Seen & Heard Saturday ~ January 29, 2011

Welcome to Seen & Heard Saturday, the place where we (I?) share funny, cute, or even strange things that have happened this week! Sort of like a quote book! Pictures are welcome but not obligatory! Please grab my button for your post and link up!

I don't have any pictures to share this week! :( thankyouverymuchbrokencamera.

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Juniper has become obsessed with Ballet. Everything Ballet. She always wants me to put on "Bah-yay Moou-sik" and she does like... what can only be described as Totally Interpretive Dance. Like, really interpretive. And actually, I think it's amazing. This girl has a talent and I can tell she feels it. She also keeps saying that she wants to have a "Bih-g Tsow" (Big Show). And on Tuesday, she insisted on wearing a tutu over her clothes because she had "to do a big show for everyone in two minutes". This is what she's telling me as I'm getting her out of the car and the tutu off so we can go inside to school. I was surprised that I made her take it off, I really wanted to be that Mom who let her daughter wear the ridiculous tutu to school ~ but I didn't want her to get in trouble. Or for the teachers to hate me because everyone wanted to wear a tutu when they saw her the tutu. So no tutu's allowed at school. {I so disappoint myself with this story.}

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{in the car on the way to school}

"Mommy, are you my mommy?" ~ Juniper

"Of course I'm your mommy! I'm all of your mommy!" ~ Me

"Well then put on Led Zeppin!" ~ Juniper

{seriously made me laugh out loud!}

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Junie walked out of school today without shoes on. None of us noticed until she said that her feet were freezing! Poor thing! It is sorta funny though! :)

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Magnolia tried to throw a block over Gigi's head this Wednesday. Of course, my daughter's aim was off and the block went straight into Gigi's eye. Four hours of a black spot, followed by nearly a day of blurred vision and Gigi can see fine again. I felt SO bad but not nearly as bad as Mags. I could really see it on her face when I inquired about what happened. Gigi told me that Mags rushed to the ice-maker the moment she realized Gigi's eye got hurt. So sweet!

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"You're my bets." -Mags to me, as she snuggled me closer for a bedtime cuddle. {Bets is their word for "Best Friend Ever"... ah, my heart just melts every time!}

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Junie is wearing Pull-Ups pretty much any time but naptime and nighttime. Pretty awesome! She's been about 65/35 on making it to the potty. And I'm okay with that. We've taken a very laid-back, it's available but do it when you're ready sort of approach to potty training. I think it's working out. Mags prefers to wear a diaper, in fact she'll tell you she wants to wear a "Baby Diaper". Sometimes when Snowdrop takes a morning nap I try to have Mags wear a Pull-Up or Big Girl Und.ies. Usually she complies and like 90% of the time makes it okay until after the baby wakes up. She'll get there. I'm not pushing it.

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The girls each wanted a "coin". So I gave each of them a quarter. Mainly just to buy myself some time so they could walk upstairs and put it in their piggy banks.

"Here is a quarter!" ~ Me

"Oooooooooooh nooooooo! But I wanted a COIN!!!" ~ Mags, in the whineest crying voice ever!

I think they understood when I explained that a quarter is a type of coin. I said that there are different types of coins. Just like there are different types of hair: red, black, blonde, brown ~ those are all hairs but they are different types of hair. A quarter is just a different type of coin. They seemed satisfied with that answer.

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Don't forget to grab my button for your post before you link up! Thanks for visiting my blog and linking up!!

Peanut Allergy, I tried to be short. Truly. I did.

Snowdrop has a peanut allergy. This information we know because I saw her have an allergic reaction to the peanut butter I fed her for lunch and then I had to fly to Walgreens with all three girls to save her from it.

Her doctor agreed with my description of the reaction and prescribed us a Peanut-Free Lifestyle, along with two Epi-Pens (one for home, one for Gigi's).

For the record, I love PB. I eat a jar of it every few months, just by myself.

Without question, I'd move to a peanut-free-state if I had to in order to keep my baby safe.

On the way home, I cried and cried. And then I embraced my germ-phobias and cross-contamination-phobias because it means all that phobia stuff, just prepared me for the attention to peanut-free that I'll need to be... In our home. In other peoples' homes. In public.

