Photos

I spoke too soon yesterday!
I am fairly certain should I hold the camera up to my face I will not be able to stop with just one picture subject.
One thing leads to another and another and another.
So perhaps it should be called "photos of the day".
Or maybe we should just leave all the words out and put the day number. Like 12 or 13, or 14.

Whoa wait a minute once we get out of January that is gonna become complicated and involve math.
No, that won't work.
Maybe just "photos for this day"...
I must ponder this more.
That said, here are this 13th day of the year 2011, photos.

It is a Thursday, in case that may matter someday when we scroll through the annuls of history.

My weakness is this coffee!

My photo weakness is taking indoor pictures in low light.
Not the same sort of weakness my friends!!

It is cold outside today.
Well, our Texas version of cold that is!
32 degrees! So, the children at the busstop were bundled in their heavy coats!


This dog, wait...this puppy is huge!!!

She walked past the bus stop this morning and got into that forward fun play position that is somehow known by all the puppies in the whole world. It just looks so strange on her because she is sooooooo ginormous!!!

This was her, confused after no one came close to play!! Ha!

Can you see her there, close to the fire hydrant? HUGE!

Bye-Bye babies on the bus, see ya this afternoon!
And, I will see you tomorrow!

Day 12 is Day 1

I am inspired!!
I know a few people who are taking the 365 photography challenge.
It is a challenge to take photos and record at least one everyday.
Everyday!
I have a buddy who has even created a new blog for posting said photos. Wowza! I am so impressed and awed!
Well, folks...that is just not gonna happen with me. I am way to right brain discombobulated and wonky to even think about maintaining yet another full out project.
Envy the discipline and self control and left brain activity it takes to do such things, I do!! However...
...I do know my limits.

Now, I know some days are just not going to allow for it, but I am going to set daily photos as the standard anyway, AND....I want to also have a goal of posting a photo each day.
We will call it "The Photo of the Day".
Catchy right?
It may or may not have anything to do with what I actually want to blog about on any particular day, or it may spur on new and unexplored topics!
So, it will either be a separate quick post or will be a photo worked into a post.
Let's not go setting perimeters too early on okay!

Here a few photos I have taken since the beginning of the year; these will serve as our jump start since I am already 12 days behind.
Lets start with a badly taken photo!

My middle son was cleaning out his hamster cage and put me in charge of "Storm". Well, I got tired of being in charge Storm and put him in that Goldfish box you see in the back ground.
Storm got tired of being in the Goldfish box very quickly so my oldest took him out and Shelby rushed over. They were both moving to quickly to get a good clear shot.
Note to self...explore getting good clear shots.
The little puppy tongue slurping the hamster made this a keeper even though it is blurry!!

Hmmmm, a little to much light going on here.

Note to self... figure out how to take pictures without too much light!
Isn't she cute though!

This next one may be a little too forced for my style, but...a photo taken!

Note to self...figure out your "style" already!!!

I think I like this one.

The rushing water, yet the bricks are still crisp, yeah...it will do.
Note to self...no note.

Now this one...it does it for me!!

The lighting is decent, the composition is nice and the color is intriguing.
I was cold and bored.
I was sitting at the fish pond in my coat and mittens waiting for the fish to make an appearance because they were going to be the star of my first photo of the day post.
I had no volunteers.
They stayed hidden under a rock.
I guess it was "warm" under there, cause it sure wasn't warm where I was.
Brrrrrr 37 degrees is not good outdoor picture taking weather.
It is good icicle weather though!!

Just look at how the ice has clung to the dangling pond slime!

Ahhhh ha ha ha, dangling pond slime photos is where it is at my friends!!
And that is where we will leave it today.

Perhaps on Friday I will get to my pizza dough recipe tutorial.
Hurry, run out and buy a stand mixer if you don't have one yet so that you can follow along.
Have I told you to get a stand mixer before???
Why yes I have, so don't go acting like this is a new thing here!

I know not all of you have a mixer, but this will be a mixer recipe, because my mixer is my friend.
I wish for you a mixer friend too!
Note to self, you were supposed to end on dangling pond slime and not on the mixer...do that next time.
Final note to self...please don't even consider ending a post with the words dangling pond slime again, once is enough for everyone.

A hearty snack

Every week day I urge myself out of bed just after 6 a.m. so I can enjoy sipping my first cup of coffee of the day while checking my email and slowly waking up.

Each one of those days I get each of my children up at a specific time.
First my daughter at 6:50, so we can decide what to wear while she is waking!
Talking to her and expecting answers seems to work for her as opposed to having her clothes laid out and giving her a nudge.
At 7:00 a.m. the next to get roused is my middle child. He sleeps on the top bunk in his room, so I must heft "little" Shelby up to give him good morning kisses. She is kind enough to lift her front legs and practically jumps into my arms! She is a good alarm clock assistant.
Next at 7:02 my oldest gets puppy dog kisses and is rousted to take his regular morning shower.

