pink nostalgia

behind the photo: my favorite alex photo

During this football game, Alex expressed a newfound interest in my photography.  Throughout the game, Alex suggested multiple photos for me to take and asked to see them afterwards.  He sat right next to me as I packed up my camera bag. 

He watched and asked questions as I traded out lenses.  I showed him how to face the camera body towards the ground so it doesn't get dust on the image sensor that will show up on the pictures.  I showed him how to trade out the caps and how the lens will click into place.

I showed him how to twist the lens to change the zoom.  I explained how a longer lens means a longer zoom which means you can get closer from far away.  We compared my longest lens to my short portrait lens.  This one gets very long as opposed to this one which doesn't zoom at all.  I let him twist it to no avail.

Then he stuttered, "Well, where's your medium-est lens?"

: )

I reached into my bag of tricks and pulled out my 18-55mm kit lens.  We compared its size to the others, and of course he checked the twist/zoom function.

He made his determination.

Al: Well, I like this big one the best.

me: Yeah, I like it, too.  It gets close from far away, and it takes really good pictures.

Al: Okay, take my picture!

He faced me and cheesed while I immediately got my camera up.  But since I had my long lens on, his nose basically filled up my whole frame.

me: Alex, honey, you're too close.  I can't get it to focus.

He slid back on the bleacher.  Just the fact that he slid back on his own so I could try again instead of losing interest made my tummy flip.

Al: Okay, how 'bout now?

J: Boyyyy, that's not even a real smile!

So Alex tried again, a real, genuine smile with just a hint of cheese.

[click]

me [turning the camera around to show him the screen]: Oh my goodness, look how handsome you are!

Al: That IS a good picture!

happy birthday recipe box

For her birthday this year, my best friend wanted a cute recipe box.  You can buy them for about 40 bucks on Etsy, and always thoughtful, she said it would be great if we could "find something cheaper."

Orrrrrrrrrrr...you can buy an unfinished wooden box at Michael's with a 40% off coupon, buy a few packs of pre-printed kraft recipe cards on sale from Hobby Lobby, and spend 2 nights + 1 lunch hour +season 4 of Vampire Diaries making your own!

Well, your own to give away.  ; )

Now that I think about it, I think she asked-without-asking me to make one by showing me the $40 version to which she knows I would say, "Uh, pump the brakes.  I can do that."  Did I get played?

15 confessions

Oh, is it not the 15th??  No matter!  Let's go!

1. Any time I read the word "confessions" I think of the Usher song: These are my confeeeessionnns...

2. A few months ago, I was leaving work walking out to my car.  I checked my purse's outside pocket for my Jeep key, and it wasn't there.  I checked the main part, and it wasn't there.  I stopped walking mid-parking lot and checked the outside pocket again.  Main bag again.  Outside pocket again.  Tiny inside pocket with the zipper that I never use.  Pants pocket.  Outside pocket.  I walked the rest of the way to the Jeep, opened the unlocked door, and started the car with the key that I had left in the ignition ALL DAY LONG.

3. Halloween was a great bonding experience for me and Alex.  He let me put his vampire makeup on, which means he let me touch his face.  He let me rub his whole face.  For a boy's dad's girlfriend, that's huge.

4. That said, my favorite moment of Halloween was the moment Ethen said he was coming with us to take Alex trick-or-treating.  He stayed home last year, and when we talked about it this year, we all "planned" on him staying home.  But then he was hanging outside with us as we were getting bundled up.  J said, "Are you staying here?"  E said, "I'll go."  I mean, he willingly passed up uninterrupted video gaming to walk with J and I and be part of the story.  Sigh.

5. I haven't been working out since I finished P90X3, and I don't really miss it.  My weight is about the same, but I HAVE noticed my body distribution changing, so...the break is almost over.

6. I've been making a list of "cold weather food" that I want to make soon: Jessie's chicken spaghetti, Mom's pot roast, chili, meatloaf (done), jambalya, Frito pie (done). 

7. I've also been thinking about keeping a food journal a la Jenny, mostly so I can remember which Wells boy liked what and so that I have a list of options ready to combat chili dawg ruts.

8. I love talking about TV characters as if they're real people.  LOVE.

9. I don't like pumpkin anything.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin chai lattes, pumpkin spice candles, pumpkin bread...ew, ew, ew, ew.

10. Last week, I ran into a friend from college (ACK, that makes me feel old!).  She walked into the restaurant, our eyes met, she said, "Angela?!"  We had a total freak-out moment, huge hug, and quickly got caught up while J had a deer-in-the-headlights look.  She was so excited just to see my face.  It made me feel very warm.

11. Speaking of warm, I think fires in the fireplace is one of my favorite things this year.  J and I had one earlier this week and it was magical.

