Gina's Ramblings

LIARS more than almost anything. How can you call yourself a man? Oh responsibility? heard of it?
Idiot

We have a pair of Bald Eagles who nest right up the road from us. 3 days in a row they were on the side of the road within "great photo opportunity distance". The ONE day I remember to tote along my camera... the darn eagle decided that a high and far out perch would be where he would hunt for the day... Darnit! So if you squint you can see him.



Another reason for the want of the new camera it will blow away my 3X zoom with its 12X

Do you think if I throw my self onto the floor and kick my legs, pound the floor and scream "I WANT IT I WANT IT" over and over again that I can get this??



and the blah blah blah specs.... There is more of my rambling beneath hehe
Specifications
• Imaging Device: 1/2.5" 5.1 Megapixel Super HAD™ CCD
• Recording Media: 32MB internal flash memory1, Memory Stick® Media, Memory
• Stick PRO™ Media
• Lens Construction: 11 Elements in 9 Groups. Includes 1 ED Glass Element and 1 Aspheric Element)
• Zoom: 12X Optical Zoom
• Smart Zoom® Feature: 0 – 48.0X (at VGA Resolution)
• Digital Zoom: Precision, 0 – 2.0X Range, 24X Total
• Filter Diameter: 58mm (with adapter ring)
• Focal Length: 6 - 72mm
• Aperture: f2.8 - f3.7
• 35mm Equivalent: 36 - 432mm
• Auto Focus:3 Area Multi-Point AF, Center AF, 3-Step Manual
• Macro Mode: 3/4" (2 cm)
• Shutter Speed: 1/8 – 1/2000 sec. (Auto), 2 – 1/2000 sec (Program Auto), 30 – 1/1000 sec (Manual)
• Exposure Compensation: +/- 2.0 EV, 1/3 EV Steps
• Color LCD: 2.5" 115K Pixel TFT LCD Screen2
• Flash Modes: Auto/Forced On/Forced Off/Slow Synchro
• Red-Eye Reduction: On/Off
• White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash and One Push
• Burst Mode: 9 Shot 5MP (JPEG fine), 100 Shot VGA (JPEG std.), 0.7fps
• Picture Effects: Sepia, Black & White
• ISO: Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400
• Scene Modes: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Portrait, Landscape, Beach, High-speed shutter, Candle
• Self-Timer: Yes, 10 Seconds
• Audio/Video Output: Yes, NTSC/PAL Selectable
• Still Image Modes: Normal (JPEG Fine/Standard), Burst, Multi-Burst, Auto Bracketing
• MPEG Movie Modes: MPEG VX Fine with Audio (640 x 480 at 30fps), (MPEG VX Fine requires Memory Stick PRO™ media) MPEG VX Standard with Audio (640 x 480 at 16fps), Video Mail (160 x 112 at 8fps) with Audio
• Microphone /Speaker: Yes / Yes
• USB Terminal: Yes, Supports USB 2.03
• Memory Stick PRO™ Media Compatibility: Tested to support up to 2GB media capacity4; does not support Access Control security function
• Compatible Battery: “AA" NiMH, “AA" Alkaline, “AA" Nickel-Metal Manganese
• Supplied Software: Picture Package™ for Sony v1.6 (Windows), Pixela™ ImageMixer VCD2 (Macintosh), USB Driver, Cyber-shot Life tutorial (Windows)
• OS Compatibility: Microsoft®Windows®98/98SE/Me/ 2000/XP Home/XP Pro; Macintosh®OS 9.1/9.2/OS X (10.0 - 10.3)
• Supplied Accessories:NH-AA-DA Rechargeable AA Batteries, BC-CS2 Battery Charger and Cord, A/V and USB Cables, Shoulder Strap, Lens Cap, Lens Cap Strap, Lens Adapter Ring, Lens Hood and Software CD-ROM

Come on... the last camera I got was what about 5 years ago?
I LOVE taking pictures. DH says some of my nature stuff caneven go pro....
I am not saying buy it NOW buuuuut Hey we have an anniversary coming up and there is christmas too

Hubby is such a good father. He loves these boys with everything he has. Grady had a bad night....getting those shots just makes him very uncomfortable. This morning, before he left for work, dh picked up Grady gave him a squeeze and a cuddle and then turned to me and said " Honey, you and I make beautiful babies" He gave me the baby gave me a kiss, said I love you and left for work. Simple? yes. Silly? maybe. But it made me feel wonderful!

