Today was busy busy busy!

Whew what a start. Lazy start sort of to the morning. Tyler was in our bed AGAIN - so going to have to break him of that habit again soon. breakky was yoghurt - the boys are very into that today (they each had about 3 big bowls each over the course of the day). I got called to work at 8.30 this morning - just as we were about to walk out the door to take the kids to school. Luckily I was pretty much prepared and just had to pack lunch grab a couple of books and then I could go! Daz got the kids super organised - they were in their Sportacus suit and Captain Feathersword outfits. But of course that mummy moment when you need the camera I didn't get a photo because I was running out the door myself! So I had to take a photo of our bags! (ok this was the pile AFTER school but hey our day documented! Then Daz had to go shopping for a spare bed because his mum is coming in 4 days! Surprise! oh my goodness so going to have to clean the study out! still haven't found one so shopping again tomorrow.

Our bags

Oh here are a couple of shots from today and a couple of Caden's apple and banana trees (he took the photos) that he helped to create at school. 

C is learning his alphabet. His 'a' apple is the middle top row! He helped paint the leaves for the banana's he so proudly told me!

Lazy Town and Sportacus dominate our 4yo's imagination. Not that I am complaining - anything that encourages getting out and exercise, jumping running, helping people and eating fruit and veges - aka Sport Candy is tops in my book. C HAS to wear his outfit and today at school he wouldn't answer to Caden had to be Sportacus. When his second teacher remembered and called him S before calling him C he said to his 1st teacher so proudly that t2 remembered who he was! We had to have a chuckle at how cute he is!

 

(he was supposedly letting me get a nice photo sitting in his truck - Yeah right I got the Na na na-na na you cant catch me and gut busting laughter. I think that was worth more than the photo. cheeky monkey!

I have to fight for computer time. C has found LT on the net and LOVES to sit and 'colour' and play memory and watch the video clips. Great for quiet time since he (and I) are sick of Play School - what a shame T isn't!

  

totally absorbed in his LT on the computer.

ok I think that that is about all that happened today!

 

enjoy J

We saw these...

We took the kids to the park yesterday afternoon just before it rained. As we were pushing the kids on the swings I saw these beautiful wreaths laid out on one of the war memorials. I think it was in memory of those from the Vietnam war or POW's. I am not too sure, but they were lovely.

(I blew out the whites on this on though grrr)

and I had a play..

I used Lolly's B&W chocolate action on this (have to find the link later for you).

and the boys got to roll down the hill, crash tackle & chase Daddy, and the ducks!

 

and play on the slides while Dadda rested!!

enjoy J

Sunset

Last night's sunset was awesome! Fantastic colours. These are pretty much what I saw!

same as above but I underexposed it

 

enjoy J

The boys

I followed the boys around the backyard last night like a person from the paparazzi! All I wanted was a photo of the tow of them sitting on the grass... yeah NOT! not only was I really annoyed at myself that I felt I couldn't get a decent photo of these kids doing what I want them to do how would I get one doing what they want to do? So step out of the Mummy role and think that its ok if they are not perfect they are kids. I left the photos on the camera last night and then I had a look at them this afternoon after having a little ah ha I think I get a little bit of metering!

anyway I tried to pp - only WB adj then temp adjust because the auto daylight is too orange for me.still to orange? , fiddled with the curves a bit - is it too much? and that was about it. here are some efforts...

C

<><>SOOC <><> ?face too washed out? I like his eyes though

<><> sooc <><> ? still a bit orange?

<><>sooc <><> I like this one

T

<><><>sooc<>

? too orange <><>  readj temp lower

 

sooc pp ok?

that'll do I don't want to bore you! you get the idea1

any CC would be very appreciated as I am slowly figuring it out.

enjoy J

Love my Chubbies

My chubbie bubbies that are very nearly not so bubbies any more are the loves of my life. T rides his bike saying "mummy take my photo", C calls out watch me I'm Sportacus" followed by copying his hero doing push ups.