12. Speaking of a deer in the headlights, on our way home from the above-mentioned dinner where I ran into Teresita, I ran into a deer who then ran off the road.  I bawled.  J consoled.  I finally calmed down after J convinced me that there was no damage to the deer since there was no damage to my Jeep.  Deep breath.  Then he pulled a solitary deer hair off of my front bumper, and I started bawling again.

13. I started looking at honeymoons last week.  It's already gotten me into trouble. (No, you didn't miss anything - I'm not engaged.)

14. I've been downloading and listening to the Bobby Bones show at work.  This was one of those rituals that fell through the cracks during the moving-divorce-moving transition.  The familiar voices feel good.

15. I've eaten popcorn for lunch twice this week.  A coworker and fellow popcorn lover gave me a bag of Indiana aged white cheddar.  It's gooooood.

Thanks to Stephanie for her confessions and for use of the graphic!  What are your confessions?

they're trying to play me

It's a compliment, really.

Alex (8):

A few weeks ago, J had to go into work late, so I was in charge of making sure Alex brushed his teeth and got to bed on time.  As soon as J left, Alex and I made peanut butter cookies.  Somewhere in the middle of that, I mentioned that we should start reading one of his new bookfair books.  He still doesn't love to read, but he's come to terms with the inevitability of it, so he just said, "Alright."

Fast-forward to bedtime.  He was seriously stalling, so I walked him to his room.  As soon as I said, "Alright, Skillet, hop in bed," his eyes quickly scanned the room.  He grabbed a bookfair book off of his dresser and said, "We COULD read this!"

Sigh!  He know my weakness.  But I stood firm and said, "Nice try!  Bed time."  I couldn't suppress the grin, though!

Ethen (13):

For the first time with me, Ethen tried to play one parent against the other.  I took the boys to Target last week for a few groceries.  As we were walking towards the checkout lines:

me: Did we forget anything?

E: Razors.

me: For what?

[Ethen just rubs the peach fuzz above his lip.  I started laughing.]

me: Are you 14 already?

E: What?!  Dad told you??

me: Fool, I was there!  I was in the truck when he said that!

E: Dang it!  Well, it was a good try.

Yeah.  Nice try, boys.  : )

behind the photo: first fall fire

Right after J got the fire going, the four of us sat in front of it.  As soon as I stood up to get my camera, J yelled in a sing-song voice, "Camera, please!"

He thinks he knows me so well.  Hmph.

This is what usually happens when I start taking stills of anything:

I knew I only had one shot on this one.  J is the only one who noticed me climbing onto the kitchen counter. I put my finger over my mouth to shush him.

[click!]

The boys immediately looked up, and Alex exclaimed, "You're not allowed to stand on the kitchen counter!!"

J replied, "I'm sure her feet are clean!"

They were clean-ish.  I wiped down the counter when I was done.  : )

first fall fire

J has realized that I like things. 

Trimming the tree as a family is a thing.  Extra sauce on our pizza is a thing.  Jalisco's after football is a thing.

Last night, J got home with the boys and exclaimed, "I was thinking we should have our first fire in the fireplace.  You knooooow [he says as if he has to remind me], it's one of our things."

Yes, I'm fully aware that he was playing me.  But it did get me out of a workout.  : )

The boys brought in firewood while I got a meatloaf in the oven.  Then we all just kind of hung out in front of the fire.  We talked about leadership, we looked up game schedules, and Alex tried to scare me by putting a fake tarantula on my head.

It was pretty great.

attack of the 8 foot tall guy

For Alex's second flag football game, I triple-checked that I had my memory card in my camera.

His first great play was when he got a handoff from the quarterback and ran a few yards with it.  And the tongue kills me.  J has told him multiple times to keep his tongue in his mouth when he runs, but it just hasn't worked out that way yet.

He's so intense!  And he just goes for it.  That's his personality - just get the ball and start running.

His second great play was his interception. 

He's been telling everyone about it, including his friend next door.  The friend asked, "Who stopped you?"  Alex replied, "An 8-foot tall guy!"

To be fair, that kid IS a lot bigger than Alex.

The coolest part was how Alex ran up to me on the sideline and asked, "Did you get that with your camera??" 

I sure did!!

P.S.  Since J had to take E to a baseball tourney, I was in charge of getting Alex to the football game.  Getting him up, dressed appropriately for the 42 degree weather, teeth brushed, leaving timely, breakfast, pump-up music, game hydration, cheering, and of course, taking pictures.  That's HUGE for a girlfriend.  : )

flag football fail

So.  Alex's first ever flag football game.  I steeled my resolve that I was going to take pictures.  J and I get there, I take out my big DSLR, and...

I forgot to put my memory card in my camera.

Even as I type this, I'm shaking my head right now.

I took some pics with my phone because hey, better than nothing (which is an expression at our house to encourage tolerance and kindness).

J and I were getting so tickled at how preoccupied Alex was with those flags.

And he scored a touchdown!!

[no photo]

[Enter sad tuba notes - whaaa whaaaaaa.]

So that's all.  Better luck next week.