Being Goofy

Smiley and I had about 5 extra minutes the other day before it was time to walk out the door and head to Preschool.

What better than to grab the camera, step out from behind it and get a little silly:

Have a great day my friends!  And don't forget to step out from behind that camera of yours!

Steppin' Out ~ Library Style

I am trying to get better at getting in front of the camera instead of always being behind it.  This is not a new thing (see here), but an action that has taken a backseat.  Now that I am getting back to blogging ~ hopefully ~ I want to make this a more regular event again.

So here is me "Steppin'  Out"  yesterday.  Smiley had preschool, so I took her, then ran a few errands.  When I was finished, I headed to the library (which is conveniently next to her school).  I was sitting at a desk, minding my own business, typing up a blog post (Peach Muffins ~ seriously, check it out, they are yummy!) When this younger man came and sat in a oversized chair that was right behind the desk I was sitting at.  Mind you ~ there are many comfy oversized chairs ~ why he chose that one, I'm not sure!  Anyway, he kept stretching and yawning.  No big deal right, but he was so loud.  I think he wanted everyone to know that he was extremely tired.  Annoying!

I tried to get a picture of the culprit for you, but only got myself and the tip top of his head.  Oh well :)

Lesson learned yesterday ~ pick a desk in a more secluded area and when tired, don't announce it to the world via loud yawning and exaggerated stretching.

Oh yeah, and step out and get in some pictures!

Ice Ice Baby

Let me just start with ~ my injured foot.... STILL.HURTS (unfortunately I think this is going to be a long recovery process).

But that's not stopping me from getting out from behind the camera and getting into the picture.  So, here I am, doing what I do at least 3 times a day (thanks to 4 year old Smiley for snapping the pictures):

Hubby left for a business trip on Monday ~ and this is the text I got from him as he was waiting to board his plane:

(don't judge ~ someday I'll graduate to a "smart phone")

So glad he is back today ~ I'm tired of being a single mom (kudos to all of you who are ~  it is not an easy task!)

Oh, and don't let me forget ~ get out from behind the camera and get in front of it.  Even something as boring as icing your foot will make for good stories and interesting memories!  And if you do step out, let me know and send me a link via email or comments!

All Glitters is Gold

There was a blogger who use to do this weekly link up called  "Embrace the Camera"  the whole premise is to step out from behind the camera and get into the pictures with your kids, spouse  and other loved ones.  As parents, we spend a lot of time capturing the memories of our kids on our memory cards, but what about us?

I know for me, when I visiting my parents, I enjoy looking through old photo albums.   I can hear myself now,  "Hey, look at my outfit!"  "Oh my gosh, look at Mom!"  "Check it out, Dad had hair AND those sideburns ~ YIKES!"  "Aww... remember us here...or here.... or doing this together...."

I really enjoy seeing pictures of me with my grandparents, who have all passed.  

All of these pictures really pull at my emotional heart strings, and I love being able to see them.

So, today, I'm bring back Embrace the Camera ~ I haven't seen it on Emily's blog in quite awhile ~ but I think it is so important, and it forces me to get into the pictures and create memories that my kids and hopefully grandkids (in many many many many years to come) will treasure.

A few weekends ago, we traveled to celebrate my cousin's wedding.  The wedding was perfect.  The music lovely, the wedding party, beautiful.  The groom handsome, and the bride gorgeous.  Their vows were written by them, they were funny, sentimental and heartfelt.

Of course, following the wedding we attended the reception, dinner and a dance.  After the dinner they announced that they had a "photo booth" set up in the corner and the more use it got the better. 

Fun, but the dancing began and I was side tracked by this guy:

He was a dancing fool!

In between songs however, we did make our way to the photo booth

And here are our sparkly, glittery results:

 (um, yeah... you could say I was a little off on my prop placement!)

(My big, happy, crazy family ~ minus 1 brother and 1 nephew)

And Hubby and I, with his words of advice for the newlyweds:

Ahh..... pictures with the people I love ~ and what a perfect back drop ~ after all, all that glitters is gold and these people are definitely more precious than all the gold in the world!

