Emily's Dance recital May 2008

Emily had her dance recital last night for this year, 2008. I am soo proud of her! She has really improved and seems to really love to dance. These are two of the three dances that I took with my camera on rehearsal night so that I could enjoy recital night. The one in the tutu was Chim Chim Cherie and the second one is I'll tumble 4 ya (I remember Boy George from being in school, do you?) I moved a little while I was taping and they are the whole song, so if you don't want to watch all of it, don't! Just enjoy a little! They did a really great job! I thought I would add these for the family who never gets to see Emily dance! I hope all of you can enjoy some of it!

On a side note! I am sorry I haven't blogged much! Don't give up on me, I will do more, it's just been hard with the last day of school and figuring out a pattern where I can sit at the computer! Hope you keep coming back as I will keep posting!!!

People with a fuzzy background

Taking pictures of people as your subject instead of flowers is way more difficult to accomplish a center focus with a blurry background. I did talk with a professional photographer and she told me it is more difficult with a point and shoot camera.
Here is my attempt and I think I kind of got it. It's not as blurry in the background as I was wanting, but it'll do for now. I have to save some $$$ to get a new camera. And besides, it is just nice to know that I can do it even against the odds.

I think I did it!

Here are a few shots of some pretty trees at a nearby park that I took the other night.
I think I figured out how to get the effect that I was looking for... in flowers.... it's a bit harder with people. I'm not sure I can accomplish this with my point and shoot. I'm getting some fun pics but not exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for all of your input. If you have any suggestions for when I "shoot" people, please let me know. Other than a new camera of course!! I've already decided I'll get one of those this year. It's just a matter of which one and that research task is a bit daunting. I've been looking and asking around since Christmas!! I keep changing my mind about what I might want, so for now I'm practing with my current camera. If you have a dream camera, let us all know about it.

Which picture is your favorite!! Mine is the middle one because you can see the v in the tree and there is colorful "bokeh" in the background. Let me know what you think! I love to hear from each and every one of you.

Gardening with Grandma

Last night, finally, after all the rain and stress of worrying about planting corn and beans, we took an hour or so and helped Grandma plant her garden! After all, we will all benefit from this little plot and the kids wanted to help. Carter especially likes to dig in the dirt with plants and flowers. We brought our neighbors along to enjoy the experience. Even the kitties "helped." First, we planted tomatoes. Hopefully, this fall we will make some salsa again. Al loves homemade salsa and I don't always have the energy to make it. Then we went on to plant beans, potatoes, sunflowers, and carrots! The kids had a ball and hopefully learned a little from grandma along the way.

Below, Carter is showing our neighbor A. how to plant a tomatoe plant. He is such a little master gardener!
Casey got bored with the garden and wanted to drive the lawn "tractor."
Emily is mulching the little tomatoes that we planted.
It was a nice evening and a nice time was had by all!! We'll see if they are interested in weeding?...I'll definitely have to post pics if they are!

That's my girl

Here's a funny story...

We went to a graduation party last night of a co-worker of mine's son. They live in the country so everyone was parking on their "yard." The party was hoppin' so we found a place and pulled in. We walked the short distance to their garage and went in and had some yummy food! Blizzards!! What a treat. Anyway, Al and I got to visiting so Emily and Carter (Casey was with grandma because he wasn't feeling the best) went running around outside. Emily has learned to make dandelion chains so they were out picking dandelions and creating. Carter was also trying to plant tree seeds in their yard...Anyway Emily comes in and says,

"I think I'll put this in our car."

We said okay. After a few minutes, she comes back and says,

"I can't find our car! It's gone!"

Wait a minute. Car?? We came in the truck you know.

"Oh. (pause) I was looking for MomaCat" (my license plate on the van)

So she runs off to find the truck. After a few minutes, she comes back again.

"I can't find the truck. Did we park here in their yard?"

"Emily, yes we parked here. Daddy's maroon truck. The license plate is ******."

She runs off again. This time when she comes back, she says,

"I think I found the truck, but I wasn't sure because there were kids climbing on it. Dad, there were kids climbing on your truck"(notice how it is always 'your truck dad')

Al and I just looked at each other and laughed and he says,

"Now there's a bloggable moment if I ever saw one!" and I said,

"That's my girl!"

Art???

Is it art??? I keep reading that one way to take great pictures is to study pictures that you like and try to emulate them. So, the other day, I took the kids outside and we walked around and I took pictures trying to take some artistic shots. Then I came home and tried some new things in Photoshop Elements 5.0. I keep wondering if I have an artistic eye or not or if I like my pictures just because they are of those I love...




I really want to take a picture where the subject is in clear focus and the background is fuzzy, because this is what I have been noticing that really appeals to me in pictures. But, I don't seem to be able to do this. If you have any pointers, please let me know. I have an Olympus point and shoot 6.1 megapixel cameral and I don't think I can do this. I have been camera shopping a bit and this makes me want to try a bigger camera, but I am afraid that I will end up not liking it, thinking it is too heavy, or not using the features that make it cost so much enough. I am torn. What kinds of cameras are you using and what do you like about them?


Also, what do you love about pictures?? What constitues a great picture for you??

Write in and let me know!! I'm interested to hear from you!!

Happiness Journal

Last Friday, our city sponsored an employee appreciation day. All city employees attend and are given lunch, awards, and we listen to a presentation. This year's speaker was Rob Bell and the presentation was entitled "Let's have fun out there!" Now I have to admit, most years I go into this thinking, "How dumb or offensive is the speaker going to be this year?" Some years haven't been so bad, one in particular stands out, but....



Anyway, this year Rob was about giving great customer service and loving your job. If you don't love your job, you need a new one. If you are having a bad day, don't let it show, it's not the customer's fault. He was interesting, fun and lively. He told great anecdotes and didn't belabor his point. One off hand thing he mentioned about his wife that stuck with me was the idea of a happiness journal. I had heard of this before and hearing it again just made me think about it more.



I tend to be the glass is half empty kind of a girl and I don't really want to be. I see some of this tendency in my children and it worries me. So I think I will try a happiness journal to remind myself of all the good I experience in a day. I am also going to have my children tell me good things everyday before they go to bed so they can sleep thinking about all the good in their day.



Today something that made me happy was that extra five minute cuddle I stole from my two-year old before I left for work. He is so snuggly when he first wakes up and he still thinks moma hung the moon!



What is in your happiness journal today?