Where do I Begin??

Hahaha... Spring break has been so busy, but a lot has gotten done. (of course none of it school work - which I shoudl do some of before this break ends... but I do have WASL time to get caught up). The backyard is the biggest success! And Isabelle helped with her new rake and shovel. Mostly she just ran around on nice flat ground. But we are now level, tilled, raked (and I mean we raked the entire back yard, about an acre or so) and then picked up all the lines that were raked. We raked twice too. Had to get all the rocks, sticks, plastic, trash, washers, nails, rope, glass and whatever else there was out there. Yes, there is probably way more out there, so bare foot will never be an option... but playing and running is so SO close!

All we need now is that rain that predicted... the dark clouds mean that it is coming! So here's hoping that the rain comes in tonight (we don't want the birds eatting all the grass seed that we spread. (We meaning my neighbor mostly and me - when Isabelle was napping. You will see me in one photo later picking up the lines). "They" are prediciting snow too... Nooo!

Can you believe it... finally a back yard to play in!

Here are some before pics to remind you what we had to start with:

So all prior photos are from last July, last summer, of 2008. Yes, do the math, we have had a dirt back yard for almost a year. At least it was flat.

The following photos are from the last 3 days... :)

It is hard to see, but there are some lines there; kinda near the wheelbarrows.

In case you didn't see me... Do you see the stump on the left middle... just to the right and up a tad there is a black dot (wheelbarrow) and a green dot (me); then there is the shed and goat pen. Yes... all that was raked twice then picked up. Oh, there is more that I couldnt' get in the photo too... would need a panoramic lens for that.

Me... Leaping for joy... Actually, leaping cuz I can, knowing there are no holes to fall in. :)

Ta-DA

Now Rain! And Grow!!!

Uh-Oh

We are in trouble... Isabelle has figured out how to twist off caps. Examples of this include caps to the milk, and other juices, caps to toothpaste and any and all jars. I thought this came later in the years. I'm not ready for this mess...

April Fools!!

Happy April 1st everyone! Anyone had any good tricks played on them or played tricks on others?? I am keeping a book and would love to hear what you got. I will say that goats come in handy on this day. ;)

Anyways, nature is playing a trick on us... foiled our plans of outside sunny play and has decided to snow... again.

Other than that... I work two days this week and then have all next week off for Spring break... and that is no joke. During this time we are going to (hopefully) accomplish a lot. First will be to 'toddler' proof the house changing all the baby proofing since Isabelle is no longer a baby and has figured out how to get around all the baby proofing. We are going to design plans for an outside play gym/house/swingset thing for Isabelle so when the weather gets good enough to work outside, we can build it. (Buying one is ridiculously expensive!!! The cheapest we have found is $1200 and there are no swings). Again, if the weather permits, I am going to plant flowers and bulbs and other pretties in my gardens :) And if the weather is not good, as in still snowing then we are going to finish the play room downstairs for Isabelle. It is all framed up with a sweet little doorway to get in (and yes it is little-you MUST duck). All that is left to frame is the loft area and then on to drywall and painting! So by mid summer it should be complete... ha ha ha

Oh, this is a treat!!! It is a NEW 'Go Diego Go'!! You can now believe how exciting this is!!! I must go cuddle my baby and enjoy the new show.

Till I post again!

Fun with Photoshop

Jadon in his very own comic book.

Getting Jobs

Yeah for me... And more YEAH! for those hiring me for photography sittings. April is filling up with Easter family pics and going to the Tulip farms. These trips are going to be fun!!! I am hoping for lots more opportunities as the weather improves. :)

Also, last Friday I was hired to do the HS track team... and since then (yes 3 days later) have been hired for HS tennis team and MS track team pics. It is a ton of work, especially the individual shots... but it is fun!

Apple Bars and Monkey Juice

Isabelle is full of cuteness, from her smiling and saying 'cheeese' when the camera comes out to all the cute phrases she now says. Of course, as predicted, the two's are here with the tantrums when she doesn't get her way. However, we have only really had one long tantrum, all the rest end fairly quickly. We have also started the pull-ups in hopes that potty training will come easier. Unfortunatly as soon as we started them, she got sick and back to diapers we went. Nasty 'bug' going around... has the whole extended family sick too. :(

So from the mouth of a babe...

monkey juice - is any juice that comes in her monkey cup

apple bars - her favorite treat

i-peem - ice cream

blboobies - blue berries

elepemints (at least that is how it sounds) - elephant of course this has a hand motion that goes with it

piping - typing

pip - anything that ends in 'ip' like chip, dip, lip, sip, etc

waptop - laptop

puter- computer

fix it mommy - self explanatory

blow nose - now that she is sick :(

New Favorite things to do -

feed the goats

splash in puddles or throw rocks into the puddles

walk and /or run everywhere

clean up

play with play-do

make messes and says 'make a mess' while doing it

Spinning in circles and making herself dizzy... i do need to get that on video, it is funny!

Diego is her favorite show and now that she has seen them all, MANY times she is quoting parts and narrating what is happening... baby Jaguar, hat on, ducking, running, etc. She has also started singing the 'Go Diego Go' part of the theme song. It is sooo cute.

Of course too, with her daddy being into computers, he has given her her own log in... granted she cannot log in herself, BUT with her own log in, she is now unable to deleted and mess up the computer. The reason daddy gave her a log in in the first place was because she was hitting buttons in sequences that were bringing up things that he (a computer guy) has never seen. So in her log in, daddy has made it so the only thing she can access is the internet (like the Diego site or her favorite one, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Meeska Mooska MickeyMouse!) and the desktop.

Shooting Fun!

