Self-Portrait

As someone who is behind the camera a lot, today I decided to take some photos of myself.

I feel comfortable when I am in control of the shutter.

I can take as many shots as I want and don't feel one bit uncomfortable in my own skin when it is my hand holding the camera.
I can smile, I can suck in my cheeks to make it appear like I have cheek bones, I can close my eyes, I can leave out certain "flaws" that I don't want you to see.

In these two photos I am highlighting 2 features of my face that I like...lips with lots of gloss, and an eye that is full of non-mommy make-up which displays beautiful colors of green and brown.

What would you hightlight in your self portrait??

Celebrating "Number Two"

On Friday we went to Toys R Us and Addison picked out the potty he wanted...a toilet of his very own! It plays music as soon as the pee touches it and each time we "listen for the music."
I had been stock-piling little boy undies for a few months now anticipating this event. So, as soon we got home from the store, new potty in hand, Addison decided that he was going to put his undies on and go pee on the potty.
And today...today we celebrate Addison doing "number two" on the potty. He commented "that's gross Mom" but was pretty darn excited to get a sucker as a reward. He has his favorite underwear...the "Mr. Incredible" and "Dash" undies are first requested and today we was thanking me for his "Mater" underwear. We are pretty excited (OK not that excited to go through the process) but looking forward to this step he is into as a toddler. When someone asks Addison how old he is, he says "I am 2, be 3 in March." What a sweetheart!

Lady Liberty

Many have asked about the New York photos...I seriously have not even looked at them since we arrived home. The birth of my niece was so much more special to me...the photos and New York experience sort of took a back seat. So, today I looked through all the 700 photos we took in New York. There are so many photos, so many things I want to tell you about, so I decided to do one thing at a time.

One our third day in New York we took a water taxi over to see the Statue of Liberty. This was one of the major things I wanted to do while in NYC. I really wanted to take a ferry and go to the island it is on and walk around to get as up close and personal as they would let us (security to go out there is similar to the airport after 9/11) but the day we chose to go out there was one of the windiest and coolest days of our vacation. As you can see, I even bought a hat...more to contain my hair and keep my ears from falling off then for the style that is for sure!! Anyways, I could barely keep my eyes open because of the wind (notice the flag straight out?), hence I needed a photo to prove that was me in front of the Statue of Liberty. One first perception was that I thought she would be larger then she appeared from the water taxi. Maybe one needed to go to the pedestal of the statue to get the full effect...I think that is my one regret about the trip is that we didn't go as close as we could have to see one of the world's most famous statues. I also found out many interesting facts and history involved with Lady Liberty that I did not know before which I enjoyed. It makes it worth it to learn a little history when you are in the presence of it, you know what I mean? Anyways, here is one blog of photos...many more to come :)

Tiny Feet

Could my little niece be any more precious? I have a feeling this girl is going to have a lot of photos taken of her...can't wait til our next little visit :)

Snow Much Fun!

Today was a beautiful winter day! I love it when the sun is out...makes the white of the snow look so radiant! After Aidan got home from school today we took a little walk to a nearby park and took the sled on a few runs...some of us sitting...the two older boys standing! Guess who did the standing first? Yup, you guessed it..my oldest boy Wes! Second time down he decided to take the little jump that was on the bottom of the hill and wiped out...gave me a good laugh but with his aging body he will probably be sore or have some sort of bruising tomorrow...haha!! It was so much fun to spend an hour doing something outdoors with my family...I love these times so much! I love capturing the "fun" with my camera too!

New Blessing

I was woken very early Sunday morning to the phone ringing and my sister telling me she was having the baby. The baby the doctor had been telling her could be born "anytime now" since before Christmas. Well baby was due January 9...and here she came on January 11. I am so thankful that she waited for me to be home from New York so I could be around for her birth. Well, I actually didn't make it to Edm for her birth (and Amanda ended up having a C-Section) but I met her a few hours after she was born and was able to spend most of the day with my sister, husband and new little niece hanging out in her hosptial room. What a blessing...so many blessings that so many people take for granted...even just being able to have your baby in your hospital room after the birth...that amazed me...I have never had that...the boys were all taken away and stayed in the NICU for weeks before they could come home. I had no idea what that could be like. I am thankful I was able to experience that. I even got to change a meconium filled diaper (never done that before) and dress her up a little (at my sisters request of course!)

Oh ya...here is the goods: Name: Shaelyn Brinaye (they used my suggestion of Brinaye for a middle name so I feel special being involved in that) Date of Birth: January 11, 2009 Time of Birth: 7:04am Weight: 7 lbs. 7 oz. Length: 19 inches

New Years Hockey

Wes and I spent New Years Eve at an Oilers vs. Flames game at the Saddledome in Calgary. I was planning on getting Wes tickets to this game for Christmas, spending much too much money on something I know he would love. Then we decided to go to New York and said we wouldn't buy each other Christmas presents this year and use our trip as our present. So, I didn't get the tickets. Then on Monday Wes found some decent seats on E-Bay for face value so we bought them, and thanks to my parents for keeping the little guys over night we were able to have a New Years Eve date. It was so much fun! I was, of course, outnumbered by only a few thousand, as an Oilers fan in the "C of Red" but I was ok with that...I didn't get ice thrown at me or anything...bonus! Oilers were the first to score and held the lead until sometime in the second period, then the Flames dominated and the end score was 6-4. I am so proud to report there was not one fight during the entire game...now that is the hockey I like!!! One thing I am not so proud of is getting into a bit of trouble...well it was my cameras fault actually. All it wanted to do was take photos...and a security lady asked me once to put it away as she said my camera was considered "professional" because of the size of lens...come on, I could barely see their faces I said. Well I tried to be sneaky and she came over to me again and said I would have to "put it away or they would take it away." Wasn't that usually me saying to my kids?? So yes, I listened to the lady, who was only doing her job and put it away until the end of the game. Then the Saddledome put on a little fireworks display over the ice and we drove home and had our New Years smoochy poochy while we were on the highway. What a great date with the guy I loooove!