Practice Makes Perfect

These are just a few of the pictures I took with Amanda in the past couple of weeks. We've really been working on some technique. The first week, we set our aperture to 5.6, then adjusted shutter speed and ISO. Last week, we played with different apertures. I'm really enjoying learning more about my new camera!I took tons of pictures of the geese. I just think they are so beautiful! I was really impressed with how close they let us get to them too!

I think Amanda looks just beautiful in this shot! We took a variety of shots of eachother at the park. It was a chilly day and my nose got pretty pink, but it was too much fun to pass up!

Okay, I just thought this old man was so cute! He had about 5 different poles and had been out there all morning. Old men are adorable; they just make me smile =)

Here is a shot with a high aperture. The backround is pretty clear.

Now a shot with a low aperture...notice the blurry backround.

Well, this is what I have been up to lately.

Something else I've been working on is fun activities for me and Luke to do. We like to color, read, and play with bubbles (he can actually say "bubble"!!). We also love Little Einsteins and the Disney channel, but I really don't want him to watch that much TV. I'm trying to figure out new activities. What do you guys do?

Luke loves to go outside. It was raining so I couldn't take him outside last week. He was pretty upset.

Dixie

Luke enjoys going to Dixie Cafe. He loves to color...and for a break he eats chicken and veggies =)

I'm sorry but I think that face is so cute! He's growing so quickly...too quickly!

Editing

Here are some of the park photos with some editing. I like the black and white above, but I love the vibrant colors below. Which one do you like better?

I love the editing on these photos! Thanks Amanda! They just add a little umph to an already nice shot =)

More Pics

So we have established that Luke does not like to pose for pictures. Someday we catch a smile....I do have to admit though, that it's not all his fault. He went over to the leaf blower and turned it on...it scared him! He started crying! I felt so bad =( Jesse went over and scooped him up. This pic was taken just after that.

This is just a fun pic I wanted to show you. I love experimenting with my new camera!

New Steps

Luke has discovered the steps in the backyard. We don't have any inside the house, so he thinks they are super cool! He just loves to climb up them...problem is he doesn't know how to get down. He still thinks he should be able to walk down. We have to help him. Sooner or later he'll realize he needs to kinda crawl down them.

Outside

We played outside last Saturday. Luke had so much fun just romping around. Every once in a while I was able to catch a still shot like the ones above, but it's just so hard! He's so quick!

I'm so glad that Luke loves to play outside! I don't want him to be consumed by the TV or games inside. Playing outside is healthier and, I think, helps kids to be more creative. Sometimes you have to create your own games outside. Well, that's just how we feel.

Plus, we love to be outside and enjoy nature, so we really hope that Luke will continue to enjoy it with us!

toys

Luke loves to play with anything that we play with. Jesse had this cup, so Luke wanted to play with it. It made for some cute pics.

Luke has decided that he likes to shut doors. The problem is that he is just a tad to short to actually open the door back up...so he's gotten himself stuck in his room before. Whoops!

Guess he'll learn

New Hair!

Luke got his first haircut yesterday! He did so well! I am so very proud of my big Boy!

Bath time

Luke really loves to splash in the tub!

I love it too!

I just love it when he's smiling and having fun =)

Faces

What faces he makes! He is quite a character I tell ya!

Ode to Jesse

Excuse the title, but I thought it was cute.

I just wanted to make a point to say just how thankful I am for a husband like Jesse.

He is everything I asked for and more...

granted we have our times where don't always agree, but who doesn't? You'd be lying if you said you never disagreed with your husband.

The point is he is a blessing!

He works so hard every day for us,

He comes home as quickly as he can just to see us,

He strives to spend as much time with us as possible,

He always makes plans to spend time with us before any one else,

He is a leader in this household,

The strength in our decision,

Most of all, he places God in the center of our marriage,

I can depend on him,

...

One thing we learned recently in a Sunday school class is that the woman's number one need in a marriage is security. I agree.

Jesse goes above and beyond that.

I am secure in him because God has blessed me with this great man!

I love you Jesse!

At the Park

We went with the Rowes to take pictures last weekend. It was really nice. I love these pictures that Amanda took with our camera. Don't you think they look so nice?

It's like Amanda said on her blog, I'm so glad that I have a nice camera so I can take quality pictures of moments like these.

A Superhero

Yeah, he looks cute and cuddly, but that's just his disguise.

Underneath, he's Super Tod! (toddler)
Look at him go in his nifty speed machine!

He even flies to the rescue!Whoops! Guess he didn't read the instructions...

Now he speeds around in his suave Kettler Toy Car.

The End

Leaves

Luke loves to play outside!! He gets so excited!

These are pics of him at Great Grandma O'Neal's house.
I love close up shots.

He's taking a break from all the excitement.

And here are the wonderful leaves. He just kept picking them up and handing them to his Great Uncle Craig.

Not Cool

Okay, daycare kiddos, enough is enough! Mommy is not happy, at all!

The one on top is from Monday.

The purple one is from yesterday...and some how no one saw or heard it happen!

What makes it worse is that the teeth marks are the same! The same child is biting my son and has gotten away with it...errr

Face Prints

Yes, and now we keep a rubber band around the door knobs so he doesn't get in there all the time. You have to admit, it's prett funny though!