Stella Bella's Birthday

Finally! It was time for Stella Bella's Partay! (Again Grayce terms, here)

Right there, that cute little one on the left- that's Stella Bella herself.

Oh, the trials of balloon blowing.

Okay, really...for starters, Grayce's friends name isn't Stella Bella. It really is Stella, but not Bella. Anyway, that is just what she calls her and she had a party yesterday (not a partay). Even though there are no pictures of Grayce and Stella together- for some reason, they were both in fact there, together. It was at that Neinhuis place. I had the Blue filter on again. But, it was an accident! And I was annoyed. I got home and was like, what? How did this happen!I did not want blue pictures today!

Then I figured out how to edit some of them back to normal IF we weren't over by a BIG blue of blueness, like the pool for instance. And, so, my children don't look like smurfs in all of the shots. And...there was a pinata at the party.

Pinatas are always a 'hit'. Get it? Ha. Sometimes, I crack myself up.

First Football Practice...

Sorry, it won't be all that exciting to view or read about just yet. It was overcast. The photos are bad-I only had the small camera and I wasn't going to get out into the action, after all, for better shots of practice for goodness sakes. This is a new team for Gavin this year. He likes it. It's true, I am a little sad about it- but that is for silly mom reasons (like I will miss the other mom's I know). Anyway, I will meet new mom's & it will be fine. Back to football & boys. He had a great first practice. There was plenty of hitting and grunting.

Here is Gavin about to lay out Mason (I think). It's really hard to tell who they are with all this garb on...

And here's my Grayce. She likes to go & drink gatorade that matches the hue of her eyes. Because she's a fashionista diva, after all- even if she is at her brother's 100 degree football practice.

Finally, it was a wrap with a pep talk and a "Go Blue" or something of the sort and we were off for our 9:00 dinner. Ahh, 9pm dinner. If you have a family that suffers from LBSCBDO (nod to PW here) , this is not a fun time of year, for four nights a week. But, we survive- somehow. Football. There's nothing like it. And just think, he's only 8!

EHW's

If you are 'lucky' enough to live where we do, then you get to live through many interesting weather related events. In the summer time, among other things, there are EHW's- or Excessive Heat Warnings. This means don't go out, it's too stinkin' hot & humid. Children get creative. Notice Grayce, for instance. She is modeling her OSU cheerleading skirt, paired with Hello Kitty tights, this with black tap shoes- no ties. She has this matched with a white wool Stroud cheerleading sweater- all over her orange Gymboree off shoulder shirt and floral shorts (if you could see those, of course.) AND, in between that she has on a black long sleeve gymnastics leotard. (Is anyone getting the irony in this?) She wore this to clean her room.

And above, I just want you to see what, too, could happen to your bathroom, if your children stayed inside all day, long, long- did I say long?

Sometimes, for a break from cleaning her room, Grayce would come out and tap dance in the kitchen. She was killing time anyway. See...that's a whole other issue, sort of. Well, I have time I guess. We are, were waiting for 2 reasons. 1.) Waiting for the sun to go down so we could go outside to play a bit. You know, like we're bats or opossums or something. 2.) We were also waiting for her brother to finish cleaning his room. This is a whole other post. I have probably even posted that post before. HE is the WORST room cleaner in the FREE WORLD. She is half is age and can out clean him in 8 seconds flat. Really, she can. Unless- oh no! What's this??

*Gasp!* It seems ( in true Gone with the Wind fashion), Grayce has momentarily taken a little spell. Whew! Those EHW's can be tough! Quick, someone tell Rhett to bring the smellin' salts and a fan!! ( Yah-I bet she still beats her brother, anyhow.)

New but Old 'Rockin' Pic

This photo is my girl in her favorite shirt, of course:-). And this is an edit done in Photo Scape. And, yes- she is wearing her skinny brother's fully padded football pants. Why? Because she loves wearing her brother's clothes (mainly to annoy him) & we live in Oklahoma, land of crazed men where they already have started football practice. What? Baseball was just done a month ago? Yes, I know. What? It's 100 in the shade? Yes, I know. Those crazed men seem to be all about football around here. Us women folk- we just send cold water, and let them get on with their silly ways. What? No photos of football practice? NO. It's like this. I was too hot. Really. I was sweating like crazy. And I would have had to move from my chair, because there were too many of those crazed men all around like I was telling you about- blocking my view. Later next week they start the smaller, more manageable team practices and maybe Grayce and I will manage to take ourselves down there for photo-ops of the new team. Promise (maybe I'm crossing my fingers, and maybe I am not). Check back later for hot football pics- hahahaha:-).

Another Trip to the Duck Pond

This one was shot using my green filter. I did almost no after shot editing.

This one, except for a tiny crop- is SOC.

The kids just love to take our old bread to feed the ducks. It was very sultry tonight so we didn't stay long. The ducks are always glad to be fed...it's a wonder they all aren't 100lbs! Visiting there provides some good photo landscape, too!

Just for Silly

Grayce poses in her interesting, hippy-ish "get-up" with "Tiny Baby". That is her name. Grayce just names things the way she sees them.

Grayce requested I photograph her in my sunglasses. She does look pretty cute. We applied some fun editing here :-)

Grayce shot this one herself of Tiny Baby. Yes, Tiny Baby does have a head injury. It's from the brick on the fire place. Tiny Baby does a lot of gymnastics and flips in places she shouldn't. I've tried to tell the mother its unsafe- but she just doesn't listen.

New 'Nastics' Suit

Grayce needed a new 'nastic' suit (this would be her terminology)- because, well, she grows quick. She is the tallest 4 year old with a long body & long legs (we are not complaining here!). However, this makes clothes- especially swimwear, nastic suits and pants-that have to replaced a lot. Please disregard her unkempt hair, too. I just didn't realize its full messiness till after I was editing these. Her hair is a whole other issue- what to do, what to do? It's curly and fine and well- those 2 things combined are not good in OK humidity.

Anyway- I say to her, "I need to take some pictures of you in your new suit". "No", she replies. Then in a minute, "Well, maybe just one." (Posing commences)

"You can take another one, " she says with her giggle.

She is such a ham, I tell you. She could never just take one picture. It's completly impossible. (I just love her little muscle'y' gym legs!)

See? A complete ham.

Muscles

Since Grayce has the big brother, they are always in competition over something. Lately it's muscles. Why? Not sure. Anyway- she is often flexing hers and showing them off. It's just funny when a little 4 year old girl tries to flex her muscles at her brother and tell him hers are bigger. :-)

Grayce's Happy Dance- Animated!

Gavin in Black & White

Here is the firstborn...he's 8.

Why do boys do this stuff? Who takes them aside and teaches them this craziness anyway?

Well, if nothing else, he might have a future breakdancing...

He's such a cute, crazy kid though.

My Baby's Blues

These were shot using the blue filter setting on my camera--a tip my friend Cindy told me from reading her camera manual. Imagine that! Anyway, I read my manual and found cool stuff out I didn't even know I had! All three of these were shot in succession- but I applied three different edits.

Isn't this one delightful? This is her "Mom, I am so done with this" look.