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Monthly Archives: June 2006

How’s it going?

June 29, 2006 at 2:36pm

Summer vacation…how’s it going?

Mine… It’s been a week and a half so far. I’m over it. And I feel bad saying it. But it’s been a rough week. Lots of tattling and arguing and whining. And the kids are even worse than I am. :) Today Shelby was complaining that Matthew was following her around the house. Ironic, I thought, because she is guilty of doing the same thing to me (as are the rest of them).

The reward system is waning in its effectiveness, they have earned the big reward they wanted and seem to think that chores are optional now. Which puts me back into the role of threatening and begging them to do their work. They still do it. It’s still better than without the system, but still… I want the blissful first days where they loved the whole idea. I know this is ironic only five short days after my post raving about "the system." I still love the system, it’s just not as blissfully helpful as it was in the beginning. Still very helpful, though, so I’m not going to abandon it.

We’re out of food and I don’t dare to attempt a trip to the grocery store with all of them. But by the time Dave gets home from work, I’m too exhausted to attempt a trip to the store. But it’s becoming desperate, I’ll have to go today no matter how tired I am by this evening.

On the bright side, we’re getting in lots of swimming and lounging time. I’ve read a couple books so far. And we have air conditioning this summer (it was broken last year) and I’ve never been more grateful to be a modern woman. If for nothing else, I’m happy I don’t live a hundred years ago just so I can sit in my air-conditioned house. And at the same time, I do love hanging out with the little buggers.

So, yeah. Summer. It’ going to be long. :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

9 comments

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June 29, 2006 - 5:39 pm joanna - Hey you! i was just thinking about you today - long time no talk! WHohoooo for air conditioning! Wish I could bring the kids over for a dip in your pool! I have no advice...because, well, usually I get my advice from you! Camp, perhaps? ; )

June 29, 2006 - 6:51 pm Kerri - I feel like your post came straight out of my head! My 3 kids and I have been on break now a month and it has been busy and LONG and yet I hate to think about school starting too. Today was a killer - lots of whining, tattling and me threatening. I know exactly what you are going through. Tomorrow I am taking my first "day off" in six years. My husband has a vacation day and agreed that he would watch the kids. Amen! Going to the scrapbook store to hide out. First summer I am not attached to one of them (nursing) so it should be possible to be away from the kids for one full day.

June 29, 2006 - 7:22 pm Alana M - Well I am joining you in kid filled bliss now! Alex and Calvin had preschool and summer camp in June but they are home for the whole month of July full time. Lots of trips, and lots of nagging, whining and fighting too I'm sure.

June 29, 2006 - 9:41 pm kimberly lough - Shannon-a 2peaer here who lurks and sometimes comments. I am trying your "system" - today was the first day. I taught and used a "system" with my students with emotional handicaps. Have to say it is working, but...they (all four of them :)) are exhausting me with the earning and spending...in,out,in,out. Honestly, I missed having all of them watch one show TOGETHER, so I gave them a "freebie" show before bed. My oldest is attempting sleeping in her own bed for the first time in a loooooooooooooong time. Three of them sleep together in my son's room(mind you, they all have a bedroom). She gets 5 tokens...if she can hold out all night! My tv addicted son only redeemed two half-hour tv sessions and two computer sessions-believe me, that is an improvement. I'd send you my version if I only knew how to e-mail something from Microsoft works, I know...sad, but true. So thanks, we'll see how it goes. They all really want that date with the 'rents! Kimberly

June 30, 2006 - 7:31 am karen - longtime lurker here...do you have a grocery store you can have deliver to you? Vons just started on-line shopping and they deliver to my door and remember my "must have items" when I go to order again. LIFESAFER I tell you!!

June 30, 2006 - 12:29 pm Janet Ohlson - I'm right there with you. Our system has lost its popularity, and my 8 y/o has now declared she doesn't care if she gets any tokens whatsoever. So I'm about to dismantle it and go back to yelling, begging, grounding, and being miserable. When does school start again??

