Garden Planning

So I just got our Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog today. There are some awesome things in there!
Last year was the first year that we had our planter boxes so I bought some organic seed packets at Lowe's/Home Depot, read the instructions on the packets and started planting. Most of it seemed to work out pretty well. The strawberry seeds that I did order didn't grow, I planted carrots and onions but either birds or lizards were eating the sprouts. I had also planted corn and one day the sprouts were there, the next they were gone. I think I planted the watermelon a bit late and then ran out of space to plant any pumpkins. I put a carton around the remaining tomato sprout and broccoli which seemed to save them and then planted a few more things and attached some netting to the top of the boxes to give them a fighting chance. We did grow some amazing and large zucchini, some sugar snap peas, pickling cucumbers, yummy green beans and sweet tomatoes.

But it was a learning year and the kids were still able to help plant the seeds and watch them sprout and grow and produce vegetables. They would say, "look the seed I planted sprouted!" with excitement and pride in their voices.

Over the fall I pretty much just let the garden go. The weeds (mostly tall grass) grew in and around the boxes. So this past week while Robert took Kiera to her gymnastics class Domenic and I went out back and started weeding. Nathan had gone to watch Kiera. I was able to clear out 1 box and most of the weeds around it. Today I cleared out another box. Two more to go! I figured if I work in the garden at least a little bit every day/every other day I'll be able to start planting soon.

This year for planting I drew out what I want to grow and where I want to plant it. I've researched how to amend the soil (though I need to look at that again) and we have netting to protect the little sprouts.
So our list off the top of my head is, more strawberries, sweet onions, zucchini, garlic, pickling cucumbers, green beans, spinach, carrots, corn and cucumbers. We still have our grape vines and tomato plants that I need to fertilize along with our few fruit trees. Along the side of our driveway we're going to plant watermelon and then in the summer pumpkin.

So, I'm excited and if you have any suggestions or helpful tips those would be greatly appreciated! Please don't hold back. I could use the help. :)

At the Tidepools in January {Lots of Photos!}

This past Thursday we had our nature studies down in Corona del Mar at the Little Corona tidepools. I think we go to the beach the most during the winter and spring. Sure we do go in the summer but we tend to swim at my parents more when it's really hot.
I gave Robert my camera and briefly told him how to focus after I had put in the settings. So He went rock climbing (pretty much) while the boys and I were exploring all the hermit crabs and sea anemones. Kiera was more interested in playing in the sand and water with other friends that were there.
Here are some of Robert's pictures. I think he did pretty good!

 Purple Ochre Sea Star

 Sea Anemones

 I like this one!

 A ton of mussels

 I like this one too

 Shore crab

 He was bummed that this one was a little fuzzy

Kiera and friends 

 What do you see in this picture???

 Purple Sea Urchins

"Come on boys, let's see what else we can find."

The boys and I got over to were Robert was after this picture and then we climbed back to the sandy area so we could have lunch, and some water. The boys were ready to play in the water and sand so Robert hung out with them while I took the camera to do a little exploring myself. :)

sea hare eggs

 Sea Hare

 more eggs

 California sea hare, the eggs next to it

 I'm pretty sure this is another sea hare, though it looks very similar to a sea slug

 Snowy Egret

 It was posing for me. :)

 There it goes!

 sea urchin skeletons

 It looks like an old wrinkled sea star

 Abalone? What do you think?

 Sea star caught a mussel for lunch

 So much fun!

Worth

Just recently I've been inspired to make some changes with my photography business. The very first thing... is to treat it and view it as a business. 


I love the art of photography and being able to use my camera, experiment and capture a shot that makes me smile or laugh out loud or just say "wow!" Photography has always been something that I find intriguing and fun, just like music. I compare the two quite often. Style and feeling. I majored in music education with piano being my instrument (I was not confident enough to have voice as my major) and there were times while watching and listening to someone perform on any instrument would literally make me sleepy. The music was nice, their technique was perfectly fine, they appeared to be having a good time but I could feel that the performer wasn't feelin' it. The piece didn't speak to them so they were not able to translate it to me, basically. Then there were other performers who maybe weren't as showy, maybe they were but they felt the music and the intentions of the composer when the piece was written. Those were the performers I remember and the performances that I could stay awake and was interested in watching and listening to.


I have to admit that I was a very stiff pianist until I graduated. I could play something perfect but I did not show emotion. It was sad really because I bet I made the music quite dull. It was not until my last year that I learned to not be afraid to make mistakes or afraid to show everyone... me. I am a very sensitive and emotional person and I felt like I needed to guard that. I also dealt with/deal with insecurities that make me doubt my self worth. But music just like photography is art. It is me that I am showing others even if the subject is something or someone else. I knew that in my last piano performance I was able to show me because I made my Grandma cry. She use to tell me, "only good pianists make me cry". 


So I am changing things up. Changing my pricing. Changing my website up to look more how I want it. "I feel like I am worth more" is what I told Robert the other morning and he gave me a big smile and said, "I've always thought that." He always thought my pricing was way to low, that I was selling myself short. And then I cried, he said it's the baby, which maybe it is. But how sweet and wonderful of him to patiently wait for me to come to this realization. I started my photography business 4 years ago! I think what made me think about it the most was me getting closer to having another little one. And the time that is taken away from them for my jobs and then the time in the evenings that I could be with my husband cuddling and watching a movie but instead I'm working on photos. I don't want to stop, I don't feel like the Lord is calling me to stop. 


We ask God to help us show Christ's love to other's. That people would see Him in us. My husband blessed me the other day by showing Christ's love and patience with us, with me. There's been many times where He has tried to show me something and I don't get it or ignore it, maybe write it off. But then eventually I get to the "ah ha!" moment, the "Duh! You were trying to show me this so long ago!" moment.


