Our baby girl turned SEVEN yesterday!
P.S. I got a new super fast computer! I am in the process of getting it all set up the way I want! So expect many more posts in the near future! Yeah for SPEED!
Theme Thursday - Self
Out of 52 photos I kept 3! Self-portraits are tricky! And you are your worst critic right?
It was fun anyway, and I love taking advantage of this beautiful sunlight we are experiencing here in Alaska (finally!)
Technical info:
Canon 20D
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens
Manual mode
Custom white balance
Lens focal length: 48mm
ISO: 400
Shutter speed: 1/80th
Aperture: f/2.8
Showing my geek again!
As I mentioned in my birthday post, Gwyneth and I have been playing some computer games that I played as a kid...Sierra's King's Quest games were mine and my sister Rachel 's favorite computer games as kids! They were the first games we were exposed to after getting our first computer in 1992! We would spend hours exploring these magical worlds, full of fairies, and unicorns, zombies, ghosts, and witches, etc... We would get so engrossed, and even a little spooked at times!
My brother Jacob told me last week that he had found King's Quest 1-3 downloads for free and had proceeded to beat them all within hours! I immediately hopped on the internet and plopped down $20 to download all the Kings Quest games (1-7 anyway.) I was instantly transformed into my former 12 year old self! :o) I was so excited to share these games with Gwyneth! She loves almost all computer games. She plays Age Of Empires a lot, and has a myriad of kid's games. Her and I don't have as much in common as maybe Daddy and her . I find it really difficult to get down to her level and be a kid with her...her Daddy doesn't seem to have as much trouble...I don't have much interest in XBOX, or Gameboy...so this was really fun to share with her.
We are now working through King's Quest VI. (#4 & 6 were my favorites, so we started with those!)
Playing these games made me remember another one of our favorites: The Secret of Monkey Island! I'm looking for a way to download that one! I'll have to ask my computer genius friend John about that!
Change
This week's theme over at The Land of K.A. was "Change."What immediately came to my mind was the changing weather.
I wanted to share how I braved the cold this week in my cute little ballet flats with eyelet cutouts.
At church last Sunday my friend Kim was wearing her cute little ballet flats without socks, and I commented on how I was not brave enough to attempt that yet!
The very next day it was pretty "warm" {approx. 40 degrees} outside, so I dusted off my "pretty" shoes and went out!
The evidence of change is all around. Just the other day my friend Jen commented that she was excited to see the pavement! ha! {In the winter our roads are white.} I was excited to see patches of grass here and there, even if it was brown grass! :o)
28
Yesterday was my 28th Birthday. It was a lovely relaxed day. It's spring break here so Gwyneth and I did not have to do school. I only did a minimal amount of house work (i.e. folded and put away some clothes, made a super easy chili for dinner.)
Gwyneth woke up in the morning and immediately found me exclaiming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!" with her bed head and morning breath! :o) I was surprised she remembered! (I was reminding her and Daddy all week though! hee! hee!)
Oh, I did do my grocery shopping for the week...surprisingly it was not very stressful. If I had a million dollars I would hire a personal shopper to do ALL my shopping, not just the groceries!
The mood of the day was just so relaxed. I had set out to be relaxed right from the start. No pressure to get anything done that I didn't want to do, no appointments, etc. I set my mind to it, and succeeded.
After grocery shopping, Gwyneth and I sat down and completed Kings Quest IV. (I LOVED these games as a kid and was ecstatic when my brother told me you could download them! More on that later!)
David came home late due to some training he had to complete at work. I made a super easy chili for dinner because I didn't really want to go out to eat. The restaurants around here leave much to be desired, unless you want to fork out about $75 a couple for dinner! I didn't really want to go out and spend that kind of money...So chili it was, and it was really yummy! After dinner Gwyneth and David had me open presents.
Gwyneth's first:
She bought those with her own money, and even picked out the card she gave me herself! Now preparing the scrambled eggs she loves to eat will be so fun!
David's gift was equally fun!
My mom sent a care package with brownies again! :o) She knows me so well! The package also included goodies for David and Gwyneth as well! I also got a beautiful e-card set to music from Mom & Dad. THANK YOU!
Dad. R sent me a beautiful birthday card with money to buy something special. I chose this:
I have wanted one of these beautiful necklaces from Superhero Designs for over a year now. I am not diligent enough to save my mad money long enough to buy it, so this was the perfect opportunity! THANK YOU DAD R.!
My very sweet older sis Angie called me from North Carolina where she is staying for the week to watch our adorable niece and nephews. She corralled them all for a about two minutes, long enough to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me and each wish me a good day themselves! Almost made me cry they are just so sweet!
My sweet friend Jen called me in the morning just to wish me a happy birthday! She was only a few minutes away at work, but took a break just to call me! She also left sweet wishes on my Facebook page! THANKS JEN!
