Baby Photographers

We bought Ethan a Mickey Mouse Digital Camera so he could take his own pictures. Now the reason we got this for him was because it was on clearance for 34 bucks, and they took an additional 50% off...I paid 16 bucks for a camera that normally costs 60. WooHoo! Anyways, his pictures aren't the best yet....but his cousin Lily got a hold of it a couple of Sundays ago, and here is what she took:

Of course a picture of a purse

Ethan playing the guitar
Ethan took this one of me...the flash is super bright...not my best picture...
Brooke
...LOL....grandma from the teeth down
My sister-in-law Hillary
Jason's brother Ryan...he was posing for her...I think...

Anyways, fun stuff.

Oops!

During Graduation season, I made this "cake" for a friend of ours in our D&D gaming group who graduated from High School. He LOVES oreo cookies, so I got it in my brain to make him a special cake. I don't remember posting anything before about it, so here it is! I was very proud of myself.

Swimming!

Bridal Shower

My friend, Jayson, is getting married August 2nd. This past Saturday, his fiance, Yvonne, had her bridal shower. Here are a couple of pictures.

The Bride, Yvonne

Yvonne with Jayson's niece, Sienna
Sienna
Table setting
The room
Presents!
Jayson's sister, Brynn with Sienna
The cake...I was silly and took the picture upside down and forgot to get another one before they cut it. Anyways, I just rotated it and it looks kinda cool.


Congratualtions Jayson and Yvonne!

A couple of days with 3 kids...

So, I mentioned in my last post that Sara (my sister-in-law) has become a surrogate. She went through a company and found a really nice couple that really deserve more kids. (They have one...due to complications with that delivery, she had a hysterectomy but was able to keep her ovaries). So Sara has been going through the whole process. Monday, the 14th, she was implanted while we had the kids with us at the Aquarium. She needed to be on bedrest for two days after that, so I went over and watched the girls and made her lunch and stuff. The first day was fairly easy...Lily went to a playdate with a friend for a few hours, which just left me with Ethan and Brooke. Also the intended parent (Tracy) came over and brought Sara food and such. So it was pretty nice. But I was there until about 7 that night. Jason came over and had dinner with us all and then helped me get home. (Our truck had overheated on my way there that morning). The next day, I had all the kids. It was crazy trying to make sure where everyone was, and not getting into trouble, but I think I did really good. And Sara was able to be in the living room with us, so I had an adult to talk to as well. Anyways, it was a good opportunity to get pictures of my nieces, although, it was hard sometimes to to snap pictures...but hey I tried. I think all in all it went well. I may also end up babysitting them more often when Sara goes back to school. Anyways, here are the pictures!


Day One:

Brooke and Ethan playing on the patio.

I guess Ethan thinks he's a Jedi or something...
Brooke trying to ride a tricycle
Cousins reading
Cutsie Brookie!
Me and Brooke...she was "brushing" my hair...I got whacked a couple of times.
Putting together a puzzle
Brooke with her silkie...cute!

She was laughing at Ethan flipping fake food.

The getaway car

Day Two:

Eating popsicles outside.

Yummy
Ring around the rosies...after they fell down...Lily would tackle Ethan and Brooke....

Playing with bubbles that don't pop when you catch them...unless you squish them....That's Tracy, the intended parent in the back.

Look mom!
He squished it, and then thought it was a spider web...
Okay, when you have girl cousins...this happens...you do what they are are doing...and they all had fairy wings on...he loved it though...kept pretending he was flying.


I think I handled myself pretty well...Bart and Sara were surprised when Brooke started crying when I went to leave...I guess she liked me. But I was soooo exhausted when I got home. The next day, I did as little as possible.

Aquarium of the Pacific

On Jason's birthday, we decided to go to the Aquarium of the Pacific since none of us had gone before. We ended up taking Jason's mom and Lily and Brooke with us because (long story short) Sara decided to become a surrogate and she was getting implanted with the eggs that day. So we all went out together. It was quite an undertaking but I think we all had fun.

Ethan and Lily were having a blast in the backseat. They were just giggling the whole time.

I like this picture....I was trying to take a picture of Brooke and Lily just leaned right in.
The road was bumpy, so the kids all had their fingers in their ears and were going,"ahhhhhhhhh" and feeling the vibrations. It was hilarious and noisy.
First group picture.
The big whale and our group walking just below.
Ethan and Jason
This crab was cool. It was just motoring around that tank. Ethan loved it. I love Lily and Ethan's hands down below it.
Cool fish.
Blue Dart Frog
That's one of the tanks behind them. It looks like a mural.

A Sea Dragon. Very cool

Grandma and Brooke
Think think think
So colorful
Brooke loved them...can you tell?


Puffin

Jellyfish...I like the color
They were looking at sea lions

This guy was just bobbing there with his eyes closed...just chillin'. Total Californian.

Trying to touch rays and sharks

Brookie too!


Those little red sandaled feet are Brooke's

Feeding the Lorikeet bird some nectar....these guys were so hard to get near you...I think they were full because there were sooo many people there.

Helping Lily
Lorikeet
Different variety


So the kids crashed on the way home. They were soooo tired. But they had a lot of fun. Jason's mom even let us go see a movie that night...Hellboy II. It was good. I recommend it if you're into those kinds of fantasy movies.