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Better Late than Never

PERSONAL

Is January 12th too late for a Christmas recap post? 

Yes? 

Is January 12th also too late for your christmas tree to be still up?

Yeah?

Is January 12th an okay date for sharing my most-amazing-awesomest-new-fangled-thingamajig? 

Okay good…then let’s consider that to be the point of this post….my most-amazing-awesomest-new-fangled-thingamajig….NOT christmas…mmkay? 

So for a recent holiday that will remain unnamed, we Bower’s decided that we would not be buying unnamedholiday gifts for one another.  No.  Instead we would save all our pennies for a certain dreamy house and any potential future changes that would need to happen.  And since Christmas…umm…I mean, that holiday in December is really supposed to be about Jesus’ birthday and sharing joy & peace with one another, we did try our darndest to make the biggest effort to making memories and creating traditions for our family (vs. worrying over presents and fighting the holiday crowds).  That’s not to say that we didn’t get anything…no.  Actually I have you to thank. 

You didn’t know it but you gave me a gift.  Funny, you didn’t even realize your generousity, huh? 

Wanna see what you got me?    

It was this:

and the 50mm f/1.4 lens and this appropriately named Camera battery:

You see, I’ve been saving my blogging bucks.  Since the start of this blog I’ve earned a little money here and there…with ads and with partnerships like the True Value Blogsquad and with services.  It was slow-going…because blogging takes a little money (for photo storage and hosting services and the url and all that)….but finally, right before Christmas we decided that it was time to invest in a new camera. 

Actually it was Jeremy’s idea.  You see, he knows me.  The real me.   The me that is a dreaming wishing kind of girl.  The girl that is too frugal to say that she really would love a new camera, much less actually purchase one.  The girl that is too scared to say that she secretly would love to be a photographer.  That girl.  So when he said that we should probably get a new camera, I told him that it was just too overwhelming to think about.  And so he did all the thinking.  He did the research.  He did the price-checking and the discount shopping.  He did it all.  That part made it a very sweet gift.  Especially since all he got for christmas was this: 

Yeah.  A waffle maker.  Sure…it’s a pretty nice one…but it’s no Canon 5D Mark II.  With a new lens.  and an extra battery.

Usually I hop up and do a little bootie dance slash cheerleading routine when I get a fancy new gift…this one?  Well for some crazy reason, it brought me to tears.  I knew it was coming.  It wasn’t a surprise.  But I think that it was so emotional for me because it’s a little bit of a realization that I can still have some dreams.  Even though I am a mom, I don’t have to give up.  Even though I don’t have any real credentials, I can still dare to wish that I could one day have a portfolio and have people ask me to take photos of their beautiful new babies or happy families or growing belly bumps.  It’s represents hope…and for stay-at-home moms, that thread of hope is the most beautiful thing.  It gets you through days of dirty diapers and the endless meals and the sleepless nights.  Are you one of those moms?  Do you have a dream?  I feel very Martin Luther King Jr right now.  But just like the great civil rights leader, I have one…and I have hope…and I know I am clinging to it like a bird on a wire…like a fat kid to a donut…like a squirrel to a birdfeeder….like a super-sticky thing to another super-sticky thing.

Okay…so that’s not all we did for unsaid holiday celebrations…no no no.  Wanna hear more? No?  Too bad.

Actually we went to Chattanooga for five days prior to the holiday.  We got to visit Jeremy’s folks…that’s his pops (aka Pastor Dad) and stepmom (Nurse Vicki) in the holiday hats and his mom getting the claw from Will.     

 

My favorite part of the five day stay was visiting Rock City.  They put thousands and thousands of lights up and you get to walk through (although it is no match for the view!). 

 The night we went was faaah reezing.  I literally felt my bones get goose bumps.

Will was pretty good the entire time…he had a bunch of new toys to play with so it did help keep him occupied.  Plus, everyone (like Jer’s Grandma below) wanted to hold him so he was spooooiled rotten with all the attention.

He did have his moments though. 

this is his impression of his mom fussin’ at daddy over nothing:

He had no interest in opening presents whatsoever.  We thought he would have fun with the wrapping paper…but no.  He was all like “I’m just not that into you”.

It’s not you, it’s me…

And he didn’t really know how to play with the new stuff (most of our toys at home are so simple).  I was surprised because I expected him to explore a bit with them…but he generally didn’t pay much attention to the fancy stuff.  Don’t worry though…it was just a matter of time…now he’s a pro and loves pressing all the buttons and pushing each one around. 

So after five days in the redneck state of Tennessee, we finally came home to make it to the Christmas Eve service at our church. 

