Newbie

I am a total newbie when it comes to digital photography and Adobe Elements, but I'm loving both! It has been a recent adventure of mine to learn how different digital textures, masks, etc. can add to the overall feeling of a photo.

I am learning through an awesome online teacher. Her name is Jessica Sprague(www.jessicasprague.com), and she offered a free class over the summer of popular actions in Elements. She has very clear step-by-step instructions on how to implement different techniques, and I have access to my class instructions for as long as I want.

If I can do it, anyone can! Check out these cool before and afters:

Learning about png frames and word art




Creating a Vintage Style Photo




Clipping Masks





Textures





Through the Viewfinder (TTV)





Selective Spot Recoloring




More fun to come!

A Happy Ending

Somehow today ended on a happy note. I'm so thankful it did. I was just thinking yesterday how I've been enjoying my children way more than usual lately--and not because they are in school! I think it's because I've been able to keep my anxiety under control. Maybe it's the running. I hope so.

Well, this afternoon was NOT enjoyable. After walking the kids home from school in the blazing heat, I decided to take the kids swimming. So I called Murray City pool to make sure they were open (learned to call ahead the hard way a few years ago). The message said they were open.
We got ready.
We packed the car.
We drove 15 minutes to find the pool was closed.
Crying ensued.
I got a bright idea. I drove another 15 minutes back to Sugarhouse to the Fairmont Aquatic Center.
We unloaded everyone and everything.
We paid.
We walked in.
The pool closes just as our little toes were about to touch the water.
The pool would be closed for at least an hour due to human waste in the water.
MAJOR crying ensues.
MAJOR fits in the car as we drive home.
I am turning into not a very nice mom due to my heat stroke and hunger and Evy's ear-piercing shrieks.
I send children to their rooms.
We eat dinner.
I break the news that we won't be able to swim AND watch the new Hannah Montana movie like we had previously planned due to the afternoon's course of events and wanting the children in bed at a decent hour on a school night.
Whoa! More crying ensues.
I ask A & W to choose one of the activities.
Of course they cannot have the same choice.
More arguing.
More time spent in the room by Abby and not Will as he is smart enough to see his mother is getting angrier.
He pours on his charm.
I'm suddenly the best mom ever--all the while Abby is screaming in her room.
I call and grumble to Eric secretly wishing it wasn't his fishing night.
Eric and I choose swimming for the children.
Abby miraculously comes out and apologizes and says she would love to swim.
I am at a loss for words.
I get everyone ready--again.
We drive to the aquatic center.
We enter.
We actually get to swim.
Everyone is happy for an hour and a half.
We come home and get ready for bed.
Abby helps read while I settle Evy down.
She lets Will choose his book.
Prayers are said.
Hugs and secret handshakes are given.
Lights go out.
No talking comes from either of the rooms.
They are all out for the count.
Ahhhh. Truly a happy ending!

California Trip

Eric and I are glad we survived our 11 day road trip to celebrate our anniverary yesterday! Even though the thousands of miles we put onto "Bessie" proved to be VERY trying at times, we mostly had a wonderful and memorable time in California. We drove down to So Cal, stayed five nights, drove up the coast, stayed one night, drove to Nor Cal, stayed 5 nights and then drove home. Here are some highlights from our trip:

Arriving in Yorba Linda at 2:30 a.m. PST
Swimming all day with Chad, Chelsea, Bri, Celia, and Nana
Abby trying her first front flip off the diving board
Will showing off for Chelsea’s friends
Watching Chelsea and Bri's sweet dives
Sliding down the waterslide on tummies
Eating at In ‘n Out
Legoland
Eating at Ruby’s and taking in the view
Salt Creek Beach with Chad, Matt, Ananda, Bri, and Celia
Watching surfers surf the double-overhead waves
Swimming more
Seeing old friends at church
Visiting with extended family
Enjoying Val’s yummy food
The lakebed
The Grove and American Girl Doll store
Staying at a hotel in Arroyo Grande (near Pismo Beach)
Collecting shells at Morro Bay and finding tons of sand dollars
Driving the scenic Hwy 1
Watching wild elephant seals for a once-in-a-lifetime experience
Eating junk food
Arriving at Grandma and Grandpa’s a day early
Swimming with Grandma, Grandpa, Jen, Sammie, Maddie, and Rob
Playing with Jack
Learning abowt Mom’s plants
Looking through old pics
Hanging out at the American River
Abby jumping off a rock into the cold river
Hanging out with the Sigrist cousins
Eating Mom’s yummy food
Going on a night hike and seeing bats and deer
Seeing wild turkeys

P. S. After taking 805 pics, I narrowed them down to the pics seen on the slideshow. I know there are a ton of photos, but I found it hard to even just choose my top 10%!

