Great Day Clowning around

We had a great day of impromptu clowning around. It all started with an innocent game of Twister, their first I might add, and deteriorated into a circus. 

This clown family was really having a great time unitl this guy got his nose caught in the door. There was hysterical laughter and squeals of pain all at the same time. 

Such a great afternoon with the kids. They are so much fun and so creative. Valentines are in production and they are so very cute. The kids love to glue and cut especially with all those fun scissors and stuff.

Crazy Saturday

Saturdays just now are filled with soccer and football and today Tyler's birthday party. Crazy day but so much fun. Nothing like making 30 party favors only to end up 4 short, it was alot of kids. I think I love to have that many people over, it feels so out of control but so comfortable at the same time, now if everyone just knew where everything was and felt comfortable enough to help themselves things would be grand. This photo is for The Daily Shoot. The theme today was "some sort of stripes".

We had a bouncy castle in our backyard for the first time ever. The kids loved it !!! All of them loved it. There were minimal cracked noodles, for the most part it was great fun. Of course Rob and I got in after everyone left and I decided that it really wasn't my thing, I prefer a trampoline, enough said...

Gee dad you looked a little strange today, I really couldn't put my finger on it all day but I swear there was something amiss. Maybe your color was just a little off, maybe you got new glasses and forgot to tell me? Hmmm it will come to me soon I'm sure.

I had not seen these 2 cuties in a long while, they sure do grow fast. There seemed to be something a little off with him today too but oh well, maybe it's just me.

Beautiful Belly

This momma has the most beautiful belly ever. This go round it was a big strapping boy, he weighed in at 9lbs 6oz !!! That's a lot for this tiny mom.

Thanks for spending some time with me Heather I love getting to see you !!!

Oh did I mention this is baby #4 !!!

Team Up Thursday- Black & White

Team Up Thursday - Black & White
Sandra and I are still going strong in the "how different can you be" category.
Mine is on the left, it's the new fabric on my new very old chair !!! I'm in love with even though I don't know quite what to do with it.
The beautiful B&W flower on the right is from Sandra and I don't know the full story but maybe her husband gave it to her with a big kiss and sweet pat on the butt? Sounds like how I'd want my flower delivered !!!

Anyway have a great day !

Who They Are

Really I'm not sure why I titled this Who They Are, maybe it should have been "Who I Am" but anyways. I was talking to a wise and new friend of mine the other day, we were talking of our children, and I was telling her how I can get very frustrated with them, one in particular. The frustration has happened off and on throughout the life of the offspring and has recently reared its ugly head, luckily only briefly. So this new friend of mine was telling me that she too has some of the same issues. She then went on to tell me she thinks she has these issue because this child is so much like her. LIGHTBULB MOMENT. Bingo !!! That's why I have such a hard time with my child, they are similar to me in ways that I don't necessarily like.

And then I see them doing something that makes me so proud and I think "was I like that" ? Was I that caring and gentle and nurturing? Where did that come from? They are like me, I'm sure they are like me with some of my faults and some of my really great attributes. And I love that about them and me. I will try to embrace those trying times and turn them into learning times instead. I love my kids so much and just want them to be happy and free and go lucky and loving and loved and nurturing and funny and serious and smart and silly and loud(did i really say that)  like they should be.

The Interviews

I found these questions on my friend Katie's blog, which she got from one of her friends blogs and so on. I thought they were good questions and it sounded like something fun to do with the kids, at first anyway.
So here are the questions and the answers from each kids, enjoy( I know I didi) along with my 365 habit forming picture that I feel compelled to include. This one is from the Daily Shoot and the topic was Make a photograph of two complementary objects arranged to show their relationship to each other."

So here is the Q&A session :

1. What does Mom always say to you?

Tyler - I Love You

Dylan - I Love You

Ryan - Lots of times you say NO and CRAP !!!

2. What makes mom happy?

Tyler-  That I love you and that I'm sweet.

Dylan - When we listen to you

Ryan - When I do what you tell me to.

3. What makes mom sad?

Tyler- When I say I don't love you and I don't like you.

Dylan- When we disobey you

Ryan- When I say something mean to you.

4. Hoes does mom make you laugh?

Ty- When you make funny things.

Dylan- When you do funny things

Ryan - tickle me.

5. What was mom like as a child?

Tyler- Hairy guy

Dylan- You were cute

Ryan- You were a very happy girl going to school, dating my dad and playing with your brothers.

6. How old is mom?

Tyler-80

Dylan- 38

Ryan- about to turn 39

7. How tall is mom?

Tyler- 80

Dylan- 60 feet

Ryan- I don't know that one, 3'3"

8. What is moms favorite thing to do?

Tyler- computer things

Dylan- go to the mall & eat lunch with me.

Ryan- spend time with your kids.

9. What does mom do when your not around?

Tyler- works

Dylan- work

Ryan- run errands

10. If mom becomes famous what will it be for?

Tyler- me

Dylan- because your a good mom

Ryan- photography

11.What is mom good at?

Tyler- computer work

Dylan- First would be spanking us, also you are really good at driving.

Ryan- photography

12. What is mom not good at?

Tyler- Basketball

Dylan- bad at hearing us

Ryan- running

13. What does mom do for her job?

Tyler- computer

Dylan- photos

Ryan- photography

14. When are you proud of mom?

Tyler- When you save me.

Dylan- When you take us to Wonderwild and me to lunch.

Ryan- When you have accomplished something you have never done before.

15. What is moms favorite food?

Tyler- salad

Dylan- ice cream

Ryan- Steak and ice cream

16. If mom was a cartoon character which one would she be? 

Tyler- I don't know

Dylan- tweety bird

Ryan- The Pink Panther

17.What do you and mom do together?

