POTD Week 30 - Natural

Visiting the Montauk Lighthouse when vacationing in Eastern Long Island...Natural


Enjoying the waves crashing into the shore...Natural


Searching for sea glass and other treasures...Natural


Playing "run as fast as you can away from the cold water"...Natural


Walking the narrow, slippery rocky cliff with three children when you are eight months pregnant...NOT Natural!

POTD Week 29: Landscapes

Capturing the beauty of our earth is one of my most favorite things to photograph. I absolutely adore landscape photography! I love the vivid colors of mother nature, the vast scenic views of the land, and the thrill of capturing the environment at this point in time, because it is highly likely that it won't look the same in just a few years down the road.

But I've come to realize that likely a good part of the reason I love photographing the landscape around us is because when I'm doing it, I'm on vacation. I'm traveling to new places or revisiting favorite spots - and don't have the stresses and pressures of daily life. And I'm in gorgeous spots - so it is hard to get a bad photograph of something so enchanting as the mountains or the ocean. (Isn't everything more enjoyable then?) Unfortunately, I haven't had a real vacation this summer so I haven't been inspired by the land around me. The landscape in my town in green. A huge sea of green. A flat, boring, monotonous green. That doesn't make for very interesting photographs! And I suppose that because I see this land {every. single. day.} it is mundane to me. But I forced myself to go out and drive around today and see what I could find in this little old town.

I discovered that maybe I need to change my perception about the landscape around me and open my eyes a bit more to see all of Earth's details in my little town.

A Mini Travel Album

I got some great 7 Gypsies stuff to play with from Express Yourself! They have the coolest mini albums and rub ons and our recent camping trip to Western NY was perfect for this project.

I used the 7 Gypsies accordian album and travel rub ons and then some Basic Grey tags and letters and lots of Tim Holtz goodies - the crackle ink, acrylic paint, distress inks, and grungeboard.

POTD Week 28 - Rule of Thirds

When you have three children, there are a lot of "rules of thirds" around the house. Many of these rules are new to me each day. Some of the new rules I've learned are:

- If you buy something for one child, the other two must have one just like it...so you have end up having 3 of the same thing (3 squirt guns, 3 art pads, 3 bikes, 3 scooters, 3 sand buckets, etc.). Sharing is not part of the rule of thirds.

- If you reward one child for doing something wonderful, you must quickly find something wonderful that the other two children did so they may be rewarded as well.

- If two children go to camp, you must have a "mommy and me" camp at home with the third child.

- The third child, no matter how young, must be allowed to attempt everything that the older two children do. Whether you as a parent like it or not. The third child will ignore you and do it anyway.

- The third child always gets their way. Period. {They know how to yell the loudest and annoy the older siblings the most.}

- When three siblings get along, all is good in the world.

He's Growing Up! {RP Post}

Nathan recently celebrated his 8th birthday! He had a great day and planned the activities himself. He went to see the movie Wall-E, had a Fudgie the Whale ice cream cake from Carvel and then went to the carnival in town. Although the rides at the carnival didn't impress him too much.

You see, he is now big into roller coasters. He LOVES them and the bigger and faster they are, the better they are! We went to a Six Flags Amusement Park and he was thrilled with the huge coasters. Especially the ones that went upside down. And then backwards and upside down. Ken - not so thrilled. Me - it didn't matter as I'm pregnant and had an excuse to sit them out. :-)


Nathan and Ken are at the top of this coaster.


The ferris wheel was cool but didn't go fast enough for Nathan.


Maya desperately wanting to help unwrap Nathan's presents, much to Nathan's displeasure.


The cool big present was a hit.


Jonah and Maya going at it in typical fashion.


Fudgie the Whale


A happy birthday boy.


Contemplating the big birthday wishes.

I commented to him that I didn't want him to grow up TOO fast...and he replied {in a "duh" tone of voice} "Mommmmm, I still love you even though I'm growing."

Awww, isn't he sweet?

POTD Week 27 - Patriotic

patriotic \Pa`tri*ot"ic\
A. adjective 1. patriotic, loyal inspired by love for your country

I don't think there is any other place I'd rather live than in the USA. Oh for sure at times I get very upset with the current state of affairs and decisions that are made by those that were elected, BUT the liberty and luxury we have living in this country far outweigh much else.

I love that we have the freedom to do just about whatever we want, say most anything we feel, go just about where ever we want, buy just about anything we want, and have as many children as we want. We can laugh, sing, dance, play, love, and live freely.

My children inspire my love for my country and I know they are loving their country as well.









Oh, and let me just say that trying to do a self portrait when pregnant {and uncomfortably so} is a PITA!!! I only have 2 pictures of myself from when I was pregnant with my first son. And NO pictures of myself from when I was pregnant with son #2 and my daughter. My children are upset about this as they want to see pictures of "them" in my belly, and not just the sonograms. So I'm agonizingly trying to do better this time around and forcing a few snapshots every now and them. I guess it is my "patriotic" duty, or at least the "inspired by love" part of patriotic to do it form this little one.