apryl deeter photography

bitting, party of eight | nappanee family photographer

2011-11-17T19:02:00.001-05:00

this summer i did a very quick (30 minutes or less) photography session with my brother's family. my sister-in-law needed a few photos for a local magazine article she was writing, and here are some of the shots that we got.

we didn't have much time, but i love the idea of "poses" that bring out the personalities, and even with eight people in one photo, i think this one comes pretty close...

although she didn't get to use her headshot for the article, i have to post it because, as my youngest once said while he watched me editing her photos...

"she has such a cute face!"... and a beautiful smile and heart to go with it.

thanks guys - it's always a pleasure♥

christmas organization - getting it together

2011-11-16T13:22:00.004-05:00

how are your organization skills? is planning your thing? are you good at it?

me - i'm a planner slash list-maker. i live by the list. in fact, i practically have a list of the lists. problem is, sometimes i'm not so good at it. sometimes i forget the list. or i lose the list. or i have plans for a list, but forget to make the list.

seriously, i'm not so bad at it, but i can tell you this... i don't plan like i used to.
these days i "selectively" plan. (sounds like a sister to selective memory, right?)
i plan what i have to, and hopefully don't miss any of those "have to's" if i'm lucky.

the christmas holiday is one of those things that i normally plan. i've tried different methods... kept lists, filled binders with ideas, made advent calendars... i've just plain filled the family calendar with all sorts of activities and traditions. none of these "methods" has stuck with me for very long.

back in 2006, when my youngest child was a mere 7 years old, he surprised me by giving me a lovely red journal for christmas. the truly wonderful thing about it was, although it wasn't on my christmas list, i really did need a journal to record all of our christmas traditions, activities, and gift giving. a christmas journal... it was perfect!

just last week i was wondering about last christmas, trying to remember the details of what we did, gifts we got our boys... that sort of thing. it also occurred to me that i was frantically searching for the perfect size christmas tins at the last minute. why was i doing that? did i write it down? i may still make my lists and write things on the calendar, but i confirm everything we did in that journal. it's my memory on paper.

so i pulled out my handy, dandy, christmas journal to see just what i'd done last year.

much to my dismay, i DID NOT RECORD CHRISTMAS 2010!
WHAT THE HECK? this just threw me into a tailspin.

HOW am i going to remember what i did last year?
WHAT did i need those tins for?
SURELY i needed them for a good reason - but what was it?
WHATEVER will i do????

{i fully realize the insignificance of the little things i obsess about, but this is how my mind works}

now, to remember all the details from an entire year ago. ouch.

to make things worse, last christmas was weird. i didn't plan anything new and we didn't stick to any of our previous plans. we didn't put up a tree - we were just.that.lazy. we thought that as long as the boys didn't care, we wouldn't even bother with getting it out. what's the likelihood that two people as lazy as us would have kids that weren't just as lazy? yep, we pretty much had that deal sealed from the start.

honestly, that is what happens when i don't plan. if we don't have plans or a schedule to follow, the bare minimum gets done. we would all just be blobs on the sofa or in front of the computer screens. nothing deliberate, nothing intentional.

so right now, i'm getting a leg-up on the plans. i'm not going to over-commit, but i'm going to put in an effort. i've got my christmas to-do list started and already have some plans in the works. i'm even thinking of braving a christmas-gift-list-less year. yep... no christmas lists.

this could be the new me... live dangerously, but with a plan.

*if you're thinking about planning and would benefit from an actual christmas planner, check out these cute diy christmas planners.

19 yrs ago

2011-11-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

photo courtesy of the big boy

due to my usual lack of planning, we tore our 15 year old son away from his computer yesterday afternoon, during the crazy-windy, typical november weather to take a few quick snaps of us on the back porch.

not exactly ideal conditions for a proper portrait, but my guy's smiling, so that's good enough for me.

happy anniversary babe♥

fall art project | nappanee photographer

2011-11-10T17:49:00.008-05:00

this year, i'm trying to incorporate art into the 6th grader's schedule on an every-other-week basis. i thought about laying out an entire curriculum plan this summer (like being ready ahead of time... that would be amazing!), but instead, it's a work in progress. i'm trying to work it into his history or science or wherever it might tie into something he's already studying. if that happens, it will probably be a happy accident, but i'm doing my best to stay current. i always feel like if it's not planned ahead of time, it will probably flop.

so far it's worked out and it gives me time to get projects ready on the off weeks and it gives the boy a break. me, i don't need an "art break" but i guess art can be tasking on an almost 12 year old boy.

this summer i found a plethora of art teacher blogs. once you start looking around, you'll find that there are entire communities of blogs dedicated to everything you can think of and art teachers is one of them. i've bookmarked tons and will try to share from them often.

i found this project here where it's entitled layered fall leaves. this project is done using actual leaves to trace shape & veins and then the outlining is done with a black sharpie (or in our case we used an american crafts slick writer permanent marker because they're not as "bleedy" as sharpies) and then the coloring is done with oil pastels.

*this is my 2nd time using oil pastels and i am not impressed. i'd frankly rather use crayons. maybe the brand i'm using is just cruddy. someone tell me if they have good experiences with oil pastels so i can see what i'm missing.

i think the boy did a great job; he's very creative. he came up with his own way of blending all by himself & it looks nothing like the sample on the blogsite i got the project from, so i'm impressed.

now i'm off to search through another blog community that i'm SO excited about {enter sarcasm here}: math.... proofs for geometry, to be exact.

yippeeeee!

how i spent my summer and didn't blog about it

2011-11-09T01:14:00.003-05:00

oh my goodness.
i haven't been on the blog since july. JULY.
this summer came and it went... soon we'll be getting ready for thanksgiving.

where has this year gone?

and i know very well that i'm far too old to be writing anything entitled
how i spent my summer, yet here i am.

honestly, i don't really want to talk about my summer.

but if i did, i could tell you about how we stayed home. a lot.
and that we only went swimming twice. all. summer. long.
i could tell you how our garden really stunk and the canning was almost nill.

i could also say that i spent nearly every waking moment researching for this school year, and making sure i was ready to officially home school a high school student. my brain literally hurt at the end of each day, but it was exciting.

i might also tell you that we saw all the big super hero/action movies (thor, green lantern, captain america, pirates of the caribbean, cowboys & aliens), but that might be a little too much insight into the real priorities in my life.

all i know is that i was busy and i did not blog.
and i really didn't miss it. {insert cringe here}

so, i've been thinking about blogging and about not blogging.
i think i'd really like to get back to it. i think i've got some things to say and maybe some resources that others might find useful.

i've got lots of ideas for posts ranging anywhere from ...photos that i'm loving, to teaching my guys greek & latin roots, to an art curriculum i'm designing, to why i tried the no-shampoo method of washing my hair this year.
(yes... yes i did & i know you can't wait to hear about it)

now, i know that all sounds just awesome, yet i find myself struggling just to keep the toilets clean these days!
just keepin it real, peeps.

so how am i going to fit blogging in there? i don't know.
and now i'm having a conversation with myself. ☺

so, give me a shout out. tell me how you do it all, if you do it all,
and what the heck... even if you don't.

throw some encouragement my way!

i could use it right about now.

love her | nappanee photographer

2011-07-07T14:37:00.003-04:00

this girl rocks my world.
she is magical, i tell you - in the very best way possible!

it's like having one great big piece of eye dessert, getting to spend a little camera time with her.

this girl does not disappoint, not for one moment. i can barely keep up with her!

i love her new haircut - it so fits her. she's a no-nonsense, roll-with-the-flow girl & i love that about her.

she's a breath of fresh air, this one.
gonna breathe in as much as i can get☺

my garden boys | nappanee photographer

2011-06-29T17:14:00.002-04:00

how has your summer gone so far?

it's been kind of different for me.
i would really like to chat about why, but that will be a near-future post.

a normal summer break starts something like this:

clothes on the lines - check.
basketball camp for the over 6' crowd - check.
swim lessons - no more. (in the books as of last year)
summer camp - check.
mowing, and more mowing - check.
garden - check... err, kind of.

my flower garden is a disaster.
take-over of an ivy kind literally strangled out several of my perennials.
in my old age, i'm giving this up as "lesson learned".

our vegetable garden is mostly per the usual, except that my participation has been next to nill.

i went along to purchase seeds & plants as is the tradition, but i've done very little else.

post gardening rest...

did you know that a hoe can double as a light-saber or some other sort of weapon...?

although i had good intentions, the new strawberry patch was planted by the big guy alone.
i'm wondering about those new plants... i never really discussed the "proper way to plant strawberry starts" with him.
somehow i just don't have it in me to verify these facts.

so, i've been busy inside and my guys are doing all the gardening themselves.

*oh, hey... i did spread hair around the jalepeno plants, and well... that's a whole nother ball of wax.

nothing like a good book | nappanee photographer

2011-06-14T21:03:00.002-04:00

one thing that i am a strong believer in is kids & books.

we started reading to ours when they were babies & we have never looked back.
my boys both loved being read to & became big readers as soon as they could read for themselves.

so, we appreciate a book lover here at our house & could just eat this one up when she pulls out the books....

completely enthralled.... absolutely precious.

love her ♥

happy | nappanee photographer

2011-06-09T18:17:00.001-04:00

random happiness captured.
circa 2006 with my trusty, now dusty, fuji finepix☺

love that guy ♥

i ♥ faces "from a distance" | nappanee photographer

2011-06-07T19:46:00.007-04:00

this week's theme at i ♥ faces is "from a distance".

if you read my last post, you know i love the close-up, so distance shots are not exactly my forte. normally this type of shot doesn't stick out in my memory.

buuuut.... it just so happens that i'm still in the midst of the world's longest archiving event over here, so i actually had a few shots to choose from!

i decided on this one because it's from a beloved vacation.... awhile ago.

can't wait till we get to go again, but with temps like the 99 degrees here today, i'd rather imagine this vacation in the fall☺

can't get close enough | nappanee photographer

2011-05-23T23:28:00.009-04:00

one of my favorite quotes regarding photography is:

if your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.
-robert capa

so it makes it very convenient that i love a good close-up! i actually have to think outside my own little personal "box" to back up and take something other than a close-up.

i generally shoot with a prime lens, so there's no zooming for me.

at first it might seem weird getting so close, but soon it becomes second nature. i've always got about 3 feet to work with, so i'm not exactly on top of my subject.... but i am pretty snug...

(yes, there was a moment i thought this one might take a bite out of my camera...)

i nearly always frame my shots in camera. i rarely plan to "crop creatively" in post processing. so if this is what i want, i get in there....

i've just come to love getting really close. there's something about framing a face & gobbling up those eyes...

and that nose and those lips...

so if you want your photos to capture the heart & soul of your subject, get in there! get close, forget about those background distractions and fill up your frame with those wonderful faces!

good times | nappanee photographer

2011-04-13T22:55:00.008-04:00

have i told you that i'm diving into the archives and sorting, organizing, and - gasp! deleting (oh, how i love deleting!) many of my photo files?

it's a task that begs doing... especially since the hard drive and the external hard drive are nearing the red line, so to speak.

tonight i found this moment below.
instantly, i remember exactly what was going on here.

people are uncooperative.
mother is getting irritated.

the neighbors are wondering just how is it that this woman can possibly take other people's photos when her own family doesn't listen to a word she says.

while i'm pleading for just one decent photo of the three of them, the father of my children is giving out these instructions...

