Category Archives: begfest ’08

I have 30 days to become a master photographer

Written on July 1, 2008 by in begfest '08, hole-y matrimony, Little Monkeys, Lucky Me, Men?, Pictures

So remember how I’ve been begging for a camera?  And then I told you last week that all that soul sucking begging paid off and then never told you how it paid off? 

Yeah, well sorry ’bout that.  Well my new Canon 450D/Rebel XSi arrived via UPS yesterday afternoon amidst much jumping up and down and gleeful shouting.  Here was me, all day yesterday…”Was that the UPS truck!!!” as I ran to the window only to see NO SIGN of the UPS truck.  “Oh I better not shower, what if the UPS man comes while I’m showering??”  “No vacuuming today!  I might not hear the doorbell when the UPS man shows up!”  “Carson BE QUIET!!!  I can’t listen for the UPS man!”  “Did you hear that?  Did it sound like a UPS truck, Carson??”

So needless to say, I got very little done yesterday waiting and waiting and waiting.  It was torture!  But I’m guessing you’re sitting at your computer saying, “GET TO HOW YOU GOT THE CAMERA ALREADY!”

Jeez, I was getting to it.  Patience.

One of my wonderful readers, Trish,  emailed me recently and told me that she works for a company who sells cameras at wholesale price.  She offered to let me choose a Nikon d60 or the Canon XSi for free for 30 days.  After 30 days I could either box it back up and return the camera OR buy the camera at wholesale cost.  Her exact words to me were “I know it’s not as cool as Canon contacting you directly…”

Shut up!  Oh it’s as cool alright!  Since it’s not a free forever camera and I’m not expected to write a review, I’m not even in violation of my BlogHer ads agreement! I, of course, accepted the offer and am now in a mad frenzy to prove to my skeptical husband that we NEED to buy this camera.  He’s convinced that we won’t be able to capture any better pictures with the XSi than we can with our S5IS point and shoot. 

I have 30 days to prove him wrong…and YOU can help!  Send me your best camera tricks, tips, settings, WHATEVER so that I can become a photography wizard.  HALP!  I CAN HAS NO CAMRA SKILLZ.

[pictures deleted] 

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Everything is better in the light of day

Written on June 23, 2008 by in begfest '08, Little Monkeys, Quirky Me

Carson woke up around 11:30 last night coughing uncontrollably and crying.  Luckily he was crying for his Daddy  (I knew there were pros to his Daddy favoritism!), so Tate went up to console him.  I could tell by listening over the monitor that Carson was refusing to go back to bed, as he wailed every half hour when Tate would attempt to put him in his crib.

I felt desperate for sleep and hearing Carson carrying on made me feel panicked.

“Tomorrow is going to be a HORRIBLE day!  I won’t be able to do it alone!  How will I ever manage to prepare meals and care for TWO children, one of which is DESPERATELY sick???!!!  I’ll be so exhausted, I won’t even be able to get out of bed.  Oh PLEASE just let me sleep!”

At 3 AM, I felt bad for Tate because (PANIC!) he had to WORK tomorrow and he’d hardly gotten any sleep.  I went upstairs to relieve him of his duties.  He didn’t hesitate to let me take over (DAMMIT!), and quickly left me with the coughing, barrel rolling child in our spare bed.

“I’m NEVER going to get any sleeeeeeep!  Woe is me!”  My mind raced with the thoughts of the terrible day that awaited.

Carson thrashed and kicked and coughed and tossed and turned for what seemed like HOURS.  FINALLY I fell into a oft interrupted sleep as I was repeatedly awakened by jabs to my ribs and back.  The desperate feelings and panic also kept me awake as laid there worrying.

The morning light invaded it’s way through the blinds too early this morning, but found a bright and cheerful Carson.

“Get UP, Mommy!  Carson doesn’t feel shit!” 

I assumed he meant he didn’t feel SICK.

All that panic and worry was for nothing.  Sure I’m a little tired this morning, but really?  Getting all worked up about the unbearable day that awaited?  Slight overkill.

(I think Carson just has a cold, not Ella’s “cock sucky” or “hoof and mouth disease.”)

Oh and one more thing…I’m, uh, expecting a Canon 450D (Rebel XSi) in the mail any day now.  REALLY.  Moral to the story:  Begging works!  Details later.

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Preserving the moment so that in ten years when he’s in trouble for throwing mud on a little kid, I’ll remember a time when he was truly sweet

Written on June 18, 2008 by in begfest '08, Little Monkeys, Pictures

[picture removed]

I know I shouldn’t mar a sappy post with reminders of how my son has always preferred Tate over myself, but *shrugs shoulders* that’s just how I roll.

Even this morning, Carson’s first whiny words to me were “Where’s Daddy.  I want Daddy.”

Blah, blah, blah.  Daddy, daddy, daddy.

But!  On a positive note, my daddy-loving son has starting spontaneously coming up to ME and giving me hugs and kisses.  It’s fabulous!  He’ll just be sitting there playing with his John Deere tractors and suddenly come over to me and give me the biggest hug.  Then he’ll look me right in the eyes and pucker his lips, waiting for me to return the affection.

I feel such a great heaviness in my chest when he does this.  Nothing in the world compares to this joy.

Another sweet trait of Carson’s is that he’s been very concerned about his sick little sister.  Between her yelling and moaning and groaning (no, really…that’s all she’s done for days), in those few moments of giggling and smiling, Carson will say “Ella feel better now, Mommy!”   He seems to be on watch, waiting to return to her regular happy and healthy self.   There have even been a few times, he’s gone over to Ella and gently touched her face with his fingertips and told her than he loves her.