July 1, 2006 - 9:00 am Jackie Pettit - Yep, it's going to be a loooooong summer! What good books have you read? I am always looking for good recomendations.

July 1, 2006 - 12:05 pm staceykingman - Me, too. :)

July 6, 2006 - 4:23 am SiewlengH - Thank you! Thank you! for posting "the system" I implemented with my boys and it's working out so well. No saving for the big prize but it cuts down on the whining and when they're out of tokens, they happily toddle away to play with their neglected toys without a peep :)

bragging…

June 26, 2006 at 2:19pm

Meandgrace I hate bragging. Really, I do. Don’t like it in other people, don’t like it in myself.

But I’m going to brag for a second.

I got to go to dinner with a bunch of superstars. And you’re not going to believe me because I don’t even have pictures to prove it. I left the camera at home, assuming there would be lots of pictures taken, but as luck would have it, I can think of only two pictures taken of the whole group, neither by someone I know personally.

(*eta- just found one of Grace and me that Elsie posted on the GG board…I was trying to look cool, but failed miserably!) :)

But, believe me or not, I had a delightful evening with the lovely garden girls Carrie O., Elsie, Grace, Emily, Tara, as well as the ultra-fabulous Cathy Z and Ali E. (They rhyme…cool…) and a couple other girls (Ana, and Dona, who I met that night). They were all here for CKU San Jose, where I just happen to live. Lucky me.

Can I just say I felt like I had somehow snuck in and hoped they wouldn’t tell me to leave? But at the same time I’ve never felt more comfortable with a group of women. It was SO FUN. I have met only a precious few of my online friends. It’s always weird, walking up to meet them, knowing you have never met in real life but feel like good friends anyway, just a weird feeling. And SUCH a relief when you do meet and you are instantly comfortable.

But to meet THESE GIRLS. People I have idolized. Loved from a distance. And now speak to almost daily It was just extra special to me. I was telling Tara at dinner how it was SHE that got me started on this whole scrapbooking journey. Her layouts in that one HOF book. Her life somewhat similar to mine. Her clean, classic style. Her gorgeous photography. All of these just suddenly hit me with a "hey…I can do this. I NEED TO do this." Her stuff spoke to me. I felt like we were friends, even though she didn’t know me (I realize she has this effect on almost everyone, though, she’s just that way). So to get to the point where she considers me a friend in return and in light of the journey she inspired me to start, seriously, almost had me (and her) in tears. Just. wow. So fun for me.

Not to single out Tara, though… Emily. My gosh. The cutest accent. Delightful person. I wanted to put her in my pocket and take her home, just so I could listen to her. Any time she talked, I would stop what I was doing, just so I could marvel over the way she formed her words. Wishing I could, in a couple hours, figure out how to make that sound myself and talk like that for the rest of my life. Grace. I’m so delighted that we finally met. And that she lives close enough that we can do it more. She is SO fun and easy to talk to and just…wonderful. Elsie. Even cuter than I imagined. And I imagined her really cute. But she is just so sweet and adorable and unique…I think I might have actually been able to put her in my pocket. :) I saw Carrie. Lovely Carrie. I went to her class and she is an amazing teacher. So comfortable and open and real. Of course Ali and Cathy were delightful too. Totally deserving of all the success and adoration they have. All in all, one of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. The whole thing just made me so happy. PLUS I got to bring home the leftovers, since the other girls couldn’t.

So, there. Neener, neener. :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

11 comments

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June 26, 2006 - 4:24 pm Lisa - Shannon! So glad you were able to sneak in for a bit. Sorry I didn't get to talk to you, got all caught up in what was going on and then I turned around and you were gone. Sounds like all you girlies had a great time at dinner though. Thanks again for the pictures, everyone in my track LOVED them!!

June 26, 2006 - 8:48 pm Hilary - Wow... sounds like an awesome night! So glad you could enjoy that!