At church last week, the children's church directors let me choose a treat from the birthday box! :o) (When it is one of the child's birthdays, they each get a voucher for a special treat!) I let Gwyneth help me pick, and we got to share some Tropical Skittles!
A few cards in the mail as well...one from our very sweet Alice. (Mom #2!) and from the Atlanta Runyens'! THANK YOU GUYS!
My Myspace page was full of well wishes too! You guys ROCK!
Thanks to everyone who made my day so special!
Can't forget the cake! When David asked what kind I wanted, I thought for about a minute and said cheesecake. And he didn't even have to make it because Sam's Club has The Cheesecake Factory cakes there! He chose the Godiva Double Chocolate . He knows how much I love chocolate!
Gwyneth woke up in the morning and immediately found me exclaiming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!" with her bed head and morning breath! :o) I was surprised she remembered! (I was reminding her and Daddy all week though! hee! hee!)
Oh, I did do my grocery shopping for the week...surprisingly it was not very stressful. If I had a million dollars I would hire a personal shopper to do ALL my shopping, not just the groceries!
The mood of the day was just so relaxed. I had set out to be relaxed right from the start. No pressure to get anything done that I didn't want to do, no appointments, etc. I set my mind to it, and succeeded.
After grocery shopping, Gwyneth and I sat down and completed Kings Quest IV. (I LOVED these games as a kid and was ecstatic when my brother told me you could download them! More on that later!)
David came home late due to some training he had to complete at work. I made a super easy chili for dinner because I didn't really want to go out to eat. The restaurants around here leave much to be desired, unless you want to fork out about $75 a couple for dinner! I didn't really want to go out and spend that kind of money...So chili it was, and it was really yummy! After dinner Gwyneth and David had me open presents.
Gwyneth's first:
She bought those with her own money, and even picked out the card she gave me herself! Now preparing the scrambled eggs she loves to eat will be so fun!
David's gift was equally fun!
A MUDDLER! I had been looking for one of these for some time! He even found it at one of the stores I tried a while back! Now I can make yummy Mojitos easily! (I have been using a wooden spoon.)
I had put a rolling pin on my list of items I wanted a while back (Christmas time actually.) But of course there were specific requirements...I wanted one without handles... :o) He remembered and it's perfect!
My mom sent a care package with brownies again! :o) She knows me so well! The package also included goodies for David and Gwyneth as well! I also got a beautiful e-card set to music from Mom & Dad. THANK YOU!
Dad. R sent me a beautiful birthday card with money to buy something special. I chose this:
I have wanted one of these beautiful necklaces from Superhero Designs for over a year now. I am not diligent enough to save my mad money long enough to buy it, so this was the perfect opportunity! THANK YOU DAD R.!My very sweet older sis Angie called me from North Carolina where she is staying for the week to watch our adorable niece and nephews. She corralled them all for a about two minutes, long enough to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me and each wish me a good day themselves! Almost made me cry they are just so sweet!
My sweet friend Jen called me in the morning just to wish me a happy birthday! She was only a few minutes away at work, but took a break just to call me! She also left sweet wishes on my Facebook page! THANKS JEN!
At church last week, the children's church directors let me choose a treat from the birthday box! :o) (When it is one of the child's birthdays, they each get a voucher for a special treat!) I let Gwyneth help me pick, and we got to share some Tropical Skittles!
A few cards in the mail as well...one from our very sweet Alice. (Mom #2!) and from the Atlanta Runyens'! THANK YOU GUYS!
My Myspace page was full of well wishes too! You guys ROCK!Thanks to everyone who made my day so special!
Can't forget the cake! When David asked what kind I wanted, I thought for about a minute and said cheesecake. And he didn't even have to make it because Sam's Club has The Cheesecake Factory cakes there! He chose the Godiva Double Chocolate . He knows how much I love chocolate!
Best Shot Monday
A talented photographer named Tracey hosts a "Best Shot Monday" challenge over at Mother May I. I heard about this blog through my friend Bonnie, and thought I'd join in this week.We went to the Ice Park this Saturday to observe the beautiful ice sculptures produced by dozens of people from around the world. It's an annual event here in Fairbanks, Alaska.
I loved this shot of the sculpted ice against the beautiful blue sky.
I'll be sharing more photos from the park soon.
New Link
Ever wonder if that movie you rented will be appropriate for your kids to watch? How about that book you just checked out from the library? And what about the newest video game your son is BEGGING you to buy?
Well here is an excellent site I discovered fairly recently.
Common Sense Media
It offers reviews for movies, DVDs, TV, music, video games, websites, and books your children may be interested in.
The link is also in my sidebar under the new title "Favorite Links."
You should check it out!
Self-Portrait Tips
Since a few of you asked for my self-portrait "secrets" here you go:
Warning: I'm about to "show my geek."
