Photo of the Day - Before and After

I love Picnik, now my favorite editing tool. Before and after. Yahoo was so washed out in the before shot. This was one of those times when I wished I had a manual camera with all the settings so I could play with f-stops, apertures, etc. We were in the shade on a really sunny day and I am pretty sure my camera wasn't reading the light the way I wanted it to.

Photo of the Day - Evergreen

....another version....

I like this one!

I Won Myself An Award Folks!

Thanks Morgan at Becoming Homegrown for nominating me as a versatile blogger. What an award! What an honor! What a catapault into the world of celebrity, fame and fortune!! (okay maybe not that last one)

ver·sa·tile
Pronunciation: \ˈvər-sə-təl, adjective

1 : changing or fluctuating readily : variable      Yep, that's me I change diapers and move 800 miles at the drop of a hat.
2 : embracing a variety of subjects, fields, or skills; also : turning with ease from one thing to another Let's see my job description reads; mom, cook, teacher, referree, gardener, toy maker, barber...I think that makes me versatile.
3: capable of turning forward or backward : reversible : capable of moving laterally and up and down b of an anther : having the filaments attached at or near the middle so as to swing freely Well, i have this double jointed elbow....just kidding, no versatile body parts...I think...

Now it is my turn to pass it on and play the blogger award game...

1. Thank the person who gave you the award

2. Share seven things about you

3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs

4. Let your nominees know about the award

 

Seven things about me...

• 
  
  I've hiked the Grand Canyon.
• 
  
  Chocolate can not survive in my presence.
• 
  
  If I didn't have to feed my family I'd be a vegetarian.
• 
  
  I own a shirt that says, "I feel a SIN coming on..." hee hee, and so does my mom!
• 
  
  My husband proposed to me after dating for only two months.
• 
  
  Some day I am going to run a marathon.
• 
  
  If I could never teach art again I would open a bakery.

Okey Dokey, now to nominate some new blogs. Sorry I don't have 15 but here's some of my fave versatile blogs.

Ranch Momma (she lives in Saskatchewan)
They Lend Me Their Hearts (she's going to be in the community play, Sound of Music)
ecoMILF (from Australia and is the middle of winter now, how I envy her)
Mrs. Art Teacher great art projects!!

Photo of the Day - My Grandparents

Yap with my Grandma M.

I love to watch her with my kids; she enjoys them so much! She taught preschool and she is wonderful with little kids.

Yahoo with my Grandpa A. I lived with this set of grandparents during college. I don't know how they ever put up with me! Maybe they thought of it as an investment so I would just bring cute great grandkids back years later.

Counting Down.....

We are counting down the days. The kids and I will be picking up DR in 2 days and in only 5 days we will be driving to Kansas! We've all missed Daddy and are so excited that he's going to be home when the movers pack us up. Of course I'm ecstatic that I won't be driving the kids to Kansas all by myself!

I think we are ready. The suitcases are packed and in the car. My mom gave me a box full of books and games to keep the kids entertained on the way. Thanks Mom!! The house is organized, semi-clean and ready for the movers. Craigslist has helped me get rid of stuff as well as the Goodwill store. My sister is going to babysit for me while the movers pack up. Larry the auctioneer will be picking up some furniture next week while the movers are here. I even have cookies ready for the movers. (This particular guy is awesome; he moved us last time and I want to stay on his good side for the future!)

While the movers are here I'll do my last minute sweeping, vacuuming and cleaning out cabinets and closets. I think we are ready but I don't feel ready. Even though I've done this before and should have this moving stuff down pat, I keep having this nagging feeling that I am forgetting something and for the life of me I can't figure out what it could be. Maybe I'm just anxious that something is going to go wrong. Well, I know something is going to go wrong...it always does. I just wish I knew what it's going to be.

Ah well...it will show up in it's own time.

In the meantime I've been thinking about what to leave behind. When you move most of your energy is spent trying to remember no to forget anything. But since I've done this thing a time or two I've learned there are two very important objects that you need to leave behind for the next occupants of your house. 

Toilet paper and a shower curtain.

(This photo cracks me up!)

Two things you always need right away in your new house and usually the things you have no idea which box they are packed in. I'm lucky because DR is already in our new house and I know TP and a shower curtain are already waiting for me! 

Moving anytime soon? Be nice leave the essentials!

Photo of the Day - Butterflies

It isn't very often I can get a good shot of any sort of insect so I was excited to find the butterflies at the zoo so cooperative. One of the problems with my point and shoot camera is that I can't zoom nearly as close to objects as I'd like. In these I tried to get an interesting textured background. I especially like the mesh screen. What is the hardest thing for you to take photos of?

Photo of the Day - Merry Go Round with Yip and Yap

Fun bunch of pictures to view in succession....really fast...

it's almost like you were there!