Why Not

Some of my friends have asked if I have gotten a new camera yet.

Nope:(

Danielle told me I should put a "chip in" link on my blog, so I did.

It's in the upper right of my blog and at the end of this post. The end date is my birthday b/c I'm hoping to get one before that. (WAY before that.)

I know this isn't important and I hesitate doing it, but know it's all in fun.

I know this isn't like saving up for an adoption or because I lost my income.

It's more like people who try to get donations for cosmetic surgery.

But still, Why Not?!

Somebody might feel generous and might paypal me a dollar or two.

I already got a donation! Dr. Brayer gave me a visa gift card to put towards it. She said she wanted to get me a gift for being the PCDHA president. Maybe it does pay to volunteer after all, that was unexpected!

SO, I wish I were saving for a nice professional camera by now, but I'm saving for a regular point and shoot waterproof one. I found one for $199 at Costco, $160 at Sam's Club, and a pretty pink one on Amazon.com for $170. I'm just looking for exactly what I had. I was content with it being in my back pocket. I think I'll put one of those zip line thingies on it that people have for name badges and security tags or keys. SOMETHING.

I promise not to leave my purse dangling on a stroller like because that's too tempting on Christmas Eve at the mall.

I promise not to put my camera in the side bottle-holder on the diaper bag, especially at home opener Rays games.

I Promise I'll be responsible.

And I'll continue to take pictures of my kids because for some reason I assume that everybody wants to know way too much about my little cuties.

I'll also take pictures of my friends' kids, just snap shots, but still. Here are some I just gave to Bonnie for her birthday. Clearly not professional, but they made nice wallets. She didn't have recent pictures of her kids in her wallet- just recent ones of my kids:) Can you imagine?! So I was able to sneak quick pictures of her 3 handsome boys individually over a 3 month period.

Anyway, I found a reason to post these pictures of Dylan's favorite "big boys."

Dr. Brayer's Surprise Baby Sprinkle

4/21/09

Some of the projects I've been working on include playing with fondant icing. Not that tasty, but pretty much the effect I was going for.

I found that spool of ribbon for $1 and thought it was perfect. Somehow I remembered that Marcie had the perfect cupcake tower and she let me borrow it.

I've been wanting gourmet cupcakes since hearing about them all over the "blogernacle." (Not a correct use of the made up controversial term, but that's for you, Lacey, I did read what you linked to.) (Especially the Rockstar Diaries.) Marc's Bar Mitzvah had individually boxed coordinating cupcakes and they were delicious. Bonnie told me where that bakery was, but instead of spending $3/cupcake, I spent under $10 for these, and had some extra at home for my boys too. (I'd still like a fun cupcake from a little cupcake bakery again some day.)
Anyway, I found an excuse for cupcakes. I didn't want them to be expected (pressure), or to have to make a lot, so we did a surprise diaper shower for Dr. Brayer on our lunch break with just us.

Look how cute her tummy is! She's meant to be pregnant, it doesn't slow her down at all. We were pregnant together the first two times, but I'm sitting this one out. I couldn't imagine being pregnant right now, mostly b/c Isaac is still such a baby - if you know what I mean. Her 2yo is at school, here's her cute 1yo who just learned how to walk!Oh yea, and I made a 3rd diaper cake and wipes case. I'm loving these projects. My right-brain thanks me. When I was overwhelmed at BYU at exam time, my mom gave me good advice and told me to do a fun art project start to finnish. I needed a way to procrastinate anyway, so I tried it. I felt so fulfilled after being creative on my own. (I did just fine on those exams b/c I was able to relax.)

*And I borrowed Corrie's camera, thanks Corrie!

Dinosaur World

3/27/09
Once/month, I work while Steven babysits. He took the kids to Dinosaur World.


Isaac needs to learn how to talk. He just points and grunts.






They had lots of fun and told me all about it, once they woke up from their naps.I grabbed the camera to take a picture of my little baby, once again in that swing that he was too big for a long time ago. Steven still shoves him in it. Rediculous, but necessary I guess. This kid doesn't sleep. Never has.

I missed you babies! (Dylan kept saying that they saw big dinosaurs with Daddy and Isaac, then he would say "but you didn't. You were at you office." That must be what Steven feels like, but then again I haven't been taking them to as many places.) Dylan also said that he was not scared, and Isaac was not scared. "No, we not."

shopping with boys

4/4/09
We met 2Dylan for some Easter shopping. They needed some Easter ties, and they're only like $2 at the outlet mall. Dylan needed some pants too, he hasn't gotten any hammy downs in a while.
There was more playing than shopping.

Was Isaac about to hit that girl out of his chair? I hope not.

We played back at 2Dylan's.

The boys got new sunglasses and liked them. Dylan's matched his outfit that he had gotten from 2Dylan.

Daniel and Jolyn played a little volleyball. (She blogged it too.)

