Day 30 :: Self Portrait

Today is day 30 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge is Self-Portrait. Lately we’ve been so busy and I’m constantly in the driver’s seat of what I call my Taxi. We’ve been on the go and busy. Hoping July brings more calmness. All month I’ve been trying to sit down and put my feet up and knit… but that hasn’t really happened when I’m home. Here’s to July and making that happen.

Day 29 :: Black and white

Today is day 29 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge is Black and White. There are numerous ways to turn a photo to black and white. You can use the black and white setting on your camera, if you have one or you can edit your color photograph afterwards in many different programs and ways. I’m a lover of black and white images. I’m a photographer who was taught in the dark room, and I even have a dark room of my own (not set-up, but I do have one). I used to love spending hours in the darkroom developing film and printing images. What joy it used to bring me. Today, I caught this image while playing outside with the boys with some bubbles before dinnertime. Oh, the simple joys of summer.

Day 28 :: Flowers

Today is day 28 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge is Flowers. I have these growing in my front yard. Not sure if I like them or not, some days I think they’re pretty and some days I think they are almost like a weed.

While I’ve been enjoying the 30 days challenge, I’m kind of glad there’s only 2 days left, I’m kind of challenged out now. The break from daily blogging will be nice. I do still have a bunch of updates to do (garden, knitting, etc…) Stay tuned ~ things have been crazy busy around here lately.

Day 27 :: From a Distance

Today is day 27 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge is From a Distance. I was sitting at my house watching Sean and Mackenzie bike ride around the circle we live in. (You can see Jamie with Mackenzie in the far background). The kids love to bike ride.

Day 26 :: Close-up

Yesterday was day 26 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge was Close-up. I had fun taking macro shots yesterday! Enjoy.

Monday Morning Link Love

- This car window decal is totally me.
- A photography idea to try once we all have shoes with laces.
- Love.
- Home-made photo booth wall - neat!
- Need to do this with my kids every year!
- Again, I'm not a wedding photographer, but I just love this image - I had to share it.
- Love this photo.
- Brilliant! Pancake dispenser!
- I want one of these!
- Wish I had a daughter...
- Adorable kids' birthday party lootbag idea.
- Lego themed birthday party (for when the boys' are older)
- Love these DIY Gummy Candy Skewers.
- ♥♥
- Fun childhood memories.
- Love this necklace! And this ring.
- How cool are these?
- This tshirt is totally me!
- This glass jar is awesome!
- Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
- Wish upon a star.
- Backyard scrabble - what a fun idea!
- Awesome pillows!
- This recipe for Salmon & sun dried tomato alfredo looks delicious. (And totally fattening).
- An idea for next father's day - this awesome Father's Day Bouquet.
- I love these freeze pop holders!
- What a fantastic website! Dear Photograph.
- Need a gift for a dog lover? My siblings and I ordered back in 2008 a dog from this site (though, back when she was on Etsy) for my mother (since she has a Great Dane) and it was an amazing gift.
- I need to make myself some of these baby clothes dividers for Quentin's closet, so I don't miss out on him wearing any of his clothes (some that still have tags on them from when Sean got them as gifts and Mack also never wore (as they were wrong size for the season, etc, or even forgotten about).
- This summer pasta salad recipe looks yummy!
- Love this ring.
- What an awesome calculator.
- Love this patchwork wristlet tutorial.

9 Years

Jamie and I have been together or 9 years today.

9 years!

I can’t believe it’s been 9 years already.

This September will be 6 years we’ve been married.
And 3 beautiful boys later.

I couldn’t be any happier. I love you. You are my world. Happy 9 years! Here’s to many many many more years.

Day 25 :: Something Pink

Today is day 25 of the 30 Day Photography Challenge, and the challenge is Something Pink. Pink nail polish! I am not usually a nail polish kind of girl, unless I go for a manicure and someone else paints my nails for me. I usually screw up painting my nails, especially when I’m doing my right hand (since I’m a righty and painting with my “bad” hand). But something about this color possessed me to buy it last week, as part of spoiling myself for my 30th birthday. The color is called “Big Spender” which makes this whole situation even funnier (well, to me anyhow).

Decals & Rainbows

I finally got around to putting my decals on my car. Hubby hasn't seen it yet, hopefully it won't be an issue. Heck, it's my car. I know he takes it once a week to work, but still. My car. Right?

On one side you have the entire Knit & Purl Mama family, complete.

And on the other side, my awesome Knit Girl decal. (If you'd like a Knit Girl, Knitting Nerd or Crochet Girl decal in white or black, please contact me!)

Thursday night while I was out I caught a rainbow. Isn't it stunning?

That time of the year again

It's that's time of the year again. The boys (every 3 months like clock work) require a haircut. So we made an appointment (on Wednesday, June 15th) with one of my sister's friends, and got the boys their hair cut and the boys got to spend the day at home with me. The time the appointment was, there wasn't enough time after to get them to daycare before nap time.

Usually I just go to my sister's friend (who is cutting Sean's hair) but she only had time to do one of them, so they had someone else cut Mack's hair. She did a good job though, thankfully.

Look at the amount of hair that Sean had...

Don't they look awesome with their new do?

It was also time for our bi-annual dentist check-up. (June 20th, 2011). Sean, Mackenzie and myself all had appointments. The last time we went to the dentist, was 6 days before Quentin arrived.

