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The biggest reason I took a photography class this semester was to learn a little about Photoshop CS4. I have had the program for a year now but have been completely intimidated by it. Our last homework assignment I made a simple dragonfly. The current assignment has been much more challenging.

Our assignment was to create an autobiographical photo montage or a photo collage. It must contain a minimum or two adjustment layers, two layer masks, and two clipping masks. I know, it sounds like a foreign language doesn't it. My finished project has more than twenty photos in it. Do you want to know what the most important thing I learned is... I need to find a better way to organize my photos then by the date taken. It took me forever to find the photos I wanted.

© Michelle Hines

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I did a little baking this week. I had seen these adorable cake pops on someone's blog and decided I had to try them. I chose to make them as cake bites not pops since it was Earth Day and the sticks would just be thrown away. They were incredibly easy and yummy.

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Another beautiful day that the park....

We took our new Baby Jogger to the park to see how it handled the sand. It was wonderful. The sixteen inch wheels we perfect to walk along the beach with and Oliver is obviously well protected from the sun.

© Michelle Hines

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Oliver is so close to crawling.
He gets the legs going he just has to figure out what to do with his arms.

© Michelle Hines

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Seven months old!

© Michelle Hines

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That's my godson grabbing the ground ball.

Here he is again running right through the other guy. A.T. plays football in the fall and uses some of those skills on the lacrosse field. The other guy was winded but not hurt.

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Sunday began with a nice run for Patrick, a bike ride for me...

and ended with Patrick, Kate and I watching A.T. play lacrosse. There were chores and errands in between. It was a productive but relaxing day.

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We have started learning Photoshop in my class. I have had this program for over a year and it has seriously intimidated me. Our current assignment was to create a "buddy"by cutting objects out of a photo and then place it in an environment. Rather than create something made up I made something that I love, a dragonfly. We were to use objects that we had photographed or scanned. Your buddy could not be made out of its normal components. I used a stem, a berry and a maple tree helicopter to make my dragonfly.

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One of the things we hoped would happen when I stopped working was that I would be able to accompany Patrick on an occasional business trip. He had to work on the Eastern Shore today and I can not pass up a trip to the beach, even if it is going to be cold and rainy. The beach was deserted with the exception of a few surfers. I much prefer it that way.

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The last two days temperatures in Maryland have topped ninety degrees. Ninety in April after a winter with seventy two inches of snow!!! It is so hot that last night I bought Oliver a little pool. I am sure that in a few days it will be put in the garage until May when it is warm enough to use it again but today it was a hit.

You know I just love those chubby toes!

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Are you tired of spring flower photos yet? I was a little late photographing the weeping cherry in my backyard. It is already starting to drop its petals.

One of last seasons flower pots is growing. The annuals from last year are returning. Yeah! one less pot to fill. I am not sure why one stem is white. These should have pink and white blooms on them soon.

© Michelle Hines