I love the fact my children have friends in the new neighborhood. But man oh man There are days like today that there is ALWAYS someone at the door or kids at the kitchen table, or on the front porch or in our driveway LOL

Ahh the joys of summer

at your OB appointments that when you have a child you will NEVER enjoy a hot meal or a long shower/bath or going to the bathroom alone again!
LOL

that my life is one of two things entirely too drama free or the message boards I read have people with entirely too much drama... and to be honest I am leaning toward the second!

There are a couple of message boards where there is not a day that some woman does not post a long drawn out.... my husband is mean to me/cheated on me/doesn't tell me about money... well you get the point.
For the love of Pete people life cannot be that bad all the time. There are some ladies who have a serious case of the woe is me syndrome! Some can find the good in most things, some cannot see anything but the bad.

I just want to post that hey my life is great husband is great and the kids are great too. but that may get one reply opposed to the multitude that the bad stuff gets. hehe ok as a whole we like to witness it don't we? Like rubbernecking at a car wreck we have to get a glimpse.

I guess I could say one thing to the drama queens out there... Thank you... You all make my life look like a bed of roses!

Why foster care?
why not?
Seriously it has been the news lately. A lot of things that make me angry and sad. Child abuse, the killings, the insane increase of news reports about someone hogtying thier children in a garage or room.
Am I trying to change it from the inside? maybe, doubtful I could do much though.... Maybe just doing something to have a positive influence on even one other childs life.. to give him or her a taste of what a good family can be; a taste of my sons' life.
Who knows though if it will ever come into reality. But After hearing about the shortage of homes. It could not hurt to try

No the baby is not walking LOL

I submitted an inquiry into being a foster parent.
Not sure what will come of it or if I will ever get contacted back... but I made the first step.

Today was the boys' last day of school.
DS#1 has a hard time with controlling excitement on days like today so I went to school with them and I took both boys home early
It was an actual bittersweet day. My oldest is moving on to middle school! My middle son will be going to his new school next year. But the best thing... I do NOT have to drive them back and forth every day 20 minutes each way!!!

DS#2 did AMAZING on his report card. Almost all 4's (A's) nothing lower than a 3 (B). Just floors me how well he does. He got a glowing couple of paragraphs from his teacher. She said that she will look for is name in lights I said yeah or the presidential ballot HAHAHHA His abilities really do blow me away.

DS#1 did OK. He did not go any lower on any grade :) and a few went up! I am very proud of him he has made some wonderful improvements.

Anyway we are all home now... dh will be home in a bit and will look over the report cards too.


Monday we have company and I am loooking forward to it. :)

No we aren't having arguments LOL

But it came up in a group discussion today how you shouldn't even have a disagreement or argument in from of your kids. I tend to disagree.

Now maybe dh and I argue differently (when and IF we ever do) we are not the knock down drag out types. Not into the name calling, yelling, screaming and all that BS. But we do have occasional disagreements/arguments.

I think in a healthy relationship (no abuse etc) that your children seeing mom and dad have a disagreement (depending on the subject matter) is healthy too. They need to learn that though there is a conflict Dad and Mom still love each other, they can learn conflict resolution and realize that disagreements are normal.

I think that sheltering your children from that is only harmful. Now I am not saying bring little Johnny or Jane into the argument to take sides lol Or bring them into the room and have them pull up a chair to witness the event or anything. But why hide a normal disagreement? Life is not all sunshine and daisies right?

Ok here we go. I am not the resolution type... but I do have some goals here.

-Eat better. Not that I am eating bad... just not eating a lot and when I get hungry I grab what is accesible....not always healthy.

-Calm down. The stress of home buying and moving has got me too dang overly sensitive.

-Make time for ME! I need to do something just for me. I have had to go in for a filling at the dentist and that alone has taken me almost 4 months!!! Just think of how the 'healing for my soul" takes the back burner!

-hang a picture! OK I know you are thinking what? I still have NOT hung a picture on my wall!! I am putting it off because It is my home and I am just not ready yet..or afraid to. No longer.

-Keep up on my chore list. I am doing OK on my daily lists...but I still need to get better.

-Make time every night for dh and I. Our marriage need to remain strong no matter how many little ones we have around. Now to get dh to hang up what he is doing and take us time too.

