Merrie Melody

Happy Birthday dear Steve....

2012-02-15T07:50:00.005-07:00

Yesterday, all of our family came together to celebrate Steve's birthday.

I felt badly setting up his birthday party after I realized that Tuesday, which is when I invited our adult kids to his party, was also Valentine's Day. I had only paid attention to the fact that they all had Tuesday off... but nobody complained and everybody showed up.

So we ate dinner, ate Valentine's Day candy, ate cake, and then, once we were super full, we played Sponge Bob rummy, which is regular rummy with Sponge Bob cards. I had bought the cards for Christmas, thinking that I was so smart to get a jump start for next year.. but the kids saw them when we came home and unloaded groceries, so they became a Valentine's Day gift instead. ;)

All the while, while we ate, and ate, and ate, and played, Aiden was asleep. When he woke up, he was very excited to find the candy, and he helped himself to as much as his mommy and daddy would let him have.

I am the luckiest person to have such a great family and I'm especially thankful to have such a great husband! He is truly such a blessing to me.

So Steve, again I say: Happy Birthday to you! And many more!

I Already Know I Love You::February 13

2012-02-13T10:45:00.007-07:00

(no, Peter Cottontail's mom doesn't play a part in this story; I just needed a way to keep the book open :)

I picked this book up at the bookstore a few years ago when it was in the bargain bin. I love it!

It is written from the perspective of the potential grandpa, but I totally understood what he was saying.

There is just something about your children having children. It isn't really your child, it is your child's child, but there is a connection there that makes it yours too.

I bought the book even before I knew I was going to be a grandma. I have looked forward to being a grandma since I birthed my own children; the cycle of life is an amazing, exciting ride.

I get to babysit Aiden a lot, and because of that, he knows me well and loves me, just like I know him and love him. Dearly, I'd say.

He still won't call me grandma. We've tried. It used to be he'd call me mom. Then it was mama. Then last week it was pan; I was told that pan was short for panda, a toy that he loves and drags around with him. Okay, I thought, I can be pan. But this week, he has forgotten all about the pan business and doesn't call me anything.

I've been told that he gets confused when Karen and Josh tell him that they are going to go see grandma, and then he winds up at some other grandma's house. So, I've decided to be Grandma Mema. That way, if he wants to call me grandma, that is great! If he wants to differentiate between grandmas, then he can call me mema. Or he can say the whole thing out: Grandma Mema. I'm fine with any of it.

This weekend it snowed while he was here. We looked out the window together and I asked, "Where is the snow?" And then while he showed me, I snapped a picture. Well, I overexposed the window area, so you can't see that he is pointing at the snow; it just looks like he is pointing at the hearts on the window, which is fine and cute too. Take a look at how cute and adorable my little man is:

I also tried it in black and white for a more timeless effect:

Any way that I look at that little guy he is adorable!

I'm so glad that I am his Grandma Mema Pan :)

this moment::February 10

2012-02-10T11:20:00.003-07:00

{this moment} - Inspired by SouleMama (but adapted to my needs by me :) A Friday ritual. A ~~single photo~~ - ~~no words~~ - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Michael, sticking out his tongue. It makes me laugh. As you can tell, he is way more of a smiler than a tongue-sticker-outer.

Awww! So cute :)

Snickerdoodles and Milk::February 7

2012-02-07T08:48:00.005-07:00

Matt (my 12 year old son) made the cookies last night and saved me a few. This morning, as I was driving home from taking them to school, I decided to have one. I had totally expected them to be yummy, but I was surprised at how pretty they were... so of course, since I'm working on photographing food right now, they became my subject of the day :) (for a more in depth article about this picture, visit MerrieMelody.com)

Kisses and Smiles::Monday, February 6

2012-02-06T07:46:00.006-07:00

Amber came over yesterday to hang out with us. Aiden loves Amber, and they played a game where one of them says, "Sad" and the other one comes over and kisses them. On Aiden's turn, I got a great shot of the two of them.

Michael was pulled into the drama, and sat and watched them. I sat and watched him.

He thought it was way more of a comedy than drama, though. ;)
Such cuteness!

this moment::February 3

2012-02-03T08:52:00.003-07:00

{this moment} - Inspired by SouleMama (but adapted to my needs by me :) A Friday ritual. A ~~single~~ photo - ~~no words~~ - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Perhaps not quite this week, but close enough, and definitely something I want to remember:

On my birthday, Amber called and apologized for not being able to decorate the house for me nor being able to make me breakfast. When she got here that evening, she'd brought with her a Happy Birthday banner and streamers and immediately set to work to remedy the situation. Over a week later, I still have them up, reminding me of the love that was shown to me on my birthday (by all. The decorations are the memento of the day :).

I like to savor loving memories. They feel just as good a week, two weeks, or even years from when they were originally given. In fact, I found a large manilla envelope in my drawer the day before the party that had many little love notes my children have given me through the years. There are many more, scattered throughout the many drawers in my dresser. Notes and cards from my mom are in there. Cards and letters from family and old friends, and even old love notes from past boyfriends are in there, along with love notes from my current boyfriend (who is also my lover and husband :).

There is just something about surrounding yourself with loving gestures that make you remember that you are loved, even when you're just not feeling it that day or are just feeling pretty darn unlovable. Thank heavens for memories that can be sipped and savored for years, long after the moment has passed.

Happy memories to you too,

More food::Veggies & some advice

2012-02-01T11:42:00.004-07:00

"a still life - (I love taking pics of vegies! The shutter speed was set for 15 seconds... people could never hold still that long!)" That is what I wrote about this pic on facebook right after I took it. Vegetables are more forgiving than people when you ask them to sit super still for 15 seconds, that's for sure!

From the post when I added this picture the first time I wrote: "Yesterday, Steve brought home some vegies and for some reason placed them carefully on the table. I saw them, saw the beautiful, complimentary colors and had to take a picture.

I took the picture with the natural light (coming in through the window) at 4:30 p.m. The aperture was set to about 29, so that I could make sure all of the vegies were in focus; the ISO was set to 400, to prevent the graininess that my camera produces at 800; so that left the shutter speed to come up with the difference: 15 seconds. A tripod had to be used, of course, but the final result was just what I was looking for: beautiful colors, all in focus, and the lighting was perfect. (In fact, I loved it so much I sent the pic to the printer's for 4x6 and 5x7 copies that will be in my etsy shop sometime next week. :)" (Oops! I forgot to add it to etsy. I'll have to remedy that!)

I am adding this picture today because I'm a spoiled rotten brat who controls herself very well. What I'd really like to do is write a mean note or throw something. Instead, I will post the photo here and tell you that I like it very much and that that is all that counts.

To explain what that was all about, I'll tell you that I posted this picture to an online photo assignment about food. The directions were, if it had to do with food, it was appropriate, so I posted it. The instructor never mentioned my pic when he was discussing the photos on his video today. I have no idea why, because I happen to think it is very good. He included many, many pictures, even including some pictures as examples of what *not* to do.

Anyway, my only clue as to why it wasn't added was because it didn't go along with what he was trying to teach about food: no flash and shallow depth of field.

My depth of field is pretty deep, actually, but I purposefully kept it that way. At first, I had tried to use a shallow depth of field, but spotlighting just one vegetable did not make this "group shot" look better.

It also appears that I might have used a flash; in fact, it might appear that it was taken in a studio. Really, it was set up in front of a window to use the natural light. My exposure had to be significantly longer than I would have liked, but it worked! And to me, that is the point of the picture: to do what works.

So, I offer it up to you. It didn't win the lauds of the instructor, but I feel that it is a good, solid, still life photograph. I like it, and in the end, that is all that counts.

My advice to anyone who also never wins (except when it came to guessing the setting on a panning picture, I was right on!) I would give you the advice that another of my photography instructors gave to me: It doesn't really matter who else likes your picture as long as you do. It is true. You could have a crappy picture that everyone likes (I've seen it happen) or you can have a brilliantly composed and lighted picture that you like because you know it was difficult and you did your best and your best was GREAT! Be proud of both, but for very different reasons. And even if you don't "win", if you are happy with your work, that is all that counts.

Art is subjective, and photography is art.

Have a great day!

Wanna Hear a Joke?::Soup::January 31

2012-01-31T08:03:00.005-07:00

From GCFL.net:

Big Fish
Received from Jonathan Skinner

A class was taken on a fishing boat for a field trip, and
the teacher, in an attempt to lessen fears of big fish,
stated, "There are no fish big enough to swallow people."

"But how about the fish that swallowed Jonah I learned about
in Sunday school?" asked one little boy.

"You can't believe everything you're told," responded the
teacher.

"I'll ask Jonah when I get to heaven," he replied.

"What if Jonah didn't go to heaven?" prodded his teacher.

"Then you ask him," was the reply.

OH! I forgot to show you my soup pic.

It is tricky to shoot food! The colors have to be just right, and it's hard to tell where the focal point should be. I think this soup is just right, though. Except for the little bit of carrot on the side. Oh well.

January is OVER, can you believe it? I hope that you enjoy this last day of January.

Such is the life of a Grandpa

2012-01-30T09:58:00.009-07:00

When Aiden came to visit last weekend, he climbed up on the back of the couch, sat down on Grandpa's neck, then proceeded to play with his hair. In the second picture, Steve's expression reminds me of Rodney Dangerfield's "I get no respect" schtick.

Thanks to you friend and family who support me in my endeavors; I have already sold one of my calendars, a few pictures/canvases, set up a senior portrait session for this summer/fall, have my first potential student of my preschool (ad)venture that I'd like to start this fall, and get lots of verbal pats on the back. I really appreciate you all! :)

Today will be a quiet day, and let me tell you that I need one of those! I hope that you get exactly what you need from today as well. :)

Random musings of photography and preschool

2012-01-28T13:15:00.006-07:00

I've realized I've moved on from the anger part of the grief process. On to depression. Isn't the mental/emotional healing process awesome?!

