Christmas Perspective

I truly enjoyed Christmas this year. Not only was it the first Christmas where Michael started to understand things, but I gained a new perspective. Many things affected my new outlook on how to do Christmas.

First, there was my brother, in Arizona, whose wife had to unexpectedly go to the hospital during a home birth, and he was unable to find a single ward member, willing to sacrifice some of their Christmas time to help take care of his kids while he took care of his new born baby and wife in the hospital. Luckily my mother was able to fly out to help. But that got me thinking…. Isn’t the reason for Christmas to celebrate Christ’s birth and to do so by serving others during this season? Isn’t the scripture “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

Second, I have heard other’s question the role of Santa in their Christmas and how he relates to the gospel teachings. Now Kent and I both being the youngest never had the Santa thing played up for us, and we found out at a relatively young age. So I decided to tell Michael that there is a wonderful man who gets all the children ONE gift on Christmas to celebrate Christ’s birth, and that we all do the same, by giving gifts to others we are doing what Christ has asked of us, serving and showing our loves to those around us. But I don’t think I will really play up Santa all that much. Instead we emphasized daily that Christmas was Christ’s birthday and to celebrate Christ’s birth. So it was funny when family members would ask Michael are you excited about Santa? He really didn’t have an answer. They also asked what he had asked Santa for Christmas, this too he didn’t have an answer. I never told him that he could pick what he wanted. I just told him that Santa would give him one present. When relatives asked Michael what day was coming up, he would say “Birthday!” I’m sure this confused everyone, but this made me happy. Michael was not thinking about getting lots of presents and about what he wanted. He was thinking about Christ’s birthday. Sure there will come a time where he will focus on what he wants, I think that most young kids go through that phase, but if I can hold that off and teach him that it is not about getting but giving from the beginning I think that he will learn the message of Christmas.

With the focus on Christ and service I thought “what did I want my children to remember about the Christmas’s of their childhood?’ Did I want them to remember a frantic mother trying to bake too many things, to make everything so perfect, that she is unhappy, and therefore the kids are unhappy? (I have done this in the past and it was not fun!) Or do I want them to remember a happy mom, who especially during this time, spent time with them, and took the time to teach them what Christmas is about. Now don’t get me wrong, I think taking cookies to neighbors is wonderful, but I have already done that 2 times this year and so it was one I was willing to let slide at Christmas time. I also wanted to do lots of fun activities, like make gingerbread houses, snowflakes, etc. But why do too much when just a little will do? So I limited our Christmas activities. There was a Christmas tree made of Michaels hand prints. We played in the snow and Michael built his first snowman. Michael made a Christmas present for mom, dad, and Emma. And every evening we read a different Christmas book, sang a Christmas song, read a scripture about Christ’s birth, learned about a person in the nativity, and pondered on what we would give Jesus this year for Christmas.

So Christmas day the kids each got three gifts this year; one from Santa, one from mom and dad, and one from their sibling. Christmas morning since there were not a lot of gifts to be opened, we took our time. Each took a turn opening and then we would get the gift out and let the child play with it a few minutes and then move on. I loved it! It made Christmas last a lot longer and it was nice to see each gift loved and played with. To end our gift opening we said a prayer of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father.

Then a fun simple breakfast of pull apart cinnamon bread, eggs and sausage. The rest of the day was fun with the kids, phone calls to family, and a dinner with Kent’s family. Maybe it was just my perspective and focuses this year, maybe it was because I was not stressed out about everything being perfect, but this Christmas was the best I have had in a while.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! What a blessing to celebrate Christ’s birth and teach the message of giving and serving to my children. Thanks to those who helped me see the meaning of Christmas this year and helped me better focus my Christmas traditions.

Michael's first snowman

Michael's handprint Christmas tree

What hansome guys I have in my life!

