going green

Last night we got out for a mid-week date night to see our favorite team, the Celtics, play the Clippers at Staples Center. Were we green enough?

I have to admit, it was really exciting to see all of our favorite players live and in person. As you might expect, they are sooooo tall!

We got the tickets for free thanks to Miss Nicole, Avery's dance teacher. It was fun to see her in action doing her thing as a Clipper Girl. This was the best picture I could get of her from where we were.

And this is what you get when you ask an usher to take your picture with the court in the background. yep, I swear that's us....

There we are...much better.

We felt right at home since about 40% of the crowd was wearing green. There was alot of Celtics pride last night. But when the Clippers came out of nowhere and won by 2, it made for a really fast walk to the car. Fun night.

my pleasure, his pain

Last night, Scott Avenue celebrated PTSA's Founder's Day by having a performance of Disney songs by the first graders. Davin talked extensively about this exciting event during the weeks leading up to the big night. He would often talk at dinnertime about the songs he was learning, or about different students who were given "special" parts in the show. There was no hesitation leading up to the big night. However the performance was a whole different story as documented in the pictures below:This picture sums up the expression on his face during all 10 songs: (yep, you are right, those ARE death-ray eyes)
I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I found it purely entertaining. Even the principal commented to me after the show. Her comment rang true in my mind too. She said, "Well at least you know what he DOESN'T like to do!" Enough said.

more practice...

Here's more blurring and brightening. I love this old picture of Davin. He was 5 in this picture. This grasshopper did not leave his body for 30 minutes...he was like Evan Almighty.
before:

after:

tutorial days 1 and 2

The first Photoshop technique I have seen and admired is background blurring. Like I mentioned before, I have been watching You Tube Photoshop tutorials. After my unsuccessful attempt to take a Photoshop class in person, I decided to take matters into my own hands. This blurring technique takes the focus off of any "noise" in the picture and puts the focus back on the subject of the photo. You can learn more here. The second technique I learned is the brightening of eyes.... making whites whiter (sounds like laundry, doesn't it?) Trust me, its way more fun. You can learn more here.
Before:

After:

Notice the blurred background and whiter eyes? Success. I will keep trying these two techniques on more portrait-style pictures for a few days.
Practice makes perfect.

rock 'n roll

This weekend Davin's Cub Scout Pack headed to Rock City Climbing in Anaheim to test their strength. It was incredible, fun for all ages and interests. The boys were given a quick step by step of what to do, and not to do, and most of all waht to expect. Then it was into the gym, harnesses on, and time to climb...



You could actually climb the ceiling if you could get yourself up there.



Once Davin got to the top, it was time to ring the bell...



There are tunnels built into the walls that only fit two people at a time. They are pitch black requiring all who enter to carry glow sticks for light sources. Very exciting if you are 7.





Davin is my mystery kid... Often it is tough to figure out what he likes...
but after this experience, I think I have got a hunch.
For more info on Rock City Climbing Center... go here.

2 muses

Our good friends, Rich and Shantelle came for a visit on Friday night on their way to Disneyland. We stayed up into the wee hours of the night reminiscing about our days in New Mexico, where we all met almost 10 years ago. Now they live in the Sacramento area, so as you can imagine, we don't get to be together very often. I was very grateful they brought us these two adorable subjects that I quickly used to photograph. Meet Gabriel, age 10 months.

Meet Isaiah, age 3. He can sing anything, no joke, anything.

I will let you in on a little secret... I have been staying up way too late for my own good watching Photoshop tutorials on YouTube. I am trying to learn the program (Iwas given a free copy of 4.0, its older, but hey, its FREE). My current focus has been on "blurring" the background so the subject stands out. It really is a fun effect. I am going to try to post a picture a day, that I have edited in Photoshop, for the next few weeks. What would really make all the difference in the world would be the purchase of the Canon Rebel (a GREAT camera), however I really like being married...and that status might change if I went out and made that kind of purchase.

dribble drabble

Tonight Avery had her first practice on her soccer team. They are called the Warriors which is appropriate since most of her teammates are boys. All of the kids on the team have played at least one season prior to this one. So when the coach yelled things like "SHOOT" the rest of the kids knew what to do. When the coaach yelled "DRIBBLE", Avery picked up her soccer ball with her hands and attempted to bounce it on the grass. Well, at least she is ready for basketball season if that interest ever comes around.

