PhotoStory Friday | Outtakes

...Because sometimes, the outtakes are the best part of the project...

On a recent little shoot with our kiddos, I discovered several things.

One, I'll never shoot in JPEG again. A few years ago, I tried shooting in NEF-RAW and I never really got the hang of it. For so many reasons, I do now and I LOVE it.

Two, sunsets really are the golden hours of light.

Three, I have really adorable children. =)

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Wordless Wednesday | Light and Beauty

Exciting News!

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander have gone DOT COM! After piddling around for months this year, I have finally transitioned this blog. This makes me very happy!

Please, if you are a follower, have bookmarked us or read our blog via feeds, change the URL. This way you can continue to keep up with our family. The new URL is as follows: http://www.crackerjacksonline.com

I mean, you wouldn't want to miss new and exciting things going on in our world, now would you? haha! Especially when it involves such cuteness, like this.



Some things will take time to transition over, including some of my widgets. Please bare with me as these changes happen and hopefully we will be up and running, bug free, very soon.

Sunday Citar | Carefree Princess

"Happiness is never stopping to think if you are." -Palmer Sondreal

Alexander Henrik | 2 Months (and 6 Days)

My Prince, Alexander, turned 2 months old on the 9th of October. Two.Whole.Months! It can't possibly have been that long already. Although, it does feel as if he has always been a part of our family.

At 2 months old, Alexander loves to snuggle. He wants to be held all day, close to your heart. If he's not curled up on my chest, he's curled up on his stomach or side with a blanket swaddled all around him, leaving only his face uncovered. He also loves to be worn in our Moby wrap.

Alexander is cooing and making noises, holding his toys and shaking them about. He's focusing better on things brought in front of him too. He knows (and loves!) my voice. He will turn his head just to find me. My Prince also has no qualms about his sisters bugging him constantly through the day and does not mind in the least bit if they are loud and running through the house while he naps.

Such a good, sweet, little Prince. We couldn't have asked for a better baby boy. Alexander did have his 2 month check up on Wednesday. All seems to be going well and he's on par for his age. There was some concerns last month during an appt that Alexander may have some heart issues. Of course we worried all month until they could get him in and rechecked. It seems, as of now, those issues have resolved themselves and were no longer a concern to our Pedi. Thank goodness. :)

So, current measurements? Here we goooo!

Weight | 12 Pounds | 60th Percentile
Length | 21 Inches | 3rd Percentile
Head Circumference | 15.5 Inches | 25th Percentile

We love you bunches Handsome; forever and always. xxoo

PhotoStory Friday | My Little Pumpkins

Where Oh Where Have I Been? I cannot even remember the last time I participated in PSF. It's been too long, so tonight I've decided to jump right back in. And what a better way to start, then to show you just how much my "pumpkins" have grown over the last year.

A family tradition we began when Izabel was born. We have gone every year, no matter the weather, and have had the children stand by the sign. It's an absolute blast and one of the best pumpkin patches around.

Izabel, 2006-2010



Emily, 2008-2010


And while my handsome Prince, Alexander, is not able to stand by his sign, we managed to size him up with the pumpkins.


It feels good to be back. Happy Friday everyone!


Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

Random Stream of Conscience

I have several blog posts that I need to get up, but I'm lacking in the "Time Dept". It's as if with Summer's end, my days actually get longer.

We went to the Pumpkin Patch last week and had a blast. We went on Family Day, so admission was free, which was fantastic. I would have thought it would have been super packed, but we were practically the only ones there.

Alexander is quickly making milestones left and right. He's holding his head up really well, laughing, cooing and staying awake much longer than he ever has. He's 2 months old and I can hardly believe that.

Izabel and Emily are anxiously awaiting Halloween, although neither of them have kept with the same choice of costume for more than a couple of days. No matter what they pick, a few days after I buy it, they will say they "really" wanted to be the other Thing.Person.Animal.Can Opener.

I had a Tupperware Party today. The first party I've had in my home. It was kind of scary having people in my home because I'm not used to it. It was nice and the friends and family that did show up, made for great company. I got lots of goodies and will have my kitchen organized in no time.

There's a review down there below this post. Have you seen it yet? It's a Fancy Nancy Contest. It's cool, go check it out and enter to win.

After years and years of cooking in my favorite pots and pans from my Handsome Husband, I need new ones. Badly. They are falling apart and it's making cooking less appealing. I also need a new wing-back chair. I love mine and it's my favorite piece of furniture I have ever owned. But it, too, is quite unappealing these days. I need a new one, or else I'd really like to own an ottoman coffee table. I could knock out two pieces of furniture with one. I haven't owned a coffee table since Izzy was born. Once she went mobile, it became a hazard. haha! Now seems like a good time to upgrade the pots and pans and get one of these snazzy ottoman coffee tables.

I'm loving the smells of Fall. My house is breathing with scents of Pumpkin Spice and Apples. It's delicious.

I have new assistant who just started working with me a few weeks back. She's fantabulous and makes my photo shoots so much more organized.

And that, my friends, is all I can muster for the evening. I'm beyond tired these days and can only hope that once I hit Publish, the kids don't wake up. lol!

P.S...No photos in this post!? What's wrong with me?! Here, have a look at this beauty. All three of my babies. Aren't they adorable?

It's A Fancy Nancy Contest!

The Fanciest Little Girl in the World Stars in Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DS™ Systems

As stated in THQ's Press Release:

"Explore, play and party with Fancy Nancy: Tea Party Time!, as Nancy helps her favorite neighbor Mrs. DeVine prepare a marvelous tea party. As Nancy, players will stroll through Fancy Nancy’s world, collecting hidden tea sets, stickers and decorative items that they must eventually bring to the party. As they encounter obstacles, players choose one of six different ensembles, each of which grants Nancy a different special ability to use when collecting colorful beads (or fancies), or to unlock bonus materials. Letters that spell out Nancy’s favorite fancy words are also scattered throughout the game for players to discover and use to solve puzzles. Players will be able to take pictures of themselves or their friends using the DSi camera function and create fancy stickers to post in the Sticker Album, or insert their photos into the game and become a guest at Mrs. DeVine’s tea party."

I have the opportunity to offer ONE of my readers this awesome gift basket full of Fancy Nancy goodies! This basket is filled with non-stop fun and "fancy" prizes. A Fancy Nancy Puzzle Game, Tiara and Boa, Tea Party Set, the Fancy Nancy game from THQ and a few other little trinkets.

Here's how to play. Yep, to win this prize pack, you'll have to play along. =-)

This game consists of FIVE trivia questions. If you answer all five trivia questions correctly, you will be entered for a chance to win the Fancy Nancy prize basket.

Please send your five answers to my email directly, do not leave them as a comment or you entry will not count. Email answers to: crackerjacks51603 at yahoo dot com

Trivia Questions:

1. What is Fancy Nancy's last name?
2. What is Fancy Nancy's favorite color?
3. Who are the creators of Fancy Nancy?
4. Who is Nancy's best friend?
5. What helps Fancy Nancy play soccer better?


*The Fine Print*
Contest is open to US Residents only. Contestants who submit 5 correct answers will then be pooled together; one winner will be randomly selected. I'll be pulling from a hat most likely. :) Contest is open from now until Midnight, October 15th, 2010.