Just a little tinkering

In an effort to work on my Photoshop layering skills, which are seriously lacking... I spent a little "me time" playing around. Tell me what you think:


The original image with some slight editing (my usual tactic).


A bit of color boost.


More color, high contrast, softening...


My typical b&w conversion with slight contrast boost...


High contrast and softening.

You can see my personal favorite on my frame-a-day!

San Diego

We were able to go to San Diego this past weekend to see some of my extended family and celebrate my cousin Brian getting engaged! We had a nice time visiting with everyone and even got away to the beach one afternoon. It was a nice escape from the heat - and the unpacking! Yes, almost three weeks and I am still nowhere near being done with the house. Maybe by the time our lease is up...

Anyway - on to the pictures! Our time at the beach was at noon, so the shadows are HARSH - sorry! And for some reason, my camera didn't make it out all that often for the rest of the trip. GASP! So, here are a few that we do have to share!


Paige is our little beach bum! She loved the sand, the water, the waves - all of it! It was more of a challenge to keep her in one place this time.


Lauren, on the other hand, was a bit moody this day. She wanted to just play in the sand, and only went in the water if someone was holding her. She liked all of it just fine, but seemed to think the waves were going to wash her away!


See? I really DO exist! ;o)


Lauren and her Great-Uncle Mike in Aunt Dona's kitchen. This is a perfect example of her expression every time someone would come up and say hi to her! All the family really enjoyed seeing her - even though she tends to be a little shy and takes hours to warm up to someone!


Pretty little Paige... she cut her fourth tooth on the 18th, and her fifth one TODAY! She tries to stand on her own (letting go for a few seconds before sitting down), jabbers ALL day long, still has some stranger anxiety (and to Paige, if she hasn't seen you in three days, you are again a stranger), and loves to dance! She bops up and down and wobbles her head - all the while smiling and laughing. She has mastered waving hello and bye-bye, and will gladly shake her head no... even when the answer is yes! We are amazed every day that she has gotten so big already - she will be a toddler before we know it. *shudder*

To tide you over...

Just a few random shots of the girls over the past few days of unpacking and blowing noses. :oP Mommy has been less than inspired to take any decent pictures lately. But, I wanted to make sure you all knew we were still alive and kicking!


My first-born organizing her dress-up shoes. LOL!


Sick little Paige enjoying her lunch. She is great at feeding herself these days and insists on eating EVERYTHING she sees us eating!


Lauren having a phone conversation with Grandma Linda. She was cracking me up with the fluffy shoes and nightgown, hand on her hip, walking back and forth, chatting like a big girl!


Paige in the playroom - while I wish it wasn't the first room people see when they come to the house, I do LOVE having a place to put the plethora of toys instead of them being scattered all over the place!


Lauren finally came down with Paige and Mommy's cold yesterday. We have spent a lot of time laying on the couch drinking fluids and watching cartoons. Poor girl!

I hope to have the house clean enough to take pictures by tomorrow so you all can see the new digs!

M.I.A.

Just in case some of you are beginning to wonder if our fam fell off the face of the earth... not literally, but we might as well have. :0)

We have no Internet at the new house - thank you, Cox Communications. We have been playing this round-and-round game with them for four days and don't even know if someone has come out to the house or not. No straight answers allowed, ma'am.

I digress... we love the new house so far, even though it has added 15 minutes to Justin's commute. Lauren is always talking about how great the new house is, and even with ALL the boxes, we have more than enough space! I just can't post any pictures since I am blogging via my I-phone (and yes, I love it, I just can't type forever on it like a keyboard).

We hope to be back up and blogging on here and the frame-a-day really soon!

Love you all!!!

Nine months?!?

Tomorrow my baby Paige will be nine months old! I am posting today because we will be packing tomorrow and I am sure I won't get any pictures taken, let alone posted.


This one is blurry, but it was the only one where they were both looking NEAR the camera. Ha! Paige loves Lauren and follows her everywhere, always wanting to be doing what big sister is doing!


Right now she -- tries to repeat many words and sounds, pulls herself up to her knees, blows raspberries and makes herself laugh, waves hello, sleeps 11 hours through the night, claps her hands, prefers to eat table food no matter WHAT, lifts her hands to be picked up, still sucks her thumb for comfort, and crawls REALLY fast!


Here's what we call her "scrunchy smile"! Her top right tooth has just broken through and the left looks like it is not far behind. She is easy going, good at playing by herself AND with someone (which is more than I can say for a certain three year old), loves to laugh, and prefers to be in sight of Mama (which she still won't say).


Happy 3/4 birthday, baby princess! We love you!

Beach Retreat

We just got back from a relaxing beach vacation with our good friends, the Swope family - it was amazing! Both girls really loved the water and the sand!


Paige's first time at the ocean


Lauren loved playing in the waves


Happy girl with sand EVERYWHERE! Amazingly, she never complained about the sand on her face, and hands, and feet... and in her mouth... ;o)


Lauren stopping to give me a quick pose. She always had a great time but stressed Mommy out a little by getting so distracted with playing that she would NOT listen!


Daddy and Paige playing. Love her crazy hair!!!


Lauren did not really like Daddy burying her. She stayed put just long enough for a picture and then clambered out like her life depended on it!


Lauren and Porter playing in the sand. I think two seconds after this they were pouring sand on each other's heads. Fun times!


She was thrilled when I showed her how to "draw" in the wet sand.


These pictures just help me to relax all over again! What a great vacation!

Just in the mood

I was in the mood for a photo shoot today, so I plopped the girls down on my bed and tried to make something happen. Lauren was refusing to give me eye contact, and Paige was just enamored with Lauren and nothing else. We still had fun and got a few fun shots. Enjoy!


Surprisingly, Lauren thought this was as fun as Paige did! ;o)


At least one girl was happy to look at the camera!


I always thought black and white was my fave for pictures... but color sure is tempting me these days!


Awful composition, but such a sweet sister moment - there was a full hug that followed, but all I caught on film was a blurred streak. That's photographing children for you!!!