A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

My favorite Photo Session

2012-02-28T13:19:00.002-08:00

My favorite photo sessions are with my kids!

CJ asked me if I would take some pictures of her because she wanted a new profile picture for her Google Plus account.

Don't need to ask me twice!

We went to Downtown Walnut Creek because I have been wanting to do a session there. I've decided that if there is a location that I want to shoot in, I should just grab my kids and go!

Maybe my clients will see those pictures and want to go there and then, I'll have a new location to put on my list!

You're beautiful CJ!

March Subway Art Plate

2012-02-28T08:41:00.003-08:00

Is Subway art, what you would even call this? I wish I had the ability to come up with creative and catchy titles. Most times, I'll just write the blog entry and then try to come up with a title. And many times, I will stare at the computer screen hoping that an idea will pop in my head.

This will have to do for today.

Ben brought home some a couple of chargers from the free shelf and I came up with this.

I like it!

For the boys

2012-02-27T10:27:00.003-08:00

My sister in law has inspired my pegboard making. She told me that it was easy to get hooked making them and I can see why.

I made this one for my friend who is having a boy in the next week or so.

I love the saying because it is so true about little boys, they are noisy and dirty!

Happy Val Day blocks

2012-02-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

Since I made something else out of my "Happy Val-Day" sign, I made some blocks.

I don't know why they are so much fun to make!

I'm really wishing I had a chop saw these days. Then think about how much faster I can produce more blocks!

Unutoa Family Sneak Peak

2012-02-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Meet the Unutoas.

They are a super fun and energetic family and I'm jealous. . .

I want their long, thick hair.

I'd even take half of their long, thick hair.

Who am I kidding? I really want it all!

And while I'm at it. . .

I'd take their nicely all year round tanned skin.

I wouldn't have to wait until the summer to get one. . .

I'd look like I live on a tropical island all year round.

And then. . .everyone would be jealous of me!

Maybe I can be an honorary Unutoa??

Paint Samples Garland

2012-02-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ever get tempted to grab some of these?

And then make something out of them?

Well, I sure did and came up with this. . .

My daughter Mia came up with her own. I love my kids' creativity.

Conversation Heart Topiary

2012-02-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

I've been secretly lusting after some candlestick holders. So while I was at Ikea I picked up a few. Then. . . I put them on my shelf and stared at the all day wondering what I could put on them.

Ben made it so easy for me to think of something when he gave me some extra styrofoam balls he got off the. . .you know what I'm going to say. . .

Free shelf.

I love that shelf.

Here's what some conversation hearts, glue gun and styrofoam ball can do. . .

I thought about painting the ball before so the spots not covered by the hearts wouldn't show but in the end just glued the hearts on.

I think it turned out just great and so I had to make two! Because we all know that two is better than one!

My kids' reactions to all of this candy madness?

"Oh please can I eat it?!"

Valentine Frames and Other things

2012-02-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

I made this wreath a couple of years ago and since then have taken it apart and done have made other things.

My craft projects are like organ donors. Their parts are donated to other projects.

With the wreath, I made this. . .

And then I took the hearts and made these. . .

I also had some valentine garland that was needing a home. Garland is wonderful but sometimes needs to be tamed. I also used the extra wooden hearts.

So with the one Valentine wreath, I was able to make several projects.

I guess this way, crafting never gets old!

"Love Notes" Chalkboard

2012-01-30T09:19:00.001-08:00

I made a giant vinyl sign last year because I thought I was being so funny.

"Happy Val Day". . . get it. . . I'm Val!

Oh yes, I am so hilarious.

This year when I pulled it out, I decided to give it a make over and came up with this:

I just used some leftover chalkboard paint and chalk. I think it would be fun to let the kids write some love notes on it too!

Button Heart Shadow Box

2012-01-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

Every year, when I get out my decorations for Valentine's Day, I am always surprised at how little I have. Yesterday, when I put up my decorations and saw the holes of emptiness, I decided it was time to get my Valentine decoration groove on!

Ben had this shadow box that he said I could have. It has always been in the back of my mind, so if I ever thought of or saw a cute idea, I would have it on hand.

I also have a pretty good collection of buttons. I collected them back in the day when I was teaching school and have kept them around. Buttons always come in handy.

So I spray painted the frame black (it was an ugly brown) and used spray adhesive to attach fabric to the inside.

Then, my oldest daughter helped pick out the buttons and put together the heart on the outside frame. Last, I glued the buttons on.

I told my daughter that I love making my own decorations. I had the best time just talking and crafting with her. It is something I should do more often!

I've got a few more Valentine crafts to post, so stay tuned!

Vinyl Flourishes Framed Picture

2012-01-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

After taking down all of the Christmas decorations, my shelf was empty.

Do I decorate for Valentine's Day now?

I feel weird going for the winter theme with snowflakes and snowmen because there is no snow where I live.

So I decided to go for something un-themed.

I had some textured paper leftover and cut out some flourishes with vinyl and "Wah la"!

So easy and yet so fun!

JOY Blocks

2011-12-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

I told you I was obsessed with making blocks.

I know these have been done over and over again by others, but I had to do them because it was all new for me.

I purchased a Silhouette machine a couple of months ago and it has been so fun being able to vinyl projects. I can tell how people can get hooked. I keep thinking of what else I can do with vinyl.

Oh yeah, and guess what? I'm done making gifts and it is only December 9th-booyah!

Zoey's Apron

2011-12-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago, I made all of my kids aprons. Zoey wasn't even born yet and so she doesn't have one. She doesn't seem to care because I see her wearing her sibling's aprons with no problem.

I thought I would make her own today.

I hear Santa is probably getting her something to go with that apron for Christmas-we're pretty close, Santa and I.

Can't wait to see her with everything! She's going to be a little mom.

Maybe she'll cook me something!

Evie-Sneak Peak

2011-12-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Evie is almost a year old and I got to take her pictures today. Her mom had so many cute things for Evie to play with.

There were ornaments. . .

a stocking. . .

silky fabrics. . .

a mirror. . .

a cute hat. . .

lights. . .

and more lights. . .

What a fun day! The right props certainly make a photo shoot more fun!

Last Name Wooden Blocks

2011-12-01T11:22:00.001-08:00

I love making blocks! I love making blocks so much that I need a new blade on my table saw.

I made my Mom some for a Christmas gift. I really like making Christmas gifts for the Moms because they always seem to enjoy homemade gifts.

Or maybe they are just to nice to say otherwise.

I love visiting my parents house, and seeing what homemade "treasures" they have kept over the years. Makes me feel special and valued seeing the things they have kept that I have made!

Anderson Family Sneak Peak

2011-11-27T15:23:00.000-08:00

Ben's sister, Betsy and her family came to visit us for Thanksgiving. We were SO excited that they came!

We danced. . .

We ate. . .

We shopped. . .

We ate. . .

We played games. . .

We ate. . .

We watched movies. . .

We ate. . .

We took them to Ben's work. . .

We ate. . .

We took them to the Adventure Playground. . .

We ate. . .

We took pictures. . .

We ate. . .

then ate some more. . .

Most of all, we had SO much fun!

Thanks for coming to visit us!

"Gobble Till you Wobble" Blocks

2011-11-23T14:21:00.000-08:00

Okay. . . I think it is safe to say that I am obsessed with making blocks.

I can't stop.

I keep thinking of more and more blocks I can make.

And. . .

who I can make them for!

Thanksgiving Day Table Crafts-Kids Project

2011-11-23T11:29:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Name Plates

Using dried beans, scrapbook paper and cardstock, these name plates are easy to make.

Thanksgiving Napkin Rings

Here are the directions. I used clipart for the hats to make the project easier.

We've got some family coming into town and the kids and I thought this would be a fun way to decorate the table them.

Baby Kadence-Sneak Peak

2011-11-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Kadence is 12 days old and is so precious and tiny. I think I could have just held her the entire time! There is just something about a newborn that is so special.

Maybe it's because they are heaven sent. . .

Or maybe it's because they depend entirely on you for everything. . .

Maybe it's because you made them from scratch. . .

Or the instant love you feel for them. . .

Maybe it's because they have made your family complete. . .

Or maybe it's because they are so innocent. . .

Maybe it's because they mean everything to you. . .

Or maybe, it's all of the above!

Thank you for a special session!

"Whatever I have" Yarn Wreath

2011-11-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

I was putting away the Halloween decorations when I came across a lonely wreath. It used to look like this. . .

But had since been striped of anything sparkly or lovely.

Since, I didn't want to go to the store to buy anything, I just looked around my house and gathered whatever I could find or had leftover.

I found some leftover yarn and ribbon.

I also had some flowers from another wreath that I took apart.

I love taking apart things to make other things. The fun can never end when you do it that way!

