You know you want it - XIII

Wow, it's been awhile since you've seen one of these posts huh? Well I have something I KNOW you'll want. Check out this awesome contest over at Epiphanie. The chance to win a Canon 5D Mark II? Yes please.

Ain't she purty...

Ok, maybe not EVERYONE would want this beauty, but I know some of my photography friends would love to add this one to their collection.

And their bags are sweet! They just look like cute purses...not like camera bags at all.

Looky what I got!

Isn't it purty? Unfortunately I'm just renting it for now, but it's always good to try before you buy! I wanted a longer zoom for our vacation so I decided to rent the 70-200mm f/4.0 IS lens. Plus I can find out if the f/4 is something I can live with or if I'd need want the (MUCH more expensive) f/2.8. Look for some pictures in a few weeks!

This is where I rented it from.

So, what have I been up to?

- Well, work's been keeping me pretty busy - but I can't complain about that. I'm really liking the switch I made, so all is good there.

- I recently took a training class at work called Focus: Achieving Your Highest Priorities (Google it and you'll find a bunch of stuff on it). It was a class put on by Franklin Covey and it ended up being way better than I thought it would. Plus we got a free planner out of the deal and those things can get expensive! The class focused on deciding what is urgent, what is important, or what is both. You learn how to focus on the tasks and priorities that matter most in your life. What I really remember from the class is that by organizing properly, deciding what needs to be done and what can wait, can give us all back that extra hour a day to get the really important things done. And the best thing is that while this certainly applies to my professional life, it most definitely can be applied to my personal life.

- I bought another lens...yes another one. I bought the 50mm f/1.8 II. I was borrowing Rachel's for awhile, so when I gave it back to her, I decided I wanted one of my own. I got a good deal on a used one ($75 including shipping) from someone over on the Canon Digital Photography Forum. I figure it's just a fun little lens to have.

- Oh and apparently I have signed myself up to run a 5k with a few of the girls at work, including Jill. I guess I better get back to the C25K program since the 5k is on June 6th! Ahhhh, what have I done?!?! I'm not going to stress out about it though and am just going to do the best I can.

- Yesterday after running/walking outside for awhile, I decided to finally take the packaging off the 30 Day Shred DVD I bought. Let me tell you...I am SORE today! Jillian sure knows how to kick your butt! But if I want to look like her (is that even possible?) I better stick to it!

- Last night we went to a Euchre party. It was $5/person to play and every time you got euchred, you put a quarter in the pot. At the end of the night, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place get cash and the last place person gets the quarters. They also had a little mini competition for best/worst (however you want to look at it) Hawaiian shirt. So in the end, I tied for 1st place, Jim won for best/worst Hawaiian shirt (he won a bottle of Captain Morgan), AND he came in last place, so he won the quarters. So I'd say we did pretty good last night.

- Bowling...well, my average is now a 162 and I'm still holding strong for most improved woman player on the league. Two weeks ago I bowled a 176, 190 and 257!! The 257 game is the highest game I've ever bowled and the 623 series I bowled is my first 600 series ever! I was quite proud of myself that night :o) Our last week is May 7th, so only a few more weeks to go.

I think that's about all for me for now!

New Lens!

So I decided to go ahead and buy the lens I had picked out before I even bought my new camera, lol. I had a little award money come my way at work so it went toward the purchase of this lens. I got the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro and I can't wait to get it and start using it!

it's been forever

I know, I know...it's been forever since I've posted anything, and for some reason it seems like I don't have time, but I guess I've just been preoccupied with life.

Here's what's been keeping me busy...

• my new camera which includes borrowing other lenses to see what works for me and playing around with all the different settings
• figuring out all that photoshop elements has to offer
• class at work which has me getting up earlier than I'm used to
• sitting on my butt and watching TV because I'm too tired since I've been getting up earlier than I'm used to
• working out
• busy weekends
• family stuff

Can I just say TGIF! This week has been brutal! And holy crap it's windy out right now!

A lot of reading

I think I've read more in the past week than I have in the last year. What am I reading? Books about my camera, photoshop elements 6, and just photography in general.

