Keeping up with Lewis

There is this thing going around. It's called project 365. The idea is to take a picture of yourself everyday for a year. It doesn't have to be of yourself, thank goodness, because that wouldn't happen. Some people ask random strangers if they can take their portrait. I would love to do this....but can you imagine me, with my boys, running around town everyday trying to find a random person who looks interesting to photograph? I'd be juggling. It wouldn't work. But it does sound fascinating. Then there are those that, of course, document a year of their child(ren). I would most likely do this. It's a fun way to get a year in the memory books and a great way to improve your photography skills. I'm convinced the best way to improve is to snap away, as much as your circumstances allow.

Seeing how I basically do this little project anyway, I thought it might be cool to start calling it something. Project 365 has a ring to it. We'll see. I definatly don't think it's worth pressuring myself over...

now that that rant is over with...

I thought you might be interested to know what Lewis is up to.



He's so cute. He's been in the "teething business" as you can see, as of late. It's a good thing, because he's about to out-eat his brother. He's a better eater than Colson ever was. Somehow, it makes me, as a mom, feel like I'm doing something right. But I know that can't be true. It's also nice to not have to force things down his throat. Last night we had split pea soup. Lewis couldn't get enough. Colson was literally gagging his down. What a wicked mother I am, I wasn't about to conger up anything different for the boy; he's getting bigger. He needs something other than Pirates Booty. (If you've never tried Pirates Booty, I highly recommend it).


Lewis is also doing his best to keep up with his brother. It makes a Mommy proud to watch these two.

The Outlaw and Tinker-Bell

Last night Colson came into our room. It was just past 3am. He had suited himself in jeans fit with his holster and six-shooters. He was ready...

Ready for what? who knows? He was ready for what all boys are ready for when they're sportin' six shooters in holsters.

So today, this is what we be done doin' 'round 'ere.



He fits the roll pretty well....look at those mean eyes. A Real Scary Outlaw!



But here's the part I love the most. When we were in Medford he found a little TinkerBell toy amongst the toy rubble. From then on, it's hardly left his side. He puts her "safe" in his pocket when we go out. He protects her from dragons. Today he was calling her his "princess" and yesterday, i have no idea where this came from, but he came up to me and told me to feel her legs. haha. I keep asking him questions about her but he gets vague and silly and I have no idea what he starts talking about. It's rather funny, and strange, and super cute at the same time. My little rough and tumble cowboy has a thing for Tink.

What's In My Camera Bag?

I've been getting lots of questions about what kind of equipment I use to take photos. KC bought me a Nikon D80 in February. The accompaniment to this bad boy is the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens.

While the camera has aided me tremendously in taking better photos, there has been a lot of things aside from pushing the shutter button, that have helped me bump up my photography skills. Since getting the camera I have been studying photography like a mad-woman. I'm starting to understand the basics: shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. This understanding gives you an abundance of creative control over the pictures you are taking and lets your style come through rather than relying only on the camera to determine your settings. I could still be taking horrible pictures with a nice camera. It takes time to learn how to get results, and I feel like I'm barely scratching the surface. I'm taking tons and tons of pictures, almost everyday...I'm bound to get something good when I do that, and I'm taking note of what works and what doesn't. This saves me time as I grow. And will help me to deduct what will and won't work without having to experiment at every angle and setting.

I'd like to share with you a couple things you can do that have really helped my picture quality.

The Rule of Thirds: Google it. It will help automatically with your composition. It will make your photographs more pleasing to look at. We usually place our subjects in the center of our view when taking pictures. STOP! The Rule of Thirds will change your picture taking. Of course rules are meant to be broken, but having a good understanding of the Rule of Thirds is crucial and something I didn't do until I got my new camera.

It's all about the lighting. Another thing that I realized when I had my old Sony Cybershot was that turning off the flash does wonders for a picture. And now I hate using flash. I will not (generally) even take a picture if the lighting is not good enough without a flash. There may be a time for me to introduce a bounce flash or a light off-camera but now is not that time. I'm learning too much as is using the available light and letting those shadows really detail my subjects (ok, we all know I don't have subjects, just 2 little munchkin boys). When using flash it makes faces look all ghostly white and it takes details away. Basically, it's not too nice to look at, usually.

So, turn that flash off and start noticing how light travels across a face creating highlights and shadows. Notice that when you are outside and the sun is shining down from directly above your head how it makes people squint and creates shadows under eyes and noses and chins, very dark, sharp, and unattractive shadows usually. Now think about the kind of shadow you get on an overcast day? Clouds create a much softer light and you can use this light no matter what time of day it is. The way the light hits and creates highlights and shadows is such a huge part of photography. There is a lot more I could say (and more I can't) about lighting....There are books written on lighting; I have a lot more to learn! My best pictures right now are taken in relationship to a window in my home and the way the soft light runs across my boys' faces.

