Thematic Photographic-shadow

Carmi at Written Inc has a Thematic Photographic of shadow

I have a huge belief that kids need to be outside. They need to be outside at least once a day. Run around, not tethered to a TV or a Leapster or a million other little electronic devices available these days. When we lived in TX, this was fairly easy to do 11 months of the year.

Claudia of On A Limb asks, "Why do you bother with kindness?" Being outside, getting to know your neighbors is all about kindness. It is nice to let the kids play, catch up with the neighbors, have an impromptu pizza night on the driveway, and all those things that make a neighborhood great!

Here in KY, there have been the rare few days where it is getting quite chilly. I can definitely foresee some need to bundle up and still get out. Even this afternoon, Will and I put on rain boots and raincoats to take a walk in the rain. Granted it was just to the end of the street to gather his daddy's plane. (that is another story!) anyhow.....

But being outside in the harsh afternoon sun often results in some severe shadows. Here are some of my favorite shots that had a tag of shadow from my files.

This one reminds me of so many times I hollered at the boy, "Get your shoes on....you are going to stub your toe!" But I am just glad he had clothes on....more often than not, he is in pajamas if he didn't just get home from preschool!

One of the many from our beach trip the year Husband was deployed.

I love this shot....I even had one enlarged for our wall of family photos. But that shadow on her dress has always bothered me! Finally, another shot from outside....obviously he is swinging....being outside, getting sunshine, having fun. Doing things kids need to do every day.....EVEN if I have harsh shadows!

Photostory Friday-snow snow, it really is snow!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Though this picture was taken this past March when we lived in Texas.... guess what is falling here....here in Kentucky! This evening around dinner time, itty bitty flurries started turning into mongo sized flakes. The kids tried to go outside and catch them on their tongue. Went outside BAREFOOTED....so needless to say, before I could even grab the camera (which was an arm's length away), they were ready to come back inside the house! Maybe there will be enough snow in the morning to get a few shots. But for now, well, all I have is a recycled picture...kind of like re-gifting, but nicer.

Happy Thursday, y'all.

Photostory Friday.....and a Happy Halloween

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

So much has happened in a year. This was taken last October while we still lived in Texas. We had gone to post to do a Video TeleConference . Not like we were counting down or anything, but Husband would be home in 54 days.

I wrote one of the sappiest (is that a word?? ) posts ever.

We were getting ready to celebrate the second Halloween away from Husband.

But now, we are together. We are in a different home in a different state. I hope the kids never have to leave a VTC and play in a parade field, trying to find something to keep them busy to pass the time.

Delivered by a Princess, lemon muffins

No Manic Monday since the talented Fleur-de-Lisa is on vacation. So all I have is some muffins. We made these before ....Lemon-Ricotta muffins. These are the Food Network's Favorites cookbook. It is in the Giada De Laurentis section.



Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (we use 1c. wheat 1c. all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar or more as needed for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds
Directions
Line 12 muffin cups

Directions
Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, butter, and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the ricotta. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended (the batter will be thick and fluffy).

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the almonds and then the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar over the muffins. Bake until the muffins just become pale golden on top, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I have a nut allergy, so we substitute an imitation almond extract and leave off the almonds.

These are really good...very light and fluffy. But then again, with a stick of butter what isn't?

A princess delivered these today! She looks like she is turning her nose up at these....but I snapped the shot in mid- "cheese". This dress up outfit came with click clack shoes as well. She walks better in heels than I do!

Happy Monday, y'all.

Friday Fill In

1. One of the best concerts/plays/movies I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was any of Livi's Barbie movies like Mermaidia. She is so about all things princess these days.

2. Pretty much any of the muffin Monday muffins is a recipe I recently made (or meal I recently ordered) that was delicious!

3. It's time for rest and relaxation. Husband has a four day weekend!

4. Crystal light lemonade blended with ice is quite refreshing.

5. If I never hear the word maverick again, it'll be too soon.

6. To one side of the curving road was a yard strewn with leaves, and on the other was a ditch.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching What Not to Wear, tomorrow my plans include playing with the kids and Husband and Sunday, I want to make a menu and go grocery shopping AFTER I sleep in!