Snowdrop is lucky to have me as her mom, because I'm good at being careful. Better safe than sorry.

Of course, upon calling my mother to tell her what happened and upon telling my husband what happened, BOTH of them completely disregarded me and our doctor in full ~ my mother said she doesn't trust our doctor for not having Snowdrop allergy tested. My husband isn't willing to change our lifestyle because it's not "for sure" that she has the allergy.

Since when are the classic allergy signs not a "for sure".

Especially with peanuts.

Her reaction is for sure enough for me. And our doctor. You know, the lady who spent years earning a medical degree and learning these things so she could help patients like my children. I find it so degrading, so irritating, so offensive to the work I have put in as a mother, that my husband doesn't trust me OR her on this. Aside from all this, she didn't give a lifetime expiration date on this ~ she just said the next couple years and then we can try peanuts again. Two years. That's all. Two. 2. Dos. Deux. Not the rest of our lives.

Anyways, we're getting a blood test done tomorrow {and I'll post as soon as I know the results!}. Actually, WE is a little exaggeration. My husband, who can't stand to hear his babies cry and who hates the sight of blood, he gets to take Snowdrop in. He gets to hear her scream, he gets to watch the nurse stick her a few times until they find the right vein. And as much as I'd like for the test to show that she doesn't have an allergy to peanuts and that I'm wrong.... there's a tiny {okay, not too tiny} person inside of me who can't wait to introduce our new Peanut-Free Lifestyle to everyone involved in our life. You know, right after my middle finger goes up and I get my slice of Humble Pie.

I need a very strong drink.

{don't worry, i won't start drinking until naptime.}

{that was a joke.}

{really it was. i won't actually start drinking until the babysitter gets here.}

{teehee.}

Peanut Butter

{this is not a post about adoption or my adoption ~ lord, that will be a reeeeeeeeeally long post! but it does play into it a bit}

I am adopted. While adoption is a wonderful thing, it often comes with some drawbacks/bummers. Like the fact that back in the 80's no one thought to have the biological family fill out family medical history forms. This plays into my life every time I have to fill out any sort of health related information. "Adopted", I write across the page ~ as if it's a jail sentence. It's not a jail sentence. It was an incredible gift and indescribably selfless of my birthparents. And I'm thankful for that but I can't help often feeling like the pages of my life are blank. Missing just those little pieces that are important enough to finish the whole project. And this only really bothers me when the issues come up.

Issues like Peanut Butter.

I waited until Snowdrop was older than 1 year (okay, so it's only been a few weeks!) and I could swear I've pulled nuts out of her mouth before... and I really don't know how she could have avoided the taste of sandwich remnants from under the table.... Of course, you know where this is going. I gave her half a slice of bread with the thinnest amount of PB smeared on it. She LOVED it, of course because our family LOVES anything with nuts {the immature schoolgirl in me just fell in stitches}. And as I started to wipe her up once she had finished, she started whining and wiping her eyes in fury. Her hands were just rubbing all over her face. Her hands and face were now bright red, and covered in white dots. Immediately I knew she was having an allergic reaction.

I held my bearings for long enough to check that she wasn't having difficulty breathing. Then I placed a call to the doctor to see what we should do. I know all signs point to the hospital, but she really wasn't having trouble breathing. So the doctor told me to give her some Benedryl, which of course is not something we have at the house. I practically hung up on the nurse and flew next door with my baby to see if they had any Children's Benedryl. They didn't answer and at the time I had completely forgotten that there is another family on our block with young kids like ours. I flew (there was a lot of flying that afternoon) back into the house and told the girls to put their coats and shoes on. I said that Baby Snowdrop is very sick and we need to get her medicine right away. I must have been really convincing because God Bless their little hearts, they got right down from their lunch and got to the door. We piled in the car and I drove, emergency flasher on, 90 miles an hour to Walgreens. No actually I hit 90 on the highway there. (It's only a 3 minute drive on the highway, much longer on the regular roads.) We were flying.

