What on the Earth We've Been Doing...

It's been a whirlwind of a three + weeks...and it's not even Christmas yet!

So what on the earth have we been doing?

We started off December at the Zoo Lights with Gramma and Papa Al. 

The next week was Addie's school's Christmas program. Oh my! I'll do another post on this one with pieces of the video we took and more pictures! Loved seeing our girl up there singing her heart out!

Then we jumped into a crazy busy last week of preschool 3's before Christmas break complete with a rockin' class Christmas party! We made gingerbread houses for centerpieces (that we later used at our very own Gingerbread House Decorating party and finally took to the nursing home), Nutter Butter Reindeer cookies, and treats for her sweet teachers! yum!

We ended the week with me taking some Christmas pictures for a friend...

...second shooting a wedding with Allison in Birmingham, and taking more pictures for our friends Chad and Mandy! I'd say that was a photography filled weekend!

And then I did one of the crazier things I've done in a while...hosted no less than 25 kiddos and their sweet mama's for a Gingerbread House Decorating Party. I'm thinking (hoping) it was as much of a success as it appeared to be! (another few posts on this one soon!). We had so much fun spending time with friends!

We had to skip our yearly tradition of the Zoo Lights with Chad, Mandy, and Cady due to rain, but that didn't stop us from heading to the inDoor mall to eat CFA, ride the train and ride the carousel! (thank you iPhone!). Addie and Cady were so sweet to take care of the little girls while riding the train! Love these 4 girls and can't wait for Cady's baby brother to join the fun!

And we all jumped crawled out of bed the next morning, thankfully including my mom, and visited the nursing home where my grandmother was almost 12 years ago. What a beautiful place with some amazing staff and just as amazing residents. We met some wonderful people, shared a few treats with everyone, and our girls were simply delightful, which if you know our girls (or any 3 year or 19 month old for that matter), can be hit or miss! And of course, we delivered the gingerbread houses, both big and small!

I'm pretty sure we bought a few gifts somewhere in there, decorated the house and our little tree that sits somewhat safely in our window seat, and managed to complete a few pinterest inspired crafts with an overly excited 3 year old!

And there you have it. My excuse(s) for blogging in such limited form. Do forgive. I'll get the Thanksgiving in Augusta pictures edited eventually...maybe before we head back for Christmas.

But throughout it all, we've worked to keep our focus on the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. Not for the presents. Not even for the giving. But for the tiny baby who was sent as our Savior, the most amazing gift of all!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:8-11

Redirect: Allison Lewis Photography

I don't often blog about what I'm doing outside our girl's lives.

Mainly because most of my time is spent with our girls. It's my job, and I take it very seriously.

However, that doesn't mean that all of my time is spent with them. That wouldn't be good for any of us!

I have the most incredible husband who's supported my love of photography for many years now. He'll pull over on the side of a random country road to let me get some pictures. He'll sit with me for hours while I edit. He'll drag everyone out to the front yard and jump up and down to get the girls to smile. And he'll spend whole days, from the time the girls wake up until they go to bed, being mommy and daddy. 

That love has grown a little over the years and has become more than just a hobby.

It might be once a month. Sometimes twice. It's always on a Saturday. And it involves long, exhausting, joyful days of celebration.

And it's spent not only with a very talented lady but an incredible friend.

I've learned more from Allison while actually doing something I love than I could ever learn reading a book or studying a technique. I could quote you terms or explain how something should be done.

But doing it is a whole different ball of yarn!

I'm pretty honored to be second shooting weddings with Allison. Honored and humbled and nervous and probably a little giddy at times! When I told her I'd do it (ok, when I begged her to let me do one with her just for fun), I had no idea we'd be where we are today...with weddings not only booked out a year in advance on her calendar but now on mine too as her second shooter.

I am so thankful for each opportunity I have to shoot with Allison. I am thankful for my dedicated, fully present husband who is the most amazing daddy to our girls. I am thankful for Allison's friendship and her willingness to share her talent with others. I am thankful. God is good. All the time.

And so is His timing.

While the goal of a second shooter is to stay out of the photographer line of vision, it's pretty much impossible and other times purposeful to end up in a few (when you have your camera pointed straight at her and her's straight at you!)!

Here's a fun post Allison did that I think you might enjoy...

Ode to Second Shooters

Highlands: Mountain Creatures

not only were there some exquisite flowers in Highlands, there were some unbelievable creatures!

