June 2008

Summer has been busy. I forgot that last summer my teacher friends were all off of work and I suddenly had a lot more playdates and midweek things to do! So we've been busy here playing and reading and learning to ride tricycles. We've had lots of stubbed toes because the girls refuse to keep their shoes on outside and it's maddening following them around all day reminding them to put their shoes back on. When do kids learn to walk without constantly hurting themselves?!?!?

Here are some recent pictures, and at the bottom, a video of our SWEET and CHARMING Ainsley May :)







A personal favorite...





And the video, entitled, "Stupid Mommy."

Fiesty little one...

Not good for my self-esteem...

Avery has come into a phase of brutal honesty. She constantly tells me things that challenge my view of myself.

In the morning, she comes into my room to find either me or Jed. I'm usually already up and maybe gone walking the dogs. But if I'm still there, she'll get into bed and cuddle with me. Once we're all comfy and snuggled together, she'll say something like, "Mom, your breath stinks. You should really brush your teeth."

Yes, I know dear. If you didn't wake up so early I might have already showered and gotten those important things done.

This morning while I was changing clothes she said, "Mom, kids don't have boobs. Adults have boobs, though. Yours are big and droopy."

Uh-huh. That's because you breastfed every three hours for a year, Avery. I blame it on you.

Last week in the dressing room at Target, she said, "Mom, those pants aren't going to fit you. You are all fat and chubby!"

I guess I can count on her to really tell me like it is...

It works the other way, too. She tells me on a regular basis, "Mom, you're so beautiful and precious. You're my precious darling."

Love her, that little stinker.

(click to enlarge)

Working with RAW -- my next step...

I'm trying out RAW files for my photography. Not sure if I'm sold... the files take up so much more room than fine .jpg files. But here's an edit I did today that I thought I'd share. If I were to print it, I'd print the CS3 edit, not the B&W with texture... just for fun.

So heartbreaking...

I recently photographed a woman named Heather who runs mom4life.com. We took maternity pictures in some local spots around town and I was really happy with the results. She found out yesterday at 37 weeks that her baby boy no longer had a heartbeat. Another friend, Sarah, contacted someone at the "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" foundation to help photograph him once he's born. I feel so heartbroken over the thought of this happening to anyone, but especially someone as wonderful as as Heather. I don't feel like these photographs were taken in vain -- I feel like they're all the more special now. Just such terrible news...

Boooooooo

So last week, someone sent me an email via the Flickr website to let me know that they'd seen pictures of my kids on a different website and they'd been uploaded into two different people's photo albums. I checked out the photo albums and, even though I know no one hurt my kids and no real harm came to me because of it, it made me kind of sick to my stomach to see.

So, I may not share many pictures of the girls from here on out, just because my watermark is all over my pictures and it sends the photo-thieves right here, so I can't really post them here either.

Sometimes the internet really sucks.

Of course, this doesn't even begin to compare to the time that someone I "met" on the internet looked up my real name on Google or whatever and found out my place of work and actually called my boss. No, it's not nearly as mind-bending and that.

Anyway, all this to say, if you click on my Flickr link and don't see many pics of the girls but want to, please add me as a friend and I'll add you right back, provided I either know you or you share pics of your kids and participate in the Flickr community.

I'm super bummed about all of this and pretty pissed that the people who took the pics seem to think it's all fine and dandy, but I've moved past it.

Fall!

We've been busy at all the local spots that are fun in fall to get pumpkins, cider, and pick apples. Avery asks to go to the pumpkin patch several times a week. She recently discovered that they have like 17 different jumpy house things, and she wants to try out each one. I'm having a hard time coughing up FIVE freaking dollars for each one so she can jump for like a minute and a half, but unfortunately Avery doesn't understand what a rip off the pumpkin patch is.

My husband is getting started with the irrigation in our front and back yard this weekend so the girls and I are headed to Grammy Gigi's house to escape the sounds of trenchers and pick-axes.

I have a TON of pictures to share as well... but then, you probably expected that.

Having fun with the red tutu (click to enlarge):



Visited some friends that are buying an old Victorian on Walnut Street -- SUCH a great place to take pictures...





We also vistied the local Mission for "Adobe Days," but they were cancelled. I snapped a couple of pics there just for fun.


Having fun with a mirror:



Ainsley practiced putting on blush...


