A drink.

I thought this was a funny perspective...he takes up so little room in a big bathtub.

Grey likes it when I leave the water trickling while he takes a bath.  He tries to grab the stream of water, puts his toes in it, sticks his head under it...  And then tries to get a drink.

Anna the Entomologist.

Anna found a spider by the front door.  She needed to love it for a little bit.  She let it crawl all over her arms and hands.  Then I let her know that the spider really would rather be outside with his family, home, and food.  She agreed and let him go home.  She loves bugs.

It was tiny.

Can you tell that I'm wearing yellow in this shot?  The sun hit me and BAM, yellow refection all over the place.  yuck.

Anna: See Mom, there he is.  Is he going to go home now?

Going once, going twice...

SOLD!  I just sold my precious camera tonight.  I was telling the buyer (also a friend of mine) about how all day I would approach the keyboard to tell her it was hers, then would change my mind and back away...  I am really going to have a hard time letting it go!  Sad, very sad...  It will be cleaned and shipped off very soon.  And I may shed a tear or two...I'm sort of being serious.  I was thinking that this camera was like the first house you ever bought and lived in... the one your kids may have grown up in...  and it's just a CAMERA!  Ridiculous.  But it's the one I have cussed at (because of things that I didn't know how to do), rejoiced in, learned SO much from, carried like a newborn everywhere I went, and loved every minute having it.  But I must move on.  

I'll try very hard, very soon to update some "life" posts...promise!

For Sale.

I'm officially putting my camera up for sale.  If you have any questions or want details, shoot me an email! 

ashleyrodgersphotography@gmail.com

Springtime.

A couple of days ago, we had a little surge of "severe" weather.  We had tornado warnings all over the place...  people freaking out and constant weather casts on tv.  Our meteorologists had a great time that day.  :)

Anna knew something was coming.  She got her knee-high socks and (pink) "Wizard of Oz" shoes on for the occasion.  Then went outside to take a look at the clouds complete with a lightning rod in her hand.

She wasn't happy about her needing to come inside.

Grey was a little anxious.

Our view of the wall cloud...we had a front row seat.  This was the leading edge of the wall cloud that everyone was watching (everyone=the meteorologists).  I wasn't impressed.

She was ready for some storm chasin'!

Anna and I were either hanging out by the front door or in her messy room watching the clouds.

Lots of hail... and there's a road under that river in the background.

This wasn't the largest of the hail..just one that Anna picked up to eat.

This piece was about the size of a ping-pong ball.

And as always, a great sky to follow the storm.

A "Canon" moment.

Anna found some stickers in one of my magazines.  Most of them said "yes" and there were a couple of "maybes".  She stuck them all over her face.  OF COURSE I had to get the camera out.  The mini shoot sort of sounded a little like this (Anna didn't say much):

Anna, come over by the door where it's brighter...

(after she got to the door) Anna what are you looking at?

Oh, are you staring??

You sure are staring good...  What are you staring at?

Aaannnnnnnnnaaaa.....  (blank)

Com'on Anna, give me a happy face or something...

Oh, that didn't last long...back to staring?

Can you give me face other than a "staring face?

Nice.

Ok, not such a big ugly face...

Yep, not exactly what I meant, but that's what I said...

Anna: Mom, this one's tickling my nose.

No! Leave it just a little longer!

Ok now look at me please.

Ok, we're done.

B-fast Conversation.

This is how this short conversation went this morning:

Anna: Mommy, we need some stairs.

Me: Why do we need stairs?

Anna: So I can up and down them.

Me: Well, the stairs have to go to someplace...  like Nana has a "downstairs" and a place to play after you get to the bottom of the stairs.

Anna: Well, we could go to the store and get some stairs.  And I could just go up and down them and they don't have to go someplace.

Me: I don't think we'll just go get some stairs.

Anna: Mom, does Erin have some stairs?

Me: I don't think so.

Anna: Why doesn't Erin live in a house like our house?

Me: She lives in a house.  What do you mean "like our house?"

Anna: Why doesn't she live in a big house like ours?

Me: Did you know that we lived in a house almost exactly like their house not too long ago.

Anna: (nodding yes) Yeah.  But now our house is different?

Me: We moved to a different house because we ran out of room in the other one.  Erin and Chas' house is just right for Erin and Chas.  They have just enough room for them.

Anna: Well, when Erin and Chas grow bigger and bigger they might need to get a bigger house. 

Me: I think they are just fine where they are.

Anna: If they get bigger and bigger, I think they can come live in our house.

Me: You think they'd like that.

Anna: (nodding with excitement) YES! Does Erin have a baby in her belly?

Me: Not that I know of...

Anna: She doesn't?!  I think she does.  Why does she not have a baby in her belly?

Me: She doesn't have a baby in her belly that I know of.  (NOT going there...)

Anna: Did she say "no"?

Me: Probably.

Flower Girl: Part 2

Anna did another fabulous job as a flower girl this weekend.  She walked down the aisle like a pro and even stood up at the front with me for the entire wedding.  She was up and down, fluffing her dress, laying down, tearing up her bouquet, making mean faces at me for scolding her, etc.  But she did such a great job.  We traveled about 7 hours in the car (with the wonderful help of J's mom, "Grammy") to get to this wedding with both kids.  It was fun and everyone did well in the car.  We shopped, ate, and danced the weekend away, and I rekindled a love for a store that we don't have where we live.  Anthropologie.  It really is the best store ever.  If only I was a rich photographer...  HA!  I wish I had pictures of Anna walking down the aisle, but since I was bridesmaid and J and Grammy were making sure Anna had a good pep talk and Grey was taken care of, I didn't get the chance to get any.  Maybe the wedding photog got some?  We'll have to see...

Don't fence me in...

a little more torture.

freedom.

Do you see where his eyes are looking?  The grass, his next snack.  That snack is the reason for the fence.

Of course I do!

Ever wonder if I get on that trampoline?  It's my only source of exercise.  And yes, I know... I need a tan.

--props to daddy for taking this shot.  ;)

Poor Prince Charming...

...According to Anna, he got some "owies" on his face and chest.  According to me, someone stabbed him in the heart with the hairbrush.

Relentless Curiosity.

Anna went through a phase a while ago where she asked many, many, many questions.  It went away for a short time, and now has come back "somethin' fierce!"  Every word that comes out of her mouth is a question.  I have even caught myself, in some situations, refraining from any sort of action that might stir up curiosity in her.  Bad thing, I know.  But as it says above, it's "relentless."  I love that she's curious and want to teach her about everything, but dang!....  just relentless.  She can't be any more hilarious!