Playing after Christmas morning

Christmas Time

The first week of December we started our family traditions of decorating for Christmas. Michael and I decorated the house while Kent was at work. But when he got home he got to put up the fake tree (when growing up I said I would always have a real tree, but the hassle and money became a factor. We have had our fake tree for 5 years now and I love it). As Kent put up the tree Michael and I baked sugar cookies. Then all got to decorate the tree and when everything was done we got to frost and eat the yummy sugar cookies. I have loved doing our traditions this year now that Michael is old enough to understand and enjoy them. We have my button advent calendar I made years ago, but now I realize how perfect it is for Michael, he has to work on his fine motor skills to get the buttons through and he is learning to go left to right and down to start at the left again. What good planning and I didn’t even know it. Also, this is the first Christmas in 2 years that we have not had to have a gate around the tree. Michael is old enough to know not to play with the ornaments and Emma can’t reach them yet. We are having a blast preparing for Christmas this year. What traditions are you starting with your children? We wish you a very happy holiday season!





Emma decided to be a Christmas present and go under the tree

We got snow here! Then it turned to ice and we have had TONS of wind. So much ice and wind that church was canceled on sunday.

My, How They Have Grown!

So sorry that I haven’t blogged in a while. Life has been busy, with the holidays and all. Plus I have started to learn a new skill, knitting. It is fun and I am having a blast with it. So here are a few pictures of the little ones. They seem to be growing so much. Michael is talking a lot more, and most people can understand him now (not just me). He also has a wonderful memory. The other day we were getting ready to go visit my Aunt Loa Jean and as I told Michael were we were going, he said “and visit Aunt Jennifer, London, Jacob, and Joseph!” this is because the last time we went to see Aunt Loa Jean my brother and his family was all there too. He was sad that he didn’t get to see his cousins that day. Then another time we were driving and a UPS truck passed us. He pointed and said “PS Truck!” I think maybe I told him it was a UPS truck once, I can’t believe he remembered it’s name. I know I’m bias, but he sure is a smart one.

Emma is growing tons too. She has yet to learn crawling, but has mastered the art of rolling. If she sees something she wants she will get there by rolling to it. She has gotten into my knitting stuff a couple of times, so I have learned to put it up high now. She has also started to babble. It is so cute to hear the “bababababa” and Michael loves to say “bababa” right back to her. She loves it and they both have a blast babbling and giggling together.


Here she is finding my knitting!


Had to take a picture with the bib!

Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving Michael and I spend the day coloring thanksgiving pages and finger painting. He made handprint turkeys that we made into Thanksgiving cards for both grandparents. Then we had our little family Thanksgiving meal complete with cranberry scones. YUM! For dessert we had corna copias (made from ice cream cones) filled with candy. We took turns going around the table and saying what we were thankful for and each thing we said we got to eat a piece of candy. It was fun to start our own traditions now that Michael will start to remember them. And it was good to start teaching Michael what Thanksgiving is all about.

Thanksgiving day we spent with Kent’s family (only one sibling was not there, they live in another state). His sister’s house was a full one. But everyone had a blast together. This year I was finally able to let Michael lose and let him chase after all his cousins and play along with them. Emma loves being held, so everyone took their turn holding her. My older nieces commented on how they love holding Emma because she never cries when they hold her, compared to their other baby cousins. Needless to say Emma was held most of the time. Kent got to hang out with the guys chatting, and I got to play games with the teenagers. We played apples to apples and signs (everyone passes secret signs and the person in the middle has to figure out who has the sign). It was a blast. When we finally left to go home around 9pm both kids were tired and feel asleep during the 3 min. ride home.

So what did you do for Thanksgiving? What traditions do you do? How do you teach your children about the meaning of Thanksgiving?

Little Cherished Moments

So my family and I have been under the weather for the last few weeks. I can’t believe it has lasted this long! Anyways, the other night I finally had both kids in bed sleeping and I sat down to relax and have some "me time". Have you ever been doing something and everything just feels so peaceful and nice, that you just want to be in that moment and enjoy every last second of it. Well during my “me time” I found such a moment. I was watching the Hallmark channel enjoying the holiday movies, and crying with the movie, covered in a warm blanket and knitting. It was a wonderful feeling that I just enjoyed every second of it. So have you ever had these moments? What were you doing? I’d love to hear.

Books and Memories

Those who know the family I grew up in, know that it was a book reading family. Where I grew up books were cherished, loved, and read often. And as a result I have such fond memories of books and have carried the tradition over to my family. I however specialize in children’s books (being a elementary teaching has influenced that one).

