In Shadow

Camel

Ok. So it wasn't actually today. But it's not like you get to see a camel up close and personal every day.

Kevin

And Kevin.

Ryan

I edited one of Ryan, too, of course.

Edit

I recently discovered some new photoshop actions. I am still learning how to tweak them, but I have been pretty impressed with the results thus far...

In raw.

I used to love sugar in the raw. But that's neither here nor there. I was taking pictures of the boys in Camera RAW today. Or technically apparently I set my camera to take them both in .jpg and .raw. I liked the processing applied to the .jpgs better. The raw images all looked very blah in comparison. And when I processed them to make them look less blah they just got grainy and noisy.

There is also a world of difference in the pictures I took with my 50mm and my 100-400. My 50's are crisp. The bokeh in the others looks grainy? Or pixelated?? I have no idea why. Or how to fix it...

Memories

We ran into the boys' friend Kyle at the park. Kyle's an only child. He loves to play with the boys. The boys wanted to swing. But there were only two swings. So we asked the boys if they could share so all 3 of them could swing at the same time.

I was amazed that they still fit. It definitely brought back memories... Memories of the first time...

At the exact same park.

In the exact same swing.

Almost 2 years to the day. It really was a coincidence. We rarely come to this park. In fact I don't think we have been all year.

My little bitty babies. How much they have grown.

Nice shade of blue

I was trying something new. It turned all my pictures irrevocably blue.

And since I didn't download them right away I continued to take blue pictures for several more days...

This is reason 138 why I wish my camera would reset to defaults when I turned it off...

Treats

Remember when the boys went shopping with me? And I let them pick out their own treats? Ryan picked the spider.

He's terrified of spiders. I can't imagine why he picked it. Maybe because it was green?

Second Opinion

The boys and I split the marshmallow apple today. Connor wanted to pick all the marshmallows off and eat them separately.

Carmel Apples

I made carmel apples for the first time today. They were easier than I thought. And yummy. My favorites were rolled in peanut butter chips.

I was harboring a delusion of making them for the kids' school as take home treats. Maybe even making them look like Mickey mouse. Why you ask? Because I am crazy like that. And I found Mickey Mouse Halloween coloring books. And wouldn't that be cool?

Don't worry. Someone else signed up so we will never know if I would have come to my senses or not. Nor will we ever know if I would have had to go to plan B - mummy cupcakes. Or mummy cupcake brownie bites. I think I am going to make me a batch anyways.. You know, just to try it out.

Ryan's Day on the Farm.

This is Ryan. He's a ham. I secretly call him Fabio sometimes.


Moody? I like it! Give me more!

That's it! Nice. Keep it up!

Oh, yeah. There's the smile. I am glad you can laugh at my antics.

Because I do them for the sole purpose of your amusment.

Yeah, I hope no one else saw that, too.

While Ryan can enjoy a good slide like the next kid, his true love is cars.

He's got car radar. Like a heat seeking missile.

I found this on Kevin's memory card. He loves yellow busses. Other people driving his bus? Not so much it would seem.

Out of the blue he reached out and petted the donkey at the barn. Apparently animals are okay if they are behind a fence. And he's on the other side.

He was too busy running up and down the aisles to give much thought to pictures. We finally did get him to sit for a picture or two.

He had to have the pumpkin just right before he could sit for a picture. It had to be upside down, not sideways. The stem pointing all the way down. Otherwise he kept trying to roll it to get it just right. And you better be quick. Because you had your second then he was off again.

Connor's Day on the Farm

This is Connor. He's the one with blue eyes.


And just a hint of a dimple when he's up to no good, or just wants to melt your heart.



He's a swinging maniac. The higher and wilder the better. "Mom the snails are moving faster than me. Put the camera down and push already!!"

And he has a little stubborn streak of independence. It's in his genes.

And this? This IS a slide. SEE???

I can slide down it like this.

"If you are happy and you know it, flap you wings." He loved the singing chickens.

He's a dancing fool. Last week one day he broke out into a full fledged dance routine. He balled his little fists and pumped them in the air to the beat. Up high, to the right, to the left, down low, uh huh, that's right. Like he was possessed by Michael Jackson. I can't explain it. He doesn't get it from me. But it was one of the cutest things I have ever seen. The look on his face was just so intense. He was concentrating to get it just right. P.R.E.C.I.O.U.S.

I am starting to think he's going to be a shrimp. Ryan's getting noticeably taller. Drink your milk!

He was particularly into hiding on the farm.

We actually lost him for about 30 seconds inside a tire while I was taking pictures of Ryan.

I had a heart attack. I am having palpitations again just thinking about it. I swear I am looking into baby low-jacks. With electrocution. I totally understand why people have leashes. And how they loose their children. Especially when they have more than one. It isn't negligence. You have to blink some time. And they are FAST for people with such short legs.

He knocked on the pumpkins like you would, I don't know, some kind of melon? Is hollow good, or bad? He wasn't sure either.

