I hate the flash on my camera and I try with all of my might to only take pictures without it. That is easier said that done with a little one and 5:15 sunsets. Last year for my birthday BFF bought me the best gift ever: the light scoop
I have taken my share of horrible pictures with the flash, but this thing makes the most incredible difference. I love it. I have the Warming version. Love, love, love it.
Here is a picture with the flash: Skylar is still super adorable, and his gingerbread house is AWESOME, but come on now. Look at that shadow. ugh!!!
With the Light scoop:Heaven right? Add this to you Christmas list Kendra Nixon Wooten, Ginger Richter Nixon and Leslie Rippy Campbell. You will love your camera even more than you do now.
It really took me a while to trust the tool, but once I really gave it a chance and learned what makes it tick on my camera everything changed. I don't need beautiful sunlight anymore. I love, love, love it!!
My settings: f2.2, shutter 1/200, iso 800, flash on (obviously, duh!), exposure compensation +2.
Last year I waited until Christmas Eve to take Avery to see Santa. I had myself talked out of it, and then panic struck. What was I doing? I couldn't not have Avery's picture taken on Santa's lap, so off to Hanes Mall I go on Christmas Eve. We stood in line ALL DAY LONG. Literally. ALL DAY LONG, only to have one of the very merry elves (Yes, I am being sarcastic) tell us we probably wouldn't make it. The pregnant mom in front of us burst in to tears. A bit much I thought, but she was really skinny, really pregnant, a pretty jacked up on hormones so I gave her a get out of jail free card. The good news is, we made it, and we got our picture. It was so freakin' expensive that I had to combine Avery and Skylar's in to one. I couldn't pay for both of them and the picture wasn't even that great.
So this year, I promised myself I wouldn't wait that long and I would only buy the digital image just like last year. Guess what? You can't only buy the digital image. What? Yep, you can't and the pictures are even MORE expensive. So again, I had to combine the picture, which is fine, but INSANE. Package B $40: 4 5x7s, 2 3x5s, 4 wallets, and the digital image. You also get a $20 gift card to Shutterfly. I do love Shutterfly, but I wonder why they affiliate themselves with this outfit. The pictures are not great. In the wallets it looks like Avery has 4 eyes. Santa looks totally cracked out. He looks like they stole him from the old folks home and he is having a moment of clarity just as she snaps the picture.
Why do I put this pressure on myself? Why?? Anyhow, it is done. Picture secure, no pressure. I am mad at myself for being a sucker, and madder at myself for being a follower. Also, shame on you Hanes Mall for making the pictures so expensive. These crappy quality pictures cannot cost this much to print. I am sure this is a huge cash cow for you. It would totally be worth it if the money was going to a good cause, which I am sure it is not! Next year will someone please help me find an alternative to this nonsense? I want a picture of Avery on Santa's lap, and I would like to be able to not get an ulcer thinking about the cost. Is that too much to ask? I think not. Oh crap, that reminds me, I have a Santa suit that may fit Avery this year. Stay tuned.....
On a complete side note, look at how much my boy has changed. WOW!!!
Today I am thankful for this. Even if there was nothing else, this would be enough. Photo Credit: Jen Fagan @ New Shoe But there is more, much more, none more important or special than this, but special, important, and worthy of gratitude just the same. Thanks for it all!
Some people call them Holiday Cards, which is fine, but I call them Christmas Cards. A few times in my life, I have had to call them Holiday Cards. Why you ask?? Well, truth be told, I got really behind and had to send the old, "Hope you had a great Christmas, Happy New Year!", edition. Not because social etiquette dictated the choice, procrastination did!
This year, I am so excited about Cards. I recently made a Shutterfly book about Halloween and it came out great. I did have a couple of mistakes, but overall I would call it a success:
Also, it keeps the pictures from living in my camera or in a folder on my pc. They are alive! I love it!!
