Boochie & {her} camera ...

Alia took some great photos during our walk.
She's quite the little photographer when she wants to be ...

She doesn't take typical straight forward shots.



And she's not afraid to get down low and shoot from different angles.

Here's a few of her shots ... unedited.

[budding photographer]

SOOC - Through the kids eyes ...

For my submission to Melody's Straight out of Camera Saturday ( uh, yeah, it's Sunday here ! ) I'm sharing two photos taken by my Jono. He and Alia both were fascinated by the big leaves we saw all over the place in San Francisco when we were there in November.

I just love these two shots he got !



Hope you all are having a lovely weekend !
I'm just back from church but my family isn't here yet.
Rory dropped Jono at a birthday party at the bowling alley this morning
and then took Alia on a date.
I'm excited to hear where they went.
I would have loved to go too but I was singing this morning so couldn't play hookey !
Plus, I think it's nice for the two of them to have some special time together !
Little girls love special times with their Daddy !

I'm going to go unpack some boxes but I have to tell you two funny things before I go.

Funny thing #1
We were talking about the plans for today the other night and we said that Rory was going to take Alia on a date.
It occurred to me that she might not know what that meant.
When I asked if she knew what a date was, she gave me her "duh. of course I know" look
and answered.
"The date is April 23rd !"

Funny Thing #2
The other comes from the crayon of Jono.
This morning he was making a card for his friend who's birthday party he was going to.
The outside of the card read:
"Happy Birthday Brady"
The inside of the card read:
"I hope you like your present. I really like bowling, and I am very good at it too."
"Love, Jono"

Oh ... these kids !
They forever make me laugh !!

Sharing Perspective - Alcatraz

Jono
San Francisco
2008
Alcatraz

Sharing Perspective - Responsibilities

This week's perspective is going to be a bit different.
Instead of photos taken by the kids, I'll be sharing a project we did together.

I've been slack on keeping the kids accountable with helping out around here.
You may remember the posts I did on this subject.
Or you may not.
Go read if you like ... I'll wait.

Needing to re-visit exactly what the kids responsibilities are, I spent an afternoon with them planning and discussing and putting it all on paper. I asked them what they thought they should be responsible for and here's what they came up with.

Can you tell what they've drawn ?

We've hung the charts on their bedroom doors.
Alia gets straight up in the morning and does hers.
Jono ... well, not so much.

I have designed a chart that I will use to keep them accountable.
Little tick marks beside each job each day and at the end of the week we'll assess ...

The chart is here if you want to take a peek.
It's simple.
I wanted to get it done !!
Maybe later I'll make a prettier, more interesting version !

At the same time as the kids were doing their chart, I was doing mine. Mine has what I'd like (in generalities) my mornings, afternoons and evenings to look like. And scattered in between are key words that I'd like to be as much a part of how our home operates as the practical, day to day responsibilities that need to get done.

Here's a sneak peak ...

But since this post is about the children's perspective, you'll have to wait til later in the week to get details on mine ...

Sharing Perspective - Artistically

This set of photos was taken by Jono.
November 2008 - he had just recently turned seven.
San Francisco, California.

I think they all show his flare for the artistic ...

Have you got something to share today ?
Go on ... give your kids the camera and see what they come up with !!

I think this week I might let the kids loose in GIMP and see what they do ....

Sharing Perspective - The Beach Day

Welcome to our first Mr Linkied Sharing Perspective on Fridays !!! Do join us as we look at the world through the eyes of our children ...

The kids took these on our outing the other day ...

The first four are Jono's ...

Can you see the airplane above ?

And the last four are Alia's ...

Yeah, that's me.
She wanted me to hold up Jono's sketch so she could take a photo of it.

I love this photo that she took of the steps ...
See how her perspective of the steps is so different to Jono's ?
I love that.