June 26, 2006 - 8:50 pm em - i felt like *I* was a stow-away myself! i think they let me stay cos of my accent! hehe. i gotta work it when i can. i am SO GLAD we got to meet! that dinner was just the best i think i have ever had. you are so wonderful yourself!!! we were all thrilled you could come join in the fun! e xx

June 26, 2006 - 11:02 pm Kate - You are too funny Shannon- but I so agree- I've met Ali a few times now and well she just plain rocks- a lot. And well yep, I am jealous you got to meet Tara and Emily and Grace and Cathy- man so can't wait to meet some of them! anywho- loved your post- your enthusiasm is too cute!!

June 27, 2006 - 7:09 am tifsmith - You know I was sitting here thinking that the dinner sounded like so much fun and then you threw in that you got to keep the leftovers. Lucky!! me (Practicing using capital letters like a big girl, but still not committed to using full sentances and proper puncutation.)

June 27, 2006 - 9:08 am Erica - Shyeah! I'm jealous! Mainly because they all got to meet *you* though ;)

June 27, 2006 - 12:08 pm Rene - And here I thought my town was kinda boring! San Jose was pretty cool this past weekend. Glad you got to meet so many cool people who inspired you.

June 28, 2006 - 11:58 pm Moriah Bettencourt - Sounds like soooo much fun!! By the time we ran into you in the hall Saturday I was sooo heading for home to see my boy :)

June 29, 2006 - 2:12 pm kellicrowe - to quote someone whom i adore you suck kellicrowe

July 2, 2006 - 12:10 pm Carrie - guess what??? I got to see YOU!! :) I was so excited to see you!! Thanks so much for being the friendly face before my class - it helped me so much! You're a great person and I am so happy that I can call you a friend! :) c

July 12, 2006 - 12:08 am erin - hi shannon! i met you at suzy's on wednesday night, and i did take some shots, and am happy to send them to you. my email is erin_yamabe@yahoo.com (i'm a garage girl with kent) you're so funny! i think of you as one of the celebrities! as i have loved your work since i saw your cheesy pleesy layout a few years ago, when i started this awesome hobby! cheers, erin

The system

June 24, 2006 at 9:10am

I meant to post this yesterday, but my computer is on the verge of dying. It keeps freezing up or restarting itself for no apparent reason. It makes me SO FRUSTRATED. I was proofing photos yesterday and it quit on me once while unloading them and another time while proofing them. I just gave up. I’m really scared that it’s going to just self-destruct and all my work will be lost. We are backing it up, but I also fear that the back up drive will self-destruct just to spite me.

Anyway, I’m going to give it a shot today, we’ll see how long the computer cooperates.
Ready, begin.
Jars It all revolves around these cute little jars. I went to a teacher store and bought the little tiddly winks or whatever they are (we’re calling them tokens) and the kids earn token for doing jobs and good behavior. Then, they can cash in their tokens for prizes.

So far, so good. I love that if they "buy" some tv time, they don’t complain when it’s time to turn it off. I love that they are actually excited to do extra jobs (sometimes) and especially that they’re not whining for TV or video games all the time. My standard answer is, Yes. But they don’t ask unless they’re willing to pay for it. It’s lovely. I don’t have to be the bad guy.

I worried that I’m teaching them to be greedy, but I actually think I’m teaching them about saving and budgeting. And let’s face it, people are ALWAYS motivated by greed. I don’t know of anyone that would take a job without getting paid for it, it’s how the real world works. I don’t dole out tokens for every single little thing, but I do find it’s a good motivator. :)

Here’s the chart, click to make it bigger.Points_1

So, there you go. I share because I care. :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

13 comments

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June 24, 2006 - 9:53 am Hilary Erickson - Ok, does that read 10 tokes for 100 dollars? Where can I get in for this?

June 24, 2006 - 10:02 am Kathi - Funny. I was thinking the same thing about the $100. Wait I just looked again. It's a $1.00. Boy - I was ready to move to your house.

June 24, 2006 - 10:18 am Ashley Wren - thats it. its official. im submitting you for mother of the year.

June 24, 2006 - 11:13 am tifsmith - this i like. i have been trying to do the token thing. but the week at the condo threw it off. how do you tell kids they have to earn/spend tokens with grandparents in the vicinity? NOT possible. but we're home now and theres no one to save them. muh hah hah.