Packard Family Sneak Peak

2011-11-07T13:38:00.000-08:00

We LOVE family!

Ben's cousin, Lisa and her family came into town for some family pictures.

Where did we go???

Dah barn.

There was another photographer there with a family of 8!

Even though the other photographer had a big crowd, we kept out of his way and were able to get some pretty fantastic pictures.

See for yourself. . .

Thanks again for coming to visit us! When are the rest of you coming down?? Huh?

Tombstones for Halloween

2011-11-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

I know it is after Halloween, but I have been meaning to put the rest of Ben's tombstones on my blog. Remember this one from last year?

Since last Halloween, Ben worked on tombstones them throughout the year. He also helped the kids make one too! Here are they are in all their glory!!

Our graveyard looked great! I wish our grass did.

Rasmussen Family Sneak Peak

2011-10-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

The Rasmussen's are SO smart.

Guess what they brought to the photo session?

CANDY. CANDY. CANDY.

Candy for the photographer to be goofy and silly with so the little one will smile.

Candy to bribe with. Candy to stuff into little pockets.

Candy for the little boy. . .

Candy for the sister. . .

Candy for you. . .

Candy for me. . .

And I really mean, candy for me!

When I got home, I found a milky way in my pocket. I'd give it back to you, but I ate it!

Blatter Family Sneak Peak

2011-10-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what the nicest family in the world looked like?

Well, look no further.

Meet the Blatters.

And, I'm not joking when I say they are the nicest people. . .

I had to resist the urge to take these boys home with me.

You see what I'm talking about? Their smiles say it all.

Okay, who am I kidding.

I would have taken them ALL home with me!

Halloween Waterbottle Printable

2011-10-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

We had a party this past weekend and my husband and daughter came up with these clever waterbottle labels. It was hilarious what they came up with!

Now it's your turn to enjoy!

(If you click on the image it will take you to photobucket. You can get the full size there. If you are having troubles, leave a comment and I will email you the jpeg.)

Edible Estimation Jar-Kids Project

2011-10-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Candy. Candy. Candy. It must be October.

Here is a SWEET IDEA for you because I think you are pretty sweet !

Edible Estimation Jar

This is a great activity to help your students learn the concept of estimation. Let me tell you how it works:

Materials:
Empty see through container. I have used old mayo containers in the past.
"Edible Estimation Jar" Label
Small blank pieces of paper and a container to put the guesses into.

How it works:
1. You fill it up the first time with some tasty treat.
(When I taught school I printed instructions for the other side of the jar. I made sure we only had treats that were individually wrapped. My example is obviously not individually wrapped but it's okay because it's just for my kids and we love to share germs with each other!)

2. On the small blank pieces of paper have each student estimate how many are in the jar.

3. When everyone has guessed, you can count the pieces in the jar.

4. This is a great time to practice counting by 1's, 2's or 5's or maybe even 10's. As you count them as a group, write the exact amount on the board. You can talk about how many tens and ones are in the number.

5. Then read outloud each guess. If the guess is close to the exact amount, have the students give you a thumbs up or a thumbs down if it is not.

6. The student that is the closest gets to had out a piece of candy to everyone and gets to take the empty estimation jar home and they are in charge of filling it up. You can also let the student get an extra piece because they were the closest.
(One thing that I did was that after everyone got one piece of candy, all the extra went in my candy jar. It was great because I rarely had to buy candy. The candy was used with other incentives in my class)

TIP: If you are doing this with young children, you don't want to have too many pieces for them to estimate. Lots of time, the kids will just guess 100 for anything that looks like alot. I would suggest using up to 20 for Kindergarten age kids and maybe more as the year goes on.

"Made From Scratch" 2X4 Stack

2011-10-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

I was watching an old episode of "Grey's Anatomy" last week. It was the one where a young woman was in a boating accident and had to undergo a tremendous amount of surgery. She didn't want to tell her Mom what had happened. She said that her Mom would always scold her and tell her to not "do this" or "that" because she had "made her from scratch."

Hmmm. . ."made from scratch". I really liked that saying. And since, 2X4's have been on my mind since cutting a bunch for Super Saturday, I came up with this.

By the way, my most favorite projects always involve pictures. I just love using pictures!!

The longest board is 12 ". The individual ones are 3" each.

I really love how it turned out and can't wait to put it somewhere. Right now, our house is filled with Halloween decor. Well since the end of September, Halloween has taken over. We love Halloween over here. I'll have to find a place soon, so I can stare at my cute kids all day!

Scarborough Family Sneak Peak

2011-10-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

I met Erin almost exactly a year ago. We were both taking our kids on a hike. I was admiring how she was on a hike with her little one who was about nine months and her other two kids. It took me several years to feel brave enough to take all of my kids on a hike by myself.

Well, I guess her and I were destined to be friends because a year later, we have enjoyed many fun times with each other!

We also have alot in common. . .

We both have a cute family. . .

We both have cute and energetic children. . .

Our girls are creative, smart, and funny. . .

Our boys are adventurous. . .

and handsome. . .

We adore our husbands. . .

And. . .

We think our families are pretty neat!

. . .we could be twins!

Halloween Books

2011-10-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

My Halloween Books. . .

Thirteen Nights of Halloween by Rebecca Dickinson

There was an Old Witch by Howard W. Reeves

Monster Goose by Judy Sierra

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz

DinoFours It's Halloween by Steve Metzger

The Hallowiener by Dav Pilkey

Boo! by Robert Munsch

Mouse's First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

Shake Dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola-Lisa

The Little Old Lady Who was not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams

Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler

Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O'Connell

My Bat books:

Outside and Inside Bats by Sandra Markle

Five Little Bats Flying in the Night by Steve Metzger

Bats by Gail Gibbons

World's Weirdest Bats by M.L. Roberts

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

My Pumpkin books:

Pumpkin Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

Pumkin Eye by Denise Fleming

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

Check out these sites for more books:

Top 12 Halloween Books

Apples $ Teachers

Amazon

Making a Halloween book with an Ad- Kids Project

2011-10-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

I got an ad from the Party Warehouse with all sorts of costumes in it. Mia wanted to cut them apart and so I decided to make her a quick book.

Halloween Book

Materials: Newspaper Ad with costumes in it, scissors, glue, Halloween book

Skills: Sorting, Counting, Handwriting

How to make the book:

1. I just used a word document and typed questions on each page and maybe another activity to do such as counting or writing. From the example, you can tell that from each page I got 2 pages.

2. I made several different pages like: Which ones are scary?, Which ones are superheroes?, Which ones are animals?,

3. You can put extra activities like: How many are there?, Name the animals?, How many are black? etc.

Other ideas:

1. You could glue them onto cardstock and make square cards. Using the cards, you can sort by color or category. If you have two ads, you could make memory cards.

McCallister Family Sneak Peak

2011-10-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

One of the things about California that I love, is the weather. Can you believe that these pictures were taken in October?

Jealous?

The McCallisters wanted a beach picture and a beach picture they did get!

They also got. . .

rocks to climb and rocks to throw. . .

endless ocean. . .

smiles. . .

lots of hugs. . .

some laughter. . .

running. . .

and wet feet!

Halloween Yarn Wreath

2011-09-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Remember the 2X4 Wooden Pumpkins that I will be teaching for Super Saturday? During Super Saturday they are also making yarn wreaths. Since I am teaching a class and probably won't have time to make many of the other crafts, I decided to make myself one in the meantime.

I got this idea from our ward's Super Saturday blog. We are in full swing in the Porter house with all of the Halloween decorations. Ben and the kids put up the graveyard last Saturday. I'll post some more pictures of his tombstones soon. He's made a few more this past year.

Alrighty, he's my first yarn wreath-and I love it!

I wrapped duct tape around the wreath and it was perfect since I was using gray yarn. The longest part was wrapping the yarn around the wreath. I rolled my yarn into a ball first to make it easier.

For the middle, I found clipart online and cut each piece out. Then, I used them as a tracer to cut them out of the felt.

For all the supplies, it cost me around $7. Pretty good. When I got back home, guess what I found in the mail? Oodles of coupons from Joann's. Oh well, I know I will be back there soon!

Can't wait to make another one!

Toy Story 3 Alien Cake Pops-Tutorial

2011-09-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

My husband's only request for his birthday were cake pops. I decided since he works at Pixar, I had to come up with a Pixar themed cake pop. I decided to do some aliens since they looked the easiest and I could possibly be somewhat successful.

These are the materials that you need:

1. Cake mix/Tub of frosting- I usually buy the one that is on sale.

2. Candy Melts-I got mine at Joanns.

3. Sucker sticks- Also, bought at Joanns.

4. Chocolate covered sunflower seeds-Joanns again:)

5. Sour Sticks-Got them at the 99 cents store. Could also use the candy straws. I debated between the two but ended up with these because of color.

