I heart faces photo challenge, slice of life.

I heart faces is having a 'slice of life' photo challenge. While I don't think this picture is technically perfect or all that great, you can't deny it captures a slice of our life. 

Jude. Up front and center, crying, while mama is attempting to do something else, with someone else(Pete in background). I love it. I had to snap it. :)

Beatrix Potter

Joey read the boys some Beatrix Potter last night. Paul says, to Joey, "Did you know that Benjamin Bunny is Peter Rabbit's cousin Joey?" 

Priceless.

Eva, by the way, I *did* come across that story you warned me about. Yes, harsh results for poor Jemima Puddle Duck. For those that do not know, a fox ate her eggs, her babies! For real! It really ends that way! It really does. I am not kidding. Amazingly, the boys were cool with that. They got the  lesson there, I suppose.

Today, I read a quick little diddy about a bad rabbit that had his whiskers and tail blown off by a man with a big 'ol gun. 

Oh Beatrix Potter, you really know how to tell a good tale...

And my boys love it. The gunning, whipping, spanking, egg baby eating, dinner with no currant rolling, rabbitt skinning/pie making warning...they love it.  

 And they usually pay attention...

for the most part...

Spring blooms!

Spring is here! I believe it now. I do!

random stuff and such...

This may turn into a diatribe about film v. digital. Forgive me. I am in a funny place with it right now. Okay, I won't do that. It is annoying, I admit it. And I will not admit that I have reordered the same light meter that I just returned last week...ooops I just did. Anyhow...

I have a ton of pics on my SD card. I have been meaning to edit them, clear the card, but you know how that goes. So, I get annoyed. It is almost like I don't want to take a picture because I will have more to edit. *sigh* And you know, it is not like my editing is all that time consuming. It really is not. Not at all. But, when you have hundreds of pics to cull and then make minor adjustments to each one, well...there ya go. So, I kinda sorta hate editing these days. I like the result and even the process, but I hate the time it sucks out of my life. 

Anyhow...I have been meaning to show you TONS of funny pics I took of Jude last week. I have only edited a few. So...anyhow...

You know when a baby puts his real big boy walking shoes on and walks for the first time? That happened last week. You know when a baby explores outside, all on his own, outta mama's arms? That happened last week too. It is just awesome. I mean really awe inspiring to see a baby explore the grass and sticks and just get lost in this outdoor paradise that is actually a very small and modest back yard. 

You remember the mud though, right? Yeah...

There was no shortage of that. Jude learned the 'wipe on your clothes trick' pretty fast. 

And this mama, absolutely giddy to record this wonderful 'big boy walking shoes outside exploring' moment was chimping when this happened.

Ewww!!! Mr. Cool, that is so not cool. I did remove his hand and wipe his mouth out, after I took this pic, promise.

Lemme tell you, the only thing more disturbing than your baby finding a squirt gun that had been left in the yard since last Spring is...

that he knows how to use it. He picked it up, started pointed it around, saying 'doot doot doot.' Wow. 

 

When I took this pic, I thought, there is no way a baby should get his sweet baby gap jeans this muddy.

Then, I realized that he was not really a baby anymore. *sob* *sob* I think he is turning into a little boy. A muddy outside loving little boy!

My sister came to visit this week. My lil' sis. We had a great time. I miss all my sisters so terribly much. We went to the park, and yes, I am still on the hunt for the perfect, yet elusive, swing picture.

Still working on it...it will be mine. Now, I have to go edit all those other pics I took of my kids and nieces...sigh...

Oh, been keeping my promise to take better care of myself. Been buying more jewelry off Etsy.

How pretty are these?!! :) barron design studio if you wanna know. ;)

And, I just got some earrings from Israel off Etsy. Neat! I love international mail, as you know. But you know what? I think I just like getting mail. It doesn't matter what it is. I just like the anticipation, receiving, and opening of mail. Makes me think of that Frog and Toad story by Lobel where Frog arranges for Toad to get a letter because he never gets one and that makes mail time sad...I totally get that Toad! I am sure this is some form of neurosis. But, I have no problem admitting it--I like getting mail. :) So I have been using UPS.com to track my sorry light meter that I reordered.

 

After looking at all these muddy pics, determining Jude must be a boy now, I think of this pic I took last week.

 I don't know...I mean, if you still wear a onesie and eat your feet, then you must still be a baby, right? 

 

 

 

 

The Zoo!

Went to the zoo in *almost* Spring...but not really...here in central PA, once the temp hits 35ish, everyone declares it is Spring. Winter coats are thrown off. People break out their bikes and running shoes. Kids beg their parents to go to the park, and said parents take them. No matter that snow remains in the shadows and the trees have not budded yet. No matter. We are no different now. Saturday, the high was going to be 48, so Joe says, "let's go to the zoo." And we did. Joe map quested a more scenic route to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is the coolest city...more on that in a sec.

So, we are enjoying the snow-y yet warmish country side when...I declare...

The Amish are coming! The Amish are coming! 

I break out my camera like the most obnoxious tourist ever, and Joe, in a moment of what can only be described as true-love, clicked on the windshield washers just in time for me to snap this.

Cool. 

We were in Amish country. And lemme tell you something, there is nothing cuter than pudgy Amish toddlers girls in those little black bonnets. Soon though, the novelty of being in Amish country wore off. Another horse and buggy. Another horse and buggy. Another...you get the point.

