Weekend in McCall
Here are some pics of our weekend in McCall.It was so beautiful up there. I even got to practice taking pictures in te snow.

Gotta make crafts!




POOL!!! Caden's favorite part about going to Timbercrest.




This is my friends little boy, but I had to post the pictures because I just love how they turned out. He was so dang cute!!!!


Shadows!!!










The kids made a snow fort.




Winter Festival

"Keep your mind calm so your eyes just see the picture and don't think about the things around it."

That is what my 7 year old told me when I asked him how he took such great pictures.

Looks like he even knows how to work the zoom!!

Picture he took of his friend and his lego ship.

Caden has always been really interested in trying to use my camera, and has been wanting one for a while. While we were in McCall this weekend, I let him use my camera and this is what he got. I thought they were pretty good.

After we got home, Scott gave him our old Canon powershot. Caden was just ecstatic!!! He immediately started taking pictures and talking about lighting and zooming in and out. All the way to his bed he talked about his new camera and the pictures he would take, and the blog he is going to start and printing his pictures at Costco and then selling them. SO cute!!!!

When I went to say good night to him he asked,

"Mom, if I put the shutter speed on a long time, can I take pictures of green and red lights and make them go across the picture?...................If things are moving really fast, can I do a fast shutter speed and make the picture still look good, like of someone on a merry-go-round?...........sometimes you have to keep taking a picture lots of times til you get it just right. You have to calm your mind down so you see just the picture you want to take "

After I picked my jaw up off the bed I told him we could try out what ever his little heart desired. On his list,

• Reflection of the light on his Christmas tree in his room bouncing off the ornament (yes, my kids still have Christmas trees in their rooms, they don't want to take them down)
• Horses running really fast
• merry-go-round
• trip to pick up daddy's car at the mechanic tomorrow
• things outside

We have planned a date to go out and take pictures. We talked and talked about photography. He is SO CREATIVE!!!!

And here's a little secret.......He told me that there are so many things he likes, he might not be a navy seal after all.

He brought me to tears tonight.

Mission accomplished!

Sarah has been asking me to teach her how to braid. We finally sat down and practiced on her barbies. She is so proud of her new skill. She even learned how to put the little band around the hair. She's growing up so fast!

Only a Mother.........

Might see a future artist in this act, rather than just another naughty act by our mischievous little HANNAH!

Hannah showed me her little jewelry box and with great pride exclaimed,

"Mommy, look, I decoupaged it!"

Oh, Hannah!!!! She keeps me busy!

While we are on the subject of Hannah.....

Conversation I overheard,

Sarah: Daddy said that we can't play with our toys today because we didn't put them away last night.

Hannah: I can, but though, because I am still just a baby. (the child is almost three!!!)

Why I dread taking Hannah to the Grocery store lately.......

A man is walking just a few feet behind us in the store, ( he is a little on the heavy side)

Hannah: Mommy, look at that man, he is walking so funny and so slow.

In the cereal isle

Hannah: Look at that lady! Look at her hair, look what she is wearing...(giggle, giggle)

As we walk by the water fountain where someone is currently taking a drink

Hannah: Oh, yuck! She is drinking so yuck germs, right?!?

at the check out where we are assisted by a very nice girl. Her bangs are swooped over one eye.

Hannah: that girl has such a weird thing on her eyes

(I ignore her)

MOMMY, I SAID, THAT GIRL HAS SUCH A WEIRD EYES!

(I continue to ignore her, but my face is flaming red)

She is such a weird teacher.

( I finally respond very quietly, she is not a teacher)

Ohhhh, she is such a weird payer, she is such a weird payer!

Seeing RED
I have been attending a photography class for the past month. While I can't say that I have become a "photographer" (yet), I am excited to report that I now know how to use the settings on my camera and I don't shoot on Auto (which I hate using because the flash always goes off. I HATE that).
I have been having LOTS of fun!!!!
Our assignment for last week was something red, this is what I came up with.

I had a lot of fun ideas, but time only allowed me to take pictures of the boring berries in my front yard. We did have a day of snow which allowed me o experiment with different lighting.
Sarah insisted that I take a picture of her red sock. (she knew all week that my assignment was red. We were at the store one day and she saw a red design on the floor so she layed on the dirty floor and said, "mommy, take a picture of me, I'm on red." I didn't have my camera, darn!)

Does this move you?????

Each week the instructor judges our photos. Keep in mind, this man speaks his mind. He has been known to tell people their photos are garbage. This week, mine was deemed stupid! The red umbrella one made it to the pile and he said to get it out because it was stupid and didn't move him. He chooses a picture because it brings him in or moves him. Well, I admit that there is nothing special about the umbrella alone, but I think the subject behind the umbrella is pretty dang cute.......And that moves me!!!!!! I think it's a keeper.

Look what reading the manual can do for you!!!

Another assignment was to read our manuals. I did, and look, I know how to shoot in black and white now. We took a drive out to Star and the girls and I played in the car while the boys shot their guns.

Have you ever watched a bunch of 7 year old boys bowl?

Well, this group of silly boys sure did make it entertaining to watch.

The anticipation is so great, it is better to be seated while cheering your ball down the lane!

A strike!!!!! Caden won a free game because he got a strike when the red pin was in the front. (I guess this is called a "monte carlo"?)

More Strikes and reasons to cheer!!!!!

The boys were really all so supportive of each other. And while they DID keep score, they cheered each other on and did the whole guy thing with high fives, chest banging, yelling etc.

Caden loved all the gifts! We started out telling him that he could invite 2 friends to go bowling, but he could not pick and his list grew bigger and bigger. He told us that if we let him invite more people he wouldn't ask for presents because that would be too many presents and he would rather have more boys and no presents. In the end I gave in. We had to take two cars to fit so many boys, but Caden had so much fun. And he even got to open up gifts! I have a feeling he didn't mind though ;)

Happy Birthday Caden!!!!!

Caden turned 7 today!!! Has that much time really gone by?

We celebrated his birthday all weekend with a bowling party with some of his friends, skiing and dinner on Saturday, and family over on Sunday.

Caden still loves the military and really wants to be a Navy Seal. After playing football this year though, he has added football and Soccer to some of the things he loves. Him and Sarah play football together nearly every night, and he is so excited about the new soccer goals at school.

Caden is an amazing brother to his sisters. They really love and look up to him.

Caden really LOVES to laugh! He likes to read JunieB. Jones books and play with his friends because they are so silly and make him laugh.

We love you so much Caden!!!!