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is this too orange? I shot it in raw and when adjusting the WB I reduced the temp from the daylight but I think it still seems a bit orange for me?

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cuddles because his bike broke! (we fixed it pretty quickly though!)

and for the next assignment was shutter speed...

I converted them to a high contrast B&WB and was really pleased with how they came out!

<><> f5.6 1/4000s

<><> f5.6 1/2000s

 

<><> f5.6 1/640s

<><> f5.6 1/60s

<><> f5.6 1/15

all at ISO 400. The sprinkler in a blue bucket.

Oh thank you, for the well wishes yesterday on my migraine - icky things and it is all gone hopefully!

enjoy J

Teddy love

I started a doing the assignments in the forum here which was one of the sites mentions in the 2peas forum (thank you!). So I have completed the first task aperture and exposure. The toy that I had on hand to so it was this... perfect for the POTD! I know that the curtains are blown out in exposure  and looking at it, I think that the whole photos is overexposed and too light for want of a better term.I will work on that but the teddy is cute anyway! I look at this photo and think that setting my exposure to the 0 mark isn't going to be right for my camera. I am going to have to try this again tomorrow but under expose it.

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SOOC

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slight adjust in levels with the black slider. (I think looking better?)

Taken with no flash, ISO 200, f8, 0.4s, 35mm.

I will re do and repost tomorrow if my head is feeling better.

enjoy J

Love {discovering, letters and my clothesline!)

This is for yesterday and today!

yesterday... I love how my little man is growing up and becoming independent, wanting to learn & to play in different ways. We got home from school yesterday afternoon and usually they veg out in front of the TV watching Play School but instead he asked to play my computer. He loves to play Dora's fairytale adventure and his most favourite one is I Spy Puppet Playhouse. He is gaining skills in hand eye coordination, creating, developing his listening skills - and trying to get some time away from his brother! We are just about to enter a new phase I think in our lives and I love that he is discovering and learning.

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(these were taken in raw and the WB adjusted slightly are do they look ok?)

now for today...

I wrote my Daz a letter to put into his valentines day card. well I managed to leave it on the table last night so he got it a few days early!

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and last but not least - a material type love - I LOVE my clothes line. It is huge, it is in the best spot in our yard, clothes dry really quickly - especially in summer. I hung clothes out at 4pm & brought them in at 8pm. Love it!

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Tonight's moon

 

The moon is amazing tonight. See prev post to see about the bushfires causing this cool colour. these are SOOC except for cropping and #4 converted to B&W.

(I like the grain in this one!)

 

 

enjoy J

Beauty out of horror

  This morning I woke to this magnificent sunrise. My photos don't do it justice.The sun was an honest to goodness red. I haven't seen one like that for a few years (again caused by yet another bush fire). As I was watching it rise, my heart was just about breaking thinking about how this sight was born. The red haze from the fires in which took so many lives are just too truly horrific. I watch the news in tears seeing how many families have been devastated by these fires. What makes it worse is that the police have said that someone may have deliberately lit and followed the fire fighters relighting them. We were lucky that where we live is nowhere near the devastation although we have friends that are under threat from fires still burning. I hope that I don't hear down the track that there are people I know there in the towns that were wiped off the map amidst  the hottest and most devastating fires in our country's history. We remember Ash Wednesday from 23 years ago but this will live longer in my memory because I watch it as it is reported through an adults eyes. My kids see the fires in the news and ask why the people are crying. I try to explain that the big fires have hurt some people and their homes. I know they don't comprehend the devastation but they do get the emotion they see.

 

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The next photos are the front pages from our local paper recording the ongoing hot hot days and the awful tragedy of nature we are experiencing at the moment. We reached 42 degrees on Saturday and I think just as hot Sunday. last night we started getting bit of relief as a cool front came through. I didn't help the people in Victoria though - 24 hours too late.

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ok, I don't think I can say enjoy today because this is much more of a documenting what is happening than something to enjoy without tears welling up.  I am glad in some ways that the kids want to watch cartoons to have a bit of quiet time rather than the news!

ok bye for now J