Jacob & Family

A few weeks ago I got to spend time with my favorite 2 year old, Jacob, and his sweet family.  Jacob is one of my good friend's and old coworker's grandson (yes, I have a friend who has a grandson).  I have watched Jacob grow since he was just a wee little baby.  And I have gotten to know his parents, especially his mother, a little better from just spending time with Jacob when they would visit at work.

Jacob loves anything to do with the tractors, cars and water.  He is such a sweetie and as you can see SO CUTE!

Just a few of my favorites from the shoot.  See, told you!  Now, can you see why he is my favorite 2 year old?!

Photo Scavenger Hunt

As I have mentioned before I have been looking for any excuse to bring my camera with me anywhere I go.  That way Chris can't role his eyes when I say "I'm bringing my camera" and give me a hard time about it... MUAHAHAHAHA!

Anyway, browsing the blogs I follow I found one.  It's called Sunday Scavenger Hunt from Ashley Sisk's Ramblings and Photos.  Each week you are given 5 ideas to photograph and you photograph them throughout the following week.  This past week was the first week I decided to participate.

(And yes, I do realize the photo challenge is called Sunday Scavenger Hunt and I do know today is Monday not Sunday.  Luckily, you are given to Tuesday night to upload the photos to your blog and link it to Ramblings and Photos.  My excuse is I was out of town;))

1. Glimpse

This was taken while driving to work one morning last week.  A glimpse behind me told me it was going to be a beautiful day. 

2. Bliss

Remember being a child and how happy you were on those warm days when you were free to escape for a few hours before the sun went down in late winter months?  Pure bliss. 

 3. Gray

Weather in Pittsburgh this year has been strangely mild.  Lately, it has been even a little warmer.  I went out for a photo walk on my lunch break to take advantage of the gorgeous day before having to spend another 3.5 hours in the basement/dungeon office.  I cut through this playground back to work. 

 4. Crossed

This past weekend Chris and I went to Ann Arbor to visit my sister.  We were getting a little stir crazy and decided to take a walk (cough cough) around the University of Michigan campus.  What a beautiful campus.  The vine covered walls of most the buildings are my favorite.  

 5. Handwritten

The 47 images I am in the process of editing from a Senior Portrait Session for a week and a half ago.  

Have you been looking for an excuse to carry your camera around with you?  Isn't this the perfect one?  I have learned so much in the past weeks just experimenting with the different settings on my camera.  

50s? In January? In Pittsburgh?

Friday was a very rare day in Pittsburgh.  The temperatures got up to the mid to uppers 50s.  Virtually unheard of in this area in January.  After spending the first 8 hours of my day in the "Lower Level" (aka basement/dungeon as my coworkers and I like to call it) at work I decided to head out for some fresh air around my neighborhood.  There is a trail about two blocks from house that I thought would be a nice place to get a small hike in and to get the blood flowing while taking photos.  


Here are some of the photos I captured on my walk:  

As much as I do love having unseasonably warm weather in January, I do not particularly care for the bare tree branches that are a result of the warmer weather.  They are much prettier covered with colorful leaves or snow. 

 

These two were my favorites of the afternoon!  I love the sun shining through these little flowers.  Does anyone know what these plants/flowers/buds are called?  Unlike my Dad, I am not familiar with my plants. 

  

As I was heading back home, started to get a little chilly, I cam across a play ground.   And I couldn't resist playing a little.  

Yes, I went down the slide.  And as you can tell, doesn't look like I had the smoothest of landings...  

Winter here in the Pittsburgh area has been pretty mild with not many consistently cold days thus far.  Although you won't often get complaints from me about the weather being too warm I do find it hard to really enjoy these days knowing in the back of my mind 1) it won't be lasting much longer and 2) we have another 3 to 4 or 5 long months until the warm weather gets here and stays.  

I hope everyone had a great weekend and good Monday.  I know for many of you, like me, this is your first full week in a while.  I hope it isn't too painful!:)

xoxo,

Alyson