6. Cake Pop holder

7.Royal Icing for the eyes

8. Edible black ink pen

Once you have all the materials you are ready to go! I did these cake pops in one week by splitting up the steps by day. I don't like getting stressed out and when you have four kids, you never know how much time you will have to yourself to work on projects. Here is how I split it up:

Monday-Made the spaceship cake pop holder

Tuesday-Made the royal icing into eyes and let set in the refridgerator.

Wednesday-Made the cake. Let it cool , covered and set in fridge overnight.

Thursday- Crumbled the cake and made into cake balls. Put in fridge to cool. Dipped and decorated the rest.

Friday-Ben's Birthday! Delivered to Pixar.

Okay. . . let's break it down even more.

1. Bake the cake. Let it cool. I covered it and put it in the fridge overnight. You don't have to cool it that long.

2. Cut the cake into fourths. Crumble each section into large mixing bowl. Add 3/4th of the tub of frosting.

3. Roll the cake into balls. I used an icecream scooper to make the balls more unified in size. It also proportioned everything out really well. I got about 44 cake balls. Put them on a piece of wax paper and into the fridge to cool.

4. Now put the candy melts into a microwave safe bowl. I warm it up by increments of 30 seconds. Take it out after each time and stir.

*I have learned from past disasters that if you melt a spoonful or so of shortening, it makes the chocolate a thinner consistency which helps with clumping, gives a smoother look, and your cake ball is more likely to stay on the stick.

5. Take the cake balls out one at a time, keeping the others cool. Place on stick and dip into chocolate.

*I had several cake balls fall off the stick and I think it was because the cake ball itself wasn't more solid.

6. The eyes I put on next. Here is how I made them:

I made royal icing with 4 egg whites, 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla. I whipped the egg whites first and add the other two ingredients. I then used a ziplock bag and put some of the icing in the bag (which is very drippy). I cut a small hole in the corner and lined a pan with wax paper.

Drop icing onto the pan. After I made the white part of the eyes, I had some black gel that I dabbed into the middle. This was an experiment and worked out pretty well.

After days of setting, they were hardened (not as hard as I thought they would be). I gently took them off the wax paper and with the melted chocolate and a toothpick as my applicator, I used the chocolate as glue for the eyes.

7. Next are the ears. I used chocolate covered sunflower seeds. I picked out the green ones and used the melted chocolate for glue again (by the way, I nuked the chocolate a couple times when I noticed it getting harder, didn't affect the chocolate)

8. For the top of the head I used the sour sticks. I actually cut them in half because I thought they were too thick. Then I glued them with the melted chocolate and placed them on the top.

9. Making the mouth was the trickiest part. I rush ordered a black edible pen I found on Amazon. I got two for about 8.00.

**NOTE! These were horrible on the waxy chocolate surface. I could barely write with them. Since I was running out of time, I went online to see what other people had to say and they felt the same way. These pens do not write well on the candy melts surface.

"What did I do?" you ask?

I feel so brilliant when I chopped that pen apart and took out the ink tube in the middle. I squeezed the ink into a bowl and used a fine tip paint brush to paint on the mouths!

It turned out very easy to do and worked well.

10. The cake pop holder was fun to make as well. Remember this exterior installation?

Ben used it to make his tombstones out of and had some extra. I glued two pieces together and sculpted a dome for the space ship using a chisel. My oldest came up with the idea of using a clear bowl for the top. I put an alien inside the bowl to make it look like it was driving.

I used my cordless drill to drill holes in the foam.

I was so happy when everything turned out because many times they don't. I'm glad that I had something to show in the end.

Ben loved them and shared them with his team. They were impressed with the aliens that I think I have won the, "Most Awesome Pixar Wife" award!

Well, that's what Ben says anyways!

It all begins with your name. . .

2011-09-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Who is the one person that kids think of the most?

Themselves.

It's all about them and why not take advantage of this time in their lives? Use their "All about Me" stage to teach them how to read and write.

Let's start where it all begins. . .

with their name!

Xander just started kindergarten and is loving every second of it. One day he came home wanting to spell him name everywhere. I took that excitement and got out anything I could grab so he could practice making his name.

Your kids can practice with pretty much anything. All you need is a creative mind to get you there.

Beans, Beans, Beans!

What about using some dried beans? Use them to make your child's name and work on patterning at the same time!

Dominoes

Blocks

Playdoe

Popsicle Sticks

Some other favorite ideas are:

#1 Use shaving cream to write your name in. Spread it on your table and let the kids go wild with writing!

#2Pipe Cleaner is fun to manipulate into letters.

#3 Your bodies! If you have a classroom of kids, have them use teamwork to make words.

#4 Magnetic letters are a "must have" in your home.

#5 Any kind of dried food like beans and popcorn kernels.

#6 Paper clips. You can link them together and make letters.

#7 Toy cars. Line them up into letters and park them as you make your name.

When your child is done making their name, why not read a book about names?

These two are my favorite. . .

After your child has mastered his or her name, guess what is next? Move onto names of people in your family.

Your child will find success in these activities and that success will fuel them as they continue to practice and learn in the classroom.

Fall Photo Session Offer

2011-09-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful for all of my friends and their friends who have chosen me to capture their special moments this year. I have been blessed to have at least one session each month so far this year- a new record for me!

This has been a huge confidence booster for me and I just wanted to thank everyone.

So. . .

THANK YOU.

2X4 Pumpkin Stack

2011-09-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

My friend is organizing a Super Saturday and asked me to do this pumpkin project. It's a pretty simple and cheap project to do.

You can go to Under my Umbrella for the tutorial.

Here is what you need:

2x4

Berries

Yarn

Scrapbook paper

Mod Podge

Easy and fun.

Damiano Family Sneak Peak

2011-08-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

The Damianos know how to do math.

1+1=2 parents

1+1=5 children

5 children+5 husbands=13 grandkids

1 Dad+5 Daughters=5 DADDIES GIRLS'

1 Favorite Daughter + 4 Favorite Daughters=1 confused, yet smiling Dad

1 Mom+5 Daughters=BEAUTIFUL

5 Daughters + 1 skinny Mom=GOOD TIMES!

5 Sisters + Laughter + Craziness=BEST FRIENDS

1 Daughter + 1 Husband= 4 beautiful kids

1 Daughter + 1 Husband= 2 handsome boys

1 Photographer + Camera +Damianos=FUN TIMES!!

I guess, I know how to do math too!

Blay Wedding-Sneak Peak

2011-08-16T14:16:00.000-07:00

August must be the month to get married!

With all the weddings going on, I was lucky to shoot the BEST ONE!!

This wedding had the BEST CHEERING. . .

The BEST COUPLE. . .

The BEST FAMILY. . .

The BEST FLOWERS. . .

The BEST FRIENDS AND FAMILY. . .

It was pretty much the BEST DAY!

Thanks for letting me be a part of it!

Concepts About Print-Beginning of the Year Assessment

2011-08-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

I love this because it gives you alot of information in such a quick amount of time. I usually give this at the beginning of the school year just to see where my students are and where they may need help. I could always tell the students who had parents read to them.

"This assessment helps teachers understand what individual children know specifically about book concepts, directionality, concepts of letters and words, as well as concepts of punctuation."
(from http://www.mlpp-msl.net/assessments/conceptsofPrint/Concepts-of-Print)

Go here for a more in depth explanation and directions to administer and score the test.

Blackburn Family Sneak Peak

2011-07-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

I've decided that this is the barn that never fails.

Everyone seems to be drawn to this location and I can see why.

Any session here is almost guaranteed to be beautiful!

* * * * *

Meet the Blackburns.

Check out their precious lil' boys.

Meet Luca.

He loves his Dad. He loves his Mom.

And. . .

I think he loves bubble gum!

Meet Enzo.

He loves to stand.

He's tiny.

He's very loved!

Meet Mom and Dad.

They're goofy.

They're funny.

And. . .

I can tell their best friends!

Zucchini Bread

2011-07-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

When life gives you a zucchini. . .

make zucchini bread!

This bad boy is from my garden!

One thing I like about squash plants is how big they get.

Makes me feel like a successful gardener.

Here's the recipe I used:

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs

3/4 c. oil

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. peeled and grated raw zucchini

3 c. sifted flour

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs until foamy. Beat in oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

Beat in grated zucchini. Sift flour with salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.

Beat into first mixture, then, fold in nuts if desired.

Turn batter into 2 well greased 9X5X3 loaf pans.

Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 60-75 minutes or until loaves test done.

Makes 2 loaves

Lewis Family Sneak Peak

2011-07-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a little girl. . .

who was cute as could be.

