FLASHBACK FRIDAY

Two weeks from today, Jeremy and I will be setting up camp at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, getting ready for a weekend of camping, Phish and my birthday! So looking forward to some solo time with my guy, while Hudson gets some Coco and Pops time. 

THE COUNTY FAIR {CAPTURED VIA IPHONE}

I have such fond memories of the California Mid-State Fair. I was in 4-H as a kid and raised a lamb one year to show at the fair. In all the months leading up to the fair, my lamb and I were a disaster. She wouldn't listen or behave. I vacillated between states of disinterest and frustration. It was pathetic. Then something magical happened when we got to the fair. Donning my all white outfit, punctuated by the 4-H signature green scarf and hat, my lamb Daisy and I entered the showing area and were like completely different lamb and girl. She was perfect, we were perfect. We placed 1st in our division which allowed us to compete in the next division where we placed 2nd. We made it all the way to the Senior division! And then I sold her to someone who planned to eat her. After that I didn't eat lamb for a solid two decades. And even now when I do, it's hard not to think of our weird little moment of glory. 

I'll tell Hudson this story when he's old enough to understand the whole animal is meat concept. Until then, I thought he'd enjoy a little petting zoo time. He was definitely a bit overwhelmed by the close proximity to all the animals, preferring to observe from the safe haven of Jeremy's and my clutches. Or maybe he was just somewhat distracted by his new love, TRACTORS. We stopped into a horse vaulting event (it's like gymnastics on horseback and you can YouTube it if you're curious) and there was a tractor clearing the ring. I don't even recall saying the word, but from that moment on it was all Hudson could talk about. He even woke up briefly on the way home muttering "tractor" again and again before falling back to sleep. I've never seen him so obsessed with anything before. We picked up a little John Deere Lego version on the way home and he won't let it leave his side. Maybe he'll end up a farmer like his great grandpa, Daddy Jim. In order to test this new found tractor dedication, we need to step up our game and take Hudson to the Colorado STATE Fair. The County Fair was entirely indoors so it would be nice to let him experience all the usual suspects: warm summer air, carnival rides, free concerts, the rodeo and of course plenty of tractors.  

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

this picture was taken four days before hudson was born. 

i found out today that two more women i know are pregnant! that brings the total to SIX, so crazy! i can hardly think of anything else i am so excited to meet my new nephew. get here already!!!

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY {EASY CANVAS PRINTS}

I have wanted to put this wedding photo on a canvas since the day we got our proofs back from the photographer, back in October of 2010. To me the image is artistic and unique, not your run of the mill wedding photo. And it just begs to be put on a canvas, don't you think? 

Fast forward almost three years and this photo was still just sitting on my hard drive. So when Easy Canvas Prints approached me to check out their canvases and write a review, I knew exactly which photo I would choose. But, that didn't stop me from trying out a ton of different photos during the ordering process. For starters, they've got an array of size options at every price point, including square canvases perfect for Instagram shots. Or you have the option of selecting a custom size. I think the larger canvases are great for scenic shots and artsy ones like I chose. But I could also see a little cluster of 8" squares from your Instagram collection hung together. 

Once you decide on your canvas dimensions and wrap thickness, 3/4" is standard but you can also opt for the 1.5" gallery wrap or have it framed, you're ready for the fun part of seeing your images as canvas proofs. You simply choose a photo to upload, they'll tell you if the quality is good, and then you click "proof" to see it in action. When you finally decide which photo to use (I tried about 50 just for the heck of it) you get to play around with the border that will appear on the edges of the canvas. I tried this out with a bunch of different images and found that the mirror image can look a little funky if you are using a close up portrait but can have a great affect if you're going with a landscape shot. The image wrap, which I went with here, can be versatile, but again might look a little strange if you are using a close up portrait. I ordered a smaller canvas recently, one of my little family, and went with the border color in black. I think it's the most classic look and can work with any type of image. Especially if you're nervous about how the image wrap or mirror image will look in person. 

They give you the option of changing the color to black and white or sepia for an additional fee, but I'm not sure why you'd choose to do that when you can edit the image beforehand with any number of free programs. They will also retouch the images for you, but at a pretty hefty cost. If your images aren't coming from a professional photographer and you don't choose to make any edits yourself beforehand, this could be a good option for you. I didn't want to fork over extra cash so I've been teaching myself to use a free program called GIMP 2.8. It's similar to Photoshop so there is a learning curve. But once you figure out a couple basic techniques you can dramatically improve the appearance of your images. 

The overall process was super easy and the turn-around time was quick. I placed my order on a Friday and it shipped out that following Monday. It arrived in perfect condition and I couldn't be happier with the quality. I wondered if it would be grainy or the colors wouldn't be true since it was such a large canvas. But I couldn't be happier with the outcome. It's absolutely beautiful. 

For a chance to win an 8" x 10" Easy Canvas Print, please visit Easy Canvas Prints and leave a comment below.  Good luck! 

Disclaimer: Easy Canvas Prints did provide me with a 16" x 20" canvas, but the opinions I've expressed here are mine.

Giveaway:

Prize: 8" x 10" Easy Canvas Print ($44.71 value)

1 winner chosen at random

Giveaway Ends Wednesday, August 14, 10am US Mountain Time

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OUR LITTLE WRIGGLING FISH

hudson has been taking swimming lessons for the past three weeks. they aren't very formal, but i do think they are helping with his comfort level in the pool. he does not care to be on his back or front and hasn't quite gotten the hang of blowing bubbles in the water. but, he LOVES jumping in to mom or dad. yesterday we took it a step further and added a dunk at the end. you can see by his squirming how excited he is by this new-found skill. 

FLASHBACK FRIDAY