I decided this week that since I’m starting to get a little more comfortable using my camera in manual mode, but still need lots and lots of practice, I was going to make a point to get it out every day and use it. And I have. So, while I also took a BAJILLION pictures on my phone (you can see those on instagram or on my tumblr page), all of the pictures in this post were taken with my beloved Nikon.

May 13

Mother’s Day! We celebrated my niece’s 10th birthday with an afternoon dinner, which included a lot of my family (and my grandparents!). It was pretty special. Also special? My hubs took some pictures of me with the kids, and they were all willing to pose with me! I’m hardly ever in the pictures, because I’m usually taking them, so I wanted to be in a few.

May 14

The boy got a haircut and got into EVERYTHING. I probably have a few more gray hairs this week. But isn’t his little tush just So. Stinkin. Cute?

May 15

It was a warm evening. Grandpa was getting some grass clippings for the garden, and the kids were playing. Erv was a mess, and nekkid (okay, he had a diaper on).

May 16

It was Ivy’s last ballet class before summer. Her teacher was a college student, and went back home to Nebraska (maybe?). Somewhere wires got crossed and they girls didn’t have a substitute, so some guys that were cleaning out the foam pit in the gym blew up the bounce house and let them play for a while.

May 17

Thursday was spent cleaning in anticipation of company for the kids’ end of school programs, so there wasn’t a bunch of interesting activity to take pictures of. But, Ivy got a boo boo on her elbow and wanted me to take a picture of it so she could see it. Because mirrors are so 2011.

It’s terrible, isn’t it? I don’t know why I didn’t rush her to the hospital.

May 18

Ivy’s last day of preschool, and her program. Yes, I cried. But it was mostly when her teacher cried. So, that’s my excuse (one of them).

But, there was a really funny moment, too. As her teacher was talking to everyone about what they were going to do, and about to introduce the songs, Ivy raises her hand. She gets her teacher’s attention, essentially stopping the program, and points to a bug on the floor in front of the seats. Then she gets off the risers and stands next to it until her teacher steps on it.

That girl.

May 19

Zoo day! We went to the Omaha zoo with the kids’ nana and papa (who have been visiting from AR) and Mama Mash‘s family to celebrate Julie’s birthday. (But no cake? What the heck?) It was fun, and exhausting, and a great way to spend the day.

I did use my Nikon, and some of the pictures were in manual. BUT. I was totally overwhelmed with the drastic changes in light…going from the super bright sunshine to the pitch dark nocturnal animal building to the shade to the semi-dark buildings and back again, over and over. So, in some cases, I just turned it back on auto to get a few decent pictures. I was way out of my league today!

And, I had a lot of favorites, s it was hard to choose just one. But, I love this picture of Ivy eating her apple, all oblivious to the gorilla behind her. No biggie.

This week was super Ivy-centric, wasn’t it? Oh well. How was your week?