steady

man i love to take photos. really, really love to take photos. but i have the hardest time actually utilizing the pics i take of my kids or the family...

so, these images - the ones i really treasure are hidden away on numerous external drives and sometimes i forget about some of them.

recently, i had to drag out an old external to update some photos with new editing software to see how the pictures would work into our new website and see if any might be viable for my old site

...

What I discovered is that we may have found some answers to the debate over "who does Lexi look like?" - top pics are cyd at 12 months or so. Stroman laughing in green stripes, around 9 months old. notice both have the natural mohawk and big smiles, also full cheeks. Now, it's been true since day 1 that Stroman's head is close to the size it will be when he is full grown...almost. I mean, really - the kid has a huge head! And Lexi's head just recently broke free from what I think of as baby head...

we did it...

okay. breathe in. breathe out.

that's my mantra today.

why? you inquire.

drew resigned from his job today.

crazy! you deduce.

possibly. we are going to chase our photography dreams and eliminate the rat race from our lives. he loves coaching and loved the kids at NMMI, but we are at a point in my photography where the business can stay at its current level - or we can work to grow the business. the sports photography grew wildly in the fall and we've gotten enough business lined up to keep us busy.

overjustifiying. you state.

possibly, but it is what i do best! and i am thrilled that we'll be working together every day.

until the day that i'm not thrilled and i promise you will hear about that if when it happens.

i love this time of year...

really nice. me. seriously. i was nice.

stop giggling.


wait for it.






here it is.

exposure cowboy

when i take photos, i use a digital exposure checker to be certain my colors are correct.

this is stroman helping me with the exposure card.

but i don't care about the colors - look at the smilin' blue eyes on that precious boy!

plus, he's got it upside down which won't tell me much on my histogram.

confessions.

it's horrible to discover that you've done something wrong. and i believe i have discovered just that.

i might have made a mistake.

see, i don't really think anyone reads my blog. just me. maybe mindi. amy s comes by occassionally. my mom doesn't even read it. drew does if i ask him to...

and then, the other day i got an email from someone saying they enjoyed the photos. how nice, i thought as i folded the blank-ing neverending laundry. (that's for amy!) then i wondered if said nice person was actually some dirty perv...then i was distracted by trying to match socks and didn't go down that sordid bunny trail.

point being - i think my neighbors with the motorcycle read my blog - YIKES!

since my last post i haven't heard one, NOT ONE, single rev of the engine. during nap time or any other time.

when we trick or treated at their house, they seemed nice. (yes, i'm that person. the one that let's her kids take your candy one day and complains about you the next. the "anti-Laren" fan club is in full force somewhere, be sure to sign up.)

thank you neighbors for not revving during naptime.

i'll try not to blog in anger. And now, photos of the kids...

i've been fighting this

but i can't anymore.

dear neighbor,

how nice it must be that you were guided to buy a motorcycle during your Quarter Life Crisis. it's been nice to know that you enjoy revving the engine of your bad-ass machine from the safety of your loud-ass garage every day. it doesn't seem to have any trouble with the engine, so why not just start it and drive away? is that too much to ask? it is a form of an automobile, yes? ride away!!!

how nice it must be that you apparently didn't decide to have children. how nice it must be not to worry about making sure your children get a good nap so that the witching hour (which is actually 2-3 hours) from 4-6 isn't something that drives you to drink.

however, when you rev your engine everyday 10 minutes into nap time i imagine you might also think it nice to move your ass away from me before i go postal.

have a great day!

Laren

this a.m.

8:00 cereal in bowls, juice in cups, all at table


8:01 realize we are out of milk and convince kids to eat cereal like a snack


8:04 feeding lexi when cyd asks how i get my body to make milk for baby to drink. that's a fun thing to explain to a 4 year old. she took it well.


8:22 remember it is trash day and quickly gather and take trash outside to place on curb. painfully aware as i wave at the neighbor that a) i haven't even knocked the crud out of my eyes from waking up, b) i didn't get the nursing bra hooked back up correctly, c) my hair looks like someone with curly hair who...well, imagine little orphan annie, but less cute and like she had a wild night on the town.


8:24 dressed to head to store for milk, remember that i broke the garage door last night and i haven't gotten around to fixing it yet. decide i just won't get milk. we have water. wonder, "will kids eat cherrios with water tomorrow for breakfast? is that legal?"

8:26 kids ask me to set up tent in living room. done. with tunnels. check. i'm guessing that could provide 35-60 minutes of entertainment and 45 minutes of clean-up!

i need to add that during all of the above, stroman was running around commando in his pj's because i couldn't find his undies. we HAD been on a trip, but still - i came home with clean undies for him and couldn't find them.

and, this small window into our lives was humorous to me. we were stuck in the house. no milk. half naked. that's a good tuesday.

unfortunately, wednesday has already begun so i'll have to catch up on the rest of tuesday another time.



i think i'll have time the 12th of Never or when all the kids are gone to college.