One more photo - that's it!

I often feel like a member of the paparazzi. Okay, so I only photograph my family, friends, trespassing wildlife, garden and whatever other ridiculousness I can find that will stand still long enough - but I feel it all the same. Why? Because the Hatchlings really know how to deliver the 'disgruntled celebrity' treatment when they've had enough of my camera.

Oh yes, they can turn on a dime, these little Hatchlings. One minute they can be gazing into the bay with a satisfied grin...

And then they realise you've captured the moment and their mood sours somewhat.

Okay, so maybe taking those last few irresistable snaps at the end of a long day out was a mistake on my part, but how could I resist this?

And just when I think Hatchling No.1 might be cool with it I get this:

Translation: "One more photo Mum, and NO MORE!!!!!!!!"

The Hatchlings rarely care if the light is amazing, or the scenery inspirational. They mostly like taking photos of their feet, given the chance. They leave me with no other option: I simply become a papparazzo. Sigh...

Note: Will somebody please insist that I cut this child's hair a little more often from now on?!

Thanking you in advance,

Jen x

Totally Team Jacob (this week)...

I've never been one to become hysterical over a pop star or movie star, and nothing has changed. I'm sure Taylor Lautner is a really nice guy, but Lordy there is no way he could compare to his on-screen Twilight character, Jacob!!

I want a werewolf like Jacob please!

Jen x

I'm not a photographer, but...

The Hatchlings often inspire me to whip out the camera and take large volumes of poorly thought out, spur-of-the-moment-type photos. They are kids and they do funny stuff a LOT - it's like trying to resist the urge to scratch your nose when its hayfever season. Impossible!

Then, on other occasions I play my offence game rather than my defence game. I take some time to think about where we could take some nice-looking, slightly more thought out photos. The following pictures are from a few months back.

It was warm, sunny and dry - unlike now when it is cold, foggy and damp. After about a million years of drought I am not complaining, but when I see these photos I realise I am REALLY looking forward to spring!

Hatchling No.2 is nothing more than a smiling, happy angel here on Earth. Except when he is beating up Hatchling No.1!

Ah, they're good buddies really. From this picture you'd never know that they wrestle, and squawk, and punch, and roar, and kick, and scream, and...

Awww, surely not....

Surely these are two of the most heavenly creatures to ever frolic through our lovely neighbour Bruce's orchard?

All those in agreement, please say "Ay".

Jen x

Why we love The Wiggles

Hi there!

When I was a preschooler I loved a t.v show called Romper Room. The host, Miss Helena was the most beautiful and amazing woman, and I ached to be one of the children actually AT Romper Room, playing with her.

The consolation for not actually being at Romper Room was that at the end of every episode she would look into her magic mirror, and she could actually see the kids who were watching from their lounge rooms - SHE REALLY COULD!

How do I know? Because she would tell you who she could see, man - I'm not kidding!

" I can see Sarah, and Ashley, and Peter, and Toby, and Emily, and Rosa..." and on and on she would go. Okay, so I never actually heard her say my name, but have no doubt I hung on her every word just in case she did!

The Hatchlings don't have Miss Helena to worship, but they do have The Wiggles. I couldn't resist capturing their "active tv viewing" of The Wiggles a few nights ago...

Sure I could have been more productive with my time (i.e. by cleaning up the apparent bombsite in our tv room), but where would the world be without footage like this to blackmail our children with at some later stage?

Jen x

The Butterfly Ball

In 1979 nothing filled my heart with joy more than hearing Roger Glover's voice belting out The Butterfly Ball on ABC television before Playschool started. Nothing that is, except for watching the video clip that went with it!

For a step back in time, visit www.theletterbug.blogspot.com to watch the original Butterfly Ball. It will be the best 3 minutes and 14 seconds of your day - I promise!!

Jen x

Mother's Day, babies and stuff

It must be a Mother's Day hangover or something, but I couldn't resist sifting through some baby photos of the Hatchlings this morning. This was the day that Hatchling No.1 arrived here on Planet Earth. Isn't he absolutely the most beautiful creature you've ever laid eyes on?

That's what I thought on the 20th October 2005. Look at that perfect little mouth. And the look of utter peace and serenity on his face. And those tiny fingers... Awwww.....

Biased? Me? No way! Hatchling No.1 really was the most beautiful newborn ever in the whole world, EVER.

No, really...

Really!

What a snoozy little character he was too. On day number one I couldn't wake this little Hatchling for love nor money. Good grief things had changed a bit by day number 31, but snoozing is still pretty high on Hatcnling No.1's priority list!

Okay, so he must have woken up at some point to schmooze Union Jack with his loving gazes.

Who knew that those tiny fingers would one day reach four and a half years old and at this very moment be throwing a ball for Phoenix at Granny Annie's place? Or getting his first taste of Aussie Rules football?

I want a newborn baby to hold - just not one that is MINE!

I am ready for that newborn baby smell, long cuddles and a hopelessly floppy head that needs holding up...

Just as long as I can hand the little bundle of joy back to their Mummy when:

A) they need a nappy change.

B) They are crying a LOT

C) They need putting to sleep

D) I get bored and want to do something else, like swing my arms, pick my toes or do the Macarena.

Anyone want to take bets on whethere there'll be a Hatchling No.3 coming any time soon? Hahaha!

Jen x

Photoshop - The Time Machine.

Recently I was lucky enough to get my hands on Photoshop CS3. As you probably know, Photoshop is fantastic photo editing software - there is pretty much nothing it can't do. CS3 is not the latest and greatest that Photoshop has to offer (CS4 is now available), but it is more than enough for a newbie like me.

HOWEVER!!!!

There really should be a warning in bold on the side of the packaging, because Photoshop is also a time machine. Really!

I can sit down to do a quick 20 minute editing session, and when I look up 3 hours have gone past. Similar to being abducted by aliens (so I believe - I have never personally been abducted by aliens), Photoshop is leaving me with many 'missing hours' in my week.

There is no time for this! I rush everywhere! I brush my teeth while I make the bed! I wash the dishes while I cook dinner and read 'Where is the Green Sheep?" to the Hatchlings!! Time (or the lack of it) is my enemy...

...I kind of love playing with Photoshop though. With persistance and a little help from The Pioneer Woman, I'm really learning a thing or two.

Take a look:

This is a picture of the Red Star cordyline that sits in a pot on my driveway.

Here it is again with a 70's effect applied to the image. Now it looks like my Red Star cordyline's Grandmother from, well, the 70's I guess.

And here she is again all funkied up for 2010. Vibrant, sharp, groovy cordyline. I like it!

Quality photographers are able to capture the perfect moment when a bee searches for pollen amongst the petals of a flower. What do I manage to photograph?

An ant.

What is an ant doing when he climbs up into the highest branches of a shrub and pretends he's a bee? I think he is an ant with big ideas and a lot of ambition. You can't knock him for that...

With a black and white treatment he now looks like a 'pin-up' ant. You know, a poster boy, a super model perhaps...

And then with some sunshine added he is transformed into a retro hippy-ant on his way to Woodstock. If he wasn't naked he'd be in brown corduroy flares and a paisley body shirt, for sure.

I rest my case. Between exploring the joy of Photoshop and writing questionable posts such as this, the mystery of my colossal laundry pile is explained.

Whatever!!

Jen x