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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monday, September 29, 2008

Three Corners~ Reflections

I was completely and totally THRILLED when Lindy choice the theme of REFLECTIONS for the month of September. I love reflections, and I was excited to purposefully get out there and look for the reflections. LOOK I did.....SNAP I did not. Sigh....Have I mentioned that September is one of my busiest months of the year? My work launches into the next year, and the craziness begins. I am hardly home in the daylight hours during the week, and I seem to crash on the weekends. There has actually been as much as a WEEK between setting down my camera and picking it back up again. THAT is crazy for me.

So....as much as I'd like to say I took all these this month....I did not.

This first photo was taken in June. I wanted so badly to capture a reflection of a flower in a water droplet. I am not sure what my hang up was, but I found it exceedingly difficult. It seems like water droplets just don't hang around on the plants her. I actually had to create this droplet with my hose. I didn't get anything like I wanted, but this one sucks the least. tee hee

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The second photo I took in August. I am forever interesting in the fun reflections at the beach. This photo made me smile because I adore that there is a lovely reflection behind her AND a shadow in front of her.

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I did in fact take this last photo this month. I had a vision, and it didn't quite pan out because...well....I was working with a three year old, and things often do go as planned. If I find the time and energy, I will attempt this again. The idea behind this photo is, "A reflection of me!" Sugar Bear is the ultimate reflection of all that is the best of me.

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Next time, The camera will not be showing in the mirror.

Please take some time to venture over to Lindy, and Jeanette's blogs this week, to see their take on the theme.

Busy Busy Busy...

Are you missing me? I'm missing you, and all your blogs. This time of year it is exceedingly difficult for me to keep up with all the things I NEED, and WANT to do. I'm powering through it all, but nothing is really getting my full attention these days. I know I'm not alone in this, and that helps. Misery loves company, right. wink wink...

I am over at Blissfully Domestic today...well, it might have been yesterday, but what the heck...let's call it today. :) Come on over and see how I use photography to De-clutter. Check it out.

Have a great week!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Photo Hunters~View

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Last weekend, the Sugar went to her grandparents farm for a few days while the Mama stayed home to sew. For the first time, I sent her camera with her. I told her to take lots of photos so Mama can see everything she did. It was such a HOOT to download her photos, and have her tell me all about her adventures.
There really isn't anything better then seeing it all from your child's point of VIEW!

Following Papa out to the shed to see if the chickens have laid any eggs.

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A weather report.

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Ignoring a chicken's need for privacy.

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Taking a four wheeler ride with Papa, and looking back up the hill at their house. the closest building is their barn, the house is a tiny spot up on the hill in the center.

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A photo of Papa working on the deck. (yes, it looks like an accident waiting to happen to me as well....eeekkkk)

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The VIEW from the deck. (looks back down at the field they were in for the four wheeler ride.

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Deck progress.

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Making sure no one has stolen her pumpkin from the patch in grandma and papa's garden.

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Children of the corn...I mean...Sugar in the corn.

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Going home with Mama....the VIEW from her carseat.

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Her crazy chauffeur!

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Thanks for visiting my blog this week. I can't wait to go out and enjoy the VIEW! Have a great weekend.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Make a Wish (Part Three)


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek




Yesterday, I was unable to find the rest of my cake photos, so I left you all wondering. Funny thing is....I knew I had more pictures but they just weren't on my camera. I was beginning to get all annoyed when I remembered.....I didn't actually take more photos. This little honey did!


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Of Course.....the photos were on Sugar Bear's Camera, not mine. Duh!
Many of you have commented on how fun it was to see Sugar Bear cooking in her jammies. I guess she wanted you all to know that she comes by it naturally.

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Here she is....the birthday girl in all her glory. This is as real as it gets. One thing is for sure, Sugar Bear takes photos that tell no lie. It hides none of the things my "firty-four" years has done to me, but this smile on my face comes from a place that heard the sweetest little voice in the world telling her, "Happy Birthday, Mama!" no less than 473 times that day. I can't think of a better present, can you?

