Saturday, February 28, 2009

Craziness!!!!

Things are good, but time is passing each day so quickly! Just lots of little things to get done, and blogging hasn't been one of them lately. Not that I don't want to, just that I end up too tired by the time I get everything else done.

I did manage to get some scrapbooking done today, in between making two lemon meringue pies, dinner, and doing some house keeping. I don't have photos yet because it was dark by the time I finished them. They are simple, and I'll try to post them tomorrow.

J had great snow boarding lessons today. Also got him signed up for base ball, which seems crazy as we still have 6 inches of snow all over the ground.

Had a great conversation with a new friend today, which was an unexpected blessing to me. The power of prayer is amazing, and in this case it was the exchange of a prayer request over the Internet that led to a blossoming new friendship. I can't tell you how wonderful it is when I catch of glimpse of God working like this!

I think things are going to stay busy for the next few days as we get ready for the school fundraiser dinner and then some guests.

For those of you who are rock fans, my little J is totally getting into his first celebrity awareness - with the Police of all bands. He's very focused on the drummer, Stewart Copeland, making posters to hang on his wall, and everything. Thank you PBS for the music special that opened this door. Like father like son in so many ways!

A very blessed Sunday to all of you!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Just a little something.

We're getting snow as I type - like well over 6 inches here. Really, I think I prefer that to the perpetual grey and brown of late winter that is no where near ready to become spring. The temps are in mid 20's, so it's pretty do-able. I'll try to get out tomorrow with camera before this all melts away.

This old Hollyhock is just beautiful, even in it's brown. I always think of my mom with Hollyhocks but it's a bit of a story. My mom was a wonderful gardener - do it yourself type in every way. We lived in rentals most of my growing up, but at each new house she would plant a flower garden and invest so much work into it. She loved Holly Hocks, but she had a friend (a BFF really), Cathy, who hated Hollyhocks. Cathy thought they looked like weeds when they were coming up and to my understanding, it frustrated Cathy to have a plant in her garden that she thought might be a weed. It was sort of a joke, and every time my mom referred to Hollyhocks she would comment that Cathy thought they were weeds So, every time I look at these plants I think of weeds. And I think of my mom.

Ended up teaching Kindergarten at J's school today - a nice half day sting. But, it got me a bit behind. I finished an envelope book for a class next Monday, but didn't get photos of it before I left it at the store. Also, taught a class last night, which went well - thank you ladies for your fun company as we worked through those pages.

Off to prepare for Bible Study in our home tonight (read: have to go clean the guest bathroom and do some other sprucing up around here!)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Before and After

The topic this week over at the 2 Peas in a Bucket General Photography boards Photo Of The Day thread is Before and After using post processing. So, here are two photos, first Straight out of the Camera and then after I fussed with it: For this one I added some brightness and a render filter. That's it. Now, the next one:
I also gave a render filter, but first I changed it to hard light (a suggestion I read about a while ago on the Pioneer Woman blog), and a bit of dodging. In case you are wondering, this is a leaf left over from last fall that is being revealed as the layer of ice over our creek melts.
Very photo focused today. Back with more other stuff tomorrow or Thursday.

Monday, February 23, 2009

In case you stop by. . .

I'm doing great, just buried under paper work to get the taxes ready. And a project for another mini-album class that is almost finished, but this is the slowest part. I've got lots of information to process on so many fronts, but really, all is well!
I'm trying to have an engaged, purposeful lifestyle. I'm excited about people and the gift God gives us in the ability to connect with each other. I'm hopeful that even though times are challenging economically, we always seem to have just what we need to make it through each day. That being the case, I'm going to live with peace instead of anxiety with respect to resources. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go pray so I can make the engaged purposeful, peaceful anxiety free life happen, because without prayer I don't stand a chance!
Oh, and that beautiful spring picture is from last June, but I'm pretending that such sights are just around the corner! Plus, I'm going to use it in my mini album, so it is fresh in my mind right now.

Friday, February 20, 2009

MY HUSBAND IS SO WISE! MY GOD IS SO GOOD!

A bit of a peek at some photos I took the other day for a friend's son. He was totally not into getting his photo done, which made it a bit of a challenge to get some interesting shots. But I think we were able to make it worth my time. I hope his mother likes them! The goal was to get head shots. Here they are:

Maybe played with this one (below) a bit too much.

We went up to Bridger Bowl today to get J on the hill and get his snow board legs under him before lessons start tomorrow! He did great! And it was so easy to see why my husband thought this was so important - the difference between that first run of the season and what he looked like by the end of our 1.5 hours there was amazing. And, we just used the $5 lift ticket for the "bunny hill" so it didn't cost us much at all - skiing/boarding is so expensive that this was our first chance this year! Anyways, what a brilliant idea from my husband!

And I was able to get a nice photo with my wise beloved!

Do you ever just suddenly recognize all over again just how good God is? Not any one specific thing, just in general? That is the feeling that over comes me today and what a blessing it is. Little answered prayers, brothers and sisters in faith supporting and loving each other, beautiful surroundings, and unexpected little blessings all just bring this feeling together. I know feelings are not supposed to direct how we live our life, but when they affirm how good God is, it is fun to enjoy them.

Have a great beginning to your weekend!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Productivity!

Got much more done today:

Office filing - check!

Open three new files for the office - check!

Kitchen clean - check!

Wash refrigerator shelves - check!

Process a few photos - check!

Laundry processed (except for folding) - check!

Couple of phone calls returned - check!

Walk for exercise - check!

No scrapbooking, but I'm hoping to do that tomorrow!

My tomorrow looks totally different than I thought it would. I was expecting to work at the scrapbooking store, but instead will only work Saturday. Some good in that I guess because I suddenly have a free day I didn't expect. Bad part is I was counting on the $50 for a particular goal I have. Oh well, I'll accomplish the goal eventually, it just might take a bit longer than I first expected.