Which tired her out...


Met up with our photography friends at the library:





Ainsley and her tongue :)


Visit to the Pumpkin Patch:





Apple Picking:



Fun with the pool table...



Teddy Bear Picnic:



Trying on Halloween costumes:


And last, but not least, Avery being her moody, grouchy, almost-three-year-old self.

Pictures, by request

My friend Anna has emailed me like 42 times in the last couple of days begging me to add more pictures of my kids to my blog. I don't want to let her down.

The weather has been better here -- the temps are much lower... kind of cold actually. But Jed's blood pressure is higher after seeing our electic bill from August. 110 degrees = air conditioned house.

No more pictures, Mom!









Water balloon fight in the park:

HOT, HOT, HOT

There's nothing like weeks on end of 100+ degree weather to make you want to do absolutly NOTHING. Poor Avery wants to play outside so badly, and then goes out there and turns right back around. We've been trying to go out in the evenings, but even then, it's too hot to do much more than stand in the shade.

I still have a pretty bad computer situation... but Jed bought me one for my birthday, so it'll be here in a couple of weeks. Maybe then I'll somehow magically find the time to blog and read my friends' blogs.

Just a few pictures...

Hanging around:


"Mom, I found a Chuck E. Cheese coin -- can we go there?"


Cutie pie...


Stormy Sky -- the view from our backyard:


Baby in a Bowl, take one:


Baby in a Bowl, take two:


Around town at little spots I've been wanting to take pics of...

Happy Birthday to my little Ainsley May

Ainsley is one today... the past year has flown by.

She is walking everywhere. She's trying to keep up with Avery, I guess. She's very motivated to go, go, go. She eats like a champ. She will eat just about anything you put in front of her. She's learned to dance. She stamps her feet and shakes her head. If you hand her the telephone, she puts it up next to her ear and really listens. She loves the dogs. She loves dogs in general, really. She'll say "ooh, ohh, oooh" for her 'barking' noise. She's pointing at things. Mostly things she wants. She wants everything Avery has and Avery doesn't share well. She's getting into books -- we read about 5 every night and she will turn the page when you ask her to. She loves the books with flaps. She's already torn a few flaps off!

Here are a couple of pictures of her. Jed and I took her out to dinner tonight, just the three of us. She liked being the only one to get attention :)

Lollipop, Lollipop

Just wanted to share a few pictures from my "photoshoot" with Avery the other day. This is the first time I specifically dressed her in something, had props, and used a specific location. I don't know if I'll do that again anytime soon. HAHA

From the weekend

All of the pictures I've taken recently of Ainsley are pretty terrible. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because I'm having fun putting Avery in certain situations and she's actually (mostly) cooperating? Don't know. I'll work on that. I figure, too, since Ainsley's birthday party is this Saturday, I'll have a ton of her from that day, so I'll end up balancing it all out, right?






And we met a bunch of firemen last Friday at a local park. It was fun!

I should know better...

Once I boasted about all the fabulous sleep I was getting, my nights and mornings turned to shit. Avery's been having trouble falling asleep and won't actually konk out for the night until like 11pm, only to promptly rise at 6am or earlier. This would be halfway tolerable if Ainsley was still doing her 9am trick, but no, since posting the previous blurb about her newfound fantastic sleep habits, it's been 5am, 5:30, you get the picture.

I should know better than to even mention sleep or the lack thereof at all. It always comes back to get me.

A couple of pictures...










I'm not favoring Avery in the picture department... I have more of Ainsley that I haven't gone through yet. This last one of Avery cracks me up though. Not really a great picture, but I was more concerned with waking up Princess Crabs-Alot than I was with getting a picture perfect photograph.

Who needs a stinking bed, anyway?

Right around the corner...

Ainsley turns one next week. I can't believe she's almost one. This year flew by. She is still mostly crawling but she can walk. If you stand her up in the middle of the living room, she'll either just continue standing there or she'll walk to the nearest piece of furniture. Yesterday, for the first time, she willingly walked from one place to another. She did the same thing twice today. It's only a matter of time.

She had tooth #3 cut right after we got back from Mexico, but it's not coming out quickly enough. She's been pretty crabby and fussy lately. She's also being doing this weird (albeit fabulous) thing where for about a week and a half she slept from 7pm to 9am the next morning. I think I actually slept from 10pm to 6am two times without waking up at all. It's literally been since the early weeks of my pregnancy with Avery that I've been able to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. Just when Avery started to sleep longer and more soundly, I was already up peeing all night because Ainsley was on the way. Sigh. SIGH.

