My life...just not on the road I expected (but it's still dang good).

The rest of the weekend.

 

After Josh and the kids got back from fishing Saturday morning, we drove up the road a bit to a place that had horseback rides.

Ok, it's a lousy shot but in my defense, I was turned around backwards, trying to ride my own horse while holding onto the rope of Coley's horse, taking a picture.

It was Josh and Annie's first time on a horse.  Josh loved it, but Annie wasn't too keen on the idea.

And then all us girls took a nap while Josh & Coley went fishing (again).

After fishing & naps, we hung out at the cabin for awhile.

 

Cooked dinner (that's a plastic face attached to the tree).

And then we walked down to the creek to go fishing (yet again).

And then we walked down to the store to get some ice cream.

Played cards out by the campfire.

Read a few stories and hit the sack.

Josh and Coley went fishing at 5am again the next morning.  Me and the girls slept in.

And we went to breakfast (Courtney was counting mustard packets) before we packed up and headed home.

Answering a couple of questions:

1. I took all my lenses with me - but didn't use anything by my 50mm the whole trip.

2. I don't consider myself good enough at shooting fireworks to give any advice on the subject, but here's a good article I shared with the gals in my online Photographers' Workshop.

The 4th.

Josh threw together some last minute plans for our 4th of July weekend (it's crazy, but sometimes, our last minute plans turn out to be our best plans).  He rented a cabin for a couple of nights up at Union Creek.  The cabin wasn't ready until 3:00pm, so we drove up to Crater Lake.

And though I've said that I only coordinate outifts on Christmas day and when we go to the pumpkin patch...I do it on the 4th of July too.

It's gorgeous up there - but these two and their fighting and complaining was about enough to send me over the edge, as was any conversation about Junior Rangers (they have a Junior Ranger program up at Crater Lake that sounded like a cool thing for the kids to do - but they wanted nothing to do with it), marshmallows (I would have never brought the dang marshmallows if I knew that Courtney was going to ask "When are we going to roast the marshmallows?" 14 million times) and laundry (Josh and I had a little argument the night before because I keep telling him to leave my laundry alone - but he keeps washing & drying it anyhow, ruining my clothes and I still wasn't completely over it).

Yes, I realize it is odd to argue with a man because he won't quit doing the laundry.

 

And Annie still wasn't feeling good.

That's Cole in time-out (and since there is nothing that Cole dislikes more than Courtney's singing and dancing, she decided to perform a little number right in front of him where she was sure he wouldn't miss it).

I know it looks like Cole is about to fall off the 'time-out wall', plummeting 2000ft. into the lake below, but (as wonderful as that sounds) there's a patch of land on the other side of that rock wall.

And when we got back, the Hammacker House was ready for us.

We had dinner (that's a blueberry).

The kids fought a little more.

We played catch and the kids took turns with my camera (not sure who took this shot).

And spent the rest of the evening goofing off outside (I wish this shot had turned out better).

And much to Courtney's delight; roasted marshmallows.

And then we headed up to the Fireworks show at Diamond Lake.

Where my kids complained about mosquitoes, the temperature and how tired they were.

And though we didn't get the best seats in the house (the fireworks were going off behind a bunch of trees), it was still a pretty cool site.

Josh took Cole & Courtney fishing the next morning at 5am.

They got back later that afternoon (everyone went to bed in their clothes the night before - hence the same outfits).

And as much as I hate to post dead fish pictures, Coley is pretty proud of these (they came home with three fish - Coley caught all of them - although Josh says that technically he caught one of these because both his and Coley's hook ended up in the same fish).

The quarter (Josh's idea) is meant to show a size comparison.

Will post more pictures from the weekend tomorrow - and I promise to post a bunch of pictures from my new CHA Summer 08 release on Thursday and Friday.

Lots of stuff.

A nasty fever is making it's way through the house.  Annie yesterday and Coley today (poor Coley was all excited because he was supposed to fly up to Seattle this morning to spend the week with my Sister but now he can't go).  Hoping that Courtney Lee escapes it.

I love this shot.  Love that she is pinching her neck (she does that when she's tired or upset), that she's got her favorite stuffed animal and that she's got 'pixie dust' on the bottom of her feet.

And lot's of other stuff:

1. For all the Nikon girls in my photography classes, I called Nikon yesterday and got a little more info...the D40, D40X and D60 models will not autofocus unless you are using an AF-S lens because these particular cameras do not have auto focus motors.  AF-S lenses have the autofocus motor built into the lens which is why they will allow you to autofocus even on cameras like the D40, D40X and D60.  AF-S lenses will work on any Nikon camera though.  If you are using a non-AF-S lens with one of these cameras, you have to manually focus.  There is a focus indicator light in the bottom of your viewfinder that will tell you when you are in focus.  If you are in the market for a new camera, I do NOT recommend the Nikon D40, D40X and D60 models since they limit you to AF-S lenses. 

2. The Narratives easel albums have not started shipping yet.  I will post as soon as they start shipping with info. on where to find them (check with your local store to see if they have them on order though and whether or not you can reserve one).

3. Here are the kits that I currently have available (just click on the link to view the kits and be sure to click through all the additional pictures for each kit)...

10 Reasons          Interactive Scrapbooking

4. I will begin shipping all kits on Monday, July 7th.  If you order multiple kits, I will pack them together and reimburse you for any overpaid shipping.

