Remember These Cuties?

As the girls were decorating the playroom Christmas tree this evening, we came across this ornament...only 4 short years ago!

The Stockings Were Hung...

In Manual & Bouncin' Around

We're back from our trip to St. Louis for Thanksgiving and it was very nice. Here are some pics. As you will see, I have a lot to learn and a lot of practicing to do. I left the comfortable world of automatic this weekend and ventured over to the manual side of my dial. I also incorporated my new 430EXII Speedlite and bouncing flash features. So much for an amateur to digest!! Here is the line up of pictures ranging from underexposed to white balance issues to out of focus to lots of noise to pretty OK to good in my opinion to overexposed and back, ha! I'm still not editing pics from my new camera...I want to spend my time learning the technical stuff right now....so as my niece Nicole would say 'you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!' :)

The girls reading their new book from Grandma and Grandpa with 'The Night Before Christmas' recorded by them.

Allie being silly...too bad I read about how to correct white balance issues on the way BACK from St. Louis.

Playing 'Apples to Apples'...

Will's new backpack from Grandma and Grandpa...so cute!

Katie at Aunt Brenda's for Thanksgiving...

Allie at Aunt Brenda's...

Two grandsons....in a house that has been ruled by granddaughters for the past 8 years, ha!

Cousin Jack playing with Uncle Jay...Will is entertained in the background. I read about a feature on my camera to help with fluorescent lighting on the way home today.

Will partied until he fell asleep in his chair...

The Sprite/Dominos party...

Cousin Jack...

Katie with Jack...

Katie LOVES to flash her smiles for the camera...natural light, bounce flash and direct flash.

Emmie politely puts up with me...

Allie LOVES to make faces for the camera...

In St. Louis there is a park that they completely light up and decorate for the holidays. Cars can drive through, tune their radio to a specific radio station and enjoy the scenery. Here are some pics from the car.

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

Katie's Thanksgiving Program

Katie had her Kindergarten Thanksgiving performance at school today. It was very sweet. After the performance, we were invited back to the classroom to make Turkey cookies together. Daddy was able to come and I think that was the best part of it all for Katie. Here are some pics.

In the gym....camera zoomed way in...

Back in the classroom...

Making cookies with Daddy...

Yum!

Will made himself at home in Katie's classroom...

Photo Fun

My new camera is so much fun. Here are some pics from today. It was a cloudy but bright enough day. I caught the girls and neighbor boys outside playing basketball. So far all I've posted is unedited pics. It's funny...sometimes I'm not sure what makes a photograph 'good' technically speaking. Look at these 3 pics...which is the best lighting wise? Is it Allie's pic? Katie's looks a bit bright and Emmie's a bit dark...am I correct? If you've never left me a comment...now is the time...I need some critiquing. Thanks!

Does anyone know why this picture looks a bit 'fake'....like I photoshopped him on the background?

This is what I get when I get too excited and forget to focus...but I love the picture anyway.

Lastly...Allie being Allie...

Giddy

The camera came! I had plans of learning all about the camera before using it but I couldn't resist the happy package. I charged the battery, loaded and formatted the memory card and started snapping away and came up with these. Now, I have A LOT to learn but I like what I see so far...

Bing, Bing, Bing

Earn cashback on your purchases....had to share this fun thing I came across last weekend. It works...I already have $13.90 in my Bing Cashback account from my camera purchase. I realize that $13.90 is only enough for a pizza but it will add up over the course of a year! No, I'm not getting any 'kickbacks' by spreading the word...just wanted to share. I love a good deal!

Check out the link...
http://www.bing.com/cashback?FORM=R5FD

Oh, and this is the book I'm reading this week...riveting...

It's In The Mail! It's In The Mail!

Can you tell how excited I am (now that I'm over the guilt of making the purchase)? Yes Joseph...that does say Canon...not Nikon. :0 Maybe that's why they call it the Rebel...

He Seems So Old...

Will is 14 months now and has seemed so much older over the past couple of weeks. His walking, talking and playing seem soooo grown up. Sometimes he will be in the car and call me with a very loud and serious "MOM- MEEEE!!" and when he runs out of food he screams "MURE! MURE! MURE!" He is still the sweetest little snugglebug....always looking for a hand to hold, an arm to hug....a face to pull closer. He sure does love his big sisters and they can make him laugh and laugh and laugh.

Here is a video of him walking and playing with a ball.

Here is a video of him being silly in the bathtub.

Halloween Weekend

Halloween weekend was busy. Emmie and Katie both had soccer games on Halloween. Will wore his lion costume to both games and seemed to love having it on. He was mistaken for a real dog in our stroller a few times. Later that day we went to a neighbor's house for dinner with friends, then trick-or-treating and later back to their house for a party.

Emmie The Monkey

Katie The Zebra

Allie The Cowgirl

Will The Lion

Will Sitting With Me Watching The Trick-or-Treating

Katie loved her costume so much. When we came home around 11, I asked her to go upstairs and get ready for bed. I made my way upstairs a few minutes later and found her like this....something tells me she didn't get her teeth brushed either....after all that candy. :0

I agree with Katie...Halloween was exhausting! The next day we had 2 birthday parties and a soccer party. I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!