~

Sharing Perspective on Fridays

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Amy mentioned in yesterday's comments that she would like to join me in sharing the world as our kids see it. This got me thinking !! I know, a dangerous thing ! :) I was thinking that there might be others of you who would like to join in too. Now that I know how to do a Mr. Linky, I'm going to attempt running my first meme here on Simple Beauty !! Every Friday ... starting tomorrow, I will post a Sharing Perspective post and a Mr. Linky so you can join in !!!

So ... get the kids out with their camera's taking photos ! Or let them have a go at your camera if they haven't got their own. Don't edit them in photoshop ( or GIMP which is what I use ! ) - just post the photos raw ! Unless of course, you want to let your kids loose in photoshop ... which I plan to do soon with mine. I'd love to see what they come up with !!

Other options ... things your kids say that show's their perspective. Things they make. Things they draw. Paint. Sketch. Whatever shows the world through the eyes of your children ...

You'll be amazed at what you learn from them when you take a minute to look at things through their eyes !

Post it on your blog and then link back here so we can all come see. Feel free to grab the "button" above to use in your post if you like ! See you tomorrow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (that's a whole lot of excitement !!)

Sharing Perspective - Mommy

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A quick post today ...

A photo Alia took of me at Pier 39 in San Francisco ...

Sharing Perspective - Leaves

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This one is compliments of Alia.
Taken in San Francisco. November 2008.

I love how she lined up the leaves and captured her own shadow in the shot !

The other day I mentioned the great report I had from Jono's teacher.
The same day, I had spoken to Alia's teacher.
She told me that Alia is settling in nicely.
Coming out of her shell a bit.
She said Alia is mature and always a joy.
And she (the teacher) loves her (Alia's) "litter free" lunches.

What's a mother's heart to do besides sing ??

Sharing Perspective - Estes Park

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I just love this shot that Jono (my seven year old genius photographer) took. He took it of the mountains, through a glass window and a screen. This boy sees neat things through the lens of his camera !!

This next one is my parents.
Nanny and Sabba to Jono.
I love how he doesn't just take photos straight up and down.

Two of my favorite people in the whole world ...
My brother Jimmy and my sister Ellie.

And another on the favorite list ...
My sister Hannah.
Always looking for a kiss from one of us.

Don't you just love the light on this last one ?
Amazing.
Did I mention he is seven ?

This week, I had a chance to speak to his new teacher.
She said he's a great friend to his classmates.
Eager to help other kids when they need it.
He's a hard worker, always well behaved and keeps a good attitude.
She said she never has any trouble with him !

This Mommy's heart is smiling !!!

Sharing Perspective - San Fran

SPACE

I think both of my kids might have an eye for photography.
Check out these shots they took in San Francisco ...

This is Alia's ... she's 5.

And here's Jono's ... he is 7.

(that's Rory in the background ...)

Sharing An Accident

Jono took this photo at Pier 39 in San Fran.

He showed it to us and said "This was an accident."

We think it's a hilarious accident !!

(The sign actually says "touch pool" !!)

Sharing Perspective

Alia took this photo the other day of two of my finished abstracts ...

What do you think ?

Sharing Perspective

I've been wanting to get the kids digital camera's for about 12 months ! Maybe longer. We finally decided to do it, found a great price and got them each one. We gave them to them on Jono's birthday. They are so excited ! They click click click photos of everything. Jono has taken so many videos that his memory card is full !

So ... I'm going to start a new series. I call it "Perspective : The World As My Kids See It ... " I will post photos SOOC ( straight out of camera ). I'm not going to crop or change the color or anything. Eventually, when we get them a decent computer, I will teach them to do that but for now, we'll stick with the photos raw !

These two were both taken by Alia. That's me and Grandma in the photo above. I think it's funny that most of the photos I take of the kids are 'looking down' ( unless I get on my knees ... ) but this one is 'looking up' ... obviously, a different height therefore, a different perspective !!

Here's me and Uncle Rog ( Rory's brother ) listening to Holly's song and placing my vote for the day ! Have you voted ?? You know you can do it every day, right ?! Only 9 days left 'til the competition closes !

Go vote ... you'll be helping make a dream come true !!