Monthly Archives: October 2011

Happy Halloween From Our Jedis

by Adel Posted on October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween from Padawan Obi Wan and Master Yoda!

It’s a busy day for us all. Lots of games and a parade at school that I’m volunteering to help with as well as Trick or Treating tonight! So I will leave you with a peek into what our day is gonna look like.

My little Padawan ready for training and battle

Master Yoda will be overseeing all training and scheduling today

There was some Jedi training to prepare for the big day

I can’t wait to take my Jedi’s trick or treating today. We’ll have more pictures later this week with Grizz and I in costume too. For now I’m off to tackle and enjoy this fun holiday!

Have a great Halloween everyone!

Posted in Family | Tagged halloween, jedi, obi wan, padawan, star wars, yoda | 2 Comments

Faceless Friday

by Adel Posted on October 28, 2011

It’s the Friday Eve of Halloween. Here’s my faceless recap for the week. Sorry I’m pretty tapped out from a long day with the kids and covered in more brown fabric than I ever want to see again! So here goes

I’ve decided I have a thing for stairs as well as feet. I love the way lines lead in any stairwell. Jack-Jack and I often stop at interesting ones around our neighborhood and have a little snack after dropping Rex off in the mornings

I don’t know what to call this pose so it didn’t make it into my post I did on our lens testing walk. But it makes me smile so I’ll post it here

3 color sky view from Jack-Jack’s bedroom window one morning

My Grizz playing catch with this adorable little girl at the playground

Rex swinging his pretty little classmate at our playground play date over the weekend

In full uniform for our dim sum brunch

Mommy and daddy. Jack-Jack knew exactly who these faces were. That totally looks like us

My weekends are filled with activities like dyeing pasta for school project nowadays

We ran into some little dogs on our walk up Bernal Hill one day. My Jack-Jack wanted to pet them. Rex wanted to slice their heads off. *sigh*

Examining the rocks instead of eating them

The magic markers are still off limits to her. She only gets crayons right now. She does not like this arrangement

Shoes off for the sandpit

What is it with boys and holes in their jeans. I’m always mending them. My jeans never get holes in them. Someone please explain to me why they can’t keep their jeans hole-less??

One of our two B brother sharks on pool night

Now I’m off to finish Halloween stuff. Have a great and scary weekend everyone!

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Foggy Bernal Hill Sunset

by Adel Posted on October 27, 2011

This week has been an especially crazy week for me. Mostly because I’ve been stressed over finishing our costumes for Halloween. How is it October 31st is this upcoming Monday?? I really should have thought about that little fact before I went and rented this lens for the week.

But since I already had it I needed to be able to try it out and play with it as much as I could. This time I lugged all 3 kids up our hill. Yes I’m counting the lens as one extra kid. It’s almost as big as Jack-Jack.

We went in search of another sunset however this time I was not as lucky as the fog had already started to roll in…

I did get some sunshine in between the breaks in the rolling fog as it set but that actually made shooting much more difficult since I was constantly having to adjust my settings to compensate in the change of light every few minutes

We walked up the hill toward the top but didn’t make it all the way since the wind picked up. And my little officer decided to use his sister as pretend target practice with his gun/ninja sword. *sigh* This really is a very accurate glimpse into my daily life as their mother.

Whenever the sun did peek out I did catch some nice hazy backlit shots.

My son has been back on his police officer kick lately. So many of my recent posts show him in some variation of his uniform. This particular jacket he’s wearing I’ve missed alot. I made it for him a couple of years ago with actual SFPD patches sewn onto the sleeves and I even ironed on Chief on the front and Police on its back. He used it so much back then but this is the first time I’ve seen it in over a year. I’m happy he’s still getting some use out of it before he finally outgrows it

Anyway since the wind had started picking up we headed back down to our “Amber Pattern” we’d found last time we were here. We got a little more shelter from the wind here so I let the little one figure out the rocks around her while my oldest walked the pattern

I was just WAITING for her to put one of the rocks in her mouth but surprisingly she DIDN’T! She did however almost attempt to taste a twig, but stopped when I yelled.

What was I saying yesterday? Baby steps, right? We’ve come far in just a couple of short months with the whole eating-everything-in-sight

We stayed up on the hill for about 20 mins or so. The constant changing of light was starting to annoy me. I also had a pot roast waiting on us at home so I propped them up for one last brother-sister shot (which they grudgingly obliged to) and we headed home

I’m praying we’ll get one more clear and pretty sunset before I return this bad boy lens!