The first book I read (before I even had my camera) was Understand Exposure. Rachel lent me her copy and it was a pretty good read. Since getting my camera, I've gone back over some of the chapters to actually see what he was talking about. Once I give this back to her I'll probably end up buying my own copy to have on hand.


I've also been reading the Canon EOS 40D Guide to Digital Photography. I bought this book along with my camera after finding out that the manual that comes with the camera really isn't that informative. So far so good - it explains a lot of the functions in detail.


Another book I've been reading is The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers. Since I'm still not really all that familiar with exactly how Photoshop works, this book has been a little over my head. It does allow you to jump around to find a particular task you'd like to perform in Photoshop so I have played around with a few of the techniques. I can see how this book will come in handy...once I learn Photoshop a little better.


And that brings me to the last book - Photoshop Elements 6 for Dummies. I've had this book for awhile now and I had started reading it, but then it quickly made it's way to the bottom of the pile and was forgotten about. Well now with the new camera and me actually wanting to learn about this stuff again, it has been resurrected. I think I'll be reading this book before I jump back into the previous mentioned book.


And that's what I've been doing this past week. I was able to get outside yesterday and use the camera in the daylight, but there really isn't anything pretty to take pictures of outside. I'm hoping to go out later today, closer to sunset, to take some more pictures. I have no idea where to go though. Everything just looks like complete crap around here.

Playing around with my camera

Well I figured I'd post a few pictures of me just playing around with the camera. These are all straight out of the camera (SOOC). I was playing around with aperture settings and whatnot. Kinda fun.



Can you tell I didn't have much to take pictures of besides my cats? lol

So I got my camera yesterday

My camera is here! I had it delivered to Jim's work to be sure that it would get dropped off AND to make sure it didn't have to sit out in the weather. I didn't get home until about 7:15 so I didn't start playing around with it until 7:30-ish. Jim was nice enough to open everything up at his work and charge the battery for me - how sweet :o) Man oh man there's a lot to learn about this camera! I had crappy light to work with so seeing everything I can do in manual was pretty much non-existent. I took a few pictures on auto, but nothing exciting. I'm looking forward to this weekend to actually have some light to work with. It's supposed to be near 50 this weekend, but also rainy. Oh well...we shall see. I'm still waiting for my bag to come in - hopefully today!!

I FINALLY ordered it

So for the past few days I was going back and forth between this website and that one to find the best deal. Then it was between used ones and new ones. What am I talking about? My new camera! I decided to go with the Canon EOS 40D and I'm pretty excited about my purchase.

I got it through Amazon with free shipping, so that means I have to wait 5-9 days for it to get here. I ordered just the body. My friend Rachel sold me her kit lens for really cheap, because I basically just need something to practice with. I can already tell you that I want a macro lens and I have my eye on the 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. I can't wait to start taking pictures of...well...pretty much anything that comes my way!

With the camera I ordered a memory card (of course), The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter), and a Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Home to hold everything...or everything that I plan on getting in the future :o)

Now all I have to do is wait for the thing to show up!

Let's be honest...

So Meredith over at La Buena Vida tagged me with the "Honest Scrap" award.

The rules are as follows:

1) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.

2) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

3) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Well I don't have too many followers of my blog, but I was able to pick 7. So Rachel A, Rachel L, Karen, Alyssa, Jessi, Danielle, Melissa, you've been tagged!

Okay..here we go!