We flew (more flying) into the Walgreens and I made a mad (seriously it was mad, like crazy-mad!) dash to the wrong aisle, and then a few more wrong aisles until I found the Benedryl. I flung my baby on the waiting chairs outside the pharmacy and the pharmacist, God Bless him, waved me on and didn't make me pay first. He didn't have to do that, but Lord knows I wasn't paying first. My baby needed her medicine!! The doctor's office said 3/4 teaspoons, and because I'm paranoid about medicine, I only gave her 2. Mainly just to make sure I wasn't getting it wrong and also just because my body is funny about medicine and I don't want to make my kids feel sick. Medicine is paid and we drive home, a little slower than the speed limit. I believe with all my heart that God send angels to help us there. I know it. I know they helped usher my children out the house and into the car and got us swiftly and safely to Walgreens. Thank GOD they built this Walgreens. The next closest one is 10 minutes, easily.

By the time we got home, I could tell the rash was already going away. PHEW. I gave her another 1/4 tsp when we got inside. And within a little while it had pretty much all disappeared.

So I had to call back the doctor's office & tell them she's alive and the Benedryl worked and make an appointment with the pediatrician so we can come in and discuss allergies and where they'll send us to get her tested. It's just so scary, especially peanut allergies, and I just really hope that if she IS allergic to peanuts that it is a mild allergy so I won't have to worry about being in public and accidentally touching something that has peanut on it and her having a reaction.... My heart really sank when the receptionist said that I'd need to come talk to the doctor about it and get more information about Epi-Pens. {Okay, you should know before I even wrote that part that said "Epi-Pens", I just burst into tears. It's seriously just so scary! Taking a breath now....} Working at a bakery for so long, and with a boss who is actually "Deadly Dangerous" allergic to peanuts, has totally prepared me for the careful attention needed when handling peanut products near someone with an allergy.... so that's postive, right? Looking for the postive here!! I just really wasn't expecting this. It's a major curve ball.

I just wish there was something I could have done to prevent this, or that I had known about it. It just really sucks when these things creep up on me. And it's just doubly crummy-feeling because it reminds me about the things I dislike about (my) adoption. I just wish I knew more than I do; it would change a great many things.

ANYWAYS, we're heading to the doctor this morning to talk about everything so I'll post an update when I know one. Do any of you or anyone in your family have peanut allergies?

Please, If you pray to someone or reflect or meditate or wish on stars ~ just say a little something for Snowdrop. Thank you. And maybe one for me, so I stop worrying. For like an hour. I just need an hour of mind-peace.

Project365 ~ 22 to 24

So I didn't get the chance to pick up a card reader today so I'm HOPING I can tomorrow. And because of this whole camera issue, I couldn't transfer my Project365 pictures from the 25th through today so... I'm just posting the three that I do have for this week! By next week I should have a card reader so I'll have a photo heavy post next Friday. :)

Thanks to everyone for linking up! :)

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Project365 ~ Days 22 to 24

{champagne, always from my favorite wine glass.... and painting. a fabulous combination!}

{my homage to vivian maier. a photographer whose work inspires me.}

{credit is due to my Hubby for taking this picture on his cell phone. he saved my entire year by doing it

because i had forgotten to take a picture! i did do the editing on it though.}

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Please link up your Project365 posts below! I have so much fun seeing your pictures every week and seeing what inspires you every day to pick up your camera and snap. Thanks so much for sharing with me! Don't forget to come back tomorrow and share for Seen & Heard Saturday!

And thanks for stopping by my blog! :)

I am linking to (and will add more throughout the weekend):

My New Haircut

Just saying "My New Haircut" reminds me of that video on YouTube, "My New Haircut"... if you haven't seen it, check it out. It will probably make you laugh. I think we all know some Ed Hardy wearing dudes with popped collars and gelled hair. Be Warned: This video is NOT child-friendly, and is FULL of very colorful language. Just warning those of you with sensitivity to those things. :)

Okay, so MY new haircut is not like the video. MY new haircut is pretty cute! I'm pretty impartial to haircuts, I mean it grows back, so I never really have a specific style in mind when I go in for a cut {which is like every year and a half}. I don't normally part it on the side like the gal did; I'm a middle-parter. When I was in 8th grade, I had "The Rachel" {How does Wikipedia not have a picture of that!}. The bottom of my new haircut flips out and sorta reminds me of The Rachel, but not in such a 1996 way. :) I mentioned last night that I donated thirteen inches of hair to Locks of Love. I'm really proud, I sort of feel like I should have let her cut a few more inches, and I'm definitely going to do this again! I didn't cry except when my best friend texted me that she loved me and was so touched at what I was doing and so proud of me. I luff her. Anywho. I'm glad it got cut and I'm looking forward to many less rat nests to brush out.