She was so darling. . .

that her parents couldn't stand it!

They decided. . .

that they would love this little girl to death!

They also knew. . .

that this girl was special because. . .

this girl, was there's!

Thanks for such a wonderful session!

Fourth of July Cupcakes

2011-07-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

My littlest one has a birthday on the 4th of July which makes it easy to decide on a theme. I love making cupcakes for kid's birthdays. They are so easy to make and are easy for the kids to eat!

Last year, we had a BBQ at our house and invited friend's over for Zoey's b-day celebration. I made these cupcakes into a flag:

This year, I decided to make some more cupcakes, but thought I would try to make a red, white and blue cupcake mix.

All you need is:

white cake mix

red and blue food coloring

First, you make the white cake mix as directed.

Then, you separate it into 3 equal portions. I put them into separate 3 bowls.

Put red dye into one bowl, blue in the other, and keep the last one the same.

Last, I line the muffin pan with cupcake holders and scoop spoonfuls of each color.

After. . .you get something like this:

I also made toppers that I got from Poppies at Play.

Everyone loved them! I wonder if I will be able to come up with some new version of cupcake every year?!

Fourth of July Framed Stitchery

2011-07-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make some decorations for the 4th of July but was definitely pushing it with time.

At Joann's, I always look at the seasonal decorations and for each season, they are selling framed stitched sayings. And each time, I always pass it up thinking, "Oh I can do that!" but then never do it. This time, I actually did it!

Yay me!

(Don't you think we each deserve a cheer for ourselves every now and then?)

Instead of free handing it, I printed out some sayings onto paper.

I then used a light box and a washable pen to trace onto the fabric.

I chuckled to myself when I printed out the "Born in the USA" saying because I am the only one in the family who wasn't born in the USA. I am an American citizen, though, so that counts!

Happy Fourth of July!

Grilled Pizza

2011-06-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

My husband loves pizza! He loves pizza more than most things in life. He has pizza at least once a week and over the years has created his own pizza dough and sauce that is simply delicious.

Here's his recipe:

Ben's Pizza

Crust:

2 T yeast Flour

2 T sugar 1 1/2 T garlic powder

2 c luke warm water 1 T basil

1 c softened butter 2 tsp. oregano

1/4 c sugar 1 tsp.marjoram (optional)

Stir yeast, sugar and water together. Let sit for a few minutes to let the yeast get foamy and active. Put butter, sugar, and 1 cup flour into mixing bowl (kitchen aide type if you got one). Pour yeast liquid in and mix into a soup, then add seasonings. Should smell realy good about now.

Add (a cup or two at a time), 5 cups more flour and let knead. Cover and let rise 20 minutes until doubled. Roll out, then build your pizza and cook at 450 for 15-25 minutes, depending on how thick it is.

Ben's favorite toppings include: pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, bacon, olives, artichoke hearts, green pepper, sausage.

Sauce:

1 can tomato sauce 1 T oregano

1 can diced tomato 1/2 tsp. thyme

1 T sugar 1 T olive oil

1 tsp. black pepper 1 T minced garlic

Salt to taste.

Combine.

Yesterday while talking to a friend at church, they chatted about making a grilled pizza.

Pizza cooked on a grill? Is that even possible?

Well let me tell you that it is. Pretty simple concept.

You make the dough.

Heat the grill.

Flatten. (Ben put some cornmeal on the bottom)

Cook on one side.

Flip.

Put sauce and toppings on, be sure not to overload.

Return to grill and cook the bottom side.

And. . .

Your done!

It was especially yummy because Ben used spices from our garden to make the sauce and dough.

It was so good and so quick! It was a perfect thing to make on a warm sunny day!

Father's Day Dessert

2011-06-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

I was out shopping the day before Father's Day and I picked up some Oreos for Ben. I wanted to make a yummy dessert but didn't quite know what to make.

Then I remembered this yummy recipe I saw on Kevin and Amanda.

Oreos and brownies combined?

He will be in heaven!

Like the spider plate?

I've got to get new dishes and this is about all I have. I donated our entire set because I had planned to get a new one.

This dessert was a perfect combination of oreos and brownies.

My only regret?

Not having enough hot fudge to smother this dessert in.

Get this recipe at Kevin and Amanda

Cookies ‘N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

1 box Brownie Mix
eggs & oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)

Preheat oven & spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.

Five Favorite Word Wall Activities

2011-06-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my SIL Hannah the other day about word walls and thought I would post some activities that you can do with them.

Today I am going to share with you 5 of my favorite activities that you can do with the word wall. Remember that word walls words are high frequency words and should be learned by sight.

1. WORDO

Materials:

Wordo Board
Flashcards
Bingo Markers
Small Prizes(optional)

GETTING STARTED

Wordo is like bingo. The kids fill in their 3X3 boards with word wall words. Get the board here. Your word wall may get filled with more words than 9 so you can choose, say 15 and have the kids choose 9 for their board. Then make flashcards (you can use index cards or something like that).

1. Make sure you tell the kids what you are going for like four corners, 3 in a row, or even blackout.
2. Mix up the words. You can put them in a small bowl and go around the room and have the kids read the word outloud or you could hold it up and have the kids read it outloud as a class.
3. When the kids get say, 3 in a row, they yell "WORDO". Have the kids read the words outloud and then you could give them a prize. You could have the other kids clear the board or continue.

EXTENSION
1. Have the kids put the word in a sentence orally before they place a bingo marker on the square.
2. When the game is over have the kids cut out the words in the squares. I have had my students put them in ABC order, they could sort them (same beginning sound, how many letters etc.), they could write a sentence and paste the word where it belongs in the sentence.

2. WORD DETECTIVE

Materials:
Magnifying glass
Book
Word Detective Sheet

GETTING STARTED
Kids use the magnifying glass to find words they know from their word walls. It is helpful to have the word wall visible for the student. If you child is writing, you can have them write down the words they find on the Word Detective sheet.

3. WORD WALL NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY

Materials:
Newspaper article clippings
Highlighters
Word Wall Newspaper Sheet

GETTING STARTED
Kids use the highlighters to find word wall words. If they can write them, have them record them on the Word Wall Newspaper Sheet.

4. DAILY WORD WALL ACTIVITIES

Materials:
Word Wall Record Sheet

GETTING STARTED
This is a record sheet to use throughout the week. Each day you can do a quick word wall exercise with your students. Here is an example of what I did:

Monday: Snap (the vowels), Clap (the consonants) of the 5 new word wall words and write them down.

Tuesday: Play "Smiley Face". Played like Hangman only I made a smiley face with ears and hair and whatever else.

Wednesday: "Flashlight, Flashlight". Choose a student to hold the flashlight as the kids chant, "Flashlight, Flashlight, shine your light, shine your light and we will write. . ." and the student shines on one of the word wall words. Do this 5 times. it is also fun to turn the light off when the flashlight is being used.

Thursday: "Guess the Word Wall". The teacher picks a word off the word wall. The teacher then gives five clues for each word. Clue #1: I'm thinking of a word on the word wall. Clue #2: My word has_vowels and_consonants. Clue #3: My word fits in this sentence. CLue #4: My word rhymes with. . . Clue #5: My word ends with an. . .

5. PARKING LOT

Materials

Parking Lot Board
(Use this sheet to make your own Parking Lot board)
Matchbox cars
Cards with word wall words on them

GETTING STARTED

Have the kids pick out 8 cars and line them up in front of each parking spot. As you show the card with the words on them, if the student has the word on their board, they can drive their car into the parking spot. They win when all of their cars are parked.

EXTENSION:
Have the kids put the word into a sentence before driving the car into the parking spot.

Ms. Lincoln's Class Sneak Peak

2011-06-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

A friend approached me awhile back wanting to know if I would take pictures of the kids in her daughter's autistic classroom.

Something, I've never done as a professional photographer.

This experience caught me in my element. I love, love, love taking candids and capturing the moments as they really are.

Getting expressions that are natural and true to each child was exciting for me.

These children all very special and delightful. I got so wrapped up in their little world and was able to see things the way they do. . . for a moment.

I feel the urge to write a bit about each child because they all have touched my heart and they each deserve a little story.

Jeremy

Jeremy has gorgeous hair that I am sure, all Moms with bald children are envious. Oh wait! Did I just type that? I am one of those Moms that has had a child or two that was somewhat bald until they were two.

Jeremy had a slew of facial expressions for me. At one point, he left the table he was supposed to be painting at and just walked around. Standing by this table he threw out the most funniest faces and I don't even think he saw me crouching behind the other side capturing it all.

He kinda did his own thing. I like that.

At recess, I couldn't help but to snap a few of him and his crazy hair. I have one where he is coming down the slide and the static has done wonders to his hair.

