How to Get Rid of Unwanted Food March 10, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Little Man Dallin, My Handsome Husband, Photography, Princess Hannah, Utah , 1 comment so farDavid started a new rotation in Northern Utah last week. The commute is a bit brutal, so he spends the week up in Ogden with his sister’s family and comes home to see us on the weekends. We’re happy David is able to do rotations in Utah, but it’s hard to only see him on the weekends.
So . . .
I started shooting more snapshots of our everyday life so he doesn’t miss out too much on our adorable, sassy, children. :)
This is a lovely moment:
They are actually sharing the same snack, in the same space (on a step stool of all things)!
It is very sweet.
And now, Hannah has decided to teach Dallin the very fine art of feeding Paris food scraps on the sly . . .
Dallin is obviously taking good notes here. Learning the art of how to feed your dog scraps is serious business.
When I “caught” them, I got these looks:
“WHAT?! Don’t look at me! I’m TOTALLY innocent!”
“What? Me? ARE YOU TALKING TO ME? I think I’ll just smile really cute and PLEAD THE FIFTH!”
It’s hard to re-enforce the rules with cute little faces like these!
Julliard Bound Class of 2024 March 8, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Photography, Princess Hannah , 7commentsI many have mentioned a few times how MUCH Hannah LOVES Ballet.
In case you haven’t heard me mention it, (you must be a new reader) SHE LOVES IT. She loves it almost as much as she loves me, so you know, it’s A LOT. :)
Just look at the feeling she has in her body language as she dances:
I should probably call Julliard and let them know Hannah will be joining them in the class of 2024.
Look at her form.
She might only be three and a half, but she takes ballet very seriously.
OK, her eyes are closed. I want to eat her up!
I photographed these pictures during an “interpretive” dance moment.
Still, SO DANG CUTE.
She was told to bend over backwards (Hannah is the middle child) . . .
And then they told her to hop like a bunny through the hoops. What a cute little bunny. :)
Now it’s time to march . . .
And now it’s time to admire herself in the mirror. Heck, if was that cute, I’be checking myself out too! Check out that pose!
I wanted to show this picture which is straight out of the camera. Notice how there is a picture within the picture? I was not able to move from my designated seat in the studio (we are only allowed to watch the girls dance in the studio once a semester. We normally have to wait outside and watch them through a window.) so I had several shots that were not compositionally as concise as I had wanted. When I saw this image, I really wanted to focus on the three girls dancing and cut out the other two girls that weren’t relevant to the three girls.
This is what I cropped it to:
Hannah is the middle girl doing interpretive dance with her classmates. Now, it’s never ideal to crop your images (especially significantly) because you loose pixels, and fewer pixels, means a smaller print. I always try to frame my images exactly to maximize on pixels, but every once in a while it’s not avoidable.
And now, get ready for her turn . . .
Look at that cute back side!
Technique! She’s really learning technique!
And now her bow . . .
Thanks for watching Hannah in ballet today.
Come again.
My New Studio February 24, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Little Man Dallin, My Handsome Husband, Photography, Princess Hannah , 7commentsI know.
You can smell Dallin’s adorable face through your monitor. :)
I shot this image of him in my new studio, in the garage.
Well, first let me back up. I’m a student at AAU and I’m taking a class this semester called “Quality of Light.”
Sounds easy, right?
Turns out, it’s been a very complex studio class for me so far.
Basically, I knew nothing about light a few weeks ago. Well, nothing about how to shoot in artificial light.
I had to order a bunch of studio equipment for my class, and now, I have a studio.
I still don’t know how to use everything, and when to use everything, but I’m learning.
And THANK GOODNESS David doubles as a computer/technical equipment geek because who would I direct all my geeky questions to if it weren’t for him? Plus, he can set up my studio and take it down in record time. Maybe I should hire him to work for me for free as my go-to guy? Oh, wait . . . he already does that.
This is my temporary studio for now . . .
It’s in the garage. :)
I ordered everything from B&H and let me tell you, that is a very dangerous place for me to shop. I could easily drop a lot of money there.
This is my assistant Hannah. She is turning out to be quite the photographer herself. She has her own director’s chair, and when my twin, Brian, lent her an ear, she told him all about the white umbrellas and the diffused light I was trying to produce to shoot his product. (OK, so she may not have said that.)
I have black and white back drops. My back drop is huge. Let’s just say I was more than “shocked” when UPS dropped off my back drop paper.
I did several product shots for my brother Brian, (who’s launching something very exciting) and I hope to share a few images with you soon!
Since it was so much work for me to watch my husband set this up, I thought I would take a few pics of the kids before letting him take it down.
Hannah is wearing all of her most prized possessions: ballet shots, crazy tights, leotard, a skirt that twirls, and her favorite umbrella from my friend Cheryl who brought it all the way from Singapore for her when she visited last month.
Tigger is Dallin’s most prized possession.