I'm trying to be proactive, so that I don't slip into a despair like I did a few years ago when grieving my mom's ill health that put her in the nursing home for good. I'm trying to listen to cues from my body, telling me what it needs and trying to be patient and understanding with myself.

Photography and exercise seem to be good stress reliefs. I wish it was warmer/dryer, so that photography outdoors seemed fun instead of putting it off because of comfort.

I am trying to decide prices and packages for portraits; come spring, I'd really like to start with photography as a business. I finally think I'm ready for it.

I'm also toying with the idea of starting a preschool in my home come fall/schooltime. In high school, I worked in the early childhood education program from the summer of my sophmore year through my senior year, and then I went on to work as a preschool teacher in a commercial daycare. Those little 3 and 4 year olds are where my heart is.

Today, Jared, Matt, and Steve have gone to get hay for the goats, Emily and Steve are sick today, we have Aiden today and tomorrow and he is down for a nap for a moment, Michael is just hanging out, and I am antsy wishing for warmer weather.

Seems like a great day for baking and cooking... I wish Amber was around to help me do it!

Anyhow, I hope that you have a great weekend!

Liver Transplant Clinic Day

2012-01-27T07:59:00.003-07:00

We are headed up to the liver transplant clinic today to find out if my brother Bill will qualify for a transplant. Keep us, and especially him, in your prayers today, please.

42

2012-01-26T07:38:00.002-07:00

And I'll even share my wish with you: That we can all do it again next year. :)

The countdown to 42....

2012-01-25T09:47:00.002-07:00

If you were born in another country on the other side of the world where it isn't even the same day as where you are now, you'll understand why every year I put a clock for Guam on my sidebar. It is the only way I know *exactly* when I turn one year older.

Right now, I am 41 for about the next 6 hours.

My kids & grandbaby will all be here to celebrate with me this evening, along with Steve & Bill. I will be thinking of my mom, and I know that she'll be thinking of me too. Only she'll probably be thinking of me tomorrow, because she is a stickler for waiting until the 26th since that is my real birthdate. ;)

I hope that you have a wonderful day today! I know I will :)

Our Sledding Hill and the Blues, Greys, and Whites of Winter

2012-01-24T10:08:00.006-07:00

Yesterday morning as I drove by our sledding hill, I decided that I really should take a picture of it one of these days; later in the morning I decided that there was no better time than the present!

The sun was still mostly behind the eastern mountain when I got started, and then all at once it popped out…just in time to be covered up by a cloud.

I took advantage of that one minute of sunlight though, and captured the sunlight playing in the snow.

We haven't gone sledding there for a bit; we need to remedy that! In the spring, when the snow melts and runs down from the mountains, the valleys of this area will be covered in water. My kids have gone and waded in that water in the spring. Many kids who have 4 wheelers love to drive up and over these hills come summertime. This area is all-purpose, year long fun!

And this was another view from the same area. I love the greys, blues, and whites of winter. I like the moodiness of winter, and especially the moodiness of the mountains in winter. I've wanted to capture that mood on film for awhile now. I plan to make this one into a print. I'll let you know how that turns out. :)

Make it a great day! ;) (and for some photography tips about setting the mood for your pics, visit my photography blog at MerrieMelody.com)

A Saturday semi-tutorial for hard lighting situations

2012-01-21T09:59:00.008-07:00

I don't usually drop by on Saturdays anymore, but today is an important exception. ;)

This morning, while everyone else in the house was still sleeping, I decided to take picture of another porcelain doll from my mom. This is the one I'm going to keep; I gave the other one to Emily when I discovered that the one I'd chosen before was the one that she'd wanted to choose.

Anyway, so I was taking a picture of the doll with the lights off, including the sunlight: there seems to be dark clouds over the sun today, and it is RAINING in Utah in January. This is the kind of weather I love for January, but it sure is crazy for Utah to be so accommodating.

So, of course I had to use my external flash to raise the shutter speed from over one second to compensate for the darkness. The first few pics I took were just getting the lighting where it needed to be, by looking at the histogram and making sure I wasn't loosing anything off of either side, by being too light or too dark.

Voila! I got the lighting where it needed to be and here it is:

Bleck! Right? That's what I thought. The harsh shadows and the stark, cold light wasn't what I was going for. So, I placed my hand in front of the flash (about 2 inches away) so that the flash could reflect off of my hand, but not take away too much of the flash, and here was the result:

Much better! Don't you think so, too? And the same technique will work for a pop-up flash too.

I just wanted to stop by and share my success and perhaps help someone else with their tricky lighting situation too. :)

Have a wonderful day!

My 2012 Calendar is up for sale at etsy

2012-01-20T15:08:00.005-07:00

My 12 - Month 2012 Nature Calendar is finally up for sale at MerrieMelody.etsy.com Yay!! :)

This Moment::January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T10:16:00.002-07:00

This Moment - Inspired by SouleMama; A Friday ritual. A single photo - ~~no words~~ - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This is a picture that Emily took for her photography class in high school. I let her borrow my camera, since it takes better pics in the dimmer light than hers does.

It was a lot of fun to help her figure out her "Leading Lines" assignment that is due today. I had a lot of fun helping her and then watching her create. There is something about passing along information, especially to your children, that is magical.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday. :)

Days of Pondering::January 19

2012-01-19T09:24:00.008-07:00

The past couple of days have been "reflecting days" full of moments just pondering.

Husbands have been one of the topics. And again, I come away thankful that I have mine. How he manages to do what he does and make me feel the center of his world (most of the time - he has to have balance ;) is an amazing thing to me.

Routines/Schedules. Not merely day to day, but seasonally. This is a new thought for me. I have day to day routine that I love to do, and I schedule around those things, adding in important things that might get missed if I didn't make a conscious effort. I'm realizing that I have my yearly routines too. For instance: I haven't been wanting to photograph "stuff" as much right now. What I'd *really* like to be doing is quilting. So perhaps I'll have to be aware that there is a natural rhythm to my hobbies.

I've also, in my past couple of days of pondering, thought on the fact that during different seasons I am drawn to different colors. Some colors always stay the same: green: always! light yellow: always! Red is a color I am attracted to in the middle of winter, and as my mind mulled this over I realize it is a balance thing. In the middle of winter, there are many greys, blues, whites: water/metal colors. Red is a fire color. It is all about balance.

Good things are happening in our lives. Things that make us take a look at where we are, where we could be, and where we want to be. Finding that most of the time we are where we want to be has made me feel more content.

Another thought that has occurred to me is that I want to start noticing repetitive patterns in more and photographing them. I was taking a look at this website and loved the patterns. I don't see things in repetition like this; okay, I see them, but I don't see them to notice them. I really enjoyed the photos and am interesting in gaining new sight.

Oh, very, very good news! I have lost 5 pounds in the past 5 days! I need to lose a couple more to get back to my "never-go-above-this-weight" weight, but I'm well on my way. I didn't get here by starving or really "doing" much. I just filled my plate at the beginning of the meal with the portions that I used to eat (as compared to Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year portions. Who was the dufus that came up with the "eat yourself silly" season, anyway?! I wish we could spread those holidays out a tad, so that it was easier to keep a handle on my weight.) So instead of eating my sandwich and then seeing Michael has left half of his and eating it too, I ate my one and put Michael's in a baggie in the fridge for another meal or snacktime for him. I had originally tried to go w/o chocolate ... it is my comfort and I needed to be comforted while I was going without my bigger portion since I was feeling denied, so I decided to allot myself a certain number of Hershey's Kisses a day and no more. It has worked! :D

Today I'm going to clear off my sewing center and set about to sew soon (I'm feeling so alliterative! ;) Take care and have a terrific day!

Back from the long weekend

2012-01-17T11:09:00.004-07:00

About a week ago, I was sitting on the sofa and looked over at the piano. What I saw was a bit of an accident that works so well it looks like I meant to do it!

Here, I'll show you what I'm talking about:

For Christmas, Steve gave me a canvas of my cows picture (it is my favorite of all of my pics), and since I haven't found a home for it, I set it on the piano behind the nativity. I thought it might look a little cluttered, but I had good intentions of finding a home for it right away. (No, I haven't found a permanent home yet, and yes, some of my Christmas decorations, including the Nativity is still out. I'm not procrastinating.... I just haven't gotten around to it yet. :P )

So anyway, there I was, sitting on the sofa, watching tv or something (I don't remember, after all, it was last week! ;) and I notice that the canvas makes a great background scene for the Nativity. :) So I had to take a picture and show you.

Over the long weekend, I read _The Help_ (which looking back on it looks like I planned it that way, since it was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, but I didn't. It was just fortuitous :) I really, really, really, loved the book and highly recommend it! Then, last night, Steve & I sat down and watched the movie. It was alright, but not as good as the book. If you know you'll never get around to reading the book, at least watch the movie, but if you can, read the book first (though it might drive you crazy at how things are changed around a bit! ;)

Today, I am glad to get back into my normal routine. I love vacations and spending time with the family, but having a schedule can bring peace too.

Have a great day!

Playing with external flash

2012-01-12T07:25:00.003-07:00

External flash has turned out to be trickier than I thought it would be, so I've been playing with it to fine tune the process.

Last night, Josh, Karen, & Aiden came by to visit, and while they were here he was given a banana in the high chair. I thought, "Hey! Since he is safely contained in the high chair, I should take advantage of the situation!" and I grabbed my tripod, camera, and external flash and played for a bit. This is what came of it.

I see lots more playing in my near future, too!

I hope that you can play at something that you love today too!

One of my (photography) successes from yesterday :: and a lesson on panning

2012-01-11T07:56:00.003-07:00

I follow "How to Photograph Your Baby" on facebook. On Monday, a picture was posted and we were asked to guess the exposure: shutter speed and aperture (f stop). It was a panning pic of someone's baby in a swing; the baby was sharp in focus, and everything else was a blur.

I had done this before!! So I took a good look at the pic and I left my guess in the comments. Then yesterday I checked back and saw this: (Yes, it is a bit long, but skim through to the BOLDED LETTERS if you aren't a hobby photographer, & read the whole thing if you are, for there is good info in it)

Welcome back to GUESS THE EXPOSURE!

