Paislee & Kailia are 7 months old!

I took the girls' 7 month pictures (Never got their 6 month done) today in my living room and had so much fun practicing editing them in photoshop. I entered them into the Utah Valley Magazine Cutest Baby Contest today. Bella won 2nd place in 2007 and we got Tucano's Gift Certificates for it.

Happy Birthday Levi!

Today is Levi's birthday! Happy Birthday to you! Here are 29 things about Levi.

1. He is the only boy with three sisters.
2. He loved his pet cats growing up.
3. We worked together at Western Watts when I was 14 and he was 16. He doesn't remember me, but I remember him flirting with all the girls. He was a "cool supervisor".
4. His best friend growing up, Morgan dated my best friend, Tiffany. We met again at Timpanogos High School in the Commons Area through our friends. I was totally not interested. He doesn't remember this.
5. Levi was roommates with another best friend of mine, Joel.
6. Levi's Dakota truck was so hot.
7. Levi is the most generous person I know.
8. Levi is a momma's boy.
9. Levi learned how to work from his Dad, and he has a lot of respect for him.
10. Our first date was with my Dad & Grandma at PF Chang's. He was a really good sport about it, despite the extreme awkward moments.
11. He has such a creative mind. He can visualize how beautiful he can make some thing and is able to actually do it.
12. Levi loves to fish.
13. His favorite place on earth is Rob's Reservoir.
14. The second time we hung out together was at a local concert with Joel & Christy. I realized I was very attracted to him that night.
15. He made me laugh the entire night, that was why I was so attracted to him.
16. Levi is not afraid of heights.
17. Given the opportunity, I bet he'd go sky diving, bungee jumping, you name it.
18. Levi loves camping, especially at Rob's Reservoir.
19. He will eat anything. Really anything.
20. He speaks three languages: English, Portuguese, & Spanish. Sometimes when he is really tired, he'll switch off using all three languages in a prayer.
21. Levi is a very determined person. He can, and does, accomplish anything he puts his mind to.
22. Levi is super strong, he can lift anything. All the neighbors call him first to help move furniture.
23. He is a very positive person.
24. Levi served a mission in Brazil and would love to go back one day.
25. Levi is a very good teacher. He is patient.
26. He loves his calling teaching the youth in church.
27. He doesn't mind needles.
28. Levi is the best husband and friend.
29. He is very very loved by his family.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEVI!!!!

St. Valentine's Day 2009

Levi and I were able to spend Valentine's day at the Salt Lake Temple for my cousin and his wife's sealing. What a romantic way to spend it, remembering the promises we made. The Salt Lake Temple is so classic and beautiful. I had never had the opportunity to go inside it. I was fascinated with the inscription on the doorknob, the fancy front door, and all the other beautiful architecture. I had so much fun taking pictures outside afterward. So many little details to be discovered.

Happy Valentine's Day, Levi! Thank you for the gorgeous flowers. They are PERFECT. I love the vase too. I look forward to many more Valentine's together. I love you!

My Photo Edit Experiment

BEFORE
I took this picture in my room on my bed

AFTER

In Photoshop Elements 5.0: I cropped the photo (8x10 with 300 resolution). Because I didn't have a professional back drop I had to fake it with blankets. I used the clone stamp to get rid of the distracting background (that the blankets didn't hide) and to blend & smooth the white blankets.

Here's the aging part (my favorite): I copied a new layer of the photo in Sepia and changed the opacity to 70%, so a little bit of color from underneath would show through. I used the eraser tool on the top sepia layer just over the flowers to make the pinks & blues more vibrant. Then as the final touch, I made a new top layer in 'Overlay' mode. With the brush tool at 291px and adjusted to 31% hardness, I colored white around the edges of the photo to give it some more light. This layer was set between 30-40% opacity. Not too difficult, and a good way to fake it without the full (expensive)version of Photoshop!

DISTRESSED OVERLAY
Inspired by the vintage Temple pictures (by Raymond Designs). I created a distressed overlay using grungy brushes in black, brown, cream, & white at varying opacity in Overlay mode. The fun thing about overlays is you can't mess up really. You just scribble here and there and play with the eraser until it looks good.

First Bike Ride of the Year!

Finally it was warm enough last week to bring all the girls outside. I have been keeping them in because the twins are at a higher risk for RSV in the winter. When it got to almost 50 degrees the other day, I thought, "Here's our chance to actually get out of the house and DO something!" WAHOO!

A couple years ago we bought a bike trailer for Bella, thinking we wouldn't outgrow it. When we have another Baby, the two kids can ride together in the back. Then Bella will get really good at riding her own bike, we'll have another baby and the two youngest can ride back together. Perfect plan, right? Who plans on twins though?

We had to just make it work (something we are doing a lot of lately). So, we strapped the twins in, and Bella sat on the floor of the trailer. Probably not the best place, but we can't just kick her out. Her endurance riding her own bike barely gets her up and down our street.

Bella wanted to put on her "squeeky shoes" (the crocs with the holes in them). I said, "No, it's wintertime". So she thought that we were going to "wintertime", like it was the destination of our trip. She kept saying, "We're going to wintertime."

We usually go on a lot of bike rides in the spring, summer & fall time. So we are on the look-out for a good deal on a used bike trailer. I guess it could be double or single. Double would be fun so we could take cousins or friends along.

Twins' First "Meal"

BEFORE: two clean faces

AFTER:
Kailia shrieking with delight

Paislee is already bored


Paislee & Kailia are now 6 months old and that means "real" food! Of course we had to get it on video. I love capturing all the First Moments. I remember Bella's first time "eating". Her face was so expressive. It was very obvious that she was completely disgusted. Paislee & Kailia showed a range of emotions: like, dislike, indecision & confusion. I think more than anything, they were excited to be sitting up high where they could be apart of the action. Bella got a little jealous of all the attention directed toward them. Feeding two little mouths is going to be challenging. I think the hard work has just begun!

what a beautiful day

what a beautiful day today! I am so happy the sun is out and it is a little warm. It was so fun to watch Izabella dig in the snow with the sticks Dakota kept giving her. Bella & Kota have been stuck inside most of the winter and they want out!!! I hope we keep getting this beautiful weather.