But the really cool thing about tomorrow is I'm going on a date with my husband! His former intern gave him a gift certificate to a cool restaurant in town, and we are going to go, JUST THE TWO OF US! That will be fun!

Have a great start to your weekend!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Where did the day go?

One of those days where I puttered my day to accomplishing just about nothing.

House - not clean.

Accounting tasks - still waiting.

Scrapbooking - none.

But, I did do a photo shoot with a reluctant 17 year old - he would have been just as happy to stay in bed. I tried my hardest to "put him at ease" so we could get some shots that weren't stiff and stilted. Got a couple with real smiles, but really, he just wasn't into it. Ah well, not much I could do about that. I'll make the most of the photos for his mom, and we'll just go on.

Here are a couple photos from yesterday's little jaunt around the yard. The rose hips are my usually pp. The dried flowers/weeds I tried a few new techniques I've been reading/learning about - hard lighting and some dodge and burn.

I'm pretty happy with the results and excited to have a few more tools in my personal tool belt.

Tough day with homework for J - but onward! Maybe that will be my theme - ONWARD!

I'm going to scoot here - or should I say "Move Onward" and do some scrapbooking before bed.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Eagles, more calves and a reveal!

This guy was so perfectly position and not bothered by my stopping to take his photo. So stately!
And this lady was in labor when I first saw her at about 1 p.m.I came by at 4 p.m., and here is her little one - taking first steps!
Today was a "RUST" prompt for a POTD that I sometimes do, and here is one of many rust shots I got today!
These are my handsome husband's eyes! Love them!
And this is the 12 x 6 album I finally finished!
It was a photo heavy day - but a good day all the same.

Monday, February 16, 2009

This and That

It's been awhile (or so it seems to me) since I posted some of my photos and some newsie news. I've been slacking on the blogging. So, hold on to your seat because I'm going to get at least somewhat caught up.

The lighting in the evenings around here is getting good again - the fields just glow:I love the spring and fall because we get this kind of light! But, it's supposed to be grey with the possibilities of snow tomorrow, so I'll have to wait for those special days!

Finished the 6 x 12 album (I think I called it a 12 x 12 in a previous post by mistake!), and will photograph it tomorrow a.m. and post it by mid day. Considering it was limited by budget (the class has to be affordable or nobody will take it) and time (also have to be able to complete the project in 2.5 hours) I'm pretty happy with it. Without the budget and time limits I might have done some things differently. That't the thing about teaching - I love doing it, but sometimes it cramps the style of my projects!

Sunday, when feeling somewhat better from his a.m. stomach ache, J and Andy went out to field a few base balls - have to get ready for the season, you know! It was in the mid-20's, there are patches of snow on the ground, but they were having a good time of it.

Isn't my man just so handsome, even from behind!

I guess this explains a bit about why the practice is needed. He's great at catching and throwing, but the fielding grounders is going to be the focus of some practice for awhile, I think. Andy heard of an exercise where you tape a ping pong paddle to the glove hand so the ball will bounce off if the right hand doesn't come in and help. It sounds like they are going to try this as soon as we get a paddle. Sounds frustrating to me, but it will probably improve the skills.

At least he's excited to be practicing, and it creates more father son time. They'll be off to snow boarding lessons (Thank you Grandma!) starting next week and for the next month, so they are going to have lots of fun together!

Finally, look at all them babies!

After seeing that one be born I'm kind of obsessed! I counted over twenty little ones in this field today! And the black cow standing up just to the right of center is ready to pop! What you also can't see, but is super cool is that in the stand of cottonwoods to the left there is a bald eagle. They are hanging around in force right now to eat the after births (I know, kind of gross, but it is so cool to have so many baldies around!).

So, that is more like the kind of blogging I hope to do instead of all the drive by or no post I've been doing lately!

Have a great Tuesday!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Family Time!

We've spent the last couple of days enjoying some family time. J love it! He complains that he doesn't get enough time with all three of us together. So, we've just hung out together this weekend.

On Friday night we all hung out down in the craft room, where I worked on my 6x12 album and J made us all costumes from red construction paper and several rolls of tape. Andy just laid on the couch and slept, but for J it counted as time together.

Yesterday J went to a swimming birthday party and we had dinner with our Bible Study group. Today, we may skip church because J has a stomach ache, but I'm waiting to evaluate how he does being up and around.

Hope you all have a blessed Sunday, and I'm really hoping to have photos of that album tomorrow. I'm so slow!!!!

Friday, February 13, 2009

I'm working on my first ever 12 x 12 album using photos like this one.

Its taking longer than I expected, and today is my big day to get on with it.

Been a week of learning about parenting. Spent the last couple of weeks thinking I was the only one dealing with the disorganization of a 9 year old child. But God has revealed to me, through other parents, that this is not a unique situation.

The joy of this child is such a blessing. And the trials of trying to teach him are not unique. I'm so thankful for other mom's who have shared honestly their trials so that I would not feel so alone or overwhelmed by what turns out to be fairly normal developmental struggles.

Hope you are having a wonderful bit of Valentine preparation!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Calving season!

I went for a walk today up near some cattle ranches because I wanted to see baby cows - it is calving season here and they are so cute when they are young. This is an example of what I expected to see: But as I was headed back to the car I came upon this cow and knew something was going on:
An hour later this was the scene:
Sorry these photos are so grainy, they are with my very old zoom lens, and I had to crop in quite a bit to get any sort of closeness - as she labored she wondered further and further away from me.
Unfortunately I did not get to see the calf stand and take it's first steps because it was time (past really) to head into town and get J from school.
A pretty darn cool thing. Hope the photos don't gross you out too much.