More backyard shots

Here are the rest of the pics from our play day in the backyard before the big storm hit. These are some of my favorite shots of Super Cooper, and they'll remain my favorites till I take some more photos of him.

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

From Cooper in Backyard

The calm before the storm.

I don't typically get too worked up when the weather folks around here start their four days of lead up on how terrible the impending snow storm is, frankly because they aren't typically correct. Usually when they call for 2 feet, we end up with a trace so this latest round didn't really register much with me. Today was supposed to be the last nice day, and while it took a bit to get there we ended up with a bit of nice weather.

Cooper just absolutely loves playing outside, so when the weather is poor we end up with a cranky little boy who stands at the backdoor and yells at us. He doesn't understand why the dogs get to go outside and he doesn't. So today we bundled him up a bit and headed out to play. I brought out the camera, as always, and shot lots of pics. I really loved a lot of the shots we got today. In an order to get away from my iMac though, I decided to just start with 5 photos tonight and I'll be adding the rest in the next couple days.

From Day before the storm

From Day before the storm

From Day before the storm

From Day before the storm

From Day before the storm

As we played outside, the sunny, snow capped peaks in the background started quickly disappearing. I kept an anxious eye to the sky, but then ultimately decided at 2:30 that the time was now. I bundled up and headed West to find some dry dirt before the storm. Pondering my options, I ended up at Hall Ranch. I really love Hall, but people call it "AssHall's Ranch" for a reason. Typically overrun with CU frat boys that can't bring themselves to yield to uphill riders as to not harsh their flow, but on a weekday at 3pm its likely empty and the descent is hard to beat.

Drove over to Lyons, grabbed a parking spot in town and then off I started pedaling. Took the quicker option and climbed up the Antelope trail, did a quick loop and then the descent through the rock garden back to town. Stopped up on the loop for a quick call with my Mom, snapped a pic or two and then headed down.

From Day before the storm

As I hit the bottom parking lot, the skies started to open up. I would have preferred snow, but it was rain mostly, with some slushy stuff mixed in too. Not a problem for me with only a mile of downhill on the road back to the car, but wondered about the people I passed heading up in SHORTS! Wow, they must have been frozen when they got back.

Back to the car and loaded up, Betty the Yeti was pleased to have gotten out. And so was I.

From Day before the storm

More Cooper Bath Pics

From Cooper's Bath

After researching, studying and finally pulling the trigger on a ridiculously sweet multi-flash wireless remote setup it all finally arrived and I've been a kid in the candy store playing with it all. I can wirelessly trigger 3 flashes at once, which opens up a huge realm of possibilities for photos.

So tonight, as Cooper was enjoying his bath, I grabbed one of the flashes and just snapped some pics while he splashed around and played. I really needed another fill flash on the right side of him for proper light, but loved a couple of these regardless of my lighting technique.

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

From Cooper's Bath

And a sneak peak at my niece Reese's second photoshoot we did this morning with the new lighting setup. I won't spoil all the pics for Sarah, as she is an eager blogger these days but thought I'd throw up a quick teaser...

From Reese's 2nd Photoshoot

Ladies love cowboys...

Sarah dug this up and posted it on her blog, and I got such a kick out of it that I decided I had to post it up.

I love a good trail...

Jill and I took advantage of the 80 degree temps to bargain with Sarah to watch Coop for a couple hours last Sunday. We headed over to the South Boulder trails, which have really turned into a great local ride with the additions of the new trails. Within 15 minutes of leaving Sarah's place, we were on the trails and riding.

Lots of people out, but most were pretty considerate. We did a nice loop and then headed back to blow out sprinklers and eat some take out. Here are a couple pics from our day.

From SoBo Trails

From SoBo Trails

From SoBo Trails

Catching up

Its been a bit of a blur lately it seems. I had a much needed week in Denver, parentals came out for a visit, some fantastic weather and some really cold weather. We've been on the go quite a bit, trying to squeeze out as much fun and outdoors as we can as the seasons start to turn quickly.

And of course, lots of time with Cooper. Jill snapped this picture the other day after grabbing lunch with MJ, Yack, Sarah and Reese. This is one of my favorites, the kid's expressions just crack me up.



Cooper has grown really fond of the backyard. He loves to run around outside, and every now and then stops to share a stick with Molly.


Jill got him fancied up a bit to go see her friend Julie and her new baby boy River


And we had some fun with him, letting him get more acquainted with Reese


And he promptly stiff armed her away


One day he decided to see if he could fit in his drum Auntie Sarah got him






Another daily ritual we've started is letting Cooper help us get the mail across the street. Sometimes he isn't ready to come back inside just yet




The yellow leaves have turned brown, the days are getting short and winter is threatening but that isn't necessarily a bad thing as it means we'll be spending more time inside with Cooper and the puppies.

Always good to be back home

Twas a long week in my temporary great white northern residence, and after a mechanical pushed our flight from a 7:30pm landing time to a 9:30 landing time, it was that much better to be home. Its been an incredible 2 - 3 years for me career wise, things have really taken off, but with that comes being at the end of the responsibility ladder. This can be challenging at times when things don't get done in the manner you would personally hand them, but its all life lessons that I put into the bank.

Those problems are long forgotten though when I get done with a week of work and start chasing that crazy Cooper around the house. So today, after dealing with more work setbacks I logged off and grabbed my camera and Cooper and I played around the house (before heading to the park later in the day).

When I was a kid, I often hid and lurched out at my Dad in a game very similar to Inspector Clouseau and Cato from the Pink Panther movies. I think I am going to learn to regret that..Here Cooper practices his Cato pouncing position.

From Cooper Around the house

Evidently I'm hilarious to 14 month olds

From Cooper Around the house

Working on the "I need something" pout

From Cooper Around the house

And a self portrait of me and my boy. Its amazing how much you can love a kid, this kid just makes me laugh all the time.

From Cooper Around the house