Such a sweet boy!

Nicholas

I called him, "John" the entire time I was there! My friend let me borrow her daughter's class picture and on the way to the classroom, I was memorizing there names and faces. I thought I would look so clever coming in and calling them by their names.

What I didn't know was that there was a typo on the class list and "John" was actually "Nicholas".

I have to admit, I did hear the teachers call out "Nicholas" a few times, but never clued in that they were talking to this handsome boy.

When I first walked in, I popped over to the table where he was sitting and he just turned and leaned his head on his chair and smiled at me. I love that picture. He was always smiling at me as his dark eyes twinkled.

I love the picture of him with his legs spread apart. I don't even remember that I took it until I got home and went through the pictures. It's one of my favorites!

John, oops, I mean Nicholas was darling!

Bella

This is my favorite picture of Bella because I captured this little tear that was so persistent in staying in place for a good 5 minutes.

This was after Bella had a break down because she had a pink crayon and wanted a purple one. It was devastating to her and she couldn't sit down. Her teacher had to come and get her and take her back to her table.

Her mother, is my friend and beforehand she had talked about how she wanted me to capture everything, even the child who was crying or struggling because that is real life. Little did she know that that child was going to be hers!

I have a great crying one for you Emily!

I captured some really fun facial expressions from Miss Bella and this one below where she is strutting her stuff. She looks about ready to make her turn on the catwalk!

Her and Credence were best buds the day I visited. There are many moments where they were together reading a book or playing on the playground.

I think Bella has many boyfriends in her class. It may be safe to say she has gotten, "married" kid style, already.

I guess it helps that she is one of two girls in the entire class!

Credence

As you can tell from the picture above, this little man has style and personality. If words could be put into his mouth, it maybe something like this, "You talkin' to me?"

I almost didn't recognize him because in the class photo, he had alot more hair. I am liking the buzz, though. That's what I do to my boys at home. It's easy peezy, lemon squeezy!

Credence is very photogenic and has these gorgeous big eyes! He has very cute expressions.

At snack time, I was giggling on the inside as I watched him drink his capri sun to the very last drop. He blew it up with air and was balancing it with his straw from his mouth. Very entertaining to watch!

At recess, he and Bella were unseperatable. I have one picture of him waving his hands. He was calling, "Bella! Bella". I'm sure he wanted to show her his "sweet ride". There were oodles of cars for the kids to play with.

At one point, he hopped on the back of a bicycle Bella was riding. Bella didn't care about the extra load and toted him around the playground. Such a fun little man with a very cool name, I must add.

Ryan

I loved this guy! Talk about someone who has a smile that can melt your heart. Everytime, I had my camera out, he would find me and turn and smile.

At the beginning, he would turn to me, smile and say, "cheese". I told him his Mommy and Daddy must take alot of pictures of him.

At recess, he pushed a police car around pretty much the entire time. Any pictures you will see of him, he is probably pushing that car, standing by the car, or squatting by the car like you see in these pictures.

Remember my bit above about him always finding me and smiling for the camera. When the kids went back to the classroom for singing time, Ryan was always looking for me and my camera. No matter where I was in the room. Behind him, on the side, he would find me and smile.

I love it! Such a happy boy!

Conor

Conor is a quiet and sweet boy. I love his little mannerisms. He likes putting his hand and fingers by his mouth and does this cute thing with his tongue. Maybe he will be a professional basketball player someday and that will be his "dunking" face as he slams the ball in the hoop.

During snack time, the teacher has pictures of each of their snacks. When they want some of their snack, they must ask for it. Conor did a great job asking for his and was very clear. I think that is a great exercise for the kids to practice communicating in a real-life situation.

At recess, he loved playing on the play structure. While the other kids were playing with the cars and bikes, this little guy was perfectly content sliding down the slides.

What a great kid!

I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to spend with your children! Im sure the road has been long and rough to get to this point for all of you. You should be very proud of them, their individual accomplishments and where they are today. . .

And where they are today, is because of you! They are very lucky to have you as their parents.

Cake Pops

2011-06-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

My friend bought me this book on how to make cake pops. Bakerella has some pretty amazing ideas of what you can do with a cake pop. She also gives you instructions and tips on how to do it.

Luckily for me, Mia picked out the Hanukkah ones to make. She didn't realize they were Hanukkah ones, she just liked the sparkles. The idea was basic.

Make a cake from the box.

Crumble.

Add 3/4 of a tub of frosting.

Mix.

Roll into balls.

Put in freezer or fridge.

Melt chocolate in microwave.

Dip stick 1/2 inch into chocolate.

Insert pre-dipped stick into cake ball.

Dip into chocoate.

Seriously, that is pretty much it.

Then someone tell me why I got into a grumpy mood because my cake balls kept falling off the stick?

Am I cake pop retarded?

It just seemed like such a simple task, that to fail in it was so frustrating!!

I went back to the book and read over the instructions. I found a tip that I had overlooked. You can put shortening into the chocolate to make it thinner.

Plus, the instructions say to only put the stick in no more than halfway, but I found that a little bit farther was better for me.

Another tip that Bakerella suggest is to keep the cake balls in the fridge until you are ready to dip taking them one at a time. This keeps the balls chilled and easier to dip.

I made these tags since we didn't want to celebrate Hanukkah.

Here are the finished products. Good enough for 6 and 7 year olds to chow on!

Will they even care that it took me 3 hours to make these things?

Probably not. I don't even care myself.

Ben has requested cake pops for his birthday. I guess I will honor his wish since he did cut out 36 birthday tags for the cake pops.

He complained saying, "Why couldn't you have made circle ones instead of flower ones. . . blah, blah, blah." That's about all I heard since I was in a PMS cooking mood and tuned his whining out.

Thank goodness I have until September to practice.

I wonder if I could make one of Bakerella's cute cake pops?

Hopefully, I'll have a better attitude.

Fabric Flowers for Shoes

2011-06-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

I made these handmade fabric flowers awhile back. . .

My husband and I went to a party the other night and I had a great idea to make these for the shoes that I bought.

I had to sew some extra fabric to the chest area of my dress and had some fabric left over.

I sewed a gold rimmed button to the inside because it matched my jewelery.

After I sewed the flower together, I actually sewed it to the shoe.

I really liked how they turned out!

Sube Family Sneak Peak

2011-06-03T20:29:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite families are moving. Before they take off, they booked a session with me!

Yippee!

This is their Father's Day gift. Shhh! Don't tell!

They wanted something he could put on his new desk at his new job.

And he can stare at it all day. . .

Getting happy goosebumps just thinking about them. . .

And showing everyone who passes by his desk!

Ruffled Camera Slipcover

2011-05-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend about making a slip cover for our camera straps and got in the mood to try making one. Kevin and Amanda have a great tutorial on how to make one.

This took me probably way too long to make and is definitely not as precise as the one that was made on Kevin and Amanda.

I don't know what it is about me and sewing. I try so hard to make my measurements precise and yet, something still goes wrong and is uneven in the end. Luckily, the ruffles don't have to be perfect.

Do I dare share the next close up??

The directions say to sew the ruffles on and then take out the basting stitch,oh which, by the way, I had to research what basting stitch was. After sewing clear down the middle, I could not take that basting stitch out.

Am I sewing retarded??

Oh whatever! Good thing I don't care about the things I sew being perfect or precise or nice or like something I could give away as a gift. . .what does that say about me?

Well it's perfect for me.

I'm excited to take another stab at it with my friend. It's always nice to have two cameras!

Fabric Hand Wall Hanging

2011-05-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ben brought home a bunch of empty picture frames that they were getting rid of at work. I thought it would be neat to making a wall hanging with all of my family's hands. This isn't complete yet. I just put it in the frame so I could see it.

I'm debating on how I should finish it.

Should I just stitch in everyone's name?

Should I stitch our last name in the middle?

Should I stitch the word, "love"?

Should I stitch the word, "family"?

I don't know, what do you think?

Vines/Sharapata Family Sneak Peak

2011-05-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

Wonderful family?

Check.

Crazy and fun kids?

Check.

Happy parents?

Check.

Thanks for such a fun time!

Glass Tile Charms

2011-05-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

What you need:

*Glass tiles

*Bails

E6000

Diamond Glaze

1X1 grid (if doing multiples)

*These were ordered from: http://www.sunandmooncraftkits.com/

Let's begin!

1. I resized all my pictures to 150X150 pixels. If you are doing multiples, you can use this grid. It's easy to pop them on like this:

2. You want to print them on heavy paper. I sent mine to Staples and had it printed on 28lb paper. If your paper is too thin, it may tear and rip when putting the glaze on or even the bail at the end.