"on the count of three... we'll all turn around and moon her!"

real nice... very mature dad! ☺

makes for a good story though, doesn't it?

i'm motivated | nappanee photographer

2011-03-21T16:21:00.001-04:00

as the sun tries to pull itself out from under another dreary indiana winter, i find myself motivated to do many things.

my house is unusually clean right now.
i am so thinking spring clean... my walls are yearning to be dust mopped☺

my hard drive is almost full... again.

there's going to be a lot of sorting, deleting, and then deleting some more.
it must be done!

picture frames, oh... they are calling my name.

i feel a project coming on & it involves spray paint.

i'm just itching to get started.

and... i can safely say the most exciting purchase i made last week was a package of new clothes pins & a clothes pin bag to hang on the line.

i am sooo ready!

being that this is a relatively new year, i'm still trying to figure out my goals, but i think it's all just sort of falling in line.

{well, some of it anyways}

the whole meal planning thing... grrrr!
i was so organized last year, but i've let it slide.
i'm being lazy and it's not flowing very smoothly these days, but i'm about to wrangle it up.

and i'm still searching for a nutritious hot cereal option that #4 can stomach.

recently we tried a new recipe. maybe someone at your house will love it.
it's a rice pudding of sorts.

check out the recipe here.

so, are you motivated?
do you have some goals in the works?
what are your success stories?

i love a good list.
a list of goals is even better.
and achieving those goals... now that's the best.

i love being able to look back & know that there is proof - i've lived some of my life with intention.

psalms & skies | nappanee photographer

2011-03-17T20:30:00.007-04:00

sunset, march 14, 2011 7:10 pm

your love, o lord, reaches to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the skies.

your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your justice like the great deep.

o lord, you preserve both man and beast.

how priceless is your unfailing love!

both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

psalm 36:5-7 (niv)

musical men part 2 : the composer | nappanee photographer

2011-03-02T13:25:00.001-05:00

my youngest child is a composer. in my head, i always think of him as "the maestro".

he just loves to make music.

and i think it's especially delightful that he goes at it, all decked out in his red, plushy, "like rich people wear" robe.

somehow, it just works for him. ☺

at any given time, he can be found at the piano, experimenting, putting new tunes together.

and when he gets really serious, out comes the staff paper

i'm glad that he enjoys this part of music. while i have never even considered writing music, it just streams out of some people naturally... what a blessing that must be!

musical men part 1 : the guitarist | nappanee photographer

2011-02-16T08:56:00.001-05:00

my house is full of musical men... uh... boys.

both of the guys are in their 4th year of piano lessons & this winter we got the big boy a guitar for christmas.

now, he didn't particularly want a guitar for christmas, but sometimes mom has a vision and children need a little fire lit beneath them.

the guitar is totally new territory for me.

i can safely say i know nothing about guitar.

so i called up uncle brad (who's been playing "for forty years") and asked if he could help get the boy going.

i had no idea how different guitar would be from other musical instruments (my experience being with the piano & clarinet).

i had no idea that pain & calluses were involved!

but i think it's safe to say that the boy is enjoying his lessons & getting to know a lot about his uncle brad all at the same time ☺

so now we have a guitarist in the house & i can't wait to see where he goes with it!

cinnamon rolls | nappanee photographer

2011-02-10T12:22:00.002-05:00

i ask you this: can one exist on cinnamon rolls alone?
this is something i've been pondering lately.
not really, of course☺

before christmas, i started experimenting with cinnamon rolls.
i've been baking practically all my life, but i've never come across a cinnamon roll recipe that i though was awesome enough to jot down in "the book". (my favorites gathered over the years)

so i picked a random recipe and tried it out.

my apologies to those who endured that first batch.

they were dull.
they were dry.
not to mention overcooked.
and their filling was crystalized in the bottom of the pan.

i do not do flops well. at all.
so i was on a mission... the search was on for a good cinnamon roll recipe.

i found this one.
and i scanned through the reviews for those secret tips that make all the difference.

i made several dozen of these for christmas gifts.
last week i made some more.

fresh out of the oven... come to mama...

the frosting is not perfect yet... i like carmel, but i 'm still working on getting the consistency right...

i'll admit i had a bite before realizing that i needed one more photo...

my frosting recipe:

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

combine butter, brown sugar & milk in small saucepan, heat to boiling for 1 minute stirring constantly, add powdered sugar & vanilla to consistency. pour/spread on rolls while warm.

things i've learned from baking cinnamon rolls:

1. even though this recipe calls for it, you don't need a bread maker. i have one but i'm too lazy to get it out and i like my bread better when it's made the old fashioned way. just mix your ingredients like any other bread recipe, then knead the dough with mixer & dough hook as instructed or knead by hand for several minutes.

2. use bread flour instead of regular all purpose. it will make a difference & you won't look back.

3. i use white sugar instead of brown sugar in my filling. it seems to make a difference in what happens after cooking. it doesn't run down into the bottom of the pan, and the rolls come out of the pan perfectly.

4. don't skimp on the filling ingredients. pour that stuff on and when it looks like you've probably put on a little too much, sprinkle on a little more. you will not regret it.

5. if you can't raise them and bake them right away, raise your dough, roll it out, add the filling, cut out the rolls, put them in the pans and put them in the fridge overnight. all you need to do in the morning is put them in a cold oven and bake. you may raise them a bit before chilling but it's not necessary. they'll be fine☺

6. don't over-bake. my oven tends to get the corners a little toastier than anywere else. that irritates me. and my jpegs above are a little bit warmer here than the real thing was, so don't let them fool you. if the centers of the rolls are a little soft, they're probably just right.

so... if you're looking for something to do... try your hand at cinnamon rolls. and enjoy!

i ♥ faces challenge "innocent wonder" | nappanee photographer

2011-01-24T12:10:00.003-05:00

trying to pull myself out of a non-blogging, non-photographing slump, i opened my emails today and saw that
the i ♥ faces photography challenge this week is "innocent wonder". i immediately knew where the perfect photo was.

little miss girl was here several days ago & i snapped a few quick photos. she likes to go up to my table with the photo frames and check out the familiar faces, pointing out who's who, naming them all.

i love how she rests her little 2 year old chin over the top of the table.

and... i'm especially a sucker for a profile & the added bonus of a her sweet reflection☺

6 month old beauty | nappanee children's photographer

2010-11-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

this little girl hardly knows me without the black box in front of my face.
she's the newest of my 14 nieces & nephews and the most regularly photographed by me, to date.
and that's ok because mommy & i both love photos.

and babies aren't babies for long, so there's no such thing as too many photos, right?!

i love baby hands and feet, and baby roundness....

what a precious face....

when i think of her, this is the face i see...

and lest anyone think she's a boy, we added a flowery headband...☺

thank you sweet baby, for tolerating your aunt with the camera, once again!

xoxo

aunt apryl

long hair, revisited | nappanee photographer

2010-11-03T13:08:00.002-04:00

i take a lot of photos. (understatement)
right now i'm trying to get organized, sorting, deleting, editing. repeat.

it's time consuming and not my idea of a good time.

what i do appreciate, though, is what i find.
images i've totally overlooked or forgotten or been too busy to stop & savor.

recently i did some serious hair cutting around here.
this boy really had some long curly locks!

while sorting through photos, i found some gems.

like this one... i like the subject.
i like that his hair wasn't in his eyes at the time.
i really like the rim light... it's icing on the cake.

this i just love. then end.

mmmm.... i'm a catchlight junkie...

and i'm equal-opportunity as far as hair's concerned.
i like it short just as well as i like it long!

love a clear path to those wonderful eyes☺
-a

she makes me smile | nappanee children's photographer

2010-10-12T08:58:00.001-04:00

seeing this little one just makes my day!
she has a wonderful disposition & she's a doll.
so luvvy & sweet right now.

i truly miss this age with my boys.

and...
i have always been in love with this angle of view.

i have a similar shot of my oldest when he was little.
i called it his "alfred hitchcock" pose. the mostly bald head & the huge, droopy cheeks.

oh, how i love that!

i love the eyelashes.
i love the exaggeration of the cheeks & the pouty lips.

but i love this one just as much!

love you pretty girl!

xoxo
aunt apryl

hitting the spot | nappanee photographer

2010-10-11T09:25:00.003-04:00

lately, this has been a weekly necessity at our house...

i'll let you in on a secret: normally on sunday, i cheat like crazy.
i make sure i have frozen pizza in the freezer.

quick & easy.
no work for me.

but i got this idea to try homemade pizza, once again. i've tried it many times over the years. when i was a kid, the only pizza we had was homemade. homemade from the box kits you used to be able to get at the store.

can you still get those?

in the past, i can't say i thought homemade pizza was the best; but right now, my family seems to think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

it's our new sunday thing.

want the recipe for my pizza dough?
it's super-easy & fast. no rising. no kneading.

you will like it, i promise☺

homemade pizza dough

1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp. yeast)
1 c. warm water 110 degrees
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 heaping tsp. sugar

mix yeast in warm water until dissolved. add olive oil.
mix 2 c. flour with salt & sugar. add all at once to liquid ingredients.
with mixer & dough hook attached, blend on speed 2 (low) till about 1/2 way mixed.
add remaining 1 c. flour & continue blending on low for about 2 minutes until dough is well blended, clings to hook & cleans sides of the bowl.

spread out on pizza pans, add toppings, bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 mins. till done.

*this makes enough dough for 2 pizzas, i make mine on 12 1/2" round stones. if you try & make 1 pizza with this amount it will be super-thick. so if you like it super-thick, go for it!

happy today | etna green children's photographer

2010-10-04T13:35:00.001-04:00

these are making me happy today...

baby fingers & toes....

and adorable profiles with soft, kissable cheeks...

yummm...♥

j&k | goshen couples photographer

2010-09-30T15:05:00.003-04:00

several weeks ago it was a special treat for me to photograph this young married couple.

i still remember the first time i met k.
she was about 9 mths old when troy & i started hanging out with her parents.
they were a young married couple & new parents, while we were just dating/engaged.

{kind of makes a girl feel her age when someone she met as a baby gets married}

boy, how time flies!

and because i'm in the mood, i'm gonna do a little play by play...

i tell people that they don't have to smile to be pretty... this is proof right here... ☺

♥ this...

i'm liking a little sun...

i said "talk to him k!" and she said (laughing) "i can't talk to him!"...

i love to get in there tight...

because i always love the results!

this was so much fun... hope you guys enjoy your photos!

