My mom made these dresses for us to wear when I was a baby.  She has a photo somewhere of us in them.(Photo by Savanna) 

After dinner we went for a walk in the rain.

(Photo by Steve)

A few months ago I wrote a post here about choosing focus points.  When I sat down to write the post, I only knew how to choose just one focus point on my camera.  While writing the post I found other modes my camera has and it has made it easier to pass the camera to someone else who isn't as camera crazy as me.  In these photos I changed my setting to zone auto focus before handing the camera over. 

For weeks, she'd just take a few steps and then go back to crawling.  Then one day, she wanted to carry something while crossing the room.  With a reason to walk, she gave up crawling and walks everywhere now. 

On Friday, we were walking while her big brother was riding his bike.  I noticed her shadow and how it helped show her steps.  I didn't have my camera with me.  I don't usually like taking pictures in the bright, midday sun.  But, here was a reason to.  We went home for the camera and came out again.  I was happy with the shadows and also with how the path reflected light on to her happy face. 

Our neighbor got out her hose on a warm evening.  I'm happy about the return of water photos.

On a technical note - I set the shutter speed is 1/80 to get the water to look like lines in the above photo.

Above is the first one I took. I didn't like the blue slide and chairs in the background and I thought the water would be lit better if she turned around.  The shutter speed on the above photo is 1/200.  

On a sad day two years ago, I was out walking in search of a photo for my daily photo project.  I saw bleeding hearts in my neighbor's yard and thought, "Yes."  

Now when I see my neighbor's bleeding hearts in the spring,  I remember that sad day and the days that surrounded  it.  I look at them, remember and go back to my day with a grateful heart.

Below is the photo from two years ago.

We were out for a walk and went by an untended patch of grass full of dandelions gone to seed.  It doesn't take much convincing to get the kids involved with blowing dandelions seeds.  I was happy with how the light was catching the seeds as they floated away.

 The same light caught this enthusiastic wish.

We were at her big sister's dance class and went outside to enjoy the beautiful day.  She's been on swings before but the swings at the Irish Centre, where her sister takes her lessons, are much taller than any she'd been on before.  

I didn't initally bring my camera with me.  It was in the car.  I had to take her out of the swing to get the camera.  At first I didn't think it was worth it.  

I'm taking a break from this blog for a few weeks.  We've got Easter coming and these two both have birthdays coming too.  And of course after this kind of play, there's a lot of laundry to do.  I'll be back in mid-April.

Happy Spring!

50mm: ISO 125: 1/3200/sec: f1.8

In the past few days my boy learned to ride a bike.  On Sunday, he wanted to ride but only if I was holding on to the front and back of the bike.  On Monday, he wanted me to get him started and keep holding the back of the bike.  Yesterday, as he rolling along on the bike, without thinking he put his feet on the pedals and started to ride.  I was walking beside him with his little sister.  He looked over at me and said, "I didn't know I could do that!"

50mm: ISO400: 1/50 sec: f/11

When his sisters got home, he wanted to surprise them.  They were excited and got their bikes out to ride with him.  

50mm: ISO400: 1/500 sec: f/2.5

When it was time for dinner he said, "Let's go in for a little snack and come back out and RIDE!"

Today she started walking while holding my fingers.  I'm enjoying the waning days of hands and knees.

The girls danced.

The boys watched.

The baby slept.

And we were exhausted by the end.