Then the funniest thing ever happened. Way down the road, Joe saw a horse and buggy on a side street. We are in a car mind you. Anyhow, he says, "He is not going to pull out in front of me, is he? Is he? Is he going to pull out in front of me? Surely not, right?"

"Surely not. He is not going to..."

Oh no he di'nt! Awwww no!

Oh yeah he did.

You know how when a car pulls out in front of you, almost cutting you off, it will accelerate real quick? I swear that horse did that. We had to slow down, cause you know, we were in a car, but that horse sped up when that buggy pulled out in front of us. Then, we just crawled, which allowed me to take this picture. Note the no-passing double yellow line. Yes, eventually we were ready to be out of Amish country. And, to the Amish people, I am sorry for the obnoxious camera face. You fascinate me and I could not help myself. Please forgive me.

After Amish country, we got lost, twice. By the time we got back on track, this happened.

Which was a really really good thing because he started screeching right as we got lost.

Eventually, we were almost to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is not at all what I expected. Not at all. It is the 'steel city' you know. You know that lady with the rolled up sleeve and doo-rag, the 'we can do it' lady? I expected to see here there. And, I expected the streets to be filled with a bunch of steel union workers, wearing hardhats, carrying tin lunch pails. Storefronts? Nah, maybe just row after row of industrial factories. Smoke and plumes and whistles...Okay, maybe I am exaggerating, but I had serious misperceptions about this city. For starters, as you get close to Pitt, you see these type of neighborhoods.

Bright, right? I don't normally go so bright, but Joe was standing over my shoulder when I was editing these pics, and he asked me to make them nuclear. After switching on the windshield wipers for my Amish photo op, I could not say no. Anyhow, Pitt is surrounded by hills and hills and hills. There is still a good amount of green outside the city. When you get close, the hills are dotted with an insane amount of these houses. Small, built very close to each other, countless in number. Each hill dotted with these houses appears to have been its own fully functioning community as well, with an old factory and huge church. It is funny like this up north. Even though a town may only be 5 miles from the neighboring town, they were different communities with their own parish, schools, and identity/pride. This is the original urban sprawl. Not the 50's ranch or 90's mcmansion sprawl. So, when you get into the city...it is just really cool! Neat eateries, store fronts...very cosmopolitan I tell ya. 

So, finally, we get to the Zoo. 

Joe, Jude and Joey took the elevator. Me, Pete, and Paul took the escalator. It was a race.

Right after we got on, Paul realized he was just a little bit scared.
But we won!

It was fun. Thanks for the idea daddi-o.

Coloring and such...

I'll have you know that my expensive new toy is on the way back to B&H. For 300 bucks, I don't think I should have to tinker with exposure compensation. Anyhow, here are the last of the fuji 400h pics. I really do like this film. The colors are fun. And, for cvs scans, these aren't too bad! What I don't like is that I had to sacrifice precious iso by overexposing these. And, look, I used flash with these, so maybe metering flash with film isn't so scary after all.

You know that Pete likes to color.

Did you know that Jude does too?

Okay, not really.

 No Jude! No!

He just likes having or doing whatever the boys are having or doing.

Even though he is just a baby. Shhh...don't tell *him* that.

I have been having the most fun with this wide angle on my film camera. I love looking down at the kids, making them bobble heads.

Showing you what I see 99% percent of my day...the 'pick me up or I will totally and absolutely freak out' baby.

Love him.

But if Daddy is home, this is not my view. It's Dad's. When Jude hears that back door open, he runs to it, babbling, happy, giddy, goes over to Joe, and demands to be picked up. It is so adorable.

We all love it when Daddy comes home. :)

 So that is it for the fujih. I don't know what I will do about shooting film now, without a light meter...I might look into getting a cheaper used one. That way, if it is off, I won't be nearly as offended. 

It is Ash Wednesday!
As I type this, I am nagging the boys to hurry up and eat lunch so we can go. I don't want to take hungry kid to Mass. I don't know if we'll make it, but we will try. And per Joey's request, we are going to the fish fry at church later. Joe said, "we are fasting all day, and you want to eat that later? are you sure?" LOL Yes, a good ol' fish fry is extra tasty when you are extra hungry, Joe. ;) Now, for the giving things up part of Lent...I am giving up eating between meals, and trust me, this WILL be a sacrifice. ;) A girl needs to snack eat ya know. I will also read a psalm every day. :) Joe and Joey will pray 10 minutes a day together. :) Paul? He keeps changing his mind. He says he is giving up Candy. We'll see. Pete says he is "giving up a toy you blow into." Joey rolled his eyes, saying, "we don't have a toy that you blow into Peter." So, I guess Pete gets off easy.

Yesterday...

Still undecided about this light meter. I need to make a decision today. Yesterday Pete and I played with some harsh light and shadows. This is Kodak 400NC converted to BW. 

 When he realized I was photographing him *and* his shadow, he decided to make friends with it. Oh this was pure joy. He was playing with Mr. Shadow. Pointing out Mr. Shadow's body parts. :)

Later, he was a ghost. :) Still Kodak 400NC

And I managed to get one decent exposure of Jude-y playing with his feet. Sweet baby.

Paul reading a book...notice the distortion? Yes, 35mm on a 35mm is 35mm. Wide. 

Then it was back to the digital age...

I found some nice backlight and gave Paul a book. 

Joe and Jude are still best friends.

And sometimes they find mischief together. Like the other day when Joe gave Jude a temporary tattoo.

Oh, and there is a speedlite workshop giveaway, and I really want to win it! OCF here I come...maybe! LOL