Moving Picture

I've been having quite a few people ask me how I did the moving pictures on my blog. I wish I could say I came up with some amazing idea on my own, market it and sell the software... but I, being the copycat that I am I just can't.

It is called "gif animation" (don't ask me what gif means, I don't know). It is super simple. I just did a google search to find a website. I used MySpaceGens because it didn't require you do download any software (I just hate doing that).

You just upload the pictures you want to mash together and viola! It creates the gif file for you. Now the website I used isn't an image host, so I copied the image URL and uploaded it to photobucket.com (I am sure other places like flicker and such would work too) and then used the image URL from photobucket to get it on my blog. If you just use the MySpaceGens image url, it will be deleted after awhile when the web pages refreshes (I learned the hard way). I also just tried saving the image to my computer from MySpaceGens, but it breaks apart the photos you use when you do it. 

The website I used lets you use up to 50 images (I think the last one of Sarah was around 20 or so). You can also change the speed of how fast it flips through them. The default is 1 second, so I changed it to .25 seconds to speed it up a bit.

Its so much fun, now I expect all of you to snap multiple pics at one time and make you're own!!

Let me know if you have any questions... and please, share a link when you make one, I just think they are so much fun. I know I am silly, I could just as easily make a video, but it is more fun this way!

PS - I think when you have some blurry movement pictures thrown in there it make it look better.

L'art du Déplacement

PARKOUR!!!

Okay not really. 

This is just how Sarah burns energy when we can't go outside for our daily walk. 

Man, I am really getting addicted to these things!

So Tired

No wonder she was fussy, I thought she was just hungry. 

I set her in her chair with some puffs and finished making dinner, 

only to come out and find her out cold. Poor, tired, little girl!

The Stephenson Tongue

All the Stephenson's do it. 

It just pops out when they are concentrating really hard. 

It was cute to see her so focused. 

Don't ask me what I was thinking, because I honestly don't know. 

Purposefully teaching my three year old to use scissors?!!
It just seemed like so much fun to cut out pictures from magazines together (and it was).
I didn't realize how bad of an idea it was until my mother said, 

"Liz, scissors cut things like clothing... and HAIR!" 

Pray that I don't post about Sarah's new self-cut hair. 

Please, please, oh please!

Here is that crazy tongue again!

I've been bad...

but I am changing my ways. 

I'm beaming because today I ran my first mile straight, no stopping, and at a good pace (for me)... 15 mins, on the treadmill, so that is probably what, a half hour if I did it outside? Anyway, I know that it is whimpy and admits how out of shape I really am (and oh how I am), but I am so happy about it. I have a looooong way to go, and I am not giving up. Those who really know me know how determined I can be, and I am putting my foot DOWN!! 

*squishes little bug* 

{Oops, sorry!} 

I can't believe that I ran a marathon, 26.2 miles, that is soooo long... how in the world?!??!

I need to show myself that I can do it again. 

The Pittsburgh, City of Bridges Marathon is the Beginning of May, no way is there a chance that I'll be ready in 36 days, but next year I am DOING IT!!!

GO FIGHT WIN!!! 

Stevie Film Festival

Okay not really, I wish I could make a film, but instead here are some movie clips that I've been meaning to post forever... 

Stand Up and Tell Me Your Name

ABBY!!!

(did anyone else's mom sing that song to get you out of the bath tub... full lyrics at bottom of post)

Abby is getting really good at pulling herself up any and everywhere. She even is getting brave and only holding on with one hand. 

I'd find it absolutely adorable if she wasn't pulling herself up to...

CHEW ON MY FURNITURE!!!

Oh well, I still find it utterly adorable anyhow!

*sigh* 

A mother's love!

"Stand Up" Bath-time Song:

Stand Up, Stand UP! 

Stand up and tell me your name, your name.

Stand Up, Stand UP! 

Stand up and tell me your name.

(Child then stands up quickly shouting their name while mom wraps a towel and pulls child out of the tub)

Five Already?

I can't believe that she is cutting her FIFTH TOOTH!!!

Here is a closer shot, it is on the bottom left of her mouth (her right side). 

Her top two aren't even all the way in. I know some people are excited about these new stages, but every tooth I see pop out reminds me more and more that my little baby is getting so big and it is happening so fast! Why can't they just stay little, bubbly bundles of joy forever?

Pretty soon she will be all toothy like this...

And she'll stop smiling just because I have the camera out and am talking to her. 

Rather than repeatedly pestering for a smile and finally getting this...

when I want something genuine like this...

And we won't even start with the food messes that she'll be making.

Like this...

I guess that is why we take pictures... to remember these moments that pass by so quickly. 

Sunday Best

To Sunday Mess!

I'm starting to wonder why I even do her hair anymore...

I promise it did look cute at one point during the day. 

Sarah loves to pretend that she is falling and needs your help. She will make this face, hold out her hand and say in a drawn out dramatic way, "Ahhh, help me, give me your hand..."

And yes, she keeps saying it until you give her your hand and come save her from falling off... 

the bottom step of the stairs to the faraway floor below or what ever deadly predicament has befallen her. 

PS - Sarah is leaning on the couch to bask in that 5:37pm (daylight savings) sunshine mentioned HERE. Made for a really cool picture... because Sarah was so bright my camera didn't pick up anything behind her... which is a good thing because there was a mess back there. 

Carousel Music

is great to dance to!

Pitt-Stop

On our way home we decided to take a detour route and swing by the Hershey's Chocolate Factory. 

Ta Da!

Sarah got to hold the Worlds Largest Chocolate Bar

She could barely hold it!

{But at a whopping $39.95 she better hold on to it!}

Abby enjoying being out of the car (and trying to get the camera)

The cheesy caroling cows throughout the ride. 

Oh and yes, we rode it twice because Sarah begged us to. 

I think she would have ridden it over, and over, and over again if we would have let her. 

It was a fun little pit stop! And we are proud to say that the only temptation that we gave into were these...

Gianormous Cupcakes!!!

I love to see the {Washington DC} Temple

This temple has always been my favorite. 
I feel so lucky to live so close to it now!

I was so happy it was such a beautiful day, and that there were even flowers blooming! Oh how I love SPRING!!

Sarah loved running circles around the fountain 

(and I loved her burning off excess energy).

My love!

Families can be...

Abby and the Temple

I love this one of Sarah looking at the Temple.

This was Abby's first time really experiencing grass, she loved it!

{sigh} it is even marvelous at night!

I can't wait for our next temple trip... hopefully sooner rather than later. 

St. Patty's Day

In Washington, DC

Our only family shot of the day. 

{CHEESE!}

Ham Samich...yum!

I {LOVE} this one!

Air and Space Museum

Abby enjoying herself.

Carousel Ride

Of course, she wanted to go again 

(even though she didn't really enjoy the first ride)

Sarah: "Look, LOOK!!! A rocket ship!"

Bright sunny day!

Hitching a ride. 

PS - I made the matching shirts the girls are sporting