Goodbye Coach.......Hello Canon!

Well, once you get a taste of a DSLR camera, it is hard not to want to explore more and more of the world around you. The only thing that presents limits is the lens type. So, I seem to be more obsessed with newer quality lenses. My obsession use to be Coach Purses, but now I am saving for better lenses.

Lucky, my hubby stocked me up for awhile on my birthday! I wasn't so sure of the one on the left, he picked it out, but I have gotten so many compliments on it. I guess he has an eye for fashion!

So now on to this baby! Canon 85mm f1.2L. I have read so many reviews and this is so good for portraits.

Oh, and this, Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS,..........great for long distance photos!

Now, why is it money can't grow on trees?? It'd make life soooooo much easier!

Found this guy walking on my car

I was leaving to pick my son up from his class at the hospital, was running late as usual, when I noticed this guy walking across my car. Oh, I thought perfect pic for my macro lens. So, I ran back in to get my camera....quickly.........but, the telephoto lens was attached, so I had to switch that real quick. Then I get all set, tried to turn on the camera and the battery is dead, switched that and tried to snap a pic......no memory card.....ugh......ran back inside and grabbed that from my card reader. Finally I was able to capture a few. I love macro photography the best I think! Capturing nature up close to see all of its beauty is fascinating!

Well, I did make it on time.......lucky for me his teacher kept him later today!

Photos by CJD...his first shoot, pro bono of course!

My son has had an interest in photography since about 9 years of age (7 years now). My husband bought me a DSLR and my son has really been able to show his talent for having an eye for great shots. He does better than I, but my interest was only because of his.

One of my previous students asked if Colton would take some pictures of her 9 month old son. She just wanted some on a CD that she could take and print off the ones she liked. We had beautiful weather this past Saturday and he was able to get some great natural light shots! I need to get him enrolled in some classes or lessons. I think he has a talent. Best of all Sasha loved them and another friend of mine wants Colton to take some of her son.

Take a peek...........

Below is my favorite!

Oh, I really like this one below too!

"Mom do you have your camera?"

As I pick up my son and his friend from their shared-time Allied Health class, at our local hospital, he realizes that we are by the river and asks if I have my camera. Something told me to grab it when I left........knowing Colton and how he likes me to take pics of he and his friends.

I am so happy that he can take this class. Weird how he has to do it though. He goes half days to the high school he has attended all along, but in the afternoon, he is a student of the other local high school in our city (which is my alma mater :). So, he is in both grading systems. Pretty neat I thought! Best part of all.....he earns SIX college credits when he is finished this year, and another SIX next year if he takes the dental part. How cool is that???? He will have 12 credits before he even starts college!! Then the toughest part is for him to decide if he wants to be a doctor or an orthodontist, but this should help.

They loved being in front of the camera running to different spots for me to take their pics. I couldn't keep up with the two of them. I love the smiles and laughter I could capture best!

Dips galore.....

Well, as I was blog surfing today, I came across BooMama's site and saw this Dip Tacular event she was hosting. This is in honor of the football season that has just started. Click on the icon or site name above to see all the wonderful dips. I can't wait to give some a try! Maybe you might have a favorite you'd like to add too!

Here is the one of my family's favorites:

Meaty Cheesy Mexican Dip

2 lb. block of Velveeta cheese

1 lb. block of Mild Mexican Velveeta cheese

1 and 1/2 lbs. of Ground Round Hamburger (leaner)

1 can Cream of Celery Soup

1 medium onion chopped

Brown the hamburger and onion.

Cut the cheese blocks into cubes and melt in extra large saucepan on medium/low heat. Add the celery soup and browned hamburger/onion mixture. The heat from the hamburger mixture melts the cheese blocks faster. Stir consistently, as the cheese will stick to the bottom and burn if not. Once all is melted put into a Crock Pot set to warm. Stir from time to time. Serve with round tortilla chips and enjoy.

Never more than we can handle.....

Wow, has it been a really stressful summer. In July I got a call that my father had been in an accident on the Indiana Toll Road. He was very lucky to be alive and I am so grateful! I have been driving him everywhere now, just until he feels more comfortable doing it on his own, if it happens.

