The holidays are typically the time of year when the word “bokeh” is thrown around. In photography the word means blur. With all the extra twinkle lights being draped on trees, lampposts, banisters, and maybe a child or two, you can find the holiday blur in the background of pictures worldwide, whether you meant to or not. The lights become enchanting dots or hexagons (depending on the aperture, if you want to be technical).

Last year I received a bokeh filter kit that will allow me to change those dots into various shapes. And now that we have lights on our tree, I can play with bokeh all I want!

If you want a great tutorial on how to get bokeh, check out Darcy’s bokeh how-to post from last year. She’s going to be hosting another Bokeh party on the 8th (mark your calendars!). And if you want a tutorial for making your own bokeh filter (for cute shapes), Amanda wrote about DIY bokeh filters too.

1) I’m behind in decorating.
2) I’m behind in gifting.
3) I’m behind in {fill in the blank}.
4) It’s time for the December Photo Project!

I’ve been crappy at blogging this year, but I have kept up with the photography stuff and I’m thrilled to participate in this fun December challenge again. I even bothered to get it done in the morning so I’m not sitting on my couch at 9 with my brain clocked out thinking, “Oh, I need to post a picture.” Think I can keep this up for 24 more days?

Without further ado day 1:

Our Jesse Tree and Advent Candle.

This Advent our church put together Jesse Tree banners for anyone who wanted them. Our church family can share in Advent together by going through the same scriptures at the same time in this period of anticipation for our long awaited Savior. We did our scripture reading this morning since it fit in with our family plans. I added Aldi Advent Calendars for everyone to get a bit of chocolate, which the kids loved to have in the morning.

[tags]#DPP2011, photography[/tags]

This book contains nine images I submitted to Lark after they saw my letter projects on Flickr and approached me. (Sidenote: While some of our flickr photostream is organized, it could be better, I know!) I submitted them at the eleventh hour during the haze of getting our house on the market. I wasn’t even sure if they would pick any of the pictures, let alone nine of them! I have pictures from Chattanooga, Wichita Falls, and Asheville in the book.

I think this is my favorite submission.

The book brings you through the entire alphabet (they didn’t leave out a single letter!) as seen through the lenses of 115 photographers from 26 different countries. It is a kind of coffee table book, or as I like to think of it, a gallery of 250 photographs bound in a handy carry-around size.

If you are so inclined to order the book you can check out Focus: Letters on Amazon or Focus: Letters on Barnes and Noble. (Family members, please contact me before you order.)

I’m a little giddy over this… please share in my giddiness too!

[tags]published, Lark Books, Letters, Digital Photography[/tags]

Today I made the Ninjabread Men for Damon’s office party. I also made some regular gingerbread men, but the Ninjabread Men were a bit cooler to make.

However, I will note that making Ninja shaped cookies didn’t really put me in the Christmas spirit, as it would most of the time. Instead, I couldn’t get a Barenaked Ladies song out of my head:

The Ninjas are deadly and silent
They’re also unspeakably violent
They speak Japanese, they do whatever they please
And sometimes they vacation in Ireland.

The Ninjas are deadly and silent
They’re also unspeakably violent
They speak Japanese, they do whatever they please
And if you tear off their masks, they’ll be smiling.

At least these ninjas aren’t unspeakably violent. They just taste really good.

[tags]December Photo Project, Ninjabread Men, gingerbread men, barenaked ladies[/tags]

What I see is a big boy who can do something like build a passenger car by myself and the little boy who happily sits by his daddy to get help to build a passenger car. The contrast pierces my heart, as Fuller moves on to being that much more independent and Tebow moves into being able to participate in such events.

This picture is from a birthday party we went to this evening. I think it is a great family shot, especially since the baby is looking right at me!

[tags]December photo project[/tags]

Tonight’s DPP represents me letting go and being ok with something not so exciting.

Dinner was kind of scraping the barrel tonight. I need to go to the grocery store, but I didn’t have the car today so I really had to make do with what was in the house. And honestly, I have to tell myself that over and over sometimes because really, it’s ok to have a meal that isn’t worthy of five stars. And if we don’t eat it now, it will go to waste and that is money down the drain.

So, I pulled out the skillet, threw in the last of the chicken, made some rice, and dinner was served.

Now I need to make a list… I’ll be hitting a grocery store tomorrow.

[tags]December photo project, dinner, grocery shopping[/tags]

I said I needed more practice, and I think I’m finally getting it.

What do you think?

[tags]December Photo Project, Holiday Bokeh Party, Bokeh[/tags]

First, this morning’s sunrise was breathtaking and immediately had me running for the camera.

The rest of our day was spent in errands and then coming home to clean and cook for a special visitor, Mr. Bob. Bob usually meets with Damon on Wednesdays. They hike, talk, and pray together. Since Bob’s wife is out of town for a little while, we invited him over for a home cooked meal.

I’m a little proud of myself because I attempted two new things: riced cauliflower and stuffed mushrooms. Both were hits, so I’m sure they will make it back to the table again. I meant to take a picture of the mushrooms but they all were eaten too quickly.

Bob visited for a while, including listening to our Advent verse and praying with us.

While it was a busy day, it was a great day.

So anyway, we were in the cold and it was sunny and windy. Tebow wasn’t into being strapped in his stroller, but there was this moment where he was laughing and happy.

I love the sunflare and his smile. I can’t help but smile back.

Check out more sweet shots at My 3 Boybarians. There is plenty of encouragement over there!

First, I can’t believe I forgot to post this yesterday. I took the picture, uploaded it to flickr, and then got distracted.

As has been mentioned in the past, making Christmas cookies is not high on my list of fun Holiday activities. But my husband asked me to make some for his office party and since he purchased some kick-butt cookie cutters, I said “Sure!”

Since the dough requires refrigeration I made the dough yesterday. And when transferring it from bowl to plastic, I snapped my spatula. And not a cheap 50 cent spatula. It was a Pyrex, high heat spatula. And the handle just SNAPped while I was working.

Here’s hoping I can remember to post today’s picture today.

P.S. Having a blog is a great way to keep track of things you might otherwise lose or forget. For instance, I couldn’t find my copy of the gingerbread recipe (I moved, remember?) but I had it posted on the blog! Do you want my gingerbread recipe? Here it is!