Black and White

I did something fun today. I quit cleaning my house, put the kids down for their naps, and played with pictures. I've decided that I don't really know what works for a black and white photo. Sometimes I really like them, and other times I think I may, but I'm not sure. Also, I love the look of antiqued pictures, but I don't know if I'm doing it right. I don't have photoshop right now (it's on my very long wish list) so I'm using a program called Picture It that I like alright. Here are a few of my recent favorites I've played with. You'll see that on the last one I got "a little fancy with the spices," as some would say. I don't know if I like it, but at least I tried! I've listed these in order of color and black and white. :)

Owen's "Choo-Choo train."

Happy Lincoln under my computer desk. He always reads my posts over my shoulder as I type them. He's begging for his own blog now too. SO funny!

This picture is for Miss Jessica. :) She asked how my hair turned out. I'd have to say....red!

I liked this one in b&w a lot.

Ewww...sand.

I love sweet Ellie in color, but....

even more in b&w!

Something about this picture makes me want to cry just a little. Maybe it's the light coming in from the window, or Logan and Owen playing with toys from the box Daddy made them...I don't know but I like it.

It had to be antiqued.

I liked these pics. This was taken between the posts on our deck. I love how they frame the picture.

I had to antique this one too. It seemed better than black and white. What does anyone think?

More Radio Flyer!

"Fancy with the spices."
Too crazy?

Taking Pictures

I really like taking pictures. I don't know when this new hobby surfaced, but I think it was around the same time I met my friend Kim who is an amazing photographer. Since then I look at the world and even more so, my children, from a different perspective. I have a LOT to learn about photography, but the more I learn the more I love it and I can't think of a more beneficial hobby. If the saying a picture speaks a thousand words is really true, than I figure I am keeping one gigantic journal.

My dad has always taken a lot of pictures. He has been an electronics geek his entire life (don't feel bad dad, I'm married to one...take it as a compliment!) and I remember when digitial cameras were first coming out he jumped at the chance to buy one. It was a nice camera, but very expensive compared to how they are priced now. He was so excited about it and has since taken thousands of pictures of our family. I used to grumble when he'd ask me to pause for a picture, but now I think I am exactly the same way!

I'm uploading a few pictures to my hard drive right now (like I do every couple of days.) Today the number is small, only fifty-six. I remember back in the good old days of film, when twenty-four shots was the limit and since I never had much money for film or processing, I would be very picky about my shots. Only the cutest guy, best friend or funniest situations were captured and I'd drop them off at Shopko, then wait the twenty-four hours with anticipation to see how everything came out. Back then I never had much luck. It seemed like only half of my pictures would look decent and the ones I'd really wanted to look good would be fuzzy or black. Anyway, the whole point of these ramblings is that I am very grateful to my husband who has insisted that I get a nice camera (though at one point it was OURS, not mine) and even though my kids may get sick of me taking their pictures all the time, I'm glad that for now they humor me. 

Here's a few shots I took yesterday.

This was actually taken this morning. If you can't tell what Ellie has on her cheek it is a line of pen. Owen has taken to drawing on everything in the house, except his paper. Luckily I caught this early, or poor Ellie would have been covered I'm sure! Oh, and for the record, pen wipes off babies much easier than it does couches. I've discovered the magical power of hairspray in removing pen stains. Seriously, it works really well!

My cute kids in the jammys G and G Braithwaite gave them. Thank you!

My boys.


Last night Dan decided to cook dinner which left me with lots of time to be obnoxious with my camera. Stubborn man, I couldn't get him to look at me, not that I'm complaining because dinner was great!


The boys were much more cooperative. The thing I love most about my kids is their ability to have a blast with the simplest objects. Here's the perfect example:
Three boys + three shopping bags= hours of fun! (literally)


Lincoln looked at this picture and said, "look mommy, I have a dragon tongue!" So funny.

Playing games. For Christmas Santa brought a lot of games for the boys, and then the other day Dan's boss sent him home with a lot more from when her kids were little. The boys really haven't stopped playing games in days. I love it! Thanks June!

Ellie laughing at Owen as he runs around and around and around.

How could I resist this shot? Static and potty training underpants! What a nut.

More tummy time.

This is why Ellie is such a great sleeper. Moms, don't kill me, but Ellie sleeps eleven hours a night already! She puts herself to sleep each night by sucking her little fingers. So sweet!

