Joining SouleMama and others in {this moment}.
spring is here!
Finally some gorgeous weather in New Hampshire!
making valentines
My daughter desperately wanted to give out handmade valentines this year. We always end up running to the store at the last minute and picking out some prepackaged assortment, which is fine (we’ve done that every year except this one!). But, she was insistent, and so I set aside a couple of baby-free hours yesterday afternoon, and we made some really cute handmade cards together.
In the “no, life is not perfect” category, I will just say that having a second child does, in fact, make life harder for your first, especially if that first has been the one and only for quite some time (almost 8 years in my daughter’s case). That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have two kids, but my advice is to always remember that it is going to be difficult for your older child. No two ways about it. I try my hardest to make time for her, but it will never be the same as it was before Zane came along.
Still, I feel in my heart that they will both benefit so much from having a sibling, and Lillia absolutely adores her little brother (he’s “her” baby). At the same time, I am not oblivious to her needs, and I try to make special time for her when I can. We had a wonderful, craft-filled afternoon together. It was rejuvenating for me, for her, and for us.
Are you doing anything special for Valentine’s Day?
adoption
Today, my daughter was born for the second time. After eight years of having “not stated” next to the Father’s name on her birth certificate, she can finally say, with absolute certainty, that she has a dad. We had our adoption hearing this morning and my husband, who just yesterday was only a step-father, is now a true, legal father. I plan to write more about this, but just wanted to share my joy in this moment.
I Heart Photoshop (and CoffeeShop)
One of the reasons I wanted to start a blog is because I derive so much pleasure from looking at the gorgeous photos that other mamas take of their kids and the events in their lives. I wanted to share my own life in that way. We have an okay camera, the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS. It’s not a total piece of junk, but it’s not a DSLR. I used to find it endlessly frustrating that I could get great shots lined up, but the color always looked washed out or the photos came out grainy. Some of this is user error (okay, most of it), but some is just the equipment and that can’t be remedied by adjusting settings.
However, one day, while I was mindlessly cruising around Pinterest, I came across The CoffeeShop Blog, a site created by a stay-at-home mama named Rita. Oh my goodness. I am in love. (With the site not with Rita, though she seems nice enough!) This amazing woman has created Photoshop action sequences that can be downloaded *for free* and applied to your photos in a matter of seconds. No more trying to learn the 85 steps necessary to make your photos look like they were taken by a professional. Now, you just click a button or two.
Usually, I don’t like cheating. But, in this situation, I am all for it. Just check out how awesome some of my pictures have turned out using her actions!
My daughter Lillia at her Waldorf school’s May Day celebration, 2010.
For some of her actions, Rita includes multiple choices for different effects, which is really helpful.
Lillia at home on May Day this year, 2011.
Both sets were enhanced using Rita’s CoffeeShop Color Pop 2 Action. I highly, highly, highly recommend you visit her site, if you have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. You will be amazed at what your photos can turn into with just a few clicks!
Thank you, Rita, for your talent, your creativity, and your generosity!