Yesterday we all made our best guess at what shutter speed and f-stop Stephanie used to shoot this sweet swinging picture.

The good news is someone got it 100% right! The bad news is that some of the answers were so bad many of you are now banned from the site for 24 hours. :)

If you said the shutter speed was 500th of a second or faster (like a 500th or 800th or 1000th or 1200th and you know who you are!) you have to go outside and put your camera on one of those speeds and wave it around like you're panning a kid on a swing. Can you blur the background like in Stephanie's picture? No! It's difficult to get camera MOTION blur at a 1/1000th of a second. Try it . This will be a good exercise for those of you who haven't been paying attention. The rest of us will stay here in the warm classroom and have cupcakes while we celebrate with our winner:

MELODY (and my last name)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations!

Melody's winning answer was 1/60th of a second at f8.

Let's take another look at Stephanie's picture. Yes, she panned. That means as the swing went back and forth she moved her camera back and forth at the same rate. That's why Stephanie's child is perfectly sharp but the background is blurred. She did a perfect job of panning.

If she had panned at 1/1000th of a second there would be no motion blur effect and the motion blur is what makes this picture work so well. Everything would be frozen and a little boring in my opinion.

If she had used, say, 1/8th of a second everything—including the child on the swing— would have been out of focus mush and we wouldn't be here today talking about this picture

F8 was a good safe guess for the f-stop. The f-stop affects depth-of-field. If she had used f2 the background would be very blurry. If she had used f22 the background would appear sharper—if the shutter was the same, that is. I know that's a little convoluted but work with me on this one.

So f8 is a medium f-stop and the background appears to be medium sharp so that makes it a good safe guess. Did Melody guess? Yes. Was she a little bit lucky? Well, yes, but all good photographers are lucky.There's really no way for a viewer to know for sure what the f-stop would be in this picture, but Melody's answer was an educated lucky guess.

Thanks to all of the contestants! (I was kidding! There's cupcakes for everyone! Come back in to the classroom! Oh my goodness, it was colder outside than I thought! You're blue and shaking! But look at it this way—nobody said a 10,000th of a second! That's progress!)

So see you next time on

GUESS THE EXPOSURE!
By: How to Photograph Your Baby

I may not win photography contests, but at least I know my exposures! ;)

Today will be the last day with my brother Bill's daughter & her husband. They came into town on Monday, and it has been a lot of fun to visit with them. I wish they lived closer! I will miss them greatly.

To all of you, I wish you a Happy Day filled with all of the goodness it can hold.

Picking up Aiden

2012-01-10T07:57:00.003-07:00

I babysat Aiden this weekend, and when Josh and Karen came and picked him up on Sunday night, there was such a cute reunion :)

I hope that you have a GREAT day!

January 5th::My New Calendars!!

2012-01-05T12:29:00.003-07:00

I got them back from the printer's, and they are all ready to go!! I'll be selling them for $12.50 + $5 shipping & handling on etsy so keep a look out! (If you want to buy one before I get it up, just leave a message in the comments along w/ an email addy for me to contact you.)

You can browse it here :)

Have a great day!

A little of this, a little of that:: recipes, patterns, and a ink to my creative writing blog

2012-01-04T10:33:00.006-07:00

I'm scouring the blogdom for some interesting fodder for my own blog today. So far, I've seen some interesting things like a recipe for lip balm. And a pattern for a tablet protective cover.

You know what I found to be even more interesting than those two things though? The idea of this life: (It is the author to the lip balm recipe bio)

Margaret Boyles lives in a wood-heated house in central New Hampshire. She grows vegetables, eats weeds, keeps chickens, swims in a backyard pond in summer, snowshoes in the surrounding woods in winter, and commutes by bike whenever possible.

You know what I find most interesting? It is very similar to the life I lived in Kentucky.. only instead of me doing the fun-outdoorsy-stuff, it was my kids doing it while I sat inside and gestated or lactated. It was my time in Eden. Really. Did you know that you can read about that past life? A link is located on my left sidebar. It is on a different blogsite: Jumping Write In. The whole blog reads like a compilation of short stories. I hope that you love to read them as much as I loved to write them. Oh, plus one is fictional; the one about the husband dying. I have always wondered if I could go back to living in the country without Steve, so in the story I killed off the husband and had them have no kids, because who wants to be a widow with six little kids? Not me! Anyway, go read a story or two, it'll be fun! And then I won't have to think so hard about what to write on this blog today. ;)

Have a super great day! I'm off to clean the tub and toilets. Yee haw!

Still Life::Vegies & New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-03T08:46:00.008-07:00

Yesterday, Steve brought home some vegies and for some reason placed them carefully on the table. I saw them, saw the beautiful, complimentary colors and had to take a picture.

I took the picture with the natural light (coming in through the window) at 4:30 p.m. The aperture was set to about 29, so that I could make sure all of the vegies were in focus; the ISO was set to 400, to prevent the graininess that my camera produces at 800; so that left the shutter speed to come up with the difference: 15 seconds. A tripod had to be used, of course, but the final result was just what I was looking for: beautiful colors, all in focus, and the lighting was perfect. (In fact, I loved it so much I sent the pic to the printer's for 4x6 and 5x7 copies that will be in my etsy shop sometime next week. :)

Also yesterday I came up with some resolutions and my word: Bloom.
Here is what I wrote down:

Word: Bloom
Goal:

1) Turn my home into a haven.I have looked at other houses, but none have been able to win over my heart more than the one I’m in.
I like the cottage look of my home. I like my neighbors and my neighborhood. I like the people in my small town and I like that they know and like me and my family.

I want to see the shortcomings in my home and try to find ways to turn them around into things that add beauty and value.
For instance:
I don’t like that we notice the billboard & freeway. Solution: lacy draperies would work nicely to add beauty and also to semi block the view.
I need to put the fence back up and paint the house this year.
I need to fix the flooring: it will never be any better than it is right now until it is fixed.
Organize what we have, store what we need/want, and get rid of stuff we won’t use or that is unusable.

2) Become a part of the/a community (town related “stuff”) I’m in, or join a group to give me that sense of belonging.

3) Make sure I’m living and not just surviving. The past few years have made it hard to concentrate on taking care of myself, but I can’t live that way very long. Take the time (and a little money, if needed) to take care of myself. (Photography only counts if it is truly play.)

4) Worry less about what people might think of me and worry more about how I view myself. In the end, I will be a better person for it.

5) Play harder. I work and I rest. I need to allow myself to play more often and with more enthusiasm.

6) Have a schedule as part of my routine. Take time to sit down and evaluate how my day is going and make a schedule, when needed, to get myself back on track.

7) Live healthier.
Take good quality supplements.
Eat healthy foods.
Make menus to ensure that over-all nutrition is happening.
Be active: Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes, whether it is going for a walk, working out with a video, or playing an active game/sport.

I have some things to work on, schedules to make, and menus to plan.

What about you? Are you a word & resolution person too? I've been looking around at other people's blogs to see what they are doing, and it seems to be about 50/50. If you feel comfortable sharing in the comments, I'd love to know about yours.

Have a terrific day!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Aiden!

2012-01-02T09:40:00.007-07:00

Our little guy is 2! Can you believe it?!

On Saturday, we celebrated his birthday. Then later than night we took him to the doctor for an ear infection and pink eye (which he'd come down with just a few hours before the party started and fever broke out during) poor little guy!

He liked the cake & playing the games, though, and I took some pics to share with you:

He liked tasting the frosting. (And I thought it was cute. Prob'ly since I'm the Grandma, not the Mama. :) Karen finally saw and so the cake was taken away. But I got pictures :)

He is so fun and such a joy! Happy Birthday, dear Aiden! Happy Birthday to you!

Have a wonderful day!

Kitty Love

2011-12-30T08:38:00.003-07:00

Although we have more cats than this, he is my favorite.

He mostly does what he's supposed to, and gosh he's pretty! He is also one of the few animals that lets me take photo after photo without running away or trying to lick the lens.

This morning I woke up early-ish to get a good start on the day. Yesterday, when I was looking through pics and articles I posted throughout the year, I found a few photos that I want to have printed and added to my etsy shop. Today, I hope to send them to the printer's and add any more pics I might have missed.

Only two more days in 2011! Time flies when your having fun, I suppose. ;)

Have a great day today!

Selected Entries from Merrie Melody 2011

2011-12-29T12:55:00.004-07:00

I went through my blog looking for my favorite entries; entries that say a little something about the human condition or about my person growth this year. I hope that you enjoy them, too.

Would we miss Him too?

On "Becoming"

Mirrors

My New Year's Phrase & words

How to Survive Homeschooling/Parenting

A Tribute to My Mom

My Personal Eulogy to My Mom

What I'm learning about death

Just wait it out.

Reflecting::December 26th

I hope that you have enjoyed the posts, the pictures, the jokes, and the other what-nots from Merrie Melody throughout 2011. This blog is therapeutic for me, and I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts or look at my pics, and when you "like" it or comment about it, it makes my day.

Here's hoping that 2012 will bring much joy, laughter, and prosperity to all of you.
With love,

A Christmas Doll

2011-12-29T10:32:00.005-07:00

Last night, after everything was darkish and hard to photograph, I decided that I better shoot something for today's post. Great timing, huh? Anyway, so I looked around the house for something of interest... and I realized that there was something special that I haven't shown or told about yet....

On Christmas day, Amber, Karen, Emily & I ran by my sister's house; she was expecting all of her children there by 5:30 for dinner. We brought with us a big plastic storage box full of my mom's porcelain dolls.

Early last summer, before my mom's health started failing, she was talking to me about what to give everyone for Christmas. I reminded her of her collection of porcelain dolls and said that I thought all of us girls would like one for our own, so that was the plan. (There are still some girls to get a doll, so if you are one of those girls, know that I will be getting together with you soon :)

We all chose a doll. It was interesting to see who took which. When it was my turn, I thought I'd have a hard time, since they were all so pretty, but there was one that stuck out for me; one that reminded me of me, a bit, and I wondered if that was why my mom bought it. Here she is:

My mom told me over and over, when I lived at home, that when I moved out she would have to get some dolls to keep her company, since she'd had her children with her for so many years. She did, too.

