34 Days of Favorites: My New Camera

I love my camera.

I got a digital SLR camera about two months ago, and still don’t know a lot about how to use it to it’s full potential, but we are having fun together.

I was nervous about that. It’s been a while since I’ve tried to learn something new, and in the beginning, my camera intimidated me. I was a little scared to touch it.

Now, it makes me incredibly happy. I’m looking forward to all the things I will learn about taking better pictures. I try to use it every single day, because I want to get to know it better, and because I want to capture the every day stuff.

I’m not suggesting that everyone should run out and buy a DSLR camera in order to try one of my favorites.

What I am suggesting is that you figure out what you’ve wanted to try for a long time, but have been hesitating to do. Is there anything you really, really want to do at some point in your life, but haven’t gone through with it?

Do it.

If you can.

Or start saving the money, doing the research, whatever. Take a step towards making it happen. It could bring so much joy into your life!

My mom asked me to give her piano lessons after dreaming about lessons for years.

My dad traveled to Israel, saying it was in place of the Bible school experience he never had when he was younger.

My mother-in-law went skydiving with her kids.

Ben went for his Master’s.

What is it you want to do? I know some of these things take money. So pick something cheap, if you have to. Just make it happen, if it’s important to you.

And then love it!

Any ideas what you could do to make a dream come true?

(To read more about 34 days of favorites, click here.)

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait?!

This would be me. With my new camera.

My big day – I’ve been waiting all my life!

When I was younger, my dad would take photography courses, and I would be his assistant as he went around taking pictures for his assignments. It was my job to spray the roses with a water bottle so he could photograph the droplets on the petals.

One of the greatest family activities was getting out old slides, and having “slideshows” of when we were babies, or of favorite family vacations. I still feel warm inside when I think of those times together in the dark, laughing and reminiscing.

I grew up surrounded by good camera equipment, and good photography. I always knew I’d want a fancy camera someday, but I wanted to be ready. Financially, it just hasn’t been possible before, and it wasn’t really necessary. I wanted to use our little point and shoot camera to death. I wanted to develop my ability with the basics as much as I could before moving up to the fancy stuff.

Well, through some interesting opportunities, I was able to save up almost enough money. Our old camera is still plugging along, but it’s cracked, and smoking, and the final straw was losing the battery charger during our move. We were without a camera for a whole week! (A very difficult week for me!)

But it all worked out in the end, because Ben decided to combine my Mother’s Day and birthday gifts, and buy my long-awaited camera. I love it, but I’m still slightly scared to touch it!

It’s a little intimidating. I don’t have a hot clue what I’m doing. But we went for a walk together last night, my new camera and I, and spent some time getting to know each other a little bit, so we might get along okay. Some classes will definitely speed up that process.

And guess what? The day after I received my shiny new camera, I finally found the old battery charger! It always works that way! But it’s okay, because we do still need that old friend, as well.

Here’s hoping this is the start of something good…:)

Weekend Favorites

This weekend was spent without Ben or my camera!

Despite these unfortunate circumstances, we were still able to have a very nice weekend, with only a few completely crazy moments thrown in.

(We ran out of rice milk for Kaylia. At bedtime, she sat and cried uncontrollably for almost an hour because there was no milk. Miraculously, I was able to find a carton in the camp fridge, otherwise it would have been a loooooong night. Oh, sweet Niverville, here we come! The land flowing with milk and honey, or at least filled with stores where we can buy it without driving two hours!)

Anyway. The favorite moments of my weekend:

-Following every little stream we could find around camp, down to the lake. (We were doing science, and Anika didn’t even know it!)

-Painting magnets (and observing Kaylia’s fascinating techniques for mixing paint to create new colors)

-Making orange juice (which was part of my effort to get Kaylia to drink something, seeing as there was no milk in the house)

-Listening to “Pete Stories” on the phone. Every night, Ben tells each of the girls a “Pete Story” – Anika’s stories are quite a bit more elaborate than Kaylia’s, which is why they need individualized performances. In an effort to get the milkless Kaylia settled down for night, we called Daddy for a “Pete Story”. The best part: When I asked Ben if he was ready to start, he said, “I was born ready.”

He really was. Someday he will be a famous author. But for now, I get to watch him (or listen to him) be the most amazing dad, always ready to make life more fun, enjoyable, and full of adventures for his girls.

Today Ben comes home, and he’s bringing our camera, and life will feel a little more normal!

I hope your week is fun, enjoyable, and full of adventure!

Spring = Happy

What?? What is going on outside?!

Just like that, the snow is gone, and fake spring is upon us. I don’t believe for a second that this weather is going to last, but I will enjoy it while it’s here.

It is the kind of weather that makes you pull out bright rubber boots.

It makes you run for your dolls…

and go play house in the bush.

It makes you look up, up, up, as you breathe in that fresh spring air.

It makes you splash in puddles (because you are never too old to splash in puddles.)

And it makes you wander home reluctantly, because going inside seems like such a shame….

*****************

Know what else is a shame? My camera. It’s smoking. For real. If we use the flash, a puff of smoke shoots out the top. What is up with that? Ben is hoping it will explode in his hands. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen, seeing as I am the one using the camera about 90% of the time, so it would be my hands that would get exploded on.

Part of me is sad. Broken camera = sad.

But…that means we have to buy a new one! Shall I follow my frugal self and my practical husband, and buy another little point-and-shoot? Or shall I follow my dreams and the encouragement of my husband (despite his practical side), and put all of my Christmas and birthday money into a fancy shmancy camera that would give me lots to play around with?

Any camera opinions out there?