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"Make a wish, Mama!"

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There is no doubt in my mind I have everything I could ever want...

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...and thanks to my girl, I am HAVING my cake, and EATING it too.

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LIFE IS MOST DEFINITELY GOOD!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Cake is ON!!!! (Part Two)

A few days ago, I posted about Part One of our cake adventures. While our cake was baking, I ventured into making my first ever homemade frosting. NO.....I didn't do it to be all June Cleaverish....we simply didn't have any frosting on hand, and live at least 8 miles from the nearest store. With gas prices the way they are....I wasn't making a trip for something as silly as frosting, so I reached WAY back in my brain and remembered a cake recipe one of my friends found on a blog last year, and loved. As I recalled everyone raved about the frosting. The recipe can be found here. Now remember....I didn't make that cake, just the frosting.


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Being that I am a FREAK of nature I didn't have any white flour on hand, so between the wheat flour and the dark Vanilla the frosting turned out a nigh Carmel color. Very pretty....and tasty too.


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I did all the frosting, yet Sugar was in charge. That little honey stood on a chair next to me and directed my every move. I understood most of what she said between frosting encrusted lip smacking. (not sure how I didn't get a photo of that????)


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I was under strict orders to write Happy Birthday in ORANGE. She giggled with delight as I slowly spelled out each word. "It needs Red flowers, and blue dots, Mama! Hurry...but Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee careful!" I did the best I could, but cake decorator......I am NOT! Luckily....she is easily impressed. (I have no idea what flickr did to this photo to make it so awful, but I'm too tired to upload it again.)


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After thoughtfully choosing light blue candles to match the dark blue dots, Sugar Bear set to carefully placing them atop the cake.


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She happily declared, "three candles is JUST RIGHT!"


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After a quick little pose with our fabulous cake, and a few reminders to keep fingers out of the frosting on the cake......

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We were set to light the candles. That is always one of my favorite parts. Candles flickering above a tasty cake is just so inviting, don't you think?

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"Happy Birthday to you...........
Happy Birthday to you..........
Happy Birthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhdayyyyyyyyyyy dear...........WHO???????
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!!"

OH wait....where are those pictures....I know I've seen them somewhere. I'm sorry....I simply don't know what happened. Stay tuned! wink wink......




Monday, September 22, 2008

When You Run Out of Answers....

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Young children are notorious for asking "Why?" or "What's that?" Their little brains are thirsting for knowledge. It seems as though they just can't get enough, or be completely satisfied with our feeble attempts to explain the greater workings of the world. I don't know about you, but I find it really really hard to explain why I can't play the last song that just came on the radio over again, to a three year old.

Recently, I began to wonder if children ask questions, not so much for the answer, but for the attention. I find that Sugar seems to ask me MORE questions when I am busy doing something, or if we have had very little time together. Could her questions really be an invitation to spend more time together? Could she simply be asking me to slow down and converse with her? This really sparked my curiosity when a recent conversation went down like this:

Sugar: What is that boy's name, Mama? (pointing to a child in a catalog)

Mama: (Busy saving the world Blogging) I don't know, honey.

Sugar: Please just tell me, Mama!

Mama: Honey, I would tell you if I knew, but I don't.

Sugar: Mama, if you just think hard enough, you will know.

Mama: (laughing) I wish it were that simple, but Mama really just doesn't know.

Sugar: (looking up at me, and holding my face in her tiny hands) Just tell me, okay?

Given these new thoughts, I have made a conscience effort to stop what I am doing and give Sugar Bear some much needed attention when I find her asking the dreaded, "Why?", "What?", "Who?" or "How?" I make an effort to mentally and physically connect with her while I do one of the following things:

-try to actually answer her questions in the simplest, yet warm and engaging manner I can muster. "Honey, that song was on the radio. Mommy can't play that song again, because someone else is in charge of the radio, and they are playing the songs they want us to hear!" (lame I know! sigh) Then continue to answer the follow-up questions as best I can, knowing that it isn't the answer she wants, but my time.