June 24, 2006 - 11:40 am joanna - What a great idea! So funny - i was going to comment on the $100, too, but I'm pretty sure it's $1.00. LOL! any takers on the date w/ mom or dad?

June 24, 2006 - 12:26 pm Wendy Sue - LOVE this -- thanks for sharing...now I'm off to find tokens and cute little jars! :)

June 24, 2006 - 12:54 pm Lara - What a great idea...and look at you, making the instructions all cute and everything. :-)

June 24, 2006 - 7:28 pm Lara - AWESOME idea. I think i'm gonna steal it. And LOL at the 100$...that's what I thought too, but quickly realized. :)

June 24, 2006 - 8:21 pm Deanna - well first time for me to comment- but just wanted to say- AWESOME! i totally agree w/ you. hope it continues to me a motivator. the older they get the more motivators and creative discipline they need- i totally believe that! stick to your guns shannon! :) the $100 cracks me up though. did they totally drop their jaws on that one?! ha.

June 24, 2006 - 9:41 pm abby - Great idea! Hope you don't mind if I "borrow" and implement this in my house. Off to buy the tokens and save some baby food jar!

June 25, 2006 - 5:12 am Sande Krieger - What a great system! Love the baby food jars to keep them in!

June 25, 2006 - 12:16 pm Janet Ohlson - COPYING THIS...I had read Rhonna's post when it accidentally appeared on the Pub for 5 minutes (LOL) and meant to implement it but never did. I'm on it like white on rice!!

June 26, 2006 - 10:10 am Christie - LOL..LOL! This is awesome! I am laughing because I read the list to say 10 tokens for $100.00 and I was like, WOW, why would they want any other priviledge? I just could not believe that they had to pay 30 for a date but only 10 for a hundred bucks. Then I looked closer. I'm such a dork! You are one great mama!!

wake up call

June 22, 2006 at 3:50pm

I got on here to talk about the summer so far. How it’s going so smoothly thanks to a little motivational system Rhonna suggested. I’m loving it. The house is (reasonably) clean, the kids aren’t whining as much… but I’m going to save that for tomorrow perhaps. It just seems trite after the conversation I just had with a neighbor.

Because while I was sitting here, my neighbor called to tell me about their weekend. They’d been at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, a little amusement park on the beach. They had just left the beach and were walking up to wash their feet. She had her 12-year old take the 5-year old up the stairs (just feet away) to get in line while they got the stroller up to the top of the stairs. When they got there, they asked the 12-year old where their 5-year old was, and he had disappeared. Completely. For a few minutes, they just thought maybe they weren’t seeing him. He had been RIGHT there with them. They called security, and a few minutes later they reported that there had been a found child. I’m not sure how much time passed between losing him and finding him. But the scary part…

The kid had started to walk the wrong way…just a few steps, while his family’s back was turned. A middle aged man, there by himself, scooped up the kid, put him on his shoulders, and started walking away. The kid, confused, didn’t scream, didn’t do anything. A couple noticed this happening (thank goodness!) and told the man to put him down. The man insisted that he was taking the kid to his family. The couple insisted that he put the kid down. Eventually, he did, and left. But oh.my.gosh.

The whole thing gives me chills and makes me sick to my stomach…that it came that close. To someone I know. I usually comfort myself with thoughts of "MOST people are good. MOST people are trying to do the right thing. MOST people wouldn’t kidnap a child in a crowd in broad daylight, with his family standing right there."

But apparently, I’m wrong to do that. There IS nothing to comfort yourself. It’s sick. It’s sad. It’s wrong that people can destroy other people.

My neighbor is overprotective to a fault, almost. She’s been though a lot and she KNOWS what is out there. She doesn’t live in the same idealized dreamworld I do. And to find that evil sneaking up on her when she has done SO MUCH to protect her kids was almost more than she could handle.

Ugh. It all just makes me sick…

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

14 comments

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June 22, 2006 - 5:24 pm Missy - Shannon, I read this and got chills... I read it to my husband, a police officer, and he shivered... it's just SO wrong. I'm so glad he was ok. thank goodness for that couple!!