It was nice to be able to include her in our Christmas. This Christmas was a hard one for me, since I've always called and wished her a Merry Christmas early in the morning unless she got to it before I did and called me first. I hope that she had a nice Christmas too.

Anyway, as for the photography, this is the before-the-external-flash pic:

And then with a little flash, but not quite enough and it wasn't quite positioned right:

And then with the right amount of flash: (same pic as the first)

It feels like magic :) I truly love having the right tools for the job. (And thanks, Steve, for supporting me in photography, with the time and money. You are awesome! :)

Have a great day, and I hope that you have some magic in your life today, too! :)

a little bit of something

2011-12-28T08:32:00.005-07:00

I have agonized over this post for weeks. Not that this is a *special* post, it is just when all of my photos have been used up and I'm left with n.o.t.h.i.n.g. Most people would just remain silent, but not me! ;)

Here is some family news:

Remember these kids?

We sold them the day before Christmas, which was a pretty good time for us, since we weren't done shopping for Christmas but our pocketbook said we were. I'll miss them though.

I think I've already told you, but I did my first *real for money* photo shoot about a week before Christmas. It was thrilling! I found that I really do like working with children, ~~even~~ especially the totally wiggly little boys. They are silly and make me laugh. Things went well, and next year I'll have a better idea of things to try and things to not do/use. You know how *that* goes. ;)

I read a book by Stephen King entitled, On Writing that I thought was fabulous! (minus the language...I had to watch myself very closely so that I didn't start swearing like the proverbial sailor after hanging out with that guy through his books for a few weeks!) I learned a lot and enjoyed it very much; I highly recommend it!

Today, Michael and I are headed off to his physical therapy session. He *loves* going to PT and *loves* his PT instructor. Afterwards will be lunch with Steve and perhaps a quick stop at a thrift store (as quick as *that* can be, anyway.)

Have a super great day, and I'll try to take some more pics for tomorrow. :)

There's a new sheriff in town...

2011-12-27T09:48:00.004-07:00

Isn't he the cutest little sheriff?! Emily snagged these cute little jammies for Karen during the Black Friday sales. Aiden loves them :)

Reflecting::December 26th

2011-12-26T09:01:00.005-07:00

Yesterday I got thinking about life from the past, life in the present, and just a bit about life in the future. Mostly what I was thinking about was photography.

When I was 16, I went and visited my dad, and while I was there, I took some pics. They weren't terrifically amazing, but I thought that they were pretty, and I tucked them away in a scrapbook. That year, one of my friends started taking a photography class. I deemed him a guru and brought a few pics from that summer to show to him and see what he thought. He looked at them and said that they were "nice". I didn't join photography.

In my high school's photography classes, well, heck, in my entire high school, were kids with vast amounts of money and lots of talent. My family didn't have the money, and I doubted my talent. I didn't want to join and fail. But my love for photography was there, and my longing for an SLR was there too.

Soon out of high school I got married, had babies, and had more things to worry about than photography, though I loved going to art museums and seeing the paintings and photos there.

Over the years, I have played with many point-and-shoot cameras for recording milestones and memories, but it has only been in the last three or so that I started playing with landscapes again

Last March, I visited the DSLRs in in the electronics department of Walmart like I'd been doing for several months and found that the one I was looking at (Canon's Rebel EOS XS) was GONE!! I went to the photo department and the lady said that they had discontinued carrying them. My heart sank. I had saved up half of the money several times in the past few years just to have emergencies come up and use the money I had saved. The other Rebel EOS's (XSi, XTi's) were much more expensive than the XS, and Walmart had the least expensive XS's of everywhere I'd looked. She asked if I wanted her to call other stores and see if they had any left, and I said yes please, so she did. (The story of the hunt for my camera is here In a nutshell, I found a display XS for a reduced price at a close by store and snagged it.

I am *so* glad that I bought that camera, and I have learned a few important lessons about photography, too, but the most important lesson of all is to never underestimate myself. I knew I loved photography, but it was fear that held me back.

I got thinking of all of this when I went and shot portraits for my kids' dance teacher, shooting individuals and groups. I realized then that I had wasted a lot of time by being afraid. 25 years in fact. My friend who took the photography class went on to get his degree, become a photojournalist, and do his own photography on the side.

And here I am, finally doing what I love. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.

The moral of the story is: believe in yourself and don't let fear of failing stand in your way.

I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas day yesterday, and I hope that you can find rest and peace today.

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 23

2011-12-23T08:35:00.002-07:00

I hope that you have the Merriest of all Christmases!
Love,

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 22

2011-12-22T07:23:00.004-07:00

Matt told me that I had to disclose the following information if I put his pic here on the blog: "Tell them I was only in it for the candy cane!" So there you have it :)

Emily took Steve's & my picture with Santa during the photo shoot. My glasses kept glaring, so I took them off; Steve slid his down to be like Santa. :)

Are you almost done with your Christmas preparations? I need to check my list again and see where to go from here, and at some point I *really* want to make neighbor gifts. It might have to wait until New Year's, though. :/

Have a great day!

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 21

2011-12-21T07:26:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 20

2011-12-20T08:11:00.002-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 19

2011-12-19T07:47:00.003-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 18

2011-12-18T12:13:00.002-07:00

Over the course of this week, I bought an external flash for an upcoming photo shoot.... so of course I had to play with it a bit :)

I'm so glad that these people (and my other kiddos and grandkiddo too) are part of my life. And the two animals? They are some of the favorites from my menagerie.

One week to Christmas... let the countdown, begin!

My Christmas wishes for you this week are:

First of all, for your sanity while you are out shopping for last minute items.

Secondly, that you will find every item on your shopping list.

Third, this is for all of you crafters out there: that all of your last minute projects-to-be-made get crafted up all nice and easy like and no problems arise.

Forth, that somewhere in all of the last minute confusion you have a chance to sit down and PONDER. That you have a moment to think about the real Reason for the Season.

Fifth, and this will be mostly on Christmas day, that you notice that extra twinkle in your little one's eyes. I wish that the excitement of Christmas could always be as strong as it is in young childhood.

Have a wonderful week! (I'll be back with single pic, but probably mostly silent, posts this week :)

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 16

2011-12-16T11:36:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 15

2011-12-15T07:35:00.003-07:00

Picture a stable in Judea.
Picture a sacred, silent night.
And can you hear
The angels near
And see the star so bright?

Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing praise to him;
Remember him,
As you picture Christmas this year.
(Words and music: Patricia Kelsey Graham, b. 1940. © 1983 IRI)

(~~note to self: take a picture of a nativity~~ DONE!)

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 14

2011-12-14T06:45:00.002-07:00

Having a birthday party might not be your idea of getting ready for Christmas, but to me, Matt's birthday starts the clock: 10 days 'til Christmas!

Matt is a great guy. He takes care of the chickens on our backyard farm. He also spots for his brother and sister at their animal chores occasionally. His school teacher (he started public school this year) LOVES him. He gets along great with kids his own age, boys and girls alike. This kid is super well-rounded. He is simply a delight.

Happy 12th Birthday, Matt! I hope that today is as great as you can imagine!
Love you,
Mom

And I hope that all of you have a great day too!

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 13

2011-12-13T07:37:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 12

2011-12-12T09:06:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 11

2011-12-11T08:39:00.001-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 10

2011-12-10T08:00:00.004-07:00

The following is to serve as a reminder to me to try this photo magic sometime: Wrap a person in Christmas lights to give off enough glow to photograph. Amazing! :)

Zach Gill - Party Hard from Brushfire Records on Vimeo.

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 9

2011-12-09T07:39:00.002-07:00

Pictures of Christmas::Dec. 8

2011-12-08T07:21:00.003-07:00

Wanna Hear a Joke?::December 5

2011-12-05T12:28:00.003-07:00

Live and Learn

Psychiatry students were in their Emotional Extremes class.
"Let's set some parameters," the professor said. "What's the
opposite of joy?" he asked one student.

"Sadness," he replied.

"The opposite of depression?" he asked another student.

"Elation," he replied.

"The opposite of woe?" the prof asked a young woman from
Texas.

The Texan replied, "Sir, I believe that would be giddyup."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes

Today, when Josh and Karen came to my house this morning, Josh had a "Thanks for giving birth to me" present for me (a BIG package of one of my favorite kind of cookies). He is such a great guy :)

I hope that you all have a wonderful day! Today, we're going to be celebrating Josh's birthday, so everyone is coming "home" for it. Very nice :)

21?!

2011-12-04T08:37:00.002-07:00

Josh turns 21 today. Holy moly! where does the time go?! This year I'm remembering what an active boy Josh was... because Aiden is the same way :)

I wrote a blog post about Josh on his 18th birthday I would add is that he is still very sweet to me. He tries to help me however and whenever he can. No one could ask for a better son!

The other day, after babysitting Aiden, Josh asked "Was he good for you?". I laughed and responded that he *is* 2 and he is never completely good ;) He looked down at the sleepy Aiden and said, "I know, but I just love this little guy." He is a very sweet daddy to his little boy.

Happy Birthday, Josh! I love you tons & am so proud of the man you have become!
Love, Mom

Snowday Pics + a Self Portrait::Dec. 3

2011-12-03T21:26:00.003-07:00

We woke up to a couple of inches of snow today that was sparkly and glittery, and even though I like the warm house better than the cold, the beauty beckoned to me.

(this first pic was taken with the macro lens & then cropped even closer; then I photoshopped it 'til it turned blue - the snowflake glow on the left was not photoshopped in; it was there at the photoshoot :)

Then, I got back inside and still wanted to play, and since I rarely have my pic taken 'cause I'm usually on the other side of the camera, I took a self portrait.

