Photo Walk + Cousin Time

As I've mentioned, I am taking the Lens of Joy class with Ali Edwards.   Part of Week 2 was taking a photo walk and trying different design type elements.  This means we were looking for things like lines, texture, movement, where the focus is in the frame, etc. We were going to Texas for just about 24 hours and it seemed like a great time to get extra photos of our newest nephew, Jamie's family, and their new home.  So here are a few of my favorites.  Yes, I took WAY more than I usually do and this is a small percentage of them, but I'm oh so glad for these images and for using my "big" camera."  It was also really helpful that their house has great light for most of the day!

 Here is the new guy, Grayson.  Here we're also looking at lines and texture and getting him close to a good focus area in the frame.

 I like this more pulled back shot with almost everyone in it just doing their thing together.

 M loves Grayson and was with him a lot.  Here she is talking to him and Jamie.

 Brent "might" have gotten tired of having his picture taken from all angles, but glad I found some I like.  I want more pictures of my dad so I try to make sure our kids have lots of pictures of him.

 Believe it or not, this is not his Batman costume, but one he immediately found at their house.

One thing we're working on is "framing." Here the door is the frame. I took this picture quite a few times trying to get the frame, light and clarity right.  I'm not sure I got it, but close.

 I believe this may be one of only two pictures of me during the weekend.  Oops.

 They have a neat 2-story house that you can look over into the living room.  This is Carl, shot from above.

 I started taking this picture with only three kids in it, but suddenly there were five and it was awesome.

 These two spent a lot of time together and with ipads.

 Hmmm This one probably needs to be cropped in, but looking for movement.

 M loved borrowing my scarf, but wasn't as happy about how the sharing rotation was going.  Sharing is hard.  She is beautiful.

 Looking up at our happy girl.

 Look how close their hair color is now? (This is B, John, and Matthew).  Two of these three used to have very light blond hair, but soon they will match :)

One last one with this guy.  He had an awesome time and loved getting to spend the night in Matthew's room.  It was his first sleep over with just him and one cousin in a room.  They did great.


It was a really fun, relaxed day.  Because it was so cold and Brent had the car for part of the day we just stayed at home, played, ate, talked, watched a little football and enjoyed time together.

Ten on Tuesday

1.  You may recall Ms. M has had a very hard time settling on what sort of extra curricular activity she wanted to try for the fall.  One day this weekend she said she wanted french lessons and we immediately emailed her best buddy Kyle's mom and set them up.  She was so excited this morning that she could barely stand the wait.  She colored this picture for Ms. Elke for her first day of class.  It was just the two of them (which I would never have done if Elke wasn't a friend of ours).  I am told it went well and they worked on colors.  The result is that everyone is learning more french.  When I know a phrase in both languages I say it in both (well, often at least).  I ask them how they are in French in the morning and M and I identify what color things are in French too.  That said, she sometimes disagrees with me and we have to resort to google.  Oh, and mom, remember how they keep making us learn the word for shark in duolingo... that came up today.  Crazy. 

 2.  I did get to have dinner with Able and Kari during the soft opening of the new Tuckers near my house.  It was SO good.  I love the burgers, but it is really the shakes that are just essentially phenomenal.  Having it nearby is going to be way too tempting.

3.  Our Labor Day weekend plan was, as it is most years, to go to Dallas to visit Brent's sister and her family.  This year was to be special as we were going to meet Grayson, our newest nephew.  Sadly, Jamie was too sick for it to be a good idea for us to visit.  So we reworked our weekend and had lots of fun, but really missed this guy.  Brent went to the football game Saturday evening with his Dad so he did get a bit of family time as well as some OU time :)

 4.  Then the Palfreymans invited us to a small end of summer fun afternoon.  We played at the splash pad, watched Lady and the Tramp, had dinner together, and then celebrated/mourned as they announced they are moving to Florida.... I am not good at change, but you knew that.

 5.  We're trying to experiment more with Lady M's hair this week. We haven't tried anything crazy, but are trying to have more fun with it than just her usual headbands.  This braid was very fun and she added lots of bows so it would be extra fancy.  She then informed me that my attire was not fancy enough for the farmer's market so I put on a dress too and braided my hair.  She provided a bow for my braid as well that was happily a bit more subtle than hers.

 6.  Lady M has been in crafting mode. I love how she dives right in to whatever supplies are around and makes something beautiful and happy. We had a great time crafting together and I love to see what she creates.

7.  Able & Kari gave us the treat of a date night while they watched our kids. Friday evening's adventure was the OU Women's Gymnastics 2014 National Championship Banquet.  There was good food and lots of fun things for a gymnastics nerd like me. I think Brent has slightly less fun, but was an excellent sport and asked good questions.  He was maybe a little surprised at the random stuff I knew.  We sat just next to Jake and Kyla Dalton which was kinda neat.  (Yes, for those keeping track Brent went to Norman three days in a row, and again twice today.  He is a bit tired of that drive). 

