Day 168 - Trick O Treat

Poor Rainy Day Halloween...
Not sure why I had them wear costumes since they were covered in coats, gloves, boots, and hats. Hope you Have a Happy Halloween, (despite the rain! )

Day 167 - Happy Halloween

Here are the kiddos in their costumes. The boy is a scary dracula, if you couldn't tell by the face, and the girl is a lovely fairy.

Day 166 - The white stuff

Woke up this morning to this...

Our puppy has never seen snow before. There was a small stretch of unsullied grass that he kept to, not sure what to think of this new white stuff. It took him half the day before he would venture into it, even then he wasn't quite sure where to go potty since it disable his sniffer.

Day 165 - Ghosts and Goblins

We made these little cupcakes for my son's class tomorrow. However hard it is decorating alone, it is twice as hard with two extra set of hands "helping". I gave the job of placing the mashmellows on toothpicks to my youngest, until I noticed that each marshmellow had a small bite taken out of it. Then I thought maybe it would be better for her to place on the M&M eyes, until she tried to taste each before putting it on. Finally, I gave her the job of watching Sesame Street. She did an okay job with that. :)

Day 164 - Warm by the fire

On a cold, rainy/snowy day nothing beats a toasty fire, a warm bowl of soup, and a good book.

Day 163 - Worst day ever

When you are four, you haven't experienced enough days to really be able to quantify the number of bad days. But as far as bad days go, this had to rank pretty high for this kiddo. Looking at the picture you can't imagine why, he is holding a trophy after all. It was his last soccer game, but he couldn't really play because of a tummy ache and a case of the runs. It rained the entire time and we barely managed to make it back from the bathroom (for the 3 time) to receive his trophy. About 10 min. after we got home, his sister broke said trophy in half (Let's not go into the issues of quality if a 2 year old can snap it in half). Then he puked all over himself in the car. (I don't know who that is worse for, him or us?) And wrapped up the afternoon doing his absolute least favorite thing - Taking a nap. Poor kid.

Day 162 - Dishes

Has your sink ever looked like this? After one meal?

While this looks like days of accumulated squalor, it is actually only from one meal. Amazing the amount of dishes one family can use.

Day 161 - My little pip

My two year old can be a challenge, but she can also be a delight.

Here are a few things about her that I love:

She gives the best hugs, real hugs that actually squeeze.

She is perceptive and kind. Once I was touched by something on T.V. and started to get a bit teary eyed. She came up to me and asked what was wrong and then gave me kisses.

She claims she doesn't like to hold my hand, but at the slightest indication I will walk off without her, she calls "Mama, don't leave me, hold my hand" and then she holds on for dear life.

She is funny and she knows it and at times can act like a little clown just for a reaction.

She loves all things girlie, but that by no means makes her a girlie girl, she can get rough and tough and dirty with the best of them, she just likes to have polish on when she is doing it.

She loves her family, especially big brother. Even though she can tease him, you can tell she adores him.

She is always asking questions about our world and wants to know everything.

She uses the word "marry" instead of dance. So she will ask little boys (cousins, brother etc.) if they will marry her, to which she usually gets a "never" response, which infuriates her and she demands they "marry" her.

If she thinks you are mad or sad as a result of her, she will say "mama, what I do?" In this worried and sweet voice. Which, if I am in fact mad as a result of her, melts it away in seconds.

She gives me sweet little kisses on my cheek, sometimes for no apparent reason. I have found if I pretend to wipe it off, I can score several more little kisses from her and eventually a soft little hand on my cheek, holding the recently placed kiss in place. All of which I adore.

Day 160 - Windmill

"The pessimst complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward

159 - Puzzling

Don't get him started. Be it movies, books, puzzles - he has to finish it. I'll give him that, he is persistant or OCD.

Day 158 - Special Weekend post

While this picture could be of blood, it is not.

It is however the effects of a certain mischievious child.

Discount pedicures! ( It will only cost you half a bottle of nail polish remover and some spot shot)

Day 157 - Smelly feet

Too cute! (Notice the witch sign next to her if you are confused by the title)

Day 156 - What is wrong with this picture?

During this picture, I was saying the entire time "Look over here, smile, look at the camera..." You can see that even the baby minds me, but my children? Not a chance. My sister should feel free to crop my kids out, because it is really a good picture of her children.

Day 155 - In the big bed

Lately, if we want the children to sleep, we have had to separate everything from the girl, including brother. He has gotten to start each night out in our bed and then transfer to his bed. He seemed so small in this big bed.

Day 154 - Running

I like this action shot of the kid.

Day 153 - Timeout

Sometimes timeouts are for kids and...

sometimes they are for toys.

Day 152 - Adjusting

When I started this project, I knew it was an ambtious effort. Taking pictures everyday, not as easy a thing as one would think. So in an effort of full disclosure and preventing me from developing a dislike of photography, I am relaxing my everyday stance. While I still plan on posting 365 post, there may be shots from the same day posted over two days, and weekends will probably only get pictures if I take a really amazing shot that just has to be posted... or I am bored.

Day 151 - Four eyes

This picture looks a little alien like.

I believe these fish are called four eyed something or other and it is easy to see why. Their eyes bulge above the water providing a reflection that makes it seem as if they have... four eyes.

This shot was of the Piranha's.

While these two shots may not be the best examples, this was my second attempt (1st attempt here) at the aquarium since I got this camera and I believe it turned out much better. (For more examples, I will post them elsewhere.) I set the ISO number much higher this time and adjusted for movement. (Kids and fish). Some shots I used a flash, but at a reduced setting so it wasn't so bright. It also helped that we went at a less busy time.
Overall, the Aquarium isn't so scary as it once was.

Day 150 - Chutes and Ladders

This is proof I can't get my children to pose for pictures. When I saw her climbing up this ladder, I had a grand idea of what the visual would look like, a vertical angle, and her sweetly looking up at me. Of course that wasn't going to happen for her, but the shot on the fly was still interesting to me.

Day 149 - Brush

Nighty, nite.

Day 147/148 - Two for one

Since I didn't post yesterday, today I am giving a two for one.
My nephew turned one today. My sister made his birthday cake (The barn), and cupcakes for the rest of us (animals). Very cute and time consuming no doubt. I guess you only turn one, once.

Of all the shots I took this was my favorite. That candle was lit and he was diving for it. She had to quickly blow it out, but his face is adorable and determined.

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Day 146 - Sunday

Aspire to something higher.

Day 145 - Peaceful moments

General Conference begins today. I had the oppurtunity to tour the conference center a few days before and took this picture. There was an amazing calm and peace despite the arrangements being made ready for this big weekend. If you haven't had the oppurtunity to tour this building or see the beautiful garden on the roof, it is a must.

Day 144 - Sunset

just a beautiful scene I couldn't pass up.