Kylah & Kallie

Kylah & Kallie came to spend the day with us yesterday while their Mom & Dad were at work. We had a great day playing, we went for a walk and then played at the park. I took a bunch of pictures (are you surprised?) - Kallie wasn't too cooperative with me after a while. : ) I'd say "Cheese Kallie" and she'd growl "No" at me. I took those pictures too of course! Kylah says "You take a lot of pictures Auntie. My mom only takes like 3 a day." I told her "That's just because I don't get to see you every day like your Mom does." Jamie and I loved spending the day with them - we love you Kylah Teagan and Kallie Bug!

I'm going to share a few of my favorite photos - the rest are uploaded to my Picasa album. (Amber's Photos at right menu or www.picasaweb.google.com/amberzpix) If you click on the album that you want to view, 'slideshow' is at the top left and it's easiest to view them that way. After uploading them, I realized that there are a lot of 'favorites' and I took some out (I really did). You should just view the album! : )

"Cheeeese"

"No more pictures Auntie!"

Uncle Jamie was counting while Kylah was hiding right behind him

another hiding spot

Kylah counting while Uncle Jamie was hiding

looking for Uncle Jamie

time to go home

Yes, you've probably seen the hats before. We borrowed them from Makena.

My Momma

I received this sweet Valentine's Day card in the mail from my mom the other day. Jamie and Makena also received cards, but mine was cutest. : ) Love you Momma!

She called me a while later in the day to let me know that she, Rudy & Packer were on their way to do some more gold-mining. ('Looking for our future' as my sister says. ) I think it's wonderful that they are able to take the RV and just go; wherever and whenever. It's so nice for them to just be able to get away!

Apparently the trip didn't go as planned, the snow put a little dent in the trip, but their new GPS system saved my mom's sanity! She loves that another woman can tell Rudy where to go! (I secretly love that too.) She called me back later to tell me that she named the GPS - she thought it was funny that Makena & I had named ours.

• Mom & Rudy's - "Glenda" after Glenda the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz. Mom said "Glenda showed Dorothy how to get home."
• Mine - "Vivian" after Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I call her "Viv" - LOTS of good quotes from that movie! (Not all of them I can say out loud.)
• Jamie's - "Beth" after the secretary's character in New's Radio sitcom. If you don't know Beth, she's not the most cooperative employee and a bit bitchy. (She's a red head!)

Why I smiled on Monday

The girls are always a little goofy, but even more so after a meeting! We are getting ready for cookie store sales...a busy month coming up for us!

I'm here!

Yes, I'm still alive. This sinus headache/cold hit me hard this time - started with the headaches over a week ago, then chest congestion last Monday & Tuesday, to the sinus infection and ear aches Wednesday thru Saturday and back to the headaches again yesterday. Jamie has been giving me everything in the medicine cabinet and I'm out of bed today! I am feeling much better, but still have to carry the kleenex box around with me for a bit. I now have a TON of things to catch up on, so I'd better get to it. (My family is going to starve if I don't get to the store!)

I hope whatever I had doesn't hit anyone else! Drink your green tea and take your vitamins.

Superbowl Sunday

We went over to my sister's house to watch the Superbowl. Good game, okay commercials, great half-time show! Tons of food and a lot of people at my sisters house - thanks T & Chad! We all had a great time and Jamie even won some money at poker!! I was on day 3 of a headache, so Makena and I went home a bit earlier than everyone else.

Chris bbq'ing and Cousin helping

beautiful baby Mia - everyone got a turn holding her!

Leah always smiles for the camera

Cracks me up - Cousin was trying to watch the game from outside (in window)

You'd think I would have had enough pictures from Saturday...nope! Here are some photos of cute stuff in my sister's yard.

Makena's Sellwood Pictures

Here are a few of our favorite pictures that Makena took at Crystal Springs Park. It was a bit too dark and foggy at Sellwood Park for the point & shoot camera.

LOTS of smiles (& pix) on Saturday

Saturday was the first field trip for my camera class. We had to meet at Sellwood Park at 7am. I had been asking Makena to go with me for weeks, and she agreed...although when it came to getting up at 6am on a Saturday I think she was wondering why. After my third attempt to wake her up, she says "I'm trying Mom..." in a sweet, tired voice. (I bribed her with hot chocolate from Coffee Rush.)

Needless to say, it was still dark at 7am and also very foggy. We all went off on our own to take pictures at the park. Here are a few of my picture...

At around 8am we all headed over to Marcee's Coffee Shop to get warm, get coffee (or more hot chocolate) and get food. We then drove about a mile to Crystal Springs Rhododendron Park. Again, we all went around taking pictures. Makena and I were the last ones there at 11:30 - everyone else left around 10:30. I guess we were just having too much fun to leave!

I ended up taking over 700 photos and Makena had over 200 on the point & shoot. (I will add her photos to a different post.) You can see all of our pictures on my Picasa page (Amber's Photos at right or picasaweb.google.com/amberzpix) - I did get them down to about 450 pictures if you are interested in viewing them. I took several of the same shot as I was playing with shutter speed & aperture, so if you watch the photos in a slideshow you can sometimes see the difference in the background, focus or water. After loading them onto the computer, I also played with some colors as you can see in some black/white photos as well as saturation (different colors).

Makena was so helpful all day - helping with my tripod and pointing out some great shots! We were cold (very cold) but had a great time. Thanks for spending the day with me Pook!

I took a nap when we got home, but all Makena wanted to do was play on the Wii. : ) She beat me (several times) at a driving game. I am really bad at the Wii games - can't wait until my Fit comes in!

Why I smiled on Friday

For Makena's birthday, my sister had purchased tickets to a play of Makena's choice. She chose to see Alice in Wonderland - it was at Northwest Children's Theater . My sister, Makena and my grandmother and I had a yummy dinner at the theater and then saw the play. It was a musical, jazzy-type version of Alice in Wonderland - very good and entertaining! I had a great night - thanks girls!

Makena, Jamie and I have been to other plays at the Northwest Children's Theater and have enjoyed each of them. Fairly inexpensive and entertaining for the entire family.