-apryl

too fast | nappanee children's photographer

2010-09-14T10:43:00.001-04:00

my guys are growing up so quickly.
school has started & i have an 8th grader & 5th grader.

whoa.
i ask myself, "where has the time gone? they're growing up too fast!"

all you mama's with little ones out there, let me reassure you:
it will be gone... all too fast.

so i savor these moments today.

secretly, my oldest son blows my mind.

he chews gum. all. the. time.
he's into ac/dc. his father is so proud☺
he's officially taller than me - over 5' 11".
his new bike is the big deal in his life right now.
he plays "gaga ball". it's an actual physical game, not a video game. bonus.
he bought a $15 computer from his cousin. you'd think it was state of the art.
he is a quite the piano player, which makes me really proud!
he's a super speller & loves all things science.

my youngest keeps me sharp. he makes me work for every last bit.

he's imaginative & creative.
he likes all things egyptian.
he is the most thoughtful kid i know.
he loves history, which makes his father proud.
he's a self-professed author. he's always writing & that impresses me!
he loves to play gaga ball, even though his brother normally pounds him.
he wants a pet desperately. even if it's just a mouse, he needs one.
he got 5 milk duds for helping me work on my backlit shots. i love the results.

i love these boys so much.

god knows what he's doing when he grants you the desires of your heart; that he surely does. ♥

on their way out | nappanee photographer

2010-09-08T22:29:00.002-04:00

this year was crazy hard on the gardens.
i suppose it didn't help that i didn't water the flowers once this year.

bad gardener... baaaad.

i like to think that by planting all perennials, the garden's on auto-pilot.

you throw a kid who's in trouble out there once in awhile to pull the weeds, and let those babies go.

that's my idea of flower gardening.... lazy style☺

they're on their way out now but these were some of my favorites...

love me a little flower bokeh!
mmmmm.....

so long, my pretties☺

little f is growing up | etna green children's photographer

2010-08-31T19:32:00.001-04:00

ever since i took her pictures in the beginning, i've been wanting to spend some time taking more.

mommy says that as soon as the camera comes out, she'll have nothing to do with me.

i started out in front of her and she dodged me left...

i went to her left & she dodged me right...

i popped right back in front & she looked over my shoulder like i wasn't even there!

she's one smooth little operator, this one!

just you wait little girl... i'll be back to getcha☺

xo
aunt apryl

a discussion with a 4 yr old | nappanee children's photographer

2010-08-26T11:35:00.002-04:00

a couple of weeks ago we stopped by my nephew's on his 4th birthday. as per usual, i took my camera along in case the opportunity arose to snap a few shots of anyone cute.

this boy was doing his thing.
playing in the dirt because apparently dirt is more fun than the sandbox for some such reason or another.
and playing in the dirt is one of the things that boys do best, so we have to let them do that, especially on their birthday.

so i planted myself there next to him and started chatting & snapping in between.

mr. c was seriously working on setting up a barn with some cows & pigs.

i guess that dirt doubles for bedding, food, saw dust... whatever you happen to need at that moment.

at some point, mr. c looked up and said something like

mr. c: "why are you takin' pictures of me?"

to which i replied something like

me: "cause it's your birthday & i thought that might be kind of nice for your mom to have pictures of you on your birthday. is that ok???"

mr c.: "no."

i guess serious business should not be interrupted by the sound of the shutter clattering.
ropin' up your cows and all, that's very serious stuff.

so i'm thinking, "great. he's really gonna make me work for this!"

these 4 yr olds, what can we do with them?

we can bribe them, that's what we can do with them☺

me: "so, maybe if i can get some nice pictures of you, i just might have a birthday present for you..."

wow... magical... look at that face!

me: "seriously, is that the best you got?"
(i see no reason to beat around the bush with these people - 4 yr old people, that is)

me: "oh yeah... that's what i'm talkin' about!"

mr. c: "so about that birthday present... "

me: "just exactly how many birthday presents could you possibly need???"

me: "ahhh... that many. well i suppose 1 more won't hurt you!"

☺

so, thanks little buddy, for the pictures.

hope this 4 thing turns out to be just great!

love,

aunt apryl

xo

ps. mom, that's chocolate cake around his mouth there. if you want me to, i can get rid of it, course i thought it was sort of cute! boys with clean faces... do those exist?

little miss s | bourbon children's photographer

2010-08-23T19:39:00.000-04:00

a couple of weeks ago i had the delightful privilege of photographing this little girl.
technically, i've photographed her once before, but that just wasn't quite the same!

i've decided that "S" stands for "sweetie", cause that's her.

i love the time i spend with children in front of my camera!
can't wait till i get another chance to capture miss s & her smiles again☺

rocking my kitchen today

2010-08-20T17:35:00.003-04:00

some of you know that tacos, quesadillas & burritos are a mainstay at our house. we like us some mexican food!

lately i found myself buying packet after packet of taco seasoning.
each time i'd buy it, something nagged at me, telling me i should probably just make some myself.

sometimes, i hate it when that happens...

so here's the recipe i found & tweaked to my liking.
hopefully someone can use it as much as i can!

if you're like me, you already have all or most of these ingredients in your cupboard.

taco seasoning
6 tsp. chili powder
5 tsp. paprika
5 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. onion powder
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. seasoned salt

shake it up.
store in jar with tight fitting lid.
7 tsp. = 1 packet of seasoning
add to 1 lb. browned ground beef & 3/4-1 c. water.
simmer a couple minutes, shouldn't be runny.

tortillas.
we eat a lot of them & it always bugs me that the regular, made with your all-american bleached flour ones are pretty unhealthy for you & still have transfats in them.

even the recipes for homemade ones are made with either lard or shortening. i just don't like those options.

so i found theses...

now i'll be straight with ya... these aren't the healthiest of the possibilities on the market, but they're much better than the non-whole wheat alternative. i've looked, i've tried at least 2 other brands that offered a whole wheat option. but looking at all around consitency, feel, taste, etc. i like these the best.

and they fit my requirements, so i'm happy. they're also really affordable, get them on sale for $1.59 a pack of 8, 8" tortillas. that's not bad at all.

the piece de resistance:

i found these meijer brand chips on sale a couple weeks ago. as a rule, i don't buy a lot of chips, because lets face it, we do not need chips. but i needed chips & they looked good.

and they are good. bonus!☺

so have i got your wheels turning?
i hope so - this stuff is great!

mesmerized

2010-08-18T00:37:00.003-04:00

i am mesmerized by her eyes...
i am fascinated by her cheeks...
i am captivated by her lovely disposition...

i have been charmed by this little one, my adorable niece.

love you baby girl!
xo

summer hiatus is over...

2010-08-16T23:16:00.000-04:00

if you haven't noticed, i took a little break this summer.
and by break, i mean break from blogging.
i didn't plan on it... it just worked out that way.

and seriously, i don't think it was that big of a deal, seeing as how my husband & 10 yr old were the only ones who noticed!

this summer has been typical of the last year and a half or so... very weird, lots of ups & downs... mostly i've dwelt on the downs. i truly haven't been "me", but i'm pulling myself back up there and getting back into the normal routine of things.

it feels like i've accomplished little, but actually i've achieved a lot.

often i've felt as if there isn't much to show for it with the disappearance of my camera for an extended period in july (depressing... emphasis on the depressing)

but i have survived☺

my youngest & i survived his time in casts. i'm so glad that experience is over with. i can't imagine this hot summer with casts on... lord help us!

my oldest turned 14 in july. i look at him (almost looking up at him, actually) and cannot believe i have a 14 yr old man-child. nope. just can't.

i have tried new recipes. many. maybe too many. i spent a crazy amount of time copying recipes from library books in a quest to find new salads, new summer dishes, new things to get me out of the hum-drum that is cooking.

i have to tell you, i had many strike-outs. most of our summer has been just me & my boys at dinner time & i think my husband has spoiled me. he happily eats anything that he's served and doesn't find a need to tell me that it's not really great, even if he feels that way. my boys... that's another story. my youngest would eat his first helping and be done. that was clue #1 that it's not too good. my oldest would flat out critique the dish as if he were an expert chef. a simple "i didn't really care for it" would suffice for me.

so... we're pretty much back where we began but i did find a few things that we liked & made their way into my recipe binders.

there seemed to be no problem devouring this peach berry cobbler, pretty much in one sitting.

yes... i caved to peer pressure & had mine with a little ice cream... i'll admit that it was pretty good.

so don't give up on me... my mind's just flowing with ideas for my next post☺

summer snack of choice

2010-06-02T10:10:00.002-04:00

the smoothie has been center stage in our house for the past several weeks.

my youngest came up with the idea of having a smoothie for a snack, for lunch, for any good reason... i don't think there's a bad one.

we have frozen blueberries, strawberries & bananas in the fridge all year round, so these are a good way to use them up. if you have these fruits & a blender on hand, you're good to go.

my basic recipe is very simple:

smoothies
vanilla yogurt
orange juice
strawberries, frozen
blueberries, frozen
banana, fresh or semi-thawed frozen

i don't use exact measurements, a large spoonful of yogurt per person, a good size splash of orange juice & just eyeball the fruit (except for the banana, i always use just 1 per blender).

the key here is using frozen fruit so that you don't have to worry about adding ice to make it nice and frosty.

also, if you don't have yogurt on hand, milk will work in a pinch. just watch how much liquid you use to gauge how thick you'd like it.

*a full blender is going to make about 3 big-kid/adult size glasses full.

oh, and don't forget the straws! you must drink a smoothie with a straw☺

how our garden grows

2010-05-27T10:45:00.002-04:00

last night we finally got corn & beans planted. we are soooo late. the priorities around our place have been severely screwed up for several months, at best. in my heart i thought there was no way the garden would get neglected, but things happen to the best of us.

between all the rain & the general absence of a certain master gardener - tiller extraordinaire, the big plant got delayed, and delayed again.... big time.

like i said, these things happen to the best of us.

but on other fronts, the strawberry patch is cleaning up nicely. 3 days straight of weeding, eyes burning, itching, sneezing, keeping my kleenex box in the garden next to me, the big boy and i did some serious damage to the clover population.

*note to self: find a way to keep the clover from coming back.... ever.

i think these are some of the sweetest berries we've gotten out of our patch. this variety is honeyeye. they are described as "sweet" but i generally think they're pretty tart. normally i find that the later part of the picking season produces the sweetest berries, but these have been really sweet so far.