When I was around 7 or 8 I fell in love with the Clifford series of books (you know the Big Red Dog) (back then there was no TV show). I loved animals and this was a wonderfully way to get me into reading. My dad quickly figured this out and randomly when he would come home from work he would have with him a Clifford book that he bought from the used book store. I LOVED it. It was the best surprise in the world for me. I would take my book and read it over and over again until my dad would bring home another one.

As I got older I have held onto my Clifford books. They had such special memories attached with them. In our last move I have finally been able to unpack all of my books (YEAH!) and with them came out the Clifford books.

So Michael is just starting to be interested in TV and started to watch the Clifford TV show. So for our reading time I picked out two of my Clifford books to read to him. He LOVED it! He now calls them “my Clifford books” (typical of every two year old, it all becomes his). Every reading time he wants to read his Clifford books. I love that he loves them so much and I am so happy that he finds joy in reading the same books that I enjoyed reading.

I wish my dad was still with us and I would love to tell him how much it meant to me for him to bring home those books just for me, and how awesome it is that my son loves reading the exact same books. It is times like this that I really miss him. Luckily I have the gospel perspective and know that if he doesn’t already know, I will have the chance to tell him someday.

"Time is of the Essence"

Now is the time to get things done...
wade in the water,sit in the sun,
squish my toes in the mud by the door,
explore the world in a boy just four.
Now is the time to study books,
flowers, snails, how a cloud looks;
to ponder "up" where God sleeps nights,
why mosquitoes take such big bites.
Later they'll be time to sew and clean,
paint the hall that soft new green,
to make new drapes, refinish the floor-
Later on... when he's not just four.

-By Irene Foster

The Best Is Yet to Be

“There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: “The best is yet to be.” We can’t predict all the struggles and storms in life, not even the ones just around the next corner, but as persons of faith and hope, we know beyond the shadow of any doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come.” (Elder L. Tom Perry “Let Him Do It with Simplicity”)

Poems

So my visting teachers came by and with a message and also gave me a copy of two wonderful poems. One goes so well with my previous post that I thought I would post it here. The other I ABSOLUTLY love and so I am putting it on my sidebar so that I will see it often.

"Of Children"

Little toddler,

You mimic me.

I stand, I sit,

Alike

I am your model;

What I am, you'll be

At least

Partially.

Dear Father,

Iam the babe

To you.

Can I be as this child

And learn to mimic too?

-Beth Stephenson

The Things They Pick Up

So yesterday I watched my two nephews for most of the day. It was fun and Michael had a good time. And then this morning Michael started calling me Christina. After all day of hearing his cousins call me Aunt Christina he decided to call me Christina too. After a few corrections of “you call me mommy” he has returned to calling me mommy. Also, Michael has many times called Kent “Hon” as I do.

Little ones truly are mirrors of what we do. I didn’t realize that I was saying “I’m so exhausted” so much, but apparently I was, and Michael quickly picked up on it. It made me laugh so hard the first time he said it. And he says it in such a cute way. At least I know I am expanding his vocabulary. Listen to him say “I’m so exhausted,” it’s cute.




This morning Emma woke up and Michael went into her room with me to get her and he said “hi gorgeous.” It was sooooo cute! I had to get a video clip of it.




And last, many times my cell phone rings and I am in the middle of a diaper change, or feeding Emma and so Michael will run to get the phone. He use to open it up and just listen so the poor people calling would think it was really weird and hand up. So I taught him to say “Hello, Michael speaking. Here’s my mommy.” And now it really works. Some times I have to remind him to say it, but he does. And when I know that it is my mom or Kent calling (thanks to different ring tones) I prompt him to say “Hello Grandma” or “Hello Daddy”. It's nice to have such a helper, and so cute too.

It is incredible how quickly little children pick up on things. It is so adorable and yet makes me nervous. He is watching everything I do; I’d better be a good example. Also, makes me super cautious about what he watches on TV, and who he is around.

Cute Kids

Ok, so of course every mom thinks their kids are cute. I am no exception. And thanks to the wonderful world of blogging everyone else who reads my blog (ok so there are only 3 of you :) get to enjoy me loving and being proud of my kids doing the exact same thing that everybody else’s kids do. Sorry, but can you just indulge me on this one?


