backing up

It's been a while since I've done a thorough back up of all my photos and digital supplies. So, that was my intention for this long weekend. I need to get a better system going, I think I say that alot.

Anyway, today I really felt the need to back-up my laptop after I read about the new iLife for Mac. I was totally stoked to see that iMovie now is compatible with our camcorder. I was getting very irritated with trying to find software that I would be able to use to make dvd's with, or just watch our home movies. Because of the frustration we haven't used our camcorder very often. The new iLife is $79. However, I noticed that you need the Leopard OS to run it, which I don't own. So, the Apple website says that they have this package called the Mac Box, for $169 you get Leopard, iLife '09 and iWork '09. I don't really need iWork, but Leopard is $129 and iLife is $79, it's a good deal to me! So, when we get our tax return I'm hoping to order it. So, at this moment, I'm physically moving individual photos from iPhoto to my EHD. I've been having issues with iPhoto sporadically quitting on me anyway, so I was intending on re-installing the software soon.

19 days into Project 365 and I'm keeping up! There have been a couple of days that around 10pm I'm wondering what to take a picture of, but I take one of something. lol I've done a layout for the first 2 weeks. My intention is to do a layout for every week and one layout with tiny pictures for the whole month for a bound book at the end of the year. We'll see how that works out, but for now, that's my plan. I'm quite sure it'll change numerous times as the year goes along and as I see how everyone else is approaching it.

I'm also working on a Summer 2008 album for us and printing a copy for my nephew Jason. He spent a good deal of time with us this summer, so I thought we could just omit a few pages of the book and get him a copy too. I have a code for a free photobook through Shutterfly so I'm trying to figure out pictures and kits to use. I want it to all go together, so it's been hard to try to find a kit that will work with everything, I'm thinking of using 2 or 3 max now since I don't have anything that works for it all, and I don't exactly have the money to spend right now on a new kit.

Anyway...til another time. I'm out for tonight ;)

addictions

I have a confession to make...well, two really.

I am a smoker and am addicted to Coke. The two best things for my teeth and health. lol

On Tuesday morning I started my day with the idea that I am done smoking. About halfway through my day I also finished my last bit of Coke in the house. Surprisingly, Tuesday wasn't so bad. Wednesday wouldn't have been so bad either, if I didn't have to go up to the school 4 times and listen to Alex whine and cry for no good reason. I was also exhausted. I stuck to it though, I bought a 20oz at the grocery store. I know that I can get through the day without pop, I just choose not to. But, I know that to help me lose weight and be healthier I have to quit drinking so much of it.

My poor hubby received the brunt of it last night, though I have to admit some of the things he said/asked were stupid or I had already explained/answered. lol I do have to keep my emotions in check though, I've snapped at the boys a couple of times and I regret what I said to them. I don't do well under stress, which is why I smoked.

Onto other things...I am current on my 365 project. I've been taking a photo every day, there have been a couple days I haven't been able to get it posted on said day though. It's getting done, 15 days in already. lol Seems like it's been alot longer. I'm going to try to scrap a 2pg layout for each week, or maybe 1pg for each week. I haven't exactly decided yet and am not about to try to tackle it right now. Maybe at the end of the month...

I did do another layout though. I had a great 2pg layout started of our house out here in CA and then my laptop battery died (someone unplugged my computer) and it re-booted...so I lost it all. So, when I feel up to it, I get to attempt it again, re-sizing and placing some 14 photos. Fun!! lol

lists

I love lists. My problem is I don't usually remember where I put said lists. I have pieces of paper littered all over my house and things end up everywhere. It's been particularly frustrating since we've moved.

Anyway, something I need to add to my to-do list is make a decision on whether or not to renew the family domain name. I love having a self-hosted blog and photo gallery, but I don't enjoy paying for hosting & renewing the domain name when hardly anyone visits our site. I realize I'm not a spectacular writer and my updates are sometimes few and far between, but we have hardly any hits on the site. Maybe I'll renew the domain name another year but not our hosting. Although I just went through and did a fresh install of wordpress and re-organized our categories and made it look neater.

Another thing on my to-do list was to decide on my ability to finish my medical transcription course. Admitting defeat, I called to see what they might be able to do for me. I followed their instructions and wrote a letter to ask for a refund, I just hope that they call me first, because if they are going to offer me a ridiculous amount I will accept their extension offer and bust my ass to finish.

