Okay, the new camera actually arrived on Tuesday, but I’ve been enjoying it.  I’ve taken a number of pictures, and I really like how well it handles lowlight and flash.  I have taken several pictures of Allyssa, and she is quite the camera ham.  She wants her picture taken daily, and she wants to see every one of them as well.  I haven’t seen any yet that I like as well as the ones I took the day the camera arrived.  I’m sure I’ll find new favorites though as time comes.  I’ll have to find a few in portrait rather than landscape orientation so that I can update some picture frames.

I’ve been very pleased with it’s zoom function, and Shane has even tested it’s macro features on some of his HO scale trains.  It focuses well even in macro, shows plenty of detail, and all in all we’re very happy with this camera.

I’m very pleased at how well how easy it is to download from the camera to my computer which runs lubuntu (which is a LXDE variant of Ubuntu Linux).  I just plug in the USB cord to the computer, then the camera, and select PC on the camera.  I hadn’t uploaded from the old camera to my laptop,  mainly because we only had the one USB cord for the camera, and the laptop does have an SD slot if needed.  Since I prefer to run linux, it’s harder to install the windows software that came the camera, but I’m not really likely to have used it, or installed it even if I was using Windows so that’s no loss.

We purhased a 8GB class 6 SDHD card for the camera, and at the 14 MP setting we can take almost 1600 pictures before needing more memory space so I don’t think we’ll fill it up any time soon.  I’m planning on taking pictures off the camera at least monthly and more frequently if needed.  I am not sure we’ll even have 1600 pictures a month, but who knows?

It did not come with any sorta of camera case (our last one had a very basic stretchy case that came with it), so I found one I liked online (okay at ebay since they had the best price) and it’s on order.  What I like about the camera case I ordered is that it has a metal clip as well  as a double zipper.  The thought is that I should be able to carry it from a belt loop and still easily get to the camera when I wish.

Yesterday, as a family we went to the Kansas City Northern Railroad.  It was Sunday afternoon, we hadn’t done much over the weekend and were looking for something different to do.  Someplace on the web, Shane found the Kansas City Northern Railroad and since this is a train family, it was definitely of interest.

It is not an large railroad, but they take you around the area twice for $.50 a ride.  They have a tunnel, S-curve, a wooden trestle bridge, and a road crossing you go over, so as you can see a little bit of everything.  Allyssa went on the ride three times, and would have gone at least three more if we had let her.  It’s a short drive from home, about 20 minutes so we will definitely be going back again.

I can hardly believe that Allyssa is now two years old.  It seems like yesterday I was in labor and then held this precious little baby girl in my arms.  Time sure passes in the blink of an eye.

This morning, Allyssa and I slept in a bit (OK as usual), arising around 11 or so.  While I made homemade pancakes for breakfast, Shane helped Allyssa as she chose her outfit.  I think those overalls are getting a bit short on her and may have to be put away soon.

After brunch, we be brought out her presents.  She enjoyed opening her gifts without a doubt.  From mom and dad she received Thomas & Friends Water Tower Figure 8 set, the Figure 8 Expansion Pack, Rosie, Annie & Claribel, a musical caboose, as well as Thomas.  She also received a Winnie the Pooh matching game.  There is just nothing for games out there for two year olds.  Most of the “little kid” games are all for ages 3+.    That’s okay, she’ll have hours and hours of fun with her Thomas trains.

We didn’t do her shopping until Friday.  Yes, she was with us, but that allowed us to find out what she liked.  And when it was time to actually purchase, momma distracted her by taking her to other sections so we could “look around”.  Daddy would then purchase the items and put them in the trunk.  It worked rather well, once we could get her distracted.

Just before we left on Friday, the mailman had arrived.  The timing was great since that meant that Allyssa received her cards and gift cards before we left. She enjoyed having her cards read to her and looking at the pictures.  With her gift cards she picked out a table for her Thomas things which came with track and some Thomas like train pieces.  The size of the track and such matches the Thomas things she received today which is the main reason it was selected.  She also picked out a slide.  This is a Little Tikes slide which can be used indoors or outdoors, but since we have a secluded outdoor area with nothing for her to play with that is definitely going outside.