While they are getting dressed, I head downstairs each day to fix lunches and pack snacks.
Everyday I stand in front of my self designated" lunch fixing" station and assemble lunches and snacks for each of my darling children.
( I have job security in these tough times!!)
This is a cabinet in my kitchen where I keep the peanut butter, honey, chips, sandwich and snack bags, and snacky foods like pita chips and goldfish.
I buy the humongous box of goldfish from Sam's which has three flimsy foil bags in it which I transfer one by one to a gallon size ziploc, for freshness you know!!
If the children are on top of it and have brought their lunchbox down, I will even pack their lunch in the appropriate container!
And, if I am feeling especially kind I may even put the lunch or snack in their backpack if it is close. (Please interpret that as, if someone is running late and is not gonna have lunch because we are racing about like crazies, which happens at least once a week despite my best efforts..I put their lunch in their backpack)

So, today...like every other day of the school week I packed snacks and lunches and left them in the assembling and packing area.
They are always arranged from oldest to youngest child, from left to right. They know their position in the line up and can quickly grab their container.
Today was also one of those days! Except, it was more like a slow motion day instead of a run around crazy day.
My daughter just couldn't get her motor running.
I keep suggesting coffee but somehow my children always turn me down. huh!?!

I quickly put my daughters lunch in her backpack and rushed back to the stairs to urge her to get a move on, meanwhile my middle son made it into the kitchen to get his lunch!
"Whoa Mom" he exclaimed

"You sure did pack sister a big snack today!!"
My oldest quickly responded..."No, that is my snack, Mom just put it in the wrong place!"

Birthday Battle

This....


...is a Hasbro Nerf-N-Strike Maverick REV-6 Sonic Green Blaster, with 6 suction darts and a quick fire rotating barrel.
(Don't be impressed...I know all of that because I copied it word for word from the Toys R Us website.)
I just chose it because of the cool green color and because it was on sale.
Buy 2 get one free!!
I was purchasing 6 total, so that was a deal clincher for me.

Why would I need 6 Hasbro Nerf-N-Strike Maverick REV-6 Sonic Green Blaster, with 6 suction darts and a quick fire rotating barrel?? Well, for a 10 year old boys "nerf war" birthday party of course.
Our two story house with its open stairs and upper hallway lends itself perfectly to an ultimate nerf battle.
It was epic!!
(I don't really say that in real life but my sons do, so....)
We partook of homemade pizza (recipe later this week), chocolate cake and then divided up for the war!
Well, they divided up for the war.
I was labeled the "war correspondent" with my trusty camera in hand.
I took my life and well being into my own hands as I roved around following the action and shooting photos not bullets!!


There are many types of nerf bullets...all of which are (apparently) not appropriate for every weapon...excuse me!! Thankfully I purchased the "correct" kind. whew.
I would have to say my favorite nerf bullet is the whistler. I screams a warning as it flies through the air...so cool.
The majority of bullets in this battle were the suction type, which land in such interesting places!!




Perhaps you think I am a bit crazy to let six 10 year old boys, a brother and a sister and 2 Dads run around my house shooting at each other for 30 minutes.

Well, maybe I am.
I took the few things that could be "in the line of fire" and put them away.
I hid my plants and intentionally left my decorative items in the boxes from being put away for Christmas time.

It was loud and chaotic.

Fast and furious...and so very much fun!

Bullets were everywhere!
Boys were running in and out of rooms aiming and firing, calling out to their team members and hollering encouragement!
One battle ended, the teams gathered bullets, switched positions and the next began.


Shelby dutifully followed me about as my trusty sidekick, just trying to stay out of the path of battle hungry boys who were armed and dangerous.

She was none to happy about all of the action, but was a good sport! I expected her to fuss at all of the craziness, but I believe she was too, too overwhelmed!

Yes, perhaps it was crazy. But let me tell you...the joy it gave my kid, well that made it all worth it.

Everyone took time before leaving to gather stray bullets, someday we may actually find them all.

Friends and Photos

I want to introduce you to Ash!
Ash lives across the street.


Ash is Shelby's best friend.
After her very rough start with our Nephew dog Dexter, I really didn't hold out much hope for her to be kind to any breathing animal on the planet.
But this dog...she loves him!
It is so sweet to see her run to greet him and jump around him as he meanders about.
He is much, much older than her so when they play...it is her nipping at him then running in huge circles around the yard while he woofs and eggs her on from a standing position.


He is such a gentle soul and so good for her!

We all need friends like Ash.
Those who are older and wiser.
Those who still know how to have a good time, but move a little slower than us.

Then there is Chocolate chip.
He is Ash's brother.

Odd, I know... but true none the less.

Would you believe that Shelby also gets along with this fellow?
When he is not stalking her that is.

I am gonna change the subject here.