My heart?  It’s on the verge of explosion.

I just wanted to put this in print so that in the future I can remember these precious moments.  Especially when he’s eight and in trouble for throwing mud on some poor, defenseless two-year-old or when he’s grounded for pummelling his sister.

************
PS…Canon??  Sony??  Nikon??  Olympus???  I haven’t heard back from any of you regarding my YEARNING for a DSLR camera??  That’s weird.  I’m going to BlogHer next month, a place FILLED with photography buffs, and it would be a perfect opportunity to take my NEW camera along and spread the message about it’s awesomeness.  I’d love to be sponsored!  Call me!  Or you can just email me, whatever.  My email is playgroupie (at) gmail (dot) com! 

Can’t wait to hear from you. 

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You? Have opinions. I? Want them.

Written on June 9, 2008 by in Ask Teh Internets, begfest '08, brutally honest monday, confession, Little Monkeys, playing along, Quirky Me

Brutally Honest Mondays” border=

This is my first time participating in Mrs. Flinger’s Brutally Honest Monday.

I’d like your (brutally honest) opinion about a recent incident.

The kids and I went to watch Tate play softball last week.  Being a magnet to puddles, Carson immediately found the biggest, muddiest puddle and jumped right in.  Within seconds of getting to the ball field, Carson was soaking wet and dirty. 

There were lots of other kids around Carson, laughing at him getting all wet.   The next thing I know, I look over and a girl who looked to be at least eight or nine, was throwing handfuls of mud on Carson (and cackling manically…or so I imagined.  I mean, maybe she was.)

I was FURIOUS.

I marched over there and yelled at her to stop.  I told her how ashamed she should be for picking on such a little boy and that she should know better.  There was lots of huffing and puffing (on my part.)  Also, my face was most likely all sorts of red.

I was SO PISSED.

I made the girl apologize to Carson.  She did, half-heartedly.  Then I grabbed Carson’s hand and we marched off, with me saying the MOST mature, parental thing ever…”Let’s go play over HERE away from those MEAN kids.”

When I made it back to the bleachers, a few of the people who had witnessed THE INCIDENT, looked a little horrified.  I’m not sure if they were horrified by how I reacted or by the girl’s behavior.  Of course I assumed it was all about me.  Also, I’ve told a few people what happened and each person acted like I overreacted slightly.

Here’s what I’d like you to consider when forming your opinion…

1.  She was DEFINITELY old enough to know better than throw mud on a little kid.
2.  She was throwing the mud at his head.
3.  (Don’t forget the maniacal cackling.)

But also consider this…

1.  He was already filthy, dirty from jumping in the puddle.
2.  I probably could have left out the huffing, puffing, and stomping away with the immature retort.

I am a little nervous since this is “BRUTALLY HONEST Monday.”  Don’t think the BRUTAL part means to be, you know, too BRUTAL.  I’m tender hearted.  **bats eyelashes**

*****

Pssst…Nikon!  Hi there!  I entered your contest to win a D60 last night!  You know, I could say really nice things about your WONDERFUL cameras here on my blog…I’d sure love a camera to review!  PUH-LEASE!!!!  Kthnxbai!

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Too Bad It’s Not Nachos Filling My Plate, Then I Wouldn’t Be So Overwhelmed

Written on June 2, 2008 by in begfest '08, Mommydom, Quirky Me

Last week, our Internet?  It died.  So did some, but not all of my channels.  Died.  Kaput.  I don’t EVEN know how the heck that happens??  This, of course, means two things…I’m stealing AGAIN and I’m waiting on Comcast to SAVE ME fix the problem.   STRESS!

I’m already quite stressed since I have A LOT on my plate right now with playdates and phone calls to make and “vacations” to pack for and writing obligations.  For the next 763 weekends, we have something on the calendar.  As much as I like to have plans, I get VERY OVERWHELMED when I see NO upcoming breaks.  All these weekend activities are usually in need of some sort of planning and preparation by moi and guess what??!!  That STRESSES ME OUT.  One of the upcoming events we’ll be attending is a family reunion.  Now I realize that certain family members will read this and I apologize for what I’m going to say.

Just the thought of spending the weekend with people I don’t really know very well, in a “cabin” with a two year old and a one year old, where you have to bring your own sheets and towels (YAY!  MORE work for my VERY FULL plate!), makes me feel…wait for it….OVERWHELMED.  It will take me a week to pack and prepare for this “vacation” and probably two weeks to recover.   Also, we’re supposed to bring something homemade to sell at the reunion fundraiser…add just ONE MORE THING for ME to do!    Really, if I could, without hurting feelings and causing an enormous fight with Tate, I’d rather just stay home.

The beginning of our SUMMER WHERE WE OVERWHELM JENNIFER began Memorial Day weekend.  It was not exactly a stellar beginning to our marathon event-filled weekends.  For weeks, we’d been planning to go to a minor league baseball game.  “We” (READ:  TATE) had looked at the schedule and determined that Memorial Day weekend would be PERFECT for a baseball game.

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To find out what happened, check out my guest post over a Fussy’s place.  I know, I know, you hate having to click.   Do it for me, though, remember I’m feeling OVERWHELMED. 

(Also, today begins my weekly beg fest for an SLR camera from one of those wonderful companies like Canon!   Hello, there Canon!  You sure are looking gorgeous today!  My what LONG eyelashes you have! 

How about sending me a camera to review?  Here’s the angle I was thinking of going with…a somewhat novice photographer meets the love of her life…a new SLR!  I will go on and on and on about how quickly I learned to use the camera and how we lived happily ever after.

Please!!!!!!  If I don’t hear from you I’ll be calling Nikon.)

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