Ok, so about a year ago here on the blog I discussed how Timmy learned to swim in the big pool- albeit wearing his swimmy vest. Here’s the post. Well, today at the "crunchy club" the kid basically taught himself to swim. In the big pool. All by himself. No swimmy vest. Just swimming. He’s pretty awesome and  still "cuter than pie" ala Jack & Patrick.

A few weeks back on a rainyish weekend when I was shooting,  John (& Nelson too) took the boys to the Coney Island Aquarium and then to a Brooklyn Cyclones game. At the game, Timmy’s picture was on the big screen as the "best smile" of the game. Really, the kid is too cute. If I say so myself.

As for the big boys, they had their second swimming lesson today with Robert (who they are loving- they were watching for him to get off the lifeguard stand for like 15 minutes before their lesson). They are really doing great. Learning the strokes and even some diving today. Actual real headfirst diving. From a knee for now, but they’ll be getting all the way there soon. And most importantly, they really like it.

Worked up the invitations for the big boys birthday party where The Turn will be playing! They are SO totally excited.

Front:

Back:

John and Ken booked a big whirlwind baseball trip for just the boys coming up the first weekend of August. They are flying to Kansas City (ya, the plane is at 6am. SIX AM. That means they have to leave the house around 4:30am. Good luck with that.) on a Friday, seeing the Royals vs. White Sox Friday night. Visiting the Negro League Hall of Fame Museum Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon more Royals vs. Sox, driving toward St.Louis Saturday evening and stopping where ever to sleep. Sunday morning visiting Gateway Arch and seeing St. Louis vs. Philadelphia Sunday night. Monday, driving to Chicago to see the Cubs vs. Astros that night and leaving Chicago Tuesday morning to fly home. Do you think they might be a little tired when it’s all done?

Just a side note…I know there are a lot more pictures of Timmy than of the big boys. But there is a legitimate reason for that. One, most of the time, they are at school and Timmy’s around more. Two, they are so totally sick of my camera. Like Pavolvian dogs, when they hear the velcro ripping on my camera bag, they scatter like bugs. So while I’d like to take more pictures of them they suffer severely from PCS (photographers child syndrome) and will not have it unless they are in the mood or bribed. So I try to leave them alone as much as possible so when the really important things come up that I need pictures of them for, they may possibly cooperate. Maybe. 

(said in my best Sarah Jessica Parker/Carrie voice as she admires those incredible shoes in the window in an episode of SATC).  Here are my new purchases from Mecca B & H photo in NYC from Sunday. More on those in a second.

I just need to interject here that up until this month I have never ever driven in NYC. With me driving the car- I’ve been the passenger a zillion times. (okay, I did drive thru NYC once back in 1998 or so, but it was kinda by accident- I was heading back to work from NJ and the people in the car with me made me cut thru the city and I paniced the whole way). Yes, I’m 38 years old and live less than 30 miles from Manhattan. Sad, but true. But it was fine and fun and I even liked it. I think having the navigation system is really the key. And now that I’ve been travelling all over creation for shoots, it dosen’t seem like such a big deal. Weekday rushhour I might feel differently about- but a Sunday morning/afternoon seemed like a good place to start. Yeah, me! But…I have still never taken a public bus in my life. I take a lot of crap about that around here but I am not ruining my lifelong streak. No buses.

With all the travelling I’ve been doing, you know I had to do some documentation. Here are some shots from the weekend on the way back from Staten Island of NYC and the bridge.

Anyway, after completing my super fun shoot Sunday morning down on the Lower East Side (look for those pictures coming soon) I went to B & H to do a little shopping. And man, it was fun! It was my first time there without Timmy, so I could actually concentrate and ask good questions. My pal Ori helped me again this time. Mom & Ken were so super generous (yet again) and gave me the funds to pick up a second Canon 5D (so now both my cameras are super professional 5D’s- no more 30D backup!) as an early birthday present. Now weddings are going to be a breeze since I can pop one lens on each camera and shoot just as perfectly with both. Let’s see what else I bought…a new Crumpler 7 million dollar home (had the 6 million dollar home- but I want to carry both camera bodies with me so I needed a bigger "house"). A new card reader (so super fast- love that it takes 1/4 of the time to download pictures now), a new 4gig card, a new filter for the 50mm lens (mine got lost), and a small diffuser for my external flash (I have the gary fong lightsphere which I love, but sometimes just need something smaller). So it was a great big haul. When I got home and took the new 5D out of the box, I did actually say "hello, lovah" out loud. Between that and the dancing around with the happy dance, I am/was certifiable. Thanks Mom & Ken!!!!!!!!

Ok, so to any photographers that read this blog…if you are interested I’m selling my Crumpler 6million dollar home. It’s in excellent condition. (you can see it here: crumpler 6 million It’s the red one w the light blue interior) Email me at bbeyrer1@optonline.net for pricing. I’ll even throw in my little rectangular case logic bag that can hold a DSLR camera body with lens.

Next purchase…I must find a good digital point n shoot. I need something small and portable (that dosen’t cost over $2000.00) that I can bring with me on days/events I can’t lug the big guns. Any suggestions?

Finally, really finally, I made it down to the beach club twice this week. That brings my summer 2008 total of beach runs to a whopping 4 times. Working on fixing that total in August. It’s been so nice down there, the big boys have been so so good and so wonderfully helpful with carrying stuff and listening. It’s been totally pleasant (except for the fact that Tuesday after being all sandy and yuck from going in the ocean- yes, both Timmy and I went in the ocean- shocking I know- we went to shower back in the locker and we had no water. But that has since been fixed) and lovely and fun. Forgot how much I like the beach.