As I look back at the month, I realized that I've taken a lot of food photos.  John and my friend both purchased food photography books for me.  Each book speaks a lot about light and so did my last photography instructor, Wendy Schultz.  Before really studying photography and the role of light, I'd just pick up my camera and snap a photo.  Sure that work but here is an example of using light.  Each one of these photos are taken of the same thing but they use light different.  I took these from different points of view and having the light hit the subject differently. It is amazing to see.

front lighting Lumiere devant

Side lighting lumiere a cote

back lighting Lumiere derriere

Quand je voir mes photos que j'ai pris en Octobre, je realize qu'ils sont beaucoups des photos de nurritures. John et mon amies m'achete des livres de photographie de nourriture. Chaque livres donne des informations de lumiere et photographie.  Mon enseignor de photographie (Wendy Schultz) parle de lumiere aussi.  Avant d'etudie photographie et l'importance de lumiere, je juste pris un photo sans penser.  Oui, ca marche mais ces sonts des photos de le meme chose mais utilizer le lumiere different.

backside lighting Lumiere derriere et a cote

back side lighting from other side Lumiere derriere et a cote

I am a non-knitter.  I've tried really.  I knitted a baby sweater but brought it to my friend and said help me.  I can't see dropped stitches or read patterns, put in button holes or knit pieces together.  I've knitted a scarf but it isn't the prettiest.  I can cast on but can't really remember to cast off and forget about counting.  I am not a knitter.  My friend however is a knitter.  She is very good at it.  The stuff she makes is adorable.  The baby hats and sweaters she makes should be sold at a high end specialty shops.  If that isn't all, she makes these mittens that have very intricate patterns.  They are traditional Scandinavian mittens with the pointed ends.  The yarn she works with is delicate and so very soft.  Still that isn't all, she makes these bags that are beautiful.  What she does with two sticks and a ball of yarn is called art.  It isn't done overnight, it takes a lot of time and patience to create this.  She follows a blog of another knitter.  Last night four of us took a little road trip to see the Yarn Harlot as she is called for a book reading.  I am not a knitter.  But I went with my friends and had an absolutely wonderful time.  I may have been the only non-knitter in the room besides the token husband trying to get out of the doghouse.  We sat down and everyone pulled out their knitting.  I pulled out sudoku. I can play and listen at the same time.  She read excerpts out of her book and they were funny.  It's a collection of short stories that are hilarious that happen to revolve around knitting.  It almost but not quite made me want to try knitting again.  I quickly came to my senses. There is just no way I could do it.  My friend however I find amazing.
J'ai une amie qui tricoter.  J'ai essayer de tricoter mais je suis terrible.  C'est vrai.  Je tricots un pullover pour un bebe mais il faut que je demande pour aider.  Je peut pas lire les directions ou fais des trou pour les boutons.  Je ne peut pas counter.  Je fais un foulard but ce n'est pas joli.  Mon amie est magnifiuqe.  Les choses elle fait sont comme d'art.  Les pullover pour des bebe, les chapeau sont minons. Les sacs sont joli.  Elle fais des mitainessont incroyable.  Elle a beaucoup de patience.  Heir, je vais avec mes amies pur un petit tour de voir une femme qui ecrit des histoires de tricoter.  Elle est comique.  Quand nous arrivons, tous les femmes a la place prendre leur tricoter avec leurs.  Moi, je ne tricote pas.  Je peut jouer sudoku et ecouter a la meme temp.  Pour une moments je voudrais apprendre de tricoter mais vitement je realizer que c'est pas mois, je n'avais pas le patience pour ca.  Mon amie faisiat un art.

I have lightroom and love it. It has a feature to create a slideshow.  I've used Photoshope Elements slideshow and really like it.  In fact I use it at the end of each soccer season when I put together a slideshow for the team.  I haven't used Lightroom's slideshow and decided to try it out.

For many years we haven't had a gaming system.  Our philosophy has been: we have a computer and you can play games on it so why spend money on a game system.  We only give our kids 20 minutes a day on the computer anyway.  There are so many other things for them to do instead of playing on the computer.  We've heard so many reasons to get a gaming system and those reasons came from adults.  Last year around Christmas time we decided to get a blue ray player and both the Xbox and PlayStation have blue ray capabilities.  So we thought about it and thought about and researched it.  In the end we decided against it.  Again it came down to we have a computer and many games but the kids have one game in particular that they like to play.  That game can only be played online.  It isn't available on either gaming system.  They have friends from church and neighborhood friends and summer friends that all play the same game, so why buy a gaming system.  Well, last week a neighbor boy came over and offered Isaac his old PlayStation for free with 15 or so games.  Apparently his uncle had purchased an xbox played it a while and then gave it to this neighbor boy.  John relented since it was free and then promptly ran out to buy another controller.  ( There was only one that worked).  John looked at wireless controllers but they were outrageously expensive.  I let them move the love seat but have decided that is NOT going to happen all the time. I do hear everyday, "Can I play the PS2?"   I wonder how long that will last.  They even tried to renegotiate their "computer" time.  No way. On rainy days I may allow more PS2 time if they read first.  I coming up with all sorts of uses with it.

