Easter Fun

The boys had so much fun with their cousins at Easter time. They keep talking about the things they saw and did when they were out visiting with Anne/Nan/Mommie Dearest. I wish we lived closer. It has been really neat watching our oldest nephew growing up and becoming a role model to Jack and Eric. They have always loved Aidan, but he is just getting to be more and more awesome with them. Early in the summer he is coming to stay with us for a week and Jack is already counting down the days and making plans. (We have to move Eric's car seat because Aidan needs to sit beside ME in the van!) We are definitely excited.

The Sweetest Thing

At Easter Julie received this cute little tutu from her Auntie Lara. Is it not just the cutest thing? Not having a girl herself, Auntie Lara doesn't get enough pink or frill in her life and couldn't resist. And we are so glad she couldn't, it is adorable.

Our dear girl is looking and acting more like a toddler and less like a baby every day. She now wakes up every morning on her tummy as she's turned herself over in the night. She sits on the floor and plays on her own, often covering a good amount of distance by scooting on her bottom. She has turned into a carnivore - loves, loves, loves eating any type of meat, actually prefers it over fruit. She has started "reading" books with Mommy, and thinks it is pretty funny. Jack and Eric still adore her, although Eric is very careful about not letting Julie touch some of his things, because "she will WRECK them". We sure love this little angel.

What's Been Happening Here

We have been busy around here lately. One of the most exciting things was that I finished grouting the tile in the kitchen on Saturday. Last night Darrel put the trim back on around the window. There are a few little odds and ends yet to do, but the majority of things are done in kitchen. It turned out so well! Darrel and I keep looking over there and congratulating each other. It does look pretty awesome if we do say so ourselves.

Last Monday the kids and I went to Hole's Greenhouses in St. Albert and bought some seeds. They are a bit pricier for bedding plants, but the seeds are the same price and they have the best selection around.
I had decided to start some of my own petunias this year as I didn't want to spend so much on bedding plants. The package of petunia seed was $5, which is a lot for petunias but I bought some anyway. When we got home and I found only 12 tiny seeds in the pack I was feeling had. Then Darrel told me that a coworker had tried to germinate petunias and it is apparently nearly impossible to do as they are really finicky. So I was feeling even more snookered. But the kids and I bravely put some in the starter tray and we hoped for the best. Yesterday I saw the first tiny petunia sprouts, hooray! I realize we are not out of the woods yet, we still have to get them big enough to transplant, but at least they sprouted! We are also starting marigolds, zinnias, some vanilla nasturtiums, a few different sunflower varieties (cherry chocolate, vanilla, and mammoth Russian), and thunbergia (a climbing vine that is super pretty.) This year I'm all about plants that climb. I want to get a few more trellises and have them covered with flowering vines.

Jack and Eric made these collages as part of their earth day celebrations at school. I love how Jack continues to be Mr."Go Big or Go Home". No sense in only doing things part way.

And finally, a little funny story to brighten your day. Yesterday we had to run to Costco and when we were done I was putting the kids and groceries into the van and Jack stated, quite loudly, "Hey Mom, that lady over there has a crotch!" I wildly look around to try to figure out how close the person he's talking about actually is to us, and say, "Pardon me?" Jack says, "You know, a crotch, for when you can't walk too good, when your feet don't work." I finally spy the person he is referring to and say, "You mean a CRUTCH." "Yeah, a crotch."

Oh my, there is no end to the amount of embarrassment a pre-schooler can cause.

Setting Up Shop

So, I'm taking a mini plunge and offering my photography services for sale. As it is with many photographers, you start out taking photos for money in part because you just love doing it but also to fund your ever expanding wish list. This certainly isn't a cheap hobby. My desires have definitely outpaced my budget. :)

I would still love to take photos for family and close friends, I'm definitely at the stage where I need practice and I like to be able to use my talents (however meager they are), to do something nice for those I love, BUT if you know of anyone else that wants photos, send them my way!

I'm going the el-cheapo start up way, and rather than buy a website and host it, I just made my own blog site. So hop on over, check it out, and tell your friends!

Kirsten Anderson Photography

Ode to Adobe

Oh how I love, love, love Photoshop.
It lets you take this:

 

And turn it into this:

 

Or this:

 

And create this:

 

These girls belong to a friend from church. She is at the same stage of photography learning as I am and we plan on doing some shoots together in order to improve our skills. These girls were much more willing than my boys are when it comes to being my muse(s). (Although I think a stop for a slurpee was promised as part of the deal -maybe that's what I've been doing wrong!) I can't wait until Julie is old enough to be my little model.

