Weigh-In week 4: rainy days

I passed the "make the salmon recipe" goal....sort of.  We had salmon earlier in the week for dinner, and it was soooo good!  However, I tweaked the recipe based on what ingredients we had on hand, and ended up with a completely different recipe.  I'll share the recipe when I have a few more minutes.  11 points per serving and worth every one.

I failed the exercise goal, but I'm blaming that on the rain and freezing whether.  Where is the sunshine??  Hopefully next week we'll have sunshine AND exercise.

We've been going a little crazy indoors, even with all of Sylvie's new birthday projects she got for her birthday.  Every minute outside is so appreciated. 

Stella got her first real time out, and it actually worked.  For the first time ever, she actually does something when I asked her to clean up now.  The toys don't always end up where they're supposed to, but we're moving forward. 

 

Sylvie and her best little friend got a warning at school for not cleaning up when they were first asked. Her consequence at home was 2 days with no fancy headbands. I love that discipline issues can be solved with time outs and headbands right now. That probably won't work 10 years from now. I'm going to need some new tricks.

I try to let them burn off a little energy outside so our indoor time will be just a little more quiet, but it never works.  I think it is a rule, when there are three kids, someone is always screaming. 

Oh well.  Quiet is overrated.

Week 4: 2 pounds; total: 10.5 pounds

Lots of love, 

Keri

I am a photographer

I am a photographer because.....I have a camera.  Actually, I have one nice camera and one really great camera that we owe Chrissy money for.....but that's another story.  I am on a mission to be a photographer because I know what the heck I am doing with the camera, other than just leaving it on an auto setting and hoping for the best.

I recently read this tutorial, and LOVED it.  Really, really loved it and learned a lot.  I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to take better pictures.  Even if you know a lot, I would guess you'll learn something new - everything is explained REALLY well.

http://my3boybarians.com/31-days-series

I also really like some of the posts here:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/category/basic-photography/

 All of these photos were taken after I read that and was determined not to use an automatic setting.  I went with Aperture priority.

Picture below is "no nap Stella".  A close relative to "pre-coffee Mommy."  :)

I think the 3 most important things I learned were that (1) real photographers apparently NEVER use the built-in flash on the camera.  Who knew?  [No flash on these pics, and my lighting was not great, or even good, really]

(2) Using the user-controlled settings really can get you better pictures if you know what you're doing.  These pics prove it to me.  The auto versions were far less impressive in my opinion.

and finally, (3) there's lots of stuff to be learned when you actually read the manual and test the functions out as you read.  I learned how to move the focus spot around, so it isn't always in the center.  I had a lot of fun with that in these pics. 

Let me know if you have other recommended sites and let me know what pics are your favorites....the ones from this experiment are all here:  https://picasaweb.google.com/TexFamily/PracticingPortraits#

For now, I will just keep practicing.  I have willing models...most of the time.

Lots of love, 

Keri

Sylvia is almost 5!!

Our Sylvie is 4!  She has been counting down to the day she turns 5 and can "ride the bus to kindergarten" since she could talk.  I'm pretty sure she didn't even know what kindergarten was when she started saying that.  She may not have known what a bus was.  Stella thinks every big truck that goes down the street is a bus, including the trash truck.  Now Sylvia is 4, which in her logic, makes her almost 5.  She's already planning the party she'll have.  Ahhh!!! 

I am so proud of her.  She has always been incredibly smart.  I am totally biased, but she just turned 4 and can do math and read simple books.  Come on now!  More than that though, her compassion for others has always amazed me.  Toddlers are supposed to be totally self absorbed and oblivious of the rest of the world, and she sometimes is, but other times she is incredibly concerned about others and very thoughtful, especially towards her little sister and brother.  Sylvia interprets Stella's language and finds the toy she is asking for or the drink she wants.  Even when Stella was a baby and Sylvia was 2, Sylv would ask me to hold Stella if she were crying, never jealous that a new baby was getting attention.  When Jeremy cries, she comes running to hold his hand, because "he likes that".  Stella and Jeremy both have a sweet second little Mommy in Sylvia.

Sylvia has taught us all so much.  She taught me that if you put ice cubes in a glass of water, boring water becomes really fun to drink.  She taught me never to pass on any aversion you might have had towards food to a little one; they might surprise you.  They might love brussel sprouts and despise marshmellows (where did this kid come from?!).  And she taught me how amazing it is to love a sweet little baby and watch them grow and learn new things every day as they become a talented and caring grown-up four year old.

 Thank you SO much to everyone who sent birthday wishes and birthday gifts and helped us celebrate her special day.  (Real thank you notes are in the works, I swear, but in the meantime...thank you!)  Most of all, thank you to everyone who is a part of our kids' lives.  They are so cherished and are becoming amazing little people because of it.  It takes a village, and we have a great one.

Lots of love, 

Keri