My First Photo Shoot

So my good looking friends so graciously let me take their pictures this past weekend. This place we took them at is AMAZING! We call it the gardens and we've gone there to have picnics the past two Sundays. The place is huge and its just full of flowered pathways, fountains, ponds, and big open areas of grass. It sure helps out your pictures when the scenery is so pretty!

This is my good friend Brooke, her husband Chase, and little Ady. They are such a cute family! And I just love the colors they were wearing! Makes for very vibrant pictures.

One of my all-time favorites right here!

And these are our other good friends Kate & Jeremy (actually, the brother of Chase above). They are a gorgeous couple. I have to say that not one of the pictures I took of them looked bad...such photogenic people!

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

The Real Lens

So it turns out I wasn't using my new lens to its fullest potential. Thanks to my photographer friend Aria, I figured out how to properly use it and now I can show some of the pictures I've taken where you can really tell a difference!

(Notice the blurred backgrounds and the crisp subjects, that's all because of the lens.)

I love this lens and use it for everything now.

A Splashin' Good Time

We can not get enough of this splash park here in Indy. It's only 10 minutes away and its really the coolest place for Coop to play! It's like one big water fountain and lets be honest here, what kid doesn't love to get soaked playing in the water fountain. It's not the warmest water, but Coop doesn't mind one bit. And the best part is that I don't have to worry the whole time about him drowning. I can sit back, relax with Carter, and enjoy watching my big boy have a splashin' good time!

(I love how this new lens captures the water in droplets, such a cool effect!)

I don't know what it is about water but it makes Coop a very hungry boy. We always have to make sure and bring snacks so he can keep that energy level up.

Carter loves the splash park too...but he enjoys it from a distance and in the safety of his own carseat. Although the cold water doesn't bother Coop, Carter's not so fond of it just yet!

This is our friend Brooke and her daughter Ady. Coop and Ady have a love/hate relationship...mostly love though ;-)

Family Pictures

Once again, a BIG thanks to our good friend Betty! She has pulled off some amazing pictures of our family. I aspire to be like her some day.

Here are a few of our favorites.

http://bettytolmanphotographer.blogspot.com/
Check out her site

Are you ready for this?

I just blogged ten posts on our blog and didn't have the strength to repeat every single one, so here is a link:

http://dahmerfam.blogspot.com/

Start with the Easter post and work your way up. You may want to spread this out over a few days or weeks...you never know when I might blog again.:)

San Diego

We had Lots of fun on our first family vacation! Thanks Brian and Barb for the time share!!

Brotherly Love

I LOVE when Coop makes him laugh!

5 Months

Clark Kent

Expelliarmus!

With the opening of the 6th Harry Potter movie this week, we decided it would only be appropriate to celebrate with a full on wizarding party equipped with Butterbeer, Chocolate Frogs, and a Golden Snitch Cake. Everyone arrived as their favorite HP character and we allgorged ourselves on Honeyduke's sweets while taking an O.W.L. on the infamous Harry Potter himself. The most knowledgeable wizard received an extra large Dementor Relief Bar and anoriginal bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean. We also had a bubble blowing contest with Drubble's Best Blowing Gum and voted on the Best Costume. The winner of that was of course Harry Potter himself and his owl Hedwig (Cam & Betty). We finished off the party by showing the 5th Harry Potter in order to prepare ourselves for the upcoming 6th. What a super fun party!

The Invitation

Treats courtesy of Honeyduke's Sweet Shop and The Three Broomsticks

Harry Potter himself

Much cuter than in the movie :-)

From left to Right: Victor Krum, Luna Lovegood, & Moaning Murtle; Lilly & James Potter; Harry Potter & Luna Lovegood; Hogwarts Students

(Please notice the crests in the background...they took FOREVER to make!)

Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, Harry Potter, & Dobby the house elf

(Notice Caleb's red hair, we were about to do mine when I glanced at the bottle where it said do not spray on fine or light blonde hair...ummmm, just wasn't worth it to me...dang it! It would have been so great!)

Winners of the Best Costume Award

Harry & his owl Hedwig (perched on his shoulder of course)

Dobby's all worn out

Drubble's best blowing gum contest...although this is a huge bubble, he didn't even win!

Relaxing and getting ready to watch HP #5

So the only downside to this party was Coop having to have his first experience with throwing up. We narrowed it down to 2 things; #1 He either ate way too much candy (it was all just sitting out and who knows how many times he went back for more) or #2 He got a hold of a Mr. Goodbar (peanut allergy). Either way he ended up throwing up all over my sweet goodwill costume (nice to be able to just throw that away) and later on in the night all over his pillow and bed. Poor kid! He was totally fine the next day though. Other than that, we think the party was a big hit.

New Lens

I got a new lens* recently and I'm trying to decide if I like it...what do you think?

*For anyone who cares, it's a Canon 50mm f/1.8

AFV* Material

(*AFV stands for America's Funniest Home Videos for those who didn't know)