Then my mother needed some exams, blood test and CT scans. For her, with the Alzheimer's, it was not easy. I made sure I was with her and that she made it to her appointments. Well, since these test results came back, life has been a whirlwind. I received a call from her nursing home that the CT scan detected a massive clot, barely hanging on, directly under her heart (not even related to what the CT was to find)! So, they rushed her to the hospital via an ambulance. They were able to put an umbrella filter in between her heart and the clot. She remained in the hospital until late Monday night in order to thin her blood via IV's. Well, this was extremely stressful for my father (very understandable with his devotion to her) and he started having some seizures on Saturday. So, in order for my father to be less stressed they agreed to release my mother back to the nursing home if she receives injections of a blood thinner two times a day scheduled at 9 am and 9 pm. I had to find a home health care nursing aid that could administer the shots for 5 days straight, along with drawing her blood. My mother does better with one of us there, so I have been making sure I am there each morning and evening to ease her mind.

Well, my father was not acting right, but kept saying I just need to lay low, that he was just exhausted. I picked him up and took him to see my mother Tuesday evening and he did not look or act well, sort of like he was not processing things well and having a hard time finding the words he needed. On the way he had a mild a seizure and kept telling me he was fine....don't worry...you have a family to worry about.....etc, etc. When I went to pick him back up, and be there for her shot, he had another seizure. Finally after some prodding, via the nurse worried about his actions, he admitted he has been having these since Saturday, but that particular day he had 3 before I picked him up (at 4:00 pm), 2 that I witnessed, and 3 more that night after I took him home.

After I ran to help my mom with her shot the next morning, I called my father (to check on him) and he asked me to pick him up some items at the store, but had a very hard time trying to explain what he needed. I rushed to the store, went to his house and soon after I got there he had another seizure. I had called both of his doctors offices first thing that morning, but no response. As soon as I witnessed that one I demanded to talk to his doctors, as he admitted he had one just prior to talking to me that morning. That made it 10 seizures in a 24 hour period! ENOUGH I thought! They said to take him to the emergency room to check his med levels. They took such good care of him. They took blood tests, checked for his med level and possible diabetes. They also did a CT of his brain and determined that his med levels were too low and an IV was needed to get the levels back up and quick! He had been so worried for my mother, he was forgetting and skipping doses of his meds.

As soon as the IV was complete he said he felt 150% better!! They discharged him and I got him home, made his dinner, watered his neighbors flowers, as we had promised to do that! He then wanted me to be with my mother, as he was still focusing on her! She was fine, got her injection, and tucked into bed at 10:00.

In the meantime, I missed my son's tennis match for the second time this week! At least I remembered to get his uniform washed in time!

Well, I know things happen for a reason, even if we can't understand the reason or purpose at the time. Also, I know that we are never given more than we can handle, but boy I have to admit I was feeling like....please not one more thing! Well, I am thinking I don't want more to go wrong, but if it means that I can still have my parents in my life, I shall not complain!

Although, it would be nice to reverse time to when they were enjoying life to the fullest and traveling the world! Just about the time this pic reflects. Well, one thing I would change.....that dorky hairstyle I was supporting!!

Oh, those baby blues......

The other day I took a former student of mine to sign up for beauty school to become a cosmetologist. We stopped back at my house so she could use my Internet to apply for financial aid. Well, she brought her adorable son "J" with her and I took this opportunity to snap some pictures of him. It didn't take long before my son Colton wanted to get in on the action and he took over the camera and captured the close up shots like the one below.

His expression cracked me up.......he got irritated with me calling his name and distracting him from the funny antics my hubby was doing while holding him.

This pic makes me wish I was 10 years younger so I could have another.

Colby was a little too greedy and "J's" expression was priceless!

Oh, and yes.....those amazingly beautiful baby blues....with the long lashes to boot! Lucky kid!

This one was so cute, it looks like Colby wanted to give him kisses!!

Well, Sasha liked these so much she asked if I would take more for her, even offered to pay me. HA! It is not me but the camera that takes such nice photos, as I had it set in automatic again! Well, I am taking more.....but definitely not for pay! I love that I can do this for her, as she is a single mom who recently lost her job. Although, I think I just might have Colton do them instead because he has a better eye for some cool shots.

I just love the beautiful pure innocence of babies!