Happy weekend, y'all!

Photostory Friday-pick a punkin

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This afternoon was absolutely gorgeous...mid-70's, not a cloud in the sky. It was just begging for us to go out and play. I made the kids get out of their jammies since now pajama day was over.

The kids are going on a field trip to the pumpkin patch next week.. So I haven't really done anything more than pick up a few pumpkins and plopped them on the porch.

I thought I might be able to shoot a few frames of some lovely orange pumpkins....but no..

Cheese ball Livi had to get front and center.

I think I like the one with her in it better than the pumpkin triplets.

Happy Friday, y'all.

Weekend update

We spent a great deal of time outside this weekend.: planting some fall flowers, working on bringing the yard back to life. and just playing.

Will seems to think that any time we don't have an activity or any where to go that day that is automatically becomes "pajama day". So on both Saturday and Sunday he spent the day in pj's. I know I certainly love a good pj day!

I just had to throw this picture in.....there are some days when the bickering can almost put me over the edge. So when Will called Livi over, "Livi, I found a dandelion. Do you want to make a wish?" Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

Livi had to have some "purpur" flowers, so we took out the angel winged begonia out of this one. This hangs on the wall right outside our front door. I am allergic to something in that kind of begonia, so I was only all too happy to take it out.

So, all in all, a very productive weekend. Happy Monday, y'all!

Friday Fill in and The Witch's Inn

1. October is Livi's birthday month. I can't believe my baby will be four!

2. Creepy bugs scare me!

3. Leaves are falling all around, it's going to be time to rake soon.

4. My favorite horror movie is Seven because who doesn't like early Brad Pitt.

5. Time spent with family = good memories.

6. It was a dark and stormy night so I tossed and turned all night .

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Will's soccer game, tomorrow my plans include a cut and color (finally!) and Sunday, I want to sleep in!

Happy weekend, y'all!

PhotoStory Friday: a peek into my Polly Pocket world

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

First, I do have to say, these were taken by Livi. At just two weeks shy of four years old, I am so impressed with her look at her world.

This is a Polly Pocket.....a wee little thing about the size of your palm. Polly is waiting for her "bath" in the sink in the kids' bathroom. I can tell this is pre-bath because her teeny tiny little shiny pink shirt and green shorts is still on.

I had kind of hoped we would just skip over the Polly Pocket stage. But no....she got some for her birthday last year. At three, Livi's fingers just weren't able to put Polly's clothes on and take them off. Sooooo, off went the Polly Pockets and all her ten thousand parts to the "toys for later" bin. Don't laugh, you know I have one. Most likely it is even properly labeled with my handy dandy label maker.

During the move, Livi saw this bin and begged for the Polly Pockets. I thought she might finally be ready.

Well, she is.....she is finally able to put the clothes on, but she is also capable of leaving the ten thousand little pieces everywhere! I tried to have her keep them in her room, but it just hasn't happen. Even the little monkey and kitty have clothes.

BUT.....unlike the annoying little legos.....Polly's clothes are a very soft plastic. So when you step on them in the middle of the night, it is a mere squish rather than a wee little profanity crossing my lips!

Happy Friday, y'all! May your weekend be Polly Pocket free!

Why I got up at 5AM

Why I got up at 5AM, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

It's no lie, I love my car. This was my dream car .....Back when I was a college student I would babysit for all these moms. Most of them drove a black Volvo wagon with the tan brown leather interior.

So when Husband was to deploy, we happen to drive into Austin just to look at the cars.......yeah right. With the deal they offered us, we drove away with a new car. When we lived in TX, Austin was about 45 minutes away. Here the closest dealer is about an hour away. I can honestly say it is the ONLY thing I don't like about my car. To do something as simple as my 30,000 mile check up, I have to get up way before the a$$ crack of dawn. I would even go so far as to say way HONKIN' before.....yes, that is 5:47 AM! On my way for "TIME FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE" .

