Heidi's Christmas photos

All Heidi wanted for Christmas was a family picture.  So, after I returned from work on Saturday, we climbed into the van and went to the library in Clayton.  I've written about getting another lens and blah blah blah, but we had to just make do with the 50mm 1.8 and 28-135.  Most of these were shot with the former.  When the focus is on, it's tack sharp, but it's not the best at long focal lengths and wide apertures.  

Thank goodness for the tripod and self-timer.  

I like these because the background looks like it's a green screen add-on or some kind of Olan Mills painted backdrop.  But that's the real landscape.

Scott got to bed late and woke up early just so he could "play piano, get it out of the way, and then do video games all day."  I mean, he was up and at 'em at 5:53 am, which is about when I left for worky.  Well, his attention was waning and he was not in the best of moods for family photos but at least we got this closed-mouth semi-smile.

I played around with the fill-flash on the camera on manual.  I would have liked a little darker background, ie, faster shutter, but everyone was pretty much done with photos.

Scott has been into making hash browns.  He makes them at least three times a week.  The other kids like to grate the potatoes but Scott doesn't like to share that part of the process.  I'm glad he's into cooking because being able to prepare what I want has brought me a lot of satisfaction.

My rolls, however, were a fail.  I started the yeast and then realized I didn't have any powdered milk to do the rolls.  I tried removing some of the water and just putting in some cow milk, but I was kinda expecting this.  I haven't tasted them yet.  Gusteau would be pleased.  Heidi commented that compared to Rhodes, these aren't worth it.  I mean, it's cool to be scratch and all that but the time it takes to prepare and clean them up is significant.