On the Farm

We were exhausted. The deep set exhaustion that comes from playing hard all day. And filthy. Literally covered head to toe in a layer of dirt thick enough that it wouldn't have mattered had we forgotten the sunscreen.

We spent the day at Dewberry Farm. We were among the first in line for tickets (note to self: check hours of operation before next outing... ) and some of the last to head out as dusk closed in. Despite that we still didn't get to do everything. Just something to look forward to next time.

Treats

The boys and I were left to our own devices today. We spent the morning with me chasing them around threatening them within a half inch of their life if they didn't _____. And there were a whole lot of blanks.

By the time nap time rolled around I couldn't wait to usher them off to bed for some peace and quiet if only for a little while. I had been debating whether or not we would run errands or just enjoy a day at home. After the mornings' shenanigans I decided I would take my chances at the store.

While we were there I picked up some marshmallow treats. I picked out a pumpkin. Ryan picked a green spider, and Connor picked an orange owl.

A Picnic

I am really loving this weather. We split a cookie and ate it on the grass at school. It was so nice out we decided to have a picnic dinner on the porch when we got home.


Afterwards we went for a walk to see the Halloween decorations in the neighborhood.

PBK

The first of the things I ordered from Pottery Barn Kids arrived today. I have no idea where I am going to put them...

Verdicts still out

The verdict is still out on this lens. It doesn't behave like any of my other lenses. Or maybe I should just say "It doesn't behave. [period]"

Treasure Hunt

I don't even remember when I ordered this lamp. But we "found" it in the garage. Still in it's original packing box. Never opened. And I would have sworn it was supposed to be some sort of cherryish color. But it's not. I like it anyway.

A Momentus Occassion

We, and by we I mostly mean Kevin, finished clearing out enough space in the garage to actually get my car in the garage. The last time one of my cars fit in the garage my children were just learning how to walk.

Yes. It's been that long. I would be ashamed but that would take more energy than I feel capable of mustering after having wrestled the kids into bed.

Renaissance Festival

We took the boys to the Renaissance Festival today. They ran until their little legs just couldn't run anymore.


I can't imagine what they must have thought about it all...

I particularly enjoyed the people watching. Though I was really disappointed that I managed to leave my CF card at home...

Veggietales

It was a quiet and relaxed day today. I cooked my favorite french toast. We all sat down at the table together and enjoyed it. We walked to the park. We went to the grand opening of Toys R Us to see Veggietales. The boys met Bob the Tomatoe and Larry the Cucumber.

And then we had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes where I discovered that I get a bit panicky and cranky without meat on my plate.

We finally made our way back home and napped the afternoon away. Then the boys and I played outside and took another stroll around the block while Kevin washed the bugs off our cars. I grilled some steaks and steamed some veggies for dinner. I got a little heavy handed with the rub. And filled the kitchen with smoke. Thank goodness there is no smoke detector in the kitchen. Because as it turns out blackened brown sugar produces prolific amounts of smoke on the grill...

Sandbox

We played in the sandbox after school today. I pulled weeds. Ryan filled the dump truck. Connor flipped sand everywhere with his shovel. We were all covered in sand. It was wonderful. :) We should do it more often. Kevin had a heart attack when he saw us.

There is now sand throughout the house. And a sandbar island in the middle of the tub. :)

Tilt

Ca-ching. Ca-ching. TILT!! Our cribs are convertible. Only they convert into full size beds. Unfortunately the only room left upstairs that would fit two full size beds is the kids' game room. So I started looking for twin beds. And I kept coming back to these.


Kevin was not thrilled. But I really liked them. And they were a good deal... And then they went on sale. :) And the rest is history... They will be here in a couple of weeks. And I have no idea where we are going to put them. Because the room where they need to go eventually is cram packed with stuff. And needs to be painted. I have grand plans. It is involves a road. And maybe a projector. Kevin will most certainly not approve. When is he going back to China again??

How to sleep on a pillow

Apparently we have been doing it all wrong for years... Connor insists that this is the way you are supposed to lay on it.

Where's Waldo?

I am not sure where he learned how to hide. But in the mornings when it is time for him to do something he runs. And hides. Behind the pillows. And totally gives himeself away as he giggles.

One of those days...

It was just one of those kind of days today...

Road Trip

We made a road trip to Sweetberry Farm this weekend.


It was AWESOME.



I loved the hay maze. It was in the shape of Texas. Inside there were 12 landmarks for you to find. At each one there was a special hole punch for you to punch your ticket with. If you got all 12 you got a free drink upon exit. We managed to find them all. Though not without coming back out to get another peak at the map to see where the couple we were missing were hiding.

We also rode the hayride to "Scarecrow Island. There were 15 or so scarecrow vignettes to see along the way. I thought they were super cute.

And of course there were pumpkins.

We took a ton of pictures. Not that the kids cooperated and looked at the camera and you know smiled or anything...

We had a blast. We will definitely be going back again someday.