a passion for photography...

I never would have dreamed that I would like photographing so much. It always seemed so technical and full of mystery but in July of 2009 when I broke my 3rd point and shoot (by dropping it) and had to look for another new one... I spent a month and a half before taking the plunge to the SLR side of things and I couldn't be more happy that I did it!

And while it has taken me over a year to really get the hang of it, I am still excited when I hold the camera and capture the moments around me. I recently started taking a few classes with creative prompts to help stimulate myself creatively while continuing the technicalities of my camera. I wouldn't normally post about a specific class but this one is FREE! So if you want to join me, the free class ~ the JOY of LOVE ~ is being offered in February. The great thing is you do not have to have an SLR to do these classes (although you may find the temptation arise when you see others photographs) but you can use a point and shoot, after all it really is about your eye and your creativity! If you want to check out the free class, go here.

And just a little love to you from me...

Now I am off to go play with the kids with camera in hand! (And I will be back with photos ~ I can tell it's going to be a beautiful day here, again!) Have a great day!

today and now...

Today and now... the real time of now seems to keep popping up in my life. I keep seeing and reading things about slowing down, enjoying the little moments, or hearing from more experienced moms (who really have hindsight of 20/20) to treasure these days of your little ones because they go by really fast... and I am struck that each day goes by much quicker than I would like. I am struck that I often feel like I have no time and I start projects and never finish (hence my new year's resolution!) but in the end, I spend my mornings totally in tune with Alyssa because I already have experienced Jaiden going to school full time means less time with me, and well Alyssa's turn is approaching much quicker than I'd like.

Today, I had a heap of errands I needed to do but it was gorgeous outside and beckoning for us to go play, and so we did...

I have thought of creating this photo many times but never really knew if I could capture it. Today while Alyssa practiced more biking with no training wheels, I played with trying to capture what the now looks like right now... me trying to help her build the confidence to fly ~ and no doubt once she gains that confidence, she will surely be cruising at top speed just like her brother!

Another crazy happened later tonight, when we got home from swim lessons, I raced to get dinner ready and at the same time taught them how to make their own quesadillas. This was really cool and I would have loved to stop and get photographs but my stomach would have revolted as well as their stomachs too! We were starving!! Then while eating our dinner, they both excitedly shared what was in their Thursday folders from school. I was bombarded with paper and touched to see what they did the past week and read about what was to come.

Here is a brief sampling:

Written all by herself! It's so unbelievably neat!

There was more on the back but I was very pleased to see his sample of math. The pictograph shows the number of fish caught each day and each fish represents 10 fish. So not only did he have to answer questions related to the pictograph but he was counting it in 10s too! And you should see his face when he tells you about his work... I wish I could capture his excitement.

I read somewhere that being busy does not bring meaning to your life and today was definitely a lesson in that. Those errands can wait but playing with and enjoying these two does have meaning. Enjoy your day as it is now!

a new project in progress

Another project in progress is my scrapbooking ... or really learning how to maximize my Photoshop capabilities and well, I am hooked. I love playing with and learning new techniques. This is my most recent assignment in a class called Digi: In Deep, which my mom gave me for my birthday. Lucky for me, the class is self-paced so I can pop in and do a full lesson or maybe just a few tasks at a time. This particular layout was part of the lesson (only my own photos and journaling added all else came with the class) but I loved how it turned out. I created this over a several days when I had snippets of times in the evening to "play" so to speak!

The quote on the left says:

Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty, find opportunity. ~ Albert Einstein.

And the journaling reads:

It was a rainy, dismal day in June that turned out to be a delightful trip to the Children’s Museum. We spent the entire time exploring all the exhibits but spent the most time in the construction zone ~ building our own recycled art. I could not get enough of the ingenuity these two put into making their own toys~ a helicopter and a bus for the kitty family.

chores...

A few days I asked Alyssa if she wanted to do some "chores" to earn a new Leapster game I had found on ebay, she immediately and excitedly replied "yes, oh yes!"... little did I know that I created a monster, albeit a sweet, good monster! Yesterday she helped empty garbage and then I taught her what it meant to have "neat" room. This morning I discovered this...

 ... I must add that there was NO prompting. I actually came upstairs to get socks for her and found her bed completely made! Bravo, Alyssa!

Then later this morning, we spent some time creating a countdown calendar for Daddy's return. She was very intent on writing out the numbers herself.

And I, honestly, still can not get over her intensity of wanting to writing, read, learn just like her big brother.

Her finished product, hung in her room.

The one I made for Jaiden in his room. It's a simple idea but each morning they get to tear off the number so they can count down the days to see Daddy. I chuckled when after hanging them, Alyssa asked if she could have a piece of candy after she tore off a new number!

And then our day ended with this bit of sweetness. Another favorite thing of mine is watching Jaiden read to Alyssa. He has to read every night for 20 minutes and normally, he does not like having her so close but tonight, he patiently read to her... and I soaked up the sweetness.

Simply precious!

PS. And I am sorry for the long delay in posts... has it really been 10 days? Something about January and blogging just don't mix well as I noticed last year's January was just as sparse! I will work on improving that...

banana phone

I thought I was going to do a post about how cute Alyssa has been and all the fun things that we did while Jaiden was away at a his first sleepover at his friend, Max's house...

