The other picture

Yesterday I said that I had to choose between two pictures for this week's challenge at I Heart Faces. Today I will share my second choice. :)

I took this picture one day when experimenting with manual settings and focusing manually. It's cropped really closely because I was really wanting to get better at photographing brown eyes.

I love the result. I love the silly little smile he's giving. That his smile he uses when he's trying to weasel Mommy out of something. The only thing missing is the slight cock to his head I usually get.

I love how his eyes are smiling, too. I love how long his eyelashes are. I love the barest hint of a dimple on his cheek. I love how his hair is swept slightly to the side. I love my baby boy.

Collage

I decided to enter a collage in this week's I Heart Faces contest but it's definitely not my best work. lol I think my brain is fried from editing pictures from a high school's friend's bridal shower.

I chose to use some fun pictures I took late last summer of Mia in her tutu and black boots. Even at three years old she has her own mind and fashion sense.

Anakin's First Tball Practice

Anakin finally had his first practice last night. We'd been trying to have one for a couple weeks and had been rained out every time. Yesterday was a beautiful day out though and we were able to actually put his cleats and glove to use.

Oops!

Better, now if only we can get his glove turned the right way!

I've spent most of my week editing pictures from a wedding shower I shot last Saturday. I should be done with them this weekend, if I can get some time to myself to finish up. It's been quite an experience having to do all the pictures from a shoot at once instead of when I edit my personal pics and I might do one or two here and there as I'm inspired. I'm not complaining though...it's been a fun experience.

Assateague Island

Yesterday was a beautiful day out, temps in the 70's and sunny skies, so we decided to ride out to Assateague and walk a couple of the trails and see the ponies. It was the first time we've taken Anakin and Mia as the flies and mosquito's can get really bad there and Claudia has horrible reactions to bug bites so we avoid it in the heat of summer. There were still some mosquito's but I think I'm the only one that got bit and it was only once. My elbow really itches, though. lol

We hiked through two of the three half-mile trails. First the forest trail and then the marsh. I think the kids enjoyed the marsh trail the best as it takes you out to a small beachy area that they loved exploring. We went ahead and purchased a year pass ($30 for the year compared to $15 for the week and we can use it at both Assateague and Chincoteague.

The marsh trail

The ponies

They had fun combing the beach and marshy areas finding all sorts of interesting items. :)

And Mia loved playing in the sand.

(More pics later when I have time again!)

Spring!

I'm a bad blogger. Really. I have so many good intentions but I fail far too often. And to be perfectly honest, I'd really rather be outside in the sunlight (despite breaking out in hives within hours of getting sun) than be inside at the computer.

And along with the warm weather, Spring has brought even more chaos. Anakin starts tball tomorrow, and there's the flowerbeds to tend to and the grass to mow, and parks to play in and bikes to ride and walks to take...

So, I've been taking pictures but have gotten behind in uploading them let alone blogging them. I'll do my best to catch up, but well....good intention and all. ;)

This past week my tulips finally bloomed. A couple days before they finally opened I noticed the color just beginning to develop at the tips of the petals. It was beautiful and fascinating to see. I love nature. :)

(On a side note this second picture was featured on I Heart Faces last week! Yay!)

Angling for Sympathy

Last month I was taking pictures of the kids being silly when Anakin decided that I was bugging him and he didn't want me to take his picture anymore. I shrugged and turned the camera on Mia who is always happy to pose for the camera.

Unfortunately, that only seemed to upset Anakin more as he is at the stage where he only wants to please me and he came up to me sobbing that he was sorry and that I could take his picture. Only he couldn't stop crying as he stood there looking up at me so I did the only thing I could do and snapped a picture.

The moment I did, he sobbed out a "thaaaannnnk yooooouuuu!", hugged my knee and ran off to play while wiping the tears away.

Playing Catch-Up!

I have been taking pictures, but not posting them for the past week. Wednesday my husband and I celebrated our three years wedding anniversary. He took a few days off and we've mostly relaxed but have also gotten some things done around the house/yard. Mainly we enjoyed the beautiful weather we've been having!

Here's a quick description of what we've been up to!

On March 12th I made peanut butter cup brownies with a thick layer of icing on top. Mia especially liked them.

On March 13th Mia fell asleep coloring at the kitchen table.

Moments later, Anakin followed suit on the couch, clutching his wrapping paper tube lightsaber.

On March 18th Mia held her daddy's hand while rollerskating down the street.

and Anakin

practiced his Jedi moves.

And today, Jesse became a member of the mob while attending his girlfriend's birthday party.