answers

I got this comment on my last post - don't stay anonymous, Mr./Mrs./Ms. Anonymous! (I also changed the settings to allow comments from those that don't blog on the photoblog. You're welcome. Whoever you are.):

LOVE the fish pic! Can't post a comment over THERE as I don't have a blog, so I am HERE!!! Are you using a digital camera? What brand and model? I can't seem to get the effects I got with my SLR and f-stops with the digital I have now. Was getting ready to go back to the SLR and real film until I saw your pics. HELP! SAVE ME!!!!

Well, thanks! Oh, noooooo, don't go back to film. The money you spend on film and developing would pay for a good starter digital SLR in a couple of years. I am using a digital SLR camera, a Nikon D60. If I could go back in time to when I was purchasing this item, I would have bought the D90 - the reason for that is the D60 does NOT have an internal focusing motor, and the D90 does. More auto-focus lenses are available to use when you have an internal motor. For example, the lens that most often is on my camera is the 50mm f/1.8, which only works in manual focus on the D60, but would auto-focus on the D90 (or higher level camera). Now, I have to say that despite the challenges of manually focusing, particularly while taking photos of my constantly moving children, I really, really like the photos that the 50mm f/1.8 produces. The light is so much more accurate and I can take more pictures in low-light situations with that lens. I am totally ANTI-FLASH. I won't use it. I have grown to really dislike photos taken with flash, even if the subject is really cute. Sorry.

Having sung the praises of my 50mm f/1.8, I have to admit that the fish photo on my year in pictures blog was taken with the kit lens, the 18-55mm AF-S lens (OH, if you've got the D60, make sure any additional lenses you buy are AF-S, not just AF, or you'll be manually focusing like me.). I'm not quick enough with the manual focus to take photos of a lively betta.

I hope this was helpful and not too boring for people who don't give two hoots about cameras or photos. Anonymous, you should totally start a blog so we can see your progress! Plus, when you blog, you get to meet awesome people like Barb who is having a BABY RIGHT NOW!!!!! Yippee!

thirtieth

Nothing I could write about today could rival the amazing birth story of the amazing and wonderful Emmett, son of Amy & Mike. I'm so proud of all three of them. And seriously, even if you don't want to read it, at least click over to see how stinkin' cute he is in his Christmas jammies.

And thus concludes NaBloPoMo 2009! Phew!

twenty-fourth

Babies are all over the place right now!

• Turkey was born today! I'm sure eventually my cousin will share the news on her blog so I'll wait until she gets to it before I spread it all over here. If you're a FB friend you already know... If you could send up a prayer for this sturdy little man while he's trying to figure out the whole oxygenation thing in the NICU for a few more hours, that would be great.
  
  
• Timon's cousin had her first baby, a girl named Isabella, this morning at 4:30!
  
  
• A youth-pastor acquaintance of mine in Ft. Lauderdale had been hospitalized with pregnancy-induced hypertension for about a week - she had to deliver her son Eli last night at 29 weeks, 6 days. He weighs 2lbs, 11ozs! He is obviously in great need of prayer as well, for he'll surely have a long road ahead.
  
  
• And last but not least, ARMADILLO will finally make his appearance tomorrow! Farah is a superwoman and I'm sure she'll appreciate prayers and good wishes headed her way as she gets admitted early tomorrow a.m. Her 17 month old first son has NO IDEA what's headed his way! Go Farah!
  
  
  
  Phew! That's all I know about right at the moment. Exciting times for all these new families - so much to be thankful for.
  

today’s message:

(Timon and I have been married eight years today.)

keepin’ it real – update edition

Want that oh-so-hot look you had in middle school when you tried to cut your own bangs, and they came out uneven, so you just kept on trimming? Until practically nothing was left?

Try Post-partum Hair Loss! It’s awesome!

Amy, I cannot even imagine the tumbleweeds that will be floating around your apartment a year from now with your amazing volume of terrifically curly hair. Despite all that – you’re about to have the time of your life. I’m so thrilled about your teensy little person.

