Cookies

This weeks theme at Trendy Treehouse is Cookies. I love cookies. I love baking cookies, eating cookies, anything about cookies. Emmm.... cooookkkie (Say that in your best Cookie Monster voice)

I skimmed the files to see what I could pull up, because I don't have time today to bake and photograph new cookies. I came across a photo that Gene had taken at Christmas time. JJ and I have a tradition on Christmas Eve. We bake cookies for Santa. He's finally old enough to understand some of the math that goes into baking, so its fun to teach him how to use what he's learned.

JJ is great helper in the kitchen.



I love that this photo is just a snapshot of a great memory. Of course, the kitchen is a mess. But its often like that when I'm working in it. I promise I clean it up when I'm done! Don't your love my harvest gold Kitchenaid? It belongs to my mother in law. She rarely used it, so I swiped it a few years ago. She told me as long as I share with her what I use it for, she'll be glad for me to keep it.

And no, I don't normally wear that much make up to bake. Gene and I had been to a funeral earlier that day and I didn't take it all off. Why not feel glamorous when you bake?!?!

6 more weeks of winter

So the theme this week at Trendy treehouse is shadows. How funny that Sunday when I was out in the yard, I saw my shadow and thought how fun it would be to photograph it!

Gene probably thought I was a moron for standing there for so long snapping away. I used the on camera timer, so I had time to pose myself. I had fun. They definitely aren't perfect, but it was fun trying!

So, I just want to say Hi! And I hope that winter is almost over.

If you want to see more shadows, pop on over to Trendy Treehouse, Shutter Love Tuesdays to see some more!

Zoom

I haven't done a photo challenge in a while. Not sure why, I think the newness wore off and I lost some interest. I also haven't taken many photos other than JJ playing soccer and they really didn't fit any theme.

But, this week at Trendy Treehouse, the theme is Zoom Zoom. I decided to enter a photo I took at the antique car show this past October. I don't remember if I shared these, but this was my favorite from that set

Make sure to check out other interpretations of zoom-zoom over at Trendy Treehouse!

Bloopers

This week over at Trendy Treehouse, the theme is all about Bloopers! What a fantastic theme! I can't wait to see all the entries.

This is JJ last spring warming up for a baseball game. Thankfully, it was just during warm ups. He would have been so embarrassed to do this during a game. The kid is such a great little athlete. He puts it all out there all the time. I hope you can see the expression on his face. The squinched eyes, the tucked in lip, the straining muscles in his neck.... Too bad he totally missed the ball.

Favorite things

This weeks theme at Trendy Treehouse is My Favorite Things. I could do a lot with this, but when I started looking through pictures, I realized there is one things that I love the most...the unconditional love I get from JJ. (I'm going to get sappy now...)

JJ doesn't have to love me. He already has mom that loves him to the moon and back. But from the first time I met him, he opened himself to me. He treats me just like he treats his mom. Hugs, kisses, he makes me things at school, he talks to me about things, we do things "just the two of us". He doesn't have to do any of this for me (and he has never been pressured to).

My favorite thing is JJ and his unconditional love...

I'm going to find some tissues now. Hop on over to Trendy Treehouse for some more Shutter Love Tuesdays, Favorite Things.

Vacation

This weeks theme at Trendy Treehouse is vacation! I love a great vacation. I think I'm just a little excited because we are taking a mini-vaca this weekend. I dug into the vacation files and found one of my favorites from our Costa Rican honeymoon.



This photo is Gene showing me his "boarding pass" for the puddle hopper we were taking back to San Jose. It's a laminated piece of paper. The stewardess/ticket agent/baggage lady instructed us that we would hand that back to her when we boarded.

I'm not an anxious traveller, but the site of this ticket.. plus being weighed in with my luggage made me a little skeptical. Gene and I were the only people on this flight! We had to make an alternative stop outside San Jose because the run way in San Jose was closed for a while. During our "lay over" we got to witness a baptism at the Airport Church.

We were a little ready to get home by then.

Sports!

JJ loves sports, so I love this weeks photo challenge at the Trendy Treehouse!

JJ is into bascially any sport. Soccer is his first love, but he will play baseball, golf, tennis, basketball, heck even bowling.

I love photographing him at sports. His face always shows so much intensity. The little quirks he does with his hands while he's playing. Its been a challenge to learn how to capture all the emotions and action into one great shot.

Here is a photo of JJ playing soccer last spring. I love his little lip curl and his fisted hands, going in for the kick.

I can't wait for soccer season to start up again soon. I feel my action skills getting a little rusty. Soccer camp starts next week and then fall practice starts two weeks later. I'm sure I will have TONS more soccer photos to share this fall!

I love this face

JJ has a great face. He is a kid of expression! He has grown to know I'll be sticking the camera in his face. Its optimal to catch him off guard to get the best expression, but the cheesy smile is great for memories as well.

This photo is 2 years old, and it was actually taken with my film SLR. The quality might not look superior because I scanned it in. However, I thought it was too cute not to share, and especially since the theme at Trendy Treehouse this week is Faces.

This was taken on our JJ and Lisa Adventure weekend. Gene had an event in downtown Atlanta and JJ and I tagged along. I thought it was a great oppurtunity for us to spend a little time together. We visited CNN and the World of Coke (Where I let him sample to his little hearts content) This is at the fountains at Olympic Park. It was overcast and cool that day, but JJ couldn't resist the water. He's trying his hardest to smile through the teeth chattering. Bless his heart!

Thanks Trendy Treehouse

Thank to Marlessa at Southern Reflections for choosing my By the Pool, Splish Splash picture as one of her top ten! I can't say enough how excited I am.

Thanks to the Trendy Treehouse gals as well for hosting such a great event!

Keep checking back, I'm sure there will be more pool pictures to come!

By the Pool

Its shutter love Tuesday over at the Trendy Treehouse. I love this weeks theme, By the Pool. JJ loves, just loves, the pool in the summer. He's a kid after my own heart. I could swim before I could walk.

Here's one of JJ in the pool a few weeks ago.



He had just jumped off the diving board. What you don't see is once he hits the water, the dog jumps in on top of him! I love having a family that loves the pool, and I'm thankful the In-Laws have a pool!