3. Cut your pictures out.

4. Using the diamond glaze, glue the picture onto the tile. Make sure you smooth down the corners with glaze.

5. Let it dry.

6. Using your E6000, glue on the bail to the back of the glass tile.

7. Once again, let it dry.

8. When it is dry, you can put it on a chain or make yourself a charm bracelet.

Makes a great gift for a Mother or Grandmother. In fact, we did these in Primary for Mother's Day and received so many compliments.

Inventive Spelling

2011-05-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

Inventive spelling is using letters to convey ideas or tell a story. Can you tell what Mia wrote? It's the word, "park". Mia has been writing alot lately and so I thought I would share some ideas for encouraging writing in preschool kids. She is understanding that letters make sounds and that if we put the letters together they can make words.

IN THE BEGINNING. . .

You will see kids "scribble" to represent words or to tell a story. I consider this writing especially when your child or student can tell you what the picture is about.

NEXT. . .

You will see pictures that tell a story. Your child may make a picture book and be able to tell you a story. By the way, this is me. Look how beautiful Mia made me look and of course, I have a crown on my head because I am a princess.

THEN. . .

You may see your child or student draw a picture and write down letters along with it.

ENCOURAGE WRITING. . .

1. First of all, have writing materials available for your child to use. I have markers, colored pencils, pens, pencils, and crayons etc. Note binders, address books, recipe lists, sticky notes, little pads of paper, chalkboards and white boards are great for the kids.

2. Don't be concerned with spelling the words correctly. That will come later. Let them write without the interrupted, "How do you spell. . .?" I always tell my kids, to write down the sounds that they hear. Some kids get so frustrated if they don't spell something perfectly. I think that frustration can ruin the flow of writing and thoughts.

3. Give your student or child plenty of opportunities to write.

Have them:
Write the shopping list
Make a card for someone's birthday
Make lists (of all the family members, favorite toys, favorite foods)
Make lots of books (I just staple 5 pieces of computer paper together with 3 staples and they can create away)
Watch this 1:16 minute video to see how to make a 16 page book out of one piece of paper.

The ideas are endless. . .

*Make sure your child sees you writing and that you also model to them how to write. Show them that you write from left to right, that you use finger spaces in between words.

Here is a book that I love and is a great guide to teaching your child to write.

Chalkboard Painted Utensil Holder

2011-05-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

I'm convinced you can put chalkboard paint on anything. I've been staring at this vase that I decided I was going to use to put my cooking utensils in for weeks.

Everytime I would look at it, I would think, "It needs just a lil' something more".

So I got the chalkboard paint out.

Hello, friend!

Then I taped off the section that I was going to paint. I also put newspaper around the area that I didn't want painted. I can be pretty messy.

I like it.

Austin Sneak Peak

2011-04-30T23:05:00.000-07:00

Today there just happen to be a street fair going on where we were going to have our photo session.

Hundreds of people everywhere.

What's a photographer to do?

Find a vacant shack where nobody's at!

Austin was great to work with and entertained every idea I had.

I really like Austin's smile in this one.

So genuine.

I think this is where I may have asked him if he was a male model:)

Of course, you know what is coming next!

I can't help it! Isn't this what graduating feels like?

Thanks for a jumpin' session!

Point Reyes

2011-04-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

This week is Spring Break and we took a day trip to Point Reyes. It's a beautiful place off the coast. We drove through Marin County and by George Lucas' Ranch. Ben's been there before and pointed it out to us. If you didn't know it was there, you would probably just drive by it. It's tucked away.

There are also beautiful wild flowers growing everywhere. Specks of yellow, white and purple littered the sides of the road. I was tempted to uproot some of them and bring them home to plant them in my yard! I didn't get a picture of them but you'd fall in love with them too!

Here are some of the purple ones on the cliffside.

There is also a lighthouse there, but unfortunately, it was closed on the day we came. Lighthouses remind me of Michigan where I grew up. I used to collect lighthouses. The small ones, of course.

I just love brilliantly blue the sky and water is. That's all natural beauty. I am in constant wonder at this world we live in. It's gorgeous.

Allyson Sneak Peak

2011-04-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

Allyson is a gorgeous Senior who is GRADUATING very soon!

I had the privilege of capturing this gal's beauty on camera.

Check it out. Say what? Say what?

Guess who wanted to be in the picture?

This wandering cat named Princess, showed up at the shoot. I guess she wanted some camera time too! She wouldn't stop jumping up on Allyson.

Allyson entertained me with a "jump picture". I LOVE THEM! I wish everyone in the world knew how cool "jump pictures" were.

(By the way Allyson, if you look at the writing on the building, I photoshoped it to say Class of 2011, just for you!)

Did you know that I could have been Allyson's first grade teacher? My first year teaching, I taught first graders who just so happen to be graduating this year! Boy, do I feel old!

Lots of fun times in store for Allyson when she graduates. She is an amazing swimmer and will be playing water polo at UC Davis!

Flowers I Must Not Kill

2011-04-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Flowers I KILLED:

(Remember these from last year? The lily was supposed to come back, but guess who killed it?)

Flowers I MUST NOT KILL:

These are the ones we have planted recently and I hope that I do not kill them. Living in California, those lillies have the potential to bloom all year. The hydrangea is awesome and has the potential of changing colors according to the PH in the soil. Our one in the backyard turn to a pretty color red.

PLEASE DON'T DIE!

My Monthly Favorite Book Shelf

2011-04-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

This is how I used to organize my Monthly Favorite books. It was great to have them all in one place but I found that the kids didn't look at all of the books. It was hard to see what books I had when they are on top of each other.

Poppies at Play made this spectacular bookshelf:

and of course, I had to make one for myself.

What a perfect way to showcase my monthly books, and boy do I have books!

This month, I put in some Easter books along with some Insect books. My kids are facinated with bugs. I'll find them outside collecting them and Mia has been doing reports on them.

Sometimes, I think someone should tie me down when my kids bring home a Scholastic Book Order. I can't help but order more books.

Can one have too many books?

I think, not.

I think I am obsessed with Children's books.

Knauer Family Sneak :Peak

2011-04-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Remember this beauty?

I had the opportunity to photograph this whole family of beauties!

The Knauers are such a fun family and I'm so lucky that I got to be the one to photograph them!

I absolutely love this one with Grace planting one on her big sis!

Thanks for a wonderful day!

Meyer Wedding Sneak Peak

2011-04-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

David and Henna sitting in a tree. . .K,I,S,S,I,N,G and I was there to capture it all!

What a beautiful day to get married! A half of dozen other couples thought so too. The Oakland Temple was packed with friends and families of the many couples. David and Henna even bumped into friends that they didn't even know were getting married on the same day!

It didn't matter how many people were there or how many other couples were getting married too.

This was David and Henna's day and I have proof!

and they lived eternally ever after!

McKissick Family Sneak Peak

2011-04-08T22:12:00.001-07:00

Four kids.

Four kids under the age of four.

Two grandparents.

Two grandparents under the age of . . .just kidding.

Put them together and you've got. . .

Endless energy.

Endless running noses.

Endless bribing.

Endless moments that you want to remember.

Thanks for letting me capture them for you!

Fabric Button Rings

2011-04-07T22:54:00.000-07:00

This summer, I get to go to Girl's Camp! I am working in the Craft cabin and one of the crafts we will be doing are Fabric Button Rings. They are easy and so fun to make.

What you need:

Cover button kit (Comes with all of the instructions and tools that you need. Mine came in a pack of four from JoAnns.)

Adjustable ring band (Got mine at Michaels)

Your handy dandy pair of pliers

Scraps of fabric

Adhesive glue (E-6000, epoxy)

Got everything? Let's go!

Cut your fabric. I made myself a tracer to make it easier. If you use a half circle tracer, be sure to fold the fabric in half.

Lay it flat and then flip it over.

Put the fabric inside the hollow white portion of the button kit. Remember to put it in upside down.

Take the front button piece and place it on top of the fabric.

Push the button piece, rounded side down, into the fabric.

The fabric will bunch up on the sides. Tuck the sides in.

Place the back button piece on top of the tucked fabric. Using the blue tool, push hard.

Wah la! You have made a button.

Turn it over and you will see the shank. Take the shank out using your handy dandy pliers.

*Let me tell you how hard it is to have both of your hands in the picture while you are taking it!

One or two tugs and there you go! A shankless button.

Glue the adjustable ring band onto the button using your choice of glue.

And there you have it! A fabric ring of your very own.

Don't get carried away now!

I took so many pictures of my hand with the rings on. No matter how many pictures I took, my hands still looked wrinkly and old. I guess my hopes and dreams of becoming a hand model is out of the question!