June 22, 2006 - 6:03 pm Hilary Erickson - Yikes, that's awful. A huge wake-up call to all of us as we're getting into the summertime.

June 22, 2006 - 10:23 pm Allison K - How awful! So glad they got him back! This makes my stomach turn....

June 22, 2006 - 10:56 pm Ashley Wren - yuck. sooooooooooooooo thankful for a happy ending. so glad you shared this with us. we could all be more aware. ash

June 23, 2006 - 6:12 am Jeannie - Praise God for the other couple!

June 23, 2006 - 9:57 am Mindy - Shannon, oh my gosh. You have just described my NUMBER ONE fear. I am so glad it all worked out! Sometimes things like this are a sobering reminder to be just a little more careful. Wow. I'm gonna go squeeze my kids...

June 23, 2006 - 11:27 am Mary Jo - That is so scary I almost can't breathe thinking about it. My son (who's four) walked right out our front door one day without me knowing. Thank goodness he was with a neighbor a little ways up the block but my heart literally stopped beating when I ran screaming his name out the wide open front door and didn't see him right away.

June 23, 2006 - 11:54 am melissa deakin (momteacherwriter) - oh my goodness,shannon, i have goosebumps. that is just so scary. i am so glad that everything worked out and thank God for that couple that saw the whole thing. i hope all is well with you. love your new banner!

June 23, 2006 - 12:10 pm Maureen - That is so scary and SO awful! I am very overprotective and get a hard time from many people for it (most often from my kids) but it's stuff like this that makes me realize it's okay to be overprotective. I'll be watching to hear about Rhonna's advice :)

June 23, 2006 - 12:17 pm Kathi - Hooray for that couple that DID something. Most people just walk away. Guess I won't be heading to the boardwalk by myself with the kids.

June 23, 2006 - 2:09 pm april - Oh Shannon. That makes me sick to my stomach. Oh.my.gosh. Thank GOD his parents were so quick to get security and that that couple was watching.

June 24, 2006 - 8:24 pm Deanna - glad i read this. thanks for sharing that. this is what i'm most overprotective about myself. i don't trust other people around my kids in places like that- crowds. i'm a mama hen right there. so freakin scary and just makes me soooo mad!!!

June 25, 2006 - 6:27 pm Alison - holy crap that's some freaky stuff! So glad things turned out the way they did for your neighbor.

June 28, 2006 - 9:29 am Jessi - that makes me want to barf.

moments like this.

June 14, 2006 at 5:26pm

There are some moments that having kids is just so totally worth it.

All the kids minus Franklin were playing next door. It was so nice…got some scrapping done while Dig was sleeping and when he woke up, he sat and cuddled with me while we watched Oprah. It was nice. But the really great part…the part that had me bursting with joy…

Is when I ran out of toilet paper in the bathroom and I asked him to get me some from the other bathroom. He ran off, found it, threw himself a little party for doing such a good job (his little YAY in the other room about killed me with cuteness) and ran back to deliver the goods.

If that’s not a reason to have kids, I don’t know what is.

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

13 comments

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June 14, 2006 - 5:52 pm Alison - dude...don't I know it! Those are usually the days we splurge and hit the dairy queen drive-through...

June 14, 2006 - 7:43 pm Shannon - I agree! Today's moment like that is when my son, 3, came into my Tastefully Simple Party and said "Mommy I love" and gave me a huge, just because!

June 15, 2006 - 12:17 am Hilary - Awwhhh..... very cute!

June 15, 2006 - 5:21 am kellicrowe - david always brought me back a square of tp when asked dude i don't even blow my nose with a square the yay in the next room - adorable:) kellicrowe:)

June 15, 2006 - 8:53 am tifsmith - i love this stage. the hopeful, helpful, happy stage. (hmmm, none of my kids are currently in that stage.) go franklin!!!