Today was filled with fun things: putting up Christmas decorations, going out to lunch with Steve, buying Josh's b-day present (yep, he turns 21 tomorrow!), and playing with pictures. I hope that you had a wonderful day too :)

Zoo Trip::The Fam

2011-12-02T20:39:00.005-07:00

So on Wednesday there was a free zoo day, and since Michael already had an appt at Shriner's that same day in that same city, Steve took the day off from work, Emily & Matt took the day off from school, and since it was Tino, Amber, Josh, & Karen's day off of work, the whole family went. Well, except Jared, who had a presentation in school that day that he couldn't miss. We missed him. :'( But, we all had a great time anyway :)

As we got to the zoo, Amber asked me if I could be sure and get some couple shots of her and Tino. She told me that they are wanting to keep kind of a photo journal of the fun things they do through the year. So, if you notice that I took more of them than anyone else, you'll know why. :)

The first pic was our family pic... Steve is trying to get Emily to join in, but she is going through a stage where she doesn't want her pic taken. So the pics that I got of her were like this:

In her striped hat & backpack, it reminds me of a "Where's Waldo" pic. :)

Amber & Tino:

The family... and Waldo again :)

Amber, Tino, and the camel:

Amber, Tino, and a giraffe:

Don't you love it when the animals seem to pose for the pic too? :)

Burrito Aiden:

I thought this pic was really cute... until I saw the person bending over in the background. ha! One of the things they repeat over and over in photography class is to notice what is in the background; guess I need to be better at that part, huh?

More of Amber and Tino cuteness:

At the end of the trip, Josh and Karen wanted to get Aiden a souvenir from the gift shop. (It turned out he really liked the Panda :)

The End.

It has been forever since we went to the zoo! If you want to see those pics, here they are

Have a super weekend! :)

Zoo Trip::The Animals

2011-12-01T13:52:00.007-07:00

Yesterday was a free zoo day, and since we had to take Michael up to Shriner's Hospital anyway...we gathered up *all* of our children & grandchild - minus Jared, who had to do a presentation at school - and went to the zoo!!

Today, I'll show you some of the animals that we saw; tomorrow, I'll post pics of the monkeys that I took along with me (AKA: my children). :)

Oh how I love the zoo!! :)

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Through the Macro Lens::Through the Keyhole

2011-11-29T21:27:00.008-07:00

I took a picture of Steve looking at me through the keyhole (I live in a very old house with very cool keyholes :) The keyhole isn't as pronounced as I would have liked, but it is still a cool effect.

After seeing it, Jared and Matt both said at separate times, "That should be on the cover of a book." Maybe Steve should write the book that this pic is a cover for :)

Anyway, I plan on trying this effect again with another camera lens. I'll be sure to post any cool results. :)

More with the Macro Lens::Portraits

2011-11-28T08:40:00.004-07:00

I made a new blog header. I was going for "fun"; I created "busy", instead. Life, and especially Christmas, can be so like that, don't you think?! I might try for "simple", later. :)

Like I mentioned yesterday, Steve's friend Russ let me borrow his macro lens. I had heard that you can use a macro lens as a portrait lens too, so yesterday I tried that out:

I think it does a nice job! I like how the person's face stays in focus, but the stuff behind magically melts into a backdrop. I plan on playing with it some more today :)

How about you? Have you got anything fun planned for the day?

I hope that you have a terrific Monday, and really, do something nice for yourself! After such a long weekend, (for my American friends, anyway) getting back into routine might just be painful. Have some way to reward yourself :)

Playing with Macros::The Cat

2011-11-27T08:35:00.004-07:00

Steve borrowed a macro lens from a friend (thanks Russ!) for me to play with. He brought it home last night, so this morning I got up bright and early and took a few pics of cheerios, the cat, and a plant. The cheerios and the plant pics didn't turn out; I'll have to play some more with them, but I really liked a few that I took of the cat:

I'm off to try to get us to the church on time. Have a wonderfully restful day today :)

Around the House

2011-11-26T08:07:00.011-07:00

I have avoided "speaking" much on my blog as of late, because many of the voices in my head that are trying to get out are those of anger, fear, anxiety, and occasionally despair. I worry that what I will write will come out wrong and need to be defended, or perhaps it will be misunderstood altogether.

Things are not rosy at my house or in my mind. I am struggling with the idea that my brother Bill has stage 4 liver failure. He is struggling with it too. And neither of us - and the doctors aren't saying - are sure what it means to his life expectancy. We are looking for hope. We are seeking out a liver clinic that will take his insurance and provide us with information about whether he is a candidate for a liver transplant; I'll call a second clinic on Monday.

In the midst of all of the appointments and fear has come the Holiday Season. It has hit me recently that for 3 months out of the year we celebrate: family, home, friends, plenty, life, birth of Christ, excitement of Santa, wiping slates clean & starting again. A whirlwind of emotions come regularly with this season. Typically it has been fun, excitement, love, gratitude. This year, there are some others that are peppering it that are less fun, but just as real and present.

This year, I have missed my mom. She loved the holidays! Last year we went to her nursing home and ate Thanksgiving dinner with her. In every year since I got married at 19, I have invited my mom to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner (barring the years that I lived out of state - all 6 of them) and Santa has always left her stocking here for her. When she couldn't visit at our home, we'd take dinners & gifts to her. It is a tradition that I'm sorely missing this year.

This year, as I was cooking and preparing, I remembered that the first Thanksgiving I cooked in my home (at 19) my brother Bill and my mom were there. (As a side note: I hated cooking it and for Christmas we ate individual breast of chicken, stove top stuffing, and instant mashed potatoes. It took me a full year to get over it and try again. :)

Anyway, those are a few of the thoughts tumbling around inside of my head.

I wasn't going to write them and give them a voice, but after reading my blog book that Steve made for me a few years ago and seeing how great a resource it is for my family as journaling our journey, it needed to be said.

* * * * * * * * * * *

On a brighter note, I took some pics "around the house" last weekend that I haven't shared yet.

Last weekend it snowed while Aiden was here. When he woke up, we had him look out and see the snow. His reaction was exactly how I felt!!

Since it was cold and wet, I didn't want to go outside to take pics, instead I took pics of some things of interest inside the house :)

Thanksgiving decorations on top of a bookshelf in the living room:

Decorations on the other bookshelf in the living room. Most of the items here were gifts from friends and family:

As much as I complain about all of the projects that come with an older home, the arched doorways and other little things about this house really are so charming!

Today my sister & her husband and Steve & I are going to be working on the storage units that still house my mom's "stuff": various household items, pictures, and other memorabilia that she collected or saved and kept for us.

UPDATE: The one storage unit got completely cleaned out!! Yay for us! :)

I hope that you enjoy your weekend :)

Sunset at the Lake::November 23

2011-11-23T20:40:00.009-07:00

This evening, Steve & I drove out to the lake. It was nice to walk and talk for awhile. Alone.

Yesterday was our 16th Wedding Anniversary. We didn't get to do much in the way of celebrating, since we were both feeling under the weather. And he had to work. Anyway, today he took the day off to go with Bill to his doctor's appt. I wasn't going to go, but I found it harder to stay home and wonder, so I went along. More about *that* later.

Anyway, back to the lake story. We walked around a bit and reminisced. It is nice to take a few quiet moments every now and then and remember the whens and whys and hows that made up the wedding in the first place.

And it is lots better, 16 years later, to know that the whys have just gotten deeper and stronger.

And here are some of the sights that we saw: (each pic will enlarge if clicked)

I'm off to make pies. Check on the bird and hope it's defrosted. Make some stuffing. And do all of the other little things that will make tomorrow a little easier.

Have a yummy Thanksgiving, and like I was reminded by the SAHMsisters yeserday, gobble 'til ya wobble. :)

Something Old, Something New

2011-11-17T07:30:00.006-07:00

My sister, some of our children, and I were cleaning out my mom's storage unit when I came across some blouses that she had loved and worn on special occasions when I was a young girl. I remember her standing and ironing them... and I think even scorching one as she was given some unexpected news from a brother once... It is funny how a "thing" can bring back so many memories.

Anyway, I wanted to keep them, but not just put them away in a drawer somewhere to take out and remember her, then I remembered wallhangings that SouleMama & my friend April have made, and after calling April and asking her how she made hers, I made these:

And hung them up in the bathroom as a group:

I want to make a few smaller ones with the smaller designs on the shirts and fill in the big spaces with them.

It is a nice way to remember my mom :)

They are super easy to make, and though I don't have pics for a tutorial, I'll just verbally tell you what I did.

1) get an embroidery hoop. You can find them at craft stores.
2) put the material in the hoop (You loosen and tighten the hoop with the little screw thingy on it. I like to make that part the top of the decoration.)
3) tighten the screw so that the frame is tight against your material.
4) gently pull the material taut.
5) cut the material around the hoop, leaving about 1/4 inch extra all the way around.
6) using a hot glue gun, tack the material down on the inside of the hoop.
7) Voila! Finis!

You can hang them on straight pins nailed into the wall since they are so light. Enjoy!

Have a super terrific day!

Happy Birthday to Amber & Bill!! And a pic of Matt :)

2011-11-15T10:58:00.008-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Bill's (my oldest brother - he lives with us :) birthday. Since we never officially celebrated Amber's birthday, Bill thought it would be a good idea to combine the two. (And he isn't much for attention, so I think he liked the diversion, too ;)

I think their pictures are cute :) Since the pics were taken after dark, and the only light was the house lights (and the cake's candles. I love the soft glow it leaves on their faces :), the ISO had to be turned way up to 800 and the aperature was on about 4.5, if I remember right. The shutter speed was super slow, so it caused blurring if anything moved. How I love the pic of Bill looking at Amber! The blurring behind him and even Amber's own fuzziness makes it look like time stood still for Bill at that one moment, and even though the rest of us kept going, he was super focused on the moment. (you can see it better by clicking on the pic and enlarging it)

It is funny how different shots evoke different feelings and different stories. :)

This next pic was taken this morning of Matt:

He had come up to me to talk about something, and the lighting was amazing. It was another of those "hold still & let me grab my camera" moments. It makes me happy.:) (Thanks for letting me take a pic, Matt, even though you didn't really want me to -Doesn't he have GREAT eyes??)