Mia "Moo"

2011-04-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

My 6 year old beauty is filled with spunk, creativeness, energy, and imagination. She likes to observe and think about the things around her. She likes to ask questions that, in the end, leave you thinking. . .

and thinking. . .

and thinking.

Sometimes, I wonder what she will be when she grows up. . .

an artist, like her dad?

a teacher. . .?

All I know is that she is a wonderful girl and that she can do anything she sets her mind to do!

Family Home Evening Chart

2011-03-29T16:26:00.000-07:00

It was time to make a new Family Home Evening Chart. I spied this one at Oopsey Daisy. I loved the idea of using pictures on the chart as well as a key chain. So clever!

My last FHE chart was a burgundy and one of the main reasons for making a new one was to change the color of it because it doesn't go with my current color scheme. I chose black since it goes with any thing.

My eyes are attracted to the color black. In fact, before I was married, most of my wardrobe consisted of black articles of clothing, not done purposely. I've tried to branch out to other colors, but what it comes down to is this-I love black, so why change?

I couldn't find the key chains at Michaels and became very lazy to look anywhere else. I'm sure you can find them, I didn't look hard.

I used these wooden circles that I bought from Beverly's. I painted them black, cut out a black and white picture, and glued ribbon around the edges.

I also mod podged the top of the picture giving it a nice protective coating.

Then I decided that it needed something else. I had an old neckless that I have been making jewelery from bits and pieces of it. I used parts from it to connect the ribbon to. I used some handy dandy epoxy glue.

I liked how they all turned out!

The chart that I looked at Oopsey Daisy she used this thing on top called a "metal hanger". Is that right? She listed a place in Utah called the Wood Connection that has them, but does anyone else know of another place or even online where they can be ordered?

My kids love having Family Home Evening and now we can be more organized!

April Kid Projects

2011-03-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Easter is on its way! Here are some fun activities for you to do:

ACTIVITIES

Colored Eggs

Supplies: Colored Eggs, Tissue/Crepe Paper

Wet the egg and place pieces of colored tissue paper on it. Set it aside to dry. When the egg dries the tissue paper falls off and the colors stay behind. ---submitted by Bobbie Lee.

Handwriting Pages

Print handwriting pages like these and other Egg themed ideas like Humpty Dumpty here.

PRINTABLES

Easter Coloring Pages

Another place to look for Easter Printables

ABC teach has some wonderful worksheets.

CRAFTS

Find out how to make this flowered easter basket here. Bunny puppet and Spring Bingo also found here.

Make this cute Sleepy Bunny here.

I really like the ideas at Enchanted Learning/. They have ideas like EggShell Plant Pots and Flower crafts.

Get more craft ideas at preschool education.

ONLINE EASTER GAMES

Games like "Eggs of Destruction", "Whomp" and online coloring pages. It also has "Easter Tales" and "Easter Riddles".

EASTER SONGS

Bunny Pokey
Original Author Unknown
Sung to: "Hokey Pokey"

You put your bunny ears in
(Place hands on head to make ears)
You put your bunny ears out.
You put your bunny ears in.
And you shake them all about.
You do the Bunny Pokey
And hop yourself around,
That's what it's all about!
Additional verses: "You put your bunny nose in, You put your bunny tail in, You put your bunny paws in"

One of my favorite songs to teach my kids is "Little Bunny Foo Foo". You can find the music and lyrics here.

JELLYBEAN MATH

SORT
You can sort your jellybeans by color.

TALLY
Use this Jelly Bean Tally sheet to tally how many you have.

GRAPH
Use this graph sheet to graph and color how many you have.

Easter Egg Tree

2011-03-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I remember my mother taking branches of a tree and sticking them in a pot of plaster. She spray painted the branches white. For each holiday, that tree would be decorated.

I love that idea and have been thinking about making one.

I was at the Dollar Tree today and stumbled upon this. I thought, "Why not?" It's not exactly the same thing, but same idea and for a dollar, you can't go wrong.

I put up all my Easter decorations today. It didn't take long, I only had two things!

Sad, I know.

Eventually, I will have a bunch!

Cuz, that's how I roll!

I just like saying that since seeing "Despicable Me".

I will be looking online for ideas of things I can make. Maybe I'll be so good and get them done before Easter arrives!

Got any good ideas?

Homemade Granola

2011-03-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

My husband, Ben, loves to cook and bake on the weekend.

No complaining here. In fact, I stay out of his way and let him do his thing.

This weekend he made his Mom's homemade granola. Mmmm!

Here is the recipe:

Homemade Granola

Mix together:

10 cups oatmeal-not instant

2 cups wheat bran (buds or oats)

1 cup wheat germ

1-2 cups grape nuts for crunch

1 bag coconut

walnuts. sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews (optional)

Boil for 1 minute:

3/4 cup brown sugar (I use 1/2 cup)

1 cup oil

1 cup honey

Take off heat and add:

2-3 tsp. vanilla

Pour over oat mixture

Bake on cookie sheet

325 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden. The longer you bake, the darker it gets.

After baked while hot, add any fruit you want (raisins, apricots, et.)

Really, you can add whatever you want and make it your own. For example, we didn't use wheat germ, grapenuts or wheat bran because we didn't have it. We've made it both with and without and it wasn't a big difference on taste for me. Although, you know when you are adding wheat germ and wheat bran, it is definitely more healthy.

In this particular mix we added some M&Ms, rice crispies, coconut, sunflower seeds, almonds, chocolate chips and cashews. We wanted to make a trail mix out of it.

We also set aside some of just the granola before we added everything in it for cereal.

My littlest one calls it "No-la". She couldn't stop eating it while Ben was making it.

I can't stop eating it either!

Callahan Family Sneak Peak

2011-03-12T19:14:00.000-08:00

Perfect lighting. Perfect family. Perfect day.

See for yourself.

I loved the tall green lush grass. It just made my day!

I love this one because everyone is just doing their own thing.

I'm in love with both of these and I can't decide which one I like best.

This guy is off to Brazil!

This guy is off to college soon!

This guy is a quiet and charming stud!

This gal loves to do flips!

This little girl is in love with Skittles!

These two have a beautiful family!

Thanks for such a fun session!

Pigtails

2011-03-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the first day that I have been able to put ponytails in Zoey's hair. Believe me, I've tried before.

I got carried away taking pictures. . .

Hopefully now, Zoey will not be mistaken for a boy!

Mortensen Family Sneak Peak

2011-02-26T18:36:00.001-08:00

Ned and Patty have 3 children who are all in town this weekend. I had the priviledge of taking their pictures. The Mortensens live in the same house that they raised their kids in. Amazing!

You've raised a wonderful family Ned and Patti! Thanks for letting me take your pictures!

What's in my Camera?

2011-02-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

I started writing this post with the idea that I could do a Photography Tutorial like I have seen done before. As I began writing, I realized that I am not the best person to explain how to take photographs. I was looking definitions up and thought to myself, "What am I doing?" I should just tell others what I know versus looking up definitions. I could show you if you were here. . .

Being a self-taught photographer, I just learned as I went and practiced like crazy. I still practice like crazy. So to explain white-balance, aperture, shutter speed in words, etc. I am clueless. But, I know how to use my camera. I know how to adjust my settings to get the outcome I want.

Here are few bits of things that I do know:

#1 GET A DIGITAL SLR

If you are serious about learning how to take good pictures, buy a digital SLR. It will be more money than your point and shoot, but well worth the investment. I love being able to see the picture I have taken immediately. That way, if it doesn't turn out the way that I want it to, I can adjust my settings and take another.

#2 PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.

This is the best thing that you can do to get better at anything. If you have kids, you have models to practice on all the time. I love to just follow them around and capture candid shots. It gives me a peek into their world.

Use inanimate objects around your house to practice on. A fruit bowl, a vase of flowers, books etc. Go outside and take pictures of the leaves, flowers, rocks, the mountains, rolling hills, buildings, doors. . .There are always things to photograph.

#3 TRY DIFFERENT ANGLES

When photographing subjects, try different angles. Come from the side, get down on the ground and point your camera up. Or, like this picture, look down on your subject. I think that different angles create unique pictures.

#4 COMPOSITION

I think most people are used to pictures where the subject is in the middle of the photograph. Try off centering your subject. The picture is more interesting that way.

#5 LIGHTING IS KEY

Lighting is the most important factor in Photography. The best time to take pictures is early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not as harsh and as high in the sky. I hate having to deal with shadows and harsh lighting. I've learned that using the shade when the sun is harsh can work. It's not the best, but you don't have to deal with the shadows. This one was taken in the shade. I did have to playaround with the white balance to make the colors look more natural.

So there you have it. Some of the things that have worked for me.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

2011-02-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

MARK YOUR CALENDERS!

