The trips turn 4 - out of this world!!!

I have had the privilege of photographing these three youngsters for a couple of years now. I just saw them in the fall with their whole family, but now they've turned 4 years old and they had a birthday party!! The party was at the MOST (as it was last year - fun place!) and they were high energy, as you can imagine!!

 Happy Birthday Triplets!!

Family Album

Each year I promise to organize our family photos. I take a lot of photos of my family!! Inspired in part by a friend who created her family book with her Mac and in part by creating albums for my photography clients, I decided to make one this year using my Mac (vs. using the book company that I use for my clients). The project took me about 3 full days of organizing a years worth of pictures into a file, uploading that file to iPhoto and designing the layout of the book. Indeed, it was a time consuming project. However, we received the book yesterday and it was worth every hour and every penny (not cheap) I spent on it. A treasure that our family will enjoy for years to come. In total, I used close to 500 pictures and the book was 98 pages long (100 is the limit for this book!).

I HIGHLY recommend you find time one year (soon) and do this project for your family. Yes, it takes a long time to get organized but the result is worth it!!

I found a way to stay on top of it -- I have created a folder in my "picture" files called '2011 book.' Now, whenever I take pictures of my family that I want in the book I am going to copy them directly to the folder. At the end of the year I will have the pictures I want to use for the book already organized! Try it!

111

I have never been good about making resolutions, let alone keeping them. Like most people, I'm good on it for a few weeks, maybe a month or two, but then old habits come creeping back.
This year I thought it would be fun to make a list of 211 things to "do" "accomplish" "work on" in 2011. I started making my list and then decided to stop at 111. I also decided to publish it here on my blog so that I can periodically look back at it and see how I'm doing. I don't expect that I will do everything on the list... and hopefully I will do much more than what I have written!!! Nonetheless, I'm excited about this little project. I actually have already done # 81 - we saw the adorable movie, Tangled, today.
So, here it is... 111 things for 2011...

211 Things to Do in 2011

1. exercise more
2. paint addie’s room
3. paint jack’s room
4. re-do master bathroom
5. finish the pond project
6. re do garden around the pond
7. make a 2011 picture book of our family
8. floss regularly
9. clean the car (inside) once a week
10. clean out my closet
11. clean the linen closet
12. lose 5-10 pounds
13. organize the junk drawer
14. write letters to long distance friends
15. call friends more often (long distance friends)
16. compost
17. plant at least two veggie seeds
18. plant dahlias
19. go away for a weekend with Kevin
20. meet Baby Andrew
21. take a photography class or workshop
22. buy an iPad
23. take the kids to Strong Museum
24. paint the hallway trim
25. make a meal for someone
26. get a massage
27. take Addie to get a manicure
28. pray more
29. have coffee in the garden
30. have a glass of wine in the garden
31. send actual birthday cards to family and friends
32. go to the beach
33. see a live band/concert
34. organize photo albums
35. get up early and take a walk
36. organize/help organize the block party
37. run 6 miles
38. take a long bike ride
39. bike ride with the kids on the Erie Canal path
40. take the kids to have lunch with daddy at work
41. buy organic produce at the Farmer’s market
42. buy a new bathing suit
43. clean the windows
44. fix the front door
45. touch up the cottage room floor
46. paint the door in the back room
47. have lunch with the kids at school
48. spend some time volunteering
49. soak up the sun
50. make fresh lemonade
51. make a fun summer cocktail
52. have a party in the summer
53. throw a fabulous holiday party
54. dine al fresco
55. switch to gmail officially
56. buy more local products
57. support small businesses
58. learn how to make dvd slideshows on the mac
59. make birthday picture slide show for jack’s 6th b-day
60. make a birthday picture slide show for addie’s 8th b-day
61. use reusable bags more often at the store
62. walk and bike the kids to school
63. make a new playlist for exercise
64. go shopping in Rochester
65. pick apples
66. pick strawberries
67. make a real Lenten sacrifice
68. keep exercise journal/calendar
69. go to Green Lakes for a winter hike
70. go golfing
71. try a new restaurant
72. take a daytrip to somewhere we haven’t been in CNY
73. get a new website
74. send camera in for cleaning/maintenance
75. organize Jack’s closet
76. order two canvases that I have “on hold”
77. clean out my wallet
78. clean out my purse
79. drink more water
80. keep my “piles “of papers under control
81. take the kids to a movie
82. clean out addie’s closet
83. have an Elm St. parents night out this winter
84. list unwanted items on eBay/Craigslist
85. plant zinnias
86. put extra $ into kids’ 529 plans
87. clean PC files
88. hook up wireless printer
89. attend 20 year high school reunion
90. go to the Thousand Islands
91. run 10 miles
92. make a new recipe in at least 4 of my cookbooks
93. organize pots and pans
94. go out to a diner for breakfast
95. clean out my socks and undies
96. help Jack work a hard puzzle
97. turn the music up loud and clean
98. buy a new workout outfit
99. organize the kid’s artwork
100. go the The Nutcracker
101. go to Beaufort
102. have an ordinary dinner with the fine china
103. open the windows on the first warm day of late winter
104. get a down comforter for Jack’s bed
105. get a correct size hockey stick for Jack
106. use the clinique potion consistently for 4 weeks that claims to minimize sun spots in 4 weeks
107. get blinds for addie and jack’s room
108. use the food that is in the cupboard
109. use teeth whitener
110. find the cords to the video recorder
111. let people know how much they mean to me