And together, they can’t hold still for less than 1/60 of a second. :) On a side note: kids should never be photographed at less than 1/60 of second. They are just too busy and inevetebly, you will get motion blur (the unintentional kind that looks sloppy and not artistic). To photograph this, I set my shutter speed to 1/60 of a second and took a light reading from my Sekonic light meter
With that said, Dallin has had it. No more photos, and no more talk about f-stops and apertures!
Dear Heavenly Father, Please Don’t Let Me Die February 9, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Princess Hannah , 3commentsOverheard by Hannah in the last few weeks:
“Dear Heavenly Father, please don’t let me die.” (Said during her bedtime prayer)
Dora doesn’t make me happy, I decide to be happy (David has been working on this concept with her. I guess she “gets” it.)
We have a little trouble here . . .
Why do we die? Where do we go when we die?
I really need to play the piano so I can make some beautiful noise!
I speak Spanish! (Said in English)
I forgive you mommy.
Mommy, am I your angel?
I love school soooooo much. (Who doesn’t love pre-school?)
Daddy does a good job of being a handsome prince.
Mommy, why aren’t you upstairs joining the conversation at the dinner table? (Um, because I was checking my email!)
Mommy, I just love you soooooooo much! Can I keep you forever, and ever, and ever?
Mommy, I just want to stay by you because you take me to beautiful places. You take me to see little Alpacas, and baby Alpacas, and big Alpacas, and mommy Alpacas.
Mommy! Look at Dallin! He is JUST. SO. CUTE.
Paris is my best friend. Dallin is my best friend too!
Mommy, don’t worry. I’m not crying, these are just poopie tears. (Taking care of business is big work!)
Two is Better Than One February 4, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Family, Little Man Dallin, Parenthood, Princess Hannah, Thoughts , 4commentsWhen planning a family, just know that if you want a baby, you must commit to at least TWO.
Why?
Kids are like potato chips. You can’t have JUST ONE.
Even in my fertility stricken days, I was a believer in the zero-kids-or-at-least-two-kids theory.
There are certain things kids can only learn from having siblings, and vice versa, there are certain things parents can only learn from having more than one child.
Remember how I thought parenthood was the easiest thing ever and how badly behaved kids were a direct reflection of their parents?
Well . . .
Pardon me while I get my judgmental self in check.
OK, I’m in check now.
Yes, those were the days when I had only ONE child who, by the way, was possibly the easiest, most laid back, happy child ever to be born. Honestly, Hannah never cried and when she was awake, she was so easy to take care of. She was like watching grass grow, but in a fun exciting sort of way that grass grows.
Now, enter child number two who is 100% different from Hannah. I won’t get into all the specifics, but those of you who have been reading my blog since Dallin was born, know that I almost lost all my marbles. And really, I’m not kidding.
I’m a mom because of Hannah and a better mom because of Dallin.
Top reasons to give your child a sibling:
- 1. You will be a better parent.
- 2. Your kids will be better people (How else are they going to learn unconditional love? I mean, Hannah still loves her little stink-bug brother even after all the pinches and hair pulls he gives her!)
- 3. They play with each other (regardless of the age difference) and that should be reason enough!
Whenever Dallin is asleep, Hannah gets bored and tells me that she really needs a friend and could I be her friend? It’s darling, but sometimes, I’m getting into the shower, and it’s just not super convenient. :)
This is what I love . . .
Dallin was sitting on the couch first and Hannah had the pick of the room for a place to sit. There is a recliner, a love seat, several small chairs for children, the floor, and the couch. Where does she sit? Oh yeah, on the same couch cushion as Dallin. Smooshed up next to him.
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E I tell you!
They also hold hands during the scary parts of Nemo, Monsters, and The Barbie movies. :)
Someone who thinks they can’t love the second child as much as the first hasn’t had a second child.
*Note: I know some of you would love to have more than one child, but one reason or another you cannot. Trust me when I say I understand! I spent many infertility stricken years (eight to be exact) wondering if we would ever have a family, and after Hannah was born, I wondered (though for not very long) if I could have more. This post is only intended to show how great it is for kids to have siblings.
Oh How I Love Thee February 2, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Little Man Dallin, Parenthood, Princess Hannah, Trips , 5commentsWe are back from our little getaway from this weekend.
It was so nice to have a weekend away.
I’ll post about our trip later, but for now, I thought I’d mention how much I missed my little kidlets.
I mean, I really missed them.
Hannah missed me a lot too.
Dallin on the other hand . . .
Was so busy and important playing with his toys, he didn’t have time to miss me!
Look at Dallin’s cheeks! Do you blame me for missing them?
I also missed kissing his fat little toes!
And LOOK AT THIS FACE!
I can’t help it. I missed him. LOTS.
And you know what? The second I walked in the door he realized I’d been gone and suddenly it hit him, “Oh, that’s what was missing over the last few days . . . MY MOMMY!”
Happy Ballerina January 18, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Princess Hannah , 3commentsHannah’s ballet class has quickly become the highlight of my week. :)
She LOVES it so much, and she takes it so seriously, (she asks everyday when she can go on point shoes) it’s just adorable.
