Budding photographer

The weather is beautiful after several days of rain and clouds. So I ignored the mountains of housework and Caitlin and I headed outside to take a walk. I'm participating in the Photo A Day Challenge so I took my camera with me. Caitlin wanted to take pictures too.

We had so much fun. I told her, after the first time she asked if she had to take a picture of the same thing I did, that an artist always goes with what speaks to him. So she needed to take pictures of whatever she wanted, not whatever I was taking.

I was shocked to find some really great pictures when I downloaded them to the computer after our walk. So other than the first picture of our little photographer all the pictures on this post are Caitlin's.

 All of these are pictures taken by Caitlin. She was able to focus the camera pretty well for a 4 yr old. And I loved the view from so low. Gives life a different perspective.

A self portrait

Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day.

The kids let Jon and I sleep in (sort of).

Jon asked what I wanted for breakfast and I remembered a pancake place we hadn't tried yet.

Grandma's Pancake House.

Wow! I think we have a new favorite. It was delicious.

Naturally I had something with chocolate in it.

 

The kids then went with Jon to pick out a gift for me while I got some kid free shopping in myself. It was so nice to walk around the store without saying "Put your hands behind your back." fifty + times.

Look what the kids picked out for me. Isn't that so sweet?! 

According to Jon they each picked out something.

My heart melted into a little puddle. I have the most precious children in the world.

(What you see in the back ground is my new crock pot. 

Yes, I'm the weird one who actually requests kitchen things for special occasions.)

We then went to pick out some flowers for my bald flower bed in the front. It was full of bulbs and now that they are done blooming it looks rather boring.

Caitlin helped me plant.

My aunt, uncle and grandparents came while we were still planting.

 

My kids love their great-grandparents.

 

 

 

 

 We had such a great visit.

 

 

 

My grandpa has more energy than I do.

Could/would you do this?

"Ganpa, hep peas."

"Grandpa, climb up here with us."

 

 

Some silly pictures.

 

 

We had such a wonderful time. Can't wait to see them all again.

Flowers

I had all of the windows open and the kids were outside playing.

My cousin called and I went outside to check on the kids while talking to her. 

I saw Caitlin with this tiny tulip and realized she'd picked some of my flowers.

When I looked over to the side of the house I realized she'd picked ALL of the tulips and some of the other flowers. She had then headed to the front flower bed to start on those before I caught her. I couldn't find the flowers though. According to her and Dominic she'd fed most of them to the dogs. And since I found only a couple of petals - I'm guessing they actually ate them.

Before pictures.  (After was too sad.)

 

Dominic brought me these that he'd rescued.

Dominic was trying to be helpful and "planted" this one again.

New camera

I am switching out winter clothing for spring clothing. So I had a large pile on the couch folding and sorting.

Caitlin found a swim suit and put it on over her clothes.

 

We got the new camera a couple of days ago.

The replacement for the lost one we found.

So now we have two cameras. I decided to try it out to see if I liked it as well as the old one.

Stopping to smell the "roses".

 

Dominic was running ahead of us.

These tulips trees didn't smell that great.