P. P. S. I somehow managed to leave out the picture I had chosen for Lynn. Here it is:

14 Years Ago

What happened 14 years ago?

*Windows 95 was released
*The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland opened
*The 49ers beat the Chargers in the Super Bowl
*Oklahoma City bombings
*Scott O'Grady was shot down over Bosnia in the NATO no-fly zone
*Sony released Playstation
*Galileo spacecraft arrived at Jupiter after six years of space travel
*Last Calvin & Hobbes comic was published
*Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" was the number one single
*Top grossing films were "Toy Story" and "Batman Forever"
*Eric and I were married!

It's crazy how time flies. I feel blessed that Eric has been such a good husband and friend to me and for his UNCONDITIONAL love.

Today we celebrated the big day at Finn's for lunch. (THANK YOU to Kerri for watching our kiddos.) We talked about the things we've gotten better at and realized how we haven't regressed in other areas. I'm proud of us for getting better as the years have gone by. We are a good match. We get things done. We are a team. We have fun. To many more years of fun! Opa!

P. S. The pics I've included are of our wedding announcement, our one year mark, and 14 years later. (Yes, we've both put on quite a few pounds and my hair isn't as curly. I thought it would never happen to me, but it did.)

Our Drama Queen

Around our house there is a lot of drama--a lot of loud drama. Much of the drama can be traced back to Abby, and Eric has affectionately called the frequent drama episodes as "The Abby Show." Many times we need to remind her to harness "The Abby Show." So when I found out about "Adventures in Acting" camp I knew this would be a great way for Abby to unleash "The Abby Show" in an appropriate environment, time, etc. Of course "The Abby Show" had "stage fright" for the first half of the week, but I could see none of this "stage fright" during her little performance today. It was so fun to see her use her imagination and at times lead her class. I'm hoping she'll continue to like theatre. In my opinion Abby and drama just go hand in hand!

Numbers Two and Four

I recently took my numbers two and four, aka Will and Evy respectively, to get their portraits taken as Will just turned six and Evy is now 7 1/2 months old. I really wanted to get Evy's taken at six months of age, but sometimes life just gets in the way! In a perfect world, I like to get my children's portraits taken at one, three, six, nine, and twelve months of age. After the first year, I take them every six months until they turn two and then at every following birthday. I love to see how much they change over time, and I'm a total sucker for pictures/portraits.

The studio I have been taking the children to since we moved to Utah, Fotogenix, was offering a blog cd with a minimum purchase (which I, of course, met). As I post pics of my evens, here is a little rundown for each:

Will:

*Mr. Lego Man loves Legos, loves to build his own planes/spaceships/cars and loves to build sets from Space Police, Indiana Jones, Agents, etc., loves if they have at least 500 pieces!

*Mr. Sweet Man loves to give hugs, tell me I'm the best mommy in the world (ha!), and tickle my arm when I'm starting to lose it.

*Mr. Bug-my-Little-Brother does just that. Period. All day.

*Mr. Cyclist enjoys riding his bike without training wheels.

*Mr. I'm Hungry has a hollow leg. Where does all the food go? He's been known to eat two Costco hot dogs and a 1/2 slice of their pizza for lunch!

*Mr. Reading enjoys reading everything he sees.

*Mr. X-box 360 can't get enough of Lego Star Wars.

*Mr. Silly likes to be just that!

*Mr. Would Love to. . . take Karate, go to Legoland, play in water all day.

*Mr. Swim can finally be taken to the pool without a life jacket. Yahoo! He also likes to go off the diving board and water slide.

*Mr. Science/Bug Man loves to ask, "Why?"

*Mr. Eager-to-Please

*Mr. Friends galore

*Mr. I'm-Settling-into-my-Own Skin

Evelyn:

*Miss I like to smile

*Miss I'm Mommy's easiest baby so far (Please stay that way!)

*Miss I can eat a ton! No more baby food for me. Bring on the table food!

