Colorado pond water.

We went to Cherry Creek State Park yesterday to try and re-create when we lived in California. It didn't exactly work but we still managed to get sand in our underwear and everywhere else that might be even remotely uncomfortable. The kids had fun and I forgot how overwhelmed with life I am right now, for a few hours at least. Success!

Mutually beneficial.

Recent discoveries:

1. The neighbors have a push mower

2. The boy is fascinated with said push mower

3. The boy will BEG to mow the lawn with the aforementioned push mower.

4. Happy boy and mowed lawn= win-win for Mom.

Hope everybody had a fantastic 4th of July!!!

Red Rocks: The North Trail, Pt. 2

 

A few more from the North Trail. I've had a head full of snot the past few days so I haven't felt like doing much lately. These allergies are going to be the death of me. Either that or the leftover birthday cake.

Oh, and this is in Morrison just west of Denver. Check it!

Red Rocks: The North Trail, Pt. 1

I've made it a mini-mission to explore the major trails of Red Rocks this summer. It seems much more productive than sitting at home watching re-runs of Judge Judy. 

Happy birthday, little man.

Dearest son of mine,

 Truth time: I wasn't ready for you. I wasn't ready for you because you are exactly like me. You are strong and stubborn, and not afraid to speak up when you're sure that you're right. Even when you're dead wrong. Your stunts are practically legendary and I have on more than one occasion kept groups of people entertained with stories of your ahem, adventures. 

You've got IT. That "it" that everyone wants. That magnetic personality that draws complete strangers to you, that personality that turns grown women into a pile of goo. And you do it, whatever it is that you do, effortlessly. It's not even second-nature because it's your first nature. You get in trouble at school and your teachers call me to tell me of your naughty little deeds all the while laughing because you are "just so darn cute." And, "oh, the things he thinks of!" Indeed kid, indeed. I'm on to you.

 Through these past eight years we have had some incredibly rough times, times when I would lock myself in the bathroom and just cry because I felt like a complete failure as a mother. Times when you would stand rigidly with little fists clenched, staring at me completely stone-faced because you could not find a way to tell me what was wrong. So much time has been lost simply because I didn't, or couldn't, understand what was going on in your head. You're getting better, I'm getting better. We both know that you need more help and that's coming too. 

 I try not to dwell on the hard times because I know you're coming out of this fog. Slowly but surely your quirky little personality is finding ways to shine through. So today, on your 8th birthday (how did THAT happen?!) I made a list. A short list of things you say and do that make me smile, because honestly if I made a list of everything we'd be here until next year.  

• The way you say burger. "Mom, can you make turkey boogers tonight?"
• The fact that you are a total snugglebug. You come sit next to me on the couch and hold my hand for no reason. You still hug and kiss me in front of your friends even though most of them would die of embarrassment. 
• You just walked up to me and told me that Kayla hit you in the kidneys. So of course I asked you where your kidneys were and you pointed to your groin. Oh man.
• You sing in the shower. Most of all the time you were singing, "Hey, hey! You, you! I could be your girlfrieeeeeeeeeend" in the shower.
• The way you sit when you're concentrating. With both legs tucked under you and your toes curled.
• Your giggle, much like a little girl. And how when I tell you that, you giggle even more.
• How you swear you taught a baby grasshopper to jump.
• Your gorgeous eyes. Even though I can never be sure what color they are.
• Your little fist pump and quiet "yesssssssss" when you get something you want.
• The face you make when I get out the camera (see above). You absolutely HATE the camera but you somewhat cooperate because you know it means a lot to me.

You are amazing and I love every last inch of you. Dirty, barefoot feet and all.

Love, Mom

Letting go.

Dropped the girl off at soccer camp this morning. OVERNIGHT soccer camp. Her first time ever away from home without either me or her Dad. There are three things keeping me from a complete and total freak out, three little facts that are keeping me from getting in the car and snatching her right back to her toddler years.

1.) She can get ahold of us if anything goes wrong

2) The camp is held at the CU campus, which is 15 minutes west of the house 

3) One of her coaches is a trainer at the camp

And yeah, I totally cried. I was that mom. And she couldn't have been more excited. She met her roommate and within 5 minutes they were running off together. Away from me. I'm not ready for this, I'm just not. Add in the fact that as I looked around the CU campus I realized that in 8 short years I would probably be doing this for much longer than 4 days. My heart can't take it.

Moooooooommmmmmmmmmm!

The boy: I got you a present!!! Look how cute it is!!!

Me: Uh... Thanks, dude. 

The boy: Can we keep him? He doesn't have a shell. 

Me (scrambling): Um. Well. Don't you think his Momma would miss him if we took him?

The boy (thinking really hard): Yeah. I don't want her to be sad. I'm gonna put him back.

Me: Good thinking. 

Moab, Utah.

So. The littles went to Moab for a few days with their Dad over Father's Day weekend and I'm so jealous I can barely talk. Can you imagine the pictures I would have gotten? Ugh. Although for a non-photo geek and with my little point and shoot, he didn't do too badly. Guess he was sick of me bitching about not having pictures... I have that effect on men. Cough.

Drama for your momma.

 

Finally finished going through the pictures I took of the girl the other day. I deserve a parade or a medal. Or at least a beer. Seriously. I made the mistake (yes, I said mistake) of shooting these in RAW just to see if I was crazy for refusing to do it. Sooo not crazy. These pictures don't look one pixel different than they would have had I shot jpeg like I normally do. And I probably wouldn't have spent the last few days calling my computer/bridge/photoshop/these images names that would make you blush. I have a dirty mouth when the littles aren't around and I ran the gamut editing these. It's probably good that they're in Moab with their Dad.

I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that a) I've never done it before b) Don't think I've ever opened bridge and the unfamiliar icons were mocking me like a bad hangover and c) I hate editing in the first place so that extra step or so was enough to put me over the edge of my sanity. What little I have. I get why people shoot RAW, I really really do, but it's not for me. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on the technical side and if I blow out someone's face (c'mon, we've all wished that once or twice!) etc, well that's just my own stupid fault. Bet I won't make that mistake again though. 

Since I'm ranting about my extreme distaste for editing, how about we move on to the "rules" of photography? Shall we? I've never been one to follow the rules, just ask my drill sgt's in AIT... Lately I'm finding myself more and more drawn to super high contrast images, even at the expense of blowing whites/clipping shadows. I've always done it with my b&w's and now my color shots are getting a taste of the dark side. So there. And you know what else? If I want to friggen center a shot, I'M GOING TO FRIGGEN CENTER A SHOT. As evidenced in my last post. 

Okay, I'm done. I feel better.

P.S. This is my brain on editing. Much like that old anti-drug Nancy Reagan-esque commercial where the dude tried to tell you how bad drugs were by frying an egg. All that ever did was make me hungry. 

The silver lining.

I have never in my life seen clouds like we have here in Colorado, simply saying they are beautiful would be a gross understatement. Sometimes I just sit outside and stare at them, it's become a little obsession of mine. I'm also going to go ahead and admit that my Texas skies don't even compare and if you know me and how much I miss Austin, that's really saying something. We haven't seen much of the sun here lately (with all the thunderstorms and tornados) and even though I long for a full sun day, I really can't complain too much. 

These pictures were taken maybe 15 minutes apart and you can see how much they change in the falling light. It's magical. I dare you to say it's not and I wouldn't even believe you if you did.