Lastly, Hold Your Camera still. This is obvious, but if you aren't thinking about it, it's easy to not do it. When trying to get crisp pictures, it will do no good to have your camera moving all over the place. Even small movements can create blur. I remember trying to get pictures of Colson when he was a baby and realizing that when I could put the camera on the floor or the table and take the pictures they were so much better. Then when he turned into a tornado it was getting impossible to get pictures of him because he was always moving around so fast. that is where a camera with a fast shutter speed can really make a world of difference, but if I can't hold it still when I'm taking the photo, not even a fast shutter speed can help.

These are some of the important things I have, and am, learning about in the world of photography. It's so fun to learn and something you can improve on not matter what kind of equipment you have.

Story of the A-maz-ing "A"

Boyhood is a most complex and incomprehensible thing. Even when one has been through it, one does not understand what it was. A man can never quite understand a boy, even when he has been the boy.-- G. K. Chesterton



Earlier this week while visiting with a friend in her new home (that was freshly painted, mind you) Colson came up the stairs and found us chatting as he said, "I drawed an A!" He lead us down the stairs to a big letter "A" on a living room wall, marked in Sharpee Black. He was so proud and said, "It's an A-MAZing A!"

Moral of the story: teaching your children how to draw will also involve teaching them where they can draw, and sometimes they don't listen. and, leaving Sharpee pens unattended with a 3 year old is temptation they cannot bear.

Jenni, thank you for your sense of humor.

Colson's New Trick

so, apparently I've got to keep my eyes on this little new skill.

Cousins take II

I'm not sure what happened to the pics a few posts down, but this ought to do it.

Peace

Well, have you had enough? My absense from the blog has caught up with me, so you're getting a barrage of posts and pics. Hope you enjoy.

A mama loves nap time. It's still and serene. It's peace. And if we're gonna party tonight we need to have some rested boys!

I was feeling so sneeky and clever creeping into their rooms when they were asleep, opening the shades so the light would come in, and then taking their pictures. They can't ever hide from the camera. Poor children.

Home for Christmas

We had quiet the adventurous trip West for Christmas. We passed through the blizzard in the Gorge only hours before it was closed for 3 days. We miraculously got out of my folks' rural snowed-in driveway after spinning out in studded snow tires and chains (we even broke the chains before we got out). The credit there goes to my highly-experienced Father who knows a thing or two about maneuvering his way through some nasty conditions. We spend 24 hours without power (Jenni, we're lucky, i know you went a week). But we made it and had a blast, the best time yet. Well, all for the exception that the weather prevented us from seeing all of my family, of which I was super bummed about.
My mom taught me to knit. I'm excited about it and made my first very imperfect scarf for Colson. Thanks mom!
Colson loves spending time with family. It makes my job as mom really, really easy. He's so distracted with playing he doesn't even think about all of his normal routines or needs. It's great fun for us all.

Ya'll'd Think We Live in Idaho or Somethin'...Ha!

The Pacific Northwest: Oh, How We Love Thee...

Travelling in Daylight



And Travelling at Night

Christmas Blessings and a Happy New Year

You may not see me on this blog until after the first of the year. We're taking a blog vacation to enjoy the Holidays.





Merry Christmas: may it be filled with family, faith, friendship, and of course, food.

Thursday's Gooey

Winter in Moscow

If Only...

...I could hold onto these plump fingers just a while longer....

December Jewels

Looking out for Bad Guys / Colson Quote

The child. He snuck a chocolate into his room. But he's not as sneeky as he thinks. This followed:
"I put a chocolate in my mouth when I was in my room. Now it's in my stomach. But I will protect you from dragons."

This face!!!! I almost can't handle it.


This lens works more like your own two eyes than any I've seen. In real life if you are focusing on Lewis then the tree lights look out of focus and bigger and blurry, just like the photo. If you were to take some steps backwards and take in the whole picture, you would see everything in focus. This lens does both, and a variation in between. So much fun to play with.

It helps to have really cute and sweet subjects to photograph. Lewis, my sweet, thick baby. I'm desiring to stop the time, to slow down the progress. It's going by too quickly. And then there is Colson. His next birthday will land him on the number 4. and Lewis will be walking before I know it. I think I'm in denial that he's not a newborn anymore, but boy, is he not a newborn.

All for now.

The Little man likes sticks. What can I say? There is always running commentary too, when he's out adventuring with sticks.

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As you can see, there is no snow on the ground. Last year we were already digging ourselves out of it every which way. I'm thankful for this. I've come to a conclusion. I'd rather have a long season of rain than a long season of snow. I think the snow is beautiful and wonderful, but I'm about sick of it when March comes and the snow comes right along with it. So, I'll be glad for the snow, but I'm also glad it's holding off for a time.

All for now.

