Candy Project 2011...Hershey's Bar

Candy Project 2011...Junior Mints

Lauren and Emma had some $$$$....

...just burning away in their pockets!! One of their presents for Christmas was a gift card to U-Village from their grandparents . They absolutely love that they can walk around with me and choose what to buy "all by themselves". I actually love it too because every time they ask for something I say, "sure, use your gift card." LOL! This usually makes them really "think" about whether they reeeeaaaaallllly need that item or not and usually they put it back on the shelf!  Well last night Lauren saw a pair of shoes that she fell in love with at the Gap.  I mean, she loved them.  She said right away that THIS is what she was buying with her money.  Emma on the other hand wanted to save her money, but still thought I should buy her a pair of sunglasses she wanted.  After a lot of NO's..she broke down and bought them herself.  Hee Hee.  We had fun though.  We walked around and got some goodies for Maui.  The girls got some new swimsuits and flip flops.  They both bought another Ugly Doll and some more Japanese erasers.  I guess you can never have enough of those!! Then after shopping we went to Boom for dinner.  We called Bart to join us and he slid into his seat right as his plate was served....

nice timing!!

Candy Project 2011...Swedish Fish

Candy Project 2011...Conversation Hearts

Candy Project 2011...Milk Duds

Candy Project 2011...Starburst

Oompa Loompa Doompadee Doo.....

I've got a perfect puzzle for you!!

Last week Emma auditioned for her school play.  I know you are thinking, a school play, big deal!  But this is not your AVERAGE school play!  I was amazed the first year she did the play in third grade.  This was a very organized and well thought out production.  The kids rehearse tiresly for months 3 times a week for 2-3 hours a night. The performance is held for two nights at Nathan Hale's auditorium and sells out every year.  It is so professional it would put high school plays to shame! It is a really BIG DEAL!!  Her school has a different production every year and this year it is "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"! For the past two years she has not had any speaking lines, but did have big singing parts.  In third grade she was a Nymph in "Jason and the Argonauts".  Last year she was a Willow, a singing tree in "Walk Around Sherwood Forest" and this year she is Veruca Salt in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory".  She decided to audition for  a speaking part this year and got it!!  She said when they went to call backs she felt so sick to her stomach due to nerves and then after they announced she got the part..she still felt sick to her stomach with happiness!  Holy emotions!!  She also has a singing part with her "mom" in the play. We are so proud of her!!  She will do great!!

Here are some shots of her from last years play when she was Willow the singing tree!  I never even posted these!  Oh-vey!

Oh yeah...she was also in one of Nordstrom's email promos!  She did this shoot a few months ago and it came out this January!!  Go Emma!!

So much excitement that quickly turned to tears...

Lauren had an appointment to go in today to start her orthodontic journey! Funny...because Emma was just in last week to have her bottom retainer removed and is pretty much done with orthodontic care. For her we just wait to see if her teeth stay where they are and for the one tooth left to erupt and fall into place. Best case scenario it would come down and fit in perfectly with the others and no need for a second set of braces. Worst case...a second set in a few years that will not be covered under insurance..because you are only eligible for one pair..holy $3200 more dollars!! Anyways..so Lauren went in today to get her expander.  It was kind of like the changing of the guard!  LOL.  She was so excited to start this process...to be a big girl like Emma...to be closer to getting her braces, the braces that she has been dying to get since the day Emma had those shiny little wires all glued to her teeth!!  Today was her day...her day to be in the seat, her day to collect the tokens at the end, her day to get all the goodies and miss school!  She did great, she hopped in the chair, held her mouth open proudly and didn't even flinch when they added the brackets and the expander.  She gathered her silly bandz and other treats as we headed out the door and was all smiles....UNTIL...we got to the elevator.  Then she busted out into tears...she was so sad.  See, what she didn't realize was that it made her talk funny.  She was mortified. She was not going back to school, kids will make fun of her.  She was never going to be able to eat again...the drama!!  So after calming her down..I told her she would talk normally soon...she just needed her tongue to get used to it!  She felt a little better and then when I suggested we head to U Village and get a milkshake, she perked back up! So we headed to U Village and decided to shop for a new Ugly Doll at Fireworks, have a milkshake and lunch at Johnny Rockets, play in the kiddie area for Anna and then head back to school! All was good again!

