Shave Ice (No, I did not forget the "D")

Possibly one of the best things about Hawaii was one of the most unexpected. I don't like snow cones or slurpees, in general. When we were in Waikiki a shop clerk told me that since we were staying on the North Shore we HAD to go to Matsumoto's for "Shave Ice". They don't go in for the "Shaved" ice...apparently an extra D is just pretentious but Shave Ice is a staple of the Hawaiian life.  The clerk said that Matsumotos would be easy to find by the line of people going out the door. She was right. 

Let me say that the Hawaiians are really on to something with the way they make Shave Ice. The ice is ground finer and holds the syrup more evenly. They also put a scoop of ice cream in the bottom of the cup so that the syrup that does drop down flavors the ice cream. Heaven!

We were just about to snap shots of each other under the sign when this friendly Filipino tourist said "You want some company?" and jumped in with Kim. Th

en they had us pose with their whole family.

Even Adam Sandler and the cast of 50 First Dates are fans.

Hawaii 3

On our second full day in Hawaii we went touring the North Shore and in Halie'iwa (Holly-Avuh) we came across a church BBQ fundraiser called "Many's Huli Huli Chicken." We had never heard of Huli style chicken but it was pretty darn good. The only thing disturbing were all the other chickens clucking around our feet while we ate outside.

That...and the Ace Hardware sprayer they were using to apply the huli sauce. You know - the kind you'd use to spray pesticides or stain your deck.

Hawaii 2

We learned to weave grass at the PCC but we got their too late too see any exhibits.

Hawaii 1

I finally finished processing the few digital photos I took in Hawaii. 

Here we are at the Kahuku Grill having our first Hawaiian meal after the plane ride, checking in, changing clothes, etc. 

Kim and I share a dislike of processed cheese - but I was too hungry to care whether I picked it off or not.

The weather has been better lately but not quite spring. Robbie wanted to play outside but the ground was a bit muddy from a recent sprinkle. He played on the porch for a while - scooping dirt out of a flower pot with his tractor.

And then - when he got some dirt on his hands he held out his hand and said "mess" while waiting for me to come take care of the problem. He has a very condescending way of doing this, like he's ordering a servant to fetch something.He's started doing this a lot lately - especially when he's eating. 

This from a kid who still doesn't care if his diaper is full to bursting with things much worse that potting soil.

More Wide Angle Fun

Part of what made me want an even wider lens was the great shots that another photographer I know gets with his wide angle lens. He uses it a lot in portraiture which (in classic portrait school of thought) is a no-no because of the distortion. I think he uses it to great effect....but you can judge for yourself: Ed's work

This is an example - in my very humble location (my unfinished front yard) of what is so cool about going wide....

Sup-ah Dup-ah Wide!

Our sixth anniversary came just recently and while I was away at my workshop Toby picked up me a super fun present - a wide angle lens. I currently have a lens that goes pretty wide but this one is even wider...supah dupah wide! Unless you want the whole room in your picture, you have to get pretty darn close to your subject. This creates some funny warping effects around the edges of the frame. Totally fun for a toddler. Robbie greatly enjoyed letting me take a picture and then let him look at it. He was also fond of showing me his toys so that he could then look at them on my LCD and say "Trat-er" (tractor) or "James!".

Robbie laying on me watching TV. I took this myself - gotta love the capability of wide angle.

Don't Say Cheese

I am so glad I haven't forced Robbie to smile for the camera - even though I've taken a billion photos of him. Now that he can start to understand basic directions like "hold up your stickers" he will do it without breaking into a crazed Charles Manson smile like so many kids are programmed to do. It's a long way from being the perfect model but at least he doesn't have that Pavlovian response to a lens that (as someone who photographs a lot of people) drives me crazy.

Just Like Mom

Recently Robbie has discovered how to say (ie: Beg For) chocolate. I'm not sure which came first - learning the word or deciding it was the single greatest flavor on earth, but he's mastered the word and has learned that the flavor can be applied to everything.

Before bath time it's "chot-lit!" meaning "put some of that sugary syrup in my milk, please". After dinner it's "chot-lit!" meaning "hey get one of those Healthy Choice fudge pops out of the freezer for me please!" This morning it was "chot-lit" which I could only understand must have meant "give me chocolate, not breakfast Woman!".

We compromised.


Yep, that is chocolate syrup on pancakes. It only took about a teaspoon. I think I'm going to rename chocolate syrup to "Get-your-toddler-to-eat-syrup".

A boy and his trains

Its been entirely too long since I posted - I am sorry!

I'll just jump right in with the latest pictures, taken yesterday morning while Robbie was still in his sweet SpiderMan (or as he says "spuh-man") jammies. Everyone who knows Robbie already knows he loves trains! He has many of the engines and cars in the Thomas collection - thanks to two overly indulgent parents and some help from "Grummy" and "Grumpy".

Over-indulgence aside, I can't feel too guilty because he does play with them every day without fail. He never gets tired of them.
I recently started trying a reward system for good behavior that involves stickers. The problem was I didn't want stickers all over my furniture so I bought two metal boxes perfect for holding trains....

Every time he does something without having to be beaten...I mean...asked forty-five times, he can pick a sticker. We have a wide selection but he has a one-track mind and likes to run through all the stickers in one collection (see if you can figure out which) before trying any others.

He's been good...a lot.






















Robbie and his new favorite engine, James.

Putting James in "the Box".

Family Photos

What family photo session would be complete without at least one runny nose and one uncooperative party? Well we were in luck because we had Robbie to stand and shout "no no no no no!" and Toby to refuse to sit down because of all the "homeless pee". For the record, the "homeless pee" was any stain on the concrete.

A big thanks to Kim for taking our pictures (we love them) and putting up with our oddities.

Fall Fun

Mud Cakes

For anyone who doesn't know - we have no yard. We moved into a new house and landscaping is
still in progress but Robbie doesn't seem to mind. He loves to dig in the dirt, dump dirt on his own head, eat the dirt, etc. One day recently he was playing with the garden house and filled a sprinkler ditch with water - then fell in. I attempted to take his muddy clothes off and take him in the house but he would have none of it - and I gave up after I got his shorts off. Rather than fight it, I let him play in the dirt and grabbed my camera.

So much like dad

There is a picture of Toby when he was about two. It is in black and white and this picture looks exactly like Toby...but it's Robbie. I'll have to dig out Toby's and post them side by side. I can't believe how much like a boy he is starting to look and how little like a baby (pause for sniffling).

A Boy and His Dad

I snapped this shot of robbie sitting by Toby's legs while we waited for the Grantsville 4th of July parade to get rolling.

Nemo, Nemo, Nemo, Nemo, Nemo and Marlin Junior.

Robbie's first pets are six little fish that he likes to supervise. Each time I feed them he says "more, more, more" - I guess he thinks they are still hungry...or maybe he just likes to watch them eat.

Peanut Butter & Crackers

Robbie loves those handy snacks with the crackers and peanut butter. But - he throws the crackers on the floor and gives himself a peanut butter facial.

Beating the Heat - Father's Day