That's What It's All About

Pioneer woman has some AWESOME pictures of bokah if you want to go check them out.

But

since i have serious competitive issues, that according to my husband [The Machine], could be worked out if I'd race (like him), i'm going to post what i submitted to her since she obviously hasn't seen my fabulous pictures yet i'm still learning how to use my new camera.

And

(grit grit) it's not whether you win or lose, it's about how much fun you have learning how to play, right? (grit grit).

I just made that up, btw.

no. I don't feel better.

But here are my pics.











Hey, it's all about the bokeh, or the "fuzzy tree" as hubby says.

For more beautiful pictures taken by people who know better than me what they're doing, go visit Pioneer Woman photography. The pictures are breathtaking.

I Heart Faces: Hilarious Outtakes

This was a tough assignment because most of my outtakes are deleted right away. I did scrounge around for a few.

Almost all of my outtakes involve my daughter Bibi in one form or another. In fact, it's almost impossible to take a picture of her looking at the camera + smiling.

Here are a few that somehow were not deleted. Maybe, just maybe, they cracked me up in one way or another with Bibi's special brand of drama.

I'm ready for my close-up.

My fingers are so much more interesting than looking at mom.

Fingers again.

That child can cross her eyes like no one else I know.

This is so typical. This pic is a few years old, but typical of any posed shots I try to do of Bibi. She absolutely has had enough.

Christmas and a new, and a new, and a new...

The short version: we got some new toys for christmas. Although I consider myself the "Chuck" version of a Navigation System, (have i mentioned my freakish love of maps?), I bought Hubby a Garmin anyway. He wanted a navigation system that wouldn't yell at him because she was too busy looking at flowers to remember to tell him when to turn. Besides, now I get to stare at a digital map for the entire length of the trip. It's cool.

Hubby bought me a new camera. I'm so excited, I'm so excited!!!

I was so excited, I couldn't concentrate on reading mundane things like the manual. It took me 3 hours to figure out how to take a picture. Wow! I have a lot to learn. Anyhoo, now i can capture all of Bibi's moods.

Bibi on Christmas Day



Okay, so this wasn't actually taken on christmas day, but this is the only real smile i have from this goober.



No, Bibi, we are not going to open this yet.



Look Mom, look at my present, Mom, look; look Mom!



No, my present, don't look.



Uncles are good for joking around, especially Great-Uncles.



You want a knuckle sandwich?!



Getting grumpy.



Grumpier.



And, yeah. It's time to shut out the world.



I feel like that too at times.

It's A Snow Day!

I know, i know. My last post had beautiful fall scenes. And now this. But really, that's how fast life seems to be going these days. One minute we're walking outside in moderate temperatures enjoying the fall scenery and the next minute I wake up to a snowy world. Where did all of the in between time go?

Bibi

December is extra busy for the music teacher because of the dreaded anticipated School Winter Music Program. This year seemed to have more than its usual share of stresses, but the kids did a great job and sounded good too. I'm proud of them and of Student Teacher who was directing a few pieces also.

We are scheduled to teach this week, but so far are stranded at home. That is, I'm stranded at home. Other people, I think, have been out shopping. They go where I fear to tread. Our neighbors got their Subaru stuck at the bottom of our hill. That's all i need, to end up in a ditch. It's okay though. The girls and I have baked and decorated cookies, played outside, and played games inside. It's been a fabulous long weekend.

Some pics of my snow angels:

Emmy

Sisters in the Snow

Bibi and Her Stick

She's telling me about Her Stick

Our House

Bibi

The Girls and Some Snowy Scenery

Emmy, Snowy Girl

Fall, Stall Here at Our House

Ha, ha, it's a little pun. And, it's a rather ironic statement. Really, if i wanted company, why did i move so far out into the country? Garmin doesn't even know where we are. I'm such a freakin' hermit crab.

It has been a beautiful month here though. Usually Sept and Oct are the beautiful months, but this Nov was gorgeous. And warm. I love unexpected warm weather.

Today the sky is crystal clear, the sun is low in the sky casting a warm amber glow on everything. I am so glad i didn't cut the seed heads on my Pampas grass, or move them to their new home yet. I will probably be regretting this decision in the spring; they cannot stay in my front flowerbeds. They get too big and send out too many runners. Next Spring I'll move them closer to the edge of the yard where they'll have all the room they need. But for now they look so lovely in the warm sunlight swaying in the breeze, their fluffy tan seedheads blending in with the browns of the trees in the distance.

Imagine my surprise yesterday when it started snowing! Woah, wasn't ready for that one. But it was beautiful in it's unexpectedness and my girls bundled up and went outside to play. It didn't stick around for long, but it was lovely while it lasted.

We also spent some time at a nearby state park. We had a little campfire going, and Bibi's pants stretched out by the fire, drying, because Bibi has the knack of getting her pants wet in various ways. The park ranger drove by, stopped, got out and started walking towards us. We thought for sure we were in trouble, maybe we shouldn't have started that fire. But he just came by to say how pleased he was to see families getting out and enjoying the park. Phew.

Smores! Yum!

Bibi looks so content.

Emmy. I can't get her to not pose for the camera.

Bibi and her Stick. She finds sticks wherever we go.

I think Fall might be my favorite season of the year...

Scenes from Fall, 2009

And 1/2 month later I finally get my lazy arse in gear and throw another post up. and it's a picture post to boot. lame and easy, especially when i could talk about hubby's iron distance triathlon and how he rocks, but there it is.

The story? The girls and I went walking with some friends a few weeks ago and the leaves were beautiful. We had a fabulous time. Enjoy a last taste of fall!

Blood, Gore, and Pumpkin Guts!

Yesterday at work was zany. It was our annual halloween parade, and our first ever Pumpkin Drop. Earlier in the week was the auditions for our talent show (another first, my bright idea). In between, I sandwiched more university observers, yet another new student teacher (male this time) and "fun" halloween lessons (using all the "cool" instruments). The kids were nuts all week.

The talent show auditions went surprisingly well. We set it up "america's got talent" style. Art, music and pe combine classes and the three of us, + new (male) student teacher, were judges. The kids in the classes were the audience. We had a lot of fun. I took my meds and got along surprisingly well with everyone else. The actual talent show will be in a few weeks, no judging then, just all fun.

Yep, i'm back on my meds. My anxiety, combine with hormonal depression, and a new feature, paranoia, convinced me that i've got a real problem and should not EVER be out in public without meds. Ever. At least, I should be on meds until menopause hits, or my baby making sack is removed, whichever comes first.

Yesterday, it was impossible to concentrate on anything after the Pumpkin Drop in the morning. It was the Art teacher's idea. Each class brought in materials to package up their pumpkin, hoping to insulate it in the best way possible. We brought in a crane and our principal went up in the bucket, 80 ft into the air and dropped the boxes. (one of the pictures i took here.) PP totally moved up to the "YOU ROCK!" level in my book.

Even the newspaper was there. They got the kids' names wrong, but they were there.

I snapped a couple shots with my camera phone, hoping to post on facebook, but was too mesmerized to do much more than send a confusing pic to hubby. I did shoot a ton of pics with my regular camera (as did a number of us) and that is posted on our school's web page. I took video as well, check out a link here (it's just like being there!). The kids were wired. We were wired. The kids knew they had a halloween party later in the day. It was a great and zany day.

The only picture of me, and it's my shadow. I was slightly spastic at the time, all that blood and gore and pumpkin guts.

Still slightly spastic, trying to figure out how to work my camera phone. I gave up and took 100 pictures with my regular camera.
...which are on my work computer...sorry. Check out the link for more pumpkin guts.

Happy Halloween!