This is where things kinda went downhill.  That night I was feeling a little sick…nothing crazy…just a little congestion.  When I woke up Christmas morning I felt downright ill.  Can I just tell you know that I am the world’s biggest baby when I am sick?  I’m more dramatic than a season finale of The Bachelor. 

So on Christmas morning, I blew my nose, choked up a chunk and threw on a headband, hoping for the best.  We got kinda last minute news that my family would come over to join us for our waffle breakfast, so I tried to pull it together.  Seriously…they weren’t there for me…they were there to see this guy: 

Will didn’t show much more interest in opening presents with the other side of the family. 

Thankfully we had this little guy (my nephew Cole) to help show him how it’s done 🙂

The biggest surprise came later that day…when it snowed.  A white christmas in Georgia!  What a way to make Will’s first christmas memorable!  High five God!

I tried to get him outside right away…

he didn’t care much about the snow either.  Seriously…the only this kid gets excited about is boobs.  Such a boy.  And as you can see, I wasn’t especially careful about his winter-wear.  That’s when he got sick.  I facebooked about it…he was so snotty.  and didn’t sleep.  And then crazy demon child when the doctor put him on a steroid. 

After christmas was over and done I did my share of sitting on the floor with a box of Kleenex and doing absolutely nothing. 

In other Bower news, Will decided that over the course of the holiday break, he would develop supersonic speed crawling.  And that he could climb up on anything.  And that he could choose to disobey.  I know that some of you out there are gonna be like “that kid can’t understand No yet!”  but let me assure you…he does.  He tests it.  He will put his hand on the thing you just said not to…and then pauses, looks at you and gives you a half smile.  Then after you say no and remove said hand…he gives you the dirtiest look ever and then does another half smile, looks back and forth from the object to your eyes…and then the cycle continues.  It actually makes it hard for me not to laugh. I stink at the discipline thing.  I’ll give you two guesses to see who is gonna play good cop in our household 🙂

So what did we miss? 

Oh…what we got the little man…

Actually, we didn’t spend much at all…we got him a new carseat with Jeremy’s skymiles, a new dvd player for resturaunts (free with a trial banking offer that we promptly canceled after 29 days), a few handpuppets from Ikea ($10 total), a battery operated iHome player for his room (only $20 in discount aisle at TJMaxx), and some foam bath letters and numbers ($3).  We also got him another animal book ($3 at TJ’s).  The rest of the toys came from friends and family…and we were overwhelmed with the number of things he got (he even got doubles of several items!).     

Next year I am going to try to do that whole 3 part christmas – 1 thing to read, 1 thing to wear, and 1 toy.  Well…I might make him some other things too…but only buy three things.  I might change my mind though when we actually get to December.  Who knows.  It seems like a world away. 

So how was your christmas?  Any awesome gifts?  Any cameras?  Any hand puppets?

I spent most of the week that I was sick practicing with mine…

I love it.  It helps that I had a captive subject. 

Jeremy asked me if I could tell the difference.  uh yeah!  It’s like totally different.  I told him that it was like comparing a regular DVD to a Blu-Ray.  Boys understand that kinda comparison.    

Except this boy…

Like I said before…he doesn’t care about anything but boobs.   

Which leads me to my next question – how did a post about Jesus’ birthday turn into a post about breasts?  Maybe I’m still sick.  sick and crazy.  I better go take something for this….while you tell me all about your most-amazing-awesomest-new-fangled-thingamajig…

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  3. How exciting! I started a photography business in June and can’t believe how crazy it’s been! You will love your new camera!

    Lindsey

  4. Hubby totally super suprised me with a shiny new laptop and photoshop software! =) I haven’t figured out quite how to use photoshop to ANY of its potential……but the thought of knowing that someday I might know how to use one feature, is super exciting!!! =)

  5. You have glorious natural lighting in your house. I know how you feel about a flash, so do you have any tricks for indoor photos? (I have a new fancy camera, too)

  6. Is it weird that I’m also excited you got a new camera? Maybe it’s more because I love when people are able to pursue their passion! I just got a Canon Rebel a few months ago and I’ve been having a blast learning how to use it. All of your photography posts are so helpful to me because you definitely have an eye for it 🙂 Looking forward to all the amazing pictures you’re sure to take with your new camera!

  8. My wife got me the same waffle maker for Chr-… a holidy past actually, it’s nothing to scoff at. It’s like a waffle meal maker (one recipe for waffles = barely 2 jumbo ridiculous won’t fit on the plate waffles that feed our family of 5). We double heart it. She also thought it was kind of a weak sauce (redacted) gift but if Jeremy is anything like me, it’s great.