***now, here's where things get reeeally boring unless you're into gardening & you've got nothing better to do than keep reading...

have i mentioned what's going on in the "no tilling allowed!" section of our garden?

well, 2 years ago i planted dill for my pickles. sources told me that dill would return (even though it's technically an annual). then, last spring we had the till-happy mishap where everything got tilled under, even the asparagus that was in it's 2nd year - major ugh! moment.

so just to be safe, i planted more dill, which, as we later discovered, probably wasn't necessary. the dill made it's way back, even after being tilled under. (alas, no asparagus survived.)

along with dill & some other herbs we also planted cilantro for our salsa & all the summer pico de gallo that happens here. cilantro would also happen be an annual.

now this year, since we learned our lesson, we now have a "no tilling allowed" section of the garden where the dill and asparagus reside. come time to buy seeds, i could not see any sign of the dill.

weeds, yes.
dill, no.

and last week i tried to find dill for sale, only to come home with one measly little pack. i was pretty bummed. i go out to the garden to check again for any sign of the dill popping up and i was pleasantly surprised to find many little starts making their way up through the "weeds" surrounding it.

upon looking a little closer (wake up girl!) i notice the "weeds" surrounding my little sprigs of dill are actually cilantro.... or rather what i like to call "cilantro gone wild"!

we're now the proud owners of a 8 x 4' patch of cilantro.
good. night. nurse.

so hey, if you're in the area and need some cilantro, you know where to get some☺

happy vengence

2010-05-26T10:40:00.000-04:00

it's amazing how some things can take off & get away from you without your notice. that is what my perennials have done this spring.

i have one little flower bed that i have accumulated perennials in over the time we have lived here. i am so glad i went with perennials because i do not have the patience for the annual ritual. i like the renewal of these flowers each year, something to look forward to with expectations each spring.

the early birds have already finished blooming like my irises & ground cover. (if anyone is interested in a dwarf white/purple iris, let me know because i'd like to split it this year!)

i've been surprised to see that my globeflower has reappeared after a no-show last year. this confounds me! and i guess my poppies are not going to happen (i would really love to have some poppies!).

this year some of my plants have just gone ginormous on me. i'm not sure why. i'm sure there's a logical reason having to do with something like the climate over the past year... that's just my guess. but regardless, in the flower bed and in my garden (more on the herbal takeover later) things seem to have returned with a happy vengence☺

the blessed lupine has come back in a big way. i have never seen so many blooms on this plant. (these photos were taken almost 10 days ago, so by now they are maxxed out to full bloom. this is the stage where i like them best)

the salvia. i have found that i have an over-abundance of purple flowers in my garden☺

if the skies allow, i'll be posting more flowers as they arrive.

happy gardening ♥

the garden... first harvest 2010

2010-05-21T09:10:00.001-04:00

last night i spent some time weeding the ever-loving strawberry patch.
we have out-of-control clover in parts of the patch.

it's terrible.

i have never seen anything like it!

the conviction of will that it took for me to spend an hour weeding just a tiny 3 x 1' stretch of patch was mind-numbing.
not to mention the hopelessness that came when i looked at the next 25 x 4' that still need attention.

ugghh!

so anyhow, the 2 casted boy came over to check out my hard work (since he's too handicapped to help with the weeding, don't you know).

he noticed that there were radishes that needed picking.
he explained that radishes & cucumbers are his favorites of all things to pick from the garden.
this doesn't shock me, whatsoever.

can we all say "very little effort required"?!

so here's the first crop. there's still more out there to pick, and once they're ready, we'll plant more. radishes are nice & they let us grow them pretty much all season long.

*i have no idea what happened to that reject in the lower right corner, but other than being a freakish shade of purple (which by the way bled off onto our hands like ink), it wasn't especially hot or strange tasting. it was devoured in one bite by the big guy, along with almost every other one we picked, at supper.

oh, and ps.... we did pick a couple of strawberries too. SO excited, i can hardly wait for them☺

miss f, part 2 | nappanee newborn photographer

2010-05-12T09:10:00.006-04:00

i just couldn't get enough of this sweet little girl, so i had her back for another session.

in these photos she's 10 days old, and i'm telling you - i have some new all-time favorite photos right here from this session.

don't they just ooze baby love?☺

love you baby girl!

can't wait to capture more of you☺

aunt apryl

miss f, part 1 | nappanee newborn photographer

2010-05-11T08:40:00.002-04:00

back in march i had the great opportunity to photograph my very pregnant sister-in-law while she was carrying her 6th child.

now little miss f is here and she is adorable! how could she not be? she's surrounded by beautiful siblings, every single one.

i was excited to photograph her, and since newborns & photographers are both pretty unpredictable, i got to do it twice! these are some of my favorites from the first of 2 sessions, she is 8 days old here.

don't for get to check back tomorrow.... i'll be posting part 2!

excitement | part 2

2010-05-05T20:24:00.005-04:00

as you know, i have piano players at my house. this is something that really thrills me as a mom and as a music lover. i played piano (and not especially well) most of my childhood & into the teen years. as my youngest showed interest in the piano, we searched for something we could afford & since bringing a piano into our home, i have renewed my love of the instrument and for learning with it.

both of my boys are finishing their 3rd year in lessons and they both have done very well. this past sunday was their spring recital.

a bit of a wrench was thrown into the whole situation this year because of "the broken arms". as luck would have it, the 2-casted boy broke his arms 5 days before recital. weeks of practice & hard work and he wasn't going to be able to play. this was truly a bummer, probably more for me than for my boy. it was so nice of their teacher, mrs. stichter, to play his songs on his behalf during the recital. it was really a special moment & i was proud, even though he wasn't able to play.

as for the big boy, for the first time since he's started playing he was really nervous about performing. as a kid, i hated recitals. a deathly-type of hate, i tell you. put me almost anywhere, but don't ask me to perform in front of people. i hated to have him feel this way and really want him to be confident. plus, he can really perform his work well & i didn't want that to be diminished by nerves.

so i had to hope & pray for my big boy. hope that he would do well & pray for his nerves to calm down. i have always been so proud of how well both boys have done performing... always.

at the recital he had 2 songs to perform and i could hear his nerves in the first piece, but the second song went smoothly. i was very proud of him!

little did i know, the really proud moment was yet to come.

each year at recital, mrs. stichter gives out 3 awards for different "bests" in her studio. when she started to describe the recipient of her "best technique" award, i listened intently. as she went on, she talked about how much improvement she saw in this student's technique, how diligent he was in working hard to do everything that she asked of him & how prepared he was every week. she described this student as being a lot of fun to work with and as growing up & getting so tall, and having to grow into his "man-sized hands".

my heart almost pounded out of my chest as i knew this had to be my son! (there aren't too many big boys in the piano studio)

when she said his name, i was brimming over with pride & so excited that my boy was being recognized for the work he's done at the piano. i'm sure most parents think so, but i truly believe he works hard (with a few nudges here & there from me) and is capable of going as far as he's willing at the piano.

if you know me, you know i'm not a gusher. but right now, i'm gushing!

i love ya dude & i'm so proud!

you can really work that piano if you want to☺

keep up the good work!

mom

excitement | part 1

2010-05-03T22:10:00.000-04:00

we have been keeping busy around here.

personally, i prefer hum-drum. really - i don't have a problem with mediocrity because frankly, i'm too lazy for a whole lot more.

lately, we've been losing lots of teeth. being the slacker that i am, i owe this kid about $5 over the past few weeks for all the teeth he's lost.

what else's been going on??? uuhhhh....

oh yeah. the arms. the broken ones. we've been dealing with that too.

two, no less. we're still trying to wrap our brains around this one. and really, it's kind of interesting the looks i get taking this boy anywhere.

not something you see everyday, i guess. ☺

*see that crud between his fingers there - yummy, don't you think? try not being able to really wash the hands of your boy for 5 weeks. truly, a mother's nightmare.

lesson to be learned: acrobatics are best done with belts & ropes, and at the very least, a thick & fluffy mat to land on when you go flying from a swing, head first in the wrong direction.

blueberry buckle

2010-04-28T13:57:00.007-04:00

i have a confession to make. i seem to think there needs to be dessert. all. the. time.
it's a serious fault, i think.

but i'm picky. i don't like to make or eat just any old dessert, although you might not be able to tell by looking at me☺

i was flipping through the "cake" section of my dessert recipes to find there are only 3 cakes i make - pineapple upside down cake, texas sheet cake & pumpkin sheet cake. otherwise, there are a couple of coffee cakes and shortcake. that's it.

it so happened that i was in a cakey mood the other day, so i pulled out one of those coffee cake recipes. i know this as blueberry buckle.

it's yummy & it has blueberries in it. those requirements are way up there on my list of good.

blueberry buckle
2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening (which can be substituted with butter, or *gulp* lard if that's all you've got)
3/4 c. milk
1 egg
2 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
glaze & crumbtopping recipes, see below

cream sugar, shortening & egg. add dry ingredients alternately with milk. stir in berries last. spread into greased 9 x 9" pan & sprinkle with crumb topping. bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. drizzle with glaze after a few minutes of cooling. serve warm.

*for a 9 x 13" size cake (like i make), make 1 1/2 times the above recipe.

crumb topping (blend together with a fork or pastry blender)
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. soft butter

glaze(mix together to drizzling consistency)
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1-2 tsp. hot water

make it, bake it, eat it. you'll be glad you did☺

beautiful girl | nappanee children's photographer

2010-04-05T10:05:00.003-04:00

i'm like a kid in a candy shop with this girl in front of my camera. i could just eat her up! i knit this hat just to take pictures of it on her pretty little head.

i don't know about you, but i'm in love ♥

kisses, girly-girl!

i ♥ faces week 13 "dramatic b&w" photo challenge | nappanee photographer

2010-03-30T10:49:00.006-04:00

this week's theme at i ♥ faces is "dramatic b&w" photos. "b&w photos that are dramatic, sensational and/or moody in the way they are presented".

wow, that's intimidating! i don't normally look at my own work & say 'whoa... that's sensational!'

personally, capturing a good photo of my 13 yr old, in itself these days, is sensational!
so i'm going for it ☺

it's not like i'm going to win or anything... but the guest judge this week is none other than my very favorite photog out there, the fabulous tara whitney. her work is one of the reasons i constantly strive to get better at this picture-taking thing!

and this kid... he is so darn handsome.
any reason to post another photo of him *sigh*

so here's hoping that my entry's not deemed as just "a typical portrait photo that has been converted to b&w".

i'd love to have it passed along to be judged by one of my greatest inspirations in photography. ♥

baby #6 | nappanee pregnancy photographer

2010-03-29T08:40:00.004-04:00

my sister-in-law is due as we speak.... yesterday, to be exact.
but her babies like to cook extra long like mine did, so no new babe yet.

i was very excited to do these belly shots with her because this is probably the last one & these are the only photos like this that she'll have.
and personally, i think she has the perfect baby belly, don't you agree? ☺

these are a few of my favorites...

see what i mean about that perfect belly?

this was fun jamie, can't wait for the baby next!

xo
apryl

italian wedding soup

2010-03-26T09:15:00.000-04:00

a new recipe here at the deeter residence.

we 3 amigos decided it was good. (sadly, dad is mia at dinner these days)
even the people who normally turn up noses to the cooked spinach like it in soups. go figure.

check it out.
see what ya think:)

this guy

2010-03-24T09:20:00.001-04:00

i'm completely psyched out of my mind about...

this 13 year old, 5' 10 1/4" tall, spore crazy, always hungry, mythbusters loving, piano playing, star wars fanatic.

yep, that's him. he's the lucky one.
the one his mother is always after... always honing this one she is.

it's all because i love ya boy.
l.o.v.e. love.
don't forget it ♥

xo
mom

very pretty, very pregnant | nappanee photographer

2010-03-23T15:30:00.000-04:00

if you heard it, you heard right...

i had a very pretty, pregnant lady in my house last week having her belly pictures taken!

this is just a teaser 'cause i'm not quite ready to share more, but look for them soon - hopefully before the bun's out of the oven☺

cheddar buttermilk biscuits

2010-03-17T09:15:00.001-04:00

normally, i don't really cook on sundays.

i know... for shame, for shame... sunday was always the "big meal" day when i was growing up.

but i do cook all week long, and at our house, sunday's the only day that dad's home aaaand it's a chill out sort of day for us. normally we have frozen pizza or leftovers or maybe on a whim i decide i want to cook. after seeing some biscuits posted on a blog i thought "hey, that looks good... i think i'll make bacon, egg & cheese biscuits on sunday!"

e-yummy!

sadly, the sandwiches got wolfed down before a photo could be taken, but really, the star of the show is the biscuit. this here's the recipe i use:

buttermilk biscuits

2 1/2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh grated or restaurant style pepper
1/2 cup chilled butter
3/4 c. + 2 Tbs. (or a little bit more) buttermilk, or sour milk which is what i use (milk + vinegar= sour milk)
1 c. shredded sharp cheddar

combine dry ingredients. cut in butter with pastry blender. add cheese and stir into mixture. add buttermilk and mix with fork. on lightly floured surface, gently knead dough just a tad, enough to press it out with you hands without getting all gooey. (press it out, don't roll it...unless you want flat biscuits, then go ahead and roll that puppy out!) cut out biscuits & place on baking sheets, bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 mins. till light golden.