Loved this angle!

My favorite of the group.

Dinner anyone?

So, I'm posting this at the risk of somewhat embarrassing myself. (sorry if I'm talking funny; I just finished reading 'Persuasion' by Jane Austen today so my grammar may sound a bit....proper.) Anyway, I had one of those moments where I thanked the Heavens that I was home and downstairs at the right time. It was also the kind of experience from which I realized that I really should show a lot of patience toward my children when they destroy things accidentally. They inherited their destructive abilities without a doubt from me, and sometimes I tend to forget that.

Well, let this be a reminder.

If you are wondering what this is, or should I say was, it was the outcome of a battle between our breadmaker and my stove. If you're wondering what happened, well let's just say the knobs on my oven are very touchy and one little bump was all it took to massacre my pizza dough. Like I mentioned, I happened to be downstairs when this happened. I was playing Candyland with Owen, and I would have won too had I not been rudely interupted by the popping of the incredibly now-toasted breadmaker motor. The burnt plastic smell was enough to cause nausia and the smoke filled up the house within seconds. Luckily we keep a fire extinguisher downstairs in the kitchen (I confess this wasn't my first offence at setting dinner to flames). Unluckily however, because this wasn't my first offence, the extinguisher had lost its pressure and was useless. Luckily once more, there were not flames, only smoke and stench, so within a few days, our house was smelling somewhat fresh again, and with some help from one of Dan's chisles, our stove doesn't show any signs of the battle. Not so much could be said for the breadmaker though. I think it lost. Oh well, you win some, you lose some!

On a happier note I'm posting more pictures of the kids. I know I take a lot, but I love it so much. Babies are sooo fun to photograph. I could do it all day!

Here's Ellie's new thing...chewing on her shirts.

Love those toes!


Uh-oh, she's about to.....

tip!

Tummy time!

Ever busy Owen.

Sweet boy.

Scrunchy Ellie!

Can you guess whose hands? Owen's.

Lincoln's pumpkin eyes.





Speaking of eyes, I did something kind of fun. I wanted to compare my kids eyes. Just to see the similarities and differences. Here they are. I thought it was kind of cool. Different, yet similar.

Logan

Lincoln

Owen (one of these things is not like the other)

Ellie

Presidential Inauguration

Those of us here in the United States would likely agree that we have been blessed to live in a promised land, the creation and foundation of which were steered by the hand of God. In a couple of days America will open a new chapter in its story. Each of us ought to feel renewed hope and each of us ought to bring the highest of expectations. Next week's events in our nation's capital will be a manifestation of the very best elements of the democracy and liberty that so many have sacrificed to protect.

Regardless of how differently each of us may see the new president's approach, positions or plans, a presidential inauguration is a very special occasion. We watch as another one of history's very few takes the reigns of the most powerful nation the world has ever known and we offer our sincerest prayers that he is enough for the task.

I hope you'll join with us Tuesday in welcoming a new American president and in celebrating the freedoms we enjoy that have been promised to us by a Constitution we revere.

Diana's trip part two

I posted so many pictures yesterday I feel a little silly posting more. However, there were a few I left off that I really liked. Dan's mom also mentioned to me this morning that she was sad not to see any pictures of me and Diana together, and I have just one that I almost posted. It's cute of her, but not my favorite of myself. Still, I like it.

Before I post more pictures though, I wanted to note that I am typing this blog on a wonderfully new keyboard. Why? Well, up until yesterday I was typing on a keyboard that unfortunately fell into the hands of my two year old. It, along with an almost endless number of unfortunate household objects, (couches, two cell phones..wait no three, a dvd player, many glasses, bowls, picture frames, books, the garage door, and the toilet.....just to name a few) did not survive the encounter by much, and typing was very difficult, not to mention painful. But now I am typing up a storm and loving every second of it. You can laugh at my enthusiasm for the new keyboard, but trust me, ten minutes with the old one and you would completely understand! Needless to say, Owen is not allowed within ten feet of the new one, or anything else destructive. I wouldn't mind the destroying so much, if only he would learn how to put things back together again! Maybe some day. Okay, I'll stop typing now, even though I really don't want to. It's just so nice......alright really. I'm done. I'll be back though, don't you worry! :)

Here we are!

Ellie slept like this the entire time!

Logan, trying to feel what it's like working in space.


Dia's girl being a rocket!

I think orange is a good color on Owen.