Charles Ali bio picture

  • WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY BLOG!

    This is us.
    This is our life.
    This is our history.
    This is a love letter to our children
    and the life we have created together.

May 17, 2013

Oddie and the other Oddie

Posted in: Evie | Henry | Oliver

There are so many kids in this house it is sometimes hard to keep them all straight.  Or in Evie’s case, those who are younger than her are interchangeable minions.  We were sitting at the kitchen table one morning while the boys were playing nearby and Evie could see Ollie nearest to us.  ”Hey Oddie!” she said and then she asked, “Where’s the other Oddie?”  So, now they boys are, more often than not, “Oddie” and “the other Oddie.”  Sometimes “Oddie” is the actual Ollie and other times it is Henry “Ree.”  If we ask Evie she can correctly identify which boy is which, but who has time for that kinds of pedanticism when cookies, cake and ice cream must be demanded for breakfast?  Besides, we all know she means those other children who are less important than her…

One day they will all be fast friends…. in the meantime, here are the ever adorable Oddie and the other Oddie:

May 16, 2013

Oddie and Ree

Posted in: Henry | Oliver

Ollie and Henry aka Oddie and Ree.  At least that’s how their names sound when Evie says them…  The boys were sick when I took these pictures, but you would never know from their smiles.  The snotty noses and sweet potato faces are more of a give away that they were not feeling 100 percent.

Henry (aka Ree) can’t help himself.  He has to jump and climb.  Why I have been blessed with climbers I do not know…

Uh… should I not be touching this?  Oh well, watch me do it anyway…

May 15, 2013

Evie Helps!

Posted in: Evie | Henry | Littlies | Oliver

Evie likes to help now.  She decided that the best way that she can be of help is to feed the boys for me.  Ollie is all for it.  He doesn’t care where the food comes from as long as it comes.  Henry is not a fan of this arrangement.  He would rather not eat than be fed by Evie.  Evie is oblivious to all of these things.  As far as she is concerned she is feeding the boys and they need to open up!  It’s all very, very cute.

I love how Evie opens her mouth when she wants the boys to do it.

Henry thought he would poke Evie when she was feeding Ollie.  Fortunately, she thought it was hilarious!

Oh Ollie!

And then Henry took the spoon!  Oh no!

Fortunately, that was funny too.

I love the next three images of Ollie.  He is such a happy little man.

Ah, the adventures we have here… Such happy times.

May 14, 2013

Snow!

Posted in: Bigs | Evie | Isabella | James

I took these photos back when we had the last big snow of the season.  It’s hard to say who was happiest – the Monsters or the dog.

Evie is not so sure, but Cody is ready to go!

Isabella trying to make a snow angel and Cody photo bombing in the background.

That dog is crazy about the snow.  She just cannot get enough!

How happy does the dog look?  I swear that’a a doggy grin.  James was working on a snow fort.

Evie was “helping.”

I think the dog is winking!

A fun afternoon, but I am glad that the snow is behind us… now if we could just get on with the truly warm weather that would be great.

May 13, 2013

Friends

Posted in: Charles | Evie | Family | Isabella | James

Our friends, Susan and Ira, and their three girls came to visit us in March.  It was a blast to see everyone.  Susan is the reason I got into photography.  Susan is a very talented photographer and used to be a photo editor at the Chicago Tribune.  I had always been interested in photography and had been finding my point and shoot increasingly lacking.  When this crew came to visit back in 2007 and I looked through the viewfinder of her Canon 20d I discovered a whole new world.  Charles surprised me with a 30d a couple of months later and the rest is history.

I love when Susan and Ira come to visit, not only because they are just plain fun and our kids get on like a house on fire, but because Susan and I can talk shop.  I also love to see how she sees our family/gatherings through her lens.  I really think that Susan’s strength is this type of photojournalistic work.  All of her work is great, but it is this style that says “Susan!” to me and really strikes a chord.  The photos she shared with me that she took when her Dad was ill were so compelling and beautiful to boot.  Here is what she captured of our kiddos and husbands together.  I love them all.