Experiments in Photography...

This post is dedicated to Jen and her post on her website:

http://jenjenkay.blogspot.com/2009/07/experiments-in-photography.html

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I took some photo classes about umm NEVER. I know all the basics I need to know, turn the camera on, point and click. In the end, going to any other menu on the camera just confused me.

Last year, when my camera broke in Alaska on the zipline, I went out and bought a preeeetty new Canon (lowest model on sale version) and I hoped it would enable me to take 'average' pictures.

At the park on Sunday, I decided, "Hey, lemmie take some artsy fartsy pictures like Jenny." I guess I was thinking of Jenny so I took a picture of a pigeon:



Funny thing happened. The bird flew away and I clicked the button on my camera and VIOLA, I took a picture:

WHAT? A birds on the ground and a bird in the air? Wow, I discovered I can still take "average" pictures with my low end camera. What. Up.

Soccer...

It is pretty obvious we are not a soccer family. So far Jack's worse sport is soccer. Jack isn't that interested in soccer probably because we never watch soccer at home. Jack tries but he really isn't very good in soccer.

Instead of listening to the coach, Jack would rather put a cone on his face:



Just in case the 'cone face' look wasn't working, Jack opted for the "bucket head" look:



If I can't be good like David Beckham, maybe I can pose like David Beckham:



Dribbling thru the obstacle course:



There was another kid who was awesome in soccer and just dominated scoring almost every goal but Jack was able to score ONE goal:

Park with Jessica...

On Sunday we went to Aiden's Place in Westwood so Jack and Jessica could play in the park together:

T-Ball...

To my great suprise Jack is the fastest runner in his tball class. Here he trips over another kids feet and then learns pushing other kids down is easier!

Summertime...

Ahh, remember the time when school finished and you were off for 3 whole months for SUMMER vacation? Those were the good old days.

Jack went right from preschool and into his summer activities. He is enrolled in tumbling, sports (tball, soccer and basketball), karate and he still goes to swim school.

I have to say that I am quite amazed that Jack is doing so well in sports. Naturally this is going to sound biased but he is the best one in his tball class and the best one in karate class.

He is doing so much better in swimming. Since the weather has been hot and other kids are off for the summer, Jack sees kids at the pool at home and now he wants to go more often at well. Outside of his lesson we go 2-3 times a week to the pool and it is making a big difference at his swim lesson.

On the down side, he is the worse one in his tumbling class. Jack has zero upperbody strength and he isn't very nimble or agile...but he loves to tumble around.

Tumbling class:

T-Ball class:

Karate class:

Swim class:

More Legoland...

Jack loves the Autotopia ride at Disneyland so it made sense that Jack would love driving his own car all by himself at Legoland:

Life as a camera man...

Hmm, future bad boy of the NBA and abusing the unsuspecting camera man named, "DAD".

Legoland...

Our first trip to Legoland!! We went last weekend and at first I didn't like Legoland much. It was like having an entire park for little kids...and more little kids equals more noise and more chaos. It wasn't until after we got back home that I realized that Jack had a pretty good time at Legoland.

If you don't have kids, I wouldn't go...it isn't worth it. If your kids are small in height, do not go either. A lot of the rides have height limits that are strictly enforced. Also, if your kid likes water bring several changes of clothes! Luckily Jack stayed out of the water.

I think our first visit was enough for us. I would rather go to Disneyland.

4th of July - Part IV

Aiden and Jack competing for who can get the basketball first...

4th of July - Part III

Jack got to play with his very first firework this year....the sparkler.

4th of July - Part II

Jack shooting hoops with Aiden on his first outdoor basketball hoop that Grandpa bought. Jack also got his first outdoor junior size basketball from Aunty Dawn.



Aiden and Jack....I called "First!!"



Jack got to play with his first fireworks...a sparkler!

4th of July - Part I

Grandpa bought Jack his first outdoor basketball hoop. Grandpa was suppose to put the hoop together once Jack learned how to go "poo-poo" in the potty but Grandpa caved in and put it together over the 4th of July weekend.

Jack loves to play basketball and I imagine he will be outdoors the rest of the summer shooting hoops.



Not to worry, I will post another video in the next few days and Aiden will get Jack back for bonking him on the head.

Happy 4th of July...

I am finally starting to play around a bit with Photoshop and some video editing.


Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Baking a cake - Part 2...

I knew Jack cracking an egg for the first time wouldn't go well so luckily I got it on video. The snickering you hear in the background is Aya' laughing!

Baking a cake - Part 1...

This weekend Jack and I decided to bake a cake for our snack. Jack loves to do everything
H-I-M-S-E-L-F.

Jack mixing the ingredients:



I showed Jack how the crack an egg, but this is what happened when Jack cracked his own egg:



Jack poured the batter. I didn't think it would really matter but it did....



Our cake got a little 'puffy' in the middle which made it a little difficult to add the icing.



If the cake had been a bit 'smoother' then I think Jack might have had an easier time icing the cake but in the end it came out okay.



It might not look the greatest cake but it tasted pretty good. It was actually better than 1/2 the things I have baked in the past.