BEFORE:

{The best Before shot on our computer that I could find.}

AFTER:

{Blurred After Pic Taken with Hubby's cell phone.}

I'm really excited to go to the store after my PT appointment tonight and

get a card reader so I will be able to use our camera again! I have some better Before pictures on there.

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Have you ever donated your hair?

Chopped a lot off at once? Gave yourself a haircut?

Did you also have "The Rachel" at one point in your life?

Bathroom Update, Camera Update, And I Cut My Hair!

Bathroom Update: I forgot I had taken this picture (and one other, but I'm using it for Project365) of the paint we used in the bathroom. I don't believe it has a name since it was "Oops Paint". Ralph Lauren Oops Paint for $4 a gallon. So... yep. Just a mini-update on the original update...

Camera Update: So the "station" that connects the camera to the computer is broken. It is not covered by our now extinct warranty, per the really nice girl who works at Best Buy. I'm looking into getting something that connects to the computer and reads memory cards. Any recommendations?

I got a hair cut tonight. A pretty BIG haircut. I donated 13 inches (THIRTEEN!!) to Locks of Love. I feel super good donating it and it was really easy. All I had to do was let it grow. I'll post a picture of my old & new hair once I can get Hubby to email it to me from his fancy phone.

So Bummed!

So I had this other post I had been working on since this weekend. We painted our upstairs bathroom and I just wanted to share pictures & commentary. Anyways, I just got on here to upload the pictures for the "After" {and finally post this thing} and discovered that the "Handycam Station" {the thing our camera attaches to to link to the computer} is BROKEN. It reminds me of a large computer chip, and it inserts into the camera to link up. I'd totally take a picture of it... but... SO I can't upload pictures to the computer. That REALLY stinks!! I Ebayed it, and there were none with our specific style. Amazon didn't have any, and Google said it would run at least around $100. {!!!!!} Way too much, right? I'm gonna go to Best Buy today and see if it is covered by our warranty... Boo. So annoying. And just when I was having so much uploading pictures.

I'm really glad I unloaded the camera yesterday so I only have the few I took this morning on there. *sigh* I was not expecting this when I woke up today! :)

Nighttime.

Does it take you forever to fall asleep?

Do you wake up (kids, outside noises, etc) and then aren't able to fall back asleep?

Does your mind race when you lay in bed?

It takes me forever to fall asleep. And then if I'm woken up, sometimes I can't even go back to sleep. My mind starts racing. This, that, the other thing. I worry about the most ridiculous things. I beg to God sometimes to just make my mind stop for a few hours so I can rest. Do you feel that way? Am I the only one this happens to?

So here I sit. I've been awake since 3am when Snowdrop woke up screaming. We're not really sure why... Hubby went up to her room for a bit but she wouldn't stop so we got her some milk and she seemed to calm down. And eventually she fell back asleep. My little Blondie.

I have two posts in the works, currently. This was kind of a busy weekend ~ we painted our bathroom (yay!). I have pictures and commentary to share. Of course, 4:30am is NOT the time to be working on those posts. I mean, sure, I guess I have the free time now to do it. But I'm tired and just want to zone out. So that means I'm headed into the basement to spend time with my cat & finish watching "Mr. & Mrs. Smith". {I'm on Team Jen, by the way, but I DO love this movie!} Poor thing, my cat, she's meowing at me from the basement door. I also need to head down there before this meowing wakes one of my other children up. {Much to my chagrin, the cat sleeps in the basement. I prefer her to lay at my feet. My husband is allergic and doesn't want her on the bed. Give and take, people. I'm glad I didn't marry someone who made me get RID of her when we got married!}

