I dare you not to die of cuteness.

Snap it up!

Or how I spend too much on photo gear and it's never enough.

So, as I posted about the other day, my new (to me) Canon 20D arrived the other day.  The nice UPS man brought me my memory card yesterday, so I think I may take it down to the Haymarket during the golden hour later to take it for a spin in the old train yard.

Now, I have a lovely camera bag that is currently the home for my '70's Nikon FG 35mm film SLR.  It's not a beautiful handbag, but it will likely become the new home for my 20D (once it airs out and stops smelling like smoke).  The thing is, there's a bag I really, really want for it.  The currently only in pre-order Kelly Moore Hobo Bag.  It's a camera bag in disguise.  It looks like a purse.  It wears like a purse.  It comes in a really pretty fake leather (that I'll forgive because it's outstanding awesomeness outweighs this shortcoming) and beautiful, saturated colors (grey, teal, mustard and cranberry).  Inside it's padded and has velcro-attached dividers so you can go from bottomless pit purse to snug compartments for delicate camera... stuff.  Needless to say I want one.  It's not cheap, but the price is reasonable enough that I may just suck it up.  Regardless, she's giving one away on her blog. Check out the love affair blog to enter to win a Kelly Moore Bag.  And I do have a birthday coming up... just saying.

Mrs. McGee?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a long, involved post about names and whether I should take Ari's last name or not.  Yesterday, the ever-wise Meg posted about names, and the comments went nuts.  Seriously, hundreds of equally lengthy and convoluted posts from people really agonizing over this decision the way that I do.  I've gotten through the first hundred or so, and I'm still going.  I even chimed in myself.  I'm not (much) closer to making my own decision, but knowing that I'm not alone in this awkward, personal, sticky place, is a whole boatload of awesomesauce.

Mish mash of epic proportions.

I'm kind of all over the place today, so I guess this post will be too.  Brace yourselves!

• My camera arrived!  It's another Canon 20D (my last one had a bad error message).  It has a grip (very cool, a grip serves 4 purposes: extends battery life with extra battery storage, allows for the usage of AA batteries, gives you a place to rest your pinky finger and has a vertical shutter button for ease of shooting vertically) and came with the kit lens.  I haven't got a new CF card yet so I haven't had much time to play with it.  From what I can tell, I'm very happy with it, only problem is that the whole kit smells like smoke (guess I should have asked if the seller was a smoker, but that's on me for forgetting), but I think that should air out eventually. 

• We picked our photographer and have a verbal agreement.  More on them once t's are crossed and i's are dotted.

• Save the dates are sent.  More on that once I upload my photos.

•  These cakes are beyond amazing.  This one especially.  To heck with Gabriella Marie, god bless whoever made that awesome cake!  That christening gown is crocheted with... something edible.  Anyone who crafts knows how totally labor intensive and talented that is.

•  Love Affair Workshop is giving away a cool Davina Fear Insight Kit.  Check it out.

• Went to visit some of Ari's family in Minnesota this weekend.  It was fun, but exhausting.  I got my ring resized while we were there.  I no longer worry that overly emphatic hand gestures will cause it to go flying and be lost forever, which is quite nice.

• I'm on a boat!

• Whoops.

Images by James Moes via Green Wedding Shoes.

• Went rollerskating with Ari on Thursday.  It was awesome (seriously).  Still haven't bought my skates yet.  In all truth, I was a bit intimidated by all the other people there (who were really good skaters), but I'm determined.  Though I will wait until I have some wrist guards, the one time I did fall, I went down hard.  I got pretty good at crossovers and got some real speed.  Still haven't ordered my skates.  I've been spenderella lately.

• Ari wasn't such a fan of skating, but he was, in fact, the best sport ever.

• The coolest hats I've ever seen.  Seriously.

"She said she loved me like fireworks"

"And that's the way I like it"

It's foolproof.  Nothing puts me in a good mood like listening to this song.  Love love love.  I mean, stomping, clapping, kiddie pianos, double dutch and line dancing?  Awesome.

Catch My Disease by Ben Lee

Like "preservation," but better.

Mason Jar Bride had a cool little post today.  She had succulents as a bridal bouquet, and after the wedding she planted them.  Six months later, she still has them.  Sure beats the hell out of hanging them upside down in the closet for a month!

 

Pretty sweet, no?

So, um, yeah.

Apparently Lincoln is home to Arbor Day, not Earth day.  (Thanks for that, Honey.)  Clearly you can see how interested I am.


Anyhow, the boy and I are off the visit Nana and Pops in Minnesota this weekend.  Should be fun.  And I get to get my engagement ring resized, finally.  Though I do fully admit to being a baby and not wanting to give it up.

I have all sorts of photos of fun things that you'll get to see either when I find my camera cord (uh huh) or my new (yay yay yay!), hopefully correctly functioning this time, Canon 20D arrives for me to redo the pictures.  Though I suppose that's also dependent on the giant rain cloud currently occupying the sky over the entire Midwest gets the hell out of here.

Happy Earth Day

From it's birthplace, the big bad bustling metropolis known as Lincoln, Nebraska.  Now, I'm all for smart environmentalism and people that say that Global Warming is made up make me want to punch them in the face.  That said, Earth Day always sorta feels like a Hallmark holiday to me, and yes, it serves its function for raising awareness and for the people using environmentally conscious practices today of the entire year, it still helps.


Besides turning off the water while I brush my teeth (this should be a no brainer, people!), my favorite eco-conscious thing to do is bring my own bags to the supermarket.  Now, despite the fact that they will happily sell you these bags, doesn't mean they like it when you bring them.  They get annoyed.  Ignore that, bring them anyway.  Save a plastic tree.  Better still, do it in one of these.  I think I need one... you know, or six.

They also have Brooklyn ones!  And while we're on the subject of bags, why not throw in something potentially incredibly controversial/offensive?  Calling something "Vegan friendly" does not give you license to charge the same as you would for an identical product made from leather!  It is not the same, not the same fabrication, not the same quality.  Yes, it is vegan, but that doesn't make it any less vinyl (or whatever it happens to be made of).  Sorry for the rant, I've just been coming across this so much lately, and it's really pissing me off.

But it's so sparkly!

The bracelet I've been crushing on for the wedding has gone on sale... for half price.  I'm having a hard time not just buying it.  I keep telling myself that this week is for a camera body and roller skates.  Saving sucks.  But look, it's pretty!

@BCBG

This made my day.

Thinking 'Bout Somethin'

HANSON | MySpace Music Videos

It's quite unlikely I'll ever stop absolutely loving Hanson.  Especially if their music stays so good and so damn fun.  I am now faced with the insatiable need to learn that dance...

So, I want my wedding to be like this:

 Image by Craig Paulson, via Style Me Pretty.

1 part sunshine, 2 parts city by the water, 3 parts good looking, 4 parts sass and all parts awesome.