Christmas Gifts

I know its March and a little late to be talking about Christmas gifts, but I never got around to sharing the gifts that I made for Riley's teachers. This year I decided to make cookies and cocoa. With Debbie's expert baking help, I was able to produce some decent tasting cookies, and with Doug's shrink wrap and bow tying skills, I was able to make the presentation look nice. Actually, Doug had no idea how to tie a bow, he watched a 5 minute You Tube video and was able to make these very cool bows all while I was still going.. "HUH????" He's good like that. I bought a big jar of Ghiradelli cocoa mix and separated it into smaller baggies which I placed into the mugs along with a candy cane to stir with. I hand wrote directions on how to make the hot chocolate on a tag which I tied to the hot chocolate baggie. I made up a quick tag that said "Cookies and Cocoa", listed out the types of cookies in the tin and put a few stickers on it. On the back side of the tag, I put the 4 photos of Riley that I used on my Christmas cards.

I waited until the last minute to make these, so I got the tins and mugs at 60% off at Joann's and I got the ornaments at 75% off at Kohls. I tried the best I could to match up the ornaments with something each teacher liked to do. Unfortunately, I don't know much about Julie, so I just gave her a standard bell. She was a student teacher at the time, but Riley absolutely loves her and insisted we give her a gift also.

I got a lot of compliments on the gifts, so I think the teachers liked them. By far the best cookies in there were the Oatmeal Butterscotch ones. I had never had them before, Debbie showed me how to make them in a bar shape and they came out super yummie. Just thinking about them makes me want to make some more!

Neglected Blog

Well, I haven't started the year out very well on the blogging front. The whole point in doing this blog was to use it to help remember all the little things that happen in our lives. I'm going to try and do better with the blog from now on. I have a list of things that I should write about to catch up on, but since hockey has really been in the fore front of my mind lately, I think I'll focus this entry on how my hockey photography has improved over the course of this years RIT season. Hockey is a very new sport for me, I've always been a basketball girl, but after seeing a few RIT games last season, I am now hooked. I can't believe its taken me this long to realize how much fun hockey is, especially RIT hockey. Our whole family has gotten into it which makes it even more fun. It's something we can all do together. Photography is a hobby of mine as I'm sure you know, so putting them together seems logical. I love sports photography, but don't get a lot of opportunities to shoot it. Basketball really is the only sport I've photographed. Well, I guess also I could count the high school football games of my brothers I photographed with my 35mm camera, but that was Sooo long ago. Learning the game of hockey over the course of the year (Thanks Deb!), I can really see an improvement in my hockey photography. I can now somewhat predict where the good action will be. I still have a long ways to go, but here's a little look at how my hockey photography has improved over the course of this RIT hockey season.

First game:



Faceoffs, learning how to stop the action, so you can see the puck. Other than that not much good about this photo



Alittle improvement, I captured the celebration after a goal. Photos still alittle dark.



An okay in action shot:



Action shot, but way blurry:



A better angle on the faceoff


Good facial expressions



Getting better, goal shot



Better:


Nice angle:


Latest photos I've processed, very happy with these:











I know I still have alot to learn about the game of hockey and a lot to learn about photographing hockey, but I must say I am truly truly enjoying both! I'm so glad hockey is a part of my life now.. I can't believe I went so long without it.

GO TIGERS!