Photo shoot tips:
Don't take pictures around noon. . .the sun is not a picture's friend.
Notice what's in the background
Recharge your batteries
Eat lunch first
Friday, April 3, 2009
Eat lunch first
My mom and sister worked very hard on these Easter outfits for my kids. I wanted to get picture of them right after church and before we changed for lunch which was a bad idea. With only seconds left of the battery, I tried to take some precious pictures. (Talia already hit the sack for her nap)
Photo shoot tips:
Don't take pictures around noon. . .the sun is not a picture's friend.
Notice what's in the background
Recharge your batteries
Eat lunch first
Photo shoot tips:
Don't take pictures around noon. . .the sun is not a picture's friend.
Notice what's in the background
Recharge your batteries
Eat lunch first
Belated April Fools Day
This day came and went without a lot of hoopla. The biggest "joke" I pulled was having a silly dinner and dessert. For dinner we had cupcakes:
The cupcakes were mini Shepherd Pies. Which Mia enjoyed thoroughly despite what these pictures would lead you to believe.
and for dessert we had pizza aka sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting and fruit toppings. After dinner, the kids came with Fernando and I to weed our yard. The kids were promised 5 cents per weed. This allowed them to earn money for various toys Fernando and I weren't going to purchase. After 2 hours of yard work (mostly as time Fernando and I put into weeding, mowing and edging), Mia pulled 100 weeds and Tiago had a full bag that he prompting emptied into the garbage. Night was falling and the kids needed sleep, but still wanted the promised sugar. The joke was on me. The half of a pizza was met with screams and blame throwing such as "It's your fault we were weeding so late." etc Luckily, the sugar assuaged them long enough for me to recenter my chi.
Sadly, the bad humor spread to the next day. The walk to school turned into a big power struggle and anger management issues. Mia was bawling and screaming almost the whole way. Then she would stop for long periods of time making a tardy seem unavoidable. I tried desperately to distract her with questions about upcoming activities or told her to find 5 beautiful things. I pointed out the flowers. All of these were flops. Then I reminded her that we would have to run for a long time to avoid being late if she didn't hurry up. She could have cared less. Finally, I pulled the Thumper advice and told her to zip it if she didn't have anything pleasant to say. This set off an explosions of "I can't stop" and "It's too hard" excuses. A neighbor, noticing the time and struggle, offered to take Mia the rest of the way. Mia wouldn't go without me (strange she made it seem like my presence was less then desirable). We made it with 30 seconds to spare. I gave her a pep talk and a hug.
The whole walk home I felt embarrassed and very hypocritical. Here I was grumping at my grumpy daughter who was really just tired from working the night before. Why didn't I do a better job looking for beautiful things in Mia instead of pointing out the obvious annoyances.
On a more positive note, Tiago started out the walk with the same attitude, but decided to just enjoy being outside. Talia, who was in a baby backpack due to our broken stroller, was giggling the whole way. She loves being outside.
The cupcakes were mini Shepherd Pies. Which Mia enjoyed thoroughly despite what these pictures would lead you to believe.
and for dessert we had pizza aka sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting and fruit toppings. After dinner, the kids came with Fernando and I to weed our yard. The kids were promised 5 cents per weed. This allowed them to earn money for various toys Fernando and I weren't going to purchase. After 2 hours of yard work (mostly as time Fernando and I put into weeding, mowing and edging), Mia pulled 100 weeds and Tiago had a full bag that he prompting emptied into the garbage. Night was falling and the kids needed sleep, but still wanted the promised sugar. The joke was on me. The half of a pizza was met with screams and blame throwing such as "It's your fault we were weeding so late." etc Luckily, the sugar assuaged them long enough for me to recenter my chi.
Sadly, the bad humor spread to the next day. The walk to school turned into a big power struggle and anger management issues. Mia was bawling and screaming almost the whole way. Then she would stop for long periods of time making a tardy seem unavoidable. I tried desperately to distract her with questions about upcoming activities or told her to find 5 beautiful things. I pointed out the flowers. All of these were flops. Then I reminded her that we would have to run for a long time to avoid being late if she didn't hurry up. She could have cared less. Finally, I pulled the Thumper advice and told her to zip it if she didn't have anything pleasant to say. This set off an explosions of "I can't stop" and "It's too hard" excuses. A neighbor, noticing the time and struggle, offered to take Mia the rest of the way. Mia wouldn't go without me (strange she made it seem like my presence was less then desirable). We made it with 30 seconds to spare. I gave her a pep talk and a hug.
