Grandma came to us to arrange a portrait sesison with her new grandbaby with mom and dad. Little Kai is her name and she was adorable. I think she looks just like her daddy, don’t you?
Kai was a joy to work with and so were her sweet young parents. They were so excited about our session. Grandma brought an adorable outfit from the Velveteen Rabbit as well as a few other items.
Little Kai was just 7 weeks old. She was awake and even slept a little during her sesison with us. What a perfect little model she was.
Daddy had really hoped we could do our baby in the hammock image which we usually do with a baby less than 2 weeks old but Kai was certainly up to it and with daddy’s help we were able to capture exactly what hey were hoping for.
I looked at them and remembered that I was just that young when I got married and it seems like a lifetime ago.
Congratulation to Darrus and Margo and grandparents Joanne and Kelly. Don’t blink. Time will fly. Cherish every second with your little one. She will bring such joy to your lives.
childrens photography and lessons
Even children can learn from visual examples.
I know that I am a visual person who learns so much more when a lesson or idea is accompanied by a visual aid. Pictures, objects, photographs – any visual aid helps.
This is a great story I ran across the other day and I’d like to share it with you. Its a perfect example of how visual aids can bo very effective, especially when talking to children.
N New York City Teacher Shares a Lesson WIth Her Children
A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform.
She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stamp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. S
he then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever.
The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.
When I read this it had a profound effect on me. I hear so stories of so many children who have been bullied and how it will effect them and it is so sad. I think it is our duty as parents to try to make a point to children about how long lasting bullying can be and what a terrible effect it can have on others.
I suppose something worse than a child that is a bully is an adult who has grown up as a bully and continues to be one. I actually know a few peole like this and it is very sad indeed.
Give you little ones a gentlehug tonight and remind them that you will always be there for them no matter what. Remind them that treating others the way they want to be treated is a good way to live your life. Help them learn to be kind and gentle people so they will grow up to be kind and gentle adults with compassion and empathy for their fellow man.
A kind word to a stanger is a great example to show your children that it doesn’t take much to reach out to others and show kindness.
Some lessons are better learned early and others live on forever. Use visual aids to help your children those lessons in life that will serve them well.
Men Who Change Lives!: http://t.co/9joc6132
Don’t stir my pot!
Ok I’m really talking about my pot of chili but this could also apply
to people who stir up other things.
I recently was working from home writing blog posts. It was going to
be a productive day because no one was home and I would not have any
distractions or interruptions. It is hard to write blog posts at work
because I apparently have a swinging door that everyone feels
compelled to come through every 10 minutes with problems. Writing
is something I love to do but find difficult with too many
distractions.
It was a rainy, cold day so I decided to start dinner while home i
got out my big ole’ pot and started my grandmothers famous chili. All
ingredients in the pot, heat on low and let it simmer for hours. When
my grandmother made chili like this and she’d usually bake a cake
at the same time. I always remember her saying “don’t stir my pot and
don’t open my oven -in fact just stay out of my kitchen”. It was
always accompanied with her lovely smile – however she was dead
serious! I guess I took after her. Whenever I’m cooking I hate for
someone to come in and mess with what I’m doing. It just gets under my
skin and interrupts my thought process – just like when I’m writing.
This same day a friend dropped by to bring me something I had left at
work. He went immediately into my kitchen and took the lid off my
chili and stirred the pot. NO! I almost took his head
off. Lol. Sounded just like my grandmother – but without the smile.
I only have a few little quirks – well maybe more than my share – but
just a few that really get under my skin. Empty ice trays, clothes
laying on the floor, unmade beds, people starting trouble, and
STIRRING MY POT!
What are you’re quirks? Care to share them with us so we all feel
normal for having them?
Oh BTW – here is my chili recipe – care to share yours?
1 c. chopped onions 1 lb ground beef
1 lb. pork sausage 1 c. water
28 oz can whole tomatoes 1 can kidney beans
15 oz can tomato sauce 12oz can tomato paste
2 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. basil leaves
1 tsp. oregano leaves 1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt 3 tbls Dijon mustard
1 tsp. curry powder 1/2 cup chicken stock
In 10″ skillet cook onions, beef and sausage over med. heat until meat is browned. Pour off fat. Meanwhile, in Dutch oven combine remaining ingredients. Cook over med. heat stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add browned meat. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 – 30 minutes. Sometimes we add a cup of rice or server it over pasta. But this is a chili recipe that has been in my family for over 80 years.
Enjoy!
A Child’s Life Re-Lived!: http://t.co/3B3xpePm