I absolutely LOVE the dental hygienist. She's also a knitter, so we "talk shop" while I'm in the chair. I am actually supposed to look for a cardigan pattern idea for her, I should get on that. Sean went first and Mack watched so that he could see what was going on. The dental hygienist was able to get Mack to have his teeth counted but no cleaning today. Mack chickened out. Next time. He still is quite young, so we'll try again next time.

Quentin even got to sit in the dentist chair. This way when it's time for him to go to the dentist, I can show him a picture of when he was 6 months old and sitting in the chair, with smiles. That there is really nothing to it. After their check-up the boys got a prize (toy) from the dentist.

And I got my teeth cleaned too. They did x-rays for me this time, as last time I was 35 weeks pregnant and the time before I wasn't sure if I was pregnant or not. No cavities (ever) either! (Yes, I still got to my pediatric dentist. I actually asked, I am not the eldest patient there, so I don't feel bad!) As long as I don't need dental work and as long as I don't have any issues with my teeth and my dentist is still willing to see me, there is nothing wrong with me going to see him. He might have Kermit The Frog attached to his light above his chair, but I'm a-ok with that. And I don't mind not picking out a toy from the toy bin. I leave that up to my kids, whom I hope have inherited my teeth genes - with no cavities.

My Swim Champ

Sean's really improved since the beginning of the swimming session until now. He's now able to swim on his own. I'm really impressed. Here are 2 videos of him this past week:



Sean's last swimming class, swimming alone a bit (with teacher help) (June 15, 2011)



Sean jumping right off the diving board (no floats) in my parents pool (June 19, 2011)

The day he jumps off the diving board and swims the entire length of my parents pool, I will capture that on video as well. I bet, it'll be before this summer is over.

How We Spent Father’s Day

It's been super busy around here, not stopping for a second! I am trying to catch up on what's been going on around here, so this is how we spent father's day:

After a Bris in the morning, we picked up the kids who slept over at my parent house the night before, a nice birthday gift if I do say so myself. I brought the kids back home and they gave Jamie their gifts:

Quentin got daddy some new polo shirts, Mack got him new mugs to take coffee to work and Sean got him some Star Wars Figurines. Jamie was very pleased.

Then we headed to the convenience store around the corner for some slushies.

And we stopped at the park on the way home for a bit.

After the park & slushies Jamie wanted to relax on the couch & watch golf, so I took the kids (on the beautiful Sunday afternoon) to my parents house to go for a dip in the pool. Mackenzie received this awesome Cars Pool toy for his birthday and wouldn't get off of it in the pool the entire time he was in.

Sean showed us he has been working on his front float.

And Quentin vegged in the pool in his float. He likes the water & had an entire conversation with his new duck friends.

Sean is seriously my brave, fearless little fish. He was jumping off the diving board with no floats, and then swam across the deep end to whomever was waiting for him (my brother, father or myself). I couldn't believe it. Fearless! So proud of him. He even let my dad throw him up into the air a few times.

Before dinner, Jamie arrived and so did my in-laws. We all had dinner, and then I was surprised with my birthday gift from my family. It's from Jamie & the kids, as well as my parents and my siblings. Jamie had given me a card on my actual birthday telling me that my present was in 3. First was a gift card to the book store (one of these) and then he said the 2nd part was a surprise (see below) and the 3rd part, he wanted to get me a piece of jewelry, but didn't know what to get me, so he was leaving it up to me. I think I want to design a ring with all 3 of the kids birthstones (Sean December, Mack June and Quentin November) which would include Jamie and I too, as I am June and Jamie's birthday is in December like Sean). Just need to find somewhere to design it and hope that those 3 birthstones don't look hideous together.

So to throw me off, I was given about 10 wrapped gifts. Maybe there is one or two hiding here, I have no idea. There was a lot of useless unwrapping, let me tell you.

The looks on my face are priceless. Yes, my mother wrapped a halloween flashlight that she's probably had since the early 90's and bubbles that were bought for my wedding (for the guests to blow bubbles after we were married as we walked back down the aisle, but forgotten about).

And then there was the 2nd part of the gift, which was in box after box. They had me. I wasn't so amused. Though, when I got the end of the boxes, there was a picture of an eye on a pad. Get it? Eye-Pad? I wanted an iPad for my birthday. I've been longing over it for weeks, months even.

I was told that my iPad 2 was ordered and it's estimated ship date is June 30th, 2011 with an estimated arrival of July 5th/6th. I am so excited. I did get email confirmation that it's left apple, and will be here sooner than that. I've already started looking at ipad cozies (to knit) on Ravelry, but I fear that the iPad 2 is a lot smaller than the original iPad, so maybe the cozy will be too big? Does anyone have an iPad 2 and have you knit it a cozy? I keep eying this pattern, but again, fear it'll be too big? I won't start anything until I actually have my new (engraved!) iPad in my hands. BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER! Thank you, thank you!

We ended the evening wit ice cream & cake.

Of course, Mack (hiding in his hands) did not want to be sung happy birthday to, again. I am really starting to think he is not a fan of birthdays. He has on a few occasions now said he doesn't like it and started to cry. Poor guy.

Yet, 2 minutes later, he's silly Mack again.

Hope you all had a great Father's Day. Hope it treated you well & you spoiled the daddies in your life (husbands, your own father, etc).

Stay tuned, still editing photos from our crazy busy week - more posts to come!