Well, 3 months after Eric's birthday, he finally got his present of shooting many guns at a local range. Though the day was icky in the morning, it cleared up nice for the afternoon. Of course, it was not nice again by the time we got to the range. Good thing that it was under cover. I also got to shoot some of the guns, however there was one that I agreed that I would not shoot... The kick back on Eric was big, I knew that it would probably knock me over. However, I did shoot a few differnet riffles, including a military type riffle, many pistols and reovolvers of all sizes (one that even fits in the palm of your hand and one that was so big that one shot was good enough for me) and a shot gun. Everything was under cover at still targets, in which I am a very good shot except for the shot gun which we went out into the field and shot at skeet or trap (I can not remember which is which). Eric got the moving targets, I mised ALL of mine, but loved!! shooting a shotgun.. WOW! Eric shot many more then that and for almost five hours had the greatest time!!

Enjoy!

The target on the right was Eric's and the one on the left was mine.

Ready.. Aim... Fire...

... Kick

This is the one that I did not shoot... Big Bullet... Big Gun... Too Big a kick for me.

It took just over 50 rapid fire camera shots to get three decent firing pictures. See the orange just to the right of the muzzle?



Unfortunately because of the rain downpour, I did not take pics of the trap/skeet shooting with the shotgun... however there is video. Once I get it from our friend, I will try to upload it.

Greatness

Just a current update. Not much is going on here... minus the crazy weather patterns (wind, snow, hail, rain - all before noon).



On Friday I had a photo shoot with a neighbor and their new horse, Opi, which they got for their daughter. They were nice enough to let Isabelle up on Opi too. Though she wanted nothing to do with the horse at first (while bare back), as soon as the neighbor girl was up in the saddle Isabelle was all over getting on Opi too. So YEAH... Isabelle's first horse ride!

Isabelle is talking like crazy... full blown conversations now... of course, I am the one who mostly understands her still... it is all about the context clues (teachers, you know what I mean). However, she is getting more clear and has so many words in her vocabulary. We had a couple of neighbors ride through (on their horses - different neighbors - they have 4 horses and only 2 riders, so I may start joining them in the spring... looking forward to that!) and Isabelle was chatting up a storm with them. She is no longer a baby... she is a toddler now.

I can't believe that in a month, she is going to be two years old... where did the time go... I know, I said that last year too. I may be a yearly comment.

Eric is well, working long hours and coming home to play. He is excited for his birthday present to finaly happen. (I know... it is sad that I continue to get him presents that he has to wait for. While we were still dating, I got him helicopter lessons for Chritsmas and he had to wait till the spring to enjoy them. This time I got him shooting fun... more details and pics will follow in the next post)

To finish todays post... how about some tupperware...

This is a daily happening now... sometimes twice a day. :)

New Website!

So while it is snowing in lovly WA, up to 6 inches they predict in the foothills, I have finally uploaded my photography website!!! And look, the sun is now out, melting away the snow.

www.casualfamilyphotography.com

Weather Patterns

Those of you that follow this blog and live in the area, you know that our weather has been crazy... those of you that live farther away, let me tell you about it.

Lately we have had the regular WA rain, which has been a nice change from the winter snow storm we had. However last week... weird!!! The weekend prior, it was rainy (normal amount, off and on), then we had a beautiful couple of days! I mean gorgeous -- too bad we were all inside at work, gorgeous. Then we wake up to 3 inches of snow... so much that they (school officials) called a 2 hour delay, then an hour later cancelled school completely. Then we had a nice day, very sunny, but below freezing so there was no going outside to play. Then this last weekend it rained again, washing all the snow away. On top of that... the weekend was more than gusty... the winds were up to 60mph at times. We are shocked that no trees fell. Now we come to Monday and today... both beautiful!!! Yesterday, I had to work, but today Isabelle and I had a great time. We took a long walk up the road, played with a neighbor boy, kept going till we meet up with our neighbors Alpaca farm. Of course, I brought the camera.

Then it was time to come home... she was hungry and tired. She ate, I put her down for her nap, and as I write this, down comes the rain, drizzling first, into to larger and larger drops.

I guess our after nap play date is postponed till the next WA sunny day.

Enjoy!

The following are all from today

The walk home we found rocks (I know... gravel road) to throw in the pothole puddles... great time!

Time to Rest

This has been an unbelievable season!!! But I am so glad tht it is over now... and I can breath again.

One word to describe me with this team and bunch of girls: Proud - proud to be their coach, proud to know them and all that they can do for the team and the potential they have to succeed in their lives.

This season started with it largest turn out ever (46 girls) and ended still with its largest team in Tahoma history at 34 girls.

We became a very competitive team this year as well... we were the underdog, have been since Tahome started the gymanstics team. But this year we proved them different. The girls went to sub-districts as a team, scoring their season high of 163.95, coming in 6th place. At districts they soared even higher coming in 3rd with a new all time Tahoma history high score of 168.65. Sadly, only the top two teams go on to State at the Tacoma Dome... however we were less thatn 2 points away from that 2nd place title. (Watch out next year -- We are State bound!)

Even though we did not go as a team to State, 3 girls did qualify to go. Friday all three girls competed their events, and one of these girls made it is the finals on Uneven Bars. So we were there ALL day on Friday and again ALL day on Saturday. Yes, tiring, but what a wonderful experience for these athletes... and me! :) Our girl on the Bars came in 8th place... which is amazing when you look at how many girls were attmpting to be at state in the first place. She made it!

Last Wednesday was the end of season banquet, which was pulled off without a hitch. However, the food (potluck) wasn't the greatest. But oh well... the brownies were still warm... :)

And now... it is time for me to rest, relax and play. And since we can't go outside to play because it is SO windy, we have hopscotch and mini golf in the hallway. As soon as the camera is charged, I will show you.

Miss all who are reading this, and hope this finds you well and happy!!