1. I hate flying! I'm sure most people know that by now since I've definitely done my fair share of complaining about it on here, but I hate it! I'm sure if I did it more often I'd get over it, but I don't know. There's just something so unnatural about it.
2. I'm pretty much scared to death to have kids. That's not what's preventing us from having them now (we're just not ready emotionally OR financially), but when the time comes...oh dear lord. I'm worried that I'll be sick the entire time, I'm worried that I'll have a difficult delivery (and don't even get me started about that whole process), I'm worried about the lack of sleep afterwards, I'm worried that I'll freak out over every little thing that might "hurt" my child. Ugh...like I said...the whole thing just scares the crap out of me.
3. Stemming from #2, I'm worried I'll suck at being a mom. Anyone that knows me in real life knows that I'm quite the sarcastic person, not very emotional and really just don't give a crap about kids right now. I don't think people can even picture me as a mom. A few friends of mine have recently had kids and I visit them as newborns and then I'm over it. I don't want to hold them, I don't need to smell their heads...lol. I just don't have that urge. Will I ever? Part of me wants to have at least one child in the future, but I definitely don't have that deep burning passion to be a mom.
4. I love candy! Seriously. Any kind of candy, give it! Oh and gum too. I have a giant bag of gumballs at home and every night I cram like 9 or 10 of those babies into my mouth and go to town. I'm like a little kid at the store when we turn the corner and enter the candy aisle. Sometimes Jim has to act like the adult at that moment and tell me no, I already have too much at home...lol. And with Valentine's Day around the corner, let me at those candy hearts! The Necco ones...the ones that everyone hates. Mmmmmmmmm.
5. I have very little patience, just like my dad. There was this one morning where I was getting a piece of American cheese for Jim for his omelet, and I couldn't get the stupid piece to separate from the rest of the block without it breaking off in little pieces. So I pretty much squeezed the whole block in my hand, tore some pieces off, threw it in the sink and stormed off. Yeah...I tend to like to throw things when I lose patience with something. I'm trying to get better and just take a deep breath and move on, but sometimes...ugh. Yeah, and how is that going to work with kids? Patience is sort of a necessity with children.
6. I would love to own my own pizza place. Jim and I met (13 years ago!) at our jobs at a local pizza place. I worked in pizza for like 3-4 years and him probably like 4-5 years. We would love to own our own place someday. And not a franchise...our very own store. Too bad we'd probably have to win the lottery in order to do so, but maybe someday...
7. I love sour cream! I put it on noodles, dip fries in it, and use way too much on potatoes. Good thing we buy light sour cream :o) Sour cream and BBQ sauce are pretty much my favorite condiments. Sour cream is a condiment right?
8. I'm really annoyed that I don't have my camera yet! Being responsible sucks and I'm sick of it! lol But we did so good at paying off our credit card debt so of course I don't want to go piling on the debt again. I think I'll have it soon though. I should have a bonus on my next paycheck so that should cover more than half of the cost. Yay!
9. I think I have more restraint than I give myself credit for. This mostly has to do with shopping. I've never been a crazy shopper with a credit card from every clothing store imaginable, but I do love me some shoes. Like yesterday, Steve Madden had buy one clearance shoe and get another one for 50% off. I had two pairs in my basket which added up to about $80 (not too bad for two pair of Steve Maddens) but I didn't buy them. I was a good girl. And Jim was proud of me for not buying them too. And this past Christmas...I could have gone crazy buying a bunch of fun decorations, but I knew I really had nowhere to display or store them so I didn't buy one thing! I used to just buy anything that I liked. Now I actually think about my purchase before doing any unnecessary spending. And this shopping has nothing to do with our credit card debt. We had that before we even moved in together.
10. I started taking piano lessons when I was 9 years old, through about age 19. I was classically trained and can read music like nobody's business, but I often envy those that can't read a lick of sheet music and can play with such ease. I try and sit down at the piano and make up a song, and while I'm successful with coming up with a chord progression that sounds cool, it never amounts to anything more than that. In all reality, I just need to start spending more time at the piano again. I miss playing. I do have a full size keyboard at our condo (that I just had to have because I knew I would miss having a piano in the house), but it's just not the same as a real piano.

Thumbs down on New Year's resolutions

I hate New Year's resolutions. I never make them because I know I'll never stick to them. I don't know very many people that have stuck to their resolutions either. Like earlier this year I didn't tell anyone that I wanted to quit smoking but I just did it...for about 6 months. I know, why did I start up again?? Who knows. But I didn't want to make some big deal about it being my resolution because if I failed (and I did) I didn't want people all up in my face about it being my resolution and shame on me for not sticking to it. So no resolutions for me, but I am going to set a few goals that I'd like to reach.

