Things are good!!

Didn't even know that frogs lived at the beach. When Noah (a family friend) found this one swimming through the water we did not believe him. But here he is and I am sure that this solidifies that the beach is the coolest place to be.

This weekend I had time to myself while Daniel took Carly and Soren to Germany and my mom had the boys. So I decided to paint a couple of rooms. Well my paint choice was not the best and it is the color of FLESH. I am hanabal and have wrapped the whole room in skin. I paid a lot of money for that paint so we are keeping that color.

Jaden's new quotes for the day are:

1. You are such a whiner

2. Carly, you are such a jerk

3. I can't pee in the bushes it is too dangerous.

I have decided that spring is the best time to take pictures and if I don't share them here where else do I have to share them. So you will all just have to grin and bare it.

See that was not so painful. Well it is late and I am off to bed.

This week

Flowers are killing me!!

This week is all about flowers. I have tried to take pictures of flowers and it has not turned out well. I take much better pictures of people so in all my flower pictures are little pieces of people. I just can't get into it. I think they are lovely and some of them will be gone soon but I just can't seem to capture them well.

I have also tried different textures on my pictures and some of them I like and some of them I do not like so much. I love this one of Soren though he looks so pretty. He loves it when I say that.

Today Carson said "Dad is going to turn 100 and then go live with Jesus and I will really miss him. I said hopefully you will have a family of your own so it won't be so bad and he said he wanted to live with me forever." Then five minutes later he said he wanted to live with grandma if our house burned down. What a fickle child. The things that come out of his mouth. Lately the only way we can get him to do anything is to tell him it is the way of the Jedi.

Well I finally got my mantle the way that I wanted it. With a little help from one of Kim's designs I really like it.

Love the beach!

Since the weather has gotten a little bit warmer we have been to the beach three times. There is no where that we have ever lived that I feel like when we go there time stops and we are happy just being together. The kids are not asking to play with friends. The dog has the time of his life. Daniel and I just talk. The kids are nice to one another and just play. It is a beautiful thing. I always take the camera and try to capture what I am seeing. The lighting was perfect last night and so I had to do very little processing. I am finally beginning to be able to take pictures that I want to, that look the way I see them.

This is a rare moment of the boys beign together.

I love the feeling of sand between my toes.

I always see Daniel in the kids, but in this one I really did.

I loved every single one of these and I am going to bore you with a little more, but I can't help myself.

I have so much fun. Sometimes at night I will lay awake and think to myself how I could make a picture better or wake up with an idea for another. I hope that never goes away.

Should I wait?

So I have been wondering--should I wait until something exciting happens to blog about? I have been sick so I have spent either time in bed or time just catching up on things that need to get done. Daniel has been having it hard being mother and father. I had one exciting night where I felt a little better and a group of friends and I went and saw Blue Man Group. Well I have to admit that I was a little nervous to see it because of their freaky eyes. I really enjoyed myself even with most of their show being about ways to cram things in their mouths.

I found a new program (to me that is) called lightroom where I can edit my photos. I have to admit that I love it. I can edit so many photos at once and they all look great. Well I hope they do. So I will be sharing some of those. I hope my friend Lisa doesn't mind me sharing some of her boys but they are so cute. To those of you that ask I do carry my camera with me most places just hoping to catch something that is interesting, but I do not sleep with it to those of you who were wondering. But you have to practice to get better at something (that is what they tell me).

Not in the best focus but that really is the face he gives me a lot so I thought I would share that with all of you. Mom can you play baseball with me for five hours? I will want to only bat and have you chase the balls all over the neighborhood.

The rest is the some of the kids in out neighborhood who have graciously let me take their pictures. I am sure the whole time wondering why?

I have really found a great hobby for myself, but I really have to watch myself not to get consumed. I really have to prioritize my time. The craziness of schedules is about to happen again with volleyball, scouts, baseball and everyday swimming. If I don't get my days straight then it seems like no one eats and our life is in chaos. I really enjoy my photoshop class not because I am learning in leaps and bounds but it gives me time to really sit and use my brain to learn something. I like that feeling. Well enough of my ramblings.

What a baby!!

Well--he finally made it to the magic number three. What a fun sweet baby that can drive me crazy. We had a little birthday party for him and he seemed to really soak it all up. He of course loves the attention and had to blow out the candles 13 times and we had to sing to him each and every one. Hard to get his picture most of the time, even harder to get him to wear his crown. Can't believe he starts preschool this year and I will actually have 5 hours a week all to myself. That hasn't happened in going on 11 years. Every child has been a big learning experience, but also so much joy. Wouldn't trade it of course.