Playing Photographer

 I've been using close friends and family members as practice for sharpening my photography skills. Each shoot has shown me areas that I have improved on or things I need to work out. My parents got me a photography class through an arts school in California and I'm looking forward to that.

I really enjoying being able to do this for the people I care about . I has been a lot of fun!  I have agreed to take a few more friends family photos in January and one wedding in October( for candid shots only, not as the main photographer) . One set I plan to do in January is 22 month old twins! I will wear my running shoes that day.

Logan is growing up!

Malachi has been my trickiest subject so far but when I can make hims stand still, he sure is handsome!

Brock is an expert at taking pictures.

Brothers

Sweet Sunshine

Sweet stuff

 We decorated our gingerbread houses ! Fitting with the Charlie Brown theme, we found four little dog houses, equipped with gummy " Noopies" as Mason calls them. 

Just a tiny taste. Not much actually made it onto Mason's house.

Sad when she found out she'd have to wait to eat her house

but ok with eating a few jelly beans after dinner

Busy little elf

mmmmmm

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

 Or perhaps the phrase " Bah HUMBUG!" would better apply here. Grammy brought this little Charlie Brown tree to us and instantly, I knew I had to stage a few pictures of Mason ( AKA Charlie Brown) with it. Finally, snow started to fall and I started to plot a quick in and out photo op. Mason DOES NOT like to be cold so I knew it needed to be as fast as possible. Of course, this was also the day that our high for the day was -3. And so this is what I got:

A tale of two siblings...Mack LOVES the snow and could play in it for hours. Mason...not so much.

But he's oh so handsome!

Off we go!

The Friday after Thanksgiving, we set off bright and early for Kansas to witness Adaline Thueme's baptism. Andy and Andrea asked Mike and me to be Adaline's godparents, a huge honor to us ( they are also Mason's godparents) . Mike and Andy have been friends for most of their lives. We can't say that thoughts of an arranged marriage haven't crept up. The kids have been on many road trip and traveled like pros!Here are a few pictures from our trip:

Andie planned a very special trip to the Kansas State University Bug Zoo. It was  the perfect little trip for us. Mason had fun since all the exhibits were his height. While there, Mack found a box of chocolate covered bugs and wanted to try them with Mike. Who am I to stand in the way of a good bug tasting?

They decided that chocolate covered ANYTHING can't really be that bad.

Sweet girl

These two are off on a tree hunt

Andy and Mack decorated that huge tree!

Michigan fans in Kansas!

Adaline loved the lights.

Mackenzie and Adaline

Mike has been deemed " The Baby Whisperer" by Andie

A. Thuemes

Adaline in her baptismal gown and in her favorite spot- Andy's shoulder

Coming in for a landing

After all their jet setting, Grammy and Aunt Janet set their sights on Colorado! The kids couldn't be more excited. I don't know how Mackenzie made it through school the day they arrived! We had a great time, mostly hanging around the house catching up , having tea parties, making cookies , playing games, reading lots and lots of books. Grammy, Janet and Mike spent a few hours in Mackenzie's classroom , which was really special for her.  We also celebrated Christmas early together. It was such a nice visit and we are already looking forward to our next visit! Here are few of the gobs of pictures I took.

Grammy bought Mason a " CAKE!" . He showed us the proper way to eat it.

The adorable ( and insanely yummy) cookies that Grammy, Aunt Janet and Mack made to have with their tea.

Tea party!

The travelers had been to New Orleans just days before coming to visit us. Grammy brought this glass to us which has subsequently been used by each of us.

Mackenzie made bird beaks out of tea bag boxes for she and Aunt Janet.

Here they are reading from the bug book Janet brought for Mack. Aunt Janet taught Mack how to use the index of the book.

Cookie making

Look who was the Pretty, Pretty Princess!

It's me again....

 Were you starting to wonder about us?  We have been busy, busy, busy! I think things have settled down and I can start to chart our adventures for the blogosphere . It may be a slow process . Here are some odds and ends photos to chew on while I work on catching up.

Mason let me use the clippers on his hair! 

And Macky wore hers ultra crazy for crazy hair day

Mack invited Mason to a tea party. She quickly regretted the invitation after he ate her cookies.

But their anger doesn't last long before they're cuddled up together.