The most important factor in composing a good photograph is: LIGHT. Natural diffused light is my preferred lighting for portraits.
This is the window in the master bedroom where I take most of my self-portraits .
I stood directly in front of the window. The catchlights (great article on catchlights *HERE*) in my eyes indicate I was right in front of the light source.
"Front lighting does little to reveal form or texture since the shadows are mostly hidden from view, as a result it can make things look flat. However soft diffused frontal lighting can also be quite flattering to some subjects for this very reason - it can help conceal wrinkles and blemishes and so is quite often used in portrait and product photography." (quote from *HERE*)
I hand-held my camera.
I had my Canon 20D fixed with my Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens. Those two together weigh approximately 3.2 lbs. Holding that out away from your body with one hand while trying to fire the shutter is a little tricky and tiring.
I might drag out my tripod next time...Heck, I have a pretty nice one with an awesome head. I was just being lazy.
You can see in the below image the reflection of my arm out in front holding the camera.
I set my focal length to what I thought was close to 50mm. (Turned out to be 48mm)
On my 20D with the crop factor it would be equal to about an 80mm lens on a full frame sensor camera. Your focal length is important when taking portraits. A 50mm is considered a "normal" lens. Go below 50mm and you have your wide-angle lenses. Wide-angle lenses create distortion like big noses and wide foreheads. Most point-and-shoot cameras have wide angle lenses.
Focal lengths above 50mm are considered telephoto lenses. Ideal for portraits.
Something to keep in mind when you are taking portraits. Get your focal length up to 50mm or above!
My settings in camera were as follows:
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/100
f stop:2.8
And lest you all REALLY believe I am "gorgeous" (your very kind descriptive word, not mine!) without any "help" here is a little dose of reality:
My basic Photoshop processing tips will be coming to the blog very soon...
*Disclaimer* I am finishing up this post at 10:30PM after being up for 16hrs with only a 30 min. nap. So if some of this does not make sense, ask questions! I will check back in the morning ...which is afternoon for most of you, to make sure I was clear!
Goodnight!
Warning: I'm about to "show my geek."
The most important factor in composing a good photograph is: LIGHT. Natural diffused light is my preferred lighting for portraits.
This is the window in the master bedroom where I take most of my self-portraits .
I stood directly in front of the window. The catchlights (great article on catchlights *HERE*) in my eyes indicate I was right in front of the light source."Front lighting does little to reveal form or texture since the shadows are mostly hidden from view, as a result it can make things look flat. However soft diffused frontal lighting can also be quite flattering to some subjects for this very reason - it can help conceal wrinkles and blemishes and so is quite often used in portrait and product photography." (quote from *HERE*)
I hand-held my camera.
I had my Canon 20D fixed with my Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens. Those two together weigh approximately 3.2 lbs. Holding that out away from your body with one hand while trying to fire the shutter is a little tricky and tiring.
I might drag out my tripod next time...Heck, I have a pretty nice one with an awesome head. I was just being lazy.
You can see in the below image the reflection of my arm out in front holding the camera.
I set my focal length to what I thought was close to 50mm. (Turned out to be 48mm)On my 20D with the crop factor it would be equal to about an 80mm lens on a full frame sensor camera. Your focal length is important when taking portraits. A 50mm is considered a "normal" lens. Go below 50mm and you have your wide-angle lenses. Wide-angle lenses create distortion like big noses and wide foreheads. Most point-and-shoot cameras have wide angle lenses.
Focal lengths above 50mm are considered telephoto lenses. Ideal for portraits.
Something to keep in mind when you are taking portraits. Get your focal length up to 50mm or above!
My settings in camera were as follows:
ISO: 800
Shutter: 1/100
f stop:2.8
And lest you all REALLY believe I am "gorgeous" (your very kind descriptive word, not mine!) without any "help" here is a little dose of reality:
My basic Photoshop processing tips will be coming to the blog very soon...*Disclaimer* I am finishing up this post at 10:30PM after being up for 16hrs with only a 30 min. nap. So if some of this does not make sense, ask questions! I will check back in the morning ...which is afternoon for most of you, to make sure I was clear!
Goodnight!
today...
I have...
I will be on again later to share a few tips on self-portraiture. Since you all had a few questions, and MANY sweet comments about my photo the other day!
- had my teeth cleaned:8AM!
- washed & dried all the bedsheets, and re-made the bed(s)
- washed and hung-to-dry one load of colors...two more to go
- made dinner-Home-made Shells & Cheese with garden salad
- posted my weekly menu over at the Beans Blog
- talked to my mom and my sister on the phone!
- made an appointment for our dishwasher to be repaired
I will be on again later to share a few tips on self-portraiture. Since you all had a few questions, and MANY sweet comments about my photo the other day!