Twelve on 12

Last week, Elizabeth Kartchner over at Dear Lizzy issued a Daily Dozen photo challenge to her readers. The premise is straightforward: Take 12 photos of your everyday on March 12. I decided to take part and snapped away yesterday. I took a few more than 12 photos, but managed to whittle them down into a few of my favourites and an overall representation of our day.

My Twelve on 12:

1. AM workout with my frenemy Jillian. // 2. Smiley Bates after the AM nap. // 3. Cruising Costco. // 4. A little Treehouse time. // 5. Momma's view during the PM non-nap. //6. Boyso loves laptops + keyboards. // 7. "Helping" momma fold laundry. // 8. A fun self-snap. // 9. Showing off his mad block-knocking skillz. // 10. Poppy G flys home tonight so we'll drop off his truck at the airport later. 11 // Catching water. // 12. Bedtime stories. Night-night.

I think I'll include these in my Project Life album as an insert this week. Not sure yet how that'll look, but it'll be a fun addition. Always nice to capture bits of the everyday. Thanks for the inspiration Elizabeth!

backlink: http://elizabethkartchner.com/

I Had a Featured Photo!!

I sometimes link up a photo from our week with Rebecca Cooper's Simple Things post on Sundays, as I did this week. In the days following, she also does a round-up of her favourite photos from that week and this week ... my photo was featured!! Woot woot! The sunny photo of my sweet valentine was the first of four photos she highlighted from the week... out of 96 submissions!

HP really is terribly cute, so I guess I shouldn`t be surprised ;) Of course, this is also the photo submitted in Bellies & Bundles Facebook contest, so if you want to support our entry head on over here and click like on the photo. The competition is very cute and a few are closing in on our lead quickly, so every click of support would be appreciated.

And just in case you need to see our sweet valentine again, here he is:

Our Holiday Lens: Part 2

Our Christmas adventures continued after we left my family's house in Kingston (near Northern Bay) and headed to Des' family home in Southern Bay, back to Kingston, and finally home again. It was a good thing Santa took it easy this year as there were seemingly more and more and more gifts for HP at every turn. He is a loved little boy indeed!

Round two of Christmas present opening started. Thankfully there were older cousins to help!

Sporting some new kicks from Aunt Lou.

And HP wasn't the only one spoiled with awesome presents.
Des showing his glee at his box set.

Our first attempt at a family photo.
Ok, but would be better if we all looked at the same lens ;)

We enjoyed a visit with Michelle, who snuggled HP
while momma and daddy had their first morning coffee.

We played more music at Nanny & Poppy`s.

And enjoyed a semi-quiet ride back home thanks to Fisher Price.
Ipod holder perhaps the best used gift this Christmas!

We enjoyed a quiet family NYE at home, starting with appy`s and wine by the fire.

And a toast to the year gone by and the one ahead. Even HP joined in on our cheers!

Finally, NYD dinner at Aunt Sherry & Uncle Terry`s meant even more hands to hold HP
including cousin Chris

And Aunt Pauline, who spoiled HP with some stylin` clothes

and the always happy-to-see him cousin Emily. HP (and we) loves her.

 

And the festivities all wrapped up with a striped down bottle and cuddle with Aunt Sherry.

T`was a wonderful season for our little trio and a perfect way to a very happy 2011.

We`re now ready to take on 2012.

From our home to yours, we wish you a very happy, healthy New Year!

Ahhh... a family photo where we`re all looking at the right lens AND smiling.
Hello 2012.

Our Holiday Lens: Part 1

Our holidays were hectic and happy. There was good food, great fun, and lots of love. The days were filled with travel, visiting, family and friends, games, and  laughter. There were many hands to hold our sweet boy while momma and daddy rested, relaxed and rejuvenated. We played, we napped, we ate, we talked, we cuddled, we drank, we rested. We celebrated the birth of Christ and our sweet cheeks' first Christmas. All in all, it was a great way to wrap up an amazing year. 

