Birthday boy and Calico Basin

First off, I’m loving using Windows Live Writer to do my blog posts, and I’m never going back. I just need to figure out how to put my signature back on the posts, but other than that, its fabulous!

Blog picture protection update: Blogger has made some recent changes by adding ‘designs’, a new template feature. It seemed to mess up the old widget that I put on to prevent right clicking on  my blog pictures. I would right click, and the ability to open the picture in another window was there. I found a new tutorial that works better, and put that one on instead. Also, HERE is a tutorial to prevent left clicking on picture. I forgot, I need to remember that people could also left click and steal. So I’ve done these two things on all my blogs to try and prepare and prevent.

On weekdays, I get up at 5:30am to have my morning devotional, return emails, and play in the garden. It almost feels like the old mission schedule. The sky sure is pretty that early in the morning!

Shaun and I took the kids to Calico Basin, to scout out photo locations for my bridal shoot that day. We made an adventure out of it, and its a gorgeous area. It felt like we were in Zion’s park. Ethan ran non stop, and I took some fun family pictures. Such a great day.

I love the boardwalk, it makes for great picture backgrounds! The boys were loving the area, exploring and being free to roam.

MCP actions has a great web sharpening action for free. I used it for these b/w and sepia shots. Click HERE to download it and use on your blog pictures. It really helps make the pictures sharp and clear.

Shaun took the photographer job for a moment, and got some  great pictures of Ethan and I. I love them, especially the one on the left! Way to do rule of thirds, sweetie! (Rule of thirds: Ethan and I are in the left hand side, not smack dab in center all the time) I love my big man, growing so fast.

A coffeshop story board freebie for these pictures

Shaun had fun doing a photo shoot on me. I tried to fix my hair, and look decent for the camera. Here’s me doing a Pantene commercial ; more like a Simba impression, ha ha! My hair was crazy!

The birthday party, just us. We kept it low key this year, and opted for a party next year. I made some cupcakes, and just had to put hats on them!

There was silence for a bit, as the boys loved their sweets, yummy:)

We are on day 4 of potty training. The first three days were a rollercoaster, a bit challenging for a brand new potty trainer. Yet, on the first day, Ethan went tinkle on the toilet, with Shaun and I present to see it. We clapped enthusiastically for him, resembling two seals slapping their fins happily. We both wanted to break out some bubbly (sparkling apple cider, ahh!) and celebrate the thought of no more 5 pound poopy diapers to change. Yesterday was rough. I got a lot of helpful comments on Facebook, to which I am so thankful for. Today, I decided to take a step back and re-evaluate, and just not really care what would happen. Needless to say, Ethan went potty on the toilet three times on his own, and wowed both Shaun and I. Letting him take the lead has helped, and that’s about all I’ve learned at the moment.

So, the bridal shoot was another super fun and educational experience, and I’ll post the pics on my photo blog soon. I’m so thankful for a few photo shoots here and there, to get more practice and set my photo passion on fire.

Shaun and I are going on a date tonight, to see “The A-team”. After the last few days, I really could use a mommy break, so I’m ready to stuff my purse with Del taco food to smuggle into the theater, he hee:) I’m so glad I married a movie lover, like me. We’ve been doing ‘progressive movies’ lately. Just finished the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and now on the Bourne series. Those movies have some sweet car chase scenes, I love it!

Alright, quiet time is almost over, and more adventures in potty training will begin in one hour, wish me luck:)