picture of the day

my sweet boys... :)

planning, packing, and praying!

we will officially be on vacation starting friday...YAY! the idea of a break is a very welcome thought in my crazy mind as of lately. it is always really fun to plan on where you are going, what you are gonna do and how much fun there is to be had but the least fun part is planning on what all you have to pack, stressing over what you are forgetting and least of all the actual agonizing details of packing its self. i just happen to be one of those people who thinks too much, about everything, and when it comes down to packing... i completely stress myself out! i tend to pack everything we own... just in case, but somehow in trying to prevent leaving something at home that we may unexpectedly need, i end up leaving something important like underwear... well maybe not underwear but something important none the less. being the planner that i am packing should be a breeze, but somehow i end up making it a week long process that drives me insane. i have tried to simplify my preparation, i have tried to pack less, just wash clothes while we are there, etc but i have found that this route actually drives me even crazier because the thought that i "may" have forgotten something is so much worse than obsessively over packing. at any rate i keep making myself crazy with this... writing lists, running back and forth to the store, and quizzing my poor husband on anything that he can think we might "need"... its completely ridiculous... now i am even putting off my packing by blogging... bad excuse but even as i am writing i am thinking about what i need to be doing and what i am forgetting... that should tell me that maybe i need to stop randomly mulling over my packing/planning habits and just do it... yes, i should do it. so, here i go to over think things and spend a wonderful day planning and packing myself into the loony bin... but it will so be worth it when we hit the road! :)

my photography obsession

when i say that i am obsessed with photography, i'm not kidding, it is a passion and an addiction. i am constantly on the look out for amazing photos and photographers. i love the unique stuff, the pictures that really capture something. there are so many people out there that pay a ton of money for a camera and feel that makes them a photographer, there are others that take boring pictures and photoshop the crap out of them to make them look good. i love stumbling upon pictures of inspired photographers that just love taking pictures. i found a website of a very well known professional photographer, Chase Jarvis, that has made himself famous with his photographic journalism shot entirely on his iphone. these pictures are completely amazing! he has published a book called "The Best Camera... is the one that's with you" that follows his iphone photography. you have to go check out the webpage that brings together "iphone photographers" from all over the world that have been inspired by Chase's book: http://www.thebestcamera.com/ and if you have an iphone, go get his "the best camera" app! you can check out his journal of iphone pix on his website: http://www.chasejarvis.com/ it is so amazing to see the kind of pictures that a true photographer can take no matter what camera they have.... wow. i just hope that one day i will get to that point in my photography, but until then, point and shoot it is!

can you take this kind of picture on your cell phone?







photo credit 1: clifton booher photo credit 2: nelson brazill

via- thebestcamera.com live iphone feed.


"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE." Ernst Haas

almost vacay time... sun, fun, and shamu???

so it is just a few more days until we officially start our vacation! my poor hubby, has been working his tail off (aka 90+ hrs a week) for months and is in dyer need of a break, so we are heading off to orlando for 7 beautiful days.... ahhhhh. we are going with my sister, her hubby, and my niece who is 12. i have been mulling over what to do and not do while we are there. of course the first thing that one thinks about when they think about going to orlando is going to disney but it just so happens to be the heat of the summer and just a few weeks before most kids go back to school so i am sure it will be miserably hot and packed with sweaty families running amuck. little man has been to disney a couple times already, (and he is just 4!) the last time being last october so we have talked about ruling disney out for this trip. i know its fun and there is so much to do but at 4 y/o there is only so much that he can do and he has seen it all. not to mention the fact that it is so expensive to go, even just for a single day. so, we have decided that we are going to take him to something that he hasn't been to... seaworld! he is really into sea life right now, i mean seriously into all that's under the big blue. he loves sharks, whales, dolphins, penguins... all that. seaworld is having special extended hours through the end of the summer with late night shamu shows and fireworks, which is always a hit with the kids! there is enough fun stuff to do, shows to see, and exhibits to take part in to fill an entire day, not to mention if you buy a one day ticket online you get unlimited access to the park for your entire stay, up to 14 days! also, we found out that seaworld is offering a multipark ticket that includes admission to seaworld's water park, aquatica, for the length of our stay also for just $20 bucks more... yay. this aquatica place is pretty awesome looking, on top of all of the typical water park things, it has marine animals all within the park too, even a slide that goes through a dolphin tank so you can see them swimming above as you slide through the tunnel... so cool. needless to say, i think that our little man will be overjoyed about this leg of the trip. i think that seaworld, aquatica, lots of pool time, shopping, and relaxing will make for a perfect vacation! i can't wait to see a look of relaxation on my poor, overworked husband's face, and the huge smile on the face of the little guy... priceless.


dolphin plunge at aquatica... those are black and white commerson dolphins! they look like whales don't they? photo credit http://www.aquaticabyseaworld.com/

so... i guess i'm officially a blogger :)

well, here we go... official blog #1. this is going to be fun! i can't promise that my ramblings will be overly exciting or interesting but i have to give it a whirl none the less. so, i am going to keep this one short and sweet... basking in my pride for actually doing this. back soon for more! :)