This may make it easier to have her go outside to play while mom and dad stay inside, and watch her through the wall of patio doors.  So far she hasn’t liked being outside if mom or dad aren’t with her.  And even if we have to go out with her some of the time, she has things to play with rather than looking for someone to always play with.  Like when we take the ball outside to play.

When we were visiting family in March she received her birthday gifts from grandma.  She received a twin stroller and a diaper bag for her babies.  She had received twins as big as she is from grandma about a month before.  Grandma keeps her very well stocked in dolls.  She already has a barbie doll as well, but she’s still too young for that so that one is up and way until she’s older.

We tried to find out what Allyssa would like for supper, but we don’t think that Allyssa was understanding us.   She wasn’t hungry at the time, and everything we suggested she kept saying no.  While I was at the store picking something up, I also picked up a balloon for her.  She loved it when I walked in with the balloon.  She certainly managed to tangle herself up in it quite well, but she was definitely having lots of fun too.

When I returned, Shane had decided that everyone should go out for ice cream.  He had gone online and found an ice cream place nearby that we hadn’t been to yet.  So we went.  It wasn’t that far, but it would be a bit of a walk if were to attempt to walk to it in the future.  It’s about a mile or so.  After ice cream we drove around a bit, attempting to get to know the area a bit better.  This particular time we went east, and learned we only want to go so far east in this area.  But if we hadn’t tried we wouldn’t have known and now we do.

Allyssa slept through part of the drive, but when we returned home, it was definitely nap time.  Everyone laid down, apparently we are all tired from our SCA event yesterday.  Not that it was a hardship to have some extra sleep.  After our nap we had supper which was enjoyed by all.

While we didn’t follow the traditional order, but she did receive a birthday cake.  After supper I made some pineapple upside-down cake.  That was chosen since Allyssa love pineapple in general.  For some reason I think she was too full to truly enjoy her cake though since she didn’t eat it all, but she certainly had a lot for supper so it is understandable.

Just one extra note, you can click on any of these pictures to see a larger view.

Well, as Shane mentioned, he’s going back to school online.  I wish him the best of luck with that.  I know it will certainly keep him busy.  He’s made a schedule up, and it does show time for Allyssa and I, but like all schedules we will see how well it actually works out.

He talks about doing dinner, but he enjoys that (usually) and find it relaxing.  But don’t worry he doesn’t do all the cooking.  I make the lunches for the 3 of us since he works and will be going to school from home.  While some might thing that lunch is a lighter meal, it’s still important to keep it balanced.  My theory is that we’d be better off if lunch is a bit heartier and dinner a bit lighter since most don’t have a lot of physical activity in the evening.

Shane has also started doing weekly fighter practice for SCA.  This is once a week on Wednesday.  Allyssa and I go as well, we talk to others and watch him get hit with sticks.  It’s good to get to know the other SCA folks in the area.  And we have several events we are talking about going to in the near future.

We have found two parks in the area which Allyssa enjoys.  Of course we’ve also found out that as long as the park has slides it will be one that she enjoys.  She is a huge fan of riding the slides.

I have found a cross stitching shop in the area.  It wasn’t easy but I have finally figured out how to find shops when you new to the area and have no idea of what they are called.  It’s hard to do an internet search for them without a name, and harder still to do a yellow pages search because often the shops are so poorly categorized on the online yellow pages.  I was on a website of a company that dye their own fabric colors for cross stitch.  They are a wholesale company so when I asked them about shops in my area they were able to give me the name of two within 21 miles of me.  So now I know how to look for shops in the future.  Go to the wholesale suppliers and ask them who is in my area.

