family

Week in the Life - Sunday

Andrea — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:30:38 -0500

Next week I'm going to have to think of actual things to write about...because I'm giving my camera at least a full 24 hour break, if not longer! It's been overworked this week during my Week in the Life project.

I am glad I did the project, and I think a few years from now, I'll really enjoy going back and reading the journaling and seeing the photo collages and seeing what a regular week was like for us in 2008. Right now, it looks a lot like a regular old boring week. But this week only happens once, so I'm glad I managed to capture it in all its reality...

So, finally, here's what Sunday, October 19th, 2008 looked like for us (sorry for all the really dark photos or overly bright photos...I told you my camera has been overworked!):

I'll share pics of the album when I complete it...hopefully by next weekend.

Week in the Life - Saturday

Andrea — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:05:35 -0500

I've made it to the weekend in my Week in the Life project! That means only one day left...Sunday. I'm not sure how I'm going to photograph church tomorrow morning, although to be completely honest, I don't think anyone would think it was weird at all if I did. I'll have to think on that.

But meanwhile, here's what Saturday, October 18th, 2008 looked like at our house:

(And just so you know, Ben actually spent the majority of the day working hard on a web project. The pics of him shown here are during a few short breaks where he emerged! Didn't want you to think he was a slacker...although if he was who could blame him on a Saturday?)

Seeing the end in sight has made me excited about putting together the album, so tonight I got a headstart and began printing my photo collages and journaling and decided on an album to use. Now I just have to figure out a design plan and I can get this finished by the end of next week. It's going to be pretty basic, letting the photos and journaling be the main focus.

Pepper Place Pleasures

Andrea — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:39:42 -0500

This morning we got up bright and early to head to the Pepper Place Farmer's Market downtown. We've been wanting to go since we found out about it last year. Not only is it a great little farmer's market, full of locally grown fruits, vegetables, spices and flowers, but it's also on site of an old Dr. Pepper bottling building, so there are tons of Dr. Pepper signs everywhere, which of course Ben loves.

They have live music, chef demonstrations, and artists selling their material. It was hot, crowded, and full of gorgeous colors, hand made signs, and all sorts of fabulous eye candies for me to take photos of. Here are a few of my favorites:

Even better than the photos, we came home with peaches, tomatoes, red peppers, blackberries, and honey. Great way to start the day. We were home by 10:20 am and still had a whole day left to enjoy!

Enjoying the View

Andrea — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:40:07 -0500

I saw this super-cute beach photo idea at RonWainscottPhotography.com and just had to give it a try with our family this week:

I love it (especially in black and white), but I'm not sure it can beat this one from a few years back:

I have a very cooperative family....

Alterered ABE

Andrea — Wed, 21 May 2008 18:22:42 -0500

For Mother's Day a few weeks ago, I made my mom a set of altered wooden letters. We picked them up at a Goodwill store in Destin on our Spring Break trip, so I figured it was time I made them and sent them to her! I ran across the picture I took of them and thought I'd share...

Supplies:

Basic Grey Patterned Paper
assorted buttons
Mod Podge
red cardstock
ribbon by Chatterbox
sandpaper

U23D

Andrea — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:49:50 -0600

This afternoon, Rachel graciously offered to watch Ayla so that Ben and I could join Josh, Zach and Janel at the theater for U23D. We'd planned to go a couple of weeks ago for Zach's birthday, but it kept getting bumped back because of Hannah Montana in 3D...I guess she's more popular around here. Especially since there were only about 10 people in the theater this afternoon...including the 5 of us!

Regardless, it was pretty cool. Kind of like having a box seat to a huge concert. I was never a big U2 fan and actually I used to tease Zach because as long as I'd known him, I'd never known a conversation with him that didn't somehow come back to Bono or U2. A couple of years ago though, he showed us a DVD of a U2 concert in Dublin. I was so impressed with their talent and ever since I've considered myself a fan--although not anywhere close to as big a fan as Zach is!

But now I can say I reached out and "touched" Bono's hand at a concert....and it'll be virtually true...

