Photo Hunters~ Blue

This week's Theme is BLUE! I took these two shots while working on my October "three corners" challenge. I found myself on the grass, laying on my back looking up at the world. I love that the sky turned out as BLUE as can be. I have not altered the color in these photos. The sky was really that BLUE!





Thanks for coming by my blog this weekend! I look forward to seeing your BLUE photos! Happy Weekend to you all!

Photo Story Friday~ Three Corners~ Look UP!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

For the past 8 months, myself and two other bloggers have been participating in a group project called, Three Corners. The three of us represent three different continents. We have covered many themes, which can be found HERE.

This month, Jeanette chose the theme of "LOOK UP!" Going into this project I knew I wanted to capture some fun shots from different angles.

This first one was my less than creative take on the theme. I simply looked up at the pumpkin patch and there was the wind mill. Easy Peasy! oh and this is not a black and white photo. This is exactly as I took it.



For this shot, I wanted to capture something I see often, but from an angle I have never really looked at it before. I laid down in the grass along a chain link fence and "looked up!" I did not alter this photo to make the sky so blue. That is just how it looked that day.



For this last shot, I wanted to try getting a bugs eye view. Again, I found myself laying on my back in the grass trying my best to get a flower between myself and sun. This was my favorite result.



I found this theme to be fun, and interesting. I enjoyed spending the month "looking up!" As with many of our themes, it gave me an opportunity to enjoy the world around me in a different way.

Be sure to stop by Lindy's and Jeantte's blog in the next few days to see how there photos showcase the theme.

Happy Friday.....and Happy Halloween! BOO!

Wordless Wednesday~ Prettiest Pumpkin in the Patch

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE and HERE!

At Least She Washed Her Hands

Sugar Bear is used to her neurotic mother reminding her to wash her hands, but recent she has really started to actually "get it". She is able to accurately identify when germs are likely to be on her hands. There are moments that she actually requests a hand washing because, "my hands are germy!" awww......what a cute little germophobe I am raising.



Before helping me make some Autumn sugar cookies the other day, she insisted on a washing her hands. It melted my heart. We thoroughly scrubbed, and set about our task. The last time she rolled out dough was last December, with her Grandma Shirley. For Sugar, it was just like yesterday. She has a memory that defies logic. Throughout our recent cookie making she gave me the blow by blow of what she did "last time!"



This girl takes cookie cutting seriously. Her concentration was steady, and it was hard to even get her attention. As always, I tried really hard to bite my tongue and let her do it "her way." It isn't easy, but I am certain it is way more important than having perfect cookies.



She carefully rolled, cut, moved to the wax paper, and started again. The main assistance I gave was constantly reminding her to try to get more than one cookie cut on the rolled out dough before starting over. She always went right for the middle. She needed LOTS of reminding.



Soon, all the cookies were ready for the oven, and it was past Sugar's bedtime. I assured her that I would bake them all up, and they would be good and ready for the icing in the morning. Reluctantly she went to bed.

The next morning she was eager and ready to decorate. Just between you and me....it was the sprinkles she was really interested in. :) After I whipped up a batch of icing, and tried to get the requested colors, Sugar Bear again washed her hands, then set about frosting her cookies.



Don't you just love this color? tee hee....Sugar Bear had requested brown, and try as I might, I COULD.NOT.MAKE.BROWN! ugh....remind me to buy some nice cake decorating food colorings someday. Sooooooooo....we have olive green. NICE.



Sugar wasn't bothered by the odd color at all. She was over the top elated to FINALLY be allowed to sprinkle. OH.THE.JOY!!!!



She takes her sprinkles VERY SERIOUSLY! Almost as seriously, as washing her hands, in fact.



She experienced many methods of dispensing the sprinkles. She did a little of this....and a little of that. The only constant.......was......the......carefully timed LICK of her palm BETWEEN each cookie. Yup....you read that right. The budding germ phobe has a bit more to learn.



But if you are a grandparent of a sweet little Sugar Bear, with a face like this....you just pretend that the cookie she lovingly made for you isn't teeming with germ upon germ.