Here is just a cute clip of Michael dancing to Brad Paisley,my favorite country singer, playing his new song. (he just came in from outside, which explains the hat and coat)

Here is Michael being cute wearing his Fireman hat while he brushes his teeth.

(We just had a dentist apointment too, and no cavities, Yeah! Plus Michael got a new toothbrush, kids floss, a toy car, and a balloon! They really are good with the kids and make it fun for Michael to go there. I sure am glad he likes to brush his teeth)

And just a cute picture of Emma, she’s so adorable! (unfortuantly she still has to wear a bib everywhere, but at least the spit up has lessened since I stoped drinking milk.)

Thanks for indulging me. Now it’s your turn, show me the cute pictures of your kids doing everyday things. :)

It’s a Hairy Place

The nice thing about having church start at 1pm is that we have so much time in the morning to get ready. I do really enjoy taking my time in getting ready and enjoy the morning with the family all together. This morning we did have to do some necessary things to be ready for church, HAIRCUTS! Kent needed one badly and since I had all the stuff out, Michael got one too. Michael has really been a good one to sit still and let me cut his hair, I think because he always sees his dad do it too. However, now he is complaining more and more about the cut hair bugging him. He constantly tries to brush it off and is afraid it will get into his eyes; nonetheless he sits there and lets me cut it. I am very glad about that. So after Michael’s haircut I couldn’t resist to take some cute pictures.

I commented to Kent that “I never thought Michael would have such a hairy back so soon.” Kent just replied “he gets it from your side of the family.” Which if he really does get one, I would have to agree, my brothers have the hairy gene for sure.

And the end result. Now doesn't he look hansome!

Much Rejoicing

So those of you who don’t know we have been struggling with Michael and asthma. Each time he would get a cold he would end up in the walk-in clinic for treatments because it would progress so fast and strong the medicine I had at home would not work. At times we even ended up in the ER and were once transferred to Seattle Children’s hospital for a 2 day stay as Michael recovered. Michael has had a cold at least once some times twice or three times each month, ending with emergency care. Yet finally at the one year mark this October we had a major celebration. Michael got a cold and no asthma!!!!! Needless to say there was MUCH rejoicing! Finally to not have to see my son struggle to breath, to not have the sleepless nights monitoring his breathing with a baby monitor by his side.

The answer came as my wonderful sister-in-law, Nancy, encouraged me to seek a specialist on my own and get Michael seen. Then my other wonderful sister-in-law, Beth, was able to watch Emma as I took Michael to the specialist at the hospital. The specialist ordered tests and gave me Prevacid to try. The tests came out all fine, but it seems the Prevacid did the trick. At one of Emma’s well baby check ups the pediatrician asked how Michael was doing. I told her we have him on prevacid and the pediatrician said, “oh yes, that does sometimes work, I wonder why I didn’t give it to you myself.” Frustrating… but oh well, we have it now.

So we still have Michael on his maintenance inhalers, we don’t want to take him off until the cold season is over just to make sure. But the fact that we are able to handle everything at home and don’t have to run to the walk-in clinic or ER is wonderful. I never doubted all the priesthood blessing that said he would get over it, but I just didn’t know the Lord’s time table. I have to admit I was afraid to blog about it, just worried I would jinx it. But one month down with no asthma, there has to be MUCH REJOICING!!

The Fun of Halloween

So this year we went to Trunk or Treat as well as trick or treating on friday night. I loved the trunk or treat because I got to see everyone I know from the three wards that meet in our building (which we have been members of all three!). Michael went in his Rooster costume and Emma was in her teddy bear jacket (it serves two purposes, Halloween costume and cute winter coat:) We saw Grandma Brown and Steve there dressed up as Pirates, as well as Kent's family. I wish I would have gotten pictures of Michael with his cousins but everyone was too busy getting or eating candy. ;)

