Four quick thoughts for Friday...

It's a good thing i don't work all weekend because i have not slept all night! So what's a girl to do? Naturally update her blog! Here are my random thoughts for the day...

- I need a blog makeover. I like how my blog looks, but i don't love it. I've been scouring the internet world and have found some people who do blog makeovers. I'm thinking of going that route. I have done all i can by myself to try and make my blog better, but let's face it, i think i've come to end of the road on what i can do myself. So i may invest in someone who actually knows what they're doing! Who knows, stay tuned to find out!

- Last night was TV heaven for me! Let's see, real housewives of the oc AND new york (double dose=fabulous), The Office baby, grey's anatomy and private practice. Needless to say i spent the night on the couch, and loved every minute of it!

- I'm excited to take some pictures today. Hopefully we get another sunny day, i would love to take pictures outside.

- A good friend of mine asked me to be her bridesmaid and i'm so excited! She gave me the cutest card, i will have to post a picture. The wedding is this October, i'm sure it'll be here before i know it!

Once again, it's a pictureless post. I've been lazy, but i promise that i will get back on track soon!

Inspiration

I love to be inspired. And every now and then i hope i can inspire others. In the past few years i have let myself be open to inspiration, and i will tell you that i have not been disappointed! Music, people's words, people's photographs, their stories have inspired me one way or another. Heck, even commercials inspire me! Have you ever seen the commercials for liberty mutual insurance? Oh my word, i don't know why, but sometimes when i watch them, i want to to cry! And sometimes when i see them, it inspires me to be a better person to others. That's why i love reading blogs, even if they are complete strangers, because i love hearing people's stories, whether they are simple every day stories, or life altering moments. I love reading them because every now and then, it affects me in a completely surprising way.

Case in point. I have always loved photography. I took a photography class in high school and promptly discovered i wasn't very good at it. So i quit once the class was over and from them on, took simple shots with my little point and shoot cameras. But that didn't quell my love for seeing other's pictures and see what amazing things can be seen through a lens. Every now and then throughout the years i have a thought for a split second to take up photography again. But then i quickly remember how difficult and time consuming it would be, and then i go on with my life. Well, then i stumbled across someone's blog and it completely changed me for the better. This person's words and her pictures totally captivated me and i was hooked. Mind you, she is a complete stranger, but i was moved. It wasn't just her blog in general. It was one certain post. It's a beautiful story about her daughter's birth, and she is so painfully honest. That is the day i was inspired. Inspired to pick up a camera and see what I can see through the lens. She is a photographer, and her pictures are beautiful. Granted, some of her pictures are taken by her friend, but they are also equally beautiful. Now i know that i can probably never ever take the kind of amazing pictures she takes, and that's ok with me. I'm just happy to be inspired again to capture life's amazing moments through my eyes. And for that, i am grateful. I will share her story with you and i promise you will not be disappointed! Click on Nella's birth story.

I'm not going to lie, learning how to take photographs is still a bit hard. I knew nothing about aperature, shutter speed etc...but i'm learning. It will be a long learning process, and my poor dogs! They are constantly my subjects and have already had hundreds of pictures taken of them. And i'm sure there will be hundreds and thousands more of them!

I would add some pictures, because i believe every post should have at least one picture, but honestly, i'm tired and have to work in a few hours so i'm skipping out on the picture today.

Happy Saturday!

Elise

Hello love!

I am in love with my new SLR digital camera, a Cannon t1i rebel. Love it! Before this, i had a simple little point and shoot that took crappy pictures. Granted, i do love how small my little point and shoot was, but i would quality over convenience any day. I know nothing about photography, so i am still learning. Mostly, i just play with different settings until it comes out half-way decent, but i'm hoping down the road i will actually know what i am doing! Naturally, my animals have become my subjects (and household objects) so i have many of my dogs. It was very hard to capture them since they NEVER stay still, but i managed to get some good ones. I tried uploading more but the site wasn't letting me so i was only able to upload a few.

Actually Justin took the one of Brea below, and i love it!

I am definitely excited to go forward with my new found passion and see what images i can capture.

Simple pleasures

This blog i read had a post on naming the simple pleasures in your life. I thought it was such a great idea because i have many =) It can be hard to stop and enjoy the little things when you have big things going on in your life, but if you try to enjoy simple pleasures it can make you feel so much better!

Simple pleasures

Getting a note/email from a friend just because.

Staying inside on a rainy day.

Seeing my big dog and teeny dog snuggling together.

Rocking out with my songs on my iphone while i'm doing my hair.

A strawberry slushie from Sonic in the summer.

Wearing flip flops and a sundress in the summer.

Looking at old pictures that i haven't looked at in forever.

Grilled cheese and tomato soup.

the way i feel after i workout.

having a good hair day.

taking a walk with the hubby and dogs on a summer evening.
listening to christmas music and having my christmas lights on.

buying gifts for people for christmas.

getting my US magazine in the mail.

Watching my DVR'd shows the next day.

Summer evenings.

Man, this is making me excited for summer to show up! I could probably go on and on but will stop for now. If you have a chance, try this because it can make you feel so much better!

2010

I usually make a new year's resolution, and attempt it half-heartedly, so here goes mine for 2010! I didn't make one right away because i was trying to come up with a good one, but couldn't really think of anything. But i decided that i would try to maintain a clean house. I usually have a vicious cycle of cleaning the whole house all at once, then letting it get really messy and dirty and then clean it all at once again. What i would like to do, is keep a semi-cleaned house the whole time instead of letting it get as messy as i normally let it. I will attempt it, no promises, but at least i'm trying! (kind of =) ) But first i have to take my christmas decorations down...i hate this part...

Ramblings...

So i am going on my third day of house arrest...just kidding...i am resting because i was sick at the beginning of the week. Had a 24 hr bug in which i had a fever, body aches and chills and a headache. That is the shortest time i have ever been sick! Usually i get a really nasty head cold that lasts for about 2 weeks. Hopefully this will be my only winter cold and now i'm done. Even though i feel better i am taking it easy so i can go to work over the weekend. I had to go home early from work monday night because that is when my fever started. We are extremely busy at work and i can't afford to be sick, so i have been a couch potato these past few days. Which has been incredibly boring. Been watching tons of TV and movies. I watched the Ugly Truth (funny), my sister's keeper (sad), and monsters vs. aliens (cute movie). Plus endless amounts of reality television.

The fur-babies have been keeping us busy. I'm procrastinating getting Brea fixed, but i think i will finally get it done sometime in December.

I'm getting excited for the holidays. I work thanksgiving, but am off christmas and new years eve, yay! Have some holiday parties planned, but am just looking forward to decorating for christmas, which of course can only happen the day after thanksgiving =)

What's your favorite holiday tradition?

It's been a while...

since i updated my blog! I don't even know what's been happening since i updated last. No big events. Brea has gotten bigger and still not housetrained =( I've been working, playing and trying to enjoy the last few days of sunshine we have left. A few weeks ago i did go to seattle with my girlfriends to see my good friend sarah for her birthday. I had a blast, i always do with these girls. We don't get together often, but when we do, it's like old times!

And, i'm so excited, i'm going to san francisco in less than two weeks! I'm going for a neonatal conference and will be there for 5 days. I am going with two co-workers who i always have fun with, so we will have a blast I'm sure! Not quite sure what all we will be doing while we are there as far as sightseeing, but hopefully we can experience the whole city!

I'm also getting excited for the holidays coming up. They will be here before i know it!