Photography Practice

I'm learning to shoot my camera in MANUAL!

WOOHOO!

I never thought I would be able to do that at all...  but I'm learning. 

Hopefully my pictures will get better.  It's fun to practice.  My precious kiddos agreed to be subjects for me to practice on.  Especially if they could carry a toy gun and pose for "military" shots or make goofy faces. :)  So, that's what we did.  Josiah didn't want to do pictures, but I got one of his handsome face anyway. 

I love Shep's hands in this picture... 

Saw these guys driving by on the tractor... 

This one is probably my favorite! 

I can't wait to practice some more!  I'd love to try to get some of the three boys together...  like a real portrait shot.  Maybe after the play when they can get their hair trimmed again. :)

Flying High - A Totally Awesome Day

11.11.11

Veteran's Day

What better way to spend Veteran's Day than with my favorite veteran...  my DAD!

Today was the BIG day!  The boys went for their first ride in an airplane and GRANDPA was flying it!

It was a gorgeous day...  sunny!  But the wind - oh my!  Let's just say it gave us an unforgettable ride and a few queasy stomachs.  But, my dad is an expert aviator so we were in great hands!

The boys have been asking to fly for a long time...  we just couldn't let the opportunity pass by to fly with grandpa.  So, we rented a little plane and had a very special and memorable day with the kids.

So, here's how it went...  I drove to Springdale with Shepard and Will and the three of us flew with my dad back to Fort Smith...  (it was a 4-seater airplaine) 

Loved, loved, loved seeing the moutains from the air...  we live in such a beautiful part of the world!

My mind was flooded with scriptures as we flew along.  And with the perspective of being in the air even the mightiest things on earth seem small and inconsequential and I thought, "what is man that you are mindful of him?"  And yet, HE IS!  I rejoiced anew in a loving savior! 

Shepard had his turn at the controls!  A very awesome experience for a 7-year-old!

(I remember my dad taking me flying when I was Shep's age and he let me "fly" too.) 

A huge highlight of the trip was flying over our farm!

I was able to get some really awesome aerial photos of our place as we circled around.

(John and Josiah were in the front yard waving at us!) 

Next, John and Josiah met us at the Fort Smith airport and then it was their turn to fly back to Springdale!

(Shep realized that there was an empty seat in the plane and he asked to ride again so he rode in the backseat this time!) 

Oh, I love this crew of boys!!!!! 

Thanks, Dad, for taking a picture of me with my family! 

I hear Josiah did quite a bit of the flying on the way home and that he LOVED it!

Probably one of his most favorite homeschooling days!  I know he learned a lot!  (Thanks for taking time to teach him, Dad!)

And, there they go! 

It's been so fun listening to the boys talk about their flying experience this evening.  It made quite an impression!  One of my favorites has been Will randomly saying over and over all throughout the rest of the day, "I've never flown before!"  And we'll say, but now you have!  And he'll smile big and say "Yes, I have!"  He was pretty funny during the flight because he was completely enthralled with the whole experience and afraid all at the same time.  He would lean over and say, "This is awesome!!!"  And then he would lean over and say "I don't want to fly again!"  But, tonight one of the last things he said before going to bed was, "When can I fly again?!"  I have a feeling we're going to be hearing that a lot... :)

Happy Birthday Miss Jolene

I'm really late posting this one...  this picture got lost, but now it's found!

The boys made Miss Jolene a birthday cookie with the icing in hieroglyphics.  It sounded like such a cool idea and a neat chance for the boys to use what they had learned in school...  but it was harder to do than we thought.  BUT, we did figure out how to make purple/ lavender icing with our primary food colors!

We LOVE Miss Jolene!!!!



Random Stuff

It's the newest way to "fish"!  (Or retrieve stuff off the very high shelves...)  Don't ask how it gets up there!  haha  Let's just say... we have BOYS!

I find this kind of scene all over my house...  this time it's xbox... sometimes they have calculators or other miscellaneous props.  This has Josiah and Shepard written all over it!  Josiah is a master "stager" - is that a word?? :)



Fall at Green Gabled Acres

I've looked forward to seeing Fall here at our place...  GORGEOUS!  The boys take walks with me sometimes and they've learned to exclaim BEEEAUUTIFUL and AWESOME and GORGEOUS!  We love finding all the different colors in the trees and bushes.  I love to hear them gasp with delight and point out a new color coming in one of the trees.  My heart swoons when I hear them say, "Oh, momma, look!"  I feel like I'm walking in a story book or a movie... some days you could just call me "Anne". :)



tennis pictures

My friend, Jessica, took these pictures of the boys at tennis lessons this fall...  I just love these pictures!

(I wish I could take pictures like hers!)



A Christmas Carol practice in costume

Saturday was our first all day practice... whew! 

And everyone was in full costume.  Fun! 

I never thought I'd be a "stage mom", but it's so cool!  I love watching the boys participate...  each in their own unique way. 

They just looked sooo cute!

This is how little boys pass the time...  all day practice is a LONG day for 4-year-olds. :) 

Here's Will practicing his part.  Is he winking at me?!? 

Seriously!  The most handsome street boy I've ever seen!! 

Precious gifts, my boys! 

 Isn't this a neat picture?