Gettin' All Manual Up In Heeeahh!

Hold on to your britches, everyone....more pictures coming your way!

Today Kyle and I packed up the Anna Bear in the "Anna Purse" (as John calls it) and ventured off to Point Lobos for an early morning hike with some amazing scenery of the Pacific coastline.

Poor Anna is too little to look out over the top of the papoose but she did enjoy looking out the sides until the rocking motion of our hike lulled her back to sleep.

In photography news: Today I went all manual with that bad boy and played with the lighting and contrast settings on the camera. My dear husband was so patient with me as I took about 10 shots of each picture (adjusting the shutter and aperture for each one all in the name of practicing with the monstrosity of a camera). Yowza! I'm glad he and Anna didn't leave me on the trail by my lonesome.

But as I was looking back through these pictures I can only think that God is so good, people. At 9 AM on a beautiful, clear, cool day on the very edge of the Pacific Ocean how can one deny His creative hand at work in nature? Fer reelz. Spectacular!

My token Anna pictures for the day.....Happy Five Months, Little Miss. I can't believe you are already almost half-way to your first birthday. You were just born?!?!

Can you tell she's laughing at me because I brought out the camera again.

"You're kidding, right?! That thing again?! stop it"

Smiling with her stuffed elephant

"I'm holding this elephant for ransom until you stop taking pictures of me!"

Sweet little girl

I really think I could eat these little piggies. Wrap 'em up in some Pillsbury crescent rolls and have me some pigs in a blanket...yum-myyyy

Things I like about Carmel.....cute homes

with wavy "fairy tale" roofs

cute garage doors

perfect flower boxes in the windows

amazingly tended gardens

flowers on steriods

welcoming entries

creative home names...this part of the house is called "The Big House"

And the little attached guest house is called "The Dog House"....clever

unique flower/vegetation things

The Tuck Box! Oops, got a little excited here and overexposed this picture but whatever.

Tomorrow is Friday and my little man is returning to Carmel after a short stint at Mamaw and Grandpa's the past few days. I can't wait to see him. I've missed him terribly but I hear he has had great fun playing with Glenda, Jessica, and Brooke, helping Mamaw run some errands, eating lots of samples during a Costco trip, swimming in the pool with Grandpa. What an adventure! Thanks to Glenda, Mamaw, & Grandpa who have been taking great care of him while he's away from us. See you tomorrow, little man!