Sunday, September 21, 2008

Photography


I have been taking a digital photography class this semester at college. I have always loved photography, thus my passion for scrapbooking. I got a nice digital SLR a Nikon D50 almost 2 years ago and have never figured out how to take pictures when it was off automatic. In the last month I have taken my camera off auto and taken some successful pictures!

These are a few of my favorites so far.

I have always loved the look of having the subject in focus while having the background blurred. Now I can do that!

I can't wait until I get better!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Let the games begin

The older two girls are playing soccer again this year. This is Mariah's 6th season. She really enjoys it which is good since I dread juggling practices with dinner, homework and chores.

They played their first game this last Saturday. I was very impressed. Both girls played their best. They ran in the heat and kicked the ball many times. Their team even won 2/0. Yeah! Good job girls!





Wednesday, September 3, 2008

What's in a list?

I saw this on a friends blog and decided to copy it. For those who know me know that I am a HUGE list maker. I love to write things down. I have a to do list, shopping list, things to do before I die, Christmas shopping, etc. There is something very rewarding about writing things down and then crossing them off once completed. Try it! You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish.

Tip: When making a to do list: If you do things in the day that were not on the list just add them to the list and cross it off! LOL (ok I really have done this!)

Take a look and do what Robyn has done and make it your own...add one that is not on the list! To make this your own!

Here we present a list. Highlight those tasks that you have accomplished in your life.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s nappy
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten tipsy on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse of both the sun and moon
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had/Have amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted a river
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in a Rocky Horror Picture Show
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept 30 hours in a 48 hour time frame
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read “The Iliad”
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life
151. Have organized a HUGE event!

and my own
152. Slept in your car.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

State Fair

The girls and I snuck into the State Fair on the last day. Ira had never been to a fair. Maybe it is an American thing?

We walked through the animals. Aren't these funny looking chickens? They sort of look like a poodle!
Mariah walked a llama. Ira had never seen one before so she had to get a picture.
Then we happened accross these great photo ops. They had a little 'Hollywood' scene with Hannah Montana on the red carpet, Sponge Bob and his pineapple, Lightning McQueen, Jurrasic Park and more. I think we took pictures in front of everything (I took 89 pictures in less than 3 hours at the fair).



The girls favorite part was the rides. It was crazy, busy, loud and FUN. I really enjoyed our day out. We definately need to do more girls days.