I don't normally begin posts with my favorite picture, but just in case you don't make it to the end of this one, i'd want you to see this...

the redbird, aka Mr. Cardinal according to addie, would swoop on and off and around the deck. this was the only shot i got of him, and i was using a 300mm lens (huge zoom!) because he was so far away by the time I could grab my camera and get outside!

but this little guy visited us every day!

he and his compadre (a much larger squirrel) would chirp and fuss and fight over the bird seed!

however, this beauty would wait patiently until all the little finches and both the squirrels had eaten their fix.

a man from the Balsam Mountain Trust Nature Center came to town and brought some beautiful Raptors to share with visitors from their Birds of Prey program. he did a fabulous presentation that Addie is still talking about an entire week later! you know, because all birds DON'T lay eggs. do you know which ones don't? keep reading to find the answer :)

he even offered to bring out the birds later and hold them up in a more natural background so we could take pictures! yes, my camera was practically salivating, but mommy duty came first and we had to leave before it was over for a picnic. so i did what i could to angle my camera/myself in what limited space that i had to create my own more natural background. :D

i couldn't resist posting some pictures of the sweet (looking) owls he brought. each of the birds he brought had some sort of physical limitation/disability due to injury. while they are not a rehabilitation center, they do house birds who have been rehabilitated elsewhere.

i got bumped to the back for this bird and felt bad pushing my way back through to my mom and addie.

but i peeped over someone's shoulder to grab these! i sure wouldn't want to run into those eyes in a dark alley...or on a dark mountain!

but when he brought this guy out, i didn't hesitate to take the chance and slip back in beside addie and my mom. because wow...what a beautiful symbol of our freedom and the men and women who have and continue to fight for us to keep it.

such an incredibly majestic, powerful creature

and yet still so beautiful!

and since i know you're just itching to know which birds don't lay eggs...?

why the male birds of course! ;)

Other People's Pictures and Other People's Babies

My friend Allison sent me an email yesterday to check on us...with a picture attached that made her think of our girls.

It made me smile.

And it made me not quite so frustrated with Baby B for digging her little bottom into my ribcage so that I can only sleep on one side. And it made not want to have a heart to heart with Baby A about sitting so far down in my pelvis that I could spend all day in the bathroom.  And it made me freak out a little less that they are getting so big so fast! And it might have made me a little more patient over these last few days/weeks/too much time!

And of course it got me searching.

I guess I'm probably a little over opinionated when it comes to pictures. I may not be able to take the picture I want, but the photography class I took last summer taught me how to know why I don't like something I've taken. Besides all of that, I'm pregnant and hormonal and I suppose that makes me even more opinionated! Nah...

I love baby pictures. I love naked newborn pictures, but only if they don't show too much little bottom. And I don't want my babies hanging. Period.

But oh how I love snuggled babies. And wrinkles. And those squishy faces. And legs wrapped underneath their sweet little bodies! And hands. And feet. And heads.

I love how this photographer took separate pictures of the babies but made them coordinate!

And I love how Lori set these babies up. You can see faces and hands and fingers and those chubby little cheeks! Oh my!

And I always love Susan Keller's photography. I couldn't copy her picture over here, but click on her name to find a twin picture of hers! 

But this one has to be a favorite...if only we could get Addie to pose like that with the girls?

No expectations. None at all!

But I am getting more and more excited everyday to meet our sweet little girls! I have to pinch myself to believe that there are TWO of them (until I can't breathe because they are both in my ribcage or they start kicking at the same time or they both get the hiccups together!). TWO! And as Addieboo would say, TWO BABIES! All I can think is TWO blessings!

Have a great weekend!

(all pictures can be clicked to link to the original site where the picture was found or to the blog of the photographer)

M is for...

Manual.

The setting I've been instructed to shoot in.

...with my just returned, recently repaired, still under warranty, good as new 50mm 1.4.

No more simple little green box.

No more little jogging person, tiny flower, or scenic mountain settings to turn to.

No more AV.

M is for Manual

I'm taking a photography class.

Online

Meter your shot.

Choose your ISO.

Set your shutter speed.

Decide on your aperture.

I'm way...

way...

way...

outside of my comfort zone.

My father-in-law says that I'm the queen of multitasking, but don't you think this whole shooting in manual thing is asking a lot...even for the queen of multitasking?!?

Yeah, me too!

So that's why when Addie fell back asleep in her Daddy's lap after her nap, I shot this precious picture of Addie and Daddy with the dial turned to the simple little green box.

You know, for sentimental purposes and all.

Because this is what Manual got me...

Then again, this is what the simple little green box got me...

So I opted for AV mode, which happens to still remain well in the middle of my comfort zone!

...to make sure I didn't miss this priceless moment!

M is for Manual

which I'm afraid might make me Mental!