*i use this same recipe minus the cheese & pepper when i want plain 'ole biscuits.

simple joys

2010-03-15T10:55:00.005-04:00

simple joys are my favorite.... they keep me going☺

a clean house....

good music...

a finished project...

a yummy meal...

creative kids....

who are always thinking...

love that!

logic, justification & chocolate chip cookies

2010-03-12T10:00:00.003-05:00

ok... so i tried out a new version of a chocolate cookie recipe because i think it's sort of the duty of any so-called baker to make the very best version of the chocolate chip cookie possible. this should be a required part of the baking arsenal.

that's how everyone feels, right?

amidst schooling & hounding people to do their chores, i fit in my cookie therapy. this recipe is really close to my standard, made-a-few-adjustments-over-the-years tollhouse recipe. there are a few tweaks here & there, but i think they made a real difference.

and just because i need to tell you, i always lean toward my oatmeal banana chocolate chip cookies as my standard cookie for these reasons:

i have bananas that need using. at this very moment, there are no less than 15 bananas in my freezer & that's kind of a norm. i buy about 10 lbs per week, but in warmer weather, they turn before we get em all eaten.
the standard choc chip cookie recipe uses 1 cup of butter & yields less than 3 dozen cookies. (no need to package those babies up, they'll get eaten before the day is over) so i have to double it to make it worth my time. see, there's no way i'm making 60 cookies with 2 cups of butter between them. buuuut... i can sub in bananas for some of the butter if necessary. and this, i like☺

so if you like are really nice, really soft for several days, guaranteed, chocolate chip cookie, give this one a try☺

groceries, meals & things...

2010-03-11T08:40:00.002-05:00

i think i've mentioned it before, and i'll say it again: meals are not my favorite responsiblity.

now i realize that in a world of lots & lots of terrible things, it's just a good thing that we are all healthy, we have a job & a roof over our heads and we're able to have good food to eat pretty much every day.

but i still hate the whole meal planning, food buying, meal preparing grind.

i will admit that i do plan out a menu each week, making it easier to shop & keeping me from last minute runs to the store (which i hate).

i'm also listing my menu each week over in the sidebar for anyone who might be a bit like me, trying to find some inspiration anywhere they can when it comes to meal planning.

my favorite sources for recipes have been (in the past) old recipes passed down from home & the old red & white better homes & gardens cookbook(circa 1961) , the good housekeeping illustrated cookbook & taste of home magazine.

today, i find myself turning to allrecipes.com, tasty kitchen and (a current kick) the pioneer woman. i have found some other good sites too, especially for baking, but more on that later.

this week i made split pea soup. now i know what you're thinking.... yee-uuuck! well, think again. don't judge before you taste. seriously. back in the day before children, i used to make this for the two of us. we loved it. somewhere along the way, i stopped making it. but i've been on a serious, soup-once-a-week kick for months, so it was on the rotation. although the mere idea of pea soup was not appetizing to the guys, after tasting, they were in agreement: it's good stuff!

pure perfection, i am telling you. pure perfection.

{something about cooking with peppercorns & ham hocks. you just don't do it every day}

split pea & ham soup

1 ham bone or ham hocks with enough ham on them to make 1 1/2 c. of ham, approximately

16 oz. pkg. dry split peas

2 carrots, chopped fine

1 medium onion, chopped fine

7 c. water

1/4 tsp. peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1-1 1/2 tsp. salt

in dutch oven over medium heat, heat ham bone, split peas, carrots, onion & water to boiling. tie peppercorns & bay leaf in piece of *cheesecloth, add to soup. reduce heat to low; cover & simmer 1 hour. discard bay leaf & peppercorns. add salt if needed. remove bone, cut off meat & discard bone. cut meat into bite-size chunks and return to soup for serving. makes 6 servings.

*i don't use the cheesecloth, i just throw the peppercorns & bay leaf in & pick them out before serving. it's a good idea to count your peppercorns, otherwise, you live dangerously!

so i say, give it a try - report back later!

something else i do to keep organized is making my grocery list out around the menu & other things we're out of. i have a big spreadsheet that lists in order of the aisles and has space for price comparisons between my favorite stores. i'm liking this more & more as i am working on a new budget. this helps me see just how much i would save by running to more than one place to pick up any number of items. i am not a fan of shopping at 3-4 places to get my groceries. (seems to defeat the purpose of saving money, to me)

so, while i do not look forward to the whole grocery/meal planning experience, it's a necessity of life.... better make the most of it!

march in indiana

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-05:00

i'm a bit behind, but wanted to share these photos.

this is what i woke up to last friday. i looked out back to find a sea of "white weeds", for lack of a better name. they were the prettiest things, struck out with a background of dark & dreary, no less. it was surreal looking.

had to capture it.

how to | making a center pull ball of yarn

2010-03-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

this is my classy set-up for winding my yarn into balls:

i was considering a $40 ball winder, but after i came to my senses, i decided the money would be better spent on yarn☺

now, this is just the start of a ball, but if you're wanting to wind your own yarn balls/cakes, this is how i do it:

start by unwrapping your hank of yarn. i like to hang mine over my chair with the nice little knobs on top to hang over, although you can just hang over any chair back or even (in moments of weakness & desperation) drape it over your knees & hope for the best.

using a nice cardboard core, either from paper towels or better yet from a package of aluminum foil (heavier & sturdier), drop the end of yarn down through the hole, make sure there's plenty hanging out the end so you don't have to fiddle with it slipping up.

then start by winding some yarn around, an inch or so wide. then make a quarter turn around and wrap some more, going another quarter turn and wrapping some more. i usually start the beginning by wrapping straight around the core, then make the turns & wrap at an angle from the one end to the other of the core. keep making these turns and wrapping until you're done.

pull the ball off of the core and the yarn that was down inside the core will be your center pull.

wah-lah. all finished!

english chocolate chip scones

2010-03-03T13:44:00.000-05:00

this week i made these rather than the typical cookie.

my youngest, ever ready with constructive criticism, says: "they taste like biscuits, with chocolate chips in it.... that's not so good."

thanks honey. oh well, more for me.

i would warn though, that after eating 3 in a row, you might not feel so good.... everything in moderation☺

table talk

2010-03-02T14:00:00.004-05:00

discussion at the dinner table last night as follows:

{in the background you can here the national news, talking about a tsunami warning}

troy: where's the tsunami?

me: i don't know, i thought they were talking about the earthquake in chile

big boy: did you know it's t-sunami

me: like o-possum... like k-nife

big boy: like g-naw

me: like g-nat

little boy: like dog-canine (get it, k-9)

troy, me, big boy: ***hysterical laughter***

LOVE that little boy☺

the big 3

2010-03-01T12:20:00.001-05:00

day to day living consists of mainly 3 things for me:

school
food
knitting

i blog a lot about the last 2, not so much about the first one.

ahhh, school. we like it, we love it, we want more of it!
really? naahhhh, not really.
but we do what we have to.
it's the law.

so.... we recently began studying about abstract art. our first project was based upon the works of kandinsky.

the guys listened in earnest while i taught them what abstract art was and what an artist might want to convey to his audience through his work.

we listened to classical music & realized that any given piece can paint a picture of its own in your mind as you listen. this was very cool.

{we also found that we're not fond of opera. the little boy felt that if you go to the opera, you might want to leave your glasses at home, lest they be broken(by the soprano's high notes). he also contemplated the idea of opera singers practicing in the shower like the rest of us might. these are deep & challenging thoughts.}

all in all, we agree to avoid opera at all costs. forever & ever amen.

now, veering back on track...

my 7th grader's work is entitled "the evolution of science". not kidding.

he actually has a long, drawn out, detailed reasoning behind the different parts of his piece & what part of science they are referring to. i will admit my mind went a little numb as he was describing it to me.

i know... bad mama.

here are our finished works, up close:

my 4th grader's work is untitled. that's ok. it doesn't have to have a name. he did push the envelope on real abstract art though. i'll let it pass this time☺

my 7th grader's "evolution of science"

and this is mine. my oldest suggests the title "unit 1". sounds good. it doesn't have any real significant meaning to me. (don't tell the students, but i just wanted to get it done in a reasonable amount of time. i'm not a fast artist☺)

now, on to the good stuff!

aaahhhh, food.

these babies.... pecan pie bars...

were off the hook!

let's just say, people were angry when they were gone. like evil eye, don't like you anymore angry. all i can say is, at least i know i'm good for something around here.

and the knitting. i just finished my first sweater.

it's a wee little baby shrug for my 1 yr old niece. it's a free debbie bliss pattern found here or you can ravel it.

baby knits are so much fun☺

now, to start a sweater for myself - i'm terrifyingly excited. i got the scarves, hats, gloves and socks under my belt, but sweaters are a whole different animal.

let the fun begin!

just for laughs

2010-02-25T08:45:00.003-05:00

"we ain't 'ad nothin' but maggoty bread for three stinkin' days!"

this means absolutely nothing, in case you're wondering.

it's just a quote from lord of the rings: the 2 towers.

it pops into my head rather frequently, and it's just darn fun to say (so long as you use the proper rough and grumbly voice to say it in).

i recommend fitting it into your regular speech wherever you can.

come on, i know you want to☺

dear cons....

