The one about editing

One thing I've learned about taking photos....editing is awesome.


See how everyone in this preschool picture is looking at the camera and smiling?

Well the reality of it is...

All but two heads were put in.

If I'm taking a group photo of kids, I will start on one kid and wait for the smile. . . ."Click."


Next face . . . wait for the smile . . . "Click". Etc.


Until I know I've got one smiling picture of each kid.



I love Faith Hill for putting up this photo about editing.



See the thinner arms, shiny skin, waist, under arm fat gone, hair and under eyes lightened, etc etc.
I was talking with my friend who I love soo much but she gets so discouraged reading blogs. People traveling, happy, living these beautiful exciting lives.

Comparing.

There's been times I have done the same thing. But then I remember-

There's always editing.

The one about Bailee's Baptism

Halle and bff/cousin Bailee

My sweet neice Bailee was recently baptized.

Isn't she beautiful?

And I have to be a little proud here cuz I made her dress :)

Well, technically Ora found the original dress online but it was HUGE on her and looked totally different. Mondo sleeves and a simply horrifying pioneerish collar, etc. But the fabric was perfect. . . So I took scissors to it and remade it the whole thing. I'm flattered that Ora trusted me to just start cutting - especailly without a pattern. It was scary! I sewed that entire little shrug by hand to get it just right. So happy with how it turned out. It fit her perfectly.

Don't ya love the hair peice that Ora made? So perfect.

CONGRATS BAILEE BOB ON YOUR SPECAIL DAY!!

SO PROUD OF YOU.

LOVE YOU LOTS!!

The one to drool over

Amazing-Home-Made-Giant Eclairs

1 c water

1/2 c butter

1 c flour

4 large eggs

1. Preheat 400

2. Heat water and butter to a boil in saucepan. Stir in flour, reduce heat to low. Stir briskly over low heat about 1 min or until mixture forms a ball, remove from heat.

3. Beat in eggs until smooth. Drop by apox 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Back 35-40 minutes or until puffed and gold. Cool about 30 mins. Cut off top third of each puff, pull out any strands of soft dough.

5. Fill puffs with Cream Filling (recipe below) and replace the tops.

6. I like to top with that shell hardening-toffee-chocolate sauce.

7. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Cream Filling

1/3 c sugar

2 T cornstarch

1/8 t salt

2 c milk

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 T butter

2 t vanilla

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir one minute, remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into bowl. Press plastic wrap on filling to prevent a tough layer from forming on top. Refrigerate at last 1 hour until cool.

The one with a distraction

Dawson and I are feeling a little under the weather this morning. So we're just chilling in our pj's & I'm shopping online for Christmas! (yay!)

I'm not getting much done though. I wonder why???

He's decided this morning that crawling is AMAZING. He could barely inch around yesterday... today he's on the move.

Watch out, everbody!

And this has nothing to do with anything, but as I was looking around on my laptop I found these old pics. I took preschool portraits of this little girl a few years ago...

Is it just me or does she look a lot like the girl "Lucy" in Narnia?

The one about Halloween 2010

For Halloween this year. . .

Halle was Cleopatra

Drew was an army man

And Dawson was a biker.

My fave accessory being that tattoo. :)

Though the collar was a close second.

Check out the gigantor-pumpkins Kev grew in the garden

and the pumpkins we carved

The kids got a big thrill out of our dropping spider. Honestly, it freaks me out. Doesn't matter how many times it drops on my head... yikes!

The kids went trick or treating

while Dawson enjoyed his version of it indoors

And for the grand finale of the night, Drew took on a giant-dueling-something-or-ever.

With gusto.

I am so lucky to be your mom Halls, Drewbie & Daws. Love you guys.

The one with 2010-11 school pictures

I don't think I EVER had a good school picture taken. Ugh!! Year after year I could barely get myself to look at them without wincing.



So, she def didn't get her photogenic skills from me.

BEAUTIFUL!

First Grade

2010-2011