Disney, Christmas & Alice the Cat

As I did last year, I took a break from the computer over the holidays, so here’s a massive photo update!

The kids and I got an extra long holiday break this year as we traveled to Disney World in mid-December. I didn’t want to be weighted down with camera equipment on the trip so just brought the lighter Canon 5D, Canon 50 f1.4 lens and the Lensbaby Composer for the trip. (See “My Camera Equipment” in footer section for links/more information on camera equipment used.)

On our second day we visited Animal Kingdom, we all enjoyed the Kali River Rapids, and then the kids went again (I decided that I had gotten wet enough the first go-around!):

One of the things we very much enjoyed was the different wildlife around us, instead of pigeons we had birds like this visiting us during our outside lunch:

On the way out of the park we stopped so I could photograph these beautiful parrots:

On day four we visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park, Noah and I went back that night for a show and then visited the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights on the Streets of America. You can’t tell in these photos but there was actual snow flakes falling down on us (which freaked Noah out to no end, go figure!). (Shots were taken with the Lensbaby Composer with Lensbaby Fisheye Optic (first two) and the star shaped Lensbaby Creative Aperture Kit installed.)

The next day we went back to Magic Kingdom, after riding the Pirates of the Caribbean the kids tried on Nightmare Before Christmas top hats, and then goofed around outside on the way to the next ride:

This was the best photo I managed to capture of Rebecca and Noah in front of the castle. We had planned to attend Magic Kingdom one more day but unfortunately Rebecca came down with the stomach flu, so it ended up being a hotel/by the pool day instead.

Even though they are not great photos, I regret that I didn’t make better use of the Disney Photo Pass, where they have photographers throughout the parks to take photos of you. But here are two of me with the kids at Magic Kingdom:

Finally, as the last photos from the trip, a few quick shots I took of the hotel grounds of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter where we stayed:

(Equipment Used: Unless otherwise noted, the following were all shot with the Canon EOS-1D MarkIII, Canon 24–70 mm f2.8L lens and Canon 580EX II Speedlite)

As much as we enjoyed Disney World, and the much nicer weather in Florida, we were very happy to get back to the comforts of home, and Alice. Here she hangs out with Noah as he does some drawing on my bed:

Didn’t capture that many photos of Christmas morning, but here are Rebecca and Noah both enjoying presents from their stockings:

Alice very much enjoyed one of her gifts too!

(Equipment Used: Unless otherwise noted, the following were all shot with the Canon EOS-1D MarkIII, Canon 100 mm f2.8 macro lens and Canon 580EX II Speedlite.)

One of my goals, for the holiday break, was to capture some updated photos of Alice, she is now four months old and she has changed so much since the last time I did this:

Her facial markings are really coming in:

So happy that our little girl has blue eyes!

Another nose shot, as I just love her nose and whiskers!:

The next three were taken with the Lensbaby Composer:

I was enjoying getting in close and filling the frame with the Canon 100 mm f2.8 macro lens:

She is the sweetest cat. While we were away she stayed at my sister’s, and she so fell in love with her that she has placed her order for her own little ‘Alice’ from the breeder! I can’t wait to meet her, and take photos of her too!

Hope everyone reading this had a wonderful holiday break too!