Friday Q&A

I read about the "repenting bench" a long time ago from something of your parents {I wrote about that here} but I have always wondered what if you have a strong willed kid that wont sit on the bench– especially when they are already fired up? Sit there with that strong-willed child.  My Dad says “put a seat belt on that fighting bench” !  Whatever will keep him/her there for long enough to calm down and think about what they did wrong.  It may be really tough for the first couple times, but it will get easier if you are persistent and consistent.  Lately Lucy has been fired up about some things that aren’t fighting-related…just feisty and snappy and grumpy.  I’ve been having her “put her nose to the wall” when this hits (a brilliant tactic introduced to me by one of my wise sisters).  At first my request caused Lucy to melt into a tantrum, but gradually she has decided I’m not forgetting about that darn thing and she solemnly puts her nose to the wall for a minute until I ask if she’s ready to join us back in ‘real life.’  How do you put your watermark on all your photos? I’ve noticed "71toes" and "Sepphotography" and want to know how to do that stuff to my pics. Thanks! I do try to watermark the pictures because every so often I notice one of my pictures displayed somewhere I didn’t give permission for. I know there’s a way you can do it automatically in Lightroom, but it always puts the watermark in the same spot so I opt to do it in Photoshop so I can have more options. If you don’t know Photoshop, this may sound like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, but if you do, all you do is go to “file,” then “create new.” Create whatever you want your watermark to say with the text tool. (I just make them small because you are going to turn this into a “paintbrush” where you can adjust the size.) When you have it how you want it, go to “edit,” then “define brush preset.” It will give you the option to name it whatever you want. After that your watermark will be available as an option when you use the brush tool. Does that sound like a bunch of hog-wash? Sorry! Maybe I’ll have to do a tutorial with pictures some time. Ok…I have to ask. HOW, HOW, HOW do you do it all???? Your kids seem so involved in everything which is great but I just really don’t see how you do it. Please advise 😉 I don’t. I am sadly lacking in SO many areas. I sure wish I could “do it all!” Remember, this blog is where I record our family life and it’s so much easier to cover all the exciting stuff like sports and recitals and sun-lit walks to the park than it is to capture things like how frustrated I am at the laugh-track on the dumbest ever TV shows my sick kids have been watching lately! Although I do try my very darnedest to be deliberate and live my life “on purpose” I struggle and fail every single day. We all do, right? One of my favorite quotes that makes me feel better about that little fact: “Oh God of second chances and new beginnings, here I am again.” (not sure who said that but I love it.) Be sure to read my disclaimer here if you ever think I have it all together 🙂 In closing, I’d just like to share my favorite lunch lately: My caprese salads.  (Fresh mozarella, tomato and basil with balsamic vinaigrette.) Mmmmm.