*Miss I love my siblings

*Miss I have beautiful, large, blue eyes

*Miss I like to roll

*Miss I'm learning to sit on my own

*Miss I like to talk (Yes, another one!)

*Miss I love to be held

I'm so grateful for these two lovies!

Tagged

Kerri tagged me with this one:

Take a picture of yourself right now and post it. No primping. No putting your hair up in a ponytail holder, etc. Then tag three more people.

I love how I stumbled across this tag after a VERY rough Sunday with my sleep deprived two-year-old. I think today was his worst day EVER. So here I am looking very authentic--tired. Just go ahead and stick a fork in me--I'm done!

I tag Erin, Janae, Amber, and those mentioned on Kerri's blog!

Most Embarrassing Moment

Ummm. . . yeah. . . I now know my most embarrassing moment. It came to my realization Monday night while visiting (probably for the second time since we've lived here these past 13 months) my neighbor on the north side of us. The single male neighbor with the two teenage boys. After checking out the cool deck he is making in his backyard, I took a long glance at my bathroom window which faces his kitchen and one of the boys' bedrooms. To my horror I noticed how transparent my "privacy" window is. It turns out the privacy window is not so private. So, yeah, now I'm feeling really embarrassed and sick. I'm thinking it's not a matter of if I've been spotted in the shower, it's more of how many times I've flashed my neighbors. Nice.

After bringing this fact to Eric's attention (who reassured me time after time that the privacy window was in fact private), he went to Home Depot and installed these blinds. Thank you very much, Hon. I'm really looking forward to a truly private shower now!

From First Day to Last

I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by! Abby and Will have both excelled in school, and I'm very thankful for their teachers for being so dedicated to their profession. What a long way Will has come from his first day of school 180 days ago! He has made a 180 degree turn--from a whimpering little boy when I left him that first day to a confident, smiling, silly, and well-liked individual in his class. And Abby--wow! Her writing and handwriting have improved amazingly. I am proud of her hard work all year and for learning how to make the best of a sometimes rough situation. Way to go big kids! Now it's time for some summer fun!

. . . I got it!

Yep, Eric treated me to this dandy of a bike (Electra Daisy) on Memorial Day. I LOVE it! It's better in person--all the way from the comfy seat and green rims down to the flower design tire tread. It's so smooth and comfortable. I'm absolutely in love with it so much so that I might be found riding it around the neighborhood in the middle of the night! Can't wait to take it for a spin again. . .

I Saw It, I Liked It, I Want It. . .

. . . I probably won't get it, but it's so darn cute! I would love to get a matching one for Abby and ride around the neighborhood together. Why oh why do I only like the most (or more) expensive items? Couldn't a Target brand cruiser do? Maybe, but this darling Electra Daisy Cruiser would be a tough act to follow!

New Neighbors

For two weeks in the morning hours, I would hear a persistent tap-tap-tap. I knew exactly what it was but wondered which kind of woodpecker, possibly sapsucker, was setting up house in the front yard maple tree. One morning I spotted the cutie. Turns out it is a Downy--not the larger Hairy--Woodpecker.

Also, for the second time around, we have some robins nesting in the Aspen outside our living room window. I feel for the female when it rains, but she seems to be doing well.

I'm really enjoying these birds and learning from them (mostly perseverence and loyalty). I've also enjoyed the other visitors I've noticed since living here. (May 4th made it one year since we have moved!) The other visitors include: California Quail, Mourning Dove, European Starling, American Crow, House Sparrow, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler (life bird), Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, Scrub Jay, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

Who will be visiting your front or back yard this year?

Think Musicals

I'm just singin' in the rain. . . Picture me dancing happily around a light post with a large grin because wonder of wonders, miracle, miracle, I found a sportsbra that actually works! Oklahoma! I am in love with the Enell sportsbra. Where has it been all my life? It actually works! No movement--whatsoever. Think a girdle for the girls. Awesome. For some, diamonds are a girl's best friend, but not for me. This bra is the real deal. Worth every stinkin' dollar! It's just one of my favorite things. . . Oh what a beautiful morning because heigh ho, heigh ho it's off to running I go!

P. S.

With permission from his brand, spankin' new parents, here is Evy meeting her new baby cousin, Holden, for the first time. (Doesn't she already look enormous compared to him?) Holden is so darling, and he's lucky to have such terrific parents!

