Strawberry Love
Posted on | March 8, 2010 | No Comments
This is for Karen, who has the same exact bowl as I do but has prettier strawberries. That, and more light.
Nature Center Hike
Posted on | March 7, 2010 | No Comments
In spite of how grey and windy it was this past Friday, the boys wanted to get outside and so did mom. Enough paperwork! Time to go out and see stuff.
And play with the telephoto. Sometimes saying “thank you” for a gift means going out and having fun with it.
So off we went to the Nature Center so we could take a look at the animals and then go for a little hike. The boys wanted to go off on the hike right away, but I have a hard time passing up the animals so we spent a little time there.
This is just one reason why:
Grey fox. Isn’t it cute? This is a barn owl, one of my favorite birds just because of how it looks:
After the animals we went on the actual hike. We saw many signs that spring is on it’s way to Austin, like this:
If you click on the photo you’ll see where the camera found a bee and a butterfly. Happy accident!
Enough of taking pictures. We need to go up there!
Boys are fast!
At the overlook, we were rewarded with views of the Capitol building. This really got J excited. He really loves visiting “the city” and enjoyed seeing it from this perspective.
The rest of “the city” seen from our vantage point. The tallest building is the Austonian, a condo complex. It’s evidence of how rapidly the Austin skyline is changing since it was just beginning to form when we moved here.
Of course, the cranes show how much change is still happening.
While at the overlook, the boys found this tag:
We saw it at several points along the trail.
Keeping Austin weird? I suppose. I guess I should be happy it’s a non-obtrusive green. This one was much, much less obtrusive. Modern day petroglyph?
After we got back down, the boys went hunting for rocks to skip on the water. Catching skipping rocks on water is hard! Boys are easier.
We had a great time enjoying the outdoors. The nice thing was that by the end of our walk, we were tired and didn’t notice how grey and cold the wind was.
Lots more in the way of photos over here at Flickr.
Magnets and Water and Compasses, Oh My!
Posted on | March 7, 2010 | No Comments
I should have blogged about this much earlier.
At the beginning of the week, the boys worked on making their own compasses using dressmakers’ pins, magnets, pieces of foamie stickers and bowls of water.
They learned how to make a magnet by taking the pins and rubbing them a another magnet a few times but rubbing in one direction only. Afterwards, test to see if it’s actually magnetized. If not, repeat, but make sure your strokes go in one direction only.
Then you attach it to a piece of foam. You can tape it on since that’s much easier than trying to pierce the piece of foam.
Put it in a bowl of water…
…and wait for it to stop moving.
The head of the pin points north!
Sometimes you can fool someone (*cough*mom*cough*) by putting a strong magnet on the outside of the bowl and making it spin in a different direction!
Psa 135:5-7 For I know that the LORD [is] great, And our Lord [is] above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.
I <3 These Boys
Posted on | March 3, 2010 | No Comments
“Why do you have the heart thing in that?” “I just want the practice, my baby.” (The thought of how fast you are growing up sometimes makes me heartsick)
“Take my picture too! Oh wait, I want to ride my bike. Don’t take too long!” “Just stand still and it will go very fast.” (Not as fast as you outgrow your clothes)
Soccer Game + What Is Up With Us
Posted on | March 3, 2010 | No Comments
God is good!
NM’s soccer team had their second game of the season this past weekend. Now, to be honest, I have no idea what the final score was, whether 3-1 or 2-1 (I think it was the latter). They were disappointed to say the least. BUT I was beside myself. NM played goalie in the 2nd half again and he did such an awesome job. Sure, one got through but when you realize how many he stopped (he stopped!), you have to realize he can really do the goalie thing. I mean, wow. Wow!
God is great (and don’t you feel spoiled sometimes? I do)!
Apparently this camera stuff is serious to my husband. The tax return was favorable and it was used to fund a lens. Wow. Feeling a little overwhelmed.
A telephoto with a decent reach means it’s harder for this one to run from the camera:
And the one who loves the camera doesn’t have to run up to it for us to get a decent shot:
Both photos are my hubby’s by the way. I was really disappointed in my shots compared to his but I was trying to work with manual when his sports setting was clearly superior! So I will pass on sharing the ones I took. Hehe.
+ + +
From the Editor:
(now doesn’t that sound so official?)
I forgot to mention my Dilemma of the Day. It must be noted that dilemmas happen all the time but Dilemmas are the sort you hope to have to deal with only now and then.
Voting should have been short and very sweet today. Get in, show your ID, get your special number, click, click, click, cast your ballot. Voila! Perry is running for governor on the Republican ticke.
Should.
Thing is, our precinct was manned by very competent and cautious people. This is a very good thing, America, no matter how much I whine about which of my feathers they ruffled.
Apparently, their records do not match the information on my driver’s license. Whoever entered in the form I submitted when I registered to vote put down my name as my maiden name. It is fancy and most eye-catching and really doesn’t match me at all. So tiny bells go off somewhere. And I look over at my license and realize that the address on it is wrong!
I wonder if the nice folks next door have received jury summons meant for me.
As far as the great republic State of Texas Department of Public Safety is concerned, I am the girl next door.
According to the Registrar of Voters, I am single.
And am I ever so glad they’re wrong!
Fortunately, the judge at the precinct provided me with a form to mail in to correct my name. But I do have to pay to get a new, corrected driver’s license.
Our Namesakes
Posted on | March 3, 2010 | No Comments
So friends from church share our name, hence the title.
Last Thursday, we took our kids—those available—and headed to a park so I could get practice taking photos of other people’s kids.
Was I nervous? Yes.
Was I uncomfortable? You betcha.
Should I have been? Not at all.
Wheee!
It was fun taking photos of them the way I do of my kids. But the romance of the camera isn’t that strong with mine anymore considering they see it all the time.
