JFP photo blog

2 x cuteness =

these guys!  First off, let me say that these two cuties were so sweet & mellow, not to mention completely adorable...what a plus!  Second, they have the BEST boy-girl twin names ever...too bad for you readers that I don't use names here on the blog, you'll just have to use your imagination..feel free to leave all you best guesses in the comments for our entertainment though!  (no cheating if you already know!)  So here's my biggest challenge with these guys....narrowing down all the shots for the gallery (you guys might just have to have a few extras!)...never mind how hard it is to pick just a few for a sneak peek on the blog!  Oh the torture and suffering!  Anyway, here are just a few of my absolute favorites...enjoy!

 

Here's the whole cute family and look, all of them are looking at the camera!  Woohoo!  Isn't Dad's expression the best?  I get the feeling he just might be the kind of guy who isn't afraid to do anything to get a giggle from these two.

 

 

 

Just so darn cute!  This whole family was so much fun to get to know.  Thanks so much for coming out guys!  More photos coming your way soon! 

P.S.  You might notice that my newish obsession with the square photo continues.  I just love how the closeups look, cropped square.  I have all my kiddos hanging on my wallsquare...hmmm, may actually have to post those wall photos I have been talking about forever.

Cutie Patootie

Love this little man!  He is one guy that I can proudly say "Hey, I took the very first picture of you EVER" since I was lucky enough to photograph his arrival into this world.  Well, now it is almost 6 months later...so cute you just want to squeeze him tight!

 

Don't you just love his blue eyes?  And his big guy outfit, khakis and a sweater...and he had the best belt ever...sadly not shown in any of these photos, you'll just have to take my word for it.

 

 

 

Sorry, not too wordy tonight...just let his cuteness shine through!

Fabulousness

So I told you that my husband is wonderful...here's just a little of the evidence...

On Valentine's day, we went to Home Depot (I know, every girl's dream, right?).  Well, look what he helped me figure out and put together....

 

OK, so that might not mean a lot to you, but it is a new set up in the studio!  Pretty cool, huh?  Want to see it with people on it?

 

OK, that's really just legs...but aren't they fancy, Valentine legs?

 

These guys are pretty funny (and super tired of having their picture taken).  Thanks so much for humoring me, guys!  I'm so excited to try this out on some fresh meat...coming soon!!

As if that is not enough Valentine's day goodness...look what my hero brought home for me on Monday (which is when we actually had our "date night" dinner...thanks Mom & Dad!).....

 

Oh my!  You have no idea how good you all look on here!  Anyway, the votes are in and apparently I am the luckiest girl in town!  Yay for me!  And thanks so much babe for being such a rebel and breaking all the rules and getting me EXACTLY what Iwanted...you are a rock star!  Hope the rest of you had Valentine's that were at least half as great as mine...that would still be a pretty great day!

Happy Friday and be sure to check back next week as there are some small, cute people coming to see me and my camera this weekend and I can't wait!!

Rockin'

Just this past Friday I had the chance to immortalize a bunch of people at my kids' school sock hop...fondly known as the "Rockin' Red Social"....think poodle skirts and greasers.  My friend, Michelle, and I hung a TON of white butcher paper, broke out the inflatable guitars & microphones, and let the rockstars shine.  Seeing as how I didn't seek blog-posting-permission from anyone, you will just have to look at my kids some more...I did manage to sneak in a few friends, just to keep it interesting!

 

My own little Billy Idol...nice snarl!

 

 

More photos soon...my cute little Valentines and maybe my fabulous Valentine's present...maybe just a whole post about the fabulousness that is my husband....

Happy Belated Chinese New Year!

Sorry to be so slow posting this week...didn't mean for you to have to see my face for so long!

Anyway, we have a sort of tradition in my family that involves fabulous Chinese pajamas...it's been going on for around 30 years now....wish I could find you some of those pictures or even some from the last 3 years, alas I am no organizational guru and couldn't put my hands on them if you paid me money (though I might try a little harder).  In order to continue the tradition (and inspired by the recent Chinese New Year celebrations), my sister managed to locate a more manly set than what we have to hand down around here.  Makes me think of a tiny, Chinese emperor...crossed with Liberace (shiny one piece suit) and Linus from peanuts (sweet face and wispy blond locks).

 

And of course I never take just one picture...so here's a few more I liked of the little man....

 

I just want to squeeze him!

 

My new favorite cousin shot.

And finally, the quintessential "why are you bothering me?" look.

 

Happy Friday!  Fingers crossed for more of this sunshine stuff this weekend...and if you are the celebrating type...Happy Valentine's day!  I have promised my children breakfast in bed in honor of the occasion...do you think they will reciprocate on Sunday?  (hint, hint)

Me, Myself, & I

AKA:  A Challenge Taken

My brave and wonderful friend, Michelle, posted her self-portrait on her blog the other day (you can see them by following the gray "blog" link).  A photography experiment, she called it.  Practicing with her external flash.  Shooting into a mirror.  "Go ahead and try it yourself" she said.  "Hmmm...do I dare?" I thought.  Well, there has been a shortage of photo taking going on around here and my trigger finger was getting itchy so I though, "What the heck?" and broke out my flash.

Turns out, it is WAY harder than I imagined.  Tricksy business getting the flash right, remembering to look at lens and not self in mirror (as very tempting), and getting whole head in frame (not artsy half head shot) while not looking through viewfinder.  And she is way braver than I gave her credit for to begin with.  When I saw her photos I thought, "Wow!  Nice photos!  Impressive!".  Then I had to look at my own..."Is that what I really look like?"  I don't know how she picked which ones to post or even got brave enough to put them out there.  I had to try more than one session before I realized, "Yup, that is what I look like and it isn't going to change no matter how many shots I take!" 

That being said, since I subject all of you to having your pictures posted & since I rarely make an appearance here, I thought I better post them.  So if you are here looking for squishy babies or cute kids, sorry, check back, they will be here later this week.

 

 

Turns out I have very squinchy eyes when I smile...so here's a little more serious version...

 

Where art thou, oh skin smoothing software?  As Michelle points out, must be all the smiling and laughing I do. Lucky me to be so happy!  I wish you all just as many laugh lines!

Well, enough about me.  See you back here later this week for a belated Happy Chinese New Year post with my favorite little Chinese dictator.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Can you believe the complete weather switcheroo?  Yesterday was spectacular...I think we hit 60!  Woohoo!  Anyway, in an effort to actually take some "snapshots" of my kids everyday life activities, instead of only taking "good" pictures (my scrapbooks will thank me) I actually drug (hmmm, is that the right word?) my camera along to the park.  Here's some of the fun....

 

There was sliding....

< 

ball jumping...notice the speed & action implied by the blur...

<   

some shouting...

< 

important rock work...

<   

ok, one "good" picture...

< 

and an "artsy" shot for me...though I only got one shot at it as the little man wasn't having any of this standing still business when there were balls and rocks to be had!  Anyway, we had fun and all our fingers are crossed for some more sun!

Playtime with the girlies

Ta Da!

Last week was the big gymnastics show. 3 routines (Balance beam, floor, and uneven bars), plus a medal ceremony complete with fancy tiered podium. Just a few shots from the big event....

 

Total concentration.

 

Sure, I could do that....

< 

Always finish with a big TA-DA!

Guess who loved gymnastics?

And the winner is......

#7, Christina!  Hmmmm, though I hear she may be on a tropical vacation....does that automatically negate her winning?  Kidding....Starbucks card is in the mail!!   Thanks for all the votes everyone, I really appreciate all the comments...I think I might just go back to the other header as that was the OVERWHELMING vote of the masses....

Happy weekend!