Halloween 2015

The girls went as Jedi for Halloween. One good. One Sith. They raked in the candy because people would ask them to fight and when they did, they got bonus candy!

I have no idea if anyone is still reading this, but I feel like posting. I used to post for my dad. Lots of other folks used to read the blog from time to time, but sometimes it helps to create with an audience in mind. And, I always pictured him. My parents are right down the road now and it doesn't inspire me to blog for someone who . So I suppose it's time to change who I picture when I'm blogging. I think I'll blog for Ella from now on.

Anyway, the "baby" of the family is off to Kindergarten this morning. She's been pumped for days. While usually quite robust of voice, she was very quiet all morning. I got to join her in a scavenger hunt to orient the students and an arts and crafts project which she won't get until tomorrow. So here she is in her pink dress and her cowgirl boots. And, her missing teeth from a climbing accident a few months ago. And, her stitches under a pink band-aid from another a few days ago. I'm glad it's just mornings so we won't have to go too long without her.

Mrs. Rind is a favorite of our kids

The Photo is a Lie!

Here's a lovely family shot. Well, it's a family shot if you don't count the parents which we usually don't (in pics). Anyway, as with most posed pics, it presents a beautiful lie. Cute, well-behaved, and bland as generic mayonnaise. So I decided to include the pic from a few seconds later that captures the truth a bit better...

The new RedHead

Mom did it. She really did. It wasn't her idea, but when it came to actually applying the dye it was all mom. Results are stunning.

Tiny Things

Ambridge Fire

This morning we were woken by siren after siren after siren from fairly close by. Looking out the window here's what we saw:

The fire took place in the 500 block of Merchant Street in Ambridge in the apartments above Charles' Clothing Store. It completely consumed all but the brick shell of the structure. It's now under control and no one was seriously injured.

Here's video footage and some more of the story that I put together as well:

Lightning

Lightning Storm

I took this shot out Elaina's window the other night. We had an amazing lightning storm and I set up the camera to shoot twenty minutes worth of 5 second exposures. A little cleanup in Lightroom, but mostly this is what the shot looked like coming out of the camera. And of course I have to point out that we saw more amazing scenes than this, but this was the best photo of the bunch.

MJ The Shepherd

While "Shepherd" was the desired look, 80's rock star works equally well.

Portraits

Building (most of) a House

Been working a bit with my brother on his new house...

McConnells Mill

Chocolate Cake!

Determination

Occasionally I get to see Andrew really go after something. Sometimes a video game or a new skill.
On Sunday, we got to play a game of pool at the church. After only a little encouragement and some hesitancy he sunk his first ball, and he decided to go for it. Out came one of his oft hidden sides: one of focus, determination and occasional fits of joy and frustration. We didn't follow the rules, just took turns shooting. But, it was such a glorious game I think I will remember it as my favorite ever: "The game where Andrew won". Won in every sense of the word. Another game will soon follow...

Beauty

sometimes

there

just

are

no

words

Mini Planets

One of my new favorite things in Photoshop is taking panorama shots and turning them into mini planets with the Polar Coordinates command. It takes a bit more work than that, but the results are sooo much fun! Here are a few...

Monet and the Children

Here is Monet's "The Water Lilies Pond" with three beautiful ladies in front of it. Thanks to my dad for exposing them all to this work so that the instant they saw it in the gallery they exclaimed "It's the Monet we know!"

The actual image is 40 megapixels and 17" x 40" in size which I have not uploaded here. This is just a taste. The photo was stitched from four vertical shots and then corrected in Photoshop.

Molly's first tooth... MISSING!

Molly Turns 6

Cake for breakfast. Donut cake. Does life get any better?

Only with a trip to the zoo...

The first days of spring

Ah, warm weather and sun! It's been a long winter. Here's a great shot that actually has me in it.

SNOW DAY!

No School;
time to romp
and sled
and crash
and laugh
and build
and avoid whiplash!