  9. I think that’s great about your camera and having some dreams!!! I have to say I have seen your pictures and I would hire you! Good Luck!

  12. I hope it makes you feel better that my tree is still all lit up in the family room RIGHT NOW. I really need to take it down tonight since we’re painting our house on Saturday, but it’s so pretty and I’m not motivated. Maybe I’ll just pull it the center of the room and paint around it ;).

    I have a 9 month old super-sonic crawler who does that very same thing. Somehow saying the word “no” motivates her to get into trouble. It’s the cutest thing.

  13. I totally know what you mean about Will understanding and purposely disobeying. I have two kids. My oldest is a girl. She has always been fairly sweet and mild mannered. She would sit and color for HOURS at a very young age. I thought I knew what I was doing with the whole parenting thing. Then I had my son. I quickly realized I know NOTHING about parenting. When he was 9 months old he pushed a laundry basket over to the top of the stairs and attempted to ride down. When he was 10 months old he climbed the kitchen step stool and drank dish soap (he burped bubbles which would have been funny if I wasn’t in tears trying to find poison controls number). He had a black eye at his 12 month doctor visit. Actually both kids had black eyes that day – I thought for sure CPS would be waiting for me when I got home. Now that he is 2.5 I live in fear of what crazy idea is going to run through his mind next.

    However, I have faith that one day I will look back upon those events (and the craziness that is to come) and laugh. And I know that I would do it all over again in a heart beat 🙂

    Oh, and this has nothing to do with this post but just parenting in general – my kids were awful sleepers . . . AWFUL. There were many nights that I went from one room to the other all night long – never once seeing my own room. Hang in there. I promise you will sleep again. You know Will best out of anyone on the planet – you are the Will expert 🙂 Parent the way you want to and believe is right and ignore everyone else.

  15. Ooohhh, I got myself an iPod Touch to celebrate not that unnamed holiday but my 50th b’day which took place on December 18th. I had absolutely no reason to get it other than it was my 50TH b’day. Five-oh. The BIG 5-0. I still can’t believe I’m 50. But I’m 50 with an iPod Touch!
    And my tree is still up and my house is still decorated and it will remain so until at least the first weekend in February. You see, my mom is visiting my sister in Tucson and has been there since before Thanksgiving so until she comes home and we celebrate OUR unnamed holiday, my b’day, Turkey Day and New Year’s with Mom, not a single piece of tinsel will be put away.
    Your post showed how important it was to visit Jeremy’s family and than have yours over… Well, Mom is the last parent we have left and it just isn’t any special day without her…

  16. Katie,
    I actually got the Canon 7D right after Christmas…. I won it at the Bakerella.com giveaway. I’m excited to start using it more for not only my 9month old but also my little side hobby and because of you have been trying to teach myself to use it in manual mode so I will be looking forward to more of your tips!! Love your blog!!!

  17. getting a new camera is super fun, but remember that what matters is the person behind the camera. and though a new body is fun, if you want to see a real difference in photos, shop around for a new lens!

  18. And my son is obsessed with boobs too 🙂 and he didn’t really cAre about the presents or the paper.

  19. I’m drooling over your new camera – it’s definitely on my list!! Have fun with it : ) Looking forward to many more (awesome) tutorials!

    PS: I don’t think I’ve commented here before – but I followed you over from YHL and love what you write…and your sense of humor of course : )

  20. Geez girl, and I’m working full time saving up money just to get out of my stupid point and shoot! Jealousy alert in high gear!!! I am really excited for you though, you take some amazing photos as is, so I’ll be glad to see some work of yours with your new toy! 🙂

  21. My dream is that one day we will be in a financial position where one of us (my husband or I) can stay at home with our future kid(s). I can’t really see it happening, but I have to dream. I’d also settle for a job that allows me to work from home. You are indeed very lucky. Congrats on your new camera. 🙂

  22. I LOVE ROCK CITY!
    My husband and I actually went to Chattanooga to elope a couple of years ago. I know, I know, of all the cities in the world…long story…but I chickened out and he moped around Rock City and then we had a beautiful traditional wedding the following Spring! We got baby stuff for Christmas since our bebe is due at the end of March.

  23. I got a new camera too 🙂 Mine isn’t nearly as fancy, but it’s the first time ever I’ve gotten one that I actually wanted and it was brand-spankin-new. It’s helping with my whole dream realization thing too..isn’t it a wonderful feeling?

  24. my son is about the same age as Will and he got a new car seat too! might as well get them something practical while they can’t ask for anything specific. so jealous of your canon! i would love a new camera, sigh. maybe one day.

