For A Moment Photography

Our Best Books

Like most families we read books every night before bed.  I have a few books that I love and thought I would blog about a few of them.  Plus my computer is freaking out (screen is green), so I haven't been able to edit any photos.  I thought at least taking photos might help me from losing my mind!

This book, Someday by Alison McGee has been one of my favorites since Presley was just an itty bitty baby.  I remember walking into the book store and seeing this book on display.  I picked it up and a few pages later I was crying (I do that a lot now).  Since then I have bought the book for several of my girlfriends who have baby girls.

This book is from a Mom to her daughter about all the things she'll do.  About her growing from being her baby to being her daughter and one becoming a mother herself.  And someday, "your hair will glow silver in the sun.  And when that day comes Love you will remember me"...  I don't know why I'm so attached to this book.  Hmm, I think it's because I want her to have all the life experiences it talks about.  And it reminds me that someday, my little Bug will have a life all her own...  

The illustrations are lovely too.  Since having Presley my drawing skills have been put to the test.  This books illustrations have helped me grasp the concept that pictures are just lines, simple lines.  With that being said, my lines don't look like these!..

So you'll see our little guy Lenny in the photos.  I was setting up the book and he jumped up on the ottoman and posed.  He's such a big part of our life now I guess it is a good idea to start photographing him...    

 

 

Presley's Christmas Story

Asleep with her books near buy.

Just this week we started reading Christmas books before bedtime.  My parents buy all their grand kids tons of books.  I asked my Mom maybe a year ago to buy Seasonal books for Presley.  I thought it would be fun to bring different books out for different times of the year.  Not only would it make an event out of bring out books but hopefully keep them exciting and in good shape.

Sometimes while I read books to her I'll ask her to look at the picture and tell me what's going on before I read that page to her (I was this was good for them when learning to read).  Some of the books she has memorized so she reads to me...  Last night we were reading 'Twas the night before Christmas.  I read the first page, "...when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." 

This first page had a picture of a fire place a christmas tree and a cat and dog sleeping.  I don't think she was able to put the story together yet...  She took the book from me and wanted to read it to me.  She says back to me, "and at the house a monster was cooking with a mouse".  It took me just a minute to realize what she had done.  She picked out a few key words, "creature and stirring" and created what she thought the story was about...  When I was kissing her good night, She told me when she closes her eyes she can't see candy dancing (visions of sugar plums danced in their heads).  And wanted to know why Santa didn't just use the door?

I just love  how her mind works and how exciting this season has been already.  This is the first year she really understands that Santa brings her gifts...  Yeah, I put a tree in her room last weekend and I've had to explain Santa isn't coming until Christmas.  

 

 

  

Birthday Package Idea

Edit for photo below.  

"Ketchup is good on everything."

As a former scrap booker I had thought of doing a year book of Presley each year around her birthday.  I had also thought about doing something similar for clients that come to me for birthday photos.  I thought it would be a less time consuming (then a scrap book) and easily replicated one as well.

I have to say the book is now down to a photo (another project in limbo).  I still love the idea I just don't have the time to get it off the ground...  I took these pictures of Presley to day and decided to throw a quick collage together.  She just looked so beautiful!  I'm sure at a later date I can still put together a book.  I'm just not sure how long I'll remember all the details about her during that time, yikes! 

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Nurture Shock

 

I recently finished this book Nurture Shock on a, "new thinking about children".  I really liked the book, not in love with it (I will explain) but I would recommend it to other parents.  It's a pretty quick read (under 300 pages).  I guess with a book like this it will always lead to to more questions, which is a good thing.  However, I'm only human and I want answers.

There were several topics that really struck me and had me asking my friends for their input.  The first topic was tattle telling.  I know I have already said to Presley on several occasions, not to tattle.  My reasoning was A.  I didn't see what really happened, I guess she could be lying.  B.  The other parent is sitting right there and isn't doing anything- uncomfortable for me.  C.  I know she's telling the truth but don't know how to handle the situation- so I let her fend for herself.