Such a great family I have! I'm so thankful that the share their lives with me :)

The Small Moments...

2011-11-12T11:41:00.004-07:00

We took Michael to see Santa last night. I love going to the local grocery's Holiday Open House, kind of a kick off to the holidays. No lines to see Santa is a great way to start off the busiest time of the year :)

And today, Amber read just about every board book in our house to Aiden. He was a happy boy :)

Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Talking Ourselves Down

2011-11-11T09:10:00.004-07:00

This came from a journal entry I found from Sept 27, 2010:

I have instances where I feel like life is so out of control that it will never be better. That my house will never be as perfect as I want. That those endless projects will never be completed, that life as I know it at its worst is how it always is and always will be. Do you ever have those moments too?

Sometimes those moments are reminiscent of a person on top of a building threatening to jump. Obviously there life feels so out of control, so unmanageable, that only ending it all seems to be the fix. Instead of it being a physical jump, a physical ending it all, the lack of control sets off dominoes that lead us to the conclusion that things will never be better.

If left unchecked, these feelings will lead to depression, anxiety, and hopelessness, but instead, let’s figure out a way to make the unmanageable seem, and ultimately become, manageable.

One way is to write down the stressers, take the emotion out of them, and look at them very rationally. Then we can set priorities, attainable goals, and a schedule to help us attain order to the chaos.

Much of life is simply making order of chaos. When you organize files, clean a closet, or simply clean out a drawer, chaos is organized and we feel settled and calm.

Nothing is too big to achieve, even though it might seem that way in the beginning. One important thing to remember is that perfection is an illusion; let go of it. Don’t be afraid of failure, but just be happy with your best. As you simply do your best with what you’ve got, you’ll be amazed at how much you really can accomplish.

Have a super-great weekend!

Self Portrait in Snow

2011-11-06T07:05:00.003-07:00

Well, kind of. I'm not much of a snow person, so I like to *look* at the snow without actually being in it :)

After the pic was taken, a load of snow fell off of the roof of the car.... and I had the window opened. So, I opened the car door and brushed the snow out... and more snow fell in. *I* can be the Three Stooges all by myself! I did finally get the snow all out... eventually. My idea of taking a cute picture in the snow without *being* in the snow backfired. :/

I hope that you have a warm & dry weekend!

Halloween Pics of my Ghouls and Boys

2011-11-02T08:29:00.008-06:00

I took pics of my kids and grandbaby on Halloween and thought I'd show you their scary (and adorable) little selves.

Early in the afternoon, Karen and I took Aiden, AKA: Tigger, out to do a photo shoot in his costume. After trying to take pics by the animals (which he LOVED, but rarely let us see his cute little face) and in the middle of leaves (which he didn't like at all) and failing, I got a brilliant idea: take him to the trampoline. After all, Tiggers bounce:

(view this as you would a slide show story. He was happy at first, got frustrated by his hat, managed to get it off and be so pleased with himself, we put it back on: FOILED AGAIN!, and then he played for a little bit with it on. :)

And the rest of the crew: (From left to right: Assassin's Creed character (Jared), Skeleton Pirate (Matthew), Skeleton Monster (Emily), Himself (Joshua), Rock Star (Karen))

And my cute little Punkin, Michael :)

I hope that you all had a wonderful Halloween, too! :)

HelloQuizzy::Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz

2011-11-01T18:55:00.001-06:00

And yet again....
HelloQuizzy.com:Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz

I love this quiz! I have taken it several times over the years, and though I get different variations (1 & 2) they all seem like the many sides of me.

Today, after a couple of years, I took it again and got:

You Are a Grace!

(First of all, is she not one of the most beautiful women ever?? Grace Kelly -Princess Grace of Monaco - is one of my female idols for real. So beautiful. So elegant. So....well, graceful.)

You are a Grace -- "I need to understand the world."

Graces have a need for knowledge and are introverted, curious, analytical, and insightful.

How to Get Along with Me
* Be independent, not clingy
* Speak in a straightforward and brief manner
* I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts
* Remember that If I seem aloof, distant, or arrogant, it may be that I am feeling uncomfortable
* Make me feel welcome, but not too intensely, or I might doubt your sincerity
* If I become irritated when I have to repeat things, it may be because it was such an effort to get my thoughts out in the first place
* don't come on like a bulldozer
* Help me to avoid my pet peeves: big parties, other people's loud music, overdone emotions, and intrusions on my privacy

What I Like About Being a Grace * standing back and viewing life objectively * coming to a thorough understanding; perceiving causes and effects * my sense of integrity: doing what I think is right and not being influenced by social pressure * not being caught up in material possessions and status * being calm in a crisis

What's Hard About Being a Grace
* being slow to put my knowledge and insights out in the world
* feeling bad when I act defensive or like a know-it-all
* being pressured to be with people when I don't want to be
* watching others with better social skills, but less intelligence or technical skill, do better professionally

Graces as Children Often
* spend a lot of time alone reading, making collections, and so on
* have a few special friends rather than many
* are very bright and curious and do well in school
* have independent minds and often question their parents and teachers
* watch events from a detached point of view, gathering information
* assume a poker face in order not to look afraid
* are sensitive; avoid interpersonal conflict
* feel intruded upon and controlled and/or ignored and neglected

Graces as Parents
* are often kind, perceptive, and devoted
* are sometimes authoritarian and demanding
* may expect more intellectual achievement than is developmentally appropriate
* may be intolerant of their children expressing strong emotions

It is all true! :) Go take it for yourself!

Wanna hear a joke? :: Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T07:34:00.001-06:00

Halloween Short Ones

Q. Who was the most famous French skeleton?
A. Napoleon bone-apart.

Q. Which building does Dracula visit in New York?
A. The Vampire State Building.

Q. What do Italian's eat on Halloween?
A. Fettuccine Afraid-o.

Q. What do goblins and ghosts drink when they're hot and
thirsty on Halloween?
A. Ghoul-aid!!!

Q. What is a Mummy's favorite type of music?
A. Wrap!!!!!

Q. What do you get when you cross a black cat with a lemon.
A. Sour-puss.

Q: Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?
A: He had no guts.

Q. Why do demons and ghouls hang out together?
A. Because demons are a ghouls best friend!

Q. What's a monster's favorite bean?
A. A human bean.

Q. What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?
A. A sand-witch.

Q. Where does a ghost go on Saturday night?
A. Anywhere where he can boo-gie.

Q. What do ghosts say when something is really neat?
A. Ghoul.

Q. Why did the ghost go into the bar?
A. For the Boos.

Q. Why was the girl afraid of the vampire?
A. He was all bite and no bark.

Q. Why did the game warden arrest the ghost?
A. He didn't have a haunting license.

Q. Why didn't the skeleton dance at the party?
A. He had no body to dance with.

Q. Where does Count Dracula usually eat his lunch?
A. At the casketeria.

Q. What happens when a ghost gets lost in the fog?
A. He is mist.

Q. Where did the goblin throw the football?
A. Over the ghoul line.

Q. What do you call a goblin who gets too close to a
bonfire?
A. A toasty ghosty.

Q. Why did the Vampire read the Wall Street Journal?
A. He heard it had great circulation.

Q. What tops off a ghost's ice cream sundae?
A. Whipped scream.

Q. What do you give a skeleton for valentine's day?
A. Bone-bones in a heart shaped box.

Q. What are ghosts' favorite kind of streets?
A. Dead ends.

Q. What is a vampires favorite holiday?
A. Fangsgiving.

Q. What kind of makeup do ghosts wear?
A. Mas-scare-a.

Q. Why did the skeleton cross the road?
A. To go to the body shop.

Q. What happens when two vampires meet?
A. It was love at first bite!

Brought to you by GCFL.net: The Good, Clean Funnies List
A cheerful heart is good medicine... (Prov 17:22a)
Mail address: GCFL, Box 100, Harvest, AL 35749, USA

Have a Happy & Safe Halloween!

Sunrise on the Pond

2011-10-28T15:13:00.003-06:00

Have a great weekend!

My happy place

2011-10-27T09:20:00.004-06:00

Lately there have been many stresses in my life, and I've found that photography is theraputic for me. When I am engaged in taking pictures: trying to get the composition just right, balancing the light to capture the mood, and trying to capture the magic that I'm feeling just at that moment, I simply cannot stress. I don't think of anything except getting the perfect shot. I'm so thankful that I bought my camera back in the early spring and took classes during the summer. It is lots cheaper than a good therapist. :)

Yesterday, when I went to the back door to check on Michael, and consequently the dogs, since they follow him wherever he goes, he was just coming back in from being outside. He had one hand on the screen door and one on the solid door and the solid door (painted white) was reflecting the southern light and bouncing it back on his face perfectly. I told him to hold still! and I dashed to get my camera. Though the picture's composition isn't perfect, the lighting is so good that I am going to try it again and again! And it has convinced me that I need to buy a collapsible reflector so that I can get great results everywhere, not just in the doorway of my south facing door. :)

Anyway, here is the pic:

I hope that your day is wonderful! And if you don't have direct sunshine, that you can borrow some reflected light :)

Up the Canyon (with a camera!)::Oct. 25

2011-10-25T20:31:00.004-06:00

Steve, Michael, & I drove up the canyon on Sunday and it was so chilly, and I had no jacket, that it took these scenes to pry me out of the nice, warm car:

I'm so thankful for the beauty that abounds in every situation if we just look :)

Gardening Gone Wild Photo Contest Entry::Oct. '11

2011-10-24T09:00:00.007-06:00

This month's theme for the Gardening Gone Wild's Picture This Photo Contest is "Fill the Frame".

So, I've been thinkin' and thinkin' and thinkin' about pics that I have recently taken or want to take that will best represent me best in the contest, and I have decided that this one is just the one I want:

If you remember, I fell in love with this scene and had to go back a few days later to shoot it. I got there just as the morning sun was playing, dappling the flowers and the old plow with its rich, warm glow.