So people ~ be sure to get out from behind the camera, have fun and get in front of that thing!  

Want to "get out" with me?

Leave me a link in the comments!  

Family Time

Today, the whole family is embracing the camera ~ together :)

First off, a fun morning of snow tubing.

And of course celebrating Action's 9th birthday

I love it when we can all get in the picture together :)

Dance Party

By no means are these pictures of high quality.
The lighting is bad.  The composition is bad.
Just so you understand, they will not be entered into any photo competitions, but they will be entered into my memory and hopefully into Smiley's memory, forever.  Because, this is us.  This is what we like to do.  We dance, and we play.  And like these pictures.  We aren't professionals, but we do have fun!

A bit of jumping, twirling and grooving.....

And lots of laughing and smiling!

Enjoy your day friends, and don't forget to get in front of the camera and capture some fabulous everyday moments with your loved ones so they can see and enjoy those memories over and over.

Donut Surprise

My alarm went off at 4:40 this morning. Sleepily, I climbed out of bed, got ready and headed to the health club for an early morning workout.

On the way home, I had a few extra minutes before Hubby would be leaving the house to go to work, so I decided to swing into the bakery.   I thought it would be fun to surprise the kids with donuts and hubby with donuts and hot coffee.

They were excited!  Frankly, I don't think I've ever seen Action get out of bed as fast as he did this morning.  Amazing what a little sugar incentive does ~ HA!  Definitely made day #2 back to school after winter break a little more fun :)

Me... embracing

Embrace the camera (definition) stepping out from behind the camera and getting in front of it so your family will remember you and all of the time you spent together.

In Emily's words :

"One day, we won't be around.

Do we really just want to be a distant memory?  Or do we want pictures to remind our loved ones of what we once were.

Regardless of how we look or feel, I promise that they will treasure those photos one day.

They will not think "man, my mom was ---(insert horrible adjective that you use to describe yourself)."

They will love the photos.

I promise."

I've not been very good lately at posting this pictures.  It's not that I haven't been living in the moment with my kids and embracing those moments we have together when we are not running here or there.  I have.  So here I am embracing.....

Hot tubbing with my girls at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Pheasant hunting ~ don't we look fabulous in blaze orange?

(click here to see more hunting pictures and get a yummy recipe)

And election day.  Me after casting my vote.

Have you been embracing the camera?

Annual Doctor Appointment

Today is Embrace the Camera day

What does that mean you ask?

Today is the day that we are challenged (by Emily) to step out from behind the camera and get in front of it.  Why?  For our families, our spouses, children, and grandchildren and on and on, so they know who we are, remember our times together and the fun that was had.  So for future generations, we are not only a name, but we are a face.

Today, I am stepping out from behind the camera, not with my children, or spouse, but by myself.  You see, todays embrace is 2 fold.  It is me, in a lovely paper gown, being pro-active about my health, so I can not only be just in pictures, but so I can be physically present!

Welcome to my annual doctor's appointment. 

And I'm not talking "Women's Health" here.  This is my annual full body skin check at the dermatologist.

This annual check is very important to me ~ and I suggest you all go and have a full skin check.  A few years ago I had a couple moles removed.  They were considered dysplastic nevi. Basically atypical moles that can put you at a higher risk for melanoma.

So, every year I go in and get my skin checked out ~ from my scalp to the tips of my toes.  

And thankfully, nothing looked abnormal.

Yay!  

Time to get on with making more memories with my loved ones!

Oh, I must mention, I did get "caught" taking pictures of my reflection in the mirror by my nurse.  Pretty sure she thinks I'm crazy!

HA!

Wound Up

This guy

Had a football game last night.  Their team lost by 1 ~ bummer!  Final score was 14-13.  Anyway, we didn't get home until 9:30 and let me just say, some one's adrenaline was pumping.

Yep, can you say wound up?

But I did get him to calm down for 1.3 seconds ~ just long enough for me to snap a quick picture of Action and his helmet hair and myself with my hat hair.  Just so you know, it was a stocking had ~ 55 and windy.... gotta protect the ears :)