Tyler- hang out

Dylan- Sunday Lunch

Ryan- When I'm not at school some days we run errands together.

18. How are you and mom the same?

Tyler- that we are 80

Dylan-??

Ryan- great minds think alike.

19. How are you and mom different? 

Ryan- Your a girl and I'm a boy

20. How do you know that mom loves you?

Tyler- you kiss me and hug me

Dylan- because you always say you love me

Ryan- because your my mom.

Team Up Thursday "In a row"

Wow I'm not sure that we could have gotten any more different ends of the spectrum that Sandra and I. Sandra's is the lights on top and mine is the glitter on the bottom. I love the solidness of each photo, they both seem so confident in such different ways. Check out the other Team Up Thursdays in Flickr or over at Mental Inventory. Can't wait to see what comes out of next Thursday !!!

I've Been Thinking

I've been thinking about alot of stuff lately, some not so happy and some really great. 

My New Years resolutions, I never make them except last year with the 365 day project. Maybe I do have the staying power to make a resolution and keep it, hmmm. This year I think I'm going for alot of things. Here are a few :

Get healthy.

Be more patient with my kids, live in the moment with them and get pleasure out of ALL the things the do.

Love my husband more, show him I love him with no expectations in return. 

Spend more time in Gods word, getting to know him. 

Make new friends. 

Grow in my photography skills and grow my business.

Find joy thru my faith. 

Collect less stuff and get rid of more stuff. 

BE AFRAID, VERY VERY AFRAID !!!

OK well maybe just a little afraid, I mean really how can you be afraid of that face? 

Well ok this one I'm truly afraid of, I mean really, are you sleeping soundly at night because I think I'm not anymore !!!

And then I remembered these, and I almost lost  it laughing. I mean who hasn't felt like that about someone. The Rhino and I had a little laugh about it before I told him to cut it out. 

This is the kind of picture that I can get out of my almost 10 year old. Oh saying that makes me tear up I mean he is going to be driving in 6 years and leaving in 8, ok well the driving has me very upset ;)

365/365 Whooo Whoooo Whoooo

365/365 Whooo Whoooo Whoooo

OK so I finally finished, 8 days late but who cares. It was a personal goal, in which I think there is always room for improvement but man I am excited about my follow thru on this one. I'm a person with a huge fear of long term commitment and until I get "used" to the commitment, I often let it slide away very quietly. This time I stayed focused on trying to get better at photography, I love it so much, and trying to stay motivated and not get burnt out. I'm still working on my techniques, I think I have so much to learn, but I am closer to taking my ideal photos and seeing my visions come to fruition than I was a year ago. 

I might set another goal soon but I think the 365 days distracted me from why I started this blog, which was to document our daily life. I think focusing on the photos made the other things I like to do, like hearing myself talk when I'm writing a post, fall by the wayside. So I'm not taking any time off but I'm going to try to get back to a place where I can tell the story about the events of the day and what lessons I get from those events. So then there is the question of what the last photo should be, it needed to be spectacular and amazing and such an example of what I have learned over the last year and I think it really does. It screams "yes she is done and doesn't have to annoy us 99 times a day trying to get a picture to post!!!!". I'm felling the same sentiment except I'm happy I won't have to carry my camera around all the time. Funny thing is I left it at home today when we headed out for our games and stuff only to call Rob and find out that I "forgot"my camera and so he brought it for me !!! Oblivion is bliss sometimes, sweet guy. 

363&364 Team Up Thursday

363&364 Team Up Thursday

I am participating in a new challenge, every Thursday I have teamed up with Sandra to combine our interpretations of a theme. This week the theme was "New". I posted a photo of my new Perfume and she posted a photo of Isabella's "New" toy. I think this is going to be fun. They are just such different interpretations. You can find the results of other teams on Flikr as well as at Mental Inventory, check them out. 

Little Man's Birthday cake that he helped make !!!

Really I'm trying to think of anything better than a huge dollop of sprinkles and being 4, not much comes to mind. Although the word dollop brings back memories of The Rhino. We had obviously let him watch to much tv and one day at dinner he comes to me and says "can you put a dollop of daisy on my potato." WHAT !!! 

362/365 Happy Birthday Little Man !!!

362/365 Happy Birthday Little Man !!!

Today Little Man turns 4. It's breaking my heart. It all started 4 years ago today, he was born in the afternoon around 4 after a very short and comfortable labor. The thing I remember most was how much I loved him from the moment he came out. I ended up staying in the hospital for a few days, not sure why, while Rob stayed at home with the other kids. It was a great experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world. 

He has added so much joy to our lives. He is funny, that's what happens when you are number 3, your always going for the laugh. he is smart, he gets that from me. He is handsome, he gets that from his father. He is sweet, he gets that from his grandmother. Everyone on both sides has made a contribution to this boy.

I can only hope and pray that he keeps his sense of humor and his loving and kind nature. I really am sad that he will be our last baby, I can't believe he is 4! Wow time flies.

361/365 Yummy

361/365 Yummy

This is my favorite French Toast EVER !!!

It just so happens it is at my brothers cafe.

I would eat it every day if I could but I'm thinking that's not good for me.....

360/365 Almost There

360/365 Almost There

I've almost done it, I'm running a week behind in my 365 but only 5 DAYS LEFT !!!

It's like a sale advertisement, ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT !!!

I found this new project through a new friend, Sandra, called The Daily Shoot !

The idea is to push your photography each day.

Todays theme was "find an interesting texture and make a picture" so here it is :

413 Daily Shoot

359/365 Happy New Year !

359/365 Happy New Year !

This is who I partied with last night, it was exciting let me tell you.

My 8 year old nephew, isn't he cute.

Man these kids like to have a good time. He thought he would disguise himself as an adult !!!

This is his interpretation.