Two Peas 12 weeks to better photos- Lauren, Kristen and Christina rock it!

LESSON ONE: Aperture basic training

So, back in February I took Christie Adams Photography and Alicia Gould Photography's Camera Basics Class and it was GREAT! Really opened my eyes to many things! I would love for them to hold another class, so I can take part again! That said, I have really been trying to master my camera for fun and as a hobby. I make no assertions that I will ever be a photographer, but I want to be able to capture my family and friends! 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago, Lauren and I kicked around the idea that we should do the two peas course together and blog about it! Then came Christina, who also wanted to get better with her camera, so here we are! I think out of all of us, Lauren is probably the best, as she takes awesome photos of food for her food blog, but Christina and I can hang, lol! 

Ok, back to lesson one- aperature- I have a basic knowledge of it, again mainly thanks to the camera basics class, but here goes nothing- 

F1.8, iso 800, 50mm lens- 

F8.0

f20.0

Yes, I used Mikey's Sophie and Kieran's various figurines that were handy. I couldn't get outside since, well lets be honest, I just didn't feel like getting my shoes on and going outside, lol!

I will try tomorrow to go out and do it that way too-

You can see in my first picture focus is on sophie, then in the second the figurines become more apparent  and finally you can really see that in Lotso that it is much more in focus and clearer. 

Hope I did it right(besides the being inside part)! 

YEAH, week one done only 11 more to better photos, or so I hope, lol!

and just because they are cute- 

Kieran and Mikey-

Sickness be damned! The Abbate house is on the mend!

Wow, even after I wrote my last entry, the sicknesses kept on attacking us. Kieran had an awful cold, good thing it did not develop into anything else. Then Mikey came down with his THIRD ear infection since February, we are on notice, one more in 3 months and tubes should be explored. We will discuss more at his well visit in a few days. Then I developed an awful ear infection, that caused part of my face to be numb. It has been lovely in this house. All while Mike is still traveling non stop and trying to adjust to his new position. There have many a time where I question this change in jobs in the last few weeks. While I expected him to be busier and some more travel, I did not anticipate him traveling non stop for weeks on end, hopefully only a few more weeks of this and then we can get into a more stable routine. 
Now, for more interesting stuffs-
I have been really playing around with my camera and trying to really get a hang of the settings and getting good pictures of the kidlets. It is not easy with a sick baby, a bored 4.5 year old and a mommy who just wants to sleep, since said sick baby is not, but nonetheless, I am trying. I have been reading a lot and trying to find some good blogs to follow. I am really liking this photography thing and hope to learn a lot more and become a good photographer for my family. I am not looking to be a pro by any means, just want to be able to get some good shots of life. 
Diet, diet, diet... Well, good news is I have not gained any weight in the last month. Bad news is I have not lost anything either! UGH! I will admit to not watching my Weight Watchers points+ at all nor have I or Mikey been well enough to go to my Stroller Strides class. I will say that I do fit into a smaller size pair of jeans I bought. So, while I am happy they fit, I feel like I lost all progress I was making since March was a WASH! I really can't wait for spring to really spring and to be able to get outside with the kids and get back into my diet and work out routine! 
And two funny stories about just how crazy some people are...
1- Last week after taking Mikey back to the doctor Kieran asked for Dunkin Donuts munchkins since he was a good boy while Mikey got checked out. I agreed and off we went. I pull into the lot and the only spot was  a tight one, but enough room that I could get in and out. I notice a lady sitting in the car eating, so I smile at her and get us all out and we go in to get the munchkins, go back to the car, put Kieran in first, then go around to the driver side(which was the tight side) to get Mikey buckled in. I admit I tapped the ladies car with the back door and I checked no mark, I mean I tapped it since there was no room to do much else to it. Oh well, I get Mikey in, go to get in my door and the lady rolls her window down and says to me, "excuse me, you are hitting my car." I say Oh, I am sorry, it is just really tight and I was trying to buckle the baby in. Lady-"well, you are HITTING my car." Me- ok- I am sorry, I just tapped it, there is no mark and I am leaving now. lady- "Well, can you not HIT my car?" Me- (getting annoyed as Kieran is crying cause he now has to pee really bad!) I am sorry, what else would you like me to do? as I go to get Mikey and Kieran back out of the car.
Hello- Crazy- I tapped your door- one time- it is fine- get over it and finish your lunch!
2- Going to the ENT yesterday there were no spots in the lot. So, I go to back out of the lot and a nutso lady blocks all traffic and me from getting out trying to pull into said TINY lot. She pulls back out and we go around the block to park. I pull into a street spot, turn car off go to get stroller out of trunk and another cookcoo bird starts telling me I am taking up too much space and to move my car, since i am running a little late, I say I am sorry, another car can still fit and I won't be long. She then continues to yell at me to move my car, I am taking up too much room, no one else can fit, yadda yadda yadda. I get the kids and she starts telling me I am fresh and she is going to call the police to tow my car (nice right?). I look at her and calmly, say go ahead call the police, last I checked this is street parking and not illegal. She starts to mumble at me and keeps calling me fresh. I laughed as I walked away and Kieran then asked me in his very loud voice, Mommy why did that strange lady say you are fresh? You did a good job parking and you were very nice. I said, i don't know Kieran, she just didn't like us parking there I guess. 
Seriously people, get a grip- lady #1- your car was so beat up I could have slammed my door into yours and it wouldn't have mattered and lady #2- I guess you did not call the police cause I had no ticket on my car, or maybe you did and they laughed at your ridiculousness!