Anyway, I am being a cheapo and instead of taking Ainsley to the 'professional' photographer, I took her first birthday picture myself. I hope she doesn't hate me for not taking her to get her photos taken. I'm sure she'll wonder why...

Today's Captures

And just for a good laugh...

Some pictures from today...

Just practicing...

Back, but not really well rested

I came down with a horrible cold after getting home from vacation and actually had to call in reinforcements to come help take care of the girls because I was completely out of commission one day. I'm on the mend now, so here are some pics of Cabo to share.

Getting the hang of...

black and white. Or am I?

Excuses, excuses

My computer took a dump. It's making it tough to get online. I am just posting some random pictures from the last couple of weeks while I have a moment. I hope to get a new computer soon... I am dropping not-so-subtle hints to the husband.

Move over Kenny G!

Working on a photo collage

Someday I will actually print many of the pictures I've taken of the girls, frame them, and hang the frames. I have several in mind that I know will be included in this little collage, and this one that I took yesterday is the newest addition.

Ain't she cute?

TEN Months!

I can't believe we're so close to Ainsley being one. Where has the time gone? She's crawling, pulling up, cruising, and saying a couple of words. She's doing all kinds of things and everyday she does something new. The only thing she's NOT doing is sleeping through the freaking night. I can't catch a break on this sleep stuff.

I know, I know

I am slacking.

My mom got married on Sunday. It made life stressful for a few days. All is better now.

Here are a couple of random pictures -- I haven't been a good photo-taker lately. I tried taking the girls to the park today to feed the ducks, and let's just say it's not easy to take pictures with a heavy camera and hold a baby with your other arm. I have a velcro baby right now. This too shall pass.

In the meadow

Fairy wings and fuzzy boots

Watching a squirrel

...outside the window.

Off for the weekend

We're off to Vegas again this weekend to hang out with some friends. The kids will be joining us, so probably no pictures of me double-fisting cans of Bud Light and flipping you off. Yes, YOU!

Here are a few pictures from this week. I have been horrible at taking pictures of the girls lately -- there was actually a 10-day gap in dates in my downloaded pictures folders. Yikes! My sister would kill me if she knew that, so please don't tell her.

Aww, they could almost be friends...


Must. Get. Hamburger. Bun!


Wow, when did she grow up so much?


"I'm too tired for this, mom!"

Avery, Version 2.5

Just for you, Nat :)

A Very Merry Unbirthday

It dawned on me about an hour after I put Avery to bed that she's officially 2 and a half today. Whew. And she's every bit of that.

Two days ago, both girls and I were in Target. Ainsley started to cry because she was tired, and I was in the checkout line trying to get out of there and get home. While we were standing in line and I was trying to calm Ainsley down, Avery said "Mom, Ainsley wants some milk from your boobs" just loud enough for every person around me to hear. It'd be an understatement to say I was embarrassed. I guess there's a reason why 2 1/2 year olds don't normally talk as much and as well -- they don't understand what's socially appropriate to say and/or keep to yourself.

I will take some "I'm 2-and-a-half" pictures tomorrow, so for now, just a picture of Ainsley May.

Now I know I'm biased...

but...

maybe just a little?

I've added a couple of blogs to my Blogroll

Just wanted to point them out :)

My friend Viv's photoblog -- she inspires me so much!

My friend Morgan's new blog -- she's just started and her little girl Brooke is so cute! Ainsley and Brooke will have to be cyber buddies for now because Morgan and Blake ditched SoCal and live in Oregon. But they might meet someday!

I hope it's okay with you two that I linked your blogs to mine!

Riding the Rails

Waiting...

My mom's horse is due to have a baby tomorrow. We went over there hoping we'd get to see some action, but no dice. It turns out I no longer have patience for these things, having waited so damn long for my own offspring to come into this world, and I gave up on the waiting and came home.

Here are a couple of pictures of Avery hanging around the barn. She didn't really get what was going on and it'd be an understatement to say she didn't want to wait either. Not a 'waiter,' that one. We tried giving her some hay to chew on, but she looked at us like we were giving her hemlock or something and threw it on the ground.



