Day 150

We moved in last September.

The only addition we made to the landscape was a "Little Gem" Magnolia.  I blogged about it HERE.

Today the first bloom opened up.

ISO 320  f/3.2  SS 1/800

It's going to be a beautiful tree!

Day 149

Friday night I added that Brendan hit his first home run during a baseball game.

He not only hit one home run on Friday, he also hit a second home run in Saturday's game. At this age, they only play six innings.  B came up to bat in the bottom of the 6th (down by two runs with two outs and a man on second).  Brendan hits his second home run ever to send the game into overtime.  These boys ended up playing nine innings and over three hours.  Our team ended up losing by one, but what a game.  I wish I had seen it.

Here is Brendan with his spoils...

Day 148

We have two peony bushes in our backyard...

the blooms are beautiful but oh so heavy...they fall right over so that it is hard to see them unless you cut them!

These are all SOOC.

I wish the blooms lasted longer. They are just beautiful!

Day 147

Travel day home from the beach...no photos taken today.

This photo is from Friday night's full moon over OKI:

ISO 10,000  f/4.5  SS 1/8000

Day 146

Strike a pose

Day 145

Great day on the beach!

Day 144

This morning we picked Emma and Jackson up early and headed to the beach!  I did bring my camera, but I did not use it today.  These photos were all taken with my iPhone.

Edited to add...


photo credit to MiMi

Brendan hit his FIRST HOME RUN tonight...scored 3 runs, and we MISSED IT!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so proud of him.  I have been crying like a baby for the past 30 minutes!!!!

Day 143

Jackson finished up his soccer tryouts for the 2013-14 season tonight, and he and I quickly made it to the baseball field to watch Brendan play.

They lost again, but Brendan played well...can't ask for more than that.

Thankfully we were able to finish our game...just minutes after, this is what the sky looked like:

If it was this scary here, I cannot imagine what it must have looked like in OK on Monday!

Day 142

Jackson is on safety patrol this quarter at school.  One of his responsibilities is flag duty.  I finally captured him assisting in lowering the American flag.

Day 141

Day 1 Soccer Tryouts...

ISO 500  f/3.2  SS 1/100

This is post practice...had to promise NO Headshots! 

Day 140

Work...YMCA...Painting the kitchen...Dinner...

Instagram photo

I had no idea about the devastation in Oklahoma until about 45 minutes ago.  I have no words.  Once again there is such tragic loss at an elementary school in the blink of an eye.  This seems to affect me more now...maybe because I am older...maybe because I have a 4th grader and a 6th grader.  I don't know.  I do know that I am beyond devastated tonight for all of the surviving residents of Moore, OK.

Day 139

No eventful photos taken here today.  I have been prepping the kitchen and banquet area to paint, and I also started painting Emma's tree swing.  It rained a lot off and on today...overall just a dreary day.  I am so ready for our warm sunshine. We need a serious spring do-over!

Day 138

I wanted to try some photos through a window today.  What I got was not what I had envisioned.  I didn't really take into account how much would reflect back off of the window I was using.  I do like how pretty Emma looks through the window though!

ISO 320  f/2.8  SS 1/800

ISO 320  f/3.2  SS 1/1000

Day 137

Today was Emma's Pre-K Celebration at school...no real graduation, but there was cake and ice cream and of course, tie-dying T-shirts!

ISO 4000  f/3.5  SS 1/2500

My settings are all off...I should have lowered my ISO at the start.  Emma won't sit still for very long though so I just started snapping.  It's hard to believe that she will start Kindergarten in just three short months!

Day 136

There is a little stream that runs through our back yard...

ISO 2500  f/2.8  SS 1/80

Day 135

Waiting to play...

ISO 250  f/2.8  SS 1/2500

Day 134

Emma's very first trophy...

iPhone photo

Day 133

We have rose bushes in the backyard...

never really noticed them since moving in in September, but what a nice surprise now!

SOOC  ISO 400, f/5.6, SS 1/160

Day 132

 Crazy Crazy Surprise on Mother's Day...

After wanting a full frame camera for a couple of years now, JC surprised me with this!  I seriously cried like a baby!!!

Here is one of the first shots I took with it today:

It's not the best photo.  I have a lot of practicing to do.  The exposure meter is completely opposite from my D90 so changing my ISO, shutter speed and aperture are all "backwards" to me right now.  With that being said, I can see a huge difference in my SOOC photos.  It is amazing.

Day 131

Brendan on 2nd base waiting to tag up before advancing to 3rd...

ISO 200  f/4  SS 1/1250

Day 130

Today I took Emma and a friend out for some photos.  I only had time to edit one photo tonight...

ISO 200,  f/4.5,  SS 1/800

The girls and I had a great time out there!

Day 129

ThrowbackThursday...

Today is JC's 41st birthday!  We spent tonight at the baseball field from 6:15 until almost 10pm (that is after picking Jackson up from the soccer field).  I took my camera out there only to discover that I had left the battery charging at home. UGH...I hate it when I do that.

Anyway, I took this photo of JC on his 40th birthday in our room at the Bellagio.  I like the feel of it, but I probably would not have processed it the same way this year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY J!

Day 128

Spring Day...

ISO 320  f/2.2  SS 1/640

Too bad he couldn't stay like this for long.  The ground is so wet right now from all of the rain we have had.

Day 127

Emma

ISO 2500  f/3.5  SS 1/80

ISO 2000  f/1.8  SS 1/100

ISO 2500  f/3.2  SS 1/80

Day 126

12 candles

Happy Birthday Brendan!  We love you so much!

Day 125

Jackson played in his last soccer game of the season this morning.

His team won 5-2.  What a nice way to end!

Day 124

We started our morning at the soccer field at 7:30.

Jackson's team played two games today.  They lost both, but Jackson played so well.  His confidence and footwork have gotten so much better over the past three months.

We left soccer and got home in just enough time to get Brendan to the baseball field. His game ended at 7:00 pm.  They won, thankfully, and Brendan went 2 for 2 with one walk.  

Here is Brendan about to score...

And Brendan sliding into home...

Day 123

Mama Bird

ISO 1600  f/6.3  SS 1/160  ~  kit lens at 105mm

Taken through dining room window; standing in chair!

Day 122

15 Years...

we will celebrate with cupcakes!

Here's to many many many more!!!!

Day 121

My Flower Child