The fresh, hot pink blooms contrasted with the red-brown rust on the old time plow adds a yin and yang type balance to the picture, mixing the fresh, new, and delicate with the vintage, worn, and practical; the leading lines of spokes of the wheel (that go all the way to the edge of the frame) made my eye want to investigate every leaf and petal, including the reds of a neighboring plant in the background, fulfilling, in my mind, the concept of filling the whole frame.

I have added this pic to my fotofolio too, at MerrieMelody.com/fotofolio

I hope that you have a terrific day today, filled with all of the beauty, sunlight, and wonder that one day can hold. ♥

Silent Sunday::Pics from the weekend

2011-10-23T15:48:00.002-06:00

Wanna hear a joke? Friday, Oct. 21

2011-10-21T10:46:00.001-06:00

from GCFL.net
Hammer

During a home renovation, my grandfather was watching me
drive in nails.

"You hammer like lightning," he said.

"Really?" I replied, flattered.

"You never strike the same place twice."

- from Dave Lockett (via Reader's Digest)

FREE stuff to do in SLC UT :)

2011-10-19T16:37:00.002-06:00

If you live in Utah or you will be traveling here during the winter, I wanted to let you know of some FREE stuff going on:

Tracy Aviary will be having Free days every Wednesday from November through February. this is their website:
http://www.tracyaviary.org/about/hours_rates.php

Hogle Zoo has FREE WILD Wednesdays on the last Wednesday of the month, November - February. Here is their website:
http://www.hoglezoo.org/education_programs/school_programs/fieldtrips/faq/

If you know of other free stuff in Salt Lake, will you please comment and let us know? Thanks! :)

Wanna hear a joke? - Wednesday, Oct. 19th

2011-10-19T09:19:00.001-06:00

This came into my email from gcfl.net this morning & it was too good not to share:

In Hot Pursuit

Two Alabama State Trooper patrol cars were in hot pursuit of
a Camaro heading east toward Georgia on I-90.

When the suspect crossed the Georgia line, the first trooper
pulled over immediately. The rookie trooper pulled over
right behind him and asked, "Sarge, why'd you stop?"

"You dumb rookie," replied the sarge. "He's in Georgia now.
They're an hour ahead of us, so we'll never catch him."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

Have a great day!

A New Header :)

2011-10-18T12:07:00.004-06:00

I was doing so well at posting every day and then.... pffftttt the air went out of my sails.

But hey! I got my fall header up, so that must count for something, right?! :)

This week is fall break for my kids' schools. I'm so excited! I'm planning on painting my bathroom and the hallway. Wish me luck!

Just wait it out.

2011-10-11T18:25:00.006-06:00

I posted earlier today, but there was a story that went along with one of the pics that I couldn't take time to share then, but I can now. :)

So, Steve & I drove to the lake on Sunday, mostly to take pics, but in portion, we were going just to enjoy each other's company (& Michael's, who was riding with us in the back seat).

As we were driving along, everything looked "flat" and oh so boring. I looked and looked, but everything looked so blah that I finally asked aloud if Steve was seeing *anything* that was beautiful. He replied that he wasn't.

So we drove a little while and I saw this one scene that I thought was beautiful:

I took a few of it from different angles, then got back in the car and drove some more.

Well, after a few minutes had passed and the sun slowly went down, BAM!! EVERYTHING was beautiful! Everywhere I looked, the sun's last rays were casting such a golden glow, and the light and shadows were playing and touching every minute detail of the scenery. At that point I seriously could have asked if he had ever seen such a glorious scene! (The reason I don't have many pics of this time, was the sun and shadows were also showing me the swarms of mosquitos that I'd missed before, and dangit, I'd forgotten the bug spray!!)

I did take one more pic though in that gorgeous lighting, and I hope that I did it justice:

The moral of the story is: In life, even when things look the bleakest, if you wait for just a few minutes things *will* change.... And hopefully for the better.

Here's hoping that we can find life's golden glow in all of the many aspects of our lives. And that we are open to it and grateful for it.

Sunflower Tuesday - Oct. 11, 2011

2011-10-11T07:42:00.000-06:00

I missed posting yesterday, but I spent the time putting up some items on etsy.... finally!! Are you proud of me? :)

So today, I'll show you some of the pics I took on my Sunday drive.

Today, I'm going to try to get more up on my etsy shop. Also, I've kept the prices very low so that those of you who follow me here on this blog will get to purchase the pics that you have loved at a great price. Those prices will be there for a bit, no cause for worry, but eventually, they will raise to be more like the others on etsy.

If there is a pic that you have loved that you don't see on etsy, let me know and it will be the next one I work on. :)

Have a super great day!

Fantastic Fall Foliage for Friday

2011-10-07T09:21:00.004-06:00

It snowed here yesterday, and though it didn't stick, it doesn't quite feel like fall today. It is cold, so rather than the weather outside compelling me to come out and play - frolicking among the crunching leaves underfoot - it is foreboding and giving a warning that cold weather is indeed coming: Be Prepared. Instead of preparing, though, I am reliving fall through my windows... my pc's windows that is.

In case you need some fall foliage to brighten your gloomy, grey day too, let me share with you what I *have* prepared and stocked up on: emblazoned fall color:

Wishing you warmth, comfort, and beauty,

October 6th::Wanna hear a joke?

2011-10-06T12:06:00.003-06:00

Ketchup Trouble

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup to come out of the bottle. During her struggle, the phone rang, so she asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the phone.

"It's the minister, Mommy," the child said to her mother.

Then she said to the minister, "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."

Received from Timothy Anger.

Orangutan
One day the zookeeper noticed that the orangutan was reading two books: the Bible and Darwin's Origin of Species. In surprise he asked the ape, "Why are you reading both those books?"

"Well," said the orangutan, "I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper or my keeper's brother."

Received from ArcaMax Jokes.

Workplace Humor

Boss asks employee: "Do you believe that there is life after death?"

Employee: "Certainly not; there's no proof of it."

Boss: "Well, there is now. After you left early yesterday to go to your brother's funeral, he came here looking for you."

Received from Ron Call.

Have a great day!

Flowers!!

2011-10-05T08:09:00.007-06:00

Steve & I drove by a house the other day, and I saw the coolest thing! There was an oldtime plow being used as a decoration with flowers growing up and around it. The scene was simply stunning, and I determined to take a picture before too much time had passed.

Yesterday as I was coming home from taking the kids to school, I drove past the house, and as luck would have it, I had my camera with me! Very fortuitous!

And this one is my very favorite:

My wish for you is that you can slow down to smell the roses (or the daisies or sunflowers, if that is all there is :) and notice the small beauties that everywhere abound. That is my goal for myself too :)

Jared's Senior Pics::October 4th

2011-10-04T07:19:00.004-06:00

On Saturday, I took Jared and finished up his Senior Pics.

I can't tell you enough how great this kid is! He was sick of taking pics, yet he kept at it until we were done. And I think they turned out GREAT, if I do say so myself. :)

Happy Birthday, dear Emily!

2011-09-28T07:53:00.007-06:00

15 years old! Where did the time go? I remember her as a little girl: having to wear a dress every day. Her cute hats that she had to wear. And an umbrella. She had to have the umbrella!

My cute little girl is a beautiful young lady. In just a few tomorrows she will be grown and out of the house with her own cute little girl. {sigh} I need to learn to savor every moment because they go by too quickly.

Here is wishing you a wonderfully slow day to savor a while,

Feeding the Ducks and Geese at the Pond

2011-09-26T11:06:00.002-06:00

On Friday, Michael and I decided to take the long way home. I was trying to find good places to take portraits nearby, so we drove slowly by the park, by some downtown locations where people take pics sometimes, and finally, we ended up at the pond.

Ducks and geese swam as fast as they could toward our car and flocked around us, waiting expectantly. The sad thing was, we didn't have anything to feed them, so I promised Michael we'd come back with some food soon.

On Sunday, Steve, Emily, Michael, Aiden, and I piled into the car and set off for the pond with one bread sack full of the stale ends of lots of loaves of bread and some popcorn in another.

When we arrived, here came the ducks and geese waddling up in hopes of a treat. This time they were in luck!

I had Steve help Aiden so that I could take a pic (I love this one and think it is so sweet :):

We fed and fed and fed and then we had to go. It didn't take long for them to leave us, either.

Fickle little creatures! They seem so happy to see us when we arrive, but when we run out of things to give them, they are done with us! There must be a parable in there somewhere! ;)

Finally Friday! Favorite fotos of the week: flower / bee macro

2011-09-23T08:55:00.006-06:00

This hasn't been such a great week for posting. Busy, Busy, Busy!

I have taken some cool pics though!

Take a look at these:

That first pic is straight out of the camera with just a boost of saturation; I was super surprised that the bee didn't startle away!

The other pics are for non-bee-lovers. Don't worry, I've got your back! ;)

The super-duper close up macros are just plain cool, don't you think? I love macros because they take you to a whole other way of viewing things! It makes things look very other-worldly.

I hope that you have a super weekend! Do you have anything fun planned? We will be helping out a fund raising yard sale on Saturday and making some baked goods for it too.

See you Monday!

SUNFLOWERS!! for September's Gardening Gone Wild Photo Contest

2011-09-19T19:45:00.007-06:00

During this time of the year, the end of summer and beginning of fall, sunflowers can be found everywhere! Along back country roads, in flower gardens, and even along the interstate. It makes my heart happy to see them in such abundance. Sunflowers are the epitome of happiness: their golden, sunshiny petals contrasting the dark, chocolate brown center, and then when the blue, blue sky is their backdrop, the scene is simply AMAZING!

Sunflowers are dominating my photo shoots right now (by choice :) and this one is my favorite so far:

So, it just goes without saying that it is the one I am going to submit to the Gardening Gone Wild's Picture This Photo Contest. The theme for September is "Late Summer Garden"... what could be better than beautifully happy Sunflowers?? :)

The Monkey at My House

2011-09-19T09:18:00.005-06:00

Aiden is quite a little climber! Yesterday, he decided to climb over the arm of the couch, then back up and over the arm, and then back down. The faces he was making were so cute that I couldn't resist taking pics. Too bad the lighting was so poor :(

My Cutie Pie

2011-09-18T10:42:00.002-06:00

This pic was originally taken in May and revisited and revised today. What a cute kid!!

