PSF The Photo That Didn't Make The 365 Cut

Some days I shoot 40-50 photos. That was even before the 365 Project.
Other days I am looking through very sleepy eyes, aiming my lens at nonsense (that is a result of the 365). That's ok.

If I had to shoot only one subject for the rest of my life,
it would be my kids (kids does equal one subject, don't be so nit picky) and I'd never get tired of it. Luckily, they're used to me having a camera projecting from my face and can usually remain pretty natural.

"Natural" for this kid is silly, goofy faces--not all of them very attractive. His favourite thing is to wrinkle his lips, cross his eyes and getting irritatingly close. With his chest puffed out, he speaks in his best cockney, "C'mon then, c'mon then, wanna staht wi' me?"

I followed him around the winter wonderland our garden has become with the camera poised for that one glimmer of a natural, joyful smile.

I found it.

I could never get tired of photographing that.

Tippi Hedren, I am Not

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

There's something great about living in a house full of testosterone.

Truly, there is and when I discover what it is I'll let you know.

Since we've been holding our barf-a-thon (clear today, thank you very much), I haven't been out taking a lot of photos. So for your viewing pleasure, I've reached into my folders for something of importance.

I remember this day.
I remember having a lie in.
Gosh, it must've been 8 o'clock or so when my family thought I should not miss the great event happening in our garden.



A Goshawk took down a bird and was ripping it to shreds right on our front lawn.
Cooool.

What can I say, a photo op is a photo op, no matter how disgusting.

You Had a Bad Day

Karma is attacking you from all sides and you don't know why.
So, you've slipped inside your too-tiny-for-your-family cottage and try to hide.
You take a few moments to post about your bad day because it's good for the soul to get it all out. You'll feel better.
But in the background you hear...

crinkle crinkle crinkle
tink tink tinktink tink tink
thump thump thump thumpthump thump

????

crinkle crinkle crinkle
tink tink tinktink tink tink tap tap
thump thump thump thumpthump thump

The day has been less than perfect, so even though you know the toddler is probably up to no good, you really don't care. Just about everything is cleanable since Magic Eraser came onto the scene.

crinkle crinkle crinkle
taptap tink tink tinktink tink tink
thump thump thump thumpthump thump

Oh... Miss Ky has found the Halloween candy... this is what six snack sized bags of Sugar Babies look like when they're converted to a tea party.
She's proud of herself and not tired at all after all of that running to clean up the wrappers. Addendum: While I uploaded this post and photos, she took her baby Einstein dvd out (the one I thought would hold her attention for five minutes), got the dvd player stuck in the "open" position, took the card out of our satellite box and got out some Wii games with the guitar saying, "I play Guitar Hero". She may have forever altered our surround sound, I cannot get it to make sound for the dvd anymore. She also took my baker's Torch out of the kitchen cupboard-- she had to climb to get it. Thank goodness I keep the fuel for it in a separate place!


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Officially a Terrible Two!

Our "Surprise!" child is TWO today

Keeps us on our toes.
Yells louder than her brothers.
Loves only as a little girl can.
Eats like she has a bottomless pit.
Instigates mischief.
Growing too fast for our liking.
Heaven's gift we still don't feel worthy of.
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

The Sun DOES Revolve Around Me

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This PSF is more about the story than the photo.

Not an overly striking photo, is it?

The Hubby and I were in London, on a very limited time schedule (5 kids, imagine that).

We were tube hopping to all the places he missed on the last limited time trip into the city.
At the Tower of London exit, we ran out of the tube station, up the stairway and he spots something I've passed several times but never noticed. A sundial.
"Wow, how cool, a sundial!" he exclaims. He was right, what a great photo op.

There was a guy posing by it (the nerve of some people, shouldn't everyone step aside when my camera comes into the area?). Since I didn't really want the guy in my photo, I waited.

and waited.

and waited.

The guy was striking every pose imaginable. It was like America's Next Top Model was being shot in this very location, only the photographer and the model look like very average tourists.

As Joe Average started walking away from the sundial, I moved up to get a good angle, only he wasn't leaving--he moved to another side and they begin another modeling moment.
Considering the time, I knew I was running out of opportunities to take a shot.

Narcissus kept on posing.

Finally, I decided that any picture I got of this thing would only remind me of the aggravating moment at hand. I realized that now I had to get a shot WITH them in it. Right as I lifted my camera and began framing the shot...
yes, you guessed it,
they finished up.

They basically flushed TWO Kodak moments for me in one go.
The nerve of some people.

I wonder how many tourists have pictures of my backside while I photographed this?

... and Deliver me from Terrorist...

As a military family, especially one who has lived overseas, we have had a few OPSEC education courses. It's mandatory for us to learn what risks there are to our sponsors (the military member) and to our family. We're taught to be more aware, never at rest. Let's face it, people who would wish us harm are never at rest. I trust no one.
Remember my Pub Crawl? I was always scouting my exits and watching people around me. I am too much fun to go out with.

So imagine my concern one hot day (apparently this story is NOT set in England since we just skipped our second summer in a row) as I was weeding my garden, when in my peripheral vision, I saw two UPS guys walking towards my house. They were coming down the street that came perpendicular to ours. Since they were far away, I couldn't really get a detailed look at them -- not with trying to look like I wasn't aware of them and my yes-I-skipped-my-carrots-as-a-child eyesight.
I did watch them though. I watched them come closer and closer to my home.

How many times have you seen TWO UPS men together?
As for me, never.
How often do you see a UPS man without his big brown truck close enough to be framed with him in a photo?
Yeah, doesn't happen. These guys work with speed, so leaving a truck a few blocks away is not considered.

It wasn't until they stepped up on my sidewalk and I could see they really were coming TO MY HOUSE that I dared to look them in the eye and show them I had no fear. Bring it on, terrorist dressed like a UPS guy!

Then I laughed. hard. and ran to get my camera, while UPS man number one went for my water hose.
Son number one with friend. Don't ask.


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek