Boys

Popsicle

Last week I gave Marshall Man a popsicle and he was a big fan!

Jumping Bean

Lighting Mcqueen is handy for so many things!

Roos-n-More

Cafe Rio and Friends

This week I met some old friends from middle school at good old Cafe Rio.

Marshall was beastly and just wanted to run around like a crazy child...

I guess I shouldn't have expected anything different.  I felt bad I

hardly even got to visit and felt like I was just in the way.

Next time we'll meet at the park I think!

Happy Friday!

We are looking forward to a fun weekend!

Hope you are too.

Tears

Marshall doesn't cry very often. But when he does it's really unpleasant.

His cry/scream it really high pitched and literally can give me a migraine.

It's the type of sound that makes you think your ear drums will burst.

He goes into these psycho screaming fits and we can't get him to stop.

It's almost always when he's overtired and hasn't had enough sleep.

We try everything... food, drink, games, books, toys, four wheeler rides,

movies, treats, stroller rides, singing, balls, bath, literally everything!

We usually just have to let him cry it out and he eventually gets over it.

He'll cry for over an hour, but luckily it's not real common and he's

generally a very happy, playful, and content little boy.  

Just had to post this as proof that not every moment in our house is bliss.

Stuffed Animals

Rest Home

Valentines - Flash comparison

For Valentines...Mark got a tempurpedic pillow.

Marshall got a basketball and a lighting mcqueen pillow pet.

And I got a new flash.  I have wanted one and was very excited!

I still need to learn LOTS about using flash.  I don't know much at all.

But here is a quick comparison of my experimenting the first night I opened the flash.

35mm lens, 2.0, 1/80, ISO 1600 

35mm lens, 2.0, 1/80, ISO 1600, AV +1

  

35mm lens, 2.0, 1/200, ISO 800, Flash straight on

35mm lens, 2.0, 1/200, ISO 800, Flash pointed up

Now... my ceiling is cream-ish, not white.  I may beg Mark (and my dad) to paint it white because it would made a huge color difference in the bounced flash (plus we've wanted to do it forever and this will be good motivation).  Dang vaulted ceiling make it a little harder!  Gosh I hate the yellow cast I always get with indoor/night photos.  Anyway, I experimented on Mark and the bounce flash is much better than straight on.   I'll have to post some comparisons of people shots.  But I'm very excited to be able to get faster shutter speeds at night when I'm snapping shots of little Marshall man.  Hopefully I'll learn a few things in the process.  All you photographers... any good sites/books on flash?

Smile

Dirty Hands

Hat

 And just because it's fun to compare... this was a year ago

We used to call him our chunky monkey!

20's

18 Months (a little late)

Blocks

Pucker Up

Tramp

Ballroom

My baby brother is a jack of all trades.

Music, dance, theater, sports, student council, spelling bees...

We took a short break from my mom's birthday party to watch Derek

in his ballroom dance competition.  He was spectacular!  His team received

a trophy, gold ribbons, and he was awarded personal medals with both his dance partners.

Great job buddy!!

Birthday Bash!