I thought I would post this early, so you can get ready!

Theodor Seuss Geisel March 2, 1904 - September 24, 1991

Here is some info. about Dr. Seuss:
It was March 2nd, 1904 that Theodore Seuss Geisel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. Today we pay tribute to Dr. Seuss' 105th birthday.

While most commonly known for his children's books (he wrote over 60 of them), “Dr.” Seuss was both the editor-in-chief of the college newspaper and also drew more than 400 political cartoons in two years for a New York daily newspaper. It was as a college student at Dartmouth that he started signing his work “Seuss.” Once he graduated, he started signing his work as “Dr. Seuss” when submitting it to a humor magazine. After marrying, he continued to write humor and illustrate. When World War II started, he began his political cartooning. Eventually he designed and illustrated posters to support the war effort, and joined the U.S. Army where he was the leader of the animation department.

Still, it was his children's books that have helped beginning readers and have been enjoyed by families for several generations.

-By Russ Neumeier

GREAT INTERACTIVE WEBSITE:
Filled with games, activities, music, biography,events, and catalogs
Seussville

DR. SEUSS THEMED LESSONS
Gives a few activities to do with many of Dr. Seuss's books.

Themed Lessons
Here's an example:
The Foot Book

* Paint with the kids' feet and create your own Foot Book.
* Count the number of feet in your class, then recount by 2s.
* Play Twister.
* Graph shoes according to characteristics.
* Pile shoes and have a race to see who can get their shoes on first and tied.
* Make a pattern with the kids' shoes.

DR. SEUSS CRAFTS

Make your own,
Cat in the Hat

Here is a link to a cat in the hat printable

This site has great ideas for making homemade books, story sacks, bookmarks,placemats, dot to dots.

It also has activities like guessing Dr. Seuss characters and quotes.

Read Across America Activities

These are greatDr. Seuss Story Printables with titles like:

And To Think That I Saw That on Mulberry Street
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Dr. Seuss - The Cat in the Hat
The Foot Book
Fox in Sox
Gerald McBoing Boing
Dr. Seuss - Green Eggs and Ham
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day
Hop on Pop
Horton Hatches the Egg
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Lorax
My Many Colored Days
The Sneetches

More fun ideas can be found here

Cat in the Hat Puppet

Materials: Paper bag, red crepe paper or something to make the red bow out of, crayons, scissors

Get the pattern here:
TOP
BOTTOM

Oh the Places You'll Go

Read the book and then have the kids fill this out of all the places they have been. Have them color and cut and you can hang them up on a bulletin board or attach a strip of tag board and make it a hat.

Oh the Places I've Been Hat

LITERACY IDEAS

You can teach rhyming words and chunks with Dr. Seuss books. Here are a couple of ideas:

Book: Cat in the Hat
Read the book and introduce the -at chunk. Using the book, find as many -at words as you can and fill it in the worksheet

Book: Sneetches
Read the book and fill out the worksheet with as many rhyming words as you can. Nonsense words would be great too since Dr. Seuss loved using them in his books.

There are really so many fun things you can do with Dr. Seuss! Have fun!

This is a shelf. A what? A shelf. A what? A Shelf. Oh. . .a shelf.

2011-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

I made my first shelf. A what? My first shelf. Oh your first shelf!

Just kidding.

Let me just tell you. And I am talking to all those amazing bloggers out there. (Yeah, I'm probably talking to you)

Stop making things looks so easy and effortless to do. You give hope to little inexperienced folk like myself, only to be crushed with immediate failure. . . (tear, sniffle, sniffle)

Okay, I'm being a little dramatic and silly. I appreciate all the experts out there who share their talents with others. I sure do learn alot.

Anyways, making this simple shelf, wasn't as simple for me to make. Precise measurements are SO IMPORTANT! And after I had everything cut out, don't get me started on putting in the hardware. You would think that was the easy part!

Backing up a bit, I painted each piece separately before I put it together. After doing that I thought to myself, "Man, I just wasted so much time and effort, what was I thinking?!"

Oh well! I know what to do next time! Our home teacher was over yesterday and we were talking about success and that the only way to success is to have some failure first. He added that we should try to "Fail Fast" so we can move onto the success!

Oh, by the way, the giant letters stand for Xander and Mia. I got the letters from Joann's and mod podged some scrapbook paper. I was trying to think of something more creative to put on the letters but I think the shelf exhausted my creative part in my brain.

Here are some other things around their room. There room is a disaster right now and so I am not showing the entire room for your eyeballs sake. It resembles the city dump. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get their kids to keep their rooms cleaned? I am open to suggestions.

I cannot take credit for this first one. My friend made them for a church function and was giving them away at the end. I thought, "Hey, I'll take them home and let my kids play with them." They were too cute and I changed my mind and hung them in their bedroom. They are tissue balls and are super easy to make.

Everybody needs a chalkboard.

A pegboard to hang essentials.

One day, when the room can stay clean for longer than a few minutes, I'll post some pictures of their entire room.

I wonder when that will be. . .?

David and Henna Sneak Peak

2011-02-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

Although it's been raining all week, the weather cooperated and we had a rain-free session. I think Mother Nature is a fan of "love". She was on our side today!

David and Henna were wonderful to work with. I love, love, love taking engagement pictures. There is nothing more fun than to capture a special moment like this.

CAUTION! Beautiful people coming your way!

Thanks again for letting me take your pictures! Can't wait for the big day!

Project 7- FOUND!

2011-02-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

I am on a roll! Katie Edwards is a dynamite kid! She is going to a highschool that is on a college campus, so when she graduates highschool, she will have her associates degree! What a smart kid!

She told me I was still the best teacher! That made me happy!

Reversible Valentine Blocks

2011-02-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am officially a day late. But, oh well. Don't you think the feeling of Valentines Day should be celebrated all year long. Love is an everyday celebration.

Here it is anyways.

One side:

And flip it!

I cut a 4X4 because I had some scrap wood, but really you could use a 2X2.

I painted the blocks and made these lettering and K,I,S, S, with a background in Photoshop.

I sent them to Costco and developed them as a 4X6 picture. Modge Podge was next and wah lah!

I think I am obsessed with making blocks!

Project 7- FOUND!

2011-02-11T09:08:00.000-08:00

Dunt, dudda, dah! (I am always confused when it comes to typing noises:) I am triumphant once more. I found another student, Nicole Mantas. I think it is amazing what you can learn about a person from their pictures. I love it when pictures capture personalities and tell a story. From Nicole's pictures I learned that she is an artist, likes David Archuleta, and enjoys being with family and friends.

Here's Nicole in 1999:

And now:

Congrats Nicole!

Bird Apron Hook

2011-02-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

My poor apron has been hanging on the wall with a tack for the last year. I decided that it needed a better home. I had some scrap wood and a hook from an old door that we got rid of awhile ago. I kept the hook, because I knew it would come in handy some day.

I added a vinyl bird and ahh. . .much better.

Happy Val Day Sign

2011-02-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

I designed this sign, just to be funny. Thanks to Poppies at Play for doing the vinyl! Since my name is Val, I have told my kids every year that Valentine's day is MY day. Back in my single years, I told people they could call me "Val your Pal." I even had a roommate one time, give me a Valentine with Barbies on it that said, "We're Val Pals."

Just to be goofy, Val-Day became my day.

The thought occurred to me recently. What if my kids come back to me when they are older and tell me that when they were little, they thought Valentine's Day was just for THEIR mom, only to find out later in life, that Valentine's Day was for everyone?!

How selfish am I?

This sign marks a new era in my life. I shall share this day with EVERYONE starting. . .next year!

Make It Your Own

2011-02-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Poppies at Play made this duct tape rosette wreath:

So clever right?

I saw my SIL, use that idea to make this:

Love the beads and grey duct tape she incorporated in it.

I got so excited seeing both of their creations, that I had to get in on the fun.

I decided to make a heart wreath because I was feeling the love!

I used 12 " strips of red duct tape to make the roses with. Check out Poppies at Play to see how she made them.

It was a time consuming task, but I didn't mind at all. It was fun creating something out of duct tape. By the way, you can make anything out of duct tape! I believe MythBusters made a boat using just duct tape and it was usable!

I'm grateful for all the creative people out there who are willing to share their ideas. It's hard to think of an original idea all the time. Now that I think about it, how many people actually come up with an original idea? I used to think when I was creating things in my classroom, I was the first one to think of this idea only to find out later that someone beat me to it.

One of the biggest compliments I think, are when people want to copy your idea. Your idea was THAT GOOD!

(This photo was created using this texture.)

Here's a big THANK YOU to all those unselfish, creative people who have jump started my creative juices.

Once you're in the zone, you can take those ideas and MAKE IT YOUR OWN!