Ever have one of those moments where your breath is taken away because you’re just overwhelmed with love?
Yeah, me too, every time I look at this picture.
I’m a lucky girl.
I love these guys so much!
Category: Random Thoughts
We are BORG
Well, we did it.
We finally succumbed.
After fighting with my Droid phone all week last week on my business trip (and losing the battle most of the time) I decided I’d had enough. After driving down the freeway in California with no idea where I was going – and my lovely Droid decides it’s time to lock up/freeze/go into la-la land… After turning my fully-charged phone OFF for a 3 hour flight, only to turn it on when we land and find a 90% DEAD battery (um, ok, where did the charge go?)…. I was done. Finis. Kaput. ENOUGH already.
SuperMan’s phone, coincidentally decided that it really didn’t want to charge on a consistent basis, either. His blackberry was over 2 (almost 3?) years old and it had been used and abused enough.
So, I bit the bullet and decided to get us both new phones.
and not just any new phones…
iPhones.
Yes, we did it.
We are BORG.
We have been assimilated.
I can’t really give you a thorough review of the phones yet, because they just arrived yesterday and I’ve made a grand total of ONE phone call on mine, but I can tell you this. They were the easiest to activate, set up and load up of any smart phone I’ve had to date. And that includes all the extras I have to set up for my work access (VPN, chat, email, etc.) Super simple.
His and hers.
Yin and Yang.
(excuse the messy desk, please)
Aren’t they pretty?
We’re so excited. You’d think we’d gotten a puppy and not a phone.
The girls are thrilled, too.
Big Girl got my “old” ipod touch. Little Bit inherited Big Girl’s ipod nano.
So, we really are BORG.
But it’s OK.
It’s like I told someone the other day. You get what you pay for. And with Apple, you may pay a little more, but you know it’s high quality.
I’ll post again in a month or so and let you know what I think about the day-to-day responsiveness and use. It will be an interesting comparison to what I had.
Although, I have to say… I think my poor Droid was just overtaxed and underequipped (memory-wise) to handle what I tried to make it do. I have talked to TONS of people (including total strangers in the airports last week- I did an informal poll to see what people thought of their phones) and lots of people (with newer Droids) were thrilled with theirs. I think mine was just not configured to handle what I needed it to do.
WE ARE BORG.
“Gel” Manicure: Day 11
I decided to treat myself to a mani/pedi right before my trip last week. The ladies at the nail salon talked me into getting a “gel” manicure. It’s where they put a gel/polish compound on your nails and “cure” it under a UV light for 2-3 minutes. The manicure is supposed to last for 3 weeks and I figured even if it only lasted for one week, that was longer than the manicures I usually get. I’m a frequent hand-washer and I’m hard on manicures. So, I thought, why not? Pretty nails for the meetings & travel would be nice.
So, here is what they look like – 10 days out from the manicure. 
I got a lot of compliments on my nails last week & over the weekend. Which was surprising, because that’s not normally something people notice or comment on (for me, anyway)
You can see there is a little growth of my nails, but they still look nice. 
I did have one casualty – this morning – I think it is from all the hand washing I’ve been doing with this dratted cold I have. The corner just peeled up. The nail underneath doesn’t look bad – I was worried that this might damage my nails (they told me it wouldn’t, but I was skeptical) but they seem to have survived okay. 
So, a week and a half out, I’m still satisfied with the manicure. Would I do it again? Probably. For a special occasion. On a regular basis? Probably not. It is just more high-maintenance than my life is geared for right now.
But I’m enjoying the pretty nails while they last. 🙂
Love Bends
I was inspired to make this on Sunday night after an awesome message at church that morning. I thought I’d share with you…
I’m still doodling, as you can see, when the inspiration strikes me. It still feels a little strange, but it is relaxing at the same time.
Click here to download your own copy.
It’s not Instagram, but I like it
I don’t have an iPhone. Therefore, I don’t have Instagram. I love the Instagram photos I see online, but I’m not going to give up my Droid phone for an iPhone just for the app, that’s for sure.
I have, however, found a pretty cool photo program (or two) for my Droid phone.
One in particular I really like –
Retro Camera is a program with five different “cameras” you can use to shoot with – (quoted from their website)
The Bärbl – An East German classic, naturally faded with a scratched film and medium vignetting, the perfect all-round choice.
The Little Orange Box – The Soviet Staple with aggressive cross processing and scratched square film. It's crappy plastic lens leaks in light and exhibits strong vignetting. Black and white option for even more emotion.
Xolaroid 2000 – Its inspiration is obvious! We love the candid snapshots this camera produces – you simply can't fail, every shot is a keeper. Blue / Green cross processing effects and timeless contrast. Black and white option for that classic touch.
The Pinhole Camera – A DIY gem and more unpredictable than Schrödinger's cat. Full bleed developing and vignetting through the roof, be sure to give this cardboard chimera a go.
The FudgeCan – The perfect rig for outdoors; developed on square film that wasn't quite stored… or developed right. But therein lies the charm that'll make your pics with this beauty, memorable and instantly nostalgic.
I am finally getting around to playing with it, after having it installed for a couple of months and totally forgetting it’s there.
Here are a few shots I took last week:
I think this one was with the Little Orange Box camera. 
And these two are with the Xolaroid … 
And this one, I think, with the Bärbl camera. 
I think someone was finished having her picture taken – and I love the note – I didn’t see it at the time but it was a note between her and my mom, written on the menu. Sweet.
Have you found any non-iPhone apps that you love?