2010-02-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

dear cons,

you know i love you.
you know i want you.

i miss you somethin fierce....
but right now, we just can't be together.

so hang in there my pretties.
one day, someday very soon when the snow has gone & it's not so cold....

xoxo

sweet baby cap, part 1

2010-02-23T14:15:00.000-05:00

my newest favorite cute little baby knit... i used some patons sock yarn for this one.

you can go direct to the pattern for the norwegian sweet baby cap or ravel it here.

now, once i get a little baby head inside the cap, it'll be even cuter ☺
can't wait to see what it looks like on!

and.... i enjoyed making this one so much, i'm recently finished making my second one (part 2).

ranger cookies

2010-02-22T09:18:00.001-05:00

i'm not gonna lie to ya - we make a lot of cookies at our house.

so i decided a while back to try different cookies each week (if possible) and share them on the blog.

i'm a bit behind in posting, but a few weeks ago they tore these up...

ranger cookies

1 c. shortening*
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. oats
2 c. cornflakes
1 c. coconut
(i added some nestle white chips just for the hey)

cream shortening & sugars, add eggs and vanilla. mix dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. stir in oats, flakes & coconut last. mold into walnut sized balls. bake on cookie sheets at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. remove from sheets before completely cooled to prevent sticking. makes about 5 dozen.

*if you know me at all, you know i'm not a proponant of shortening. it's transfats personified. i don't do transfats if i can help it. having said that, i haven't yet tried this recipe with butter,but next time i will and i'll try to share the results.

2010 goals update #1

2010-02-19T10:00:00.003-05:00

well, if you read my goals post back in january, you know about just a few things i'm working on.
i thought i'd give an update, just for accountability's sake, mind you.

i am laughing more. really.
we've watched this movie a couple of times in the past several weeks.

everyone loves it & has their favorite lines.

and, i'm singing & dancing around the house quite a bit. this is striking fear into the hearts of the younguns. the name "aunt jill" is brought up over & over when i do this... whyever would that be?

we're making fun of just about anything we can, even a few things i really shouldn't mention. suffice it to say "we're laughing with you, not at you" has been stated more than once.

this past weekend we broke out a new game.

this game is truly 'good for a few laughs'. you get to read cards with crazy questions like "would you rather eat a hair sandwich or an earwax omelet" and you have to choose, then the other players guess what you chose & so on & so forth....

one of the questions posed to my husband was "would you rather have to sleep in a bed with a full cup of cracker crumbs & a full cup of sand poured inside, or have to walk around all day, everyday, with grape jelly in your shoes?" to which my 10 year old says "that's easy, i do that (the sleep in bed with sand part) pretty much every day all summer long!"

so true, so true.... we had a good laugh over that one.

now, about hanging pictures. i'm trying. i really am. i framed one, purchased a mat for another frame & they're all lying around here someplace, but i'm trying to gather a few other pictures to hang in groups. so far, nothing's on the walls, but i'm making progress.

and more art. i have an art project in the works for this week. we will be studying the work of wassily kandinsky.

i have tried several different approaches to projects & one of my favorites it to take a master/classic and work around their style. hopefully i will have photos to post here showing all of our masterpieces.

as for the vacation...

still working on that one☺

and i have realized that if i'm going to do better & be better, i need to pick one or two specifics & hit them hard. it's too vague to just try to be better & almost overwhelming. so this goal in itself has a whole set of mini goals that need to be put down on paper.

i'll keep you posted....

my misti's

2010-02-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

that's what i'm callin them.... my misti's made from misti alpaca hand paint sock yarn... did you know that alpaca is 7 times warmer than wool? it's also a little hairier. just a little yarn/fiber trivia ☺

my latest pair of socks made using my favorite book of sock patterns....

this time, i tried the eye of partridge heel just to know how...

i love how they turned out...

but most of all, i love that they're mine!

he's a keeper

2010-02-17T09:30:00.002-05:00

i've come to the realization that god uses this child to work on many of my issues...

not everyone thinks like me... even those i gave birth to
maybe i don't have to understand... that's just the way it is
i have more faults than i'd like to admit
sometimes others won't conform for me... i might have to conform for them
i don't have it all figured out... yet!

"be who you are and say what you feel,

because those who mind don't matter

and those who matter don't mind." ~dr. seuss

yup, he's a keeper ☺

the laundry room is.....CLEAN

2010-02-15T11:57:00.009-05:00

this is my laundry room. i'm proud to say it's navy blue....

with cute bead-board inlaid cabinet doors & a sweet set of front loading appliances....

but most of all, today it's CLEAN!

seriously, it doesn't take much to make my day☺

*lest ye think i'm a slob, i just hadn't seen the countertops or the top of my washer & dryer for awhile. i have issues with flat surfaces!

cookies of love

2010-02-13T15:26:00.003-05:00

an expression of love for valentine's day to the guys in my house...

xoxo

oatmeal raisin cookie goodness

2010-02-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

i like these cookies....

i don't know about you, but i'm always searching for the ever elusive "thick, chewy oatmeal raisin cookie" and by george, i think i've found the answer: chill that dough!

i'm starting to put 2 & 2 together and i think that butter, when chilled bakes "up" much nicer as opposed to falling flat & spreading out when soft. i'll be testing this theory the next time i make my regular old chocolate chip cookies.

apple dumplings... you make my heart sing

2010-02-10T08:45:00.000-05:00

ok people.
these are just reeeally yummy.
really.
seriously.

they are one guilty pleasure.
and by the way...they're yummy.

and see that metal spoon? that's not a little serving spoon. that's a commercial grade big ole spoon.
so that's not some wee little dumpling.
that's a biggun.
uh-huh☺

look at all that gooey stuff.
that's the technical term...."gooey stuff".

my recipe is a golden oldie from the 1961 better homes and gardens red & white checkered cookbook.

i love that cookbook.
they will have to "pry it from my cold dead fingers" when i die.
*$50 imaginary dollars to the first person who can name the movie that quote is from

i seriously could not live without this cookbook. i coveted my mothers for many years until we ventured upon finding me one of my own.

so without further ado....

apple dumplings
3 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. shortening
4 Tbs. butter
sugar & cinnamon
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbs. butter
8 apples, peeled & cored

mix flour, baking powder & salt. cut in shortening with pastry blender. add milk & stir with fork till dough forms. peel & core apples (cut in halves). roll out dough in 2 parts. make a large circle/square from each and cut into 4 pcs. (8 pcs. total). place 1/2 apple on each dough section. place 1/2 Tbs. (this is the 4 Tbs.) butter inside apple, heavily sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon. top with 2nd half of apple, turn up on bottom end of apple, pour some more sugar over top of apple. wrap up dough around apple completely. do this for all 8 apples, placing them in 9x13" baking dish. in small saucepan, combine water & sugar and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, bringing to a boil. remove from heat & add 3 Tbs. butter. pour over dumplings, sprinkle with a little sugar & cinnamon over top of dumplings. bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes until apples are tender.

now go on & make 'em.... i know you want to!

smooshy socks

2010-02-08T08:25:00.001-05:00

one of my most recent projects was these smooshy socks for my bff's birthday.
*hey cheryl! i'm wearing your socks again☺

this pattern is from getting started knitting socks by ann budd. i highly recommend it if you want to start knitting socks. it covers it all & the patterns are very straightforward & leave no question unturned. i like that in a pattern/book☺

i think i love the yummy yummy smooshy & can't wait to make a pair for myself.

vegetable beef soup | keepin' it simple

2010-02-04T11:12:00.005-05:00

this faithful family pleaser hit the table earlier this week. seems like everyone can find something to love about vegetable soup.

vegetable beef soup

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion chopped

2-3 stalks celery chopped

2 cans beef broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

water if needed

3 carrots peeled & chopped

4 potatoes peeled & chopped

canned green beans

frozen corn

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

chili powder to taste

garlic powder to taste

a few shakes of worcestershire sauce

brown hamburger with onion & celery. drain & return to pan. add broth, tomatoes & tomato sauce (add water here if needed). add potatoes & carrots, seasonings & worcestershire sauce. bring to boil, then turn down & simmer till vegetables are tender (15-20 minutes). add canned beans & frozen corn and cook till heated through. i like to let mine simmer for around an hour total. *remove bay leaves before serving.

enjoy!

ginger snaps

2010-02-01T10:24:00.004-05:00

friday night i made these cookies on a whim. they were very good!

they were gone in short order (the recipe made just shy of 4 dozen).

a couple of modifications i made:

375 is too hot for most cookies, i bumped it down to 350 degrees.
8 minutes will result in a chewy cookie, 9-10 minutes a cripsy, milk-dunkable cookie

we enjoyed both the chewy & cruchy variety. try it & see what you like best☺

the boy keeps it real

2010-01-27T15:07:00.008-05:00

this one is the one that makes me think twice.
he keeps me hoppin and i guess that's good for me.

i completely delight in the funny things kids have to say. the really unexpected off the wall stuff. love. it.

for example....

last night he was drawing in the kitchen & the tv was just sort of "on" for no reason & when i turned it off he looked at me & i said, "it's just the news".

"the news is a very important part of my life!" he says.
really, you've got to be kidding.
the news is depressing. i'm still trying to find out why the news is so very important.

what do you bet there are ulterior motives here?

and then last week, this boy was looking through some library books of famous works of art. after looking, he quietly told me that "one of those books has something disgusting in it". oh no. now i'm worried. i had gotten the books from the children's department, but i should have looked them over thoroughly. sometimes they put a "masterpiece" in there that show a little nudity. you know, the special parts. my kids are pretty sheltered & there are still parts they really haven't seen.

so i looked through the book in question to find michelangelo's "the creation of adam".
you know, the one where god's reaching out touching adam in all his glory. and there was another work that i'd never seen that showed a naked rear end of a youngster, a toddler i'd say.

so i explained the "adam" painting & being that the parts showing were boy parts, i didn't think it would be that big of a deal & adam was probably naked when god created him, right? and the other painting, it was news to me, but i didn't see what the big to-do was.

so later that evening, i brought up the subject of painting nudes and told him that in art schools and colleges, there were classes were you could sit in a room with other students and a model would come in and pose nude for everyone to draw/paint.

you should have seen the look on my innocent 10 year old's face. all he said was:

"O. M. G. .... & i mean the bad G!"

literally. OMG.
what in the world?
i don't even know how he knows what omg means!
(seriously, my kids are not literate in that stuff)

so, i say keep it up kid. mom can always use a good laugh☺

baby girl | nappanee children's photographer

2010-01-22T11:24:00.005-05:00

can you say babelicious?

those big eyes & lashes...
those little teeth...
that drooly chin...

i'm in love ♥

out with the new...in with the old

2010-01-13T09:10:00.011-05:00

cooking. supper. groceries.

these are all dirty words to me.

i have been cooking since i was a little girl & probably for the past 10+ years it has gotten pretty old to me. i still enjoy baking most, but cooking - i could really not care much less for it!

so as in the past, when i get down right tired of all things "meals", i look for something new to add some spark to this dull chore of mine.

in the past week, i have tried 3 new recipes. hey, that's a lot, people!

i found a recipe called unstuffed cabbage. it was in a recent family circle magazine & it looked good to me. well, it got 1 thumb up in my house (which means dad liked it, but that's it). it's not a keeper.