These kids were so sweet! They loved getting their pictures taken and all of the kids were having fun playing together so we took our time.
I love her smile in this one:
And his in this one:
I have to share my favorite photo from that afternoon, though:
If I were a little more technically competent I would have had more photos. If, if, if…but it’s ok…slowly working towards that direction, I suppose but enjoying the path there in the mean time.
Quick S’mores
Posted on | February 24, 2010 | 6 Comments
This is a recipe by my oldest. I am making sure we get it in writing so he can refer back to it. He hopes to make more tomorrow and share them with friends at church. He made two batches today. For his first, he used milk chocolate and mint chocolate. The second had dark chocolate.
Tools
Silicone muffin pan with room for 6 muffins
Ingredients
In each muffin cup, put:
4 squares of chocolate per s’more from a chocolate bar
6 mini marshmallows
4 Teddy Grams, broken into bits
What to do
First, put 2 squares of chocolate in the bottom of each muffin cup.
Next, put 3 marshmallows on the chocolate.
Then, put 2 pieces of broken up Teddy Grams.
Then put 2 chocolate squares on top.
Next, put three marshmallows on top of the chocolate squares.
Heat up a convection oven to 350F. Put the muffin tray in the oven. Then you watch until the marshmallows get brown and puff up. They should look like little snowmen with two balls on top of each other. Then set it to 150F. Wait until the chocolate melts completely. Take it out and put two crumbled up Teddy Grams on top and press down into the chocolate. Wait for it to cool down. Stick it in the freezer for 9-10 minutes until solid.
Note from mom:
This are the marshmallows we used. NM wanted me to make sure that you knew they were mini marshmallows in the recipe. I’m sure it would make a huge difference if you accidentally used the regular ones! I had to share the packaging because it’s so cute. The brand is Elyon and they’re fine to eat on stage 1 of the Feingold diet. They’re very cute and unfortunately (?) for them, not so cute we won’t eat them.
Snow? Let it!
Posted on | February 23, 2010 | 1 Comment
Today was a snow day!
All about J’s snow day:
At first, it started snowing. Next thing, after that we went out back and out front and we did a snowball fight. I would say four snow ball fights but I don’t remember if it was more. After that we went on a scooter ride. Then we went out back and did a snowball fight. After the snowball fight we made a SUPER FORT! Now ice pellets are coming down! Ice pellets!
My favorite part was the scooter ride and the snowball fight.
All About NM’s snow day:
First, we had a snowball fight out back. Then, we had a snowball fight out front. Afterwards, we had a bigger snowball fight out back. I packed my fort with snow. I also went in the snow with my scooter.
We have seen big snow-ball like chunks, little snowflakes and ice pellets.
My favorite part was the snowball fight because I haven’t made a hard-packed snowball in such a long time!
More from mom:
In case you were wondering just how much we got:
And maybe this shows it, too:
Pretty, huge snowflakes:
This is Austin, Texas, y’all! Wow, huh? Sometimes God just likes to throw wonderful surprises* our way!
*Surprise: somewhat. I got one from Amazon today. The lensbaby got some optics, hence the effects on some of these shots. I think my husband intends to spoil me.
Sunday Walk
Posted on | February 22, 2010 | No Comments
The weather yesterday was so gorgeous it would have been a shame to spend it indoors with chores. Everything had been wet for a few days. Not raining, mind you, just a constant, heavy mist that saturated the ground and made for lots of pretty dew and made us rejoice in the sunshine and 70s temps.
So out we did go. After church we drove down Congress and parked in the SoCo district. I think my hubby is trying to give me more opportunities to get to take pictures. So I did:
And I’ve always wanted to wander in here. Costumes can be so much fun. Not the best picture but it’s hard to get all the detail in this facade.
Random splash of color:
Actually, around SoCo color is everywhere. My baby was so patient and let me take his picture:
I don’t remember the rest of the sign, but this made me think of the Golden Rule (active, not passive):
After our all-too-short walk, we headed home for lunch and the kids had a blast running laps in the back yard. Then they played with their scooters. Then they ran. Then scooters. They don’t hesitate to take advantage of good weather!
Our dear neighbors had walked Sprocket for us and hung out for a bit after they dropped her off. It was nice to have them visit (we don’t get enough of those!) and I took some snaps of their boys. This one’s Max and I love his fur because of the visual texture:
This little guy is TJ and he’s a rare white schnauzer with lots of schnauzer spunk:
Our day was very blessed and we had a great time. Am rethinking how we do school since we do so much “working for the weekend” that we are failing to see the blessings of the week. Prayers, please? Thanks.
Soccer Season Opener
Posted on | February 22, 2010 | No Comments
Wow, that took a while to happen. The rainy weather has been most welcome when it comes to filling our lakes and reservoirs around Austin, but those who are eager to get on the field for futbol have been a wee bit frustrated. Not only have games been canceled, but much-needed practice sessions, too.
Finally, we had a game on Saturday! For our first game, our boys played against last season’s undefeated team. Difficult? Yes, but both sides were re-learning their roles, old and new. Our coach was trying to gauge where each one on the team felt the most comfortable and was very glad to see that NM was very happy to play goalie in the second half of the game. He did a great job!
Family: action shots here! Lots of other boys in the photos so they can’t be “general public” images, sorry.
The boys weren’t able to make a goal, but they did keep the other team’s score to a minimum. And it was so much fun to watch NM enjoying himself. He also finally got to use his goalie gloves and shirt!
After the game, hubby treated us all to lunch at Mighty Fine. Have I mentioned we are so happy there’s a place in Austin where we can eat the fries? Real potatoes with the skin left on and crinkle-cut.
End of season lunch…mmm mmm good!
J wanted me to make sure to take his picture, too.
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