The whole walk home I felt embarrassed and very hypocritical. Here I was grumping at my grumpy daughter who was really just tired from working the night before. Why didn't I do a better job looking for beautiful things in Mia instead of pointing out the obvious annoyances.
On a more positive note, Tiago started out the walk with the same attitude, but decided to just enjoy being outside. Talia, who was in a baby backpack due to our broken stroller, was giggling the whole way. She loves being outside.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Mini Miracles
“Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; And only he who sees takes off his shoes.”
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
For FHE the other night, the kids and I played a 'board' game from the Friend magazine. Admittedly, the game was a little more advance then the group we were playing with, but we made do. Instead of the kids having to do a Pictionary guess of the scripture event, I let one kid draw and then we would talk about the scripture passage. (click on the link to see the game with the rules and the passages)The only passage that they really knew enough to guess was Daniel and the Lion's Den. Tiago did some pretty ferocious lions. Too bad my batteries died in my camera and I haven't recharged them yet.
With that said, the miracles that happened in the scriptures always are so fantastical. Yet, when I am looking, I see just as miraculous things happening to us daily. Here are just a few from the past few days.
Monday:
Beautiful weather and new shovels take Tiago, Talia, and I into the backyard for some good old outdoor noth'n doing. I happened to grab the phone for who knows what reason. Talia and I were not appropriately dressed for the hot sun and both of us were feeling a bit on the wilted side. After a good half hour or so, I decide it is time to hydrate and change into better clothes. Only problem is the house is completely locked up. Fernando was sleeping upstairs (do to night float) so I quickly called his cell phone. No answer. I wasn't shocked. He is a dead sleeper.
Funny side note: While banging on the front door and ringing the doorbell and calling the cell phone, I mutter in dismay "come on, Fernando. You can't be that dead of a sleeper." Tiago inquired, "Daddy's dead?" It took me a second to put the two together and rephrased the idea in less morbid terms. Though dead really is the best description for Fernando's sleep.
Back to the problem. No amount of banging and doorbell ringing was working. Talia was over heated and trying to eat bug carcasses while I was distracted with my barrage of banging. Finally, after 15 minutes of failed attempts, I came to my senses. I asked Tiago to offer a prayer. It was short and to the point. We abandoned the front door options and headed to the backyard, all the while wishing I would have reprogrammed our garage door key pad to avoid this mess.
As soon as we get back there, I picked up a flat plastic duck bath tub floor thingy. Then, in boomerang fashion, I launch them up to the second story bedroom window in hopes of Fernando hearing. The first duck that hit the window brought our salvation.(the ducks had a weird weight distribution so it took a few tries) Fernando peeked through the blinds and stumbled downstairs in time to hear the amen of our thankful prayer.
Tuesday:
We have been trying hard to walk to school in the mornings. There are so many positive benefits that it makes me sad when it just doesn't work out. Tuesday morning started out with high hopes of walking, but Mia just seemed to be dragging her feet. We were coming too close to the critical time when walking is no longer and option. Just as we were about the head out the door, the heavens opened and dumped torrential rain. If we would have left when we normal leave, we would have been half way to school sopping wet and too far away to run home, change, and make it to school on time. Since we left late, we rode safely and dry in the car. We made it early to school and got to have fun running into school under a huge umbrella that barely kept the rain from pelting us.
Today:
Although we were up earlier, we seemed to take much longer to get ready. I did have both kids make their beds and tried to french braid Mia's hair (a non existent talent for me), but we were running really late. We drove in a speedy manor to school and saw a friend desperately trying to get her son to school holding her younger girl on her hip. I have totally been in her shoes. It reminded me of the time when Fernando's battery died and he took the civic to work. No problem, I thought. I'd just walk the kids to school with the stroller. Unfortunately, the stroller was no where to be found. (Later I found out that the stroller was in the garage. Fernando had taken it out of the Civic's trunk so I could walk the kids to school. I some how missed it when I looked.) That was the longest walk. Talia has always been solid, but I was really feeling every pound near the top of the hill that takes us to school.
Enough with reminiscing. We were able to take the boy and make it just in time for school to start. If I would have left any earlier, I would have missed them entirely.