Man..and I thought Emma was the "drama queen"!!!!  

Speaking of Emma and drama...a little of that in the next post.  She auditioned for the school play last week and the results are in!!

 She found the perfect doll but was intrigued by these very cool lunch boxes that look like purses! 

 Sipping on a very yummy milkshake!! 

Her and Anna being silly with their ugly Doll and Elmo!!

OK...Anna has started that cheesy grin when I pull my camera out!!

That's better!! :)

Loving on "Lolo"!!  Elmo is her LoLo...Lauren is her LaLa!!

Just for fun...

Anna helping me with the laundry!!!

She is such a good little helper! I didn't really make her do the laundry..I just set her there because I had a shot of Cash doing this too from when I watched him! :)

Candy Project 2011...Skittles

Candy Project 2011...Salt Water Taffy

Candy Project 2011...Laffy Taffy

Candy Project 2011...Red Hots

Candy Project 2011...Lemon Heads

My Personal Photography Challenge...

I have been trying to decide for the past few weeks what kind of personal photography challenge I wanted to do this year.  Do I do the 365 like everyone else?  That is when you take a picture everyday for the entire year.  Well, I kind of did that when I did my picture a day for a month...and it was hard!!!  So then I could do the 52 week challenge, a picture a week.  I also did that last year and quit after week 20 something.  I had tons of pictures I could have posted, but once I had to do it, it became a burden.  So then I was thinking all macro shots...nope, still not doing it for me!!  Well, I finally thought of a challenge.  One I think I am going to love.  My challenge is going to be to take a picture of as many different kinds of candy possible.  So with this challenge I can be creative, I can use different kinds of processing, I don't have to post daily and I can quit when I am bored!!  Win, win, win situation!!!  So.......for my first shot..it is just of some candy to start it off...and I had two shots.  So check back if you are interested in seeing all my candy shots!!  SWEET!!

My New Years Resolution...

Well....I usually do not make these because I never end up doing them.  This year I had a few things I for sure wanted to accomplish.  Here is the great thing...I have already marked two of them off my list!!  Hooray!

My first one was to learn how to use my knifty knitter.  I have had this thing sitting in a drawer for a year.  A whole year.  So this year I told myself I was going to sit down and knit a hat.  Well, on January 1st I did just that.  Except,  I knitted a blanket.  A small blanket, real small...but I at least finished it.  I knitted it to go in a trench bowl I use for newborn shoots.   It was so easy..I have no idea why I put it off for so long!!  So #1 resolution crossed off my list! Than I had resolution #2.  To start a personal photography challenge.  Something fun, something different than what I usually shoot and something that hopefully, will not be a burden.  Well last night I decided on my challenge and I will be posting that in the next thread..so stay tuned!  Another resolution crossed off the list.  So that leads me to resolution #3.  This resolution is more for the whole year...so I will cross that off in December!!  Hope you all reach your goals this year too!!

2011 Resolution List

1.  Learn how to knit with the knifty knitter.

2. Start a personal photography challenge.

3.  See below....

Brrrrr...it is cold!!

It has been so cold this winter.  Bone chilling cold.  In fact, I am happy when it rains because that means it is a little warmer outside!! Here is a shot from the last snow.  I never got around to uploading it to the blog..so I decided to today.  they say it is supposed to snow again this weekend.  Oh man...how ling until summer?  At least we will be in the sun soon.  We leave for Hawaii next month!!

Holy Macro!!!

Playing around with my macro today.  Such a dark and dreary day today.  I will have to do it again on a brighter day as my ISO had to be pumped up to 6400 on some of these.  Yikes!!  Can you guess what they are?? I added the answers at the bottom! :)

 

Whisk, whisk again, gear on a can opener, straw, loufa sponge, bath tub handle, tooth brush, tape dispenser, Ritz cracker, bottle cap, mandarin orange, paper towel. :)