  25. That’s what we did last year Lindsay…I loved watching Jeremy open tiny little sweaters!
    What’s even better is that now when Will gets dressed, I remember how we looked forward to getting him all gussied up 🙂
    Your little sweetie will be here before you know it!
    xo – kb

  27. Krys…you go girl! I hope you have an amazing time with your mom! and thanks for making me feel good about my negligence 🙂
    xo – kb

  28. Couldn’t agree with you more Rhiannon. And I hear ya on lenses…just wish the glass wasn’t so dang expensive! As for the camera…we are loving the video option…it is definitely one thing that my Rebel couldn’t do 🙂
    xo – kb

  30. Use the mix for melt in your mouth pancakes on the side of the bisquick box. It adds sugar, baking powder, and vanilla….and makes the most delicious fluffy waffles too!!!

  31. Your photography is already fantastic, Katie, but with the best quality equipment it will be amazing!

    I’ve only got a compact camera with no manual settings and even though I have still improved a lot using it, I’m becoming acutely aware of its limitations. I would looove a new SLR.

  32. Awwww, congrats on the camera Katie! that’s so exciting!

    I like your 3 part Christmas idea. We don’t have kids yet but I already know that I don’t want to be spending a third of our budget every year on Christmas and I don’t want out kids to only get joy from the holidays from a lot of stuff. I think it’s a great idea!

  33. My mom always gifts us 3 gifts. In honor of the three wise men bearing gifts. One is always something we want, one is something we need, and one is a family treasure. My mom does some amazing things for our treasure. One year she hand drew a family tree and framed them for us. This year we did a time capsule. One year we got empty mason jars and saved our change all year and donated it the next year. It keeps the Christmas spirit where it should be.
    Merry January 12th!

  34. I thought I got a beast of a camera for Xmas, but yours takes the cake. My husband made the decision like Jeremy to get me a new camera for Xmas. I got a Canon 60D, and I’m loving it. The only thing that is killing me with the new camera is that the controls are on the opposite side and my fingers keep reaching for my old camera’s controls. Stupid fingers they screw up everything.

  35. So… I’m dying to know, as an ex-fellow Rebel user – is it really that much different? What exactly is it that is different? Is it worth the money???? I’d love to see a side by side comparison of the same shot with the same lens! Was it hard to get used to the new camera???

    Your post was like reading my brain – about wanting to do more with photography but being unsure of yourself, the lack of portfolio and training, etc… I completely understand! I got a lucky break recently b/c a lot of people from my church wanted pictures taken, with the full understanding that I am NOT a pro – it gave me a ton of practice and also showed me how hard it is!!! Thanks for sharing what was on your mind, it’s so nice to know that someone else feels the same way.

  36. Katie,

    Congrats on your new camera! Thank you for such a great post! I am currently saving my pennies to buy a camera. You have inspired me to have a similar dream. I am a teacher right now but want to start a family & know that I can’t have a baby AND teach AND remain sane. So I am taking photoshop classes at my community college and working towards my dream of taking pictures just like you 🙂 Thank you for the loads of inspiration and giggles along the way. You’re the best, ya know?!?

  37. crazy as in good? I hope it’s going well… I hope to be doing that in the next year or so… first, I am learning how to use a camera & photoshop 🙂

  38. I actually got a new camera for Christmas as well. It was the Canon Rebel t2i. I have been drooling over a Rebel for about 4 years and never could bring myself to purchase it. My DH surprised me for it this year. And I was SHOCKED and a little overwhelmed too. The funny thing though, he surprised me with it, um, like 2 weeks BEFORE the big day. He is the worst at keeping secrets especially when he thinks he got a good one. And I always tease him about how I usually know everything under the tree. So he tried to stay mum and lasted like 2 hours. LOL! But I was ecstatic nonetheless and didn’t touch it until the 25th. Now I have to save up for that lens you have which takes amazing shots!

    And my son (age 6) takes after his dad, as within 20 minutes of wrapping my presents he promptly told me they were mittens and socks. Oh well. 😉

  39. Hi KB – I think you’d be crazy not to pursue a photography business. This talent of yours is sweeeeet! You can do it!

    My husband gifted me with a MacBook Pro – pretty extravagant in my opinion, but the purpose of the purchase, he told me, was so that I could connect via video ichat with my dear friends (and visit their sweet children) who all have MacBooks as well. We live far away from my close friends, and my husband knows I miss them all terribly – so this gift is a very thoughtful one.

    The picture of Jeremy and Will in the tunnel… oh my…

    Cheers,
    Bon xox

  40. Yay!!!! Super dooper excited for you on your new camera! That is my new years resolution this year… to get a nice one instead of a craptastick P&S… yuck! With at 3.5 month old baby girl at home I want it now!