Tent Trailer Joy

Last fall we bought a $100 tent trailer with the plan to turn it into a utility trailer. In anticipation of replacing the shingles on the garage roof we checked out getting a bin and it was going to be several hundered dollars. So, enter the cheap old tent trailer that can be gutted. Today we pulled it out of the garden and Darrel and the boys went to work. Darrel is such an awesome Dad for boys, he let Jack and Eric take out most of the screws with the power drills. And then they went to town with hammers and "destroyed" things. So much fun for two little guys!

 

 

 

 

Queen of the Tile

I've been waiting to do a post on the kitchen reno until everything is done and I have really good pictures, but I want to show off a smidge of our hard work. Darrel has done such an amazing job on the cupboards and the counter tops, they look fantastic. Yesterday was my turn to do the tiling of the backsplash. While it's not yet done, I am only up to the edge of the window on the right, I love how it looks and I'm excited to see the finished look. Friends from church let us borrow their wet tile saw, so that made things much easier. I was supposed to tackle this project all on my own, but once we got the wet saw Darrel quickly volunteered to do all the cutting. It was a good division of labour, he liked cutting and I had a lot of fun laying the tile. It reminded me of summers working for my Dad. There definitely is something to be said for doing something with your own hands, a sense of satisfaction that comes with accomplishing something.

 

Reality is So Harsh

Yesterday somehow Jack and I ended up talking about picking who you marry. I can't remember how it exactly came up, something about someone we know who is not married and Jack wanted to know why they were not married. I told him that they hadn't found that special person that they wanted to marry yet.

I could see Jack's confusion there. So I said, "Yes, Mommy and Daddy picked each other to marry because we really liked one another and thought that was the person that was the best for them, the most special." "Isn't it great that we found the special person that we wanted to marry?"

Without taking any time to think about it Jack said, "I'm going to marry Julie!" Then I had to tell him that brothers and sisters can't get married. Well, his poor little heart was broken, he sobbed and sobbed, basically telling me that Julie was the most special to him and he didn't ever want to live away from us. He has told me this before, that when he grows up, he's going to live in the same town so that we can see each other every day. What a dear boy! He is definitely our sensitive souled child. I think it's even more pronounced right now as he's been away from us for a couple of week long periods.

Not that I want to encourage my children to be overly clingy but I do find it dear that they love us and want to be with us forever. (I will have to tell 14 year old Jack who thinks his parents are STOOOPID this story.)

The Coolest Thing Yet

So, have I mentioned before that I love photoshop. No really, I LOVE photoshop.
Today I learned how to use the liquify too. Basically a tool that you can use to distort parts of your image, sucking in and pushing things back. Here's two versions of the same photo, (Erika, hope it's okay to use you for this demo, if you don't like it I will take this down, mainly family and the odd friend reads this blog, but anyway...)

Using the liquify tool I made her arm a smidge thinner, her tummy a little tighter (at the expense of Ben's...but you're a boy you don't care, and slimmed her right thigh.) Can you see the difference? It's supposed to be somewhat subtle, but oh the possibilities.

 

 

Next to try this out on myself! Think of the post baby picture edits one could do! :)

Spring trip

I had so much fun on my two week hiatus. I'm not going to write a lot at this time, I'm still in my jammies and have kids to get breakfast for but I needed to post some of these pictures to show how awesome a time I had. (Some of these are out of sequence.)

Alex and I in the conference centre prior to the start of the YW Broadcast.

 

Our sweet tickets from Elder Nelson.

 

Two awesome ladies, Bonny and Alex, on temple square.

 

My fabulous sister, Erika and I. Thank you so much to them for watching Julie for me and ferrying me about to and from my course.

 

Hanging out on Easter Sunday, doing some pinata destroying.


Easter egg hunt outside at the Galey's, so much fun!


Aidan and Jack look pretty serious about the egg opening.






Eric and Uncle John playing Easter dominoes.


Uncle Frank took us to see the calves, a highlight in more ways the one. It was the first time my boys rode in the back of a pick up. I was amazed by how much some poop can fascinate five boys.


Five little, (well not all little), cowpokes out on the ranch. "Boy"ness is so inate, Rylan found that cow bone and insisted on carrying it around and bringing it up to the house to show everyone.


I spent a couple of days in Lethbridge visiting friends. Luke and I got to hang out together when Karly had to take Bridget to the doctor. What a dear little guy, so helpful and charming. I always enjoy spending time with Karly and wish we lived closer!


Erika again, what an awesome sister. Love you lots!