No one make a sudden movement or loud noise. Grady is down in his pack 'n' play and appears to be settling down to sleep! We will see if it works!

Maybe I can get in my shower by myself today. I have a volunteer appreciation this at the boys school this afternoon. I am looking forward to going actually. Just because the boys are SO exctied!!

I went to sleep VERY early last night I was so tired. I asked hubby to take the baby because he was awake and I wasn't. Just wish it worked out better. But I did get a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep. Now I just need another 12 hours of sleep and I will be good to go!

Things here are looking up. I am happy with everything I really am :)

Oh I am also looking forward to not having to drive the boys back and forth to school!

Yesterday when dh got home Grady lit up like you wouldn't believe. Smiling and excitement I swear took over his whole body LOL. He was glued to Dh for a couple of hours.
Dh was playing with him and Grady giggled out loud... just pure joy :)

It was such a wonderful thing to see mini man just so in love with his daddy :)
It was a huge ego boost to dh too. He feels left out sometimes I am sure when all Grady wants is mom.

Then Dh saw him reaching for the toys on his playgym and got so excited. "look he is reaching for it and grabbing it!!!" hehe

I think I will refer to this as Grady's "no Mom you may not have a moment to get anything done" stage. He wants me to hold him all the time. I am not the cry it out type I cannot just sit here and listen to him cry and cry and cry. But man oh man... Just 5 minutes ...

Btw it is hard to vacuum and do dishes etc while holding a 14-15 pound baby lol. Just in case you needed to know that

No painters showed up!!!

Our builder showed up Friday and said they would be here Monday. I tell you I am pretty much at my end of wait around the house for "someone" to show up and they never do. So supposedly they show up Monday and the tile guy will show up Tuesday to fix my OCD obsession lol. I may come unglued if things are not done this week.

The lawn up front has had some issues browning and thinning. We fertilized it last month and tried a new one this month. The back lawn.. OMG it looks great. Not fully in yet but looking mahvalous.

We are in our home... we are home owners... but we are broke lately. UGH! I know it will be tight for awhile but I cannot wait for thing to even out a lot more than they are now. Should be by July or August.

Speaking of July. We are planning on a trip to CA. I want to go down to see my grandfather and then back up to see the MIL and of course various other family members along the way. Cheap trip...visiting family hehe always have a place to stay and a place to eat LOL Probably stop in on my uncles business in Pleasanton for lunch and see my friend from high schools parents... Her dad is the other Grady hehehe

I also wanted to add though I complain about my husband sometimes I do realize how lucky I have it. He is a wonderful man he really is. He has put up with my rather foul mood lately. I have been snippy with so much and I get mad so quick it is so not me. It was pretty stressful moving and I just have not come down off of the stress yet.

Oh Grady got a Jumperoo! HE LOVES this thing. I will have to post a picture of it.

OK that is about it Grady is singing for his supper. After his 5 hour nap this afternoon OH MY GOODNESS he is playing eating catch up

Simple last night "honey can you clean up downstairs" I get a sure no problem. Yeah ummm I come down today and OK the dishes are done buuuut... that is it. UGH

I love him to death but come on. Help me out here buddy!

Ever feel like Karnac?? LOL (OK I know that is a joke lost on many many people lol)

-A lump: While doing a baby massage I found a pea sized lump on Grady's neck. I wrestled with risking sounding like the overprotective hypochondriac mom, or being the mom who would never forgive herself for saying something sooner. Well QUICKLY I made the call to schedule his appointment. I could not imagine being told "if you had only come in sooner". At his appointment we were told that it could be either an enlarged lymp node or a branchial cleft cyst. We were then referred for an ultrasound.
Yesterday was his appointment. Turns out there are two lumps in that area. It also showed no signs of infection, no signs of cancer, no signs of a cyst!!!! It is just lymph nodes...whew means no surgery. No other worries just keep an eye on it
-Lunch for 30... well I started to cook yesterday afternoon. I made Italian beef for all the folks in dh's shop. They have a lunch to raise $ for events. Well my meal was a hit! It completly sold out. I think it just made me feel good that someone else liked what I made.

And finally paint. Tomorrow WE HOPE the painters will be here to finish up.
I have been waiting on the painters for 3 weeks! GRRR

OK I am off of here. DH is reading stuff to me and I cannot pay attention to both this and him.