Superhero

This is the result of a goofy moment when Brennan put on a WAY to small "Dash" from the Incredibles (I think Devin wore this 2 years ago!) and actually let me zip him into it.

I actually had the camera right there and ready to go.

Brennan RELUCTANTLY posed for two pictures before the costume gave him the wedgie of a lifetime.

And lastly, I took the picture and played around with it on Photoshop because I am teaching a class on Photoshop to a bunch of ladies this coming Monday.  And being as though I didnt have a ton of experience this seemed like a fun picture to play with.  Turns out, I was quite right!

WHEW!  What a culmination of events.  But I have to say,  the pictures make for some pretty cute superhero comic book looking photos.  Ok, maybe reluctant superhero, but cute, none the less.  And ones I KNOW I will never ever ever get again because THAT costume is NEVER going back on any of these boys! :)  In fact, it has sadly been added to our basket of Halloween memories that are going to the thrift store.

So, it is now safe to say that Brennan will NOT being going as Dash to the school Halloween dance (there has been no talk of a date yet, THANK GOODNESS!) and I feel confident enough to teach my class.  Yes, I have a bunch of other amusingly adjusted photos to prove it.

of them all, this was the greatest

I took over 170 pictures of children this weekend.  And I have to admit, most of them came out rather well considering the subject matter.  :)

But of them all, this is by far, my absolute favorite photo.

Now I know many will say that it is simply my favorite because it is my own child but I don't think that is entirely it.

I think it is because it was not staged, it was not posed.  It was caught in the "moment".  The middle of the game.  He is engrossed in thought of the next play.  I caught him off guard as he turned to run off.  He is sweaty and dirty and all boy.  Rough and tough and "cool".  It is probably a moment I will never be able to capture again.  And for that I am so grateful to have had my camera.

I love this photo.  It is all Devin.  It sums up this football season for him. Intensity, grit, fun and determination.

my afternoon date

It is a BEAUTIFUL, sunny, mildly cool, slightly breezy, fall day here in the heart of Bavaria and I have an afternoon date!

With about 30 wild and crazy elementary school age soccer players!  lol

Yes, I have been hired to do sports photos for two soccer teams this afternoon.  And amazingly we have been blessed with perfect weather.

I am thinking that this could be a true test of my photographic talents and stamina.  That is going to be a LOT of kid energy.  

Oh well, at least it is another job and a creative one at that.  A step in the right direction.  One foot in front of the other as they say.

A basket full of memories

My boys LOVE Halloween.  LOVE IT!  I would even go so far as to say it ranks as one of their favorite holidays.

Why? Because they get to dress up in a costume.

They start planning the costume about July.  That is how much thought goes into this process.

It is hilarious.

And every year is the same.  They tell me that I MUST order them the MOST expensive costume imaginable off of the internet so that THEY will be the coolest kid alive. If I don't they just won't survive.  I say no and life is traumatic for a few days with begging and pleading and bargain making.  But none of that works so they go about trying to figure out what to do instead.

OHHHHHH CREATIVITY!!!  Who would have guessed?  lol

Sometimes we find old costume parts at the thrift shop.  Fun!  Sometimes we find things to make costumes with.  FUN!  And sometimes we might even splurge and buy a costume piece if it is on SALE and very unique.  Those Germans are really getting into the Halloween idea these days.  And they have much better stuff than we ever think of having .

So, back to my blog title.  Here I sit with a basket full of costumes.  All that the boys have outgrown.  The other day we pulled down the costume bag to see what was inside and let the boys browse through it and we discovered quite a few things that were never going to fit anyone in this house again.  So now, they are waiting to be taken to the thrift shop.

But it is sad.  I look at them and see my baby boy faces smiling with happy delight as they wore those get ups on Halloween and ran around like crazy freaks jacked up on sugar giggling with pure innocent joy.  I know that those times are quickly running out.  And it makes me sad.  I want them to ALWAYS be so easily amused and entertained.  So eager to throw on stupid looking clothes and go have fun.  

The world already has one of mine, cant it just wait a while till it takes the rest?

Homecoming 2008

It has happened.  Another one of our babies has grown up.  I don't know how or when it exactly happened and in case anyone is wondering, yes, I am still slightly in denial.

Brennan attended his FIRST homecoming dance this evening WITH a date.  A DATE!  And the crazy part of it is, she asked him to go with her.  Thank you, thank you, I will take complete credit for giving birth to a handsome, smart and totally popular girl magnet.  lol

But, really.  A DATE!?  A HOMECOMING DANCE?!  All in just the 7th grade?  Could we not get a bigger break between Alex finishing torturing me with all the nutso girlfriend stuff and Brennan apparently ready to start it?  Don't I deserve it?  Just a little bit????  PRETTY PLEASE?  With sugar on top?

He looked so handsome and was so happy to go.  And he had been on the ballot for 7th grade homecoming prince.  The title went to the 7th grade super jock but hey, apparently my kid ain't no slouch.  He is the 7th grade Student Council President and helped plan this whole event.  So, yes, he does deserve to go.  I will concede to that.  

BUT THE DATE PART?

Lord give me strength! 

Yeah Mail! Boo Mail!

Normally getting mail is a big deal around here.  And getting packages an even bigger deal.

But yesterday I FINALLY received a package that I have been waiting SIX weeks for.  SIX WEEKS!  Which I believe is an insane amount of time when you consider that I PAID FOR THE POSTAGE for that package to come to me.

I didn't pay for by slow boat from Timbuktu or carrier pigeon.  I paid for REAL postage.  And still it took SIX weeks.  That is a month and a half.  Which makes you wonder where that stuff has really been.  I mean seriously.  If you stop and think about it, where can stuff go in a month and a half? And after a month and a half of "whatever" do you really want to handle that  package? 

But onto the other part about a package taking that long.  It was a clothing order.  For me.  And because it took so long to get here.  IT DIDN'T FIT!!  Nope,  In those six weeks I had managed to drop a whole other size and so everything in there was too big.

So, I guess you could say that was a bad thing.  BUT......if it had gotten here on time, I would have kept it AND then now it would all be too big and I would be stuck with clothes that didn't fit and couldn't return.  This way I can return them with NO PROBLEMS! ha!

So, good news, bad news.  Those two things always seem to go hand in hand don't they?  lol

Hohenfels Lil' Saints

imikimi - Customize Your World

Snug as a Faux Bunny!

 Well today it happened!  

It was warm enough to wear my new faux fur sweater.  YEAH!

Now, I would never sport real fur, but bring on the faux!  And this one is UBER cute.  I have been yearning to wear it for weeks and today was a rainy, gray, windy and just downright PERFECT day for it.  

So, nevermind the weather, I have been sunshinny happy in my cuddly sweater vest and stylish to boot!  And I got a "you look sexy" from my husband as a super bonus! YEAH!!!