I couldn't put my camera down, and my face hurt at the end of practice from smiling so much.

I have a good feeling about this one.

pizza time

With no fancy reservations for Valentine's Day, we had a fun lunch of tossing our own heart-shaped pizzas. Note to self: Fresh and Easy Pizza dough goes a loooonnnng way. (We made enough to feed the neighborhood.)

But it was really fun.

Of course Davin's looked the most heart-like.

Dusan shocked us all with the pepperoni calzone. He is in the wrong profession, and has been holding out on me all these years. yum.
Then it was off to Fashion Island on Sunday to burn some energy before the torrential downpour began later that night.

And to end the three day weekend I tackled my closet, a.k.a. Hiroshima.

I sorted, tossed, hung, and bagged anything I had not worn in the past six months.

And donated a considerable tax write off to Savers that afternoon.

I am trying my luck at the color-coded closet. I have never tried this method before.

Dusan gives me a week...TOPS.

sneaky.

If I hide behind my hair, no one will know what I am really up to...

Happy Valentine's Day...

from our home to yours...

i heart teachers

Holidays can get pretty expensive when 3 kids have 5 teachers all together. Valentine's is one of my favorite gift holidays...but it can add up quick. This year the teachers are getting Old Navy flip flops ($5) tied together with Valentine ribbon.

Here is what the finished packages look like: Get it? Head over HEELS?

I remember as a kid, my mom would always decorate the table and make a special dinner. One year in high school she actually made lobster! I am looking forward to making heart-shaped pizzas with the kids for dinner on Saturday and maybe heading up to the snow for some play time.

Do you have a favorite Valentine memory? Do you have any special plans?

two great gals

Happiest birthday to my dear friend, Linda, who I was blessed to meet shortly before we gave birth to our first sons...over 8 years ago. As I type, i can't believe it has been soooo long. I scanned this picture from Hunter's baby book that shows us both hours before going into labor...we had just returned from shopping in hopes of "dropping". With Hunter and Chase tucked tightly in those ginormous tummies! How special to have our sons be just a few hours apart.

We have lived and learned alot together.

Then to be blessed 4 years later with daughters the same age.

It doesn't get any better.

I am not sure there is anyone who can make me laugh harder

(well maybe Dusan),

but you know what I mean.

Love you, Linda.

This is quite a special day for another great gal...My sister-in-law Michelle is celebrating her birthday today too. An incredible mother of 4, an auntie to many, a teacher, and a wife...

I often ask myself "how does she do it all?" and so WELL at that!

Happiest birthday, Michelle. xoxo

Sonoma success

Warning: This is a looooooooong post and completely out of chronological order...

An incredible weekend with too much to describe...to sum it up LOTS of laughing, singing, dancing, games, great food, and of course Sonoma's finest beverages.

We are on our way out of San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge...

a quick 45 minutes drive to Sonoma

We were pleasantly surprised by the house, it was even more beautiful in person, than the pictures we had seen on the rental website.

Our backyard neighbors, they would "baaaa" at us in the jacuzzi. Comforting.

The front patio fire ring, which we never got to use, it was prety cold and wet...but inviting.

The bar area which, as you can imagine, turned out to be the center of much activity.

Sistahs!!!

The bridal party (Frank's sister, Kim) minus one 4 year old girl.

And on to some night life...intense games of Twister, Bachelorette BINGO, and a weekend-long scavenger hunt were played by some extremely competitive women.

Hot-tubbin with endless bottles of rootbeer and such.

At times, perfecting our cheerleading skills...

as you can see some members of our group were more limber than others.

Enjoying the local music scene...

Our first stop on Saturday...11 a.m. Buena Vista Winery

Are those the biggest front doors you've ever seen?

We had a lovely lunch at the picturesque Kunde Winery

In front of the Ledson Winery which appeared to be more like a castle.

We all wore apple green corsages to let the world know we were a group...

Whoa... watch out lady in white...

On smokin' hot bride-to-be...

A weekend we will never forget... Lisa is definitely LOVED by an incredible group of friends. And now the offical wedding countdown can begin.

4-4-09 will be here before we know it...can't wait!