SNOW!!

It is snowing like mad and has been since noon. It's beautiful. I love watching snow fall...it seems so festive. Once it stops falling its *just* snow and what's so great about that? It's cold, makes the kids drag in dirty snow on their feet which make my socks get wet and that makes me grumpy, makes the floors of my car dirtier and is just no fun.

**a neighbor just went by on a snowplow. He's clearing the culdesac across the street. I wonder if he'll do my driveway.**


My kids came home from school and immediately asked if they could play in it. The mean mommy in me wanted to say, "No, it's SNOWING and it's cooooold.", but I repressed her and let out "nice mommy". I helped them get bundled up and actually went to get the camera to take pictures. I couldn't find the camera and realized it was in the car. With Rob. At work. Great! So, I did the next best thing and grabbed my cell phone. The images aren't that great and I took it from inside the house, but at least we got some images. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some more of the snow actually falling. Mmmmm........

What a great way to start their Winter Break!!!

still unpacking

Tomorrow, after school lets out, marks the beginning of "Winter Break" for our five children. I also decided to take the next two weeks off of work, in hopes that I could get some stuff done around here. I have lots of things planned. Things that will make the children smile (like swimming at the rec center, baking and sledding) and things that will probably make them run for the hills (like cleaning, getting laundry caught up, cleaning and organizing). The next 2 weeks should be loads of fun. I'm already making lists.

I always have lots of great ideas, but most of them only get jotted down in one of my *many* lists. I think the lists will help me focus better so that I can remain on task. They don't. My lists are really quite long and even when I am able to cross off the things I've accomplished (which I LOVE to do!!) I still feel like I haven't accomplished much. It really is deflating...to say the least. I have lots to do, lots that needs to get done, lots I want to get done and I'm just very detail oriented. This must be the motto I live by:

"Everything must have a place and that which doesn't have a place cannot be thrown out because I'm sure I'll find a place for it."

This morning, after I got up to make a pot of coffee, I noticed the boxes and misc. items that were lining the hallway. I started to feel overwhelmed, but knew it wouldn't do me any good to stress out. I decided to see the tiny bits of progress I had made....even if nobody else notices. "My goal, I thought to myself, will be to get all of these boxes cleared out and organized before we go to dance tonight." Here I sit, at 1:50 pm, and nothing has been touched. We leave for dance at 4:00 pm.

Do I think the boxes are going to unload themselves? I must.

Solo Dress

This dress was designed and made special for my daughter. The woman who makes these dresses is an amazing seamstress! She made it in record time back in August just as we were heading out to Kansas City for a family reunion and the KC Feis on September 1st. Right now she has the dress and is finishing up the second back piece. It will have our miniature family crest on it.

Photography

Let me start by mentioning that I completely FAILED photography in high school. Completely. I could not understand the difference between an "F Stop" and a "dark room". However, technology has given way to the digital camera. All I need is a plug to attach my camera to my computer and, voila, I have pictures. No more waiting for overexposed EXPENSIVE film to be developed. No more realizing that my children got ahold of the camera and only 2 of the photos are useable. Now I can delete pictures before I even upload them. Nice. 

Two Christmases ago, my dh and I bought a pretty nice camera. It's a Sony DSC-H5. 
















I can add some lenses to it, but haven't quite figured out which lense I will need the most. 

When I have my camera, in hand, I find myself open to the small things. Things I didn't quite see before. It's wierd how quickly my non-observant nature can reappear just as soon as the camera is back in its little black bag. Here are some of the first photographs I took and the first time I really began to see the beauty that has always been around me.































These were both taken in Kansas City last September. They were my first attempt at using the manual focus options. They still confuse me, but I really like having some manual options. I know my camera has quite a bit, but I have no idea how to use them. I'll have to keep working at it.


The other day, dh and I were waiting for our landlord to come and do a final walk through. I found this little gem just outside my front door. 

















Now I know I need a lense that will let me do close up photo's without blur. Is there any way really use this camera for those kinds of photo's or am I going to need a much more expensive camera? I have no desire to go into business...I just want to take decent photos.