Proof

Proof that childhood doesn't wait is the fact my newborn is now FIVE MONTHS old. Like the Talking Heads song, I'm often wondering, "How did I get here?" The last five months has been a total blur, and hard, but very rewarding as Evy has cast her spell on our family. It's quite cute to hear the two boys talk to her in high-pitched voices and sweet to see how Abby can calm her down. We love how she is blowing razzberries up a storm, loving her feet, flashing her toothless grin, and rolling over every now and then. Joy truly is in the simple things!

Childhood and Fear

Okay. I don't know a lot of things FOR SURE. But these two things I do know (prompted by an awesome lesson in RS today):

1. Childhood doesn't wait. . . and because of that I'm thankful. . .

2. . . . I didn't let fear win when I decided to be a stay-at-home mom. It was scary to think of letting go of one income, of letting go of my friends at work, of letting go of a positive outlet in my life, but I always knew that for me it was the right thing to do. I stood firm in a world that didn't/doesn't advocate my same ideals/morals. I had simple faith and knew my family would be blessed and be okay financially. I can honestly say that this has happened in my life. I have felt blessed in countless ways from the very beginning of my decision. And I am so thankful. I'm thankful to be these four beauties' mother and being a part of their quickly passing childhood. I'm so grateful that I can be a stay-at-home mom as I realize not everyone has the choice to do so. I'm glad I had the choice. I'm glad I didn't listen to the world, or I wouldn't be living my dream.

Now, if I can learn to perfect my dream by continually "finding joy in the journey" I would be one happy camper.

Love this one, too!

I've spent entirely too much time on this woman's website/blog. Not only is her writing addictive, her photography and cooking ideas are wonderful, too. I am in the middle of her love story and am tearing myself away to get some work done. This one is a must see/read: www.thepioneerwoman.com. Until the next installment, I'm off to do a Transformers puzzle with Will and more laundry.

Love this one.

Val gave me a wonderful book called My Dear Sisters with quotes from Pres. Hinckley and beautiful pictures by various artists. I'm so thankful for the book, and I have already gone through it a couple times over. The one quote I love that gave me shivers is this one:

"E. T. Sullivan once wrote these interesting words: 'When god wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn't stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home and of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother's heart, and she puts it into the baby's mind. And then God waits."

I got shivers again. I can't help but think of Val and the way she raised Eric to be the person he is today. She loved him, read to him, cared for him, taught him optimism and how to laugh, let him be himself, and influenced him for good. All the while, God waited. He waited for Eric to meet me. That's when his/our great work started. I'm a better person because of Eric. His temperament and learning was meant for me. He has pulled me through some tough times, and I'm grateful for him and all that he learned from his wonderful mother!

Ahhh. . . innocence.

Yesterday Abby and Will watched the movie "Benji." I went down to check on them and asked them how they liked the moved. They both said it was good, but that the "s" word was being used a lot.

I replied, "Oh, you mean the word 'stupid'?"

"No," was Abby's reply. "It starts with 'sh'!"

Can you imagine what word started going through my mind? I couldn't believe they would have THAT word on "Benji."

Abby said she did not want to tell me what the word was because it was a bad one. I assured her it was okay to tell me because I wanted to know what the word was for sure.

"Okay, Mom. They keep saying 'shut up.' It's not very nice!"

Then I just had to laugh and was, of course, very relieved it wasn't a four-letter word!

This little conversation reminded me of one I've heard many a time from Eric's childhood. Apparently one night at dinner Eric confessed he knew what the "f word" was. I can only imagine the look on Lynn and Val's faces. I'm sure they were curious to know what that word was according to their second child. Eric then went on to say the "f word" was "fart." So hilarious! I'm sure his parents were just as relieved as I was that their child(ren) were still so innocent and cute!

California Fun--Saturday

Saturday came with beautiful weather for Matt and Ananda. We headed up to the Los Angeles temple to be a part of their sealing and to take family pictures. Then it was off to lunch, choose a present, get the house clean for the reception, and party. The food was yummy, the backyard was magical (what a vision Ananda had), and the company was just right. I got to sit next to Karen Abbott. Love that lady! I also enjoyed the twinkling lights, the hot cocoa bar, stealing looks at Eric, and watching my children dance. By the time the night was over, I was ready to put on my stretchy pants, relax, and prepare to go home the next morning.

Thank you to Lynn and Val for yummy food, great company, and a comfy bed the entire week. We had a wonderful time!