Posted in Family, Photography | Tagged bernal, hill, sunset | 2 Comments

Click It Up A Notch – October Favorite

by Adel Posted on October 26, 2011

Ok just sitting here and selecting my favorite shot of the month is making me very anxious. No it’s not because I have SO MANY to choose from. It’s just that it means we’re almost to October 31st and our Halloween costumes are not finished yet!! Ahhh… I think I’ve been playing around with that fat lens all week that’s why I’ve let everything else slide…

Anyway, I’ll make this as short and sweet as possible. It was tempting to pick a shot I took this week with the big lens because I got so many types of shots out of it I don’t usually get with the lenses I own. However, after looking through everything I’ve taken this month I’m selecting this one of my first born that I took on our first Photo Walk we did together

I showcased this photo in black and white when I first posted it. I decided that I have a slight preference of it in color so here it is again

Check out the rest of the great shots that are always submitted every month over at Click It Up A Notch!

Posted in Photography | Tagged photography, stairs | 9 Comments

Cheesy Matching Headbands!

by Adel Posted on October 26, 2011

Ah yes, these days I’m enjoying reaping the benefits of having a daughter… Some days a little more than others…

I found this simple tutorial for making headbands from scrap materials. I’ve also seen some variation of this using lace. So while I was at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics shopping for our Halloween costume fabrics I picked up a couple of yards of lace to play with.

It truly is a simple little craft. I measured the amount of lace I’d need for Jack-Jack’s head

And then just cut up a small piece of elastic to join the ends and sewed them on. It was so simple I made one with 2 strips of skinny lace and another with just one strip of thicker lace

I don’t know why it tickles me so to wear matching headbands with my 17 month old daughter

But it does

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s like having my very own real life doll to play with some days!

I got about 5 minutes of her wearing it on her head before she yanked it off though. Still 5 minutes is still 4.5 minutes longer than the last time I put something on her head! Baby steps people. Baby steps.

And then just cos I was on a roll with the whole matching dress-up thing that day I kept on going with other stuff I’d bought

Haha…. I’m still laughing as I post these shots. I look so silly, but I just love them! Even she got tired of the whole dress up thing after awhile

Hey, I’m pulling the whole nine-months-in-my-belly card for this one!

Posted in Crafts | Tagged crafts, headbands | 2 Comments

Heat Wave At The Playground

by Adel Posted on October 25, 2011

We had Rex’s K Class play date this past weekend. The whole family got to enjoy (suffer in) what was I swear SF’s hottest day EVER. At least that’s what it felt like.

The morning actually started off cool so my boy was in full uniform to meet his buddies

My little Jack-Jack was happy to be part of the big kids’ party

We were the first ones there so we got the run of the playground before everyone started showing up

My Rex kept his police jacket on for as long as he could stand…

… but soon gave it up in the heat and to play in the sand pit

My baby was ecstatic to find a REAL slide (she only knows our living room chaise as her slide) and proceeded to climb it the only way she knows how

She quickly found out how it was absolutely the WRONG way a slide works and was very upset. I’ll give her props for not giving up easily though

We let her play in the heat for awhile but it really got to be too much for us San Franciscans. We’re used to 60 degree light jacket weather all year round. We really don’t know what to do when it gets over 80. So after awhile I tried to keep her in the shade

And just so you know I’m not the only parent who can’t deal with 80 degree weathers. Most of the other parents there were also all under the shady trees as much as they could be. And when the sun moved so the shade became minimal the umbrellas came out!

We lasted almost 3 hours in our heat wave of a morning. Soon though even the kids started melting. As much fun as Rex was having, he was ready to go

Overall I don’t think there has ever been a hotter day that we’ve spent at a playground since he was born. Yes it was that hot.

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Test Driving A Lens With My Officer Escort

by Adel Posted on October 24, 2011

Late last week I decided to rent a pretty sweet lens. It’s Nikon’s 70-200mm f/2.8. This bad boy is pretty darn sexy. Except it’s HUGE. The evening I picked it up I was itching to just try it out. I bribed my older one into taking a walk with me down the street so I could snap a few test shots.

This is what happens when you tell him he can forego finishing his dinner and have a couple of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups instead

One SUPER cooperative 5yo!

He donned his Police hat and black leather jacket for the walk (Oh how I’ve missed this little officer!)

I got all kinds of cute, natural happy poses from him while I shot him from across the street and he watched for oncoming traffic for me

I believe this one’s called the zombie-walk

We made it down to our neighborhood controversial vintage Coca-Cola sign

He never complained once. That has never happened when I take him out just to photograph him

I am so grateful for days like these when he is just happy to be out with his mama. They get fewer and further apart as he gets older so I cherish them so. Of course I’m sure a lot of what put him in a great mood was the knowledge that he’d get chocolate treats instead of having to finish dinner when we got home

So now I know what to use as leverage when I really want to get some great shots of him!