Blah. There is some good news to share though: it didn't snow here last night so school is happening tomorrow. I'm really getting tired of all these snow days. I mean, really. I just find it hard to believe that it only started snowing here the year I moved to town. It's simply too coincidental for me to believe. Every year, the city acts like they've never seen snow before. I think they should get some snow plows and get prepared for next year. It snows here every year, and every year for several days the city is shut down. It's just ridiculous. This is a small city, to boot! Some schools even called off for COLD weather!! It was 2 degrees out that day! Meanwhile, the same day, it was NEGATIVE 45 and schools in Duluth did not have the day off. I think my city is breeding weaklings. :looks around for a witness: Sometimes, if it's not that cold out, I don't zipper up my kids' jackets so they can get used to what the cold feels like and learn to tolerate it, like my thick Northerner skin has. :) My kids aren't going to be puss.ies ... Not if I can help it!!! :)

Ok. I should quit bit.ch.ing about the cold and get to that cat!!! :)

A Bit About Our Bathroom Update

*UPDATE*

So. If you read my previous blog post than you know that my camera to computer connector is broken. So I can't upload pictures. Which means... that I can't post the "After" pictures for this post. Totally lame, right? Haha! I've decided to go ahead and post this anyways, without the After pictures. I figure at the very least it is something to read. Once I figure out the camera situation {which WILL be this week} I will post the After pictures.

This is our bathroom. Shared by all five of us! It's not big. It's not ridiculously tiny. But it's a tight fit. And blue. Blue floors, blue walls... and three different kinds of "metal" (brass, silver, and chrome... seriously, who designed this house???!!!)

I use the term "update" very loosely. We have no spare money and no real plans. And our house isn't falling apart or anything. It's just STUCK in another time, and designed by people without eyes. It's just not "mine" and I want to walk in the door and feel like it is. You know? We own this house. We're not renting, so I'm excited to do these things ~ my husband is totally against it for the main reason that he just doesn't care if the house is painted a color we like. Men. Humph. He probably couldn't even tell you what room our bedroom is painted. Seriously!!

We're not ~ yet ~ replacing the cabinet/countertop, and the toilet and tub are fine. I'd LOVE to replace the floor tile but it's not in unusable condition, it's just gross-blue... but if I can find a box of nice large tile for $5, I'm gonna go for it! Eventually the cabinet is going to go (because the top is cracked) and we'll find something nice to replace it. Something nice = something inexpensive and in great condition from Re-Store!! {If you are doing home renovations/rehab/updates, I encourage you to check out your local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store for... everything! I always feel better when I know my money goes towards something good, rather than to just Big Old Corporate Giants.}

Anyways, the plan was thrown in to action when I scored a $4 gallon of paint from our local paint store. Then the kids went to Gigi's for a sleepover on Friday and fate was sealed. My bathroom was finally going to get painted!

{Insert AFTER PICTURES Here.}

The Minor Update Cost Breakdown:

New Towels ~ $12.00 (I like to round to the next highest number.)

Towel Hooks ~ $6.00 ($3 each)

Paint ~ $5.00 ($4 plus tax)

Paint Supplies ~ "FREE!" (Leftovers from old project, cost doesn't count to me.)

Minor-ly Updated Bathoom ~ $23, plus about 8 hours total 'demolition', work, clean-up.

Making the Bathroom {somewhat} "Ours" ~ Priceless. (You had to know that was coming.)

I like the new color, but I'm not crazy about it. Turns out, during the daytime it's a little more on the mauve side of tan than I'd like to be. Although it seems more tan at nighttime in the electric light. It's way better than the blue that was in there and I'm frankly just really glad to have it painted. I feel like it's a whole new room. :)

I'd like to eventually (IE. before we replace it/maybe instead of replacing it) paint the cabinet a very dark brown. I think it would look nice with the walls and the towels. I'm also planning on replacing the very brass light fixture. Ick. Actually, I'm probably just going to paint it the same color as the cabinet. Another thing I'm interested in doing to all the mirrors in our home is framing them out. I think it looks SO much nicer, and can really update a plain old wall/bathroom mirror.

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What's on your list of Home Improvements?

Seen & Heard Saturday ~ January 22, 2011

Welcome to Seen & Heard Saturday, the place where we (I?) share funny, cute, or even strange things that have happened this week! Sort of like a quote book! Pictures are welcome but not obligatory! Please grab my button for your post and link up!

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Magnolia still wants to be a Candymaker when she grows up. She will only make candy canes.