Ben and Andrea Steed Family Tree

Andrea — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:16:52 -0600

For those of you that I've been e-mailing about finding out family names and dates, let me show you the project I'm working on. I finally glued everything down this evening and started labeling the leaves of our family tree. The beauty of this project is that it can be displayed now, even though *all* of the information isn't there yet. I can add to it at anytime just by writing in names or dates. Click on the picture below if you'd like to see a more detailed image:

It's made on a 24" x 12" stretched canvas that I painted with the grass and sky horizon. The tree trunk and branches are cut from two sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock and the leaves are also die cut from green cardstock. The pink dot that represents Ayla is a brad. (And don't worry, I have plenty of additional pink and blue brads in case we have more kids in the future.)

This has been a fun art project that was inspired by a MOPS meeting about geneology a few weeks back. Thanks for the inspiration Patricia! Now I have to install the family tree software and get a more detailed (and accurate) tree going on my computer....another ongoing project to add to my list...

Now THAT's a family tree art project:

Andrea — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:33:49 -0600

In my family tree art project research, I ran across this photo:
source: http://freshpaintartist.com/images/familytree.jpg

How stinkin' cool would THIS be on a wall of your house? Wow...

The Seven Year (sw)Itch

Andrea — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:46:02 -0600

No, I'm not trading in my husband. But, for those of you who have made it to that 7-year mark in your marriage, you'll know what I'm talking about here.

Remember all those beautiful gifts you received as wedding gifts? Dazzling dishes, glimmering glasses, pristine pots and pans, sparkling silverware, gorgeous gadgets...you know, all the cool kitchen stuff that you couldn't afford to buy on your own?

My advice to new married couples: Enjoy how perfect all those things look in your first few years of marriage. Because one day (I estimate 5-7 years), you'll take them out of the cabinet and realize that what once was so pretty is now old, scratched, chipped, cracked, and crumbling. And this time around, you'll have to buy the replacements yourself!

We have a pot lid that is hanging by a thread...literally---a threaded screw is holding it together, barely. I think it's time we retire it from active duty. To it's credit, it has been used nearly everyday for the past 7 years. I suppose that's pretty impressive.

And I'm the first to admit that our mis-matched collection of tall glasses is almost entirely my fault. This is actually the 3rd or 4th round of glasses we've had to buy because I keep dropping them and breaking them! Our short glass collection however, keeps growing, because apparently you can't buy just tall glasses without the short ones too. So, if you come to our house and your drink is served in a small glass, you'll know why. Don't worry, we give free refills.

We are also on our third set of plates and bowls since we got married. We bought this round a few months ago and we're hoping they'll last us a little longer than the last set, which we only kept about a year and a half. Thankfully, they were cheap! Then again, maybe that was the problem.....

The moral of my story is to remember that all this is just stuff and even though it might be as old as you've been married, it's condition doesn't have to represent your marriage. Or maybe in a way it does...the evolution of it. Instead of starting over with a new mate (as many do nowadays), just be sure to choose the next set of dishes together, and you should carry on just fine....we have anyway!

Afternoon at the Zoo

Andrea — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:48:34 -0600

Today was gorgeous: 76 degrees, sunny, and perfect. Yes, that's right all you Minnesota folks, Ben was wearing shorts today! Hard to imagine, I'm sure, but it happened. Anyhow, since it was so gorgeous we decided to take Ayla to the zoo this afternoon. It was Ben's first visit, and we had a great time walking around, seeing the animals and enjoying the weather.

We had a couple of memorable moments while at the zoo. First, the hippo was being very entertaining and gave us quite a show. Check out the video by clicking on the photo.

And next, we saw the evasive cheetah for the first time! According to my sister-in-law Janel, the cheetah is NEVER out where you can see it, and they had begun to think it wasn't even there at all. He was there today, sleeping right in the middle of his area, plainly visible. So I'm wondering if in the mornings (when Janel & the boys usually go to the zoo) if he's got a routine where he hides. We were there from about 1:30 - 3:30 in the afternoon today. Could be...in any case, we got to see him and we took a photo for proof that he was there: