The Land of K.A. bio picture

I am Stacy, a thirty-something *cough, cough* (I am I really this old??) mother of two very cute, smart and multi-talented toddlers. This blog is my attempt at being witty whilst I detail the trial and tribulations of having two kids 17 months apart and surviving the ordeal. It really helps that they are so dang cute.

I post crafty/gardening stuff on Tuesdays, I host Theme Thursdays, try to post a kid-friendly recipe every Friday and usually post some photography-related mumbo jumbo on Saturdays. That's if I have time. Sometimes I need to sleep.

The rest of the week it is usually photos of our extremely photogenic children and the ruckus they cause in our lives.

Thanks for visiting!

stacy@thelandofka.com

Another summer past

August 28, 2008 – 12:01 am

It has turned decidedly Fall-like in the past week or so.  The nights have turned cool and upper 70’s/low 80’s are the norm.  There was even frost up North this past week.  This was definitely a short, cool summer.  A long Fall is looking doubtful at this point, and we really did deserve one.  Really, really!  Ah well.  There is no controlling mother nature…unfortunately.

As for my favorites of the summer, I have posted most of them in the past month.  I love, love the shots from last week of the kids, Anya’s tutu shots the week before and the shots of Kai with the sunflare.  I don’t think I need to repost them since you’ve all seen them pretty recently.  I have been happy with the shots I have been taking lately…it helps when the subjects are so dang photogenic.  :) The ones below are amongst my current faves. 

I have been shooting in RAW for the past few weeks and it has grown on me.  I don’t think it is necessary for every single shot, but when you want to make your favorites even better it is worth the extra work.  I shoot RAW + JPG, so I have both if I just want to do minimal processing on snapshots.  I will definitely be using RAW for any future photo shoots I do.

*****

What are your favorites from the summer?

By Stacy | Posted in Family, Theme Thursdays | 2 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Lovely dahlias

August 27, 2008 – 5:00 am

My brother-in-law grows dahlias, and has many different varieties…as opposed to our one variety.  They are his pride and joy, and he has won ribbons at the county fair the last few years for his beautiful flowers.  Last year he won grand champion with his pompom dahlia.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to take pictures of his beautiful flowers before the frost gets them.  Pretty aren’t they??

Growing Dahlia’s is a bit of a pain in the great white frigid north.  They are annuals up here, so each Fall you have to wait for the first hard frost to send them into hibernation and then dig them up and store in the basement over the winter.  They are high maintenance plants, but so pretty if they survive storing for the winter.

By Stacy | Posted in Gardening | 15 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Another fun weekend…but I’m tired

August 25, 2008 – 5:18 am

We had a nice weekend up north for the annual festival in Brian’s hometown.  We got there in the early afternoon Saturday.  I just didn’t get up as early as I wanted, then the kids needed a bath, then I had to pack clothes and wait on the dryer for clean undies for Kailan. *sigh*

When we got there we went down to the midway with all the family, and had a nice time visiting with everyone while Kai and Anya gorged themselves on several rides.  I think their favorite was either the 2-story high slide or the dinosaur bounce house.  Their least favorite was a pirate ship ride that didn’t look too bad, but it did get them a bit frightened.  I had the carny guy stop the ride a bit early since they had more than enough.  Kai was excited at first…then his expression gradually changed to one of near tears.  Anya had her head down after the second swing.  At least daddy was there to give them comfort. :)

When we got back to Aunt Susie and Uncle Jerry’s house, the kids got to ride a horse and feed them, too.  Fun stuff!  That night Brian and I went down to the beer garden and listened to music and talked to old friends.  We got back to the house way too late. 

We got home yesterday around 3:30pm and naps were taken by almost all.  I went through the 300 photos I had taken since Friday.  I was a little shutter-happy. ;)

By Stacy | Posted in Family | 18 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Bubbles in the backyard

August 24, 2008 – 5:00 am

A few more from the photo session with the kids.  They were having a super fun time with the bubbles.  Oh, to be a kid again. 

Playing with their bubbles kept them fascinated for about 20 minutes.  Anya, of course, would try to pop all of Kai’s bubbles or blow bubbles in his face, the little stinker.  Eventually she got tired of provoking him and they both laughed and blew bubbles and tried to catch bubbles. 

Kai would blow his bubbles, catch one on the plastic circle, and yell, “It’s magic!”.  Yes son, it is…

 

By Stacy | Posted in Family | 10 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment

Lazy days…where have you gone?

August 23, 2008 – 5:00 am

Who here had a lazy summer?  Anyone?  Anyone?

I remember when I was younger, growing up on the farm, and we had such lazy summers.  Our weekends were usually full - running around to rodeos - but our weekdays were lazy.  We got one channel on the black and white tv, two on a good clear day, so we didn’t really have a great need to while the days away inside. 

We played outside alot.  Searching for chicken nests in the hayloft and swinging from the ropes up there.  We would grab a halter and leadrope and find a horse in the pasture to ride around, with our faithful dog, Scooby Doo, tagging along.  Sometimes my sister and I would ride a country mile across *mostly* our properties to our cousin’s house and see what they were up to.  It was a good way to grow up.

Nowadays it seems we are all about running around.  I love to get together with friends and family, but this summer was just too much running.  I want those lazy days back, or at least more than one weekend of no running next summer.  That would be so nice.

This weekend?  Yes, we are going to see Brian’s family up north.  The town festival is this weekend, which will be fun.  I love small town festivals, especially for the kids.  There is just enough to not be overwhelming.  Sunday we will come back home and I will hopefully finish up editing Andy and Patrick’s Blessing pics.  I seem to be behind the ball so much lately, or is the ball just coming straight towards me ready to roll me over??

So, yes, nothing today for tips, but here is the theme:

Theme Thursday - A round up!

Show us some of your best/favorite images from the summer, since this is the last Theme Thursday before Labor Day.  Can you believe it??

Hope you had lots of smores this summer!

Waiting for the fire…waiting and at the ready.

smoressmores

By Stacy | Posted in Craziness, Family | 8 comments         Show Comments | Add a Comment
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