An Entire Year & a 1/2

It is hard to believe that a year and a 1/2 has passed and I have not posted a thing!  Facebook has unfortunately taken the place of my Blog.  Sad frankly.  I used to enjoy posting my day to day events when the kids were little.  Loved putting pictures up and commenting on them.  Well, my prayer is to at least make a post once a month in the new year.  Highlights of 2012:
Gabriel turned 7 and had another Chuck E Cheese Birthday Party
Gracie turned 5 and had a Barbie Swim Party
Charlie is working hard at church and has embarked on the Mid Week Wednesday Service that he is enjoying
Anne is teaching full days at ABC and is keeping her job at church.
Everyone is healthy and thriving.
The kids enjoy school and are doing well.  They love their friends and life is full.
The loss of my brother Tom has been a sad yet peace-filled because we know he is enjoying his freedom from pain in heaven.
Until next year.
Stay tuned!

Summer Time 2011

Hanging with Daddy on Father's Day!

Some of the girls!

Neighborhood fun on the 4th!

4th of July fun! Another use for silly bands!

Love love love the Barbie furniture!

Helping set up for the party - Dress up time!

Designing T-Shirts for the party

Gettin ready for the party! This is a very exciting day!

Starting the party with prayer!

All Dressed Up!

Like My Make Up?

Say Cheese Girls!

I think with the Facebook craze, I have neglected my Blog! Updates on the summer include, VBS's, summer camps, lots of swimming and celebrations. Personally, I have so very much enjoyed the summer with the kids. They are getting to the age were they are so much more independent. We have been able to do so much more this summer. It seem we run from one event to the next, in attempts to get the most out of the warm weather.

First Day of K to Last Day of K

1st Day - Off He Goes!

Off to the Last Day of K!

The time is flying by and my little boy is growing up so quickly. Today he finished his last day of Kindergarten. What a wonderful year he had. He learned so very much about the Bible, he excelled in Math, he is reading so very much and his writing, wow! They grow up so quickly and I do know this. So, here is the beginning and the end of K. Good job buddy! I am so very proud of you!

Our March Trip to Cali 2011

We had another great time in Cali this year. It was so beautiful and the kids of course loved it all. We made our way around LA, Oceanside, Orange County, Disneyland and even went to Palm Springs this year. It was fabulous and beautiful. Spending time with family feeds the soul in so many ways. Here is a little of the trip.

Beautiful Palm Springs!

Swimming in Palm Springs at Aunt Angie and Uncle Dick's house

Cousins poolside!

Tinker Belle is telling Gracie where she lives!

Goofy and Big G are dressed alike. Had to tell him "Hi!"

Sunset by the beach!

Big G looks like he is walking on water!

Noodle dance party!

Going to the beach in the "Thing" thanks to Uncle Mike!

Cousins and make-up! Heaven!

Making Orange Juice for breakfast!

Picking oranges off Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Ted's tree - Fresh OJ!

This statue is in the lobby of our old church in Cali. The kids would always climb on Jesus and I always wondered if I'd have kids that would climb and sure enough, here they are! Thank you Lord for my treasures!

Spring!

Today, the kids have their friends over to play. There is a movie going in one room and video games in the other. I have my "To Do" list going for the next 2 weeks. Planning for Easter and a trip to Georgia the next. As I was planning, I looked up and there in front of me were my beautiful flowers. I had to grab the camera and capture the life inside my home today. On days like today where the flowers are trying to push their way up through the soil outside but the weather is cold and grey, it's hard to imagine that it will ever be warm and sunny. Today, I thought I would focus on the life "inside" the home. I want so badly to be outside! But I think of what God is giving me today. Life in the home. All that we can be and enjoy for today. And I think, do I really embrace all that God has placed right before me or do I always keep longing for something that is not there and then live in disappointment all day because it's not there. So today, I count my indoor blessings, my beauty that is right before my eyes. Thank you for today Lord. Thank you for today!

Happy 6th Big G!

Well, it has been quite a Birthday again this year for Big G! We celebrated with family, we took a trip to Wilderness Territory and ended with a Birthday with friends at Chuck E. Cheese. As you can see, it was a success. There is nothing better than when you see a grin from ear to ear from you child. He had a fabulous time! Everyone made it special!