Just a few more...

Trampoline fun

Our good friends have a trampoline and regularly invite us to come jump. This time I brought my camera AND I jumped with the kids. My friend took a few pics of us all jumping together. One of the pictures I took while sitting on the trampoline with Avery and her buddy was this one:


I love how it captures Avery's shadow in its entirety.

My friend snapped this one, which is about the only one of me where I'm not high in the air with some goofy look on my face. Avery and I had so much fun, it makes me want a trampoline too!

One more

Drive by blogging

Just coming back to reality after a weekend away in Santa Barbara. We went to the most gorgeous wedding ever, and of course I have no pictures because I was on a mission to have fun and big bulky cameras and beer don't mix well. I did take a picture of the mission that we could see directly across the street, however. It was so beautiful how they had it lit up at night.


My home business is coming along nicely. I'm still working on the website. I'll post it as soon as it's built.

I also thought I'd add a few pics just for no other reason than to try to be better at blogging. I apologize to my fellow bloggers whose blogs I used to read and reply on often. I am not ditching you, I'm just finding it tough to get the time. I told Jed yesterday that I need to get a job so I can sit and do nothing on the internet all day!

I'll start with the state of our yard. We're redoing the entire thing. Here is how it looked last summer.


Here's how it looks now. The girls enjoyed watching the destruction. We're in negotiations for what happens next right now. We're not quite sure what we're doing, but the plans are geting (somewhat) finalized.




Ainsley started to eat solids recently, so it takes more time for me to feed her. She is THRILLED with the process, as you can clearly see.


Here are just some random pictures...

A show of faith

I'm still here, I'm still taking pictures, and I'm still thinking about what I want to blog about. I just have been crazy lately with too much to do.

Here's a pic as a show of faith that I'm here and alive and haven't abandoned my blog!

Completely Random

I haven't had much time to do much these last few days. I've got so many things going on, I am totally scatter-brained. This morning I took a shower, dried off, put on my make up, and went to blowdry my hair, only to find that I'd obviously never shampooed it, just conditioned. I do believe that is the first time I've ever done that.

Anyway, I don't have much to write about, but I do have some random pics to share. Happy Ash Wednesday.


Cheeky Monkey:


Hittin' the sauce...


Curiosity:


See No Evil...


Ahhhhhhhhhhh. Gotta love that pour, too. I am so out of practice.


"Tammy Faye Baker ain't got nothing on me!"


Spring?


A little help?


Monkey see, monkey do:


The view from my street...


"Just scream like this and mommy will leave you alone. Try it!"


Smoochable!


"Our dads were college roommates. Just wait until we get there!" (good thing Ella and her parents live in TX now...)


Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Fat:


No caption necessary :)


Takes 1, 2, and 3.


The lovechild of Barbie and Medusa:

Playing around...

If I had thought Ainsley would even sort of cooperate with this idea, I sooo would not have used a carpet as a backdrop and a towel as a baby-propper-upper. I'll try again with better props another day.


And here is one of Avery's favorite pasttimes. Rock collecting. I told some of you girls about the rock I threw out of the window recently? This is it. She STILL has it.

Lightning Storm

A few nights ago I tried to take pictures of a lighting storm. The conditions and circumstances sucked beyond belief, and I was feeling the crunch to try my hand at it because I knew the storm wouldn't last long. It was POURING rain, windy, cold, I had a sleeping infant inside and couldn't go too far from the house, and the battery on my camera kept dying and I kept charging it for like two minutes at a time.

Anyway, all that to say that this is the best image I captured, and it's not all that great. I wanted the BOLT, but I guess this will have to do.

I tried to do a rollover image that would appear and disappear with a mouseover/out, but the code won't work with Blogger. You can only mouseover. The original image does not restore like it should. If you refresh, it will refresh with the original image.

It's sort of cool... but the bolt would have been better.

I'm printing these...

Just a couple of pictures for the heck of it

Photoshop Effects

Just thought I'd post this before and after of a picture of Avery that I photoshopped. I couldn't even tell you all that I did to get to the final product. It's all a combination of sharpening, darkening the levels, deleting partial layers, and playing with the saturation and hues.

I probably couldn't duplicate it. Anyway, here goes nothing... you can click to enlarge it.

Caption This

A couple of years ago, I took this picture of Avery. I asked some friends to help c