Dinner is super funny here...and other stuff

The other night, at dinner, Jude wanted milk. Mostly because everyone else had milk. So, I get up to get a sippy or bottle, you know, what 16 month old babies use to drink milk out of. Joe says, "no, just let him have a cup," as he hands my baby boy milk in a mason jar. Yeah, that's right, we use mason jars. Big rednecks. No, honest, in my defense, they are nearly indestructible, and with four boys, you need indestructible. 

What ensued? Oh heavens to Betsy(when you drink outta mason jars, you get to say those kinda things).

Oh, that green stuff on his chin is Kale. I am having a love affair with kale right now. It absorbs flavah' so well. Love it.

Speaking of silly dinner antics...Jude is not the only funny one at the table. Pete has been pretending to fall asleep at the table. 

Not sleeping here. Not even kinda convincing. He gets 3 stars for trying.

Busted. You are sooo not sleeping for real.

Then the funniest thing happened.

 He actually fell asleep...for real...not kidding. Funny Petey.

We went to a kiddy amusement park today. Pete had so much fun.

This is what happens when I ask Pete to smile. LOL

And just for the fun of it...water drop on clover with super dark black and white conversion, why not.

And, well, that is what we have been up to. lol :) You know, I am coming up on a year of blogging. I have really loved it. :) I love taking the time to look at these pictures, write down my thoughts. I love my life. I have also loved connecting with other like minded people. I enjoy reading other mama photography blogs. It is nice to see, that in this big world, there are crazy camera face moms like me. They rock.;) I also love that family from afar gets a peek into our life without having to travel hundreds of miles. The internet is a beautiful thing.

But, with the good also comes the bad. Being here online, I put myself out there for both praise and criticism. And, this past week, I got some brutal criticism. As much as I like to say that I don't care what others think, it is hard to let insults just roll off your back.
So, just to get it off my chest, heal a little bit, allow me to say this...

I never picked up a camera to impress some stranger on some message board. I picked up a camera to document this beautiful, blessed, life I have. The beauty I saw in my mind's eye could not be replicated with my P&S on auto. I am more interested in showing you pictures that document our life than showing you pictures that show my technical camera proficiency.

I never picked up a camera with the goal of going pro. I don't have plans on going into business. So, I don't really need anyone telling me that my work is not pro quality.

Here, this is photography for the love of it and for the love of life. 

Truths

Just a quick funny. 

There are all these things we mamas have to teach our kids, truths we have to impart onto them to help them get through this journey called life. Some are big, universal, truths. Some are small, but still important, truths, like...

 

 

Life rule # 332: If you see a comb in the parking lot, do not pick it up and make it your own. What if it is really cool shade of chartreuse? No. Don't do it. What if it is all tiny, like a cute mini-comb? Nope. Don't pick up. Your welcome, Paul.

The other day...

I went about my house trying to find the weirdest and flattest light I could. Kidding. Ever notice how I start my blog titles with the first few words of the first sentence of my post. That oozes a lack of creativity, no? Sometimes I just cannot think of a good title. And when I do, it's usually cheese-i-fried, so trust me, it is better this way. 

Anyhow, the other day I was trying to find some nice soft directional light, and I found some flat light, and then some weird light. Ah well. Had the macro on and iso jacked up to 1600. I have to say that I am impressed with Xsi iso 1600 for head shots. It rocks. Everything else though? Not so much(like the Brothers, Bubbles, Bug post the other day-that is not good 1600 iso...and a cheesy post title to boot, see what I'm sayin'). Anyhow, I captured some sweet boys in bad light and high iso.

Pauly...flat light...

 starting to play around with skin color correction in ps5! Have NOT corrected Paul's tone here...each adjustment makes it worse, so I will keep this slightly green hued baby the way he is. He has hard skin to correct. He has an underlying olive tone. Joey is equally hard as he is so so so pale and fair.

Weird light...Petey...

Now, I did correct his, taking out lotsa magenta. No perfect, but better. Pete's skin is a dream to correct. He has rosy cheeks and his tone is just, I don't know, really easy to tweak. Each of my kids have a different tone, I swear. How did that happen? If Joe were here, he would make some terribly inappropriate UPS man joke right after I said that. As if that joke is not tired and old after nearly 9 years of marriage. Okay, I made that joke just the other day too...it's kinda funny cause the UPS man really *is* always here...we get alot of UPS mail. Once Joe made that Joke when his friends were over and the UPS man rang the doorbell right after he said it. No lie. I opened the door and everyone just started hysterically laughing. Poor UPS guy. 

We should buy UPS stock.