then we tried chicken mushroom chowder. now this one looked really promising. but once again, it got only 1 thumb up (guess who? what can i say, the man is easy to please☺).

so monday, we tried the white bean chicken chili. finally...a winner! 4 thumbs up at our house. it was oh so yummy.... and don't forget the cornbread. i used the recipe from the quaker container of white cornmeal, rather than yellow. i think it was the best cornbread i've ever had.

this stuff was awesome... you really must try it!

easy corn bread
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. quaker enriched corn meal (i used white)
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. skim milk (i used 2%)
1/4 c. vegetable oil (i used canola)
2 egg white or 1 egg, beaten (i used 1 egg)

heat oven to 400 degrees. grease 8 or 9" pan. combine dry ingredients. stir in wet ingredients until dry ingredients are moistened. pour batter into prepared pan. bake 20-25 mins. or until light golden brown and wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. serve warm. 9 servings.

then last night we had an oldie, but goodie. my favorite meatloaf, served with baked potatoes, corn from our garden and rolls. yumm-may!

this is the old standard. i started out making meatloaf the old-fashioned way, throwing a little of this and that in there & baking it. no one ever complained, but i felt it was lacking. i found this recipe several years ago and haven't looked back.

i thought this made a perty picture☺

look at those chucks of carrot....that's the secret, baby!

and because i'm not creative enough to find a beautiful presentation for meatloaf, this is the best i could do.... don't you love how the roll is bigger than the main course? personally, that's fine with me☺

favorite meatloaf
2 lbs. ground beef
1 carrot, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped
3 pieces of bread, torn into pieces
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 oz. tomato sauce

topping
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. mustard

preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine all ingredients except for topping. fill 9x13" pan with the meatloaf mixture. combine topping ingredients, then pour topping over meatloaf. bake for 30-45 mins.

this new year...

2010-01-06T12:14:00.010-05:00

i am loving this new year.

as much as i was not ready for the holidays when they began, i am more than ready for this new year. right about now, i am all about chances to make things fresh, new, better.

last night we had a discussion with our boys about the new year & setting goals.
somehow the whole conversation sounded like some sort of dreaded punishment we were bestowing upon them. that was totally NOT what i intended, but it had that general feel. i tried to impress upon them that setting goals is a good thing & it's great to have that feeling of accomplishment.

they really weren't impressed. but still, we are asking them to come up with 3-5, realistic, do-able goals by the end of the week.

so, what are your goals this year?

-----------------------------------------------------

usually, i have a list and keep it pretty short & simple. it's catagorized & everything. i like it that way because life has so many catagories, doesn't it? usually it's something like personal, family, homeschooling & other (home, hobbies, work, etc).

this year, i am flooded with things that need to be done & it's hard to narrow it down.

first, more laughter. laugh with my family, my friends, myself. i don't do this enough & i don't know why. i'm too serious & i know it. laughing is good for you & i need to come up with a way to do it more. enuff said.

secondly, hang pictures. i want to get off my hump about hanging things on the walls. i really don't even want to talk about it because it's so dull....but suffice it to say that we have lived here 4 1/2 years and there's almost nothing on the walls, pictures or otherwise. it's starting to get on my nerves.

...and curtains. i should really start thinking about curtains, but i'm not sure that's going to make it into this years goals. i envsion the big boy moving out before curtains get put up in his room. but here, i'm rambling...

third, a vacation. and i don't mean camping☺. we are talking sunny beaches here. i think this is going to be my favorite goal to achieve and i'm soooo looking forward to it. *this is a joint goal between the man & myself. i like those goals. they're happy goals ☺

fourth, do art. in school, i have severely slacked about art projects. and you would think i'd be all over it, but i just don't want to take the time to fit it in. but i've promised myself that this winter, we'll be all about art. so i'm getting my stuff out this week. it's GOT to be done!

fifth, do better & be better. i want to be a better wife & mom. do better, living each day with it's own little "on purpose" set of goals. there's so much i could toss into this pot, but i don't want to bore the masses. i just know that if i do the same, i'll be the same & i'll get the same results. i want things to be different, and that means i have to do & be different. this one's going to take the most work & it's probably not going to be finished this year, but i've got to start now.

oh... and fear not, there will be lots more knitting too.....

above photo courtesy of the big boy☺

holiday photos

2009-12-30T21:15:00.014-05:00

this year i learned one thing... that before the holidays next year, i'm going to work a bit more on my technique with the christmas photos.

but for now, i thought i'd post a few of my favorites this year....

i like this star...

and this silly kid....

yep...it's a klingon ship...☺

the bigger silly kid....

it's glowy under the tree....

ahhh.... the bokeh.....

and a new christmas ornament this year....

all in all, we had a wonderful christmas & i'm happy to say i'm looking forward to a great new year!

christmas baking...down to the wire

2009-12-24T11:22:00.014-05:00

this year we took a break from school this week to get ready for christmas.

we did all of our baking this week. i try to focus on favorites because there are just too many out there, and let's face it: i'm not as ambitious as i used to be☺

so we started out with the christmas canes....here's my very eager helper workin ever so hard ...

i love how they look all laid out here...i think they're pretty, just like this....

but then we have to bake them & they turn out like this... very "christmassy". yep, it's a word☺

then on to the mexican wedding cakes....i'm sure there are other people making these with another name for them, but that's what the recipe we had growing up calls them. i think there's a story behind it, but presently, i don't remember... (presently, i am lucky i remember tomorrow is christmas)

and then my other, not-so-eager, you're-gonna-help-because-i-said-so helper whips up the homemade oreo batter. i can actually walk away & let him do it himself... hey, that's kind of nice...☺ (see the chex in the background, there's party mix ...yummmmmy!)

aahhhh, there they are, all nice & finished. you haven't lived till you taste these guys. they'll make you forget about those store bought cookies. and no, they're not woopie pies....woopie pies got nothin on these little suckers. they are D-lectible!

and then there's the fudge. my love hate relationship with fudge. sometimes i can make it, sometimes i can't. i prefer to believe it's the fudge's fault, not mine☺ but this time it turned out. i'm not sure, but i believe fudge deserves it's own close-up, don't you think? this is my mom's recipe called "fantasy fudge" - it's the best!

and last but not least my babies.
my sugar cookies.

some years, these cookies are all the christmas baking i do....

because these babies can stand alone. they are extraordinary. my aunt gave me the recipe when i was a teenager and they have been a family favorite ever since.

whew...i'm ready for a vacation now!

along with the sweets, i've made a big yummy cheeseball & a big batch of party mix. we should be all settled in for the nasty weather of the next few days.

and if all goes well, i'll get a little more last minute christmas knitting done☺

merry christmas!

i ♥ faces week 48 "sweet dreams" | nappanee children's photographer

2009-12-08T08:49:00.004-05:00

this week's photo challenge at i heart faces is sweet dreams.

and who doesn't love a photo of a sweetly sleeping babe?

you might remember, almost a year ago i took photos of my freshest niece & this is one of my favorites. and since today is this little one's first birthday i thought it was perfect for this post!

so happy birthday baby & sweet dreams!

xoxo

-aunt apryl

fingerless glove love...

2009-12-07T09:25:00.005-05:00

he's all smiles -
somebody loves his birthday mitts....

another thing i love about knitting.... i can get an idea in my head at the last minute & whip something up that's going to be cherished by the recipient.

score one for mom☺

double digit birthday | nappanee children's photographer

2009-12-03T10:25:00.004-05:00

as of today, both of my boys are in the double digits.
man, i'm not as young as i used to be☺

he's 10 today and doesn't he look awfully grown up & serious? and he's looking so much like his dad... i'm betting that chin's going to be killer when he's all grown up.☺

and this boy loves the birthday. like, reeeeally loves it. talks about it ALL year long! so we're kind of bummed because he's under the weather today & not feeling his best, but we're making the most of it.

so happy birthday my little boy!
promise me you'll slow down just a little for your mama, won't cha?

xoxo
mama

i am thankful

2009-11-25T14:39:00.000-05:00

in all of my inability to deal with the holidays closing in on me, it has occurred to me that i need to focus on what the holidays are about, whether i'm really ready or not.

i've always got a lot to be thankful for. i could make a big long list of all the "things" i'm thankful for, but i'm going to focus on what's dearest to me.

this man & our marriage. he's the center of my world & i'm blessed by how much he loves me. we've been married 17 years & this spring will mark 20 years together. yee-OWza...☺

this boy...the firstborn...the apple of my eye. we have entered a new dimension with a teenager in our home & lucky for both of us, i'm liking it☺

and last but not least, this one...the baby...the spice in our lives. he keeps it lively around here and we love that about him.

right here are the greatest blessings in my life. i'm so thankful for them. god granted my heart's desire with these 3 and somehow, i could not ask for more☺

are you ready?

2009-11-24T10:30:00.001-05:00

are you gearing up?
this week is thanksgiving week & i still cannot believe it.
i am not ready for it.

this year has been a strange one, all the way through.
nothing has gone the way i'd like to have planned it.

days & months have flown by.
there's nothing i can do about it, but i'd like to.

here thanksgiving is upon us, the temps are going to drop to the 30's and the snow will likely fly.
where was fall? seems like we had no transition from summer and now winter is upon us.

and christmas....don't even get me started. i am not ready for christmas.
my youngest child's birthday is coming up next week & as usual, i am not ready for that either.

but i'm working on it.
i will be ready for thanksgiving dinner on thursday.
i am looking forward to shopping on friday.
i anticipate good times with friends in the coming weeks.
i feel lots of finished projects coming off my needles every day now.

i am going to fake it, till i make it ☺

---------------

but seriously, all griping & grumbling aside, i'll leave you with this little gem..........

this morning my boys came downstairs for breakfast & santa was on the early show, talking to children out on the plaza, and very matter-of-factly, the little boy says:

"i can't believe santa's been twisting the minds of little children for all these years!"

seriously, i couldn't make up material that good if i tried. where he comes up with it, i haven't got a clue.

--------------------

so if i don't talk to you soon, go forward & enjoy this holiday season!

knitting socks

2009-11-20T13:30:00.002-05:00

i am so excited -they're finished!

like my abused uggs? those babies keep my feet warm from september thru may. *note they're not pretty ones...they're functional ones ☺

i have a real affection for great striped socks. my best friend & i get each other socks for gifts pretty much every christmas. my boys usually get me socks for my stocking too.

so far i've been really leery about paying the price for wool socks, even though i could really use them. but now that i'm knitting, the opportunity is so sweet!

they say once you've worn handmade socks, you won't want to wear anything else. i'll let you know how that turns out ☺

so stay tuned... there are sure to be more socks in the very near future.

but for now, i'm heading onward to more power knitting for christmas! did you know there are only 30ish days till christmas? ee-gads!

this dreary week...

