A Day in the Life

A Photoblog by Joel

Flashlight Walk

February 27, 2019

Kids love flashlights, and ours are no exception. One way we get the late night wiggles out is to go on a Flashlight walk. The kids love it! Tonight was extra special because we took the LED lantern.

Emmett holding a lantern, Elle holding a flashlight.
Elle standing with the lantern

Good Weather Walk

February 24, 2019

This has been a long, cold winter. I’m done! I’ve had enough of it. Today was a wonderfully nice 45º day outside and I made sure to take advantage of it. I took the kids for a walk over to Orem High School to get some wiggles out and get some sun exposure. Pretty sure it’s the most sun I’ve had in weeks. It was so nice to be outside.

Emmett and Elle walking down the street.
Mt Timpanogos covered in snow
Elle, wearing her star coat, green dress, and Sky helmet poses on her bike
Emmett and Elle making funny faces
Emmett smiles for the camera

Emmett

February 23, 2019
Emmett in B&W.

Bedtime Showtime

February 20, 2019

Sometimes they brush their teeth and get the jammies on and get snuggles and get stories and songs and the royal treatment. And sometimes you take the path of least resistance to get them in bed as fast as you can because it’s late and they should have been sleeping an hour ago and you’re the solo parent for the night.

Emmett and Elle sitting in bed in their jammies watching a show on my phone

Austin Photowalk

February 16, 2019

I’m down in Austin on 460 business attending the TOA Summit for the Texas Optometric Association. We’ve been working with the TOA for a little over a year now, and they’re such good people. It’s always fun (and kinda expensive!) coming to visit Austin for a few days. Staying right in downtown gives me easy access to get out and take some new photos. These are from my stroll on Friday morning. Shot in Classic Chrome with my 12mm F2.

Jump electric bikes in Austin
Las Chismosas Taco Stand in Austin, Texas
A scene of downtown Austin, with an older building painted in red
An alley lined with garbage dumpsters in Austin, Texas
An alley in downtown Austin, Texas
A man stands in the street while waiting for the crossing light to change.

So, fun story on this on. The other day at home I had Siri “play me something new”. One of the songs I heard was from a 2004 album by Marc Broussard. It was catchy so I added to my library.

Today on my walk-around I thought I’d give them whole album a listen. Lo and behold, as I’m heading back whose name should I see on some signage! Marc Broussard! Too bad he was sold out.

The signage on Antone's in Austin advertising Marc Broussard, Sold Out
A distant view of the State Capital in Austin, Texas
Firefighters clean an Engine in Austin, Texas

French Fry House

February 7, 2019

French Fries, Chicken Nuggets, and Apple Juice. Throw in a play place and we’ve got some happy kids.

Sunday Morning

February 3, 2019
Emmett and Elle
Emmett wanted to show me his LEGO creations so I could take a picture of them, and Elle wanted to just play with them. I love their expressions.

Farm Country

February 2, 2019

Today the winter weather was warm enough to warrant a trip to Thanksgiving Point for a visit to Farm Country to see the animals and go on a pony ride. It’s always a fun time for the kids.

Emmett smiles while sitting at a toy tractor
Elle smiles in her winter star jacket
A view of Utah Valley from Farm Country at Thanksgiving Point
Horses

At a cabin in Kamas

January 20, 2019

We had a fun opportunity to spend a night at a cabin up in Kamas with Alicia’s family this past weekend. A huge winter storm had just wrapped up before we left so we were greeted with several feet of snow up there. It was so beautiful! And so cold. And so fun.

It was cold. It was snowy. It was a cabin in the mountains. What else could you ask for in January?
A long exposure on a cold winter night.
I was really hoping for a clear sky so I could get some really awesome star photos but alas, it was overcast and even though I took this long exposure in the dark of night it just looks like the afternoon.
I saw some cars coming down the road so I quickly set down my camera for along exposure. I thought it had finished and picked it up. It hadn’t finished.
Putting a kid-sized table around a support pole is a pretty great idea.
These two played with each other all weekend – so cute! Here they are wearing their backpacks and going to school together.
Esme. Elle. Isaac. Born ~4 weeks apart.
Puzzles are a fun business for Laura and Kate.
Puzzles are serious business for Alicia and Jen.
A snowy morning on the banks of the Provo River in Kamas, Utah on the way to the Wolf Creek Pass
On Saturday morning I got up early with the sun rise and went for a walk down the road alongside the Provo River.
Everyone loves breakfast. Except Kate.
Saturday morning found us all outside playing the snow, climbing around getting stuck, and having snowball fights.

Sunday Morning Breakfast

January 20, 2019
Emmett and Elle eating breakfast on their little table.