June 15, 2006 - 10:23 am Kim - Atleast yours found it!! I have to yell from the bathroom..."Josh, its in the laundry room, on the second shelf....the second shelf honey...1..2...right there. See it? Its got blue words on the package, just reach in there and grab one for me. The second shelf!!!! In the laundry room!!!! Nevermind, Josho....Josh... just go to the other bathroom and get me some off the roll in there. The other bathroom! In the hallway. YOUR bathroom, honey." OMG. Kudos to Franklin! Good job little man!

June 15, 2006 - 6:21 pm AmyG - awwwww! so cute!

June 16, 2006 - 8:23 am Julie - Way to go little man!

June 17, 2006 - 9:09 am Kathi - You're hillarious!

June 17, 2006 - 10:06 am Mindy - Too funny! Kids come in handy in the darndest ways. Good job, Franklin! Love your new banner, by the way.

June 18, 2006 - 2:45 pm doris - o.m.g. CUTE! happy day! :D

June 20, 2006 - 9:59 am Julie-Jami's mom - OK Shannon, I've resisted commenting too long. You are a gifted photographer and writer. Your stuff is super entertaining :O)!

June 21, 2006 - 5:16 pm Ashley Wren - and THAT my friend... is EXACTLY why I'm having one more. take out the trash! wash the dishes! you've got it all figured out girlie.

high dive

June 12, 2006 at 12:31pm

I feel like I’m standing on the edge of the high dive, trying to get up my nerves for the big jump. This is the last week of school and then summer starts. A whole big open space for me to fill with whatever I want. And I’m nervous. Nervous of wasting away the summer with meaningless fluff and tv and computer time. Excited to spend lots of time with the kiddos. Scared of spending so much time with the kiddos that we all start to go crazy. But mostly excited.

We made up a job chart, hoping to limit our tv/computer time and read more. We sat down together last night and we each made a list of goals we want to accomplish during the summer (reading books, polishing up those times tables, etc…) and our wishes (things we want to do, places we want to see). I’m feeling ready.

And a bit nervous. :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

8 comments

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June 12, 2006 - 12:55 pm Moriah Bettencourt - You can do it! :) I'm so thankful for summer school LOL.

June 12, 2006 - 3:11 pm Hilary - Seriously... didn't you have this same blog entry at the beginning of last summer?

June 12, 2006 - 7:34 pm Alison - love your approach to Summer. LOL. I hear ya with the Tv/comp time thing. UGH. So hard to keep them off when it seems like we have FOREVER to kill.

June 13, 2006 - 5:09 am kellicrowe - high dives make me think of greg luganis hitting his head on that cement board as he jumped off the high dive in the olympics dude kellicrowe

June 13, 2006 - 7:04 am Andrea - Lucky. I wish I had summer break. gosh dangit.

June 13, 2006 - 8:08 am Alana M - Good call and good luck. The last days here are today and tomorrow.

June 13, 2006 - 5:11 pm tifsmith - Oh how I wish I had one more week until summer break. I love having the kids home. Really I do. I just wish I would have had one more week. Good luck with your list! ;)

June 13, 2006 - 5:49 pm Shannon - I guess that's where I can wish my guy went to school so I could have that "what to do with summer" feeling. Right now it's just easier since we can play and play outside!

Photoshop

June 5, 2006 at 5:07pm

I love photoshop. Love it. It’s the secret to making people think you’re a good photographer.

See…take a picture like this. Before   Nobody’s going to be fooled into thinking you’re a good photographer. In fact, they think you probably don’t know what the heck you’re doing.

In my defense, the light was HORRIBLE. Totally flat and gray.

Enter photoshop: After Suddenly you’re not as bad as you thought. (not that this is the world’s greatest picture either, but I’m guessing you can see a difference) :)

Anyway…I’ve been playing with the pictures I took at Bodega Bay with the Fam. Part of the fun of being a photographer is the challenge. Whether it is the location, the subjects, the light, or photoshop tricks, there is always a challenge.