-take the spirit of her question and just free flow into a conversation that doesn't really answer her question, but touches on the subject at hand. "OOOOO yeah, wouldn't that be fun to hear that song again? Mommy loves that song. It makes me feel like dancing! I love dancing, don't you? Remember how much fun we had dancing with K and L when they came to our house? Yeah.....that was a blast. Let's say we dance when we get home. I'll turn on some music, and we'll have a little dance party. You and me! How does that sound?" I continue to encourage a conversation about the subject, yet not answer the initial question.

-turn the question back on her with, "What do you think, Sugar?" and I give her as much time as she needs to tell me her thoughts on the subject. This is one of my favorite techniques. Children LOVE to be heard. They are creative, funny, and smart. I am forever blown away with Sugar's ideas. She may not know for sure "WHY" something is the way it is, but she sure as heck can spin a tale about it. It melts my heart to hear her sweet, innocent version of things.

It is painfully apparent that I don't know as much as I think I do, and I'm NOT talking about how the world works. All this time, my daughter hasn't been trying to drive me insane with the most difficult questions on earth, she has simply been asking, "Will you spend time with me?"

Believe it or not, when I use one of the three method's described above, 5-10 minutes invested, and she is satisfied, AND I am seeing LESS of the questions....yes, I did say LESS. One of the most heartbreaking phrases I hear from other parents is, "They are just doing it for ATTENTION!" Ummmm.....yeah, maybe they are, but it certainly doesn't mean the problem is THEM. If children are doing something to get attention, by all means give them the attention they deserve. Isn't it our job as parents to give our children what they NEED? It is my belief that children NEED and thrive on attention. They NEED physical closeness. They NEED to feel important, heard, and loved. They NEED to be put first, as least some of the time. They NEED us. All too often parents fear that if they give their child something they are begging for, the child will just learn to beg more. I believe that if the giving is done with care, the child will get what they need without begging, thus ending the need to beg.

It is my hope that along with Sugar Bear, the next time your child asks "Why?", maybe the answer will be "because YOU are important to me!"


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Sunday, September 21, 2008

A Reason To Celebrate (Part One)

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Recently, our day started with the words, "Well, are we at least having cake, mama?" After a short pause, I simply answered, "Only if you help me make it, baby!" With a smile and a giggle, we trotted off to the kitchen together.

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Sugar Bear is an excellent helper. She has been "mama's little helper" many many times, yet she had never had the privilege of helping make a cake, so this was SPECIAL! I'm pretty sure you can tell from the expression on her face. The joy radiated from her soul.

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The task quickly went from "special" to "EXHILARATING" when I allowed her to crack the eggs herself. She took this job VERY seriously.

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She took great care in cracking the egg, and carefully pulling the shells apart.

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She quickly learned that it isn't as easy as it looks...

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...but it certainly is FUN!

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Once the batter was thoroughly mixed, I allowed her to taste the batter. Yes....I did! I threw caution to the wind, and just prayed that Salmonella would not strike my Sugar Bear.

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It took me back to the days as a child when I would get the honor of licking the beaters. Sigh....good times!

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Sugar didn't say, but this might have been her favorite part of helping out. What do you think?

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Now we have to let it bake......oh the waiting....and the waiting....sigh....Did you know 3 year olds aren't too fond of waiting? Huh.....who knew?

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For a list of books I read from 9/14/09 until 9/14/10 go HERE!


For a list of books I read from 9/14/10 until 9/14/11 go HERE!


For a list of books I read from 9/14/11 until 9/14/12 go HERE!

Books starting 9/14/12


“Monsters of Men” by Patrick Ness

“Gregor and The Prophecy of Bane” by Suzanne Collins



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