Eleana is becoming a little talker and it is awesome. She starts in the morning with smiles and stories.

Which reminds me that the other amazing thing is she is doing is smiling like crazy. She will smile back at you if you smile at her. Sometimes I feel like she is trying to get us to smile at her. She just will look right at us and just smile ear to ear (I think she has my big smile).

Once she is nice and awake she will start talking away. She will tell us about what she dreamed about, what she wants to do that day, and about how much she loves us. Even if we walk away for a little bit she will still talk to make sure we hear every thing she is saying.

I can't wait to hear her 1st words and find out what her little voice will sound like when she starts putting words together and forming sentences.

I love my little talker.