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{seen:}

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{So I start the car and Led Zeppelin is playing.}
"Tank you tor turning on Led Zeppin, Mommy." ~ Junie

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{seen:}

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{In the car, again. Led Zeppelin. Again.}
"Can we go see Led Zeppin some day, Mommy?" ~ Magnolia
{Be still this mommy's heart.}

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{seen:}

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"But I don't wan to pay in the no. I want to do my cool-work." ~ Junie, when we had a snow day this week. {Pay = play, No= Snow, Cool-work = Schoolwork; I have workbooks that we do exercises in.}

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{seen:}

{that's mags going sledding!}

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Don't forget to grab the button for your post and link up!! Have a fabulous weekend!!

Project365 ~ 15 to 21

Project365 ~ Days 15 to 21

(a pretty little piece of glass. i posted this picture earlier in the week for my 'abstract' scavenger hunt sunday shot.}

{a different view of my Baby}

{monday.}
{photo opportunity embraced.}

{opening belated Christmas presents from their aunt, my baby sister.}

{i won't do a partial color picture next week. promise! i do love these leggings though!}

{i went for a walk by myself to take snow pictures. this is in our backyard. really love how it tunred out; it reminds me of a vintage Christmas card.}

{our current diaper basket.}
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Link up your Project365 pictures here if you like! I'd love to see! :) I'll be leaving the Linky up from Fridays to Mondays, every time I do a Project365 post, so you have all weekend to post and link up! Sorry it was late tonight, we've had a day full of crazy!

And don't forget to come back tomorrow for Seen & Heard Saturday!

Wordless Wednesday ~ LAST minute

Wordless{ish} Wednesday

It is seriously the last two minutes of Wednesday. And I'm posting this.

And linking to The Paper Mama's Wordless{ish} Wednesday.

Okay. So it took too long to upload my picture and now it technically Thursday. But I'm gonna count it as Wordless{ish} Wednesday anyways. :) Snow day tomorrow.

The 100th Post!

100!

This is my 100th post! I'm very glad to be here! I've been blogging on Blogger since about September of last year but I've been blogging since July 1, 2008. {I had to look that up!} It is something I enjoy doing, the writing part. It is fun to be able to read back and remember when things happened, the details I might have forgotten, etc.

At time of writing, I have 11 Followers! Neat!! And I'm pretty sure you all chose to follow me, too, as I haven't required it as a step to enter any of my giveaways. (Haha, "any". I've had only one so far!!) Thanks so much! It makes a gal feel special! It's also really great getting comments and knowing that someone took time out of their day to say something about what I've posted. My husband doesn't even do that! :) I have found that I really enjoy reading blogs and really love when I find the time in my days to do it! When I was a kid, I LOVED reading books. I'd read nearly anything I could get my hands on. And so often, the book would end and I'd be left wondering what happened. I think that's why I like blogs and blogging so much. I love that I can read a blog and read someone's "story"and the story continues. It's always changing; it's fresh and new. I really enjoy reading blogs about your lives and learning from your tutorials and pictures. It's interesting to me to know what other people are doing around the world and how they live their lives. Different or same to mine.

Photography was always something I was interested in but never something I actively persued as a hobby until I had kids. I think that's the same for a lot of us. I started doing Project365 this year {2011} and I'm really enjoying it, and keeping up! :) There are several blogs that I read that have photo challenges that are fun to participate in. There is an online photography workshop being offered by Willette Designs {for FREE!} during the month of February {go here to get more info and sign up!}. I sort of surprised myself by signing up, but I really do want to learn more and become a better & more thoughtful photographer. When our twins were born we didn't even own a camera! We had to borrow my In-Laws' camera! None of our pictures turned out great, and we only have about 60 pictures from the birth and hospital stay combined. There are no pictures from the first week we had them home, other than the ones we snapped once we brought them inside and changed them into their "going-home" outfits. {See, in the hub*bub of leaving to go pick them up - they had to stay an extra night, I know, I am a lunatic for feeling badly they had to stay when I was so lucky it was just one night, I had forgotten to bring their going-home outfits. Worst Mother of the Year, right here!} Anyways, to make a long story short {too late} we don't have any great pictures of the twins when they were newborns and it will haunt me forever. So... now I take a ton of pictures and am obsessed with capturing their lives. {le sigh}

