Church Ball

First game....and she scored!

The ultimate birthday lunch

McDonalds at Walmart. Who could ask for anything better than that?

Ice, Ice Baby!

A quick example of what we've been dealing with for the last few days.....

The house next door is vacant (yes, it's a foreclosure) and the front steps were still covered in a sheet of ice. Necco helped clear them this afternoon.

Walk carefully

It's cold outside!

Sharing a Milkshake

Aren't fun Aunts the best?

Busted

I got a better shot of AJ's busted lip tonight. It's never dull around here! (to read all about how it happened, visit my home blog)

Beat

Poor kid got hit in the mouth by a baseball bat. He cried for an hour (he was tired as it was) and finally fell asleep. His drool was pink.

I took a grand total of 5 pictures today. Boring!

The Suck Truck

While I was on a walk today, enjoying the beautiful weather, I saw this lamp. The sun was hidden directly behind the lamp. Pretty cool!

And I couldn't resist putting this picture of a truck up here. It's probably too small to read, but just between the cab and the back of the truck, written on the underpass, is the word "Suck". The suck truck. Ha!

The apple of my eye

AJ requested an apple for lunch today and asked me to make a hole in it (I wasn't sure where he was going with it....) He peeked through the hole in his apple and I "saw the picture." I tried to re-create it, but AJ was not extremely cooperative. I was trying to get AJ's eye in focus, but he was moving too fast. This is the best I got. Still pretty fun. :)

The cereal box barricade

What is it about kids and cereal boxes? I know my kids aren't the only ones who like to hide behind the boxes while they eat their breakfast. I couldn't resist AJ's hand peeking out....

And then my little guy gave me a smile. I almost forgot all about the splitting headache I've got.....Almost.

Snow fever

Despite his fever of 103, AJ was desperate to go outside to play in the snow today. I waited until his fever had been down for a few hours and then let him go in the backyard for a few minutes. It was enough for him.

I don't feel like posting metadata today. That's ok with you, right?

First flakes

We had our first snow storm of the season today. It's been pretty mild. Just enough to enjoy. :)

70-200mm f/4 lens, 109mm, ISO 100, f/4, 1/125 sec.

Name that milk splash

I had so much fun with water yesterday that I decided that I HAD to try milk splashes today. Reese helped me out this time. Here's what I learned:

*Milk is more dramatic-looking than water
*Milk is messier than water (especially when you break the glass)
*Don't drop a rock into a glass dessert cup
*This technique can also be done very successfully (and with much less hassle) in the day time. It does not need complete darkness.

Because of the broken glass, we didn't get as many shots, but I still had a few that I was happy with. I though tit would be fun to name the milk splashes. What do they look like to you? Anything?

#1

#2

#3

#4

Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/4 lens, ISO 100, 140mm, f/4, 1/200 sec

Drip drop

KitKat helped me with another fun photo experiment today. I have a lot to learn, but I had a lot of fun with it.

18-50mm lens, ISO 125, f/2.8 1/200 sec, bounce flash

Slates

I volunteered in Reese's classroom this afternoon (while the kids were at lunch). My job is to fill their folders with all of the papers and projects from the week. I was drawn to these old fashioned chalkboards. I just kept hoping that no one would walk in on me while I was taking the pictures....

18-50mm lens at 40mm, ISO 400, f/2.8, 1/50 sec

Should I be concerned?

Some friends of ours handed down a huge box of Bratz dolls to my kids. I honestly didn't think we'd keep them. They were even set aside for donation once or twice. But the fact is, my kids love them. The little pieces, the fancy clothes. Oh, dear me! (Don't miss the New Kids on the Block naked doll--the one with the scary black hair--at the bottom of the frame!)

50mm lens, ISO 320 f/2.8, 1/15 sec. Eek! That was bad!

Morning moon

I looked out the window this morning and saw this gorgeous moon in the clear, blue sky. I don't know what it is about me and the moon lately. Love it! It amazed me that I can stand in my back porch and capture so much detail of something that is so far away.

Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/4L lens, ISO 100, 200mm, f/6.3, 1/400 sec, cropped

Angel of Freedom

I was thrilled to find this Willow Tree figure, Angel of Freedom, at the thrift store today. She is the 3rd that I've been lucky enough to find second hand, and each time I do a little happy dance. I love Susan Lordi's simple style. There is so much emotion contained in this little figure!

I just have to mention--after I took this picture, AJ--my 3 year old--went to the pen drawer so that he could give her a face. Ack! I'm glad I caught him before he ruined her. :)

Canon 40D, 18-50mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 200, 46mm, f/3.2, 1/50 sec

Two shots

After my disappointing experience with the moon last night, I was hesitant to shoot the magnificent sunrise this morning. I was worried I would be sorry. I was pleasantly surprised!

ISO 100, 73mm, f/11, 1/800 sec

This afternoon, Twizzler took Tootsie Rolls and shaped them into the letters of his favorite friend's name. I couldn't resist sharing this photo, too!

ISO 250, 50mm, f/3.2, 1/50 sec

YUM!

I have enjoyed taking pictures of the moon this season, and tonight's moon was spectacular....clouds were moving across the face of the moon, which was giving off an orange glow. I have figured out plain old moon shots. But for some reason, I could not nail the eerie glowing, cloud-hidden moon tonight. So instead, I am posting a picture form a meeting we went to tonight for Twizzler's upcoming baptism. Yum!

PS--Same old camera. Totally auto. No flash.

Candles

KitKat and I worked together to get a few pictures of candles burning tonight. I had a hard time deciding which one to pick, so I decided to post a few.

ISO 400, 5omm, f/2.8, 1/4o sec

ISO 400, 5omm, f/2.8, 1/4o sec

ISO 400, 5omm, f/2.8, 1/2o sec

ISO 400, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/13 sec

ISO 400, 24mm, f/2.8, 1/13 sec

All photos taken with my Canon 40D and 180-50mm f/2.8 lens

Did you say shots, Doctor?

A trip to the doctor for Twizzler today. Good news: no strep. Bad news: 2 shots.

Canon 40D, 50mm f/1.8 lens
ISO 200, 1/100, f/2.8

Blowing bubbles

This picture might not have turned out as well as I'd have hoped, but it was the one that stood out among the ones I took today. Silly Reese!

Canon 40D and 18-50mm f/2.8 lens
ISO 400 (at night in my kitchen), 35mm, f/2.8, 1/80 sec

Between rain and snow

It was a cold, wet morning. Lots of rain. Not quite cold enough for snow, but cold enough to freeze on the bare branches outside the kitchen window.

Canon 40D, 70-200mm f/4L lens
ISO 200, f/4.0, 1/25 sec

Nap time

I was folding laundry. Turned around, and he was out.

A Professor and a Pirate

My two favorite twins: Pirate (first) and Professor (second)

Brick. Oven.

I've been loving the sunsets lately, but I keep missing them (with my camera, at least). I took a pre-sunset walk to the park tonight, and thought this lone brick made a perfect prop.

Beading

Farewell to the Christmas season

Loaded Gingerbread

Here's to a new project for 2009

I have heard about other bloggers doing a Project 365 (a photo every day for a year), and since this is the beginning of a new year, I figured I'd take the plunge and start one myself. Here's to growing and learning in the New Year!