Celestial Choreography at its best.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
For FHE the other night, the kids and I played a 'board' game from the Friend magazine. Admittedly, the game was a little more advance then the group we were playing with, but we made do. Instead of the kids having to do a Pictionary guess of the scripture event, I let one kid draw and then we would talk about the scripture passage. (click on the link to see the game with the rules and the passages)The only passage that they really knew enough to guess was Daniel and the Lion's Den. Tiago did some pretty ferocious lions. Too bad my batteries died in my camera and I haven't recharged them yet.
With that said, the miracles that happened in the scriptures always are so fantastical. Yet, when I am looking, I see just as miraculous things happening to us daily. Here are just a few from the past few days.
Monday:
Beautiful weather and new shovels take Tiago, Talia, and I into the backyard for some good old outdoor noth'n doing. I happened to grab the phone for who knows what reason. Talia and I were not appropriately dressed for the hot sun and both of us were feeling a bit on the wilted side. After a good half hour or so, I decide it is time to hydrate and change into better clothes. Only problem is the house is completely locked up. Fernando was sleeping upstairs (do to night float) so I quickly called his cell phone. No answer. I wasn't shocked. He is a dead sleeper.
Funny side note: While banging on the front door and ringing the doorbell and calling the cell phone, I mutter in dismay "come on, Fernando. You can't be that dead of a sleeper." Tiago inquired, "Daddy's dead?" It took me a second to put the two together and rephrased the idea in less morbid terms. Though dead really is the best description for Fernando's sleep.
Back to the problem. No amount of banging and doorbell ringing was working. Talia was over heated and trying to eat bug carcasses while I was distracted with my barrage of banging. Finally, after 15 minutes of failed attempts, I came to my senses. I asked Tiago to offer a prayer. It was short and to the point. We abandoned the front door options and headed to the backyard, all the while wishing I would have reprogrammed our garage door key pad to avoid this mess.
As soon as we get back there, I picked up a flat plastic duck bath tub floor thingy. Then, in boomerang fashion, I launch them up to the second story bedroom window in hopes of Fernando hearing. The first duck that hit the window brought our salvation.(the ducks had a weird weight distribution so it took a few tries) Fernando peeked through the blinds and stumbled downstairs in time to hear the amen of our thankful prayer.
Tuesday:
We have been trying hard to walk to school in the mornings. There are so many positive benefits that it makes me sad when it just doesn't work out. Tuesday morning started out with high hopes of walking, but Mia just seemed to be dragging her feet. We were coming too close to the critical time when walking is no longer and option. Just as we were about the head out the door, the heavens opened and dumped torrential rain. If we would have left when we normal leave, we would have been half way to school sopping wet and too far away to run home, change, and make it to school on time. Since we left late, we rode safely and dry in the car. We made it early to school and got to have fun running into school under a huge umbrella that barely kept the rain from pelting us.
Today:
Although we were up earlier, we seemed to take much longer to get ready. I did have both kids make their beds and tried to french braid Mia's hair (a non existent talent for me), but we were running really late. We drove in a speedy manor to school and saw a friend desperately trying to get her son to school holding her younger girl on her hip. I have totally been in her shoes. It reminded me of the time when Fernando's battery died and he took the civic to work. No problem, I thought. I'd just walk the kids to school with the stroller. Unfortunately, the stroller was no where to be found. (Later I found out that the stroller was in the garage. Fernando had taken it out of the Civic's trunk so I could walk the kids to school. I some how missed it when I looked.) That was the longest walk. Talia has always been solid, but I was really feeling every pound near the top of the hill that takes us to school.
Enough with reminiscing. We were able to take the boy and make it just in time for school to start. If I would have left any earlier, I would have missed them entirely.
Celestial Choreography at its best.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Turtle Talk
In kindergarten, Mia has been learning all sorts of things. It amazes me she can do in less the year of schooling. I love hearing her read. She has always loved books, including a math book she found at my parents' house when she was 15 months. Now, she can actually read them (well, probably not the graphing calculator math books).
Apart of reading, is learning to write. Turtle talk is spelling from sounding out the words. Mia has made many a card and special coupons for friends to come over to the house. Sometimes it takes me a bit to figure it out which makes it even more fun. See how well you do at this card Mia made yesterday:
Translation:
Dear Mom and Dad, Mia wrote you a little sentence. A chick was having fun with a bunny.