Five on Friday: Things I’m Loving Right Now
I thought I’d share a few of my favorite things with you – things that just make me happy these days.
- My Tervis Tumblers –
I’m loving them – loving the fact that they keep hot things hot (like my mocha protein shakes in the mornings) and cold things cold (like my fruit smoothies and “sweet” tea)
I love the happy patterns I have, the durability, the “sippy cup” tops for when I’m mobile (or the kids have one to drink in)
They’re not cheap, but I use mine enough that I think I’m getting more than my money’s worth. I use them every.single.day.
- Dry-roasted Edamame
Oh, my. Have you tried these?
Sooo, sooo, good.It’s like a cross between popcorn and roasted peanuts in terms of flavor (and addictive qualities)
They have 13g of protein per 1/4 cup serving – and it is hard to eat only 1/4 cup, trust me!
It helps satisfy my salty-snack cravings while getting some protein in my day.
- Beatrice
But you already know I love her. I spend so much time these days with her. I take her everywhere I go. She’s become my bestest friend.
But don’t tell her I’m trying to figure out how I can sneak one of these into my budget this summer:
I wouldn’t want her to find out and get jealous of her cousin’s hold on my heart. - The Daily Digi’s monthly membership
What a great deal! You get over $50 worth of digital scrapbooking products for a monthly membership fee of $7.50. That is awesome. But they don’t usually stop there… almost every month I’ve gotten an email with some type of members-only special. (love that!)
And all of the products are beautiful, top-quality originals. I am hardly ever disappointed and I use almost every single kit I receive.
Additionally, members get this kit, just for signing up. How cool is that? - My calendar
Well, actually, it’s called “My Book” and is an adaptable planner.I love it because of two things… the fact that it’s tiny enough to fit in my purse (and not too heavy – I have the small size) but mostly I love it because I can customize it to my tastes. I decorated the slip-in cover with scrapbook papers that made me happy and then added 4×6 photos in the page protectors (there is a page protector/photo page at the beginning of each month) so I am carrying around all my favorite pictures of my family.
When I get tired of the photos, or the decorations on the cover, it’s a simple task to swap them out and put new things in. Us short-attention-span girls LOVE that.
There’s also plenty of room for me to track our family activities and even put a little note about the day if I choose.
What about you?
What things are you loving these days?
Anything you want to share with us?
This is what happens, boys and girls…
… when you don’t watch your taco shells as they warm in the toaster oven.
Good thing Big Girl is so observant!
She was helping SuperMan get dinner on the table Friday night – we were having tacos and fajitas and he was busy finishing up dinner on the stove.
All of a sudden, Big Girl shouts, “Flames, Daddy, flames!!”
I came running and threw open the front door. (not to run away, mind you)
SuperMan carried the (burning) toaster oven out to the front porch.
The shells were toast – literally.
As was the toaster oven.
Thankfully, nothing else was harmed, the fire was contained to the inside of the toaster oven, and we had more taco shells (I know you wondered) for dinner.
Never a dull moment around here, I tell you.
You are not your past
I saw a tip on Jillian Michael’s Facebook page the other day:
The past doesn’t define you, your present does. It’s ok to create a vision of the future because it affects your behavior in the “now”. But, don’t dwell on past mistakes, learn from them and focus those lessons in the moment. That’s where change can really happen. Remember that transformation is a present activity.
It really struck me.
I thought about how many decisions I make based on my own view of myself, which is based on my past. Who I used to be – overweight, unfit, unhealthy – is not who I want to be in the future. Why do I do things based on that image of myself?
If I don’t want to be that girl anymore, I should be behaving as if I were the girl I want to become – not the girl I was.
Living life as if I were already, fit, healthy, happy, etc. – whatever the characteristics are of who I want to become.
As someone once told me – “Fake it ‘till you make it.”
Why wouldn’t this apply here as well?
Why wouldn’t we behave as if we were already who we wish to be, thereby manifesting that in our lives, rather than sentencing ourselves to continue to live the patterns of our lives which we no longer desire?
Some days, I think the universe is trying to send me a message. I’m wondering if this is the one I need to learn right now.
Especially because this FB post was followed in a couple days by this in my inbox:
It came from these wonderful ladies…
Have you read any of their stuff? If you haven’t, I’d encourage you to do so.
And then challenge yourself today –
What are you doing based on an old definition of yourself?
Is that who you want to be in the future or do you want to be somebody different?
And, if you’d like a little reminder. You can download this:
I’ve got mine posted on the wall above my monitor so I see it all day long.
Happiness in a box
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Now, on to today's post:
I have a little addiction – I think I’ve already confessed it to you before.
I am a purse-a-holic.
I love handbags, tote bags, purses, clutches, pretty much any kind of bag.
And one of my favorite brands is Vera Bradley.
I have a ton of them.
And, the addiction is made worse now that I’ve “friended” them on Facebook and get daily specials emailed to me.
My, oh, my.
This was the case last week when they had a one day only special on the cutest little hobo bag – and lo and behold it was available in PINK! (I love pink)
What a perfect spring bag – hee hee.
Now, I’m thinking I may have to get the matching wallet and eyeglass case.
Hmmm….
The merger
We have a local (statewide) lottery – which is supposed to fund higher education scholarships. They advertise pretty heavily and I am in love with the current commercial.
These kids are just so stinkin’ cute.
“We can open channels to Eu-rope, A-sia, and even South America.”
Love it.
Thoughts Along Life's Highway 
