we heart nyc (the 2012 edition)

When it comes to the Pups, we try hard to make dreams and wishes come true, we really do. So when Pup the Elder said he wanted to go to New York and see the Statue of Liberty...well, sure, why not?  We had to deal with a small bout of the stomach flu and it's contagion to half the family; but, mostly, it was a good trip.  I mean, we figured out the subway system (sort of).

We ate at the Barking Dog, which was pretty good.

We had a fine Korean meal at Han Bat (not the best we've ever had, but it was good).

The kids lost their minds at http://www.dylanscandybar.com/Dylan's Candy Bar.

And we went to see the exterior of the Guggenheim (Pup the Younger called it the "Guggenheimler" which was cute.  Maybe you had to be there).

More pictures in flickr, of course.

happy easter (2012)!!

More pictures in flickr, of course.

Happy Easter!

back in the saddle, again

I am taking a few classes at RISD again this semester, Color Theory and Photographic Lighting II.  Both classes have been rewarding; but, the lighting class allows me to have a nice take-away, namely studio portraits.

Here are a few of my favorites:

 As always, more to view in flickr.

You might notice that SP 1.0 is not pictured, he had baseball practice (it's his "thing").

tooth down

So Seal Pup 1.0 lost his first tooth last week.  It was a pretty big deal.  Papa Seal was away in California at a conference and I was in Providence attending a Color Theory class at RISD.  I got a text with a picture attached from our sitter Michelle (the boys' pre-school teacher) that there was a casualty during dinner.  Here are the memorable moments:
1) He lost the tooth while taking a bite out of "his most favorite food in the world," garlic bread.
2) He was concerned about the tooth fairy not being able to left his head to get the tooth underneath his pillow because she is small, "since she is a fairy like Tinkerbell."  [Yes, this is the same child that does not really believe in Santa Claus.]
3) Even though he left the tooth at the edge of his bed where I the Tooth Fairy could easily get it, he still opted to not sleep with his head on the pillow fearing that the additional weight of his "big head" would pose a problem.
4) The tooth was at the edge of the bed and slipped off which meant I spent 15 minutes looking for it in the dark, which was awesome.
5) He received $3 for the first tooth and was excited because "that's like 300 cents!!" Or, 300 cents exactly, but, whatever--it's what I had in my wallet, so there you are.
6) He was really please that the first tooth waited until he turned 6 to fall out, "because it makes being 6 that much better."

there's no party like a 6 year old's party

So Seal Pup the elder turned 6 last week.  It was a big deal.

As is our way, we celebrated for a week with daily gifts.

There were special dinners with fantastic desserts.

This year he requested a "vanilla cake frosted half-vanilla and half chocolate"--because I am, apparently, made of time--NTS: cake from Nick Malgieri's Perfect Cakes book--vanilla butter cream frosting and milk chocolate ganache with additional heavy cream for extra whip to match butter cream volume).

There were special mom and son birthday breakfasts at The Shack.

And there was a party was a party...with games.

happy st. patrick's day!!

let's pretend it's spring!

We haven't done anything terribly exciting lately (obviously, or I certainly would have talked about it).  Since things were so quiet here on our little corner of the internet, I figured it was time to do something.  So the Pups and I had a "let's pretend it's spring!" adventure (it coincided very well with Papa's need to pretend that a weekend day was a work day, ahem). 

 We had fun.  No surprise, considering we were playing outside.

Tons more shots in flickr!