She told me that the sentence was about the two stickers she put on the card the little chick with a flower and the bunny in the corner. Cute huh?
Apart of reading, is learning to write. Turtle talk is spelling from sounding out the words. Mia has made many a card and special coupons for friends to come over to the house. Sometimes it takes me a bit to figure it out which makes it even more fun. See how well you do at this card Mia made yesterday:
Translation:
Dear Mom and Dad, Mia wrote you a little sentence. A chick was having fun with a bunny.
She told me that the sentence was about the two stickers she put on the card the little chick with a flower and the bunny in the corner. Cute huh?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Doctor's Orders
Mia has already been tagged with my genetic defect: poor hearing. I still remember the group testing in elementary school and the little colored cards they would give you afterwords. I was the only child in every grade that got a different color. Then a month later, the intercom lady would ask all the teachers to send down the re-testers and I would make my lonely and embarrassed walk to the kiva(a fancy name for big room).
It turns out that schools still practice the hearing checks which is awesome. I wasn't very surprised when Mia came home with a failed hearing test and a suggestion to see the audiologist. We have gone twice to the audiologist and to an ENT. We will be heading back to the ENT and audiologist and may be even to a CAT scan.
The last appointment was long and intense. To make it more kid friendly, the doctor used bugs and a bug launcher to show when Mia heard certain sounds. The audiologist brought in a super doctor who was the head honcho in the clinic. At this point things became slightly awkward because Super Man was more then critical of the poor little audiologist. At one point, he even snapped at her, telling her to stop looking at her watch. I wanted to interrupt and point out that the girl was more then competent, but I figured that would just make things worse for her.
After the hour and a half appointment was over, the doctor gave Mia the standard sticker, but then suggested that she deserved a special treat. I agreed. Luckily the next day was early release and we headed to Freddy's Frozen Custard. This was due to an assembly pushed on the kids earlier this week. They all received a magic coin for a free custard*.
I was a little hesitant and wasn't expecting much. Oh, was I in for a pleasant surprise. May be it was my low expectations or the fact that we don't eat fast food ever, but man was it good. I had this patty melt on rye bread that I inhaled. The shoestring fries were amazing as well. I always feel so guilty giving my kids this genre of food. I feel like I am giving them a heart attack in a bun (which is also apart of my genetic flaws). I was assuaged by the fact that my kids spent more time spinning around on their bar stools then consuming the fat full food.
In the end, we got the "free" custard cone for $12 and that was only two meals. (I had the kids share).
It was worth every penny to watch them share the ice cream cone and dance disco style to the music. (Sadly, no camera with me then, but I snatched a few when we came home).
It turns out that schools still practice the hearing checks which is awesome. I wasn't very surprised when Mia came home with a failed hearing test and a suggestion to see the audiologist. We have gone twice to the audiologist and to an ENT. We will be heading back to the ENT and audiologist and may be even to a CAT scan.
The last appointment was long and intense. To make it more kid friendly, the doctor used bugs and a bug launcher to show when Mia heard certain sounds. The audiologist brought in a super doctor who was the head honcho in the clinic. At this point things became slightly awkward because Super Man was more then critical of the poor little audiologist. At one point, he even snapped at her, telling her to stop looking at her watch. I wanted to interrupt and point out that the girl was more then competent, but I figured that would just make things worse for her.
After the hour and a half appointment was over, the doctor gave Mia the standard sticker, but then suggested that she deserved a special treat. I agreed. Luckily the next day was early release and we headed to Freddy's Frozen Custard. This was due to an assembly pushed on the kids earlier this week. They all received a magic coin for a free custard*.
I was a little hesitant and wasn't expecting much. Oh, was I in for a pleasant surprise. May be it was my low expectations or the fact that we don't eat fast food ever, but man was it good. I had this patty melt on rye bread that I inhaled. The shoestring fries were amazing as well. I always feel so guilty giving my kids this genre of food. I feel like I am giving them a heart attack in a bun (which is also apart of my genetic flaws). I was assuaged by the fact that my kids spent more time spinning around on their bar stools then consuming the fat full food.
In the end, we got the "free" custard cone for $12 and that was only two meals. (I had the kids share).
It was worth every penny to watch them share the ice cream cone and dance disco style to the music. (Sadly, no camera with me then, but I snatched a few when we came home).
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