To-do list item #3 is to work out a budget. I have a tenative one written out on paper, but I need to tweak a few things and figure out a way to make it work. I had high hopes of trying the envelope system, but ATM fees would hurt us. So, Tom and I agreed to do an envelope system for the things that we seem to spend more than we need to on: fast food and movies. I have a small amount of money going towards savings each month. I know everyone says to pay yourself first, well, if my bills don't get paid then we'll be in more trouble than paying us first is worth. So, I figured a small amount is better than nothing.

I'm disappointed it's Sunday. Tom got called yesterday to go in today and stand duty for someone who got sick. I was really looking forward to hanging out with Tom and the kids and catching up on some tv shows and playing some Rock Band. lol

first 7 days

7 whole days into the new year and I'm burnt out already. Today Anthony went to AM kindergarten class and was to be picked up at 12:24, Tommy had a minimum day and needed to be picked up at 1:13. Today I just got Tommy from school at 12:24 with Anthony.

It also marks 7 days that I have taken pictures and posted one a day on my 365 blog. Last year I wasn't able to complete the whole year, I was fighting pretty hard to find the inspiration by March. I'm hoping that this year I can improve my photography skills, work on my post-processing and document our lives with the pictures.

I also finished up 2 more layouts since the last time I posted about scrapbooking. I need to streamline my process and organize my supplies a bit better so that I am more efficient with my time. I have too many hopes for this year, but I'm still bound to not make any resolutions, just make more of an effort to slowly change the things I want to.

So, with that I'm off til tomorrow...I need to get my kitchen cleaned up so I don't wake up to the mess.

in this new year

I want my kids to play with their friends. They enjoy going to school to have someone else to talk to and interact with besides their brothers and me. When I ask if they have any friends they would like to invite over and they say no. Maybe they don't want to invite anyone over, I get that. What I don't want is for them to be like me and be afraid to talk to people. The fear of initiating a conversation with someone I don't know scares me. I've tried to "put myself out there" before and I've been slapped in the face by people who I thought were going to be friends.

I don't need the drama in my life. Though I don't like the thought of my boys not enjoying their childhood and the time we will be living here because of the way they see I act. I have yet to strike up a conversation with any of the other parents that I've seen. Though they are all standing around in groups and it is horrible intimidating to imagine myself going up to them all and introducing myself. To one person I could maybe force myself to say hi and do introductions, but more than that? It makes my poor heart race, my palms sweat and I want to run back to my bubble that is my home.

I am going to take a small step and make up some cards for Anthony and Tommy to give out to 2 or 3 friends with our address and phone number on them. I hope that will help them start talking to some friends outside of school. Tommy wants to do soccer again, so I am calling tomorrow to see when the last day for registration is because unfortunately we just don't have the money for it right now. I will do something to help my kids make some friends and not have the same anxiety issues that I deal with on a daily basis (sometimes even getting them to/from school is an ordeal for me). I will be a better parent in this aspect, even if it means a trip to the dr to get some pills.

Happy 2009!

I hope all of you had a wonderful celebration for the new year. Everywhere I go I hear people talking about resolutions, goals, words for the year, etc. I didn't make any new year's resolutions, I've been pretty bad with follow-through this past year, so I didn't want to put any additional pressure on myself. DH and I are trying to quite smoking, together. It's not working out great so far, mainly since neither one of us can say "don't do it" to the other one. I think it might come down to me quitting while he's at work and trying to keep myself from wanting to step outside with him once he's home at night.

The past few days have been pretty uneventful for us. On the 30th we went to the San Diego Zoo. The drive there wasn't bad, until we got about 1/2 mile from the zoo parking lot and we waited for nearly 30 minutes to get off the main road and then into the parking lot. Then, we proceeded to drive around for about 1 hour and 15 minutes while we attempted to find a parking spot. It was ridiculous! When we hit an hour I told DH that we could call it a day and just go home I was so frustrated with it all. We eventually found a spot and made our way into the zoo. We didn't spent much time there because we were kind of cranky and we ran into a lot of really rude people.

Well, gotta run to Wal-Mart for some things. Check out my Project 365 blog for my attempt at doing a photo a day for 2009. I'll post some pictures from the zoo tomorrow hopefully.