So, I'm excited! I'm excited for this change and to possibly/soon start mentoring someone close to me in this fun art of photography. :) I don't regret starting low, I've learned a lot! A whole lot! Truthfully, I am a major deal seeker and I could not set my prices at a price I, myself was unwilling to pay. But now 4 years later, being a photographer and knowing how much is put into an image let alone a whole session of images, I am more willing to pay for their work, for better work. I can not compete with department store studio coupons and pricing and I'm perfectly fine with that... now. ;)

Bubbles!

I had read somewhere that being a photographer sometimes we forget to pick up the camera to capture memories that are right in front of us. Those being of our own children and family. Yes the handy camera phone works out well but how sad that we don't take the time to just grab a regular camera and take the same amount of time for our own families that we do for other peoples. I know sometimes it is out of convenience or necessity that the camera phone is used. I don't have an Iphone or Droid so my pictures aren't the greatest and I can't add all the neat effects but if nothing else I have the picture.
So after feeling convicted and realizing Robert doesn't have a photo of Domenic in his wallet (though his face is the wall paper on Robert's tablet) I went out back with the kids and my camera. Kiera asked if she could blow bubbles for the boys and I saw that as a perfect opportunity for some memories to be captured. :)

Get it, get it!!!

This picture just makes me smile. :D

Loosing a shoe (or slipper) isn't going to slow Domenic down!

Nathan trying to catch bubbles with his hat

heehee :)

Sacrifice

So it has been a while since I've written a post because we've had some sickness going on in our family. First it was Kiera throwing up just 2 mornings in a row but not having much of an appetite for a week. Then Domenic got stuffy a couple days after Christmas (which spread to everyone but me) and then Nathan started complaining of a stomach ache last week on Thursday night and woke up throwing up on Friday. He was throwing up off and on for the past week and was looking pretty lethargic but then all of a sudden started to feel better but still had the random bouts of vomiting. I'm saying random because on average it was about every 6 hours and sometimes longer intervals during the night. Finally he went the whole day today (Thursday) with all of his food staying down. Thank you Jesus! Now we just gotta get the thin man to gain some weight back! It made me so sad every time he threw up. Poor Domenic even got a rude awakening one night from Nathan next to him.

So that's what I've been up to and it has been a long couple of weeks!

I will be posting about our 2012 goals but not on this post.

Today I was thinking about sacrifice. What do or have I sacrificed or given up or have chosen not to have out of love for another? Since Christmas just passed we know that Jesus was the greatest sacrifice. He gave up his life and endured much pain for us. For me. God sent His Son down for a time to be our example. To be our teacher. And then to become the sacrifice, the only way for our sins to be washed away. How much more should I appreciate my own life and choose to use my time more wisely out of gratitude for Him?

A lot of times we cling to what we know, what we like, what is comfortable. But then our hearts and minds are not dwelling on the things from above but on just the things. Nathan asked me the other day why we can't take anything with us to heaven when we die. I told him because heaven will have everything we will ever want or need.

God has given us everything on this earth that we will need. More than what we could have ever imagined. Each of my children I could not have thought up any more perfect than they are. Each one is so individual and unique. Not just their appearances but their personalities. Yes there are personality defects but that's because we as human beings are imperfect and our imperfections remind us how much we need to cling to God for His guidance. And to be thankful for His grace. Our defects give us perspective and compassion (or at least they should) for others.

I love how God considers us all equal, all the same. No one is better than the next and even the one that seems to be the weaker vessel is just as important as the seemingly stronger.

We all learn from each other and as I see some of my defects come through my life, my mirror, my children I know I need to give it to God because I don't want to teach incorrectly. Have you ever learned something incorrectly and then have had to relearn the correct way? It is way harder to stop a bad habit of the incorrect way rather than learning correctly how this or that should be done in the first place. Though we can not always point the finger at the teacher because the teacher could have very well taught us correctly but we being stubborn or lax in our practice might have altered how we wanted to accomplish this or that because we were thinking our way was the easier way to accomplish our goals. It might not even seem incorrect until you step back and take another look, see it from another angle.
Scanning instructions rather than studying the details. Never a good idea.

A challenge I want to give myself is to sacrifice my ego, my pride, my "I can handle it" attitude and say, God can handle it and then let Him. My temper is not tame, it comes through a lot of times with my tone of voice or the elevation of volume. It is no excuse when I'm tired. Jesus was beaten and spat on and did not look at the people with anger or frustration. He did not have an attitude or "whatever!". He looked at them with loving eyes and felt compassion for them. When my child is whiny I should not respond with "stoooop, w-h-i-n-i-n-g!!!" Right there I am whining!!! Isn't that horrible!! I've became what is frustrating me because I have given into my temper. My personality defect.

Only the Potter is able to turn something that is broken and plain into something that is beautiful. I want to be beautiful. I want to be broken because I know then I have given Him everything and then He can use me, mold me into who He wants me to be. Where I'll be the most effective. I know God has given me the job of full time mommy and wife and I know the little warriors need to be prepared for battle and I want to be the best teacher for them. They need to be prepared with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes that help us spread the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6). I would not give up that responsibility to anyone. No matter how hard it can be and feels at times these precious children were given to me for just a time. God entrusted them to me to teach them and in doing so has shown me that I need to be constantly learning, my knowledge and skills cannot be set aside to become forgotten. I need to put on the full armor of God so I can teach them how to use it... correctly!

So sacrifice. Sacrifice what you think you need or think is necessary. Instead look at what you know has been given to you. I truly believe that if you never give up anything then you don't really appreciate anything.