5. I will post all my new CHA Summer 08 product early next week for those that have been patiently waiting.

6. I will definitely be teaching the online Photographers' Workshop at least several more times in 2009 and will open up registration for those classes sometime in Sept. or Oct.  I will send out a newsletter once I have a specific registration date.  If you are not already signed up for my newsletter, you can sign up for it in the upper right hand corner here on my blog.  If you are unsure whether or not your are signed up, try to sign up again and it will tell you if you're already signed up for it.  I send out newsletter very infrequently (sorry) but if you did not receive the last one in regards to the May registration for the online photography classes, it could be because your email carrier is sending it to your junkmail box.

7. I am considering opening up another online Photographers' Workshop that will run through November and December.  I had not planned on offering one through the holidays because it is a busy time of year for so many people.  However, I'm feeling bad that so many people didn't make it into one of the earlier classes and may open up this additional class in order to try to get some of you in before the end of the year.  I haven't decided on the specifics yet, but would possibly extend the length of the class so that everyone had the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas off.  I'm only going to run this class if there is enough interest though so please email me at karencrussell@charter.netif you are interested.  Please write "interested in signing up for the Nov./Dec. online Photographers' Workshop' in the subject line (and don't forget the 'c' in between my first and last name in my email address).

Hope your 4th is great!

Toothy Tootherson.

I can't quit looking at her because I'm a sucker for little toothless grins.

She lost it yesterday.  I couldn't wait to hear all the gross details (the dental hygienist in me I assume).  She called Josh to tell him about it too.  He however has issues with all topics that involve loose teeth hanging on by nothing but a string.

After she went to bed, I checked the Tooth Fairy's supply of pixie dust (glitter) only to find out that the Tooth Fairy must have forgotten to replenish her supply after picking up Coley's last tooth.  Thanks goodness the craft section at Fred Meyer's always carries pixie dust (and thank goodness Josh was willing to go get it at 9pm last night since I'm sick).

So Courtney Lee was happy to wake up this morning to a Tooth Fairy box full of quarters and a trail of pixie dust running from the front door all the way up to her pillow.

She sat down at the kitchen counter this morning while I was pouring her some cereal and said "Hey, what's my tooth doing here?" (Josh left it laying on the counter by accident.)

Josh and I explained that some nights, the Tooth Fairy has a lot of teeth to pick up and since she is so small, she must not have been able to carry them all and accidentally dropped it in the front yard on her way out.  So we're leaving it in the front yard so she can swing by and pick it up tonight.

10 Reasons kits.

I finally got them up...10 Reasons kits.

Please note a few things:

1. These will begin shipping on Monday, July 7th.

2. Although I'm sure I'll be teaching it in other locations, as of right now I am only booked to teach this class here in Grants Pass at the Scrapbook Connection in July and at the Paper Garden and Scrapbook N Such while I'm back in Texas this August.

3. Be sure to scroll through all four photos to see the cover layout, the additional ten layouts, the supplies included in the kit and the add-on 12x12 Narratives album.

4. Most of the album was designed using 8x12 photos.  Lots of photo labs offer this size, including Costco and Scrapbookpictures.com.

Have a great day.

Boston.

Got home yesterday afternoon.

Usually when I go somewhere to teach, I see nothing other than the airport, a hotel room and a couple of scrapbook stores.  This time though, I got to spend a couple of hours in downtown Boston.

Sharon, the owner of the Scrapbook Clubhouse and Jen took me to Legal Seafood after they picked me up from the airport.

I'm a big fan of good food (so I'm now a big fan of Legal Seafood).

Sharon.

Jen.

Me. 

 And Boston.

And a couple of bikes that I fell in love with.

The first morning before class, Sharon and Lucy (Sharon's dog) took me to a little family owned farm in Old Lyme who runs a coffee shop out of their barn.

Had to get a picture of Sharon's car because I knew how much Josh (who loves John McCain) would appreciate it.

I think I used to have a reoccuring nightmare that looked exactly like this (when I first started teaching photography classes, the thought of 45 women all with different cameras absolutely scared me to death).

Now...I think it's a beautiful site.

There was a little table dancing in the first class.

And the second class.

And the third class too.

Not sure who had my camera, but thanks (this one cracks me up).

And a wonderful end to the few days I spent teaching in Westbrook, CT.

I spent my last day in North Attleboro, Mass., teaching the One Day Photographers' Workshop at Right at Home Scrapbooking. 

I must have been tired because I only managed to snap a few pictures that entire day (and the gals who I did take pictures of would have killed me if I posted any of them).

And then Sharon and Lisa (the mother & daughter who own Right at Home) took me out to Legal Seafood again (and it was just as good the second time).

Lot's of early mornings, late nights, wonderful people and long classes (the One Day Photographers' Workshop that I taught on Saturday ran for 9 hours and 15 minutes).

Thanks to everyone for making it such a great trip.  Thanks to everyone who drove really far.  Thanks to everyone to brought me maple syrup and cow pies.  Thanks to everyone who made me laugh.  Thanks to everyone who took one of my classes for the first time.  Thanks to everyone who was willing to take a class with me for the second time.  Thanks to everyone who listened to me talk two days in a row for a total of 19 hours.  Thanks to everyone for the hugs and the encouragement to keep doing what I'm doing.

Thanks Sharon, Sharon, Lisa and Jen for taking such good care of me.

Thanks, thanks (and more thanks).