Parenting is another topic I like to cover on my blog. You know, I'm a Mom. It kind of comes with the territory. I don't want to say too much because frankly I'll start writing and then it'll be hard to stop. Dear Lord, I've already gone on quite a bit as it is! :) Anyways, I like to share little tidbits about my kids here and there. Seen & Heard Saturday is one such thing. I did it on my old blog (sometimes) and I really like reading the different things the kids used to do. SO I'm starting it up again on this blog. You can join me and link up on Saturdays. :) Motherhood was in my plans, it's just that it was in God's plan for me A LOT sooner than I had down in my plans. So... I must have mixed up the memo somewhere along the line. Sometimes, I have a hard time accepting that and I get really stressed out. Really. I'm working on it. But it's all okay because O.M.G., I still can't imagine life without my kids. Really, I can't. My life had zero purpose prior to them. So, it's all good.


I hope in the coming year I will become a better photographer and blogger. I want to become a better Follower and keep up on the people who Follow me. Thanks so much for Following! :) I use a Sony Handycam Video/Picture camera, it's HD & digital, and I've never had a camera this nice before. (Sony HDR-CX12) But I'd really like a strictly Picture Camera some day. Maybe if I save up my birthday and Christmas money this year and bat my eyes at my husband? It's been 18 days now that I've been using Photoshop (Elements 5.0) and let me tell you, I'm at least 10% better at editing than I used to be. Seriously! It's really amazing! And through my serious blogging this year {so far} I've even learned a thing or two about web design/coding/html/all that Interweb stuff. And I really enjoy it! I sort of wish I had majored in something related during college. Maybe next life? :)


I wish I could get into the Stats of my blog; I will do a post about it at some time in the near (?) future. There are readers in several other countries reading my blog! Who are you people? This amazes me!! It's always SO exciting to see more green popping up on the world map in the Stats section of my dashboard. Seriously! So cool. :)

Anyways.... Thank You for reading my blog. Or coming to check out the pictures. Or whatever it is that you do here {as long as you're not some creep or anything!}. I really appreciate that you take the time out of your day to come here and check in. It's so nice. And thanks for letting me check in at your blog, too! I really enjoy reading all the stories from around the world, near or far. It makes me feel so much more connected to the rest of the world and I must thank you for that.

Here's to another 100 posts! And many more!! :)

Trendy Treehouse Shutter Love Tuesday ~ Tint

The theme this week at the Trendy Treehouse is: Tint. This is my entry:

{magnolia & snowdrop}

I went through my archives this morning and attempted to tint some pictures during naptime that I haven't shared here before. I really wasn't happy with any of the results. I dunno... they just weren't making my skirt fly up, you know? And then I remembered that I had this lovely picture, taken just last week. I featured it on the very first official Seen & Heard Saturday... but then I didn't change the posting time/info so S&H Saturday posted on the day I began drafting, and not on the Saturday on which it should have. *sigh*. These things happen. No biggie!

Share your TINT/ed pictures with the Trendy Treehouse! Besides the fun photo challenges every Tuesday, Trendy Treehouse is packed with tons of creative projects, recipes, and other fun stuff! You should check it out! It's one of my favorites and is totally responsible for inspiring many of the things on my "To-Create" list. :)

PS. Edited to read that IF you like my picture, would you please head on over to Trendy Treehouse and leave a comment saying that you like mine the best? Pretty, pretty please? And if you don't like my picture, you should at least go vote for somone else's because there are some pretty great submissions this week! Apparently, tinting is something we all do well! :) YAY! :)

The Paper Mama ~ A Different View

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge ~ A Different View

I took this picture on Sunday for the Scavenger Hunt Sunday. I'm fond of it, so I'm posting it again! :) I always like it when people post pictures of things other than faces. The little things. Hands, feet... toys, shoes, etc. The inbetween things. Anyways, I want to take more pictures of the little things this year and spice up my hard drive. There are lotsa faces in there, and not too much else! :)

Head on over to The Paper Mama to share your Different View photograph!

I Heart Faces ~ Winter Wonderland

This week the theme at I Heart Faces is Winter Wonderland. I just love this picture of Junie! She was so happy for all the snow! :)

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Share your Winter Wonderland pictures with the I Heart Faces community!