So, back to Christmas Cards..... I love getting them, comparing designs, looking back to last year's and how much everyone has changed, and most of all knowing that someone took the time to address that card just to us at such a busy time. I know, sappy right? There are people I don't hear from all year, but I get that card. I can't help it, I am a sucker for a canceled stamp. Call me old fashioned, but I will take a real card over an e-card any day. I know, I know, the environment prefers e-cards. I love the Earth too. Heck, I recycle everything I can, but I still love my cards! I don't throw them away, so I am doing my part!!!
This year I am doing a Shutterfly card. I did Thanksgiving ones for the family:
I also have made three calendars for Christmas presents. I can't talk about them here. Who knows who is watching and I don't want to spoil any surprises! You can make your own here, http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=990c1d46b8578dc6&sid=0Act2Lhm4cM2LvA ,and let me give you a little tip: You can put a picture on every single date/day if you want to. There is no limit and what a way to use up a bunch of pictures. You could even pick a day of the week and put a photo on, for example, every Friday!
Today we headed to Jamestown to celebrate another Abby and another big day. How these children are so grown is quite the mystery to me, but that calendar doesn't lie. If you don't already have kids, or your kids are under three NOW HEAR THIS: you only get 2 years out of a baby. Two years. After that they are short teenagers. They speak in full sentences, pick their own clothes, music, and activities. Grown ups in pretty cotton patterns I tell you.
Abby got a robe for her birthday. A robe! I got my mom a robe for Christmas last year. A robe! And she loved it. She screeched, "I got a robe!". She put it on, and she didn't take it off.
Have you heard? 3 is the new 17! Dear Children, please slow down, you are killing me.
I love Avery. I love him more than I knew it was possible to love someone, and I wouldn't take anything for him. Really! However, this boy is killing me this week. He has kicked, screamed, slapped, bitten, ignored, defied, and outright been an A #1 Mad Man for over a week now.
He does have a bit of a runny nose and a stomach bug has been moving through his classroom, but I am genuinely at the end of my rope with this boy. I really don't know what to do with him. I don't want him to be that jerky kid that no one wants to be around, but that is the direction he is going in.
We were in Sam's the other day and he knocked his water off of the table violently. I don't even know what ticked him off. He will never express sorrow. He know the signs for "please" and "thank you" and he uses them a lot. He will not sign sorry for anything. When he gets mad he throws his pacie, pulls my hear, slaps, and scratches. He is like a little crazy feral cat. If he hissed I might have him tested for rabies. It hurts my heart and it is embarrassing. It crushes me that Avery inherited my temper. As I slammed the washer and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Greg you are a dead man!" it occurred to me, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. All roads lead back to "Crazy Town". I guess you can't fight DNA. UGH!
We only have three days of work this week. I am going to try to leave work on time and get home and in to bed early. Maybe he is overly tired. If he rips my glasses off of my face and throws them on the ground one more time I might just start crying and not stop.
Why would you be so mean to the person who does the most in the world for you? BTW, my least favorite thing when he is really acting like an idiot is when someone comes up, takes him away from me, and asks him what I have done to him. Tonight, when I was trying to put on his pjs he bit me on the forehead. OUCH!
Man, I would love to be one of those girls who gets paid to blog. You know the ones. Super cute girl with really nice camera, cute kids, and tons of clever quips. Alas, I am not, so I can only Blog when I don't mind missing out on some sleep. I should be mopping. I am not.
Today was Abbie's 3rd birthday and I felt compelled to give that sweet girl a shout out. She had a magician/ballon artist at her party. Well done Mommy, well done.
Brandon was a hit with all the kids, young and old!
Skylar is still super adorable, and his gingerbread house is AWESOME, but come on now. Look at that shadow. ugh!!!
Heaven right? Add this to you Christmas list Kendra Nixon Wooten, Ginger Richter Nixon and Leslie Rippy Campbell. You will love your camera even more than you do now.