If you closed your eyes, and blocked out all thoughts of food bourne illness, they actually tasted pretty darn delicious. Due to a happy accident, this batch of sugar cookies might have been the best I have ever made. I somehow managed to add lemon flavoring to the dough instead of almond flavoring, so I also added lemon flavoring instead of Vanilla to the icing, and let me just say......YUM!!!! You should try it.

Harvest Fun~ Part One

I had a pumpkin, that I baked
I made it into a pumpkin cake.
Amanada

A few weekends ago, Sugar Bear and I traveled a fair distance to meet Grandma at the Pumpkin Patch. Our hearts full of anticipation, excitement, and charity. This particular Pumpkin Patch gives all proceeds to a camp for children with cancer. Knowing this makes the festivities all the more delightful. To go along with the theme of pumpkins and children, I have elected to share some random children's poetry among the photos in this post.



With so much to see and do, I was a tad surprised that Sugar chose to EAT first. Awwwwww she is a girl after my own heart. She knew EXACTLY what she wanted...and was excited to share her meal with Grandma.



I can't say I blame her, though. A FRITO PIE pretty much ROCKS THE PARTY!



Please let us go pumpkin picking
Understand we LOVE pumpkin picking!
Many people love pumpkin pie and
Pumpkin pie is the best to eat on Halloween because
Kids love to eat pie!
In the fall we love to get our pumpkins and
Night is the best time to carve pumpkins with your friends!

By: Colin N.,Christian R.,Moises S.Thomas W.



Pumpkins are big and round
Usually pumpkins are hard and orange
My, we LOVE
Pumpkin pie! Some
Kinds of pumpkins are yellow
It is fun to go pumpkin picking
No pumpkin's shape is alike.

By: Matthew B.,Amanda R,Daniel R., Katelyn R



Pumpkin, Pumpkin in the air,
Pumpkin, Pumpkin in my hair.
Aurialle




Pumpkins are spooky when you carve them. Put them
Under your bed until Halloween night
My pumpkin looks so scary! We like
Pumpkins
Kick a pumpkin and make a mess
It's better to pick pumpkins and decorate them with
Noses that are BIG!

By: Ashley A., John D., Craig N., Aidan P.,Dana T.

After adequately lapping up every last morsel of Frito Pie, Sugar Bear set her sights on the Pumpkin Ferris Wheel. Last year, I had not allowed her to participate in this attraction, as adults are not allowed. This year, I cautiously stepped out of my comfort zone, and watched my girl find her wings.






Ten pumpkins sitting on the fence,
Five fell down and when kaplence!
Jessica





Pumpkin, Wumpkin, Bumpkin,
I have a pumpkin.
I saw a pumpkin that bumped a log.
I saw a pumpkin and so did the dog.
It was a silly old pumpkin.

By, Stephanie



I found two pumpkins in a pumpkin patch
And guess what, they both match!
Tatiana

Grandma got the overly coveted honor of riding the train with the Sugar. It was interesting to watch, and realize that in their own little ways they were indulging each other. I'm quite certain, each thought they were giving the other a special treat.



The pumpkin rolled down a hill.
"Oh my!" he said, "What a thrill!"
It rolled too fast,
And then it crashed.
Then it got ill.

By, Garrett





I can’t lie.
I can’t make a pumpkin pie!
Brittnee



(This is a little girl after my own heart)
I like pumpkin pie.
It tastes like pumpkin.
Pumpkin pie is good.
I like pumpkin pie.
Jessica



And this last poem....might be my favorite. These kids are just toooooo cute.

There once was a lady who swallowed a pumpkin seed.
A few days later her tummy grew bigger and bigger 'til she couldn't
see.
She went to the doctor, the doctor said,
"I do not know what is wrong with you."
The lady went home to wonder why.
The pumpkin came out
And she had pumpkin pie.

By Cassandra



Good Food, twirling pumpkins, and a fabulous train ride with Grandma....what more could a Sugar Bear ask for? You'll just have to come back in a few days to find out!

Blissful Framing

You might have noticed that I tend to frame the photos I put on my blog. If you at all interested in the how and why behind it, come on over to Blissfully Domestic, and read my most recent contribution. Soon I'll be sharing my method for making a watermark, and saving for the Web.

