Dave and I bought a new Canon EOS XSI SLR Digital camera a couple of months ago. I have been afraid of it ever since I opened the box and saw all the different buttons and symbols. Heck, just the name is intimidating enough. I'm proud to announce that I now know how to take pictures and have at least a little bit of knowledge about all the buttons and doo-dads that we paid the big bucks for. I don't have much spare time, but when I do, I've been practicing. Someday I'd love to say I'm an award-winning photographer, but for now, I'll have to be satisfied with my omnipresent and all-encompassing spot in mediocrity. I accomplished this (for me, seemingly impossible) task of deciphering my camera by paying someone else to do it for me! I took a community ed class totaling 8 hours of instruction. Honestly, it was kind of scary for me to be in a classroom setting ag
ain. Since baby number 4, I've been keenly aware of my failing brain capacity. I look back on my college days with a sense of awe... at myself. I can't believe I used to understand and remember all that stuff. It seems like it's all gone now. Anyway, I plan to post some pretty awesome pictures someday. For now, these will have to do.
ain. Since baby number 4, I've been keenly aware of my failing brain capacity. I look back on my college days with a sense of awe... at myself. I can't believe I used to understand and remember all that stuff. It seems like it's all gone now. Anyway, I plan to post some pretty awesome pictures someday. For now, these will have to do. Here's Braden and Chris at one of our favorite hot-day hang outs along the banks of the Willamette river.
Ellie, 9 months old
Besides photography classes, I've just been chillin' at home with the kiddos. We like to visit parks around town, swim in the river, and Braden and Chris LOVE to play out in the yard with the neighbor kids.
They pretend to be Ninjas and gather whatever they can find that resembles a weapon, then have all-out wars. Braden has scrounged up an all-black outfit (turtle neck and long pants in 90 degree weather) so he can sneak around like a ninja... Dave keeps trying to convince me to sign him up for karate so he can learn what a ninja really is. I have to admit, the black clothes are getting old... and stinky. I have to kidnap them to wash them. Yes, Braden dresses in them just about every day.
Stew loves to watch tv. If we're at home, that's all he wants to do. Don't worry, that's not all he GETS to do. He loves Wipeout (for all of you non-couch potatoes, it's a game show where people have to make it through these crazy obstacle courses and the one with the best time wins a ton-o-cash). There's one obstacle called the 'Sucker Punch' and it's Stew's fav. Whenever he wants to watch Wipeout, he punches his little fists in the air and says 'I want suckuh punch'.
Anther funny thing Stew has picked up is saying 'whoopies' whenever he drops something. The kid's almost 3, for crying out loud, and he still can't talk normal.... I LOVE it! He cracks me up.
One part about summer that the kids (or at least Braden) don't like so much is all the chores. The other day Braden told me he was excited to go back to school because he's sick of chores. For this to come out of Braden's mouth is a HUGE miracle. Every day last school year he couldn't stop telling me how much he HATED school. Little does he know, the chores will not end when school is back in session!
I read a really great book a few months ago called the Parenting Breakthrough. The author has some great ideas on how to get kids to work and become independent. I've been working with the kids all summer on learning new chores and actually getting them done before noon. Usually we're lucky to have them done before Dave gets home from work. No, not because I give them too much to do. They just have very short attention spans. Anyway, I think I've only had to unload the dishwasher or scrub a toilet a handful of times the entire summer, so life is good.
With all the work I'm not having to do around the house I've eaten way too many bon-bons... yeah, right. Well, I looked like I had anyway, until a few months ago. I decided I'd had it with the baby fat and enlisted my lovely sister, Hillari, to help me lose the weight. Hill is a consultant for Total Health and Fitness. She does diet and exercise plans for people and meets with her clients once a week to review their progress and make changes to their programs. I started my program about 13 weeks ago and am proud to say I'm down about 12 pounds on the scale, but I've lost over 15 pounds of fat. I'm so excited! I've got a few more pounds to go, but I think I'm already in better shape than I have been in since high school. It's so awesome! Dave just started the program about 3 weeks ago and he's already lost a couple of pounds. Beach Bodies, here we come!
Besides photography classes, I've just been chillin' at home with the kiddos. We like to visit parks around town, swim in the river, and Braden and Chris LOVE to play out in the yard with the neighbor kids.
They pretend to be Ninjas and gather whatever they can find that resembles a weapon, then have all-out wars. Braden has scrounged up an all-black outfit (turtle neck and long pants in 90 degree weather) so he can sneak around like a ninja... Dave keeps trying to convince me to sign him up for karate so he can learn what a ninja really is. I have to admit, the black clothes are getting old... and stinky. I have to kidnap them to wash them. Yes, Braden dresses in them just about every day.
Stew loves to watch tv. If we're at home, that's all he wants to do. Don't worry, that's not all he GETS to do. He loves Wipeout (for all of you non-couch potatoes, it's a game show where people have to make it through these crazy obstacle courses and the one with the best time wins a ton-o-cash). There's one obstacle called the 'Sucker Punch' and it's Stew's fav. Whenever he wants to watch Wipeout, he punches his little fists in the air and says 'I want suckuh punch'.
Anther funny thing Stew has picked up is saying 'whoopies' whenever he drops something. The kid's almost 3, for crying out loud, and he still can't talk normal.... I LOVE it! He cracks me up.
One part about summer that the kids (or at least Braden) don't like so much is all the chores. The other day Braden told me he was excited to go back to school because he's sick of chores. For this to come out of Braden's mouth is a HUGE miracle. Every day last school year he couldn't stop telling me how much he HATED school. Little does he know, the chores will not end when school is back in session!
I read a really great book a few months ago called the Parenting Breakthrough. The author has some great ideas on how to get kids to work and become independent. I've been working with the kids all summer on learning new chores and actually getting them done before noon. Usually we're lucky to have them done before Dave gets home from work. No, not because I give them too much to do. They just have very short attention spans. Anyway, I think I've only had to unload the dishwasher or scrub a toilet a handful of times the entire summer, so life is good.
With all the work I'm not having to do around the house I've eaten way too many bon-bons... yeah, right. Well, I looked like I had anyway, until a few months ago. I decided I'd had it with the baby fat and enlisted my lovely sister, Hillari, to help me lose the weight. Hill is a consultant for Total Health and Fitness. She does diet and exercise plans for people and meets with her clients once a week to review their progress and make changes to their programs. I started my program about 13 weeks ago and am proud to say I'm down about 12 pounds on the scale, but I've lost over 15 pounds of fat. I'm so excited! I've got a few more pounds to go, but I think I'm already in better shape than I have been in since high school. It's so awesome! Dave just started the program about 3 weeks ago and he's already lost a couple of pounds. Beach Bodies, here we come!
2 comments:
First of all, I want to see some pictures of this fab bod! Every time I talk to you, I realize I need to start exercising and eating better. But then we don't talk for a few days.... you get the picture. Anyways, I think it would be great for Braden to do some kind of shitsu, karate, or judo. My nephews do it, and it's great. I think as soon as Sterling is old enough, we might attempt that. I'm so glad you finally posted on your blog, and your pictures look great. I like the depth of field in Ellie's pictures, it makes her really stand out. Just keep practicing!
Hey Tif it is fun to keep tabs on you. First I read parenting breakthrough a few years ago and just revisited it this summer. She is a regular at education week and I love her. Second I need to talk to your sister in law! Good for you. Seriously I need her info :)
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