Pour plusiere d'annee nous avons decider de n'acheter pas un Xbox ou Playstation (des jeux pour le television).  Nous pensons que c'est plus cher et nous avons des jeux sur l'ordinatuer, alors nous n'avons pas besoin un Xbox.  Le noel passee, nous avons decider d'achete un blue-ray.  Playstation et XBox ont un blu-ray ensemble.  Mais apres de penser et de rechercher, nous avons penser que c'est trop cher just pour jouer des jeux et voir des films.  Les enfants aiment seulement un jeu par l'ordinatuer.  Ils ont jeuer avec leurs amis d'eglise, d'ecole, et de football.  Alors un Playstation n'est pas pour nous.  Le semaine dernier, un ami d'Isaac lui donne un Playstation et 15 jeux - libre, sans paier.  Son oncle achete un Xbox et donne a l'ami d'Isaac.  Alors il donne son Playsation a Isaac.  Tout de suite John vas au marche pour acheter une manette de jeux.  Seulement une marche.  Maintenant les enfants me demande de jouer le Playstation.  Mais comme l'ordinateur je leurs dit seulement pour 20 minutes. 

This year we have celebrated more of his birthday's together than apart.  I wish I could say that we are having a party and I'm pampering him but alas that is not the case due to activities.  Last night I made him a BLT sand which and blackberry pie for dinner.  He had soccer practice so usually doesn't eat much those nights.  I had a little time before practice and thought I'd get a great photo of him and write something mushy but the guy is extremely uncomfortable having his picture taken.  So instead I photographed him doing what he does every night when he comes home.  He wanders around the backyard looking at his plants.  He starts at the blueberry bushes, working his way around clockwise.  He mentally takes note of new growth, looks at the leaves and for fruit.  If there is a plant bearing fruit he grazes a little.  I don't think a raspberry has made into the house.  The dog wanders with him and they snack together on what they find.  Even in the winter he does this.  It has become a ritual and I think a time to relax.
Aujourd'hui c'est l'anniversaire de John.  Je celebre plus d'anniversaire avec lui que sans lui.  Normalement, je cui son dinner favorite mais nous avons trop d'activite ce soir.  Alors heir soir, nous avons celebre. Avant le practique de football, nous avons un peu de temp et je voudrais prendre des photos.  Il n'est pas comfortable avec des photos alors je les pris pendent il fait un tour du jardin.  Chaque nuit quand il rentre a la maison, il fait un petit tour.  Il voit tous des arbres et voit les grandiss.  S'il y a des fruit, il les manges et donne un peu au chien.  Je lui fais un tarte pour son anniversaire.

We live in the Pacific Northwest.  That means it rains a lot.  Not rain forest rain, but a lot but many many days.  It may drizzle and sprinkle for over a week without sun. We have practiced and played soccer in the rain.  We have hiked and camped in the rain.  We have a choice: either stay inside or embrace it.  Some of my kids do so, others stay inside.




Nous habitons a l'ouest en Washington.  Cela signifie qu'il pleut beaucoup.  Pas comme un forêt tropicale, mais beaucoup.  Il bruine pour un semaine sans voir le soliel.  Nous avons jouer le football dans le pluie.  Nous avons faire du camping dans la pluie.  Nous avons un choisir:  rester dedans out embrasse le pluie.  Quelques mes enfants restent dedans mais l'autre embrasse le pluie.

Isaac has loved being a referee.  He gets up in the morning and checks out the referee site.  He schedules three games each week at the beginning of the season for Saturdays.  First thing Friday morning he looks to see if there are any more open games so that he can add them to his Saturday schedule.  On Saturdays John drops Isaac off at the fields at 8:30 and we don't see him again until 4:00 in the afternoon.  He packs a lunch and extra socks and goes to work.  Last weekend he received his paycheck.  He doesn't just ref for fun but because he is getting paid.  He just signed up for a Bridge Clinic in order to earn his grade 8 black badge. This will allow him to referee U10 and U11 games which pay more money.  These clinics aren't free and this one will cost $75.  Just like last time we will only pay for part of it.  John and I have decided that the kids will take ownership in passing their tests and paying attention if they have to pay for it. 



This goes for their higher education too.  They have to make the investment themselves then they will be more likely to take it seriously.

Isaac aime de faire un arbitre.  Chaque matin il se reveille et voit le site d'arbitre par internet.  Il choisit trois match par samedi.  Puis tout suite vendredi matin, il cherche pour plus matches qui n'a pas un arbitre le jour prochain. Samedi matin, John lui pris au terrain de football a huit heure et demi.  Nous ne voyons pas que 4 heures d'apres midi.  Il pris une sandwhich et des autres chaussettes avec lui.  Il aime de gagner d'argent pour faire un arbitre.  Il faut qu'il pris une classe pour faire un arbitre des enfants qui sont 10 et 11 ans.  Ca coute $75.  Il faut que Isaac paie le demi.  Nous pensons que c'est meiux que Isaac payer alors la classe est plus important a lui.  Nous pensons ca pour son education a l'universite aussi.  Si ca coute un peut, c'est deviens plus important.