We hung out by the tree.

We snuggled with Auntie.

We played lots of music and had fun.

There was a bedtime story on Christmas Eve.

And of course new matching PJs for the little cousins.

We sprinkled reindeer food for Rudolph and friends.

And peeked to see if Santa could be seen before heading to bed.

But alas, he didn't show up until all the little boys and girls were sound asleep. 

Santa left a very cool ride for HP.

And momma and daddy gave him a retro ecord player.
(And a modern day Fisher Price Ipod holder!)

There was plenty of dog chasing, though B didn't want to be caught.

There was the start of a new hockey fan.
Daddy got tickets to a game in Montreal.

Momma was happily surprised with a mixer.
And yes, that's honest-to-goodness happiness with a kitchen appliance for Christmas.
Serious glee people. Serious glee.

I think HP can taste the cookies already.

 

There was oh so much laughter.



And happy visits with loved ones.

and too many cute expressions to count!

And this was just up until Christmas Day! There will be more from our holiday lens tomorrow...

Guest Post: Improve Your Holiday Photos

With the holidays just over a week away, I'm looking forward to spending a little quality (aka disconnected from the internet) with family and friends. While I will be dropping by my facebook page and the bloggo on occasion, I plan to lay low between now and early January. But fret not my faithful readers, starting today, I have a series of awesome guests posts (and a few pre-planned posts from yours truly) lined up to take you through the 2011 festive season. There'll be tips and tricks, recipes and crafts, family activities and even a little new year's mojo to keep you busy. So, between your socials and sociables, I hope you enjoy this holiday love from me and my friends right here on Us Everyday.

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Without further ado, let me introduce you to my first guest blogger, the lovely and talented Brooke Armstrong. Brooke and I go waaaay back (now that we're old, I can actually say that and it's legit!), like to university days. Over the years, Brooke has honed her photography skills into nothing short of spectacular. She has this creative side that instinctively knows how to frame up that perfect shot and this techy side that has figured out the ins and outs of a digital camera. I am jealous on both counts as if I had half the talent she has, my bloggo would be rockin with phenomenal photos...alas I digress. Lucky for you, Brooke has graciously agreed to share with us her tips and tricks for capturing those elusive magical holiday photos.

Stepping Up Your Holiday Photos
by Brooke Armstrong

Christmas is right around the corner and flashes will be firing from the time the kids put out Santa's snack on Christmas Eve, right on through to the frenzy of Christmas morning. Here are a few tips and ideas to step up this year's holiday snapshots.

Get Closer
Closer is (almost) always better. Don't zoom. Move yourself -- and the camera -- closer. Frame your shots tighter to help emphasize the subject. The subject can often get lost in the clutter in shots taken at a wider angle. This is especially important in holiday photos because there's so much going on.

Re-direct Your Flash
A lot of Christmas shots can use a boost from a flash. Often, shots taken with direct flash give you harsh shadows and subjects that look like deer caught in the headlights. You can avoid that blown out look (and ever-present red eye) by using some kind of diffuser or reflector for your flash. If you're lucky enough to have an external flash, try bouncing it off something else, like a white ceiling or wall, to dial down the direct light.

Find One Point of Interest Per Shot
Every good shot should have a focal point that draws (and holds) the viewer's attention. With people, color, decorations, and food in nearly every holiday shot, there can often be too many things competing to be the centre of attention. Check out this post on minimalism for some tips on de-cluttering your images.

A White (Balance) Christmas
Christmas celebrations usually happen after dark -- in difficult and/or unnatural lighting conditions. Pay attention to what type of light you’re shooting in and set your white balance to match the situation. Bonus if you’ve got a camera that shoots in RAW mode -- you can snap away and fiddle with your white balance later during post production.

Capture the Lead Up
The actual Christmas meal or party is likely the highlight you're looking to record. It can be nice to capture food prep, decorating, wrapping gifts (before the pretty paper and ribbons are torn away), setting the table, etc. There are tons of options for unexpected angles and a fresh perspective.