Wanna know what else she loves to do?
BUTT IN LINE.
That’s right, she takes more turns than she should, and ALWAYS jumps to the front of the line.
The funny thing is, the other kids don’t seem to mind.
I caught some footage of her at the back of the line (obviously just seconds away from butting in line again) waiting for her turn to dance.
All I have to say is, she one happy dancer. (In this short video, Hannah is the one wiggling her arms, feeling the music.)
Cutest. Thing. Ever. January 7, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Parenthood, Princess Hannah , 5commentsTo say that Hannah is obsessed with ballet would be an understatement.
She has already worn out (as in, almost beyond repair) her first pair of ballet shoes. WORN THEM OUT. How do you do that when you’ve never taken a lesson?
You wear them day in, day out and then you beg to wear them to bed. Sometimes you’ll get your way and then before you know it, your entire wardrobe consists of tights, and leotards and various other dress up clothes and your mom seriously wonders WHY she bought you regular clothes. Because all they do is collect dust and warm the wooden shelves on which they are stored.
Some of you may remember this video I posted last year. I took her to observe a ballet class (which happens to be the exact class she’s taking now) when she was only two (because she was obsessed back then too) and when we left ballet class, she cried like I had just cut off her arm. Seriously, you must watch this short 60 second video clip before moving on . . .
(The video was taken 18 months ago when Hannah had just turned two. She had two good naps the day I shot this video. What you see is not a tired baby, but a ticked off kid!)
We have all been bursting with anticipation this week waiting for Hannah’s first ballet class! I’m not sure who was more excited: Hannah, me, or David!
I’ll let the pictures tell the story . . .
A bunch of little people, all the same age and dressed alike. Hannah instantly awarded each of them “best friend” status. (She’s not too picky. Do you like to dance? Is pink your favorite color? Are you dressed like her? YOU COULD BE HER BEST FRIEND TOO!)
All the little people were asked to do stretches that made me hurt just by observing them! Look how close those feet are to the ground! OUCH! Right?!
Then, they did more stretches. Look at Hannah’s toe touch!
Oops! My little monkey got a fast rundown on the rules: NO HANGING ON THE BAR.
NO biggie. She enjoyed jumping just as much!
Look at her legs! (She’s the second from the left.) Oh my heck! Could they be any cuter? Daylight cannot peak through them!
Hannah LOVED her teacher. She thought she had hit the big time when I told her that her teacher was the Sugarplum fairy in the Nutcracker production we attended.
Hello. I want to kiss this little face off.
Honestly, the top moments of motherhood for me have been (aside from birth, which was quite painful as I remember) seeing my kids’ faces on Christmas morning, and this: Finally making one of Hannah’s dreams come true.
Heck, I know she’s only three, but to her, she has waited her whole life to take ballet and I’m so happy she finally can!
Slightly Neurotic January 6, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Princess Hannah, Thoughts , add a commentI’ll be the first to admit, I’m slightly neurotic at times.
A few days ago, I noticed my 20/20 vision wasn’t as tack sharp as it should be.
My mind immediately started to race with one possibility . . . I must be going blind.
I know this sounds like an erratic conclusion, but given my family history with a genetic eye disorder, I was very concerned.
Not one to waste time on important matters like this, I made an appointment with an Optometrist right away. As Hannah and I were walking into the clinic, she kept asking, “Mommy, are we going to the eyeball store?!” And I was all, “Yep. The eyeball store. They fix your eyeballs!”
After a nice chat with the Optometrist about my eyes and discussion about my family history (which he found completely fascinating) I was very happy to hear my eyesight was still 20/20 with no pending blindness.
However, the few days I sat in uncertainly about possible pending blindness, I thought about my life. What would I do differently? What would I do the same? What would you do if you knew you were going blind or deaf even?
- I would spend my money on seeing the world before I couldn’t anymore. Things are just things, but memories last forever.
- I would photograph anything and everything so I could leave my mark on how I saw the world.
- I would spend all day memorizing the faces of my husband and children.
What would you do?
Have Shovel, Will Work January 5, 2010
Posted by Emily in : Daily Life, Family, Princess Hannah, Utah , 2commentsHannah asked me several times last week to take her to my parents’ house.
She really wanted to play in their snow.
My parents have a “Hannah size” shovel and all she could think about was all the snow she could be shoveling. (Apparently, David and I produce children who think child labor laws are for sissy’s.)
I drove my little worker bee over to my parents’ house and before she got half way into the house she was squealing.
She was put to work right away. She did an excellent job of moving small amounts of snow from one spot to another.
My dad took a break from watching Hannah diligently shovel his back patio, to help her build a snowman.
I brought out the wrong length of carrot (snowmen don’t have Pinocchio noses, I was informed) which almost threw a wrench in the whole “build a snowman” thing.
At last, we broke the carrot in half and all was right in the world of snow.
Maybe Santa should bring her a “Hannah size snow blower” for Christmas next year!
