Catching Up... reconnecting with an old friend....

Okay, my last post I promised to update on our recent adventures (I know you're all waiting with breath that is baited)...And I'm going against my nature & posting out of order.    WARNING... TONS of pictures...

Lately, I've been reconnecting with an old friend... my camera... (I'd post a pic of my ACTUAL camera, but I don't have one & don't have the energy right now to go take one, and upload it & post, so this stock photo will have to do).  Anyway... I've enjoyed photography since elementary school.  It was one hobby my grandfather & I shared.  I'll never forget him teaching me about composition... lessons I've carried with me my whole life.  I have some of his old cameras too that are treasures to me.  So I've always loved photography, but the last year and half my photos have been all about Madalynn, and they will continue to be, but often times at events I've been so distracted with her that I haven't had time to take pictures like I used to.  Let alone take some of my still life, architecture, landscapes, etc.  For whatever reason the last few weeks my passion has come back, and I'm LOVING it.

So, this is what we've been up to the last few weeks... (It's Sept 7th & I've taken 442 pictures)

My niece & nephew went back to school last week... they looked so grown up in their uniforms... This is Madalynn at their house to see them off that morning (much more interested in the Munchkin's Ga-Ga brought).

 

Madalynn has discovered corn on the cob, and would eat 2 ears per sitting if I'd let her...

 

 

Then this past Friday I took her to a local lake... I'm sure I've mentioned before I'm not real outdoorsy so this was a big undertaking for me.  Thankfully the water near the shore of the lake was clear to the bottom, and she loved playing in the sand, and seeing the fish...(another day she REFUSED to look at the camera)

This deserted road you had to walk down from the parking lot to the lake creeped me out a little bit

Okay... this was the day I really started playing with my camera, and reading the manual to discover ALL that it could do... it's like having a new toy...

Just waking up from her nap & I've got the camera in her face... mean Mommy, but the light coming her bedroom window was PERFECT!

I LOVE the exposure, depth of field, and colors in this picture I'm not so crazy with it's perspective though....

Then these were from yesterday... again playing with the lighting coming in through my sliders...

I know this picture is fuzzy... but I ADORE it of her....

Then today we went apple picking with her cousin Jessica...another opportunity for uncooperation with the camera... 

 

As we were leaving... a tell-tale sign that the seasons are changing...

End of season hydrangeas at my Mom's house...

This is one I've already posted from my b-day party, but I edited it a little bit & love how it turned out so I wanted to share it...

Okay.. that's 40 pictures so just under 10% of all I've taken so far this year...

 

 

 

 

 

30ish something b-day....

Last week I celebrated a 30ish something b-day.  Madalynn sent me flowers (she's brilliant for a 2 year old... although I have a sneaking suspicion my Mom had something to do with it!).

Today my Mom (aka Martha Stewart) hosted a family b-day party which was not necessary but was appreciated.  It was just so great to relax with my family, and see Madalynn running & laughing with her cousins.

This is before we left (notice how neat & tame her hair is).  The top she's wearing is a dress I had as a baby.  She was too big to wear it as a dress by the time she came home, but it made a cute top today w/ some leggings.

LICKING the plate her cake was on....

Helping herself to some more frosting...

Wanting to go down in the yard to play with the cousins...

Grandpa will take you....

She wants to take Tedy Bruschi's spot on the Patriots... she looks like she's ready to tackle someone...

Just a little puppy love because I LOOOVE this dog... she's such a sweetie...

Notice what happens to the hair as the day progresses...oyyyy...

 

These are just some pics that the exposure didn't come out right so I played with some special effects... I'm not sure how I feel about photo editing beyond changing to black & white or sepia, but I think I'm crossing over...

 

 

We've also enjoyed some end of summer activities I hope to post soon (although it goes against my nature to post out of order, but I'm feeling crazy today so I'm going to live on the edge).