Photo Editing

I can be stubborn. Really. But, I am slowly learning to give in a little. Here's an example. I have ALWAYS loved photos. I would spend hours looking at the photo albums at my grandma's house. When I finally picked up a camera of my own, I was hooked. I don't know much about the "mechanics" of the camera or all the photography lingo...aperture, white balance, flash compensation!!??? I just like to take a good picture and consider myself to have a "good eye". I really don't know what I'm doing, but I like the majority of my pictures. I always felt like editing was "cheating". Did I mention I can be stubborn!? So, I put it off for a really long time...until I found picnik. Then I began to give into my stubbornness. I'm even thinking of taking a couple of classes to actually learn what all those words mean AND how to make the best of photo editing. What programs do you use to edit? Have you taken photography classes? Did you find them helpful?

This is where editing comes in handy. My cousin got married on Friday (and she was STUNNING!!). She was getting dressed in a room in the church basement...a Child's Nursery/Sunday School Room. I looked up to see her mother looking at her. I had to take the picture...it was just one of those moments that needed to be captured. But, a "good eye" couldn't get rid of the rainbow border and stars on the wall...

BUT PICNIK COULD!!!! :)

I told you she was stunning, didn't I!!!??

Pancake Spatula

My cousin is getting married at the end of the month (Congratulations, Jenny!), so I was looking at her gift registry online. I always think this is so much fun...do you? It made me start thinking about some of my favorite wedding gifts and kitchen gadgets. This is one of my FAVORITES...


It's a PANCAKE SPATULA from Crate & Barrel, given to us by a friend that knows how much we LOVE pancakes! You can read about our favorite pancake mix in this blog post and then you should go get some (you can even have it shipped to you)!!

This spatula is the perfect size for flipping pancakes. The WHOLE pancake fits on it, so no flopping and breaking!! I LOVE IT!!!!!

Now to find a good griddle...ours broke. Pancake Deprivation is setting in.

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

If you're looking for a great family friendly activity for Sunday afternoon, I know just the thing! The McPherson Community Theatre has it's FINAL performance of the Wizard of Oz at 2pm on Sunday, June 27th at the McPherson Opera House. We went last weekend and it was truly an amazing show!

The munchkins were adorable...

The sets, costumes, and effects were phenomenal...


You can even get your picture taken with the cast at the end of the show...


Super FUN!! Well worth the trip. For tickets call the Opera House at 241-1952 or order them online here. You can also purchase them at the door, but I would recommend ordering them in advance to ensure they aren't sold out!! We took our two youngest, ages 5 and 7...they were on the edge of their seats for the whole thing!

If my sweet Munchkin can be transformed from this...

to this...

you know you will be entertained!!

Blogger Award

I received my first ever blogger award from Julie @ Growing Your Grass Greener. I am truly honored! Thank you, Julie.



There were certain rules regarding this award...

1) Thank the person who gave you the award.

2) Tell 7 things about yourself (in your blog)

3) Pass the award along to 15 other blogs you think are fantastic. (Even though there are way more that deserve the award.)

4) Contact the bloggers you've picked & let them know about the award.

I've thanked Julie, so here are my 7 very random things.

1. I'm afraid of heights. Gets worse as I get older. HATE, HATE, HATE overpasses...have to close my eyes...not a good thing when I'm driving!! Just kidding about the driving thing, but my hands grasp the stearing wheel and get terribly sweaty! I DO close my eyes if someone else is driving!!!

2. I'm a stuffer (NO, NOT my bra!! HA!!). If you came over to visit, I am guaranteed to have stuffed JUNK into a drawer, closet, or basket somewhere so that my house appeared clean!!

3. When I was 6, my 8 year old brother died of Reye's Syndrome.

4. I'm doing an exercise program called Crossfit right now. Some days I think it's going to kill me.

5. I've never been able to do a cartwheel. My attempts are quite a site!

6. I have a degree in Elementary Education.

7. I love black and white damask print!

AND here are 15 other bloggers that I think are fantastic!

1. Chris @ Just a Girl

2. Kara @ Creations by Kara

3. Meg @ Whatever

4. Kate @ Centsational Girl

5. Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick

6. Jess @ The Macs

7. For the Love of it

8. Melisa @ 320 Sycamore

9. Carrie @ Buzzings of a Queen Bee

10. Beki @ The Rusted Chain

11. Kristen @ Sweetheart Moments

12. Kimba @ A Soft Place to Land

13. Lindsay @ Living With Lindsay

14. Thy Hand Hath Provided

15. Infarrantly Creative

Last Day of School

I am finding it hard to believe that another school year is coming to an end. At 11:30 today, I will pick up these 3 beautiful, sweet, perfectly mannered children for the start of Summer! This is why I prefer photographs over video...see you looked at the picture and you BELIEVED my words about how perfectly mannered they are with their hands nicely folded in their laps (BTW, I didn't tell them to do this!). If I would have had the video, you would have seen how my youngest tried to put her arm around her brother because she adores him. He wanted nothing to do with it and promptly told her so. She then began to cry. I put my camera away...thankful that the one picture I snapped was a good one!! ;) Really...it's going to be a GREAT Summer, isn't it!? No, REALLY, I am excited...I think. ;)

An update on the Monogram Crayons that I blogged about. I finally got my done! The kids helped pick out paper and color schemes based on what they thought each teacher would like. I think Michelle must have used a bigger frame for hers. I used 8 x 10's and hers may be a true 12 x 12. I also chose to hot glue my crayons for the sake of time (I couldn't find my other glue!). It worked just fine. Here's the final result...

Thank you Mrs. Pacey, Mrs. Mulch, and Mrs. Porter for being such wonderful teachers!

Lemon Berry Pie

My friend had a great idea for her son's birthday party...he loves pie, so she hosted a Pie Party!! Each family made a pie to share AND she even had take home containers so we could take home some of the leftovers!! Mmmmmm!!! Here's what we (we, meaning my wonderful husband) made:

LEMON BERRY PIE

1/2 (4 oz) Cream Cheese, cubed, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

1 ready-to-use graham cracker crust (6 ounces or 9 inch)

1 pint strawberries

2 cups cold milk

2 pkgs (4-serving size) Vanilla or Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding and Pie Filling (we used lemon)

BEAT cream cheese, 1 Tbs milk, and sugar in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Stir in lemon peel and juice. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of the whipped topping. Spread evenly onto bottom of crust. Reserve a few strawberries for garnish, if desired; cut remaining strawberries in half. Press strawberry halves into cream cheese layer.

POUR 2 cups milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire mix 1 minute. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spoon over strawberries in crust.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and reserved strawberries just before serving.

What a surprise!!!

We had a group leave Maple Memories today and another guest is coming tomorrow, so I headed over to clean this afternoon. What a WONDERFUL surprise to find this on the counter...

A beautiful basket full of goodies from the lovely group of ladies that had just left. Attached was a note that read, "Shannon, Thank you for such a wonderful place to spend a weekend away! We had a wonderful time and are so amazed by every detail you've cared for." How sweet is that!!????

Jenny and friends...

you absolutely made my day!!!