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Showing posts with the label family

The project my daughters did with me!

September 03, 2026

Here's something I'm rather proud of. . . I have raised two successful babysitters. When they were starting out babysitting, I was as nervous as they were! What if something happens? Will they have to cook? What if the kids are hard to handle? I went over instructions with them right until they walked out the door. I canceled my plans and stayed home in case they called for help. When they got home, I'd want all the details and then go over what to do for next time. They got better and better with each job and my nerves calmed down when I realized they were great babysitters who knew how to keep kids safe AND have fun with them at the same time. Hearing from friends and neighbors what awesome babysitters my daughters are made me so proud! But now they are getting older and getting different jobs, and spending more weekend nights with friends rather than babysitting, they're ready to pass the torch on to younger babysitters. We had the idea to put together a guide/kit ...

a little photoshop

October 08, 2012

I've admitted it before. I photoshop. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes a little. Here, is a cute picture of Emmie sporting her new bangs but that fly-away hair was driving me nuts. It had to go. Photoshop CS6 has a content aware fill that got me most of the way there and then a little extra finessing with a clone tool. Also, notice I brightened the colors in the foreground and softened (desaturated) the colors in the chair just so it wouldn't be so loud. These 3 cuties are my nephews. My sister loved the photo but it didn't seem right to display with the distracting telephone wires in the background. So I took them out. And even though she didn't specifically request it, I also took the gum out of Tanner's mouth. It's like magic. I also love this one of the whole fam but the port-o-potty and tractor in the background just wouldn't look good enlarged and hanging on the wall of the living room! I made it vanish with the clone stamp tool and then softened ...

updates

November 27, 2011

November 27? Seriously? Where did November go? We've been too busy to notice time flying by around here. First of all, I've been working. A lot. Teaching. Freelancing. Contracting. But we've managed to have some fun as well. Here the girls are joining me at the counter to draw. The first day of snow came at some point. It started out happy. . . and ended kind of sad. . . but things got brighter after some pancakes and hot cocoa. This is one of my projects for Today's Mama, a Thanksgiving bunting . I love the picture Lucy drew of Emmie, with "girl eyes." We put up the tree this weekend. Remember this chart? This is how you decorate a tree when you have a 16 month old running around. . . Emmie cannot keep her hands off of those shiny, sparkly ornaments. Lu has it all figured out, though. She is in control. Bedhead + favorite blankie + snuggly pajamas = cuteness The only pictures I took of Thanksgiving were of the girls dancing afterward. It also = cuteness. Oh, ...

just the two of us

September 30, 2011

Now that Lucy is back in preschool, I have more time alone with Emmie. Some days she's napping during those couple hours, but other days we get to hang out. She's trying to say "Cheese!" here. . . it comes out "Eeeeee!!!" which is ok since it still produces the desired effect. Look at those choppers. . . I realized how few pictures I have of us together so I thought I'd take some in the big mirror in her room. It didn't always work. I think I make this face all the time behind the camera when I'm trying to get the girls to smile. Now that I see it on from the other side, I know why it doesn't work. I should go back to "Say Cheese!" Emmie, I hope one day when your bigger you'll look at this picture and know that I absolutely love every minute I get to spend with you. . . alone or otherwise.

is it over?

September 17, 2011

Is summer really over? Really, really over? I better post a few more pics from the summer. Just for fun, I made them into animated gifs.

sunny seattle

September 04, 2011

The girls and I spent the most glorious two weeks in sunny Seattle earlier last month. . . that's right, I said sunny Seattle. . . and there is not much better than when the sun is out in Seattle and everyone is excited to be outside. Emmie and Gramma Leen Cousin Max Lucy at the Forest Park petting zoo. She for some reason decided this goat was cold and she had to keep it warm. Emmie working on her answer to, "What does a goat say?" Pony rides, too! Max's first time ever in the saddle. Cousin Tanner's first time ever in the cockpit. It was fleet week in Seattle, in connection with Sea Fair. We toured the USS Bonhomme Richard which is an Amphibious Assault ship and was so cool. So. Cool. Lucy and Auntie Missy peeking out of a tank. Tanner thought he might stow away. Papa Bob was on Emmie duty. We even spent a day at the beach! A sandy beach! at Golden Gardens Park . Missy and her boys. Tanner...