I’ve put together an album of the pictures. If I were REALLY cool, I’d make an album for each member of my family. But I’m not really cool. So this digital album for you all to share is the best I’m going to do. :)

Here you go, share nicely, no fighting… :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

16 comments

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June 5, 2006 - 5:41 pm Hilary - AWESOME photos Shannon. Nice editing. Glad to see you at least ONCE in them. :)

June 5, 2006 - 7:42 pm kent - I have GOT to get photoshop - what a difference well and your awesome camera too helps!

June 5, 2006 - 9:56 pm Moriah Bettencourt - Shannon that is CRAZY ... what a difference!!! Can I do it with PSE? I don't have the *real* PS. Glad you had a nice trip to the coast, Bodega Bay is so pretty.

June 5, 2006 - 10:12 pm Jami - Oh wow, I feel famous now. :) Awesome pictures!

June 6, 2006 - 8:51 am shannon c - You have a BEAUTIFUL family. :)

June 6, 2006 - 12:15 pm Shannon - Great editing - but do you think it's possible to get good results with Photosop Elements 3? I ask becasue that's what I ahve and about all I can afford right now.

June 6, 2006 - 12:18 pm moon ko - i loves the photoshop too... awesome album, shannon! -moon

June 6, 2006 - 12:40 pm Kim Cherry - WOW Shannon! Amazing photos...amazing subjects...amazing scenery. Gorgeous - all of it! I'm jealous...Bodega Bay is RAD!! Looks like you guys took full advantage. :) I wanted to learn Photo Shop before, but now I HAVE TO learn photo shop!!!!!!

June 6, 2006 - 12:45 pm Andrea - Sis, you rule.

June 6, 2006 - 3:59 pm chris jenkins - i love photoshop too! great pictures!

June 6, 2006 - 5:08 pm Stefani - The picture turned out great! Bodega Bay is awesome!

June 7, 2006 - 8:32 am Jeannie - Photoshop is awesome! I love my actions for all the reasons you described =)

June 7, 2006 - 9:06 pm jamie - cool save shannoN! :)

June 7, 2006 - 9:53 pm Colleen - I have PS somewhere, but really only use PSE 4 - so can you give a few hints on what you do to make your photos pop so incredibly? They really look amazing and can make all the diff. between keeping a photo and NOT.

June 9, 2006 - 7:52 am Sande - I LOVE Bodega Bay! I grew up in No. Calif up in the wine country...a little town called Cloverdale. We visit every year, usually at Christmas and love going to the ocean. I totally agree on the Photoshop thing! What an amazing program...couldn't live without it. Although, I might be a better photographer if I didn't have it.LOL!

June 9, 2006 - 10:19 am Kari - Of course I knew you take amazing photographs, but man, what a gorgeous family you have!

Happy Birthday Dave!!

June 3, 2006 at 5:20pm

D Happy Birthday to Dave. My main man. My one and only. The love of my life. The father of my children. My partner. My best friend.

It’s my greatest honor, being partnered with this man. Love him. Lots. And just had to tell the world.

Happy Birthday, Hottiepants! :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

5 comments

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June 3, 2006 - 7:13 pm april - happy birthday, dave!! shannon---I really think we need to see a "hottiepants" layout in the Garden soon! ;)

June 4, 2006 - 7:07 am Hilary - First off... why oh WHY did my filter not get that LAST WORD? Yeesh.... and secondly... man, is it his birthday again? Seems like we just had a blog entry about this. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!!!!

June 4, 2006 - 10:56 am kellicrowe - i agree & concer i wanna see the hottie pants lo in the garden kellicrowe

June 5, 2006 - 7:43 pm kent - Happy Birthday - ummm hottiepants? Love, Matt and Kent

June 6, 2006 - 5:18 pm Ashley Wren - and the man you LOVE making some babies with. ash

Some faves

June 2, 2006 at 4:56pm

I’ve been going through the pictures I took at the beach house.

Got some fun ones. Didn’t take nearly enough. Actually, maybe I did. I was enjoying myself and part of the action, not just an observer behind the camera. I think I’ll put together an album here. But I’m not finished proofing. So in the meantime, here are a couple of favorites.