Kent's sisters at the Trunk or Treat

Halloween night I thought we would have lots of kids trick or treating, but saddly not to many. I took Michael around our neighborhood. Only about every 3rd house was welcoming trick or treaters. But still Michael got loads of candy (people were giving him handfulls either because he was just so cute, or because they had less trick or treaters than they expected and wanted to get rid of their candy). Anyways Michael got loads of candy! When we got home I let him pick three things to enjoy before he went to bed. His choices; a Halloween puzzle (24 pieces totally awesome idea) a can of apple juice, and fruit snacks. I guess he has not yet got the idea of the candy, but as a mom I am happy with his choices. :) Each day I let Michael pick one piece of candy after each meal, we'll see how long that last, I may just end up putting it in the pantry and save it for christmas stocking stuffers (ok so I know I'm cheap, but might as well save where you can). So how do you deal with Halloween candy? Do you let your kids eat it when they want? Do you put it in a pile for community family candy? I would love ideas for next year.

Michael in his Rooster costume

Michael discovering the joys of a tootsie pop

Humpkin Carving

Ok, so that is the way Michael pronouces pumpkins. Yes, he can say the p sound and no matter how much coaching he still calls them "humpkins". So last night we got to do some "humpkin" carving. It was fun to let Michael help Kent and I carve the pumpkins. When we started cleaning out the pumpkin Michael did it once and made the funniest face and then kept trying to wipe off his hands. When we told him to keep doing it, he did it but would barely touch anything. Of course I have pictures of our humpkin carving. How did your pumpkin carving go?

Halloween Carnival

I found out that Enumclaw does an annual Halloween Carnival each year. It is free to attend and they have wonderful games and such for little ones. So this year we got the kids dressed up and went to check it out. We got there at the very beginning. (After all we are early to bed people). Michael loved it. They had small play equipment inside for the kids, also a bounce house, and a ball pit. They also had different games that the kids could do and after they did them, they got a piece of candy. Michael is starting to pick up on the candy part of Halloween. We'll see how he does on Halloween and see how many houses he wants to go to. Here are some pictures of the fun at the carnival.

YUMMY!

(Doesn't the apple pie filling look pretty in the jar)

So my wonderful sister-in-law Nancy invited me over to can apple pie filling. I had never canned this before and am still relatively new to the whole canning process. But it was so much fun. However, I don't think I would like canning without someone there to talk to. Michael played with his cousin most of the time and had a blast, so we were free to can. Even Emma was happy to just be in the carrier on my back. So the next day I had to test it out to see how it would taste. I made apple crisp from it. Now, I am really not an apple pie person (although I do like desserts so it was worth a try) but this I LOVED! So yummy!

For those canners out there here is the recipe:

Apple Pie Filling
Makes enough syrup for 6 quarts

4 ½ cups of sugar (or 2 cups honey)
1 cup of cornstarch
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp lemon juice
10 cups water

In a large pot, whisk together dry ingredients (first 5.) Work out the cornstarch lumps until they are blended in the sugar. Add water. Stir over med-high heat until thickens and boils then add lemon juice. Fill jars with apples, pour syrup over and water bath for 20-25 minutes.


Apple Crisp Topping

½ cup rolled oats
½ cup flour
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 beaten egg
Pinch salt
Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

Combine the rolled oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Then add the butter and beaten egg. Work together with a fork. Put 1 qt of apple pie filling in bottom of casserole dish. Place crisp topping on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

(And here's the end result, very yummy!)

Learning and Growing

(In her Halloween outfit)

Maybe it is the teacher in me, or maybe all mom's do this. But I sure love to see my kids learning and discovering new things. Emma is now at a fun stage where she is getting interested in more toys. I showed her a toy she hadn't seen before, and the look on her face was awesome. I just love to see her discovering new things. Oh, and her outfit, she is testing out her Halloween outfit, we had to make sure it fit since we got it at a garage sale this summer. :)




And also a milestone, she can now sit up for a little while on her own, not too long, but she is there, sitting up by herself now! Yeah.

Pumpkin Hunting

(Pumpking Hunting is serious stuff!)