2009-11-19T12:30:00.002-05:00

life is feeling dreary around here. i'm finding myself yawning at every turn.

nothing spectactular going on here, but i'll tell ya what IS happening....

this past weekend we celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary. we lived it up with some mighty good seafood at red lobster & started watching season 3 of dexter. man, i love that show☺

i baked a cheesecake for us. it was yum-may! my poor boys are so sheltered that neither of them knew what a real baked cheesecake was. i think i should have kept them in the dark even longer, seeing as they both reeeally liked it. it's one of those things i'll have to hide if i want my share.

we've had 2 trips to the dentist & one to the orthodontist this week. isn't that exciting?

and last night i got to spend 2 hours watching my youngest painfully do his best to stay upright on rollerskates. when i say "painfully" i really do mean painfully.

otherwise, i'm spending every spare minute sock knitting, which i absolutely l o v e! and since i already have a thing for socks, this is the perfect addiciton. i'm almost finished with a new pair & i'll be posting pictures as soon as i'm done. they're scrump-dilly-icious☺

and because no post is a good post without photos, here are the people who keep me going whether i like it or not, 24/7/365...

so thanks for reading the blog & be sure to check back soon for more titillating details of my life & those around me ☺

friday favorite | nappanee children's photographer

2009-11-13T11:20:00.001-05:00

i like this one today because:

i love the look on his face - he's totally more drama than i can take, pretty much every day of the week
this boy sat right next to me on the sofa pretty much the whole time i had the flu because he wanted to be with me
his new saying from the princess bride is "hello, my name is pico de gallo, you killed my father, prepare to die..." that completely cracks me up☺
he's a writer. he started another book yesterday & as always, it ought to be good
right now he likes to say "your stash is trash, your beard is weird". he's 9, go figure...
he's really into the old star trek reruns playing after supper. last night he was in the basement watching & pretty soon we hear "space..... the final frontier..." in this loud little voice. it was killin us, we were trying so hard not to crack up...☺

*this image was shot @f2.8, 1/160, iso 500 with a 50mm 1.4 lens

sisters : etna green children's photographer

2009-11-11T13:00:00.005-05:00

i have 13 nieces & nephews from my own siblings. with my 2 boys, there are 15 grandchildren (plus 1 on the way) from the 5 of us kids. out of the 15, there are 6 girls.

these are the big girls. or maybe i should say the older girls... that's how i catagorize the kids in my head. we have the big kids & the little kids... the teens & the munchkins. something like that☺

this is what happens when your aunt stops by unexpectedly & says "hey girls, let's take some pictures!" mom's in a panic because they're not exactly in perfect picture mode, but i just wanted to capture them right then - no big deal.

these are their "we can be beautiful without smiling" faces...

but then we're back to laughing because it's hard to be so serious when you're trying not to smile☺

don't they look as if they like each other?

this one below i look at and i think... LOVE....

this one is a personal favorite... so sweet...

and last but not least, we got one with her dog. now, i'm not a dog photographer, but that's a pretty good tongue shot, right?!

thanks girls, let me know what you think!

xo
apryl

friday favorite | nappanee children's photographer

2009-11-06T08:30:00.001-05:00

this is my pick today because:

i love this guy...my own muse
sometimes i like a black & white contrasty (really, that's a word)
did i say i love this guy? ☺

*this image was shot @f4.0, 1/125, iso 200 with a 50mm 1.4 lens

i love wool & wool loves me

2009-11-04T12:40:00.003-05:00

between christmas projects, i have been working on these. if you know me, you probably know i have really cold hands. i mean reeeeally cold. and when i started knitting last fall, fingerless gloves were at the top of my things-to-do list.

well, i finally made them & i'm in love!

they are warm & cozy.
they are useful.
they are versatile.
they are grey.☺

and they are somewhat addictive. i am envisioning a lot more pairs of these puppies in the near future!

these fingerless gloves were knit using a combination of ideas from the pattern toasty & the thumb gusset instructions from the pattern cabled fingerless gloves, both found on ravelry. the yarn used is shepherd's wool from stonehedge fibermill, which can be found locally at the shuttle shop in warsaw.

*photo courtesy of my beloved 13 yr old who was ever so willing to take time out from his schoolwork to photograph my gloves

beauty this fall... | nappanee photographer

2009-11-03T08:26:00.009-05:00

for some burning reason, i needed a picture of these weeds. it has been on my mind for some time. at first i was wondering...where am i going to find some of those? maybe i'll look along the roadside....

then a brilliant idea struck - how about our 2 acres of weeds out back? yes, i am that slow sometimes....☺ and i didn't have far to look; they are not in short supply.

they have a winsome loveliness to them, don't they? a little bit of beauty in all that brown out there.

my funny little boy | nappanee children's photographer

2009-11-02T08:20:00.001-05:00

just the other night i was making tuna salad & the little boy came up beside me as i was opening the cans of tuna. soon there ensued a conversation something like this:

little boy: "that smells bad"

me: "what does it smell like?"

little boy: "death...hate...pain!"

me: *laughing*

i couldn't help but grab him & give him a quick headlock/hug. i don't always understand how this kid's mind works, but i like it!

friday favorite | nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-30T09:30:00.001-04:00

this is my pick today because....

hello handsome boy
hello milk mustache
this one strikes me right now, i like the composition... love me some north facing light
it's my baby boy...☺

*this image was shot @f2.8, 1/125, iso 400 with a 50mm 1.4 lens

xmas knits update...

2009-10-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

if you're keeping track (which i know you're not), i am still knitting for xmas & after a short break to make some footies, fingerless gloves & still working on a pair of socks, i'm back on track & finishing more xmas projects...

this pattern is turn a square found on ravelry for free. it's easy & cute...you should try it...☺

....sshhhh..... don't tell anyone i tried this one on the little boy just to get a good photo...

14 gifts down, 10 more (at least) to go.
i am loving every minute of it!

birthday girl | etna green children's photographer

2009-10-28T08:15:00.001-04:00

can hardly believe it... but it's official, today she's 6...

happy birthday little firecracker!
love you,

xo
aunt apryl

farmboy | etna green children's photographer

2009-10-26T09:25:00.000-04:00

nothing like a little brown-eyed farmboy on a monday morning...

friday favorite | nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-23T11:30:00.003-04:00

this is my pick today because...

these pretty little roses...they are like happiness wrapped up in a very small package
i think i could grow to love macro
i love to play with textures, i'm always looking for something new. this one was a freebie from kaleidoscope through mcp actions. you may still be able to download this if you follow the mcp link

*this image was shot at f2.8, 1/500, iso 200 with a 50mm 1.4 lens.

frogs photo shoot : nappanee custom portrait photographer

2009-10-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

my boys love the wildlife. this is something that i really enjoy. frogs, toads, snakes, bugs...whatever they can find.

inspired by my friend cathy, when the boys found these guys, i thought we should document the experience.

these guys were found in one of our window wells & my youngest thought he'd rescue them. i'm sure they didn't see it that way, but he thought he was doing them a favor.

look at their "toes", aren't they amazing? they are really something when they stretch them all the way out there...which they mostly do when they jump....which i didn't get a picture of...☺

and these little dudes completely live up to their name. "leopard" frogs are fast little suckers. they were not at all up for a photo shoot & they were slicker than snot (so to speak). there was a lot of chasing and giggling going on while we tried to take their pictures!

look at this guy...he's trying to climb out with those incredible "fingers"...

as the temperature dropped, crickets were becoming scarce & they were let go to fend for themselves. hooray for my little guy - he is so into finding a pet, but i'm glad he made the choice on his own to do what was best for them.

come on now, you'll have to admit ...aren't they cute?

happiness on my windowsill | nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-20T11:00:00.001-04:00

look who's holding out in my flower garden...

yummy.☺

happy fall...| nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-19T09:15:00.002-04:00

maybe we'll have fall, maybe we won't.

the cold weather has had me slightly miffed, i'll admit. i was hoping for a nice leisurely, long fall to hang out my laundry & hold off the heat & prepare for the holidays.

but i think we forget that the last couple of years, october has brought us 70 & 80 degree temperatures and spoiled us rotten.

in 2007, we left for florida in october, a week before the nappanee tornado, and i felt it was sort of unfair; i had planned to be leaving the cruddy indiana fall weather and temps for warm & sunny florida. we left indiana in shorts & tees to head down south. now...that's just not right, i tell ya.

so in our haste to complain & feel like we're getting a fall gyp, i have to remember that one good turn deserves another.

***the pumpkins above came from our garden this year, my youngest planted 3 mounds with 3 seeds each & 1 grew from each mound. a papa, a mama & a baby pumpkin!

friday favorite | nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-16T10:33:00.003-04:00

this is my pick today because...

my big, growing, always hungry, giant hands & feet, teenage boy
this is one of the signature looks when i say "hey, i want to take some pictures!"...i like to think of this as the "why?" look
i've learned that i like that "dusky" light, right about when you can no longer take photos unless you want l o t s of noise in there
i love his eyes, and they are truely this blue
makes me want to go up & smooch his face right now - and he still let's me☺

*this image was shot @ f2.8, 1/125, iso 400 with a 50mm 1.4 lens

silhouettes | nappanee portrait photographer

2009-10-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

do you like silhouettes?

silhouettes are kind of new to me, i have never really gotten hung up on this type of photo. i am now trying to pay more attention to sunsets & silhouettes. i made the huge mistake of taking a whopping 1 good sunset photo the last time we were in florida & that was with my camera phone to send to a friend. brilliant...i know.☺

there are lots of great applications for shots like this. capturing your children, especially in profile, a beautiful landscape & sunset, a romantic pose... these are just a few good reasons for a silhouette.

and really, they are very simple to capture. you meter for the sky rather than your subject which should give you nice colors in your skies & a darkened subject.

sometimes, your subject will not come out quite as dark as you'd like, but that can be altered in photoshop if necessary.

*this one turned out pretty well, he's completely profiled all the way around, directly against the sun

*this shot below could have been much better if i had gotten down lower & shot so that his entire body would have been visible above the horizon

a few tips to make your silhouette the best it can be:

meter for the sky, not the subject
get down lower, placing as much of your subject above the horizon as possible
when posing your subject, try to get as much of their profile in the photo as possible; watch your angle of the subject to the sky,
try for a smaller aperture for more depth of field, sharper subject & background; more possibility for sunburst/flare affect
place the subject right in front of the sun for a glow or sunburst around them

there are lots of good possibilities and great surprises that can come from these types of photos. get on out there & take advantage of these great fall sunsets & try your hand at a silhouette.

friday favorite | nappanee children's photographer

2009-10-09T11:00:00.001-04:00

this one's my rockstar...my crazy, eccentric, they-broke-the-mold-after-they-made-him child.

he's tempermental & unpredictable. he's fearless & as a rule, defies reasoning.

this boy gives real, palpable meaning to the cliche "one in a million" because there truly is no other like him...

this is my pick today because:

i did nothing to elicit this "pose" (and i use that term loosely), this boy has got a mind of his own
when i point the camera in his face, he makes the most of it!
while it cracks me up, this image totally captures him at the same time
this shot completely makes me realize i could use a little more fun in my life
i never know what i'll capture on the sofa with the camera in my hand

*this image was shot @f2.8, 1/100, iso 200 with a 50mm 1.4 lens