Why worry about giving a local shop?  Well I try to support the local shops whenever possible.  I have a simple view of things.  If I don’t do my part to support my local shop, when I need to pick something up quick they won’t be there.  The day after I received the information about local shops, I went to the closest one and checked them out.  It was good to be in a shop dedicated to needlework.  Not one where it’s just shoved off into a small corner of the craft store, which keeps getting smaller.

I finished the birth announcement I was working on for Allyssa.  Please click on the image to see the entire piece.  Now I’ll have to clean and mount it.  Of course, since that one is done, I had to start another project.  This new project is one of Santa looking at signs to check his directions.  It’s on a black background and is originally from an old postcard.  I have an entire book of Santa’s from old artwork it’s called Santa Remembered from Leisure Arts.

Allyssa is growing in leaps and bounds, but lately it’s been hard to get her to sleep on her own.  She wants to be attached to momma when she sleeps.  She just doesn’t want to let go.  Lately it’s been if she won’t let go at nap time, we get up.  It makes her more tired in the evening, but she has to learn that she can’t stay attached to momma.

When she falls asleep at night, she also wants to stay attached also.  This makes things hard for momma.  While I don’t mind taking an afternoon nap with her (actually I usually enjoy a good afternoon nap), I like to get up for a bit after Shane and Allyssa are in bed.  It’s a good time for me to have some private quiet time.  It’s my ME time, and I have learned that I need it.  If I can’t have my me time for I get more irritable and much easier to annoy.  I have also found that if the housework isn’t done before they go to bed it’s not going to get done that night.  My time is for me, not for housework.  (Doing housework during that time is a sure fire way for me to get extremely annoyed.)

Well that’s all my thoughts for now.  I’ll try catching people up again soon.

I can’t believe it, but for some reason, Allyssa has really developed a craving for green peppers. This past weekend at the two breakfast buffets we went to, she gobbled up more green pepper than I could. Since then every time I open the refrigerator she grabs the bowl with the green pepper and won’t let me put it away without giving her a piece!

I guess it could be worse, I mean, she is always putting rocks and leaves in her mouth. If she wants to eat green pepper then I will let her. Besides, it’s healthier than a cracker, isn’t it?

Ok, yes, I know it has been a long time since our last post – what, like 4 months now? Well, I don’t see your blog so what have you to complain about? At least we try!

Today I moved the entire blog back to Blogger because WordPress wouldn’t let me track how many of you are actually reading this blog. With this move I have made the site more friendly and updated the look. I hope you like it.

Now, how did I find time to do this? Simple! I left my job to go back into freelance work. TravelNet was working me to death and I just couldn’t do it any more. A lucrative project came up that will keep me busy for a few months at least, and I had to take it. So now I get to sit at home again and just have fun – when I am not working. My last day was August 28th, just before Labor Day weekend.

So, now that I am not so burned out every evening, perhaps I will find time to update this blog more often. And just so you don’t forget what she looks like, here’s a picture of Allyssa with my Dad and Roseanne at Steve’s Wedding Vow Renewal back in June.

Here we are, Mother’s Day, 2008 and Laura’s second as a mommy. So far it looks like Allyssa is enjoying it, with a big grin – must be a good dream – or maybe she knows that daddy is taking her picture. She is such a ham.

Anyway, on to the real reason for this post. As you probably know if you’ve been checking we haven’t posted much since Allyssa turned nine months old. That’s just stupid, because we have pictures and we want to share them, but time slips by and they don’t get posted. Until I realized that WordPress allows me to back date posts! A blog like this is not only a great way to keep family and friends up to date on the family, but also to keep a historical record of our lives as a family.

So today and throughout the next month I will be adding posts and back dating them to when they actually were taken. This will allow me to get my memories down somewhere while they are still somewhat fresh in my mind, and let you get up to date on our life so far in 2008. So if you see me I don’t want to hear, “Geez, I must not have visited your site in a while, I never saw all those posts!” because you know now that it was my fault and not yours. So enjoy them as I get them up and share your thoughts if you care to. For now, Happy Mothers Day!