Christmas Lights
Nice shots of Christmas lights can be very elusive. They're tricky, but oh so pretty when you get them right. Visit Strobist.com and check out David Hobby's tutorial on How to Photograph Christmas Lights for some pro tips.

Explore
This time of year, there's an almost unlimited number of photo ops around you. Carol services, houses covered in Christmas lights and decorations, malls bustling with hurried shoppers, and snow-covered everything. Get out, walk around, and capture it. It's a great time of year to practice your photo skills and push yourself -- and your camera -- to do things you didn't think possible. Have fun!

Thanks Brooke! If you're interested in seeing more of Brooke's photography, check out the Photo A Day project she did a while back here.

Our Weekend Lens

I love this time of year. The feel of the crisp air. The sound of holiday songs. The smell of fires in chimneys and cakes in ovens. The sight of bright twinkle lights. The taste of tipples in mugs. Our weekend was filled with all this and more. It must be December.

Our weekend looked a little lot like this:

A little Baileys in my coffee in a holiday mug?
Why yes, I think I will. 

A little red cup love.

A little card crafting, vino drinking, itunes listening late night

A few snuggles with Nanny at the Rocket

and trying pop`s hat on for size

a bit of brisk walking downtown

a little lollipop eating

a bit of distraction during momma`s attempt at the 8 month photo shoot

a little decking of the halls

and a pre-bath, pre-bedtime strut to see the Christmas lights.

Ah December, you`re first weekend was fun. We can`t wait to see what else you have in store.

More Preggo Pics

A couple of weeks ago I shared the sneak peak of our maternity photo shoot done by the lovely Kate Hawkins. Back from her vacation in Florida, Kate has finished editing and we're expecting to get all the pics from the shoot very soon. In the meantime, Kate didn't keep us waiting and shared a few more on her blog today. I love them all ...though these two might be among my top faves:

Accomplishments

Today marks two one-year anniversaries for one of my besties.

365 days ago, Brooke officially become a member of the 'non-smoker club'. After years and years of smoking, she decided she was finally ready to quit (and I like to give myself with my incessant nagging some credit for the decision ;) Today, she celebrates one year smoke-free.

365 days ago, Brooke also decided to start a photo-a-day-for-year blog. An awesome amateur photographer who willingly answers all my camera and photography questions with patience, her blog was intended to give her something to focus on as she kicked the habit. Today, she also celebrates reaching the end of her photo-a-day challenge.

Both of these are awesome, amazing accomplishments. As someone who enjoys photo-taking, scrapbooking and capturing everyday life, I appreciate how hard posting a photo a day really is. Though, while not being a smoker and never having had to give it up, I'd venture guess that quitting smoking was likely the more difficult challenge of the two. And I can say with confidence it is the one that offers the best benefits. To quote from her blog post today:

"...one year after quitting, my blood pressure has regulated, my carbon monoxide levels have normalized, my circulation has improved, my chance of heart attack has decreased by half, and my lung function has increased by about 50%. Not too shabby for a year's work."

Not too shabby at all. Also not too shabby are the pics she's posted. Here are a few of my faves from the past year - be sure to go visit and see the rest for yourself:

These empty snow-covered benches make me long for springtime strolls... soon, I hope soon!



Makes me long for the rooftop bar in Chicago.

I was here. *sigh* Dear NYC... I'll be back. 

On a snowy March day, this picture has me looking forward to our summer visit to Chester.

Even though I know this is Halifax, I feel like its Gotham City.

I am so proud of you Brooke for tackling the challenges head-on and having fun in the process. I hope you splurged on Salvatore's today! Perseverance, determination and belief pays off. Thomas Edison was spot on when he said:

"If we did all we were capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves."

If there's something you've been wanting or meaning to do - give it a go. Like Brooke, you just might succeed!