owls for first graders

January 27, 2013 Posted inart for kids

For fun, I teach art projects in Slater’s class. All of my projects so far have come from the internet and I save my favorites to my Kids board at Pinterest.  This project comes from another country and I have no idea what the text says but the project is darn cute.

art projects for first graders

I learn some pretty interesting things about teaching six year olds each lesson.  For this lesson, I learned that cutting circles is more of  a challenge than I thought.  I had them cut everything freehand with no tracing. It’s an important skill to learn and not many adults can do it (learned that from my days of teaching scrapbooking classes).  So I am starting them young on gaining confidence in free hand cutting.  Slater (mine) had a very jagged oval for his body and claimed he was hairy (love that).  A few of the kids were not so thrilled with their less than perfect round eyes and bodies.  But for the most part, everyone got over it and continued to create some pretty cute owls

adding black pen

Alas, we made it through the lesson and some pretty cute owls came out of it. The kids were really proud of their creations overall. I love black pen and so do kids… a little too much.  So I (or my volunteer parents) are on “limit black pen use” duty during any lesson that black pens come out to play.  I think it’s really funny how much they want to doodle all over their artwork.  Slater thought of adding a mustache to his owl and in first grade… ideas like that spread like wildfire!


Oh how I love owls with suitcases, moustaches, blinking and winking, eyelashes, and wings.

 

add a comment
back to top pin it! facebook tweet this contact me

december 2012 instagram

January 24, 2013 Posted inmy family life

December in review on Instagram: Elfie arrives, tree decorating, Slater learns Catan, Christmas lights viewing, the Grinch and making crazy Christmas tshirts, scientist Slater loves to mess with boiling water, Tucker gets a pottery wheel, charades with the bigs and their girlfriends equals entertainment for everyone, Slater and I hit Sea World, New Years Eve and Dallon is intrigued with cups and beats the height of Slater’s creation as any older brother should.

add a comment
back to top pin it! facebook tweet this contact me

baby makes three

January 22, 2013 Posted innewborn and baby photography

I don’t photograph many newborns.  Not because I don’t want to.  I love newborn sessions.  The craze right now is baby sleeping with different hats and baskets and that is just not my style.  While I think it is darling, I am just not that good at it… it’s definitely a craft.  I have friends who are amazing at doing just those types of newborn shoots and I am in awe when I see what they can do.

Having teenagers has given me a different perspective on photographing kids in general.  And looking at photos of myself as a baby also gives me a different view.  I don’t care so much about myself in the newborn photos of me… I really am more enamored with what my parents looked like.   As for having teenage kids, it’s hard for me to imagine that time when we were so enthralled with our new little babies and picture what we all looked like.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my teenage kids and the stage of life we are in.  I want to remember what we all look like now and how we interact (or not) at this stage as well.  But I can’t even remember what they actually looked like at ten let alone a newborn without seeing pictures or video.  And I know as they enter adulthood, it will be hard for me to recall what they looked like as teenagers.

So that brings me to my newborn style.  I have said it before, the relationships between people, families is what drives me.  And this is true for newborn photography as well.  I will always get a good baby headshot and if you really want that baby looking asleep, they do blink and I am a master at catching the blink (just kidding… I am a master, but I will also photograph a baby sleeping for a few shots).   What I really love is the interaction between parents with their babies more than anything.  This seems to work out best with a baby who is awake as well. I love catching light that adds to the mood. I love catching that look from baby to mom that is so representative of the innocence, intimidation, love and caring that is exchanged.

For me, this session is perfect.  It seals this brief moment in time and will not only be cherished by the parents over time but by the child as they grow up and want to a little peak into who their parents were and what they looked like when they were born.  And while the whole story isn’t written word for word and you don’t know what they were thinking or doing at this time, a glimpse of this time like this  is a treasure to any child at any stage of their life.

add a comment
susan - Wednesday | January 23rd | 2013

These are amazing Alison!

back to top pin it! facebook tweet this contact me

Chocolate Chip Cookies… with Almond flour

January 20, 2013 Posted inno starch diet

I’m past week six of cutting out as much starch as I can figure out.  That means no grains, potatoes, bananas, cooked veggies (except tomatoes, spinach and asparagus).  I’m sure there is more but that is where I am at thus far.  I started this before Christmas.  Not my intent.  I was planning on indulging in every christmas goody that passed my field of vision.  But my symptoms were getting worse all of a sudden and I knew my start date for No Starch needed to begin immediately.

I don’t know how I did it to be quite honest.  I am a true carb lover and cookies are my weakness.  I did indulge in every piece of chocolate though. I needed something to use to fill in the void of bready delightfulness.  I am sure not the wisest move but it did get me through the holidays and my painful ribs stopped hurting… it all just moved to my hip.  I don’t know why….  but I’ll take it because it is better and it’s off and on.  Somedays are good others are not.  I would much rather try this than daily anti-inflammatories. So I am giving it time.

My friend Christine (who plays cello in this awesome band, The Paul Cannon Band) has been gluten free for years and recently moved to grain free so she has some wisdom for me.  She made me some delish cookies made with almond flour.  She sweetened them with Yacon and Stevia.  Yacon is new to me and I don’t have any but I am sure it better than honey or agave.  Anyway, long story shortened, the recipe is at Elana’s Pantry.  I added shredded coconut and pepitas and I used honey instead of agave. I also used a grittier almond flour (red hill) which gives a nice texture.  I also substituted the butter with a half cup of grapeseed oil (I think that is in the recipe in her book which is where the recipe came from).  I think the next time I make them, I will use a little less oil.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Paleo Style

Cookies that use almond flour

 

So let me tell you what really happened.  This is the second batch.  The first batch turned out pretty thick and terrible (I ate several anyway:P).  I thought I was being all adventurous and experimental and replaced one cup of the almond flour with a cup of coconut flour.  I told Christine h0w they were so thick to swallow and she asked what I did.  When I told her she knew immediately.  I guess coconut flour needs some eggs to balance out the thick, dryness.  Who knew?  Live and learn and hope you have friends who can guide you so you don’t make the same mistakes over and over.  Thanks Christine:)

add a comment
back to top pin it! facebook tweet this contact me