Rub a Dub Dub

One of their favorite activities... Bath Time!!


Bella insists on putting toys on top of Julietta's head, and pouring water on her. Julietta is pretty fierce, though. She has learned quickly how to handle having a big sister. I have already caught myself saying to Arabella, "Bella, you aren't the boss." which was probably the sentence my parents used most often with me when I was growing up with a younger brother.

Here are some of my favorite images from their bath time a few days ago. I had quite a few pictures of them just sitting and looking at me, cute as can be, but those didn't make it into my favorites folder. I chose the images that really made me laugh or feel something, although maybe not technically perfect... the ones that told more of a story. Little by little my style is emerging.

Goodnight Irene

We said goodbye to Alex's sister, Irene, for a while. We don't know when we will be back in Spain, and since Irene can't leave the monastery, it's up to us to go see her again. I got so many images that I absolutely love on this trip. It doesn't hurt that the nuns are so sweet and playful. I always want to pick up Halel, the mother superior, and swing her around. She's the cutest thing you ever did see.

 Seeing Irene for the first time. This is what Bella does when she feels shy.

Un beso

On a nature walk. Bella is the leader, of course.

Julietta knows how to give kisses now.

Sunset and playing with Papá.

This is one of my favorite shots with Halel.

A Very GERRIE Christmas

I bet if my name were Geraldine, people would have used "A very Gerrie Christmas" a BUNCH of times. I'm sure of it. And if I know my friend, Gerrie, she's probably either a) used it herself, or b)plans to do it from now on just because that is the kind of girl Gerrie is. She is my oldest and closest friend here in Valencia. We have gone on maaaaaaany adventures together - many of them involving freak dancing, tequila shots and random guitar playing strangers, among them - "Beatles Guy".

Anyway, my friends, a little over a week ago, I got to go out with my dear friend Gerrie for the first time in TWO YEARS. It was the first time I'd been out with anyone, actually. Yes, you read that right. Two years. If you knew me before I was españolisized, you would have known that to be ludicrous. I think I must have seen a friend every single day. Friendship to me is one of my life lines.

So, Gerrie and I  made plans to meet  up during the day when my in-laws could watch the girls and I wouldn't have to worry about Julietta waking them up every few hours.  Smart thinking, I know. We went to El barrio del Carmen, our old stomping ground, and you'll never believe what we did! We talked, had a few drinks, and TOOK PICTURES OF OURSELVES. Ha ha ha!! We found a very dark, colorful bar called El Infante, which is decorated with vintage posters, and we tried to pose like the movie stars in the posters!!

This is one of the many reasons I love Gerrie. We get so silly together. We have so much fun doing dorky things, despite the fact that we undoubtedly get stares and possibly eye rolls from fellow customers.

Now, you may have noticed that the quality of these photos isn't the best, but listen to this - they were taken at ss 1/40 and at f/1.4, if you can believe that!! That's some hard core stuff! I can't remember what the iso was, but it was high. That's why they are so grainy.  I was just amazed by Gerrie's artistic eye, and by the fact that she got so wrapped up in the posing and in getting "the shot".

This last one is my favorite of me. And after a gin and tonic or two. Man, I am impressed! Way to go, Gerrie!

A Little Grain Never Hurt Anyone

I wanted to take pictures of Julietta in our living room, near the main window.  I set everything up while she was snoozing - moved all the coats that were hanging on the coat rack behind her, threw the the shoes underneath the love seat into a pile out of sight... etc. When she finally woke up it had clouded over and started to storm. I did snap a couple shots, but by this time, I had to crank my ISO up to 1,000 (I really hate using flash because I don't know how to use it right)!!! Despite these extreme measures, my photos were still under exposed. What happens when you use a high ISO without a professional camera? Noise noise noise! And what if you also underexpose your pictures?? You guessed it - noise that's more like grain. I mean, it's like newsprint.

"Who cares?" I say. "BRING IT ON!"  In my opinion ANY image is better than a blank piece of paper. It can serve to teach us what NOT to do next time, but it can also give us room to use our imagination and create something that we had not initially intended. I love the way this shot came out with some messing around in Photoshop (okay, okay, YES, I also used an action. You got me!).