taken with my new ultra wide and slim from photojojo*

The other day I filled out a request to download a Team USA Backyard Party Pack. It is filled with game ideas, recipes and more. I thought it would be good for the kids in case we stayed home this weekend (which it looks like we are going to do). Last night, the UPS guy dropped off a package. I was completely surprised and very excited to find out that we won one of their Team USA Party Kits. Yay! It has a dozen frisbees, megaphones, stickers, dvd and an apron. I’ll post pictures on flickr when I get a chance, but for now… go download your own Team USA Backyard Party Pack.

Have a happy holiday weekend everyone and stay safe!

See more photos from the first roll of film through my new camera here.

Summer storms. Dark clouds, lightning, gorgeous light and rainbows…

This photo was taken with my new (to me) Olympus Pen EES. I’ve been wanting a camera like this for ages and was thrilled to find one at the thrift store. The film I’m holding on the right is from the other camera I got with film already in it. Walgreens was unable to scan it so I was checking to see if there were any pictures visible. The photo on the left is from Roberto’s drive thru, a Las Cruces staple. Tortilla Burger!

Now that we {finally} have Netflix, I’m watching a lot of movies rather than tv. I’d heard that The Burning Plain was partially filmed in and around Las Cruces so I added it to my queue. The movie was okay, but you should rent it just for the scenery. Seriously, half of the movie is right in my backyard and it shows the area beautifully. The Organ Mountains are in the background as the young actors bond in the desert. You can even see the rocks of La Cueva crouching near the bottom of the screen. There are a lot of views of the desert, creosote adding just a touch of color to the landscape.  It felt like home, maybe because it is!

One scene was shot in the Kmart where I get my medicine. And outside, you could see the Chinese restaurant that Mike and I eat at sometimes. The last time we ate there, I read in the paper that it was shut down for health violations later that afternoon. I didn’t even care. The crab rangoon was that good! Anyway, it was nice to see a little local locale on the screen.  Warning: this is not a kid appropriate movie. There are  some sex scenes, nudity and one instance of self-mutilation (cutting).

disposable camera

If I hide, will I disappear? No? Oh well… Today was a rough morning. Echo didn’t fall asleep until 9:45 last night so he was beyond grouchy this morning. He went from one bed to another trying to avoid school. I finally had to dress him and put his shoes on while Mia held his legs because he was throwing a huge fit. If you haven’t heard one of his tantrums, it is actually kinda funny. He says ‘Waaaahhhhh’, enunciated very clearly over and over. People don’t really cry like that! Anyway, it wasn’t funny this morning because I had to carry him to school and hand him off to a cafeteria monitor. Embarrassing.

Mica and Mikal usually get a ride to school with Mica’s friend but this morning Mica left for school on her skateboard without asking/telling me. The other girls never showed up for Mikal and Mica wouldn’t answer her phone. She knows she is in trouble already! I had to take Mikal to school and she was *almost* late, which was TERRIBLE. Mikal is all about following the rules, for now at least.

The good news is that the kitten under our house is improving. I’ve seen it running around a bit. Every morning I sit by the hole under our house and talk to it before leaving some food and water. Usually it stays out of sight until I leave. Ten minutes later the food is gone. But today, it poked its nose out and watched me while I talked. Maybe it is finally learning to trust me a little.

Also, this weekend our car broke down in Tularosa. Mike thinks the alternator is bad, but he is working and I don’t know what to do about it. I hope they don’t tow it away.

This was by far the best rainbow I’ve seen in years. The sky turned yellow and the light felt cloudy and clear all at the same time. It disappeared for a few minutes and then came back for an encore. That’s when I took these pictures. Awesome, no?

No vision and you perish;
No Ideal, and you’re lost;
Your heart must ever cherish
Some faith at any cost.

Some hope, some dream to cling to,
Some rainbow in the sky,
Some melody to sing to,
Some service that is high.

Harriet Du Autermont