The book goes on to say that most likely the child is telling the truth and has generally handled numerous incidents on their own and now is finally coming to you for help.  However parents and teachers are turning them away.  Then I starting thinking, "is this why we have kids bullying others and everyone is standing around watching?"   Or even worse videotaping it?  Our kids aren't coming to us with problems as teens or adolescence, why would they?  We  (in my opinion) have conditioned them to deal with it on their own or look the other way.  I still don't know the answer to this, but I no longer tell Presley not to tattle.  

Another topic I liked was on how we praise our kids to the point of destruction.  We give our kids praise left and right (with great intentions) from a very young age.  However our savvy lil' ones know if it's empty praise or even worse won't even attempt activities they fear they might not be successful at.  The book did explain that we need to be specific in our praise instead of saying "good job" say "I like how you kept trying" or "you were so focused and you did it".  I have read this in another book and agree but I have to admit, old habits die hard.   

A chapter I was not as impressed with spoke about our kids and the obesity problem being related to lack of sleep not food.  I do agree our kids may be over scheduled, and have too many distractions such as phones, internet, games etc.  However, I know the way our food has been produced is changed and so much more junk food has unfamiliar ingredients (trans fats, hydrogenated oils and high-fructous corn syrup) that our bodies don't know how to digest. 

Overall I liked the book I could talk about a few other topics (about race and advance pre-k school testing) but you should just really read the book.  The main thing I didn't like was, I would read the information agree that we as parents are making mistakes but then not have a solution.  So now what do I do?  I'm at a lose trying to figure out how to fix some of this stuff.  I guess I should just be thankful that I was given the information that started my questioning for answers. 

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Holiday Gift idea #6

 

I've been so excited about this book coming out.  The Author Amanda Soule is an amazing Mom, Author and artist  (bookcover is a photo she took) who does everything (yes, she still does more), she is so great!  The book is a great gift for those Moms who love homemade goods.  Her abilities amaze me and help to keep me balanced on the side of simplicity.

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Pat Tillman Book

 

Wow, where do I start.  I guess I should start with all should know I am a Pat Tillman fan.  I've wrote about him in the past and think he was a great role model (for all people, not just kids).  I recently heard about the new book Jon Krakauer wrote about him.  Jon Krakauer is a writer I enjoy so I was excited to read the book about Pat Tillman by him.

O.K. the book.  I read it in three days and it's a book I will recommend to all my friends (especially Moms).  In the beginning the book talks about the war in Afghanistan with the Soviets in the 80's (horrible stuff).  At first I was, like what?  I want to read about Tillman.  However I continued to read and I now have a more complete understanding of the war and the people in Afghanistan.

Because of the circumstances of his death this book has a lot of information on the politics of war...  One quote used in the book by a fifth century Greek Tragedian notes, "In war, truth is the first casualty".  That could not prove to be more true then in this book... I started this book with knowing nothing more then who it was by and what about (Pat's death)...  I have a feeling the past administration must not be happy with the information of how they handled (exploited) his death. 

Whatever your politics I think it's an important read.  From a mothers perspective, I cried reading about his Mom dealing with him (and his brother) leaving for war and how she was lied to about his death and then a month later told (part of) the truth on how he was killed (fratricide).  I know she has had to fight for every bit of information she was given.  At a time when you're trying to deal with the death of a child I can't imagine the pain of not knowing the truth.  

I also think it's important because we are not out of this war yet.  This is a story on one life lost, there are 4,2oo plus other stories we have heard about.  Tillman is the only person I know (I use this word loosely- know of him is more accurate) that fought in this war.  After reading this book I felt more pain for all of the other families that have lost a solider.  

Tillman was a guy who thought things thru and pushed himself mentally and physically to do better.  He questioned everything, if he were here today I don't think he would want people to treat him as a hero.  I think he would want people to read this book and question everything about it.  Afterall an incurious life is no life at all.

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Presley at, Pat's Run