Trenton. Boy didn’t like the cold and the wind. :) Trentysosad  

Mike and Cathrina and their gorgeous family.

Mcfam Sisters Jl_1 Jeff and Lindsay…the newlyweds. :) Their love like a fire is burnin’. haaahaaa

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

9 comments

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June 2, 2006 - 5:44 pm Hilary - Great shots Shannon..... my filter edited that last one. Kidding.

June 2, 2006 - 8:02 pm Moriah Bettencourt - WOW seriously great pics there!! Those 2 little girls are sooo precious!!! FAB!

June 2, 2006 - 11:02 pm Kathi - Hey that's a cool picture of the newlyweds. They're all cute!

June 3, 2006 - 8:51 am kent - Great shots! I LOVE how you capture the best baby expressions!

June 3, 2006 - 12:48 pm Jami - OH MY GOSH!! I love those pictures!!! You're amazing!

June 4, 2006 - 2:05 pm candi - love these Shannon!!! Super cute!

June 6, 2006 - 5:09 pm Stefani - Awesome shots!

June 6, 2006 - 5:10 pm Stefani - LOL! While checking out your blog and looking at the photos (and commenting) my co-workers walked by and they are loving the photos and the cute girls. They keep telling everyone to come and look. :-)

June 12, 2006 - 12:19 pm Rachel - GORGEOUS Pics Shannon!

Oprah

June 1, 2006 at 8:44pm

I’m an Oprah fan. Have been since the fall of Adam. (where did that phrase come from? cracks me up…anyway…)

Oprah was my only friend for a while. After I had Shelby, my life totally changed. I went from being rarely home with everything I had going on, to being home all the time with a tiny baby as my only company for most of the time. I didn’t know another soul who’d had a kid within the last 15 years. I was lost. Everyone I knew from before was at work all day. I didn’t know anything about the job I was trying to do. I was really really lonely.

But Oprah was there for me. Every day. Like a real girlfriend, she would talk about things. Deep stuff like child predators or protecting yourself, light stuff like which bra to wear or what movie to see, good things, bad things, whatever, just like real friends do. I just felt a connection. Even though I wasn’t doing the talking, I was a part of those conversations, that connection I craved. She filled a need.

Now, I’m doing fine. I have friends of my own and conversations that I’m actually involved in. I don’t need her like I did. But she helped me get through, and for that I’m so grateful.

I was watching her 20th anniversary DVD this afternoon. (sick today…bad headache…so I’m taking the day off, if there IS such a thing…) The thing that really struck me was that it really doesn’t matter what you look like as much as who you are. Because who you are just shines right through. Especially if that person inside is beautiful. I know that’s cliche. But still… Once you know a person a long time, you stop seeing what they look like and start seeing them as who they are, probably the reason people still dump supermodels. :)

Then I was wondering where I am on that. I feel like I am a pretty authentic person. I don’t really act like I’m anything I’m not or pretend to be anything other than what I am. But that’s not good enough. I think to be your TRUE self, it takes some work. Just like eating right and exercising makes you look best, I think it’s not about doing the easiest thing or just doing whatever you feel like at the moment that make you who you’re meant to be. It’s work. Good work. But still work. And I’m definitely not working hard enough. Right now at least, I’m feeling motivated. Feeling like that person I see myself as someday won’t exist if I don’t build her, so I need to get to work. Thanks again, Oprah, for enlightening me. Just by being you. :)

Posted in old blog

by Shannon Montez

3 comments

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June 1, 2006 - 10:40 pm elizabeth - I totally felt (and still feel) the same way about Oprah... she was definitely my friend after I went from teaching to stay-at-home-mama when Maddie was born. It's comforting to flop on the couch and watch, if only for 10 minutes : )

June 2, 2006 - 3:29 pm tifsmith - yep, oprah was my friend too. but i had to dump her. not because she did anything wrong. i let my kids get in the way of our relationship. we drifted. and now i rarely see her anymore. man, i miss my friend oprah. tell her hi for me next time you see her. :)

June 3, 2006 - 8:52 am kent - Wow - good words and so true!