I've been taking photos for Job.  This is my little studio. 
Je pris des photos pour Job.  C'est ma petite studio.

The smell of Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves and Strawberries permeate the air in my house.  The red, green and yellow leaves litter the sidewalk outside.  In the morning the fog wraps itself around the houses. These are the little things that signal a change of seasons at our house.  I feel compelled to make jam.  I have a freezer full of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  The  blackberries I'll keep out to make a pie for John on his birthday.  With some of the blueberries I make a tart for my birthday.  The rest of the blueberries will be combined with raspberries to make a jam.  Forget that I really don't have time but it gives me a happy feeling.  Next year it will be time to make pickled beets and canned peaches.  John's pear tree produced enough pears that I can make an end of summer jam using his pears and the plums from our neighbors.  I am feeling industrious and nostalgic as look at the jars of jam on the table and hear the ping ping ping.  It reminds me of the book "Blueberries for Sal"  and I fondly think of the kitchen the mother is in as she cans the blueberries.  Then reality hits as I'm crossing the kitchen trying to listen to a child as he tells me something that I'm not fulling listening to and my hot jar of jam flies out of my hand, crashing to the floor, flinging jam everywhere.  Add mopping to my list now then I hear, "Mom the toilet is plugged." and the nostalgia disappears.  Things aren't quite working as smooth as they were before.  I realize that I bought two packages of wide mouth lids instead of regular and only one of regular and I didn't buy enough pectin.  My berries aren't thawing and I forgot to crush them.  My floor is a sticky mess and I keep mopping and mopping in between batches.  I started with an empty sink and dishwasher, but now my sink is full and my dishwasher is keeping my jars hot in order to not break them in the canner.  Did I put all seven cups of sugar in that batch or did I forget the spices?  The wash machine is beeping at me. (I am washing clothes as well because a child informed me that he needed underwear and didn't want to waste his day washing clothes.  I didn't want to waste my time washing clothes either so he did a load himself but the rest of the family needs laundry done too.)  My children have now taken themselves outside to get away from my frantic self as I race to stir and remove the jars at the same time.  I'm not sure how Sal's mother managed to can blueberries with her kitchen sans dishwasher.  To top it all off, I'm now wishing that I had my grandmother's jelly that is absolutely beautiful and tastes heavenly.  If it is held up to the light, it glows.  Was canning a good idea? Hmm, maybe instead of making blueberry tart John and I should go out for dessert and coffee instead.


Il sent comme l'autume.  Les feuilles rouges, verts, et jaunes tombent par terre.  Du matin le brouillard envelope les maison.  C'est les petits choses qui annonce l'arriver d'automne.  J'ai un congelateur pleine des frais, framboise, et bleuets.  Les framboise noir je garde pour une tarte pour l'anniversaire de John.  Avec les bleuets je feront cuire une tarte de bleuet.  Les frambroise rouge et les fraise je fais des confiture.  L'annee prochaine il faut que je fais les peche et les betteraves marinées.  John a un arbre de poire qui a assez des poire de faire une confiture avec des poire, des peches et des citrons.  Je sent content de faire ca et j'aime les bruit des canettes quand ils ont finis.  Je pense de livre "Les Bleuets pour Sal".  C'est une fille et sa mere qui rassemblent des bleuets et les mettons en conserver.  La mere avait une cuisine sans un lave-vaisselle.  Je pense comme elle la fait.  Le realite pour est vraiment different.  Je suis au millieux de prendre une canette chaud et le mettre en table quand Job me parle.  Je n'ecoute pas tres bien parce que j'ai entraine de penser l'autre chose.  Tout a coup, la canette tombs par terre et casse.  Il y a des glace et confiture chaud tous.  Maintenant il faut que je nettoye la cuisine, et pris les canette, et remeus le confiture et j'ecoute ma fille me dit, "Mamma le toilet ne marche pas."  Maintenant je pense "est-ce que je mis assez de sucre ou est-ce que j'oublie de mettre les epices?"  Je desire des confiture de ma grand-mere.  C'est joli et délectable.  Quand je la mis dans la lumiere elle brille.  Peut-etre une fois il faut que j'allais de visiter ma grand-mere tout seul et apprendre de faire la confiture comme elle.

Our music education has changed just a little bit this year.  Job has taken up the guitar thanks to a friend of the kids who loaned Job his old guitar.  Job loves it.  When the weather is nice he sits outside and practices.  He'll practice on Saturday and Sundays.  He's excited to finish his first guitar book.  He built a pick holder out of Legos.  He wants a guitar case, strap and stand.  Looks like great Christmas presents if you ask me.
Nous avons change notre education du musique cette annee.  Job a commence de jouer la guitare parce que son ami lui a prete une guitare.  Job l'adore.  Quand il fait beau, Job la joue dehors.  Il la joue samdi et dimanche.  Il construit un boit pour le plectre avec ses Legos.  Il veut un boit pour sa guitare et une laniere.  Je pense que ces sont des bons cadeaux pour Noel.