Brielle

Why?

March 22, 2017by Sheridan Johnson1 Comment

Tonight as I was putting Brielle to sleep, I was telling her how amazing, beautiful, and such a blessing she was to me. I wanted her to just know that I am so happy that God allows us each and every day to raise her and be her parents. I think we get so caught up in our every day lives, that we just forget to tell our kids how precious of a gift and amazing they are.

After I was telling Brielle how amazing she was, she looked and me and said “I’m sad”, (and then I knew right then and there that her mind was racing and her heart was digging so deep) so of course I asked why and she stated to me “I am sad because God took my brother and my sister and I want to know why.” This just stumped me, because I am amazed at the fact that my three year old comprehends so much at her age. I told her that we are all God’s children to begin with, so he doesn’t take any of them from us, he just simply has a differently calling for their life. I went on to say that they are very much alive and happy and probably running around as we speak. She then states “I just want to know why God allowed my brother and sister to be born sick,” well..that was a tough one because it just hit me so deep. That is exactly what I used to ask Him all the time when I was told that I was carrying a terminally ill baby. But the best response that I could come up with is that God makes every single one of us differently and some of us are more unique than others and are born sick, but that it doesn’t make any of us less special, just more unique. She was satisfied at this point and just said “I just want to give you a really tight hug right now” and so she did, and proceeded to go to sleep.

Let me tell you, I learn SO much from her, and I know I don’t always have the best answers to her questions,and I will definitely let her know if it is something that I need some time to think about and get back to her. Knowing at just three years old that she can really understand where her siblings are, and grasp the fact that they are both different than her is so so precious and special in our hearts and our family. Shane and I definitely know that we are doing something right raising her.

I just felt like this needed to be shared, and I wanted it documented so that I would never forget this precious little conversation, with my precious little girl.

Adoption, Brielle, Family, foster, photography, Pictures, tips, top 5

DIY 30 minute family photos

September 19, 2016September 18, 2016by Sheridan JohnsonLeave a Comment

how-to-take-great-photos-in-30-minutes

Let’s face it, when it comes to taking photos of your kids, you have very limited time. So today, I’ll be sharing with you, five ways to help you get great pictures of your kids/family, in 30 minutes.

Have a theme- you must choose a color scheme and stick with it. Some people can pull off all different colors and make it work, but it really is hard for the camera to focus on different shades. Our theme was red, white, and blue.
The time of day-bright daylight is almost the worst lighting you can imagine (unless you really know how to configure the settings on your DSLR camera, or you know how to edit the pictures really well when using your phone). Sunset is best, and it works well with a lot of different colors.
Happy kids, happy picture-make sure everyone is fed and generally happy (you don’t want to start the photo shoot out with wiping away snot/tears)! Distraction is a great technique when it comes to this one. Never forget to just HAVE FUN!
Have all of your props/decorations (if you are using any) ready to use, and able to pull out for a quick shot or two. It’s great to have a helper as well, to provide you the props or equipment when you need it.
Keep it moving- if you are wanting the perfect picture with the kids showing how much they love each other, well that might not always work in front of the lens. If you don’t get a great shot the first time, try again about 10 minutes later. Kids are resilient and will usually do it on their own terms.

Here are some shots I took of all three kids (two are foster children and we are not allowed to post their face on the photos, so they are blurred out) before having to say goodbye to our little man, before he went back home with his family.

received_10153942991280998 received_10153948984270998 received_10153948981385998 received_10153948989195998 20160918t215902 20160918t220004 20160918t215947 20160918t215926

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Let me know if you have any other tips you would like to provide as well! Happy picture taking!

Brielle, fun, photography, Pictures

Brielle’s perspective Vol.3

September 9, 2016September 8, 2016by Sheridan Johnson11 Comments

Brielle'sPerspective

affiliate, Brielle, giveaway

welcome to my treasure hunt

July 28, 2016July 27, 2016by Sheridan Johnson3 Comments

**This post contains affiliate links**

Who doesn’t love a great treasure hunt?? Especially one to play with your kids? I was so excited when I was contacted by Ilan about this product!

I really have never done a “treasure hunt” with Brielle, and I wasn’t really sure she was quite ready for it (because she is only 3), but she loved it!

Here is a little background about Treasure.Run:

⊗ It’s a family run business

⊗ It’s educational, fun, and very creative

⊗ Parents and children can both get involved and play (huge bonus in my book)

⊗ Each game tells you the supplies that you will need

⊗ There are different ways to solve each riddle (which is great for all different age levels)

⊗ It’s easy to play, easy to download, and easy to print

I love asking Brielle each question, and I placed a little stuffed animal at all the surprise areas, and then had her bring me the surprise when she found the correct answer to the riddle. So fun!! We loved it all, and I know you will too!

That’s why I am hosting a giveaway to 3 of my lucky readers! It’s going on for a week, and three of my readers that enter, will win a free game at Treasure.Run

Good luck!! You will not regret it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Sponsored post-I received these products at a discount or free of charge in exchange for writing this review. All thoughts and opinions on the products are my own.