... such as her talking on a banana phone, but then Jaiden came home with bigger news...

... and his first missing tooth! It was so loose yesterday afternoon, I thought he just might loose it when he was at Max's last night and sure enough he did! Travis and Jessica were so sweet though, they wrote down the time (10:15 pm!) and were going to put it under his pillow if he wanted but he said he wanted to show us! Now I just need to figure out how to take that macro shot without a macro lens because you wouldn't believe how tiny this little tooth is!

Santa love...

Well, the first part isn't about Santa but it's something I have been working on... for 2 years? and finally finished! I decided this year is the year to complete projects and many are pinned to fabric waiting to be sewn... this was one of them. Jaiden was delighted with it but told me not to included his head!

So this is his new apron for whatever project needs it... baking with us, painting, woodworking... just for fun.

Now this is where Santa love comes into play, remember I posted a photo of a present Jaiden made for us under the tree (click here to see the post)...

This is what was inside. I kept forgetting to photograph it when the daylight was right. I am madly in love with yet another precious keepsake, although this one hasn't been packed away with the other Christmas decorations. It is still sitting on the mantel where I can see it.

The sign says "Look very closely and you will see; That Santa's beard was made by me; Hang this Santa on your wall; To Remember when my hands were small!"

another breakfast conversation...

I can't quite remember exactly what Jaiden was saying to sound like a broken record but he was repeating something over and over and over and over... like a broken record. Alyssa asked him to stop and giggling he said "I sound like a broken record."

Me: How do you know what a broken record sounds like?
J: I just do.
M: Do you even know what a record is?
J: It was how (add emphasis on the next two words) OLD FASHION people listened to music.
M: Now wait a second, I am not OLD FASHION and I listened to records.
J and A: lots of giggling

Now just when did this happen that I got characterized and lumped into the category I reserved for my parents???

more moments I love...

This is another one of those moments I love! This is how they watch a program together... I mean isn't that adorable? They curl up on the same couch under the same blanket. Forget mom or dad, it's all about them.

kitty cat tea party

Another silly morning with Alyssa. Today she wanted to be a kitty cat so while I was cleaning up breakfast dishes she came up with an idea for whiskers...

... but it didn't quite work so she requested I draw them on. And then she requested I draw some on me. She had kitty ears but I had Minnie Mouse ears and then we had to have a kitty tea party...

I tried my best to get a photo of us at the tea party but let me tell you, it is not easy to do... this was my best attempt with both of us in the photo! We had real tea and gingerbread cookies. Her kitty stuffed animals were on the floor nearby and when I realized we needed to head to school, we both left the house with whiskers!

morning glimpses

My view from where I sat...

... and I loved it. She is so sweet and so independent, it's a lot of fun to just watch her. This morning it was all about painting and she literally spent the 3 hours before school painting to her heart's content! 

And now I have rows of drying paper spread out across the kitchen and dining room... maybe tomorrow, she will decide to mail a few!

snow much fun

Sometimes I am really not sure where the time goes. These past few days have been no exception. The kids and I went skiing on Monday and it was wonderful to be on ski's and enjoying the mountain air. They both took lessons so that gave some time to do some runs of my own with my good friend, Joan. I should have brought my camera but I didn't... next time I will. It was strange not taking photographs and then today, I didn't take the camera out again?! But it wasn't that exciting even if we are having snow much fun! The kids go back to school tomorrow and honestly, I am a bit sad. It has been such a fun 2 1/2 week holiday break. We sleep in, we do whatever we think up at that particular moment, we play, we rest, we play more and now... it's back to the routine of school.

But maybe I will actually get to work on the album I have been planning for December... in the meantime, you will see random photos like this as I draw more inspiration from another new class I am taking, Picture Winter at Big Picture Classes... it's 31 days of photo inspiration and even though I didn't shoot for the past two days, I had fun the first two days of January! The one thing I have learned from these classes is the joy of taking my camera out and playing a little with it, capturing moments I don't normally think to photograph.

Oh, and if you are at all wondering, Alyssa is still asking me each morning "Am I 5 yet? Is it my birthday today?" She even told Miss Stephanie today at Discovery Days after telling her Happy New Year... "this year I turn 5 in March!"

santa hasn't left town yet

Jaiden, Dennis and I were playing Uno and had a good chuckle at this little one! She found a scrap of leftover batting from my mess earlier today and voila, HO HO HO! She kept saying she was Mrs. Claus despite the fact that we told her Mrs. Claus doesn't have a white beard!

One other cute thing today... Jaiden came downstairs and asked ME! to tuck him in. I jumped at the chance (he often asks for Daddy because he knows he will get smothered with kisses from me... maybe I should try a new tactic?) and instantly started kissing him. Dennis said "you better watch out Mommy will kiss you the whole way upstairs!" He gave Daddy the rolled eyes look and grinned at me... I love how he can be so cute and lovable but not want anyone to know it!

Hope you have a lovely January 1st!

I guess I have one more cute thing to share. When Alyssa woke, she came downstairs and said to me "Happy New Year Mommy! This year I turn 5!"