End of Summer's Perfect Flower - The Sunflower

2011-09-16T07:47:00.005-06:00

Thankful Thursday:Sept. 15:My Favorite View

2011-09-15T10:09:00.005-06:00

Wordless Wednesday::Harvest Season - Sept. 14th, 2011

2011-09-14T16:42:00.004-06:00

Jared's Senior Pics::Sept. 13, 2011

2011-09-13T10:59:00.007-06:00

I don't think I remembered to show these to you after I took them, so here are a few of Jared's senior portraits. We are going for "the perfect pic" and location, so there should be a few more here and there before we're done. :)

The first one was taken at the same place that Amber got married. It is a favorite location for photo shoots among many photographers, and when we were spending so much time there, we noticed several photographers on shoots. The lighting is super and the beauty there is amazing. I'd like to take more pics there.

The next few were taken in the foothills. They are some of our favorite places to visit. :)

This week is going to be tricky for blogging; Michael has a dentist appt. tomorrow at the children's hospital and then has physical therapy on Thursday.

Today will be a nice, quiet day I hope! I am feeling a bit under the weather, so I have no plans other than to vote in the Primary Elections.

I hope that you have a great day!

Grandparents Day

2011-09-12T09:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday was Grandparents Day, and I got to celebrate it with my grandbaby :)

On Saturday afternoon, as he was sitting in his highchair eating, I noticed this wonderful lighting that was coming in through the windows, so I snagged my camera and took some pictures that I later turned into a collage :)

I had Steve ask him questions, like, "Where is your nose?" followed by ears, eyes.... and I just kept snapping away.

I love natural lighting; it gives the pic such a natural feel. :)

Anyway, I hope that all of you that are Grandparents had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating with your littles :)

Have a great day!

The Rest of the Story - Sept. 9, 2011

2011-09-09T10:26:00.006-06:00

We have a tradition to gather up all of our kids on Labor Day Weekend and go camping. This year, since Tino and Amber had just gotten married, they didn't show up, but everyone else did.

Why Labor Day, you ask? Because it is close to the anniversary of when Steve's & I first met. I figure that a family reunion is a pretty good way to celebrate that event. :)

As just a little history, Steve & I met on September 9, 1995 (16 years ago today :). Our first date was a week later on the 16th. We got engaged on October 20th, and the wedding was November 22. Talk about a whirlwind! :)

Anyway, so about 4 years ago, I decided that we needed to start having an annual tradition so that everyone was already in the habit of a get together. That way, when everyone got married off and busy with families of their own, they would still remember to come camping with us on Labor Day. I think that it was a great choice, and the kids like it too. :)

Here are the remainder of pics from our family reunion/labor camping trip:

Home Sweet away-from-home Home

The "facilities" - a port-a-potty in a shower tent makes camping life just a little more luxurious ;)

Karen and Aiden

Matt with a bb gun, just resting in the hammock

The bb guns lined up along the fence - what is it with boys and bb guns? Mine - even the oldest one - still loves 'em

Jared and his schbapoop. This is his favorite activity to do while camping. He gets a dead-fall wood, about 6" in diameter & cuts off about an 18" piece, puts a hot coal on it, blows the coal - "cooking" the center of the log, getting a fresh coal every time the other one cools. He makes it into a wooden cup type thing. The trickiest part is directing the air at the coal - this year he took a piece of a broken fishing pole since it is hollow and will direct the air *exactly* where he wants it. Pretty ingenious! :)

Meg under the hammock

Josh and Matt coming back from playing in the meadow

Smores!

And to update my grandson's pic (found at the top of my blog) is this pic:

This is his "I don't know" shrug. Very cute! :)

Have a great day!

The Baby :: Sept. 8, 2011

2011-09-08T10:53:00.001-06:00

Even Aiden loved camping. :)

Holy Macros! Tuesday, Sept. 7

2011-09-07T06:55:00.005-06:00

On our camping trip, I played around with some macro pics & I like how they turned out!

These flowers remind me of a wedding cake :)

I'd love to know what kind of plant this is! It looks like the center of a black-eyed susan, but there isn't, nor ever were, petals, so I'm stumped! Do you know?

This looked like lots of little dandelion wishing flowers on one plant:

I love the color contrast on this one; it is amazing what a little red can do!

And I played around with yesterday's pic a little:

I've decided that I'm going to turn it into an 8x8 canvas, right along with this one:

I read something the other day that I felt was so profoundly true.... I wish I would have written it down! BUT, to paraphrase it said that a happy life is made up of lots of happy moments. I hope that you can bask in the little, happy moments that come your way today. :)

Our Labor Day Weekend: Tuesday, Sept. 6

2011-09-06T09:54:00.002-06:00

After the wedding on Saturday, we all decided that we needed some downtime, so we went camping. While the boys and Emily went off exploring and playing, Karen & Aiden took a nap, and Steve & Michael swung in the hammock

I took a nap for a little while too. Sleep wasn't so great the night before, with the coyotes or wild dogs fighting and barking in the distance... I was so nervous! I woke up Steve and laid awake trying to decide if I wanted to pack up camp and go home at 2 a.m., but.... the helicopters that was circling around us for a couple of hours must have scared them away. Helicopters aren't something usual in the mountains, so I'm not sure why they were there, but I'm glad that they scared away the wild dogs/coyotes, that's for sure!

And as for the wedding pics I promised...... I didn't get any. :( I was running, running, running from before the ceremony until clean-up until 11 p.m. I'm hoping that the photographer took LOTS of snapshot pics as well as the portraits that she took of all of the family, the wedding, and the bride and groom.

Amber looked beautiful and Tino looked handsome on their big day. There were mishaps, but I guess they are really to be expected.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend and that you enjoyed all of it with people you love and who love you. Life doesn't get any better than that!

The Venue

2011-09-01T06:58:00.005-06:00

Just a sneak peak at where the wedding will be in 2 DAYS!! Argh! I remember when I was telling Amber that the wedding was 6 months away so we had plenty of time for everything and now it is right here. Time flies when you're havin' fun, I suppose.

Today I'll be wrapping up loose ends for the wedding, then back-to-school night with Matt's teacher, and a city council meeting talking about the city sewer system (seems there isn't enough sewer to go around. After already jacking the prices a ton for one upgrade a year or so ago, our city needs another. I wonder if there will be an uprising over the sky-high cost??). Tomorrow will be the run-through with her hairstylist Aunt. Then on to Saturday. I have to keep reminding myself to "hold on tight & enjoy the ride!" ;)

Wednesday August 31: Portraits

2011-08-31T06:57:00.005-06:00

While at the wedding rehearsal last night, when there was down time, I took some pics of Jared for his senior portraits. This was my fav:

We picked up Josh, Karen, and Aiden to take along with us to the rehearsal. Just before our van pulled in, I saw Aiden dart over to a dandelion wishing flower, pick it, and start blowing it. By the time this pic was taken, the last of the fluff was blown off, but he was still blowing anyway:

Today is going to be full of cleaning, schooling, and getting the last minute things done for the wedding. I wish that it was a day for napping though.... But, Saturday is The Big Day, so no time to rest!

Have a great day!

Monday, Monday: August 29

2011-08-29T07:25:00.001-06:00

From up on the mountain:

Have a wonderful Monday!

The Hunger Games Review

2011-08-26T09:05:00.003-06:00

I just finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. What a ride! She is a excellent storyteller and the book is really well written. The subject matter, however, is super dark, so I definitely wouldn't recommend it to young teens (though my 11 yo son has read it and LOVES it - and no, he isn't an aggressive, bloodthirsty boy, just a good boy who enjoys a well written story.) I would compare the story itself to a futuristic society's bread and circuses much like those of the ancient Roman Colosseum; the difference being that in ancient Rome, spectators would have to be in the Colosseum to view the brutality, while in The Hunger Games, the games were watched on tv. The setting is a futuristic country with a government trying to keep its subjects under their thumb. A few years back, people tried to revolt; the government won, and now has the yearly hunger games to remind people that they don't stand a chance in a revolution.

SPOILER ALERT!! (don't read past here if you haven't read the book and want to w/o knowing the story and the ending)

The book impressed me on a lot of different levels. First, it is grammatically correct, which is a rarity. Secondly, it is very well written: it is easy to understand the flow of the book, it's very suspenseful and entertaining, and Collins pulls off politics in a way that will make people think. There are little subtleties in the book that really build the character development, like with their district's representative in the games, Effie, making snide comments about how barbaric some of the contestant's manners have been at the dinner table and Catniss thinking that it is ironic that Effie is worried about barbaric table manners when Effie herself yearly sends two young people to their deaths in these brutal hunger games.

I grew to like the main character, Catniss, and I can relate well to her. She won't ever back down, but doesn't go looking for trouble either. She is cynical and looks for others' motives. She feels such a sense of responsibility to the people in her District. She is driven by duty. She loves deeply and fiercely, but holds people at arms length until they prove themselves to her.

Steve reminds me of Peeta, which is interesting, because I think the author had Peeta's character be in total contrast to Catniss's. His love comes freely and easily toward Catniss, having loved her since he saw her the first day of school when he was 5. He is easy to get along with, and seems to always say and do the right things to make friends easily. Though we only get to know Peeta through Catniss's eyes, he seems to be able to seem sincere to everyone, even when he is secretly protecting Catniss by having alliances with their enemies.

Through Peeta and Catniss's reactions to other contestants of the hunger games, Collins builds their characters: Catniss is a survivor, she doesn't believe in the hunger games, nor does she want to be there, she isn't bloodthirsty and only kills in defense or for mercy. Peeta is loyal, sincere, has integrity, and is an all around boy scout.

I'm looking forward to reading Catching Fire, the next book in the series.

Harvest time

2011-08-25T06:56:00.001-06:00

Have a great day! :)