1. Quit smoking...again. I'm going to party it up NYE, but then I'm going to try and be a good girl again. I know I can do it. I've done it in the past. There's just certain things that make me want to smoke. Like being with certain people, or hanging out at the bar. It's such a STUPID habit too!

2. Exercise more. Once again, at the beginning of this year I was pretty good about exercising at least 2-3 times a week. I'd like to do that again. With quitting smoking and exercising I realized how much more energy I had and how much better I was sleeping.

3. Try running again. Jim and I both started the C25K program back in September, but then I screwed up my ankle. He continued on for a few more weeks, but then he stopped too.

4. Get up earlier for work. See, right now I work 8-5:30. But sometimes I don't get in until almost 9 so I have to stay until almost 6:30 some nights. Then if I want to work out after work, that means I'm not getting home until like 8:30-ish. So if I start working out and quit smoking, then I'll be sleeping better and hopefully will be able to get my ass out of bed earlier. Then I can go in around 7:00 a.m. and work until 4:30 p.m. which lets me work out earlier and get home earlier. See, I have a plan :o)

5. Help out more around the house. I realize this sounds kind of stupid, since I'm the woman and that's my job (HA!) but Jim really does almost all of the cleaning and laundry. He doesn't complain (he actually likes cleaning), but I know I should be doing more. I don't think I show him enough how much I appreciate him and everything he does. I was thinking about maybe having a cleaning schedule or something. More for me to follow than him...lol.

6. Save money. Jim told me recently that we need to buy new tires for our truck, and I'm still waiting to get my new camera, but after that it's going to be save, save, save!

7. Experiment with different recipes. I already have a food blog, and I'm not the greatest cook in the world, but I'd like to start branching out and trying new things. I'd really like to try some gluten-free baking since a friend of mine found out this year that she has Celiac Disease. And just a note...Jim used to do most of the cooking too, so I've gotten better with at least helping out there.

Well that's about all I can think of for now. I'll just make another post if I feel like adding to it.

Camera purchase on hold

But that's okay because we might be using the money to go towards a new car. I've wanted a DSLR forever, but I think a new car might be a better purchase for us right now. Yes we have our truck back, but I don't think it will ever be problem free again. And with it being our only vehicle, I can't help but be a little nervous that I may end up stranded somewhere. So that being said, we're interested in a Ford Edge.

We went to a dealership this past Monday, but found out that new rebates/cash back opportunities were going to be available starting yesterday. So we'll go back next Monday and try again.

We paid it off!!

Almost 5 years ago when Jim and I bought our condo (I can't believe it's already been 5 years!) we had a bunch of credit card debt. We each had two cards with three of them having balances anywhere from $3000 - $7000 but one had like $20,000!! I pretty much freaked out thinking we'd never get out of credit card debt. We paid off the small ones, but last year at this time we still had the big one with something like $17,000 still left on it. For the past 6 or 7 months we've been putting $1500/month towards it and I just made the last payment a few days ago! So excited to have that gone!!!

I got a lot of great tips over on the nest, specifically the Money Matters board. I learned of a person named Dave Ramsey and we used his debt snowball plan to pay them off. Worked like a charm!

Our plan is to start saving for a house, but first I'm going to purchase the DSLR camera I've been lusting over that I've mentioned before.

I'm just so excited to have it paid off!

Someday I'll have it

So I have it figured out and our credit card will be paid off sometime in November and then we (well mostly I) can finally reward ourselves (myself) with a new fancy schmancy digital camera. The Canon Rebel XSi is probably what I'll get. I haven't done too much research, but it looks like it comes with a pretty common starter lens which will be fine while I try and figure out how to use the camera...lol. And maybe so close to Christmas I'll be able to find an awesome deal. Maybe even the day after Thanksgiving I'll be able to find some crazy sale.

I've sort of also been considering the Canon EOS-40D, but that one costs a little bit more. Who knows...we'll see when the time comes.