My Handsome Boy

I think I blog entirely too much about Maura. I do have other children! Dallin, my oldest, is really a good kid. He will be turning 9 on Sunday and he seems so grown up lately!



He just got new glasses a couple of weeks ago and he was excited to wear them. He really only needs them for distance (like to see the board at school), but thinks they are cool (even though they are crooked...).


He has done a pretty good job of keeping track of them and putting them in his case when he's not wearing them. He remembers to take them off before he goes to recess and to wear them during class.


He's such a good big brother to Maura, a good helper around the house, doing so well in school and an all around fun kid.

In my camera search a friend loaned me her Canon Rebel xs. I spent the day taking all kinds of photos (390 to be exact) and playing with the buttons.

I took some indoor portraits,







more random indoor photos,


(yea, I got a frig lock and she figured it out in about 30 min...)

I used the macro setting,


I tried some low light photos,




Some outdoor shots,









more close up photos,


motion shots


and then my model was done. Seriously, she wouldn't open her eyes and look at me.



So I moved on to other models.








I really had a great day trying to use the camera. Things I like:
The speed. It's super quick to grab, turn on and snap a picture. Plus the zoom is super fast and I love the 3fps for action shots. I like the versatility. I can use a full auto mode or set all the controls myself. I like the color for the most part. I'm still struggling to figure out how to take quality pictures in my house with low light. It's the place I take most of the pictures.

So, one camera down nine million to go....any other camera suggestions?

Help!

What kind of camera do you use?

Do you like it?

What things do you like, and what don't you like?

What kinds of pictures do you mostly take (indoor, outdoor, sports, portraits, etc.)

What do you use your pictures for (prints, enlargements, blog, etc.)

I'm in the market for a camera and can't decide what I want. I want more than a point-and-shoot, but not sure if I'm really ready to lug around an $800 SLR. I think I want something middle of the road...something where I can control aperture and shutter speed, but also turn on the auto function. Most importantly, I want something that I can get out quickly and takes a quick picture so I don't miss those "Maura Moments".

Soooo, oh wise blog stalkers, help me out!!

I got my chairs back! They are soooo lovely.


Don Shelley does a terrific job! He really goes out of his way to make sure it's exactly what I want. He did some minor repairs to the chair as well, tightening arms and legs and then doing a little staining to cover up scratches and stuff.

I love them!

Blessed Bubble Wrap!

Grandma Russell sent a package to Dallin for his birthday. She included a gift for Maura wrapped in bubble wrap. The Mookster barely acknowledged the cute toy car and went straight to popping the bubble wrap.


She was very focused for a LONG time doing it.


I'm amazed at how dexterous she is!


For a half an hour she sat intently popping each bubble. When she was done she brought it to me and wanted more. I tried to help her find a bubble she had missed, but she popped every single one! She was so sad when I told her it was done and to throw it away.

It was awesome!!! The next time I go to the store you bet I'm gunna' buy some bubble wrap!!

Adam is Surrounded by Women

I think some people would be a little nervous if their husband was constantly surrounded by women. I'm not. Most of the people Adam works with are women and he is training for a marathon with a group of women. Don't get me wrong, he has a bunch of man friends but he is really surrounded by women most of the time.

I like it! They are a great influence on him. They are always making sure he takes care of me! They ask him things like: What are you getting your wife for her birthday? and What about your anniversary, what are you doing for her? and What are you two doing this weekend?

It's really awesome. I don't have to nag or remind or anything. I have a whole support system to do that for me!

Although, to his credit he is super thoughtful and remembers special occasions, sometimes it's good to get a woman's opinion. If he's headed down the wrong track, they are sure to set him right. When he needs good ideas, they always come up with some really great things. Pedicures, massages, jewelry, flowers, clothes, and the list goes on...

Thank you Adam for the wonderful flowers on our anniversary. I love them. You are super thoughtful AND you did it all on your own!



(Thank you ladies for reminding him to do things all on his own!)

Love you Adam!

Ooooh, Pretty!

Adam bought me two watches for our anniversary! I LOVE them.


He picked them out himself and everything. I love his sense of style. We celebrated this past weekend (because he will be working on our anniversary) eating out, going shopping and then to a movie. I love just hanging out with him-that was the best gift of all!

So, now the test is to see how long these watches last. I've never been able to keep one running for more than 6 months. I'm not sure why, but they just stop working. Luckily these watch bands can be removed and I can get other faces!

Thanks honey! Love you.

This is the comfortable, but sad looking chair I use in my office. I bought two of them at a yard sale years ago and have LOVED them (a little too much I think).

I sent them this weekend to get re-upholstered by a man in our neighborhood, Don Shelley. He does fantastic work! He re covered our couches 6 years ago and they still look amazing!

I'm so excited to get my chairs back. I've been sitting on a folding wooden chair for a few days now and my behind would like them back too!

September 15, 1995

Fourteen years ago today I married an illegal alien. Yep, that's right folks, I smuggled him into the country and illegally married him. He was just so cute. It was totally worth it! (He's legal now, so don't try anything funny.)


We were married in the Salt Lake Temple for time and eternity. I am so lucky to have him forever.


We were so young! Okay, I was 24 and he was 23, but we looked really young.


He's not cute any more, he's super handsome, manly and totally hot. (I'm not suppose to say that he's 'cute' in public.)


He's still totally worth it!


And we've lived happily ever...since.

Love you, Adam. Can't wait for the next 14...

Canyon Lake

Monday we spent the day at Canyon Lake. It was a beautiful, hot day and perfect for some beach time. Maura was pretty good about wearing a life-jacket most of the time.

She enjoyed playing on the sand and loved riding in the boat watching the wakeboarders. She rode a big "water weenie" once and really had a good time. We almost made it through the entire day without naughtyness, but I should have known. On the last run of the day one of the friends that was invited along (a young man) got out to do some "Smurfing" (mini-surfing behind the boat-supercool) and left his hat on the seat of the boat. Maura was wandering around and I wasn't paying much attention to her other than making sure she wasn't climbing over the edge. I looked up when she brought me something and said "Candy". I realized too late that she had taken the boy's tobacco from his hat and dumped it all over my legs, the seat and the floor! UGH. That's a terrible smell! I spent the next 30 minutes trying to clean up and scooped water out of the lake to wash everything off. Silly girl.

My only consolation was that the kid was embarrassed that he had brought along his chew and didn't have any more left after the Mookster tried to help him kick his habit.


Dallin had a super time. His favorite thing to do is knee-board and he wanted to do it with me! That made me feel super good that he would want his MOM not his dad to go out with him! We got to have a really long ride and by the end of it he was being brave and trying to go over the wake and be a little more adventurous.

It was a fun day and we came home tired, sore and sun burned. Dallin's new question for us is "When are WE going to get a boat?".

Labor day weekend...

It started with us cleaning up the HUGE branches from the front yard. We barely made it before it rained. That evening it cleared up and we had a super fun time with our neighborhood slip 'n slide!

Maura went down a few times, but was content to watch and eat snacks with her buddies.


One hazard of the slippery soap is it gets in your eyes!


I raced Adam...he won most of the time. I think it's because he has a slippery chest. Maybe if I would have taken off my shirt...


Dallin had a BLAST as usual. Although by the end he was really tired.

His favorite thing to do was climb half way up the hill and wait for someone to start down. Then he jumps from the side and tackles them on the way down.

We ended up with a few bumps and bruises before the night was over.

It was totally worth it!

Mookster loves the bubbles that form at the end.


But they don't taste very good.


I love that our neighborhood has many kids and loves to get together to do fun things like this!