Yes, I can honestly say it is the only thing I don't like about my car. 5:47AM means I got up at 5AM. I don't even like typing 5AM, much less getting up that early. Then tying to navigate in the dark was just crazy. I assumed there would be no traffic at that time of day. Who was I kidding, it was a zoo! I was going the speed limit and people were passing me like I was granny on her way to church.

While there, I was able to use their free wi-fi....I uploaded the 5:47AM pic. I found a bunch of the kids' camera.

Apparently these are a few of Livi's favorite things: Polly Pockets, shopping at babyGap, herself, the playroom, the Wordwhammer, a bag, her room, her ceiling fan, and me! It is so fun to see the things they find worthy of taking pics of......

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

Manic Monday.....and a little girl

What's worse, physical or mental cheating? Mental.....

Why? giving them part of your heart and soul is definitely worse.

Do you think men and women can be just friends? Why or why not? Totally reminds me of Harry in When Harry Met Sally....one of my top three all time favorite movies. I think you can be friends with guys. But I do have to admit the only reason I am friends with them is I am friends with the wife. So maybe not.

How do you feel about dating co-workers? When I worked outside our home, I was a teacher at the junior high level. So the only males were coaches or principals. Coaches and principals are NOT my type! So, can't say that I ever dated a coach...though there was a student teacher I went out with once. ONCE....

by the way, it was so manic that we didn't get around to muffins again. Three weeks in a row....Yesterday I was clipping coupons and Livi saw me. She wanted to practice her cutting skills.

So, I put that little girl to work. Make her earn her keep around here! Note the chocolate milk mustache. Keepin' it real around here!

PhotoStory Friday

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This was taken this past spring in TX. We got home from preschool and there was no quiet during quiet time. We decided to take a little walk down the street in our neighborhood to a patch of bluebonnets. Last year we had gotten some great shots. This year I was determined to get even more. Due to all the excess rain we had in 2007, there was an over abundance of blue bonnets. This year, there was only a patch or two....but in hazardous places, like the median of the main highway in town! The previous Saturday the kids and I drove around for an hour looking for some in the country. I was armed with M&Ms for their bribe....oops reward!

During a crazy day, (where you go the opposite way to get out of the neighborhood), I saw a patch of decent size, literally down the block from our house! So, we kicked quiet time to the curb and walked down there.

The kids just wanted to do silly shots! It had become tradition to do silly crazy ones for Husband while he was deployed. Bunny had to make the trip as well.

There is little to NO place that Livi goes that bunny doesn't. We are working on this, because the only time she sucks her thumb is when she has bunny!

You know I had to include the token tootsies in the flowers. After all, I had just had a fresh pedi! About this time, we all realize right smack in the middle of this patch is also an ant hill!

Isn't it Beautiful

homecoming 147, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Photohunters is hosted by TN Chick. Next week's theme: string(s)

It was simply beautiful to see my husband being reunited with our kids after being gone for 15 months during a deployment. All those little things that make a woman crazy-the toilet seat not being in the correct place, clothes not being put where they belong, teabags all over the place. Those things just fall by the wayside when it all comes down to it.......the most important thing is seeing a daddy with his kids! That to me is beautiful!

Photostory Friday and a little Fill-in

093, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

This morning the kids and I went to the park near our home. They don't have school on Fridays. So we have starting packing a picnic lunch and find a park to learn our way around our new town. So we packed up...food-check, water bottles-check, camera-check, kids-check, map-check.

We go to the park closest to us because there are some wonderful shade trees. We have to cross this huge bridge from the parking area to the park area. The kids love to pause on the bridge and look at the fish. We spread our little blanket in a shaded area and ate lunch. Just before the kids run off to become a sweaty mess, I take a few shots of Livi's new 'do.

So why did we cut her hair? (Especially since she is bent on having long flowing hair like the ones in her Princess Primer.)

a. I wanted to have even more of a Mini-Me

b. She sucks on hair when she doesn't have her bunny with her.

c. I wanted to see if she could look like Sally Field in Steel Magnolias.

