Experimenting

I felt that I was in need of a watermark.

I had no clue how to go about making one, but I did know how to make a brush in Photoshop.

Here are a few pics with the watermark:

What do you think?

Not that bad, eh?

Chase was Frustrated

I don't get it.

How do photographers get toddlers and preschoolers to stay still long enough to take a picture? I try to get both Roxy and Chase looking at the camera at the same time,

but this is the best that I got:

Maybe I need a new technique.

Some sort of game that I can play with them to get them to look at the camera for 30 seconds.

I do realize that 30 seconds can be a lot to ask of such young kids, but one can hope, no?

I guess that it doesn't help that my 50mm lens doesn't auto focus with my camera.

Focusing takes up some time.

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Over the holiday weekend I talked Ian into taking me to a Val Vista Lakes to take some pictures in front of the beautiful waterfall at the clubhouse.

I was also informed that there was a tunnel that ran underneath the street.

It was pretty awesome.

I think I got some neat shots, but, of course, they could be better.

The kids didn't want to cooperate, but that's not out of the norm for them.

Chase later told me that he was "frustrated" and that he would "be happy next time" I take pictures.

What a kid. I swear, that child can be the most hyper thing, but he melts my heart.

Roxy was grumpy.

I think she was miffed at me because I wouldn't let her run around.

Chase was mad at me, or frustrated, I guess when I made him sit on a rock all by his lonesome.
I think he got nervous being close to the water, which is understandable.

If looks could kill:



The next minute though, there's that smile.



Roxy wouldn't sit without Ian, but I got a nice shot out of it.

Once again, she wouldn't look at the camera.

Once we got into the tunnel, Chase wanted to do nothing more than run up and down.
He did stop for a hot second, thankfully.

I got a great silhouette shot of Roxy and then one of Ian and the kids.

They're my favorites, I think.

In the end, it was way too hot to get a good amount of shots, but I got a few.

I can't wait until (Arizona) Autumn.

Trains

Chase loves trains. Actually, he loves anything that goes, but trains are one of his favorites.

Since her big brother likes trains, so does Roxy.

Some mornings and afternoons are spent putting tracks together and sending the trains down.

Lately, though, Chase has gotten more elaborate with his train track creations.

He puts lego-esque blocks underneath the tracks and connects those to a covered bridge and creates a slide out of the tracks.

Then they send the train (in this case, it's Percy) down the tracks, through the bridge and down to the end.

Not only does Chase enjoy playing with the trains, but Roxy has a ball, too.

I love when my kids get along.

Reading is Fundamental

Roxy loves to read.

Well, she can't read, so she loves to be read to.

When she's ready to read, she'll sit down on her pillow and wait.

Sometimes patiently.

Sometimes not so patiently.



However, once you do as she asks, she's a happy camper.

All smiles and love.