Photostory Friday~ The Growth of a Pumpkin

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Struggling to come up with a suitable Photostory this week, since I am short on time. I have taken a TON of photos, but have edited nearly none. What's a girl to do? Go back in her photo files....THAT'S WHAT!!!!

I'd like to share a few of my favorite photos of Halloween Season's past. The first features a nearly 10 month old Sugar Bear naked in a freshly carved pumpkin. I have to say that this is quite possible one of my most favorite photo shoots I have ever done. While I wish I had a better camera at the time, I think I did quite well for knowing absolutly NOTHING about photography. Sugar Bear was quite the sport if you ask me. Look at her....all happy....trapped in a pumpkin. AWWWWWWW.....you have to admit....you want to pinch those cheeks, huh?



This second shot features a 21 month old Sugar having a blast in our 2006 fall photo shoot. Sigh....she still has those delightful cheeks, and her joy melts my heart.



This last photo, was taken last fall at the pumpkin patch. Sadly, I did not manage a fall photo shoot last year due to some pretty gloomy weather, and a less than cooperative Sugar Bear. I love this photo for entirely different reasons than the other two. Unlike the others, she isn't exuding happiness. In fact she looks quite glum. I cherish this photo none the less, as it brings back such wonderful memories of a fabulously fun family day. It was our first time at this pumpkin patch, and following the Sugar around discovering all it had to offer was a blessing for this mama.

Come back next week to see Sugar Bear Fall 2008. Have a great weekend!

Home....Where I Make a Difference

Tonight I returned from a two and a half day conference. I'm not sure what I missed more.....the INTERNET, or THE SUGAR????? Okay, so anyone who knows me, knows that answer. By a landslide, I missed Sugar Bear, but I am not afraid to admit that I suffered a small case of the shakes this morning realizing it had been over 55 hours since I read a blog. As I type this....I'm deathly afraid to see how many blog posts are in my reader. TERRIFIED!





After a nice evening reuniting with my child, relishing in our night routines, and rubbing her back a tad bit longer, intentionally lingering to make up for lost time, I went about the overwhelming task of checking my email. Among the random SPAM, silly forwards, and a few friendly, yet business related emails, sat an unexpected email that literally MADE MY DAY.





You see, to attend this particular conference, I had to break one of my parenting rules. My Sugar Bear only stays overnight at her Grandparent's house, or her Aunt and Uncle's. This is something I feel very strongly about, and will soon be sharing my reasons in another blog post. Anyhow, both overnight options were completely unavailable for this week, and it was quite necessary that I attend this conference. After much deliberation, I asked a dear friend, Miss D, if she would keep my Sugar for two nights. She gladly accommodated me, and worked to ease my reluctance to break my own rule. Sugar Bear, Miss D, and her significant other, had a lovely time getting to know each other even better. Sugar has often stayed with them for several hours during the day, but an overnight visit gave them a chance to see each other in a different way. Tonight's email was from my friend, and she blessed my heart by describing the Sugar Bear she observed. Hearing these things from someone outside our family truly, honestly touched my heart. I'd like to share her thoughts here:

She is independent and likes to make her own choices. She loves hot chocolate! She can go to the bathroom, brush her teeth, and dress herself (almost!) by herself. She can count, recognize words, say her alphabet, and is beyond her years in academic skills. She loves conversations! (I think she would have sat at the dinner table all night!)





She understands the world beyond her years! She knows she is loved! She sleeps on her tummy. She still likes to nurse before bed. (She gave me a look at bedtime, and I said sorry, mine don't work anymore!)

She knows how to pack her own suitcase, and she remembers everything that went in it! She knows we really like having her visit! She learned how to control the dog! She loves Yoplait whipped orange yogurt! And fresh pears, watermelon, apples; and lots of Parmesan cheese on her spaghetti!





She is very smart! She is very beautiful! She is very grounded and self-confident! She is very perceptive and empathetic! She is very social and understands negotiations and peer play. She has a great sense of humor!

And I say, "Indeed she does...indeed she does!" It's good to be home.....HOME....where I'm making a difference....where everything I do matters. LIFE IS GOOD!