When I look at my photos above, I think...hey those are pretty good photos!
I also think...hey I wish those photos looked just a little bit better.
I wish the green was greener, and the lighting was better.
I wish I knew how to run the program which would allow me to do such things but the newest version has a manual coming out, but not until the end of January so until then, I just have to wish....OR...
You know what???
There is a solution for that! If I really had a mind to get those pictures looking top notch, I would send 'em over to my friend Rachel at Sweet Tea Enhancements.
How's that for a segue??? Hee hee!

Rachel is the mastermind behind this ingenious site!
She takes photos which are good, and edits them to make 'em great!!!

Just check this out!

See what I mean!
BAM! Just a little punch to bring out all of the best qualities in a picture.


Wanna see another??
Okay!

Wowza!!!

Now this isn't just for "staged" photos either!
There is even hope for your favorite snapshot that may have the famous tree growing out of the top of little Jimmy's head problem.
Or...you know how you take 800 shots of your kids and not a single one of them has all three looking good all at once?
Well, send along the 3 photos that do look good and Rachel may just be able to make something out of it for you!!
And, what I really love about it, is that it is all done digitally. So, you don't have to drive around or make any meeting times!
Go check out her gallery of before and afters! Maybe it will inspire you to dig through that box of photos for that shot that you just love, if it weren't for the strange bug that landed at just the wrong time. (or any other random reason for the shot to be weird).

This one right here (taken by my other friend at Frugal Fotography)...is one she did editing on for me.

When I am old and gray, well grayer... this photo will still make me melt!!

Well, it is a new year.

Oh, Happy New Year!
Now what was I saying?

Oh, yes...it is a new year!
Big changes are a 'comin round here.

Okay, not really!
I thought...hmmm it is a new year maybe I should change my blog layout or coloring or style in some way.
Then I thought...hmmmm I chose it to be the way it is because I like it that way, so why change what I like?
Some day I may just log in and think to myself...ick, what was I thinking?
But until then, why fix it if it ain't broke?

Just thought I would tell you that!

Oh, and I have to go to the dentist tomorrow to finally get my toothache fixed.
I called in the Thursday before Christmas and for some reason they couldn't work me in. Huh!?!
I have that anticipation of the dread of the pain but the anticipation of the happiness of not having daily pain thing going on.
I hope I can sleep! hee hee

I got all the ornaments off of my tree!

I cleaned and straightened my art room and found a cool bead box that I didn't remember that I had. It will be so handy and nice!
My friend who gave it to me
(like a year ago, but I put it away and didn't bead for awhile and then it got "lost" in the move)
came over the other day.
She was kind enough not to say hey why haven't you used that yet when I went on and on about how great it was gonna be to use it.
I had a light go off suddenly as I watched her patiently listen to me and said, "Hey wait a minute...didn't you give this box to me, like a year ago and I put it away and didn't bead for awhile and then it got lost in the move and now I found it and I am gonna just love it!!!"
Isn't it wonderful to have friends who know what you need and love you for all of your crazy right brain messiness too!

Ohhhh I gotta run. My husband just said, "Come on, I will teach ya how to play x box." We keep teasing our children that I stay up late at night to work on my x box skills but really all I know how to do is pick outfits for my avatar. She is cute let me tell ya!
So, I am gonna run...I am not even gonna go back and proof this at all. It is typed I am leaving, goodbye!
Oh, and Happy New Year...I did say that right, cause I meant to.
Bye.

A gift!

So, my husband was out in the backyard grilling the other day and our neighbor shouts over the fence...

"Hey, would you all enjoy some peppers?"

My husband responded quickly,
"Well, sure. Jennifer loves to put peppers in food, we would enjoy that."


He continued by asking,
"What kind of peppers are they?"

Our retired, generous neighbor gave a hearty chuckle and said,

"Well, I can tell you that they are not banana peppers as I thought!"

"I pulled one of these ripe peppers off and took a nice bite of it ready to enjoy!"

He was able to put out another hearty chuckle before continuing...

"My mouth caught on fire fast and I ran into the house to slug down some milk...and I don't even like milk."

Yes my friends, our neighbor passed over the fence these peppers.


Funny, I thought immediately of what a fun photo they would make.
It never occurred to me to actually cook with them!

Why? Well, I will tell ya why (in case you can't tell by looking at them).

These are habanero peppers. It is reported that they are at least 50 times hotter than a jalapeno pepper.
Supposedly, they have a distinctively sweet, tropical fruity flavor and an apricot aroma...I guess that is if you can get past the heat to taste that!!!
Do you need another fun fact??
Okay!
The smaller and thinner the pepper the hotter it will be. Fascinating!

We are having company for dinner so I will be doing some extra cooking today.
I think maybe lasagna and some of my famous chocolate chocolate chip cookies.
Or Gumbo and my famous chocolate chocolate chip cookies.
Or I could make Beef Stew and my famous chocolate chocolate chip cookies.
Either way, I am having some cookies!