Brothers

Sometimes Colson can be a little heavy handed, but I'm thankful he likes having his little brother around. I have high hopes of these two becoming great friends throughout the years.

Babies make me swoon!

I did a little photo shoot for some good friends last week. This little girl is just so sweet. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Who Doesn't Love a Freebie?

Enter to win some goodies and check out Rebekah Merkle's site.

So cute!

A Quick Trip

I spent a fast weekend in Oregon. It was great, although short. But I wanted to share a couple pictures of the fam.

This is Solomon. Look at those baby blues. He and Lewis are only a couple weeks apart in age.

And this beauty is Mira. She's a doll. When I started taking pictures of her she was posing for me every which way and when we started laughing at her, she finally gave us this sweet smile.

Here they are, the cousins. Lewis is a bit out of focus, but you get the idea. Pretty sweet little guys.

Can't wait to see more of you all at Christmas.

Sufjan Stevens: Put The Lights On The Tree

Fleet Foxes - Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (Cover)

Advent: The Coming of Christ into the World

JOHN 1:1-5
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

When this Spoken God, this Word, comes into the world, He shines in the darkness of this world. And as He does so, the darkness cannot comprehend what is going on. But fortunately, the darkness is not there to be persuaded, but rather to be banished by the arrival of the Light.

And so this is what we anticipate every Advent, and this is what we are privileged to see celebrated yet again. The Word was with God; the Word was God. The Word is with man; the Word is man.

Prepare the members of your family to think of Advent and Christmas in very material terms. This is not a season that celebrates vague spiritualities, but rather the season that celebrates God taking on flesh. The instinct to give gifts, to eat chocolate, to cut down a tree in the woods to bring it home, is therefore all very healthy and in line with the holiday. Matter enables us to give, and not just to grab.

—Pastor Douglas Wilson, Christ Church

This is taken from an advent devotional/study put out by the pastors in our denomination. To read it in full, click here.

Reach for the O's

Colson Quotes

Me: Colson, are you ready for some breakfast?
Colson: Some breakfast? or....a cookie?

hmmm, trick question?
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Colson: You're a lollipop, Mommy. I could eat your face off.
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I served alphabet soup for lunch. He asked me what letter I saw on his spoon.

Me: That's a P.
Colson: Good job Mommy. I'm very proud of you.

make a lesson of it.

I'm having a ball with my new lens. Thanks KC. Now I can record my favorite Christmas memories all season! This one has kinda captured our hearts. I can't wait to see his personality mature.

I told Colson I'd give him a chocolate raisin if he would hug his brother. So, I bribed him, ok? And no, they aren't usually sitting in my living room together like this. ha.

Flying Planes. He loves to pretend.

Look at that toothy grin! I think he's got a top one trying to poke its way through as well. I'll keep you updated.


Today I spent some time with Colson reading in Luke about the Angel Gabriel coming to Zacharias and then to Mary. I'm going to try to take time everyday this month to spend time looking ahead to Christmas. We don't want to just celebrate presents for presents sake, we want to celebrate the greatest story in the world!

Today I was talking to a girl friend and we were talking about joy in parenting. Your children will love what you love, if only you take the time to share it with them. If you want them to love church, do you? If you want them to love the Bible, do you? If you want them to love Jesus and his people, are you? Does it show? Can they see it in your facial expression, in your excitement, in your quiet joy, in your solemnity, in your diligent work, in all that you do? What a calling!

Do you love Christmas? Why? If you want this season to be meaningful for your family, take the time to sit down with your children and talk to them and read with them about what it's all about. Some of you, I know, have youngsters that won't get a whole lot. But still try. Get creative. Last year we made just a couple ornaments to hang on our tree that told of a story that lead to Jesus. We kept it very simple. Let them glue something. Let them help you bake and make a lesson of it. The bread we eat is a picture of bread from heaven. or, let them help make cookies and talk about eating sweet things during this sweet time of year, because of Jesus' entrance into the world, to save the world. Give them to a neighbor and help them to see the joy in giving. Last year we hung lights up in our home and we emphasized that Jesus is the light of the world. He shines his light into dark places. Our Christmas tree (that children are fixed on), we used to teach about the tree that Jesus hung on to take our sins from us and to give us life.

Start simple, start small, but start something. But don't do it if it's too frustrating for you because if they see that it's not a joy to you, it won't be a joy to them either. Don't have too high an expectation. Do something simple enough for them to enjoy. Get creative and do something they can participate in, more than just dig into presents. Presents are great, but they are only great because of Jesus. And if we're thinking about Jesus today and tomorrow, the presents will be all the more great in light of God's gift to us, in His Son.

Deut 11:18-19 "You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking to them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

May God bless these efforts!

Colson Quote/

KC: Colson, it's time to give me your ears.

Colson: I can't give you my ears because they can't come off.