The Firstborn Dude has Aspirations

Dads

Grandchildren are the crown of old men,
And the glory of sons is their fathers.
Proverbs 17:6

Lightroom Rocks!

I couldn't resist playing around with different edits on this photo from this last summer (Bowling with the Littlest Dude).
1. original image sooc
2. adjusted for exposure
3. nostalgia preset
4. green colorize

Date Night

A little sunroof raindrop "art" ...

Sharing a raspberry mocha, some David Crowder tunes, a game of cards, while watching the weather happen at the beach.

In case you need to find us... :-)

More Poppies

Fine Art Friday, part 2

My little modernist is here pretending to paint the portrait of one of his favorite artists, Salvador Dali.

And here's the kind of cheesy color treatment that would make Dali roll over in his grave...

More cheesy color treatment. Which do you prefer? Green or yellow?!?

And the masterpiece, "The Persistence of Memory." Notice the eldest showing his utmost respect.

From Bud to Flower in 40 Minutes...

It's downright amusing how much fun I can have with a $1.97 plant from Lowes.

Why is it always the boys who get the great eyelashes?

It's not fair. Or right.

My New Favorite Flower Picture

The Geniuses

The Red Hat Ladies

I travelled to Northern California this weekend to attend the memorial service of a Dear Friend's Mother. Her Mom had been part of a Red Hat Society. There were about 20 of these lovely ladies in attendance at the service. They brought with them this gorgeous flower arrangement that was filled with purple ribbons and red & purple roses.
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens . . .

Fine Art Friday

Breaking in the Christmas Treasures, part 4

When my shiny new camera sharply captured all those tooth-paste spots, well, I just added more spots. Now it's ART, *not* a messy mirror.

ROLLERCOASTER!

Now, let's look a little more closely at those faces...





How 'bout just a little bit closer?
Would you believe they wanted to ride this one again when we were done?!?

Breaking in the Christmas Treasures, Part 3

It's a Boy's World ... Hogwarts meets Medieval Lego Knights meets Ancient Pirate Ship.

Breaking in the Christmas Treasures, Part 2

This weekend we went to Legoland. No crowds. Perfect weather. A great day to be there. Many thanks to Uncle Jim & Aunt Jenny for the passes!!! We had a blast :-)

Breaking In the Christmas Treasures

My new, slick piece of technology...

I'm so grateful to my generous parents (for the camera) and my generous Husband (for the fantastic lens). It's way more camera than I yet have skill to match, tho I do so hope to grow into it with time and practice. And in the meantime, I will love it, and pet it, and name it George ... (oh dear, I fear I'm dating myself).

The Piano I Learned Upon ... all those many, many years ago.

I was playing around with deliberately blurring part of the photo. This is what I came up with. The top photo is SOOC (straight out of the camera) and the bottom photo I "futzed with" in Lightroom. I can't decide which I prefer. Please excuse my talking out loud here about it...

A WW Tribute to my WTM Friends...

What the home of a homeschooler looks like...
book piles by the bed;

book piles by the bookshelves themselves;

books on the beater coffee table;

books on the dining table;

books on my desk ... duh.

books on the side table ...

and beneath the side table;

books in the john ... double duh.

books on the bathroom counter;

and a book waiting for a bath.

And this is JUST a sampling. There's more piles where these come from.

More of the SpongeBob photoshoot

My new favorite portrait of 2008...

Confession: I did have to bribe the Littlest Dude to buy his cooperation. I offered up an episode of SpongeBob in exchange for a photoshoot. Bad Mommy.

The Trail leading Home.

Everything becomes a Light Saber.

Our Canyon

This is the canyon at the bottom of our neighborhood. It's the canyon I love to look out my window and see and ponder whether it's cloudy or clear down at the beach. It's the canyon the Big Dude likes to run & bike in, and the little dudes enjoy hiking in. The dog dude would like it too, but the park bans him from entering. It used to be a cattle ranch.

The fencing remains, but the ranch is long gone.


The Big Dude, his Dad, and the little Dudes search for crayfish.

teeny tiny canyon flowers

Happy New Year 2008!