The Best Mother's Day Gift

I don't think I asked for anything for Mother's Day, mainly because of a few reasons….

1. I got to meet my idol, Karen Russell last year, and yes, she's still my idol, despite that saying that says you shouldn't meet your idols or heroes. I also met a group of amazing ladies that have changed my life. 

2. While my life isn't perfect, it's good, and it's mine. 

3. I don't need another piece of camera or scrapbooking related items, right now. 

So all I wanted was good weather, good food (which is short listed greatly due to my sensitivities), and good family, and maybe some good photos! I got them all!

We realized that while Shaun works in one of the best bakeries in town, he is sadly the worst cupcake froster in town. 

 He declared the cupcakes to be delicious!

Then in awe, asked if Emily made them, to which the answer was "Yes!" To which I yelled "with the help of that box!"

 He was so impressed he iced her cupcake special!

 Then I made them go out for a few photos before everyone got here.

Kerry did his best with the camera now that it's set up for BBF! For some reason the kids like looking off into the distance pose.

Clearly I do not.  It was around this time one kid said "we will never have the normal family photo", I  hope not. And the other kid said "you should scrapbook this!" Oh, believe me, I will! 

 Someone decided that Linus needed to be in the shots, he looks enormous here, and is not impressed.

I don' t even care that no one put on a fancy shirt, because really, this is who they are. Shaun in his one of 24 Tommy Hilfiger shirts, Kerry in a Disney shirt, and Emily in some anime shirt. 

The bbq had the winter off, I was mad at it. The heat has warped the grills, and to replace them will cost more than the bbq. It's 1.5 years old. 

These two are trouble. Linus is still sleeping the weekend off. Dad asked what the wood was for. I said campfires. I could be so good on that show "Hoarders"!

 Checking out Kerry's wieners. 

 We always give moms flowers for Mother's day, this year I made them pose with their gifts.

Mom always gets hanging baskets but this year she seemed to admire Kerry's mom's pots, maybe next year we will change it up! 

 This one cracks me up because usually it's one of us with our eyes closed!

I had to get a shot of Shaun leaving with this box. I have become some what of a box hoarder. The other day Kerry was cleaning up the dining room and asked if he could recycle the 3 boxes in there, before I could answer Emily said "No, you never know when you will need them!" and Kerry replied "You are your mother's child." We decided to set those 3 free, because there were 5 or more in the basement.  Shaun needed one big box for his pop cans, so we decided he was worthy and gave him one. 

He left before we could change our mind. 

And before you think we had this picture perfect Mother's Day, believe me, I took 190 photos, only 102 made the cut. And that's mainly because one or more persons had their eyes closed, too open, or had more than one chin. I can proudly say only 3 were totally out of focus and 2 of those weren't taken by me! 2 photos were of the ground, not sure what happened there. But 100% of them were hilarious, and that is perfect. 

A Pocketful of Popcorn

I'm taking a course on focusing from Karen and now that the weather is nicer, I wanted to get out and put my new skills to use. Back Button Focusing…BBF…has not been my BFF. I tired it, and I went back to the conventional way. But Karen explains the reasons and how to do it so well, I had to try it. She could sell me anything! So with a pocket full of popcorn, Linus and I headed out to the yard while Kerry was mowing. 

"We" practiced in different spots, with my 70-200 mm lens because I haven't used that one in ages. Now that we took out the walnut tree and curly willow, we have less shade in the back. It made it work to avoid the dappled light.

 I don't love this full bodied shot, that chicken wire is only there to keep that dog of the fence where he likes to look at the neighbours.  

 "We" even practiced in the full sun with pretty decent results! 

 We took a break to check the strawberry progress.

 Linus noticed the "good" dog behind us, he never barks, ever, where as Linus barks his head off if he thinks the good dog is outside or a bird flies over or someone breathes 3 houses away.

 In the same spot, just zoomed in.

 Next to the wood pile. We don't have a fire place or a stove but we have a wood pile.

So far, it's not a bad way to spend Mother's Day. Hope everyone else is doing something they enjoy!

(as I type this, the family is vacuuming and icing cupcakes I can't eat in preparation for Mother's Day dinner!)

Linus's To-Do List

Please, mom, I need to go outside. There's something I must do!

 I think I misplaced something out here the other day.

 Oh, I think this is it. Tastes like it is!

 Yup, that's it! The dried up worm you took away from me the other day! I will fluff it up.

 I will massage it back to life!

And if that doesn't work, I will preform CPR, and by then it will be stuck to my fur and I will bring it in the house for you to step on with your bare feet at a later date.

I can cross that off my to-do list for today.