Day 28 of 365! Snow bunny

Today was a beautiful fresh snow kinda day to get out in the warm sun and catch a few good shots for day 28! I love the colors in these pics, but I really love the girl in the picture. She is a great sport with all these pics I'm taking. I love them all because each one tells a story. The top one is just an upclose one where you can see the melted snow on her lips and flecks of it in her hair. Did I mention that she was loving eating the fresh snow today. The second shot is just pure joy! Third is the classic snow angel. She made about 10 today! Picture #4 is another shot of her tasting the snow. Fun, fun! Moving on to day #29

Project 365 Helpful Hints to better a Picture

This is applying #9 to my shot. Still have a long way to go! But hey, it's only day #12.

Well, I am on day 12 of my Project 365. That's 353 more pics to take this year. I learned 10 great ways to better improve you photos and wanted to share them with you.

1. Get up close and eliminate distractions in the background

2. Know your camera's minimum focusing distance. Look in the camera manual

3. Learn how to lock the focus on you camera. Again, look in manual.

4. Know you camera's flash range and shoot from that distance. Look in manual.

5. Use your cameras flash when outdoors to eliminate harsh shadows on faces.

6. If you can find some shade outdoors to shoot, try it out.

7. Start to learn where light is coming from and use it to your advantage.

8. Shoot from different angles not just from a normal standing position. Remember to shoot from the ground.

9. Get creative with where you place your subject in your viewfinder. Move them out of the center.

10. Use your environment to frame up some shots if you can.

New Year 2011

I don't have any current pictures downloaded from my camera to the computer, so you'll have to settle for a wordy post this time. It's the new year and this is where I am supposed to write about all the things I want to change this year. Ya know revamp my life and adopt a bunch of stuff from other people's lives and then give up on them in about 2 weeks cuz they are not fitting in my life. The Lord placed a thought in me the other day when I was havein' a chat with Him, He brought to my mind, "how about working on the gifts that I have already put inside you instead of trying to create new ones that don't work for you!" WOW ya mean like when I keep trying to shove that round peg into that square hole? - it just doesn't work! Now, I am all about change and making improvements in life. Bettering myself for the sake of the Kingdom of God is very important to me. I am just trying to figure out which vehicle I need to use that works for me. Needless to say, I have really been thinking about that the past few days and really thinking it through for my life. First thought was "What are my gifts now after 5 plus years of baby raising, a major move and a new life somewhere completely new?" What used to be "me" has long since faded in the hot sun of change. Although, I do know that there are some core things about me that haven't changed. For instance, I love to be creative, I love to decorate. I love texture, color and the perfect placement of things. Everything and everyone has it's place in God's creation - no matter what. Something useful and somewhat broken to me doesn't mean destroyed, it means, "what does this need to work again?" Although I do love to purge useless clutter that causes chaos and of course to reorganize. I love the Lord, my family, my life and all that goes with that. I love God and I love His people! So this year is going to be a year of discovery again for me. A continuation of the unveiling of the gifts God has placed in me, just in a new light if you will.

Thus, so begins a project I have committed too in hopes that it will help me process these gifts again. I was invited to join a group of gals called "Project 365." It's a photography group where each gal commits to taking a picture a day of things in her life. My theme is based on my blog title, "Think in These Things and Phil 4:6" It's a bit scary to commit to 365 days of pictures and of my life based on this theme for several reasons, the greatest is committing to 365 days of pictures. Second is sticking with my theme and another is that I am not a photographer, but I plan on learning more. I think this is going to be one great venue to explore and to create a place for God's gifts in me to land. I think it's going to challenge what is already in me to grow a little more and take on a new perspective. It's very exciting, because I will be with some pretty talented ladies that take WAY better pics than me. That is VERY cool!

So here's to 2011 and the continued discovery of me through God's eye's. What I hope is with the pictures, it will reflect the Him in me. Stay tuned into the process!

The Latest and Greatest of the Contreras'

Ok Family, let me know which one's you'd like if any. All the above ones come in B& W as well.

Had to Write This One Down!

Little G is in this little phrase of asking this hysterical clarifying question. When someone says something to her that she doesn't catch or doesn't understand, she says, "What choo said?" It is becoming quite catching around our house. We laugh every time she says it and of course she get's highly offended and yells, "It's not too funny!" I know we should correct her and tell her it's incorrect grammar, but it's just too cute and I know that it will be short lived. Soon she will be saying it correctly and we will forget this fun expression. That's why I had to write it down. The days of these young years are flying by - gotta capture the moments!

Little G's 1st Pony Ride and Big G's 100th Train Ride

Little G loved her first pony ride on "Molly." It was a fast little guy. I thought I would be walking along side her and I was actually running to keep up with that pony! As for Bid G, he still loves a good ride on a train. I have lost count on the number of times he has ridden on one. He still loves his choo choo's!