Posted in Photography | Tagged bernal, coca-cola sign, photography, police | 3 Comments

Faceless Friday

by Adel Posted on October 21, 2011

Yep it’s official. I blink and I’m sitting here putting my Friday recap post again.

Isn’t it bad luck to open an umbrella indoors? It doesn’t apply to toddlers right?

I’ve decided he’ll NEVER give up on guns. So I’m joining in. I got my own Nerf gun and am now trying to figure out how to “supe” it up.

(Indian) Summer shopping on Burlingame Ave

Waiting in line for crepes

Orange and black doesn’t only mean the SF Giants. Halloween is right around the corner…

No peeking

Shots like these always melt my heart just a little every time

Bacon Cheddar Epi from our favorite bakery. It’s our Sunday fix.

Firing up the pit at our annual neighborhood festival on the hill

Ok even I was addicted to watching these tiny beads grow into squishy little balls. We bought like 6 packs

She’s started reaching for his hand to hold when they walk down the street. I won’t lie, most of the time he thinks it’s a pain. Some times though he holds on tightly to her little fingers and makes sure she stays safe.

He selected this for his one thing I let him buy at the festival. A ninja sword. *sigh* I got in trouble with Grizz for this one…

And my little Jack-Jack chose this…

One evening the kids were driving me completely insane and I needed a 5 minute time out. I grabbed the camera, left Grizz with them and walked down the street to clear my head. I caught some interesting things just steps from our home…

This person’s front yard was decorated with all kinds of colorful teapots. So cute.

This is the closest hydrant to our home. I hope it still works if we need it too…

This yellow ribbon has been there for a long time….

And finally I’ll leave you with a shot of my baby girl digging through her big brother’s toys while he’s at school

Have a happy warm weekend everyone!

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Dining Al Fresca SF Sidewalk-Style

by Adel Posted on October 20, 2011

Ah one of the many unique things about living in our city. We have one week of hot weather (yes, yes I know 75 degrees is not considered hot) and everyone wants to sit outside and have coffee, lunch or dinner. Including our little family. So we walk to our favorite wine bar up the street – Vino Rosso

And it’s hot. I have to work some Photoshop magic to get rid of all that sweat dripping down my baby’s face. Ok it was just 2 drops of sweat. Still, the child doesn’t even know what to make of water coming out of her skin and dripping down her body

And here’s what’s so special about city-living. You wanna dine Al Fresca? Well sometimes your table is right next to the SF Public Water Works Department truck. Hey it actually provided us with some shade from the setting sun so we were happy to have it parked right by our table

Well I was at least. I like shade. My kids turned their noses up at the large green truck and moved to the sunny bench 3 feet away from our table

Well my daughter likes benches in general so she would have sat there regardless

But the truck didn’t stay there for long so my kids moved back over to join their parents.
Plus the food arrived

And the babe was hungry. Very hungry

So she sat there the whole time just eating. A LOT.

My picky eater of course had to be forcibly held down, tickled and fed so we could get some decent amount of food in him

We let the kids play for a bit on the tiny sidewalk. Don’t worry they’re city kids and are well-trained to stay ON the sidewalk

Grizz got to inhale the rest of his cheese plate and wine so you can tell he was in a good mood

Jack-Jack took over the table next to us and my Rex started hunting down random strangers walking by with his home made rifle

And since I was losing my pretty evening light, we decided to call it a night.

We rounded the kids (all TWO of them) and headed on our long 5 minute trek home.

Vino Rosso - If you live in Bernal (or close by), have young children, I highly recommend this place to you. We love it. Plus we just found out the owners’ oldest child goes to the same school as our little Rex. We’re happy to support a fellow parent at our school!

Posted in Family | Tagged al fresca, happy hour, vino rosso | Leave a comment

One Of The Nine Princes In Amber

by Adel Posted on October 19, 2011

That’s where my son’s (real) name originates from. He is named after the second son of Oberon and Faiella and the plot of this five book series centers mainly around him and his quest to become Amber’s King

If there are any science fiction fans reading my blog then you probably know what I’m referring to. I’m not one myself but I have access to the interwebs and Wiki. And Grizz. My Sci-Fi geek. So I learned a little about the two main things about this character my son is named after – His sword, Grayswandir. And The Pattern.

This new pattern inscribed by my son’s namesake is a significant part of the story. And we also came across one someone built on the hill in our neighborhood.