Built for speed

For those of you who are like me and have only used point-and-click type cameras, you know the frustration that led to a purchase I made yesterday. You know what I'm talking about. When you see something you just have to get on film and by the time the damn camera is ready the moment is gone. Yeah, that kinda frustration. Like my nieces and nephews doing something thoroughly adorable like this...

My grand-nephew J.. Ain't he adorable??

But what you get on camera is more like this....

Source

Sorry I didn't have one of my own pictures that fit the bill because I usually delete the ones I don't like. But you know what I'm talking about. They are too busy having fun to pose for you, for God's sake. And heaven forbid you take a picture a second too EARLY and then try to get the damn thing ready for the shot you REALLY wanted. Too late! By the time the camera is ready again, you've missed it.

Well, no more for me! I ordered this little gem yesterday, and I can't freaking wait for it to get here!

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

This is the new Canon Rebel T3i that can not only snap pictures quickly, but it can also do video if I want it to. Yes, I see video taping Bailey at the water for all of you in our future. Wooo hooo! Are you excited? I sure hope so because you all are going to be graced with some awesome photos and other things once it gets here and I figure out how to use the damn thing. Let's just hope I'm as good as I always hoped I would be with a REAL camera. If not, lie to me, m'kay? My family and friends always seems to think I do a pretty bang up job with my older camera so imagine the possibilities. I am usually the designated picture taker which is another reason I'm not usually IN many pictures. Well, that and because I can't stand to see myself in pictures. It took everything I had to send Amy those pictures to do her drawings of me.

I'm sure my new photos will be fantabulous though! You just wait and see, my people. Oh, that reminds me! You've got a couple of more days to get your butts over to my giveaway and help name yourselves. I'll decide on Monday who gets the prize. I have been thoroughly enjoying the responses so far, and it takes everything I have not to comment on what I like and don't care for. But they are all great, so there's not much I didn't care for.

Don't forget to let me know if you promote it so I can pimp you out.. I mean, give you a shout-out. On that note, I meant to return the favor for my girl Thundercat over at Colorful Rants of a Fed Up Sista. She calls me Little Ms. Keep It Real, which I absolutely LOVED. She is a trip and a half, so you need to go check her out if you haven't already.

Catch all of you crazy folks later!

Thanksgiving weekend

Bailey and I made the trip home to my parents' house Wednesday evening. She goes ape when she hears me ask if she wants to go to Grandma and Poppop's. She loves running in their big backyard.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

As you can see, Bailey has to wear a seatbelt harness because otherwise she is all over the place in my Jeep. She doesn't like it, but it has made my life tons easier. After all, I would like to keep the transmission in my vehicle, and I'm not too keen on her throwing the car into another gear.

We had our Thanksgiving meal at my nephew and his wife's house. It was a combination of her family and part of our family. The food was great, and we had seconds at my parents' house to load up for the all night shopping spree my mother informed us we were about to embark on. Wal-mart decided it would be better to have the toy sales start at midnight, and the electronics start at 4 a.m. This is what it looked like at both hours, by the way.

My expression was not nearly as enthused as any of these patrons.

We had four ladies get in an argument about their place in line that we thought was going to break out into a knock-down-drag-out fight something like this. 

If you had seen the madness near the towels that were on sale, you would have thought they were fighting over HD TV's that were on sale for $1. I wanted some of the sheets, but didn't dare go near there with all the boxes and plastic and hair flying! It was the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. They are towels, people! Not gold bars. 

As tired as I was after the experience at midnight, we did go back at 4 a.m. to get some other things, and we hit a few other stores. I will say it was kind of nice to be done shopping for the day by 9 a.m. I went home and did a little shopping online before crashing. Dad was a little testy because he said my phone kept ringing while I was asleep, and the volume on my ringtone was turned up so it kept scaring the crap out of him. So sorry Mr. Lightweight-who-couldn't-handle-the-second-round-of-shopping! I was TIRED! Honestly, I never sleep through my phone, so that should tell you something.

Saturday morning I had to go get my neighbor's Ridgeback at the kennel where he was being boarded. To show you his size in relation to my Bailey...

He's a horse, but he's a big baby. (Bailey wasn't even as big as his head when I brought her home from the shelter.) He and Bailey were just as tired as I was though, so this is how the both of them remained for about 12 hours straight after we got home.

Cody decided he really likes Bailey's new bed. So of course she didn't get to sleep here.

She had to resort to the couch. Doesn't she look put out?

Apparently, my camera phone was just as tired as we were because the color on those photos is awful. But we had a really great time with the family. We played pool, drank, ate, ate some more, and laughed so hard at times that our faces hurt. Oh, and I just have to share this photo. My grand-nephew Jaxon was asleep on his daddy, and right before I clicked the picture he smiled for his Aunt Krissy. I just love that boy!

"If they only knew what I'm dreaming of doing for all these cameras in years to come."

I want to ask everyone's advice on my new possible family member too, so I'll write more later. For once, it's not a baby! I think my family will actually make it through this Christmas without a baby on the way. They are a fertile bunch, our crew. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I am still catching up on reading everyone else's blogs.

I'm thankful for a short work week!

So is everyone ready for Thanksgiving? I think I'm ready to spend some relaxing time with my family on that day at least. It seems like when I've been home recently (which is about 45 minutes away) we've had so much going on that we are always busy. Granted, we'll be watching football, but our Steelers aren't playing that day, so I won't really care who wins too much.

Of course, that night will probably be game night for all of the clan, too. My family is addicted to Skip-Bo lately. Funny how a $5 card game I bought at Wal-Mart before our last trip to Pittsburgh would end up being a game every household needed. We have fun playing lots of games though. Are we the only ones who still do that? My friends always fuss at me because I do more with my family than anyone else when I'm off, but my family is a trip! At least I know there is never a dull moment with them.

I know I will happily take a 3-day work week for Thanksgiving, even though my mother will have me up at the crack of "OMG what time is it?" to go shopping on Friday. I'm sure I'll have some crazy photos and/or stories to tell after that experience. I truly hate shopping, so I try to get as much bought on that day as I can every year. You get great deals, and I know Mom is going to have me there with her anyway. I usually make a list after that to see who else I need to buy for, and those gifts either get bought on the internet or during one more mass shopping day.

I swear they start putting things out for Christmas earlier every year though. This year I saw that stuff out before I saw Halloween stuff! What the ...? That is just crazy. Now if someone would just come clean my house for me so I can decorate this weekend, I'd love you whole bunches!