Walker Calendar

As a student at Utah State, I began learning how to use photoshop. I worked in the computer labs and one of our labs was a graphic design lab with all of the software students needed for those courses. I started teaching myself photoshop and enjoyed playing around with photos. I started to use those skills professionally when I was promoted to be the Public Relations Manager for the computer labs instead of just a lab worker, among other things, I was responsible for digital and physical signage for the labs. David encouraged me to take a Photoshop class, even though it didn't have anything to do with my major - just because I enjoyed it. The skills that I learned during my work and education led me to start my own wedding announcement design business: Red Ladder Design. I have stepped back from that business right now, but it was such a wonderful opportunity, and I still use those skills in my calling, for friends, and for personal projects. 

When I was at my house this last month, my dad pulled out this calendar that I had given them for Christmas in 2008.  This was one of my projects that I created for my photoshop class - turned Christmas Gift. (It had to use photos and shapes or something like that). My dad pulled it out and was expressing that he didn't want to throw it away because of it's sentimental value but that it's hard to take every sentimental thing when you're downsizing to a home half the size. I told him I would scan in the pictures and then he could throw it away. Here are the scans of the calendar tops, filled with pictures of my family and childhood. Maybe next year I'll create a Shutterfly calendar for them with these files for the top. Or maybe I'll just put them here and enjoy walking down memory lane for a day. 

Super Friends

Austin is napping and Lydia is "resting" in her room. Actually I can hear her bumping around up there, so there isn't really a lot of resting going on - but I'm hoping she'll realize she's tired and that she'll go to sleep. Just enough time to squeeze in a little bit of blogging. And maybe even enough time for some guilt-free book reading. (Laundry is going and so are the dishes and I've already swept and vacuumed my floors today. I'm pretty much a super-hero myself.) 

*note: don't be too impressed with me, I haven't done any of the aforementioned household chores for over a week-maybe two- and only the complete chaos has forced me to be so productive today*

A while back, I made a deal with Ali to help her make a superhero cape in return for her taking some darling pictures of the kids and me. It really was a win, win, win for me because I got the pictures, got to have several play-dates while making the capes, and then got copies of these darling pictures of the two of them in their capes. I love everything about them. 

It took much longer to make the capes than I had originally thought it would, mostly because we had to take turns keeping the babies/kids occupied while we were working. The addition of the bias tape around the outside was a last minute add-on while shopping for fabric, but I think it turned out great.

 

This last picture is one of my very favorites. I feel like it captures my Lydia so well. One of the rare moments where she isn't running or jumping somewhere, but looking out and planning her next big adventure. 

The Train

When we first talked about moving to our house, we discussed at length the ramifications that living by the train tracks would have on our life. However, one thing that we did not anticipate at all was how much Lydia would love watching the trains go by. Before she could even speak, she would hear the train coming and make the baby sign for train with a giant grin on her face. She can hear the train coming long before I can, and she still runs to the window to watch the train whenever she can. David rides the frontrunner into work occasionally and Lydia often calls the train "Daddy's Train." 

Given how much time we have spent talking about the train and watching the train go by, it comes as a bit of a surprise that we haven't ever actually taken Lydia to ride on the train. I have a lovely friend, who always has amazing pictures on her blog and after expressing to her how much I wish that I had similar pictures of myself with my kids - she volunteered to go on an outing with us and snap some photos for me. When she suggested going on a train ride, I knew that nothing could be more perfect than documenting that with Lydia. I'm seriously in love with these photos. I love Lydia and I love Austin and I love how such sweet little snippets of our life were captured in these photos. They are a treasure to me. (Shout out to you, Ali! You are wonderful.)

Also, Lydia loves Henry. I might just want them to get married when they grow up. 

Melt my heart. 

Now every time the train goes by she gets super excited (even more than usual) and says "That's the train we rode on! With Henry." She occasionally adds "We rode on a train that was blue and white and red." or "And we ate nunch (lunch) on it." When she was first telling David all about the train ride she excitedly told him "And it has tables!" I think that we've learned that when a child loves something, it's so important to just jump in with them and love it with them because they may not love it as much at a later time. We have been talking about going on the train with Lydia this summer, but I'm so glad that we just went right now. It was perfect. 

I love this girl as much even more than she loves trains. (Which is a lot.)