Trying to be Girly

We hired a photographer to come to the house and take pictures of us.  Ryan and I take great photos of the boys but there are very few great photos of the four of us together, or heck, even of just me and Ryan.  Ryan is photogenic so most all of his pictures turn out great.  Me?  Not so much.  Ryan will take pictures of me but he seems to see me the same whether I'm dressed up or down, with or without make up.  So when I'm looking a bit um, shall we say, rough around the edges, he sees April.  Just April.  While that is sweet and all it makes for some pretty blah photos.

Hence I thought it was time to get some good family photos.  A huge plus will be if I don't look like a haggard mother of two.   I'm hoping to look like a radiant, well rested mother of two.  I went to great lengths to make sure today would go well.  I bought a pretty new sweater that would look great with jeans.  Then I got boots that would look great with the sweater and the jeans.  I made sure my hair was good so I got it trimmed on Friday.  Make up was restocked on Thursday. 

And to make sure the curl was even in my hair and not just a bunch of curls in the back - because you know most photographers take photos of just the back of your head - I braided three sections of hair in the front like I do many nights of the week.

But last night I was a little over zealous in the braiding.  The braids were very tight.  Very.

After applying the toner, serum, moisturizer, foundation, concealer, blush, eye shadow and mascara I was ready to let my hair down and toss my head around like I was in a shampoo commercial.

From 1988.

Oy. 

The curls.  They were not good.  It looked like a crimper attacked my hair. 

So, I did what I do every other day of the year - I put my hair in a pony tail.  After a while I managed to do a half up, half down do. 

Then I was all ready for our candid family shots.  As directed by the photographer when the lighting was just right, after Gavin had been bribed with cookies to do as instructed.

When we look back on these photos years from now will I whitewash my memories to show the boys in cute matching outfits?  Me with my hair perfect acceptable and clothes all cute 'n stuff.  Will I remember Theo screaming because he slept too late for his morning nap and was gearing up for his afternoon nap?  We got just enough laughs out of him in between shots to make it worthwhile.

Of course, we really wanted to do outdoor shots on Alki but the pineapple express working its way through our area put the kibosh on those plans.  The rain did let up enough to allow some outdoor shots at the light rail station and for some on the walk home. 

I'm excited to get the photos back. 

I hope my hair isn't too dorky, there isn't cleavage and my lips don't look like they belong on Caspar the ghost because I forgot lipstick.

Lipstick!  I never wear it so it only makes sense for me to feel at home without it.  Oh, how the Pioneer Woman wouldn't faint at such a declaration.

If you don't know who the Pioneer Woman is... well.  You may just want to keep it that way since you would get sucked into her Black Heels to Tractor Wheels book and if you read her recipes you would gain 10 pounds just reading about all of the butter she uses.

Cria Cuteness

Did you know a baby alpaca is called a cria?  I didn't know either until we googled it on our way to a farm in Mason County to see two new babies.  My MIL's neighbor and great friend is on the board of trustees of some farm that .... shoot.  He told me what they do.  Something to do with salmon so I wasn't quite sure what the alpacas and goats at the farm had to do with salmon.  I didn't ask how they are connected. 

So I have some pictures of baby alpacas.  And from Thanksgiving, our tree cutting, gingerbread house decorating...  In no particular order.

Enjoy!

The spearmint hard candies have been fashioned into a van.  Gavin wasn't as interested in decorating the house as he was in making vans with which to decorate the side yard of the gingerbread house.  It's our hicksville gingerbread house.  We didn't have any candy that I thought could look like blocks to put the vans on. 

Van #2.  The yellow gum drops in the middle are the seats with the little gum drops being the people. 

Van #3.  We were low on materials so this one takes a little more imagination to visualize.

I found the key to a structurally sound gingerbread house lies in reading AND following the directions.  First put the sides together allowing each side to dry for 1 minute before adding the next.  Then letting the whole thing dry for an hour before adding the roof.  Then one more hour cure time before decorating. 

Gavin could only bring himself to put on the big candies as that was the safest way to ensure his fingers didn't have to touch the frosting.  He didn't know what the white glue was - I didn't tell him. 

He wanted to make more vans. 

Theo wasn't into the photo op. in front of our first Christmas tree at Camp Monten (Ryan's mom & step-dad's house).

Turns out Gavin likes the snow when he gets to sit in a sled and be pushed around by dad and chased by the dog.

12 hour old cria (baby alpaca). 

We tried and tried and tried to get a photo with the mama alpaca but she ducked out with each picture. 

This one was my favorite.  I wanted to hug it but settled for scratching her cute cheeks.  I asked her to not spit on me.  She was nice and complied.

Theo enjoyed the ride, too, although you would never know by the look on his face in this picture.

Gavin was mildly interested in the alpacas.

Apparently Theo didn't think having his head sniffed by an alpaca was as cute as everyone else. 

My niece Laura.  I can't believe she's 12!



Laura & Matthew.  12 years vs. 6 years.  Matthew's gingerbread house had a seismic activity shortly after this photo was taken.  

He was very proud of his house.



After the roof collapsed he decorated the inside of the house.  He was so proud of his gingerbread tree that wasn't broken.  He's so cute! 

Cousins Laura and Matthew playing with Gavin during their dance party.  Everyone likes to dance when Gavin breaks out his dancing skillz.



My brother got after his kids for jumping on Nana's couch not long after this was taken.  Oops.  I mean, Gavin, get off the couch like that! 

A flood of sprinkles came out.  It was quite a challenge to sweep all of the round sugar balls off the hardwood floors.