Tonight, I macro'd about the yard with the boys. I shot some dandelions in open shade. 

And one in full sun...

What a HUGE difference the type of light makes...

I heart faces, spring flowers

Brothers. bubbles, bugs

Glad I keep my camera handy in the kitchen for quick grab-and-snaps. 

Brothers...

Remember how I said that the UPS man(*sigh* we got something real special goin' on, me and my UPS delivery drivers...), delivered my new macro when I was shooting Petey blowing bubbles with my 35? Here is that day. 

Bubbles...

Cutie pie. Now, when I got that box with the macro in my hands, I opened it real quick, but Pete was done and would not blow any bubbles for me to macro. Dangit!

 

But then...Joey slipped outside when his brothers were not looking to blow some bubbles uninterrupted, and I stalked him outside with my new macro. 

Love this macro.

This one is nasty but pretty all at the same time. Ew! Fly on oregano leaf.

Bug...

Random stuff...

Macro is still fun...

playing with curves today...

Because I just don't have enough pictures of the older boys...I got one of Paul the other day! One down, one to go.

Right Now

Willette Designs is have a 'Right Now' challenge. Oh, this is so up my alley. The concept is to document your life 'right now,' how it really truly is, unscripted, unposed, bare all. :) So, when I saw the challenge in my blogger reader, I grabbed the camera and walked into the living room. Here is what I saw.

My 3 y/o, wearing only a diaper and t-shirt, as he usually does in the morning, and doing his upside down thing on the couch. :heart

 http://www.willettedesigns.com/?page_id=3741

 And, I really want to win this week-up for grabs is a clickin' moms lifetime membership!!!

Dandelion and Ps5 woes...

I got ps5. I figured that I could just jump in since I know PSE backwards and forwards. Well, I cannot find familiar tools. Like, why is USM under filters now? *sigh* 

Things are in weird places. Bridge...so much more stuff in there than ACR. I am totally lost. So, pics are collecting on my SD card, but I cannot really edit them yet. I think I am going to sign up for some Kelby training STAT, like tonight! Anyhow, this is my latest adventure in taking it to the next level, learning Bridge and Ps5...I did edit these tonight though.

 I have been without a macro for a few weeks. :( When I realized I was upgrading, I sold my 60(does not work on full frame), and then bought a used 100(cause of the crazy prices). I was not happy with my used 100's performance in macro...camera shake? soft copy? I don't know. I did  not give it much of a chance before I returned it. I thought I would maybe upgrade to Nikon, ditch Canon(gasp!), so I decided to wait on buying a new lens. So, I investigated Nikon Macro. The 105 has vibration reduction, which you pay for with very very pretty pennies. But...I read that the VR does not really work all that well for 1:1 macro, which is the only time I would really need it. There is not a 105 that does not have VR, and like I said, those pennies are preeeetttty. 60mm? Neat. But on a full frame? Maybe too wide. And, 2ish inch working distance? Nah. So, Canon's 100mm looked better and better, and as silly as it may sound, I might have just based my full frame camera upgrade choice on a macro lens. Yup. I love macro that much. I then waited though, thinking the prices would eventually drop...Oh, Japan, I pray you get back on track, for your sake, and for the sake of a hobby that was already expensive before tsnumai inflation. :(

I just could not wait any longer though! I need a macro NOW. It is Spring you know, things are in bloom and covered in pollen for goodness sake!

Now that I have shot macro, there ain't no goin' back. I. must. have. a. macro. lens. at. all. times. Gosh, hope that doesn't sound too bratty. Or silly. It's the truth! Macro and me...*sigh*...Oh, funny story, UPS delivered my new macro while I was in my yard shooting Pete blowing bubbles. HA! Crazy mom with a camera.

So glad to have a macro again...I love my new 100mm.

Now, if I can just figured out ps5, I can show you more pics. ;)

P.s. Big changes at Luxecetera! As many of you all know,  my sis' Eva is over there. ;)
http://www.luxecetera.com/blog/
Anyhow...Templates and 'Now Brand Identities' are 50% off!
For real!
Not kidding!
http://luxecetera.myshopify.com/collections/luxc-now-brand-identities

I nearly snatched up the  Day Dream Drops, lol. Love it. But...I have a few other ideas up my sleeve(okay, I don't have a sleeve of creative ideas in re to design, I delegate that out to my more talented sis', who I have at my greedy fingertips, BAHAHAH!), and you will see in due time. he he he ;)
My sis is part of a new design brand now...and I am eagerly and impatiently keeping an eye on what they come out with! SQUEEEE! :)
http://thethoughtfultype.com/

Had to share that! So exciting!