New Camera

Christmas came early this year and we got ourselves a very nice camera we've (I've) been wanting for a while. We have't gotten a new Camera in many years and man, they sure have changed! But, I'm loving it - thanks, Lindsey for the recommendation! Tyler is in L.A. and whenever he's gone, I get nothing accomplished in the evenings. It's like I'm paralyzed. Weird because I should be busy doing things I wouldn't do when he's here (like prepping for baby's 1st bday party!!!), but nope - not the case. Thankfully, this is his last out of town trip of the year - yahoo. So, I've been figuring out this camera...a little. It's a Canon Rebel T3i with 135 mm lens and here are a few snapshots. I discovered how to make my Christmas tree glow. That was tonight's internet lesson.

withOUT proper settings...

and with = tada...glowing tree

He's Done:(

Two weeks before he turns one, looks like my last baby has self-weaned. No warning - just went from all to nothing in the matter of one day. He has absolutely no more interest in his mama feeding him:( Porter did the exact same thing - just when he was 13 months old. We have two weeks to go before he can technically have real milk, but I cheated and started early and this morning gave him a mixture of what we had in the fridge - skim milk and coconut milk in a sippy. He loved it and drank it down while I whimpered in a corner. Kidding, but really, I wasn't ready! Chalk it up to one more thing out of my control.

Thankful.

So, it's finally November (even though it's still feeling like summer!) and we enter into the "thankful" season. I'm a big journaler and I used to write at least 5 things I was thankful for each day, but I haven't done that in a long time. However, we are starting a thankful tree this month! I made little tags and each day we are writing one thing we are thankful for and hanging them on a branch-like thing. We'll see if we can keep it up all month:) Regardless, we have tons to be thankful for - way more than one thing a day. To show Porter and Piper's differences...we started the tree today (the 2nd), so we had to come up with two things and Porter spouted out God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and his family; Piper said she was ONLY thankful for her kiki/special blanket (which when she wrote, she spelled gee gee, so I guess I've been wrong all these years). At the end of the day, Porter narrowed his two things to God and Jesus and Piper added to her one thing, her family. Wow, thanks. Mine were: Payson's first Thanksgiving, and Porter and Piper reading. Tyler's out of town, but he will join the thankful party tomorrow! And just to be clear we are thankful TO the Lord for all of these things. He is all that is good and everything good comes from Him. He is Jehovah Jireh, God Provider.

Other things I'm especially thankful for TODAY:

*coffee with a good friend

*my chiropractor

*laughing with my kids

*leftovers

*walks in good weather

*three kids in bed by 7

*dark chocolate

*the show, Parenthood

*that nothing hinges on me...God is always telling me "Amy, I GOT this!"

*sparkling water

*that Porter and Piper gave our crossing guard, Ms. Betty, some of their halloween candy

*that Piper asked tonight to pray for her so she wouldn't be "mean in the morning" (can we say grumpy sleepy girl who hates waking up in the mornings??!! She got it honest.)

*Pinterest where I got this idea in the first place:)