a remedy

...for cabin fever, that is.
After getting our fill of playing in the snow, drawing, playing games, dancing to loud music, and reading books sometimes you have to create your own cure for cabin fever. Enter...mom with camera. I tried to capture jumps at their highest point by using the sports setting on my camera. Still blurry, no flash, but fun...and energy burning because you know I had to try over and over and over to capture a good shot.

Oh yes, Dad couldn't resist joining in on the fun. Impressive, no?

Once I captured a couple of good shots, although blurry, I just kept on snapping photos...with a flash...oh what fun!

I am a very blessed wife to have a husband who is not afraid to have some fun....

even when he knows I'll probably blog it.

My girls are so blessed to have a Daddy that loves to be a kid...and will let me take pictures until I get the perfect shot.

Yep, we're cured. What's you're favorite cabin fever reducer? I'd love to hear how you fight cabin fever. xo ANG
Please don't forget about Haiti. They're not on the front pages anymore. They're not a major story on the evening news anymore. But they are still in need. The two buttons at the top left will lead you to a place where you can help.

macro monday...on monday!

It's Monday. We have been spending our time digging ourselves out of the snow for the third time. There was a little more ice this time around which makes for really heavy shoveling. Nevertheless, I did manage to take my camera out and capture some cool shots. In this first one I played with focusing on the ice on my windshield with the tree reflection blurry and blurry ice with focused trees. I chose to share the trees in focus and the ice blurry because it was, well, cooler!

(f-stop 4~exposure time 1/80 second~iso-80)

This second shot here is of some ice melting on the back porch. We scraped and shoveled and piled it high in the yard, but when the sun peeked out everything started getting slushy.

(f-stop 4~exposure time 1/160 second~iso 80)

So at this point all of the slightly slushy snow has been frozen into solid ice. Perfect for penguins...but not so much for us humans. We are preparing for the next winter storm due on Tuesday. I'd love to take pictures of non-frozen things but that's just not going to happen any time soon. Brrrrr! I am, however, so very thankful for our cozy little house and hot showers...oh, and hot tea and fleece pajamas. Stay warm! xoANG

inside::outside

inside::keeping warm by learning a new skill on my new ukulele since the girls took over my old one...using my massive roll of contact paper left over from my classroom days to make these awesome exercise routines more accessible (and hopefully usable)...finishing up my Craft Hope project...making myself a new hat that unfortunately doesn't fit, so although it's cute, it'll be frogged and I'll make a different one.

inside::keeping warm and active by working on their drawing and storytelling skills. Noses are a challenge when drawing and are usually avoided...but not now...many attempts have been made.

outside::keeping warm by snuggling inside the snow cave that was made by Dad.

outside::keeping warm by climbing up and sliding down the snow cave turned snow mountain.

Are you keeping warm? I sure hope so. Now we're settling in for the evening and gearing up for the Super Bowl. Which team is the favorite in the Clothesline house? Well, I think the hot wings win out over the guacamole every time!
Just a reminder...life gets busy and fun and comfortable even in the midst of winter storms...please remember Haiti. xo ANG

more is...more

Winter storm number three. Yes, more snow...with a little sleet mixed in for good measure. So far today we have 4 or 5 more inches of snow on top of the 8 or 9 remaining inches from the 13 we got last weekend. More to come next week on Tuesday and Friday?

Bring it on, winter! We might as well break some records! Besides, shoveling snow burns lots of calories and we've got warm brownies from the oven that are calling my name.

I hope you're staying warm and cozy. Now I better go. There are puzzles to piece together, pictures to color, dolls to dress and redress, and oh, brownies to eat.

happy friday xo ANG

you capture::faces

Time goes by very quickly.

They grow and change every day.

Taking a gazillion pictures is completely justified when I capture moments like these.

These beautiful faces are only a fraction of the beauty that is within their hearts.

sisters::friends::daughters::blessings

i should be folding laundry's-you capture::faces

macro monday...cheater edition

Well, another Monday seems to have gotten away from me. I think perhaps I was distracted by all of the snow. Okay, okay, I just forgot. Maybe I should rethink Monday. Anyway, to fulfill my macro promise here is a picture that I took last June. Oh, how I wish it was already June and my tiger lilies were blooming again. I do love the vibrant orange. These are certainly one of my favorites. And this shot in particular is a personal fave because I managed to capture the crisp, bright, beauty of the flower with the nice blurry background. I'll have to check my other computer for the particulars of the shot and add that part tomorrow. For now though...soak up the color of summer!

(f-stop 2.7~exposure time 1/100 second~iso100~focal length 6mm)

happy monday night...xo ANG
Yes, Haiti is still in need. Please do what you can. Need a starting point? Just click on one of the links at the top left there.