Michael, Emma, and I got to go pumpkin hunting with Grandma Brown. We went to Maris Farms this year. WOW! I didn't know that pumpkin farms had so much awesome stuff for little ones. We went on a raining monday, but it was the only day free for us and Grandma Brown. Luckily there were a lot of preschool feild trips that day, so I think we got some extras that aren't usually there for everyone; and we just went to the opposite of the feildtrip people and got the things all to ourselves!

First we went to see the animals. Michael got to pet a little kitten, and bunny that were being held. We also got to see chickens, goats, pigs, and cows. Michael and Grandma got to feed the baby cows too! Then we got our pumpkins (of course it had to be raining the worst at this time, just our luck). On to the kids courtyard where there were water pump duck races (Michael's favorite). Then a corn play area, where the kids just played in the corn, Michael loved it. Next there were tracters to ride, and much more that we didn't even have time to do. Next year I will know to plan an entire day so we can do all the fun things! Needless to say Michael didn't want to go when we needed to. We will be back next year! Here are some pictures of our fun.

(Us in front of the pigs, too bad you can't actually see the pigs, but there are there. :)

Feeding the baby cows, Michael got scared and so Grandma had to finish.

Racing the ducks

In the corn, they even hid little ducks for the kids to find in the corn!

Treasured Tips

So I have always been one that has loved to get advice and tips from other people. Some I use and some I don't, but I love to get the tips and have them in my "bag of tricks" if time comes that I need them. So I have decided to post on the side of my bolg "treasured tips". Helpful things that I have learned and have been able to collect from others (Thank you Denise for the many tips). I will be adding more as I think of them, and would LOVE for you to tell me tips you have learned over the years and I will post them too. So please tell me ones you know now, and as you learn new ones PLEASE share them with me. I am always looking for new tricks that work.

Determination

So during the summer I picked up some really cool things at garage sales. One of which were two puzzles. They have 24 pieces and say for ages 3 and up. They are cute puzzles of Winne the Poo and Sesame Street. I got them for tutoring thinking they would be fun things for breaks. I brought them home and Michael wanted to see them. I told him they were too hard for him and put them up high, not wanting him to lose the pieces. Well I guess this just made him more determined to do them. About 20 times each day he would ask either Kent or I to help him do the puzzles. Finally about 3 weeks ago I gave in and pulled them down and did them with him. Then Kent started doing them with Michael and teaching him how to match the pictures together. Last week Michael started to do his puzzles in the morning, which let me sleep in a little longer (YEAH!). So, Yesterday morning I went to the toy room and saw Michael finished with one puzzle and almost done with another, all by himself. He sure showed me that they were not too hard for him, and with a little determination (which he has a lot of) he can do anything. :)

And of course I have to post a picture of Emma, being her cute and adorable self today. ;)

Looking Back

So Kent was just able to figure out how to get my many pictures off of my phone. I have tons of pictures of fun things we did that I thought others might enjoy seeing them.

1) Michael, Emma and I went to the Puyallup fair early on a Friday morning the first day it was open, when it was free to get in. Too bad Kent had to work. :( But we had a blast! They had a spot where there were real fire trucks, firemen, and they would even let the kids try on the firefighter’s coats. Michael LOVED it! First he got to sit on the fire truck and was very reluctant to give it up to another child waiting. Then he got to wear the fireman coat. It was extremely heavy not to mention hot. Yet Michael didn’t want to give that up either. Then we got to the Deer John tractors. They let the little kids get on the tractors and take pictures. So I let Michael climb on. He had the time of his life. I put the picture of him on the tractor as the background for my cell phone. Now Michael is always grabbing my phone and saying that he wants to see the tractor.

2) One Saturday Kent’s dad called him to tell him there was a car show in town. When Kent was little he and his dad would go to these old car shows and have a blast. So we packed up the kids, and went to meet his dad at this car show. It was really cool to look at the old cars, and I couldn’t help but get a picture of 3 generations of Rowley guys at the car show.

3) So I love this baby sling called the Peanut Shell. I have tried many baby carriers, but this is the best for me, it is easy to put on, and Emma is happy in it and usually falls asleep easily in it. Everyone always says that I have to get a picture of Emma in it because she looks so adorable. So finally after the RS broadcast my mom thought to get a picture. It was dark out in the parking lot and I used my cell phone camera, but I still think it’s a cute picture.