4-24-11 - Easter Sunday

I love that this photo shows their heights - their "stairstep" age range is clear.  I also love that they're so involved in searching for Easter eggs outside they have no idea they're being photographed.  Our babies.  So big, and yet so small at the same time.  <3

4-23-11

Open arms with lots of hugs!

4-22-11

Jake, with his Easter bonnet from the Pre-K Spring Celebration.  So proud of his participation in the program, and so grateful for the opportunities he's had this year as a student.  His teachers are amazing and we're so happy with all he's accomplished.  Kindergarten is on the horizon and the big man here is ready to take it on!

4-21-11

4-20-11

No, there's really nothing artistic about this photo.  This was the scene in the laundry room, mid-repair on the dryer.  I managed to get it all back together and it's working just fine again.  My fingers have cuts all over them from the sharp metal edges, but a box of new band aids costs a lot less than a new dryer. 

4-19-11

4-18-11

Rita, Beth, Andina and Lucy, with Dave and Emily.  Our first students and the teacher, speaking with passion (look at his arms!).  :)

4-17-11

4-16-11

4-15-11

4-14-11

4-13-11

4-11-11

4-12-11

4-10-11

4-9-11

4-7-11

4-6-11

4-5-11

4-4-11

4-3-11

4-2-11

4-1-11

3-31-11

3-30-11

An epic game of Uno!

3-29-11

Our kids love going to the dentist - they look forward to it for months.  Jake jumped out of bed when he found out it was dentist day!  Here he's enjoying his fluoride treatment, courtesy of sweet Alisa.

3-28-11

I love the way she writes her name, and that she's always dying to write in pen instead of pencil. 

3-27-11

Checkers championship!

3-26-11

Dave went out to photograph raindrops and made lovely, really stunning photos of our flowering apple tree with water beading up on the leaves - and then he turned the camera on the umbrella that he'd been under while he was out making pictures.  This photo so reminds me of the photos Dave shot in college - it's totally "Dave" to me.  :)

3-24-11

3-23-11

3-22-11

Aidan is three today.  I find myself wondering how on earth he could be three already?  It's so cliche and oversaid, but it really feels as though yesterday we were on the roller coaster that surrounded his birth.  I spent a lot of yesterday re-running the events of those weeks in my head, both the time before he was born spent in the hospital and the time after, in the NICU and in the peds unit.  I'm grateful for the doctors and nurses who were there to care for him as he flashed us a glimpse of his stubborn streak by being born six weeks early despite our best efforts.  I'm thankful for my Mom, for taking care of Emily and Jake while Dave and I figured what we had to do to be able to bring Aidan home, for Janelle and her visits with food and comic relief, for all of the friends and family that prayed for Aidan, and for Dave, who was there for every single minute of the craziness of those weeks, for every tear and setback and triumph. 

Last night Aidan knocked quietly on the door, then came in an whispered to me "I snuggle Mom?"  Lying in the dark with my sweet boy asleep on my chest reminded me of all the time we spent together, him sleeping on me, when he was first home from the hospital.  I cherished those nights, and I was happy I was able to hold him again last night.  I've said it many times recently, but we're truly blessed.  Happy birthday, (not so) little man!

3-21-11

Sigh.  Temptation!  When one is on a diet, donuts are not something to have in the house.  I was very pleased when Aidan ate it this morning.  :)

3-20-11

3-19-11

I have no idea what he was doing when Dave took this photo, but I'm sure it made sense to him.  :)

3-18-11

We are jumping for joy today because the weather is amazing! 

3-17-11

3-16-11

3-15-11

Sick, sick, sick.  Jake got off the bus as a puddle of pitiful on Monday.  24 hours later he was still feeling pretty lousy as he tried to drink that big glass of gatorade.  Poor guy!  Happy to report he's on the mend now, finally holding down solids and his fever is all but gone.

3-14-11

I was all about making a star trail photo, until I remembered that I don't have a cable release... and that it was too cold to stand outside for an hour, holding down the shutter.  This is two minutes' worth of exposure.  I see small trails.  ;) 

3-13-11

3-12-11

3-11-11

3-10-11

3-9-11

3-7-11

Yeah, I'm in a super-shallow DOF kick. 

Here's the question: which photo (today's or yesterday's) was shot with the D7000 and 50 1.4, and which was was the D90 and 50 1.8?  Is there a perceptable difference?  Hmmnnn...

3-6-11

3-5-11

3-4-11

3-3-11