Happy Birthday Scarlett!

Scarlett is 4! (a month ago, glad I'm finishing the post now)

The Thursday before her birthday they were learning about the letter "S" in pre-school. So she took treats for her birthday and for "S"carlett.

We had a friend party on Saturday, the 1st. She had requested for weeks before, to have an Owl party, and have a chocolate cake. I'm so glad a lot of her primary class could come, and a few of her other good friends.

We had an owl craft and did "pin the glasses on the owl".

The weather had been so perfect all week, but rainy and cold just the day before. It was pretty cold, but we still managed to have the pinata outside. Some of the friends were distracted by the treehouse and swingset, but at least everyone was having a great time!

Then we had cake and ice cream, opened presents. I'm very pleased with how it all went and it was relatively stress free. It was our first "drop off" party, so almost all the parents just dropped them off. I preferred this, less bodies. But was very grateful for the few parents who did stay. Shannon and Brian were a really great help with managing the event and so I could get some photos of it all too!

Sunday night we took some brownies and ice cream to share out to Pleasant grove to be with my extended family. It was also uncle Devry's birthday, so it's fun to share a few birthday moments together.

Monday, Seth took work off! But he still had a few clients to counsel in the evening. Scarlett had her well check up in the morning. We are so nice, to take her in to get shots on her birthday. It took some convincing but I'm grateful we got it over with now! No more shots now until she's 11, and  to start Jr. High!!!!!

 Scarlett's 4 year old stats: 35 lbs (55%ile) and 41.5 in tall (85%ile)

She opened her gifts, a ballerina music box and her first bike!! I'm glad she wasn't too afraid to try out her bike even though she got shots on both legs. Seth took her out for her first bike ride while I stayed in with Lincoln napping. She really loves it!

After Lincoln's nap we went out to Thanksgiving Point's Farm. The kids rode the ponies, and we went on the tractor ride. Saw lots of animals and Scarlett got to milk the cow. It's always a great time there.

We grabbed dinner at Chile's.  It was a really great day to celebrate our beautiful Scarlett!

One day I'll look back at this and laugh

 I hope that by this time next year, I will see this post and laugh. And cringe. And be embarrassed about my photo editing skills. Because by then I will be a lot better at this than I am now. Especially if I can take a class by then!

 Original:

After removing objects in Photoshop:

 After playing with the exposure in Lightroom

Photoshop

One thing I look forward to doing once Seth is home more after his internship is done... Is taking a Photoshop class! I don't know what I'm doing. I rely on YouTube tutorials and a co-worker of Seth's who is Photoshop savvy. But! I have been working on this photo to put in a frame over our fireplace.

BEFORE

STILL IN THE WORKS, BUT "AFTER"

  (cleaned up, lightened up, removed people/sidewalks/car/trees/lights, etc)

I'm just struggling fixing up the top of the temple, the lighting/levels through the upper level railing is suffering, badly. and I just haven't found the right fix for it yet.  (Both of my kids are yelling at me right now for help to open a door to let them back in from playing in the backyard, and one yelling from the crib because he is done with the nap. I'm so neglectful)

I want to attempt to remove the fence at the base of the temple as well.


Originally I was confident I wanted to buy one of those beautiful (super expensive) photos of the Nauvoo temple to go over the fireplace. But! Costco printing, $8 for a large size, done!