If you said B....then you are right! She is a thumb sucker. We are desperately trying to get her to stop. So Bunny has to stay in her room. All she has done is replace one behavior with another....sucking on her hair instead of her thumb. How gross is that? I can't even fathom how that much feel!

I finally get exactly three shots then a big ol' flashing "Charge battery pack" flashes on the screen. So oh well.... this is all you get.

Friday fill in courtesy of the talented Janet

This week Michelle provided most of the questions; thank you, Michelle! And...here we go!

1. When I'm sick I'm just roll with it.....what else can you do?

2. When I take a walk, I think about making sure the kids are staying out of the street.

3. Money can't buy happiness but it can take you to faraway lands.

4. Cotton makes me think of my super soft sheets and leather makes me think of the seats in my car.

5. The strangest person/character I've had lewd thoughts about was my 7th grade math teacher.

6. My favorite color these days is Nacho Chip (wall paint color) because we have painted and decorated around it. It is such a warm buttery color. I instantly start to feel more at home, even in the house we have only been in a month!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to pinning the lining fabric to the polka dotted fabric , tomorrow my plans include sewing the layers together and hanging them and Sunday, I want to grill some salmon.

Happy weekend, y'all!

Paying It Forward

Today I had a package in the mail....not a regular envelope of some credit card offer. Not a piece of the previous occupants mail, not something I ordered for the house....But my very own package from Jenni of Four Feet More .

Last January, I was oh so brave enough to sign up for this......It is a little crafty exchange in the form of a (not so) random act of kindness. I found her blog from back in the day when I did Stuff Portrait Fridays. I was happy to join in and "pay it forward."

Here are the rules:

"I will send a handmade gift (of my choosing) to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange, and who make the same pledge on their own blog. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward."

Anyone interested? If so, drop me a comment! I'll most likely be making some paper craft either a mini scrapbook or seasonal cards. This is just what I need to get my creative juices flowing! So really, if you sign up to pay it forward, you'd be doing me a favor.

Jenni made a gorgeous green scarf. I can only wait for it to get cool enough to wear. But I might have to fight a Princess for it. ***Note the Princess dress up thing she has on, she changed into that as soon as she got home from preschool***

Livi: "Here, Mommy, let me take a picture of you with it."

Me: smiling and hamming it up as best as the Mother of a Princess should.

Livi: "No, no, no ....(what is she a director?) You need to do this....(throws her shoulder forwards and lowers her eyelids). ***I really wish this shot were in focus more, but it totally captures her personality.***

Me: "Is this better?" Trying to imitate her. I swear if she knew the words, she would have been telling me to 'work it, own it'.

Livi: "No, no no......forget it, let's take one together."

Livi: "Much better!"

So, are you up to it?

all things princess

all things princess, originally uploaded by tommiea1.

A little background: It is very dry here in KY. So dry that Livi and I have taken to using "body butter" on our legs. Livi has one flavored butter cream frosting. It does have a super sweet smell. This morning as we were getting ready for her Student of the Week at school, we slathered it on as usual. I can't like dry itchy legs!

So, the above self-declared Princess is student of the week: meaning she got to bring a few special things to school. I went to her class to read her favorite story: The Princess Primer

So today afterwards her teacher mentioned she got her "crayon pulled"<----a time out for something. Apparently self-declared Princess took a swing at Susie (name changed for the protection on others). Miss J asked her why.....she had no answer. But for someone who talks to a box of rocks, I am surprised she didn't tell her why, even if it was to say that the other girl hit her first.

As we were walking to Will's class, I asked her why she hit Susie.

Livi: "She was being mean."

Me: "How was she being mean?" <----very skeptical about her next responce.

Livi: "She wouldn't smell me."

Me: very confused...."Smell you?"

Livi: "My legs...my Butter Cream Frosting legs."

Me: "You hit her because she wouldn't smell your legs?"

Livi: "Yes, wasn't that mean of her?"

Me: "Girl, we need to talk!" It took everything I could do not to laugh. I don't think that little lesson was in The Princess Primer