FRENNIE NO MORE!

My sister's most perfect baby has arrived! At 12:22pm, JULIA LAUREL was born, weighing a perfect 7lbs 2ozs, measuring 19" long. Maria is thrilled to have someone other than her soon-to-be-born friend Gracie to share her clothes and toys with! CONGRATULATIONS, KAT & PHIL!

we're going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship

Well, we've made it to the northlands, and I'm so thrilled with this cold air I can hardly speak about it. Tomorrow will be my sister's baby shower - she arrives tonight and I will be speaking to my newest neice or nephew through the belly straight away. Maria's godmother also comes tonight and we've been SQUEEING!!! about it over email all morning. Something else to SQUEE! about is Elizabeth Rose has arrived! Jen is a fantastic person (seriously, I've met her in person!) and blogger and her post about the first hours after her long-awaited daughter's birth is wonderful.

Anyway, since we've been here there's been lots of this going on:

And this:

Oh, and this, too:

a post in which I valiantly attempt to avoid the most obvious humor that's not even really that funny anyway

I know I said I'd take a break today, but I just couldn't. You see, my most very favorite brother-in-law Phil has already this morning defended his doctoral thesis and been found worthy of obtaining his phD in some sort of chemistry related doohickey thingy. And it's only 11 am! What have the rest of us accomplished at such an hour, I ask? He shore be smaht, y'all. So everybody say three cheers for Dr. Phil! (Sorry, it just couldn't be avoided.)

so, um... yeah!

Who would have EVER guessed this?!? So, so awesome. Go Rays!

thirty

I've made remarkable progress since this photo was taken. Thanks to all of you who've emailed and/or called to wish me a happy birthday today, as well as sticking with me through the last 30 days. I'm off to have some cake and pudding!

24 until 30

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....... that's the sound of me during this gorgeous weather we've been having here in Florida. It's finally transitioned into the season of "Slightly Less Hot" (otherwise known as Fall and Winter in the rest of the country) and I am LOVING every minute of it. The windows have been thrown open, I'm wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and I'm just in a more pleasant mood overall. Henry and Timon are currently in a tent in the backyard - we'll see if they last the night sleeping out there. We had a lovely evening at our friends' house, eating absolutely delicious shepherd's pie and cornbread casserole, followed by fruit pizza - yum! I think we've decided on plans for my big birthday celebrations - bowling with friends... with our friends, that's just a recipe for comedy. I don't need a big party, or to have a fancy dinner; just lots of laughs with my friends, husband, and son is all I want. Wish you could all be there!

empty shelf

17 youth came tonight. the Bible shelf was empty. now would be a good time for someone to start helping out on wednesday nights. *crickets*

i just can't tell you how excited i am for this movie

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT ***7 PM BREAKING NEWS!!!***

The weather was such this morning that on my 150 yard walk to work, I did not begin to sweat. This is the first time since April that this has occurred. That is all.

***BREAKING NEWS***

This evening, I spent an hour outside laying on the hammock (with a couple of interruptions to play "Space-Boy and Space-Girl"), and I did not begin to sweat. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging.

the votes are in!

My friends in the John Kelly Band won their round of the "Living Room...LIVE!" contest on CBS' Early Show with 47% of the votes! Two more rounds of three bands each will take place in the next 2 weeks, then the JKB will go up against those 2 winners to become the 2nd finalist. Then the whole 4 week process starts over for the 3rd time to determine the 3rd finalist. Those three finalists will compete to perform live on the Early Show in NYC. This has been great publicity for the band and I'm SO excited that they are doing well and that people enjoyed their music enough to vote for them... although really... they were up against a band called Zombie Bazooka Patrol. They wore zombie makeup. Nice.

If you voted, THANKS! If you missed your chance, you can still help them become finalists in a few weeks. I'll let you know when you need to vote. If you live around here and want to check out the JKB, click here.