8.  We needed a small, but necessary project for a very lazy Monday.  The easiest on the list was switching E in to a "bigger boy" bed by taking off the front of the crib.  There is actually a small rail along most of the side, but this photo was mid construction.  I was pretty sad to let go this last baby phase, but E loves it.  Recently, he has been attempting to climb out when we're playing so it seemed like it was time before our little tumbler hurt himself.  Have I mentioned he spends large portions of the day doing somersaults and being upside down on the couch?  I have? OK, but seriously, it is a big portion of his life right now. 

9.  Not quite as much about B this week, it seems.  He got 100% on his first spelling test. (Yes, I've already scrapbooked it).  He is still loving baseball and practicing most days.  He is nervous about the team's first game on Thursday, which is apparently against a talented opponent (team got maybe 2nd in the spring season?)  We got the season schedule today and it is going to be crazy.  There are games two nights a week most weeks and often not starting until 7 or later.  The better news is that the season ends by Oct. 14.  Overall, there are about the same number of games as in soccer season, just crammed in to a shorter span. All this is good and bad and we'll just see.  I'll be gone for a few of the games, which is sad.  We are all excited for it to just start! (He has been practicing 3+ hours with his team a week for a couple weeks).

10.  Exercising still happens every day.  Most days I still don't want to.  I'm not really sure it makes much of a difference, but sometimes I think it does.  It is nice that even though I'm running less I'm usually able to run more easily due to all the cross-training (or so I'm telling myself).  I continue to mix up the rotation a lot to keep things interesting.  Most weeks include 2 yoga sessions, 2 runs, 2 strength days ( abs, arms, and feet work).  The seventh day varies.  Today it was a zumba video, but sometimes it is Tae Bo, stationary bike or something else.  If I miss a running day I add another cardio day, etc.  I try to keep the cardio days around 3 per week.  I am still shooting for 10K steps a day too and most days I make it, but wasn't quite as successful over the holiday weekend.


The coming week includes: B's first baseball game, M's 2nd French lesson, Baseball practice, Sunday School & Church, Zach's Birthday party at our house, a visit from Grandma, school, and probably lots of other fun stuff!

Ten on Tuesday

 1.  While M and I were enjoying Kari's shower on Saturday, the boys went baseball helmet shopping.  This is E wearing the helmet eventually purchased for B.  He is rocking it, right?

 2.  B is actually choosing to practice baseball a lot more at home.  Today and yesterday he has chosen it over video games, which is a big deal.  I'm glad he's enthusiastic about it still and I think all the males in our family are having fun playing with him.  Tonight, Granddaddy played with him for quite awhile while we were at Parent-Teacher night.  Kind of wish it wasn't quite so hot for all this fun.

 3.  As the shower wound down, Lady M created a zoo in the living room.  There was a wide variety of animals and she very much enjoyed giving tours. (The zoo has been retired as a consequence for some poor choices, but I assume it will return at some point).

4.  M is VERY in to playing "Fireside Girls" these days.  This is actually from Phinneas & Ferb--- sort of like a smash up of campfire girls and girl scouts.  Yesterday, she awarded Grandma and I a number of badges.  We had to complete activities like the Cha Cha slide, finding a lizard in E's room and putting it to sleep, etc... Sadly, I don't think she can join actual Campfire Girls (or an equivalent organization) until she is in Kindergarten.

5.  The garden is starting to wind down as the heat cranks up-- but look, there are maybe 10 baby okra on there somewhere.  We also have three eggplants, a butternut squash and a number of tomatoes still growing.  Here's hoping they make it to maturity!

6.  Tonight was meet the teacher night.  It went pretty well.  His teacher has an ap she uses for reminders, which I love.  She also has been teaching for 18 years, which is a definite plus.  B is having a little trouble remembering what his homework is as it has been "like 3 hours" since she told him.  I suspect we'll figure that out soon.  I'm feeling optimistic about the direction of this class year.

7.  Tomorrow, I'm going on a diner date (of sorts) with my brother to check out the new Tucker's location near my house. I might be irrationally excited about it.  It is possible I need to get out of the house a bit more.

8.  I'm nearing 170 days of consecutive exercise. I wish I was loving it more.  I hear it is "good for my body" I will, of course, continue. I try to keep mixing up what I'm doing.  Anyone have an exercise style, video, class, etc that they love and would like to share?

9. This weekend we're theoretically going to Dallas to meet our adorable new nephew,  Grayson.  His mom, however, has had a rough week after being readmitted to the hospital, released, and now having an MRI for head aches.  We're waiting to see how everyone is before we lock in our plans.  I know she and we would appreciate your prayers for healing and recovery.  It is tough enough to be a new mom with two older boys without all this health stuff too.

10.  E may be a gymnast.  He does somersaults all over the place, spends a lot of time standing on his head on the couch, jumping, falling, and being a little crazy.  He seems to young for an activity, but I do see gymnastics class in his future if this continues.  He is generally happy in school, if a bit tired with shorter school day naps.