We miss Liam and Owen, but we're glad we are able to make time to still hang out.

no camera = no pics = no blogging = I'm productive

Miss me? I've been working on some projects like cleaning out our office/guest room for when baby Nora comes to visit, and on some baby shower stuff. Saturday will be my 4th one in a month! I'm working on some PCDHA stuff too. Just when I got new energy, Isaac and I got sinus infections. I always feel so bad for him once I catch whatever he has b/c I know how yucky he must feel.

Caught on Camera

4/11/09
These waere just some 5 year olds that wanted to show off to my kids. Dylan thought EVERYTHING they did was cool, even at poor Isaac's expense. The adorable punk's mom didn't say anything even though I'm sure she saw it. Isaac's going to have to get used to being picked on by his big brother and his friends. I'm just going to try to keep Dylan with the "good" group of kids, who knew I would have to start so early! (Isaac was fine, I changed him into his swimsuit which he should have been in anyway.)

I love my husband

I figured I should listen to Steven and not drive there b/c I had a feeling that something bad would happen to me if I went behind his back. I was still mad at him in the morning but he was nice and rubbed my back and said (after the fact) that he would have gone. I told him that I would have stayed in the locked car unless I saw it, but he said that there are more car jackings around there than I know about. He told me that I could go then (6am) and he would stay w/ the boys, but he had to get to the court house and was all dressed and almost ready to go. I think that the camera dropped out of my bag or got stollen out of it in the main parking lot. I really don't think it dropped by the car with my phone. I retraced my steps after work today with the hundreds of Rays fans going to tonight's game). I talked to the Rays' clean up crew. I talked with the ticket lady to see if I could get through to the Lost and Found people. I left another message with Guest Services and talked to the police. I'm hoping that somebody enjoys that thing as much as I did.

Anyway, through email after his trial, this is one of the many things that made me smile today:

"I think it's a healthy addiction, so we should probably feed it as soon as possible"

Irony

Like how I scheduled that post about loving having my camera always in my back pocket for all of the good photo ops at the Szasz' house? I scheduled 9 days ago) it to show up on my lunch break today. Weird.

I think my camera was getting to be an addiction or something. It's probably a blessing in disguise. I have lots of pictures to go through still, so I'll see if I can just wait 'til my birthday or something before I replace it. (that's 3 months away though.) My friends have cameras. I can be more like Julie and can just cherish and try not to forget all of our fun times.

a nice {relaxing} evening with the kids

3/23/09
When I'm with the Szasz boys, I get to really just play. When I'm home, I feel guilty about getting things done but it's pure photo ops at their house:) See the dolphin's fin?
Marc is jumping down to find crabs to use as bait b/c it's low tide.

Marc just tied a piece of line and let the crab down.

I was no part of this, they told me to look, and I picked up my camera. I love having it ALWAYS in my back pocket. I love their real smiles and laughs.
Should I have put a stop to this? They are such characters and I love them so much.

i can't sleep

My camera isn't in the diaper bag.
Or in the car.
Or in my pocket.
Etc.
My phone dropped to the pavement when I got Isaac out of the sling on the side of the minivan. There's a chance my camera was in there too and it's still on the ground, in the small parking lot on the NE corner of MLK (9th St) and 1st Ave S. Steven said he doesn't want me to drive there right now. I won't be able to drive there 'til after work tomorrow, and it's a business parking lot (old Bank of America I think, those letters were pried off but I could still read it.)

The last picture I took was of Jake and Dylan running the pretend bases at the entrance of Tropicana Field right before we left. (Home opener for the Rays.) I had dumped all of the pictures onto my computer yesterday, so the only pics on there are from the game.

Does anybody work or drive by downtown St. Pete?!
Steven doesn't think the area is safe enough for me to drive there now, at midnight, but I could be half way there by now. Should I go? Should I listen to him? I don't care about the pics from tonight really, I do care about being w/o a camera. I don't have the $ to replace one, so I'll have to take out a loan or something b/c it's like an appendage. I don't even have a camera phone b/c that one is always in my back pocket. (I should return these GAP Bermuda shorts I'm wearing even though they were half price b/c the back pockets are only half deep so I can't put a phone or camera in there - I didn't even try today.)

I'm really hoping that it dropped there, b/c the only other explanation is that it got pick-pocketed. I did tuck in the wrist string/loop before so nobody could pull it out by that string. The diaper bag was kinda behind me b/c I had Isaac strapped to me.

The only THING worse that could be stollen is my external hard drive w/ all of my pics on it.

I think I'm going to go wake up Steven and ask him to go. Wait, he has a trial tomorrow. Maybe I'll ask him again if I can go. I think maybe it was with my phone inside of the sling w/ Isaac so it must have fallen out along w/ my phone. . . . But I remember it was with my keys before. . . . I'm going to go check the van a 3rd thorough time and pray for the hundredth time.

I just called the St. Pete Police. They said I can't report it 'til the morning and even though there are still officers there (tons for traffic/security), nobody can look for it. (I knew that was a long shot anyway.) I'm supposed to call that same # after 8am. Couldn't that guy have taken the message?

funny faces

I've been waiting and waiting to use my underwater camera again. I took a underwater pics of Dylan's overwater face.