Happy Signs of Spring

Did y'all know that it's spring already? I've been relishing life without running the heater as the thermostat in our house has risen from a steady 68 to 70 to 72 and has finally landed at 76. That's when I had to turn the air conditioner on for just a few minutes. My baby was sweating on me while I rocked her. That's a sure sign that it's too warm in the house. AC or not, I'm already excited about receiving our next power bill; it has to be lower than it was last month. Lower electricity bill aside, I love spring. It's absolutely my favorite time of year. After the coldness and deadness and drabness and dreariness of winter, my soul needs the spring. It longs for sunny days, daffodils peeking through the grass, bursts of forsythia, and Bradford Pear trees burdened with thousands of tiny blooms.

Oh, and flip flops.

And painted toenails.

My soul needs those things too.

A couple of weeks ago, Micah and I ventured outside for her first outdoor photo shoot, and while we were out, I snapped a few shots of the forsythia and Bradford pear blooms. They're the first herald of spring around here.

Sigh. Seeing those two things made my heart happy.

So do flip flops.

And painted toenails.

What makes your heart happy?

Until next time, grace and peace.

Tripped Up By Another Hurdle

Well, that was a short respite. Just two days ago, I shared my theory that motherhood is a marathon of hurdles. I was basking in the glow of a baby who slept 12 hours at night and took three long naps all by herself. Life was good. Then she got a runny nose. I took her to the doctor, thinking that she just had allergies, like her mama. But no.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with her," said Dr. Freeman. "She's got tonsillitis."

"Tonsillitis? Seriously?" I asked.

"Seriously," said Dr. Freeman. "Her tonsils are red, swollen and covered with puss."

"But she's not acting like her throat hurts. She only coughs when she tries to swallow the snot that's running all over her face," I responded.

"It's tonsillitis," said Dr. Freeman.

Dear friends. Just so you know. Tonsillitis on an almost-7-month-old baby isn't fun. If she wasn't acting like she was in pain earlier, she's definitely acting like it now. Last night, we spent the night in the chair, after repeated attempts to lay her down in the crib. When her head hit the bed, she shrieked in agony {at least that's how I interpreted the shrieks}. Needless to say, I called for backup. My mama {aka Nana} is here, and she has taken over rocking responsibilities for now.

Tonsillitis. I never would have guessed.

Hello hurdle. I'm not really pleased to meet you. Please go away soon.

Thanks.

Before & After :: How Photoshop Actions Have Changed My Life

Since Micah decided that she would take good naps yesterday, I was finally able to sort through the pictures we took on Easter, get them edited, and upload them for our friends and family to see. I'm sure that everyone in the whole world has known about photoshop actions for ages, but I only recently discovered them, and they have changed my life. As a communication major at Mississippi State, I took a photography class that covered rudimentary Photoshop skills, and for years, I have relied upon those basics to edit my digital pictures. I'm glad for the foundation I got in that class, but I've always wanted to be able to make my photos pop, and I wondered how other people did it with such ease. Now I know the secret. Photoshop actions. The great thing about many free photoshop actions on the internet is that you don't have to have the full version of Photoshop to use and enjoy them. I have Photoshop CS2, but my favorite actions are available for Photoshop Elements users as well. Yesterday, I used CoffeeShop's Perfect Portrait action to transform this picture of Micah from dull to bursting with color and life:

Photoshop actions. If you've got PS or PSE, you should try them. It will change your life, just like it changed mine. And now, my secret's out of the bag. It's not so much that I take fantastic pictures as it is that I can manipulate them to make them better.

For more of my favorite amazing free Photoshop actions, check out The Pioneer Woman's PS/PSE action sets.

Until next time, grace and peace.