    You are a wonderful photo taker and if we lived close I would be paying you the big bucks to take photos of my children!

    Keep up the awesome work! =)

  41. Wow, wow,wow! That camera is fantastic! And with a fantastic photographer like you it will be
    surreal!
    Do u know if there is any equivalent for Nikon?

  42. Just wait, my 23 month old daughter didn’t care about Christmas or presents for that matter. She was more than happy to play with the led flashlight that her daddy got. My 4 year old son on the other hand was so crazy overstimulated with presents, he was trying to open everyone else’s while simultaneously saying, “Oh, mom, this is the best Christmas ever!” over and over.
    I’m so happy that you’re doing what you want to do! Being a stay at home mom is kinda like having a 24/7 job. It’s really great that your boyfriend is an awesome support to you. Keep doing what you do!:)

  43. I was riiiiiight! Congrats on the new 5D Mark II – and, can I say, JEALOUS!

    My son was really not into Christmas his first one either (he was 11 months at the time). His second Christmas was much better.

    And, a very wise choice you made in the Graco Nautilus. We have FOUR of them (two in each car), we love them so much.

  44. Sweet gift. I want one too… You post remains me of a photographer I follow whose beginnigs sounds similar to yours (Mera koh, have you her of her?)I too have aspirations to be a photographer. We’ll see what 2011 brings…

    Elena

  47. Love the new camera!! I know you’ll have a blast with it! We got a new Mac Book Pro from Christmas and I can’t believe I actually have one of these things, I’ve already had fun with the photo editing!

  48. Un-named holidays are so fun when your kiddos are little! Such great memories! Congrats on your new camera. You will love it! Have you considered selling your old one to buy a new lens? Just a thought… We didn’t get gifts for each other either – my hubby got himself a new hunting rifle thingy in December – that was his present. I wanted for nothing… but got a surprise – a nook reader! It’s awesome! Since my kids are up and grown I read all. the. time. It REALLY came in handy during a long day of jury duty this week… Enjoy your toys!

  49. We’ve got a LOT going on this year (new house, baby due in 2 weeks), so we decided to forgo the gift giving this year as well.
    We did however spend some hard earned money on some things needed/wanted for the house (a hand-held vacuum, new pots & pans and a camcorder).
    Btw – Congrats on the camera purchase, you deserve it & I can’t wait to see all of your research pay off with cutesy pics of that son of yours!

  51. Two things you said really resonated with me. The dreams of a stay-at-home mom. Though I’m not actually a stay-at-home mom. I work weekends, but I used to go to school Monday-Friday. I had a little girl 11/23 so I’m taking this semester off. I feel a little lost, I think I need a hobby. It’s pretty lonely and claustrophobic being at home with two little kids with nothing to do until Saturday. How do I stay sane and not gain 500 lbs? All I want to do is eat. Which brings me to the second thing. The BOOBS. Dear little girl is just like her brother was. I think I nurse about 20 times a day! My chunker gains about a half a pound a week. We just broke out the 3-6 month clothing. For my 7 week old.

  52. You’re funny!

    Can’t wait to see all the new camera pics…and you are so talented with the camera!

  53. Seriously, Will is so stinkin cute!! Hope you are enjoying your new toy! I’m saving my pennies to buy myself a new camera 😉

  54. I just realized how much I missed your posts about daily happenings. Thanks for recapping that holiday about Jesus! It was cute to see Will’s first Christmas and read how he reacted to it all!

  55. If you have extra waffles you can freeze them and reheat them in the toaster oven or in a real oven at 400 degrees.

    I love my waffle maker and this is my new favorite recipe. It’s from scratch, but I promise you can do it.. it’s easy!:

    http://delkeelife.blogspot.com/2011/01/waffles-of-insane-greatness.html

    I’m not a fan of the box mix for waffles because they come out too dense and even soggy at times. This recipe makes them light and crispy and just a little bit sweet.

  56. More photography posts, please! 🙂

    You’re right, Christmas is really about Jesus, so it’s never good to get caught up in the gifts. My family does a Polyanna and I admit that my hubby and I just buy ourselves little presents throughout the year.

    P.S.
    My Christmas tree is still up. Oh well.

  57. My husband and I bought a new camera for our Christmas present to each other too! Its our first DSLR, a Canon T2i, and we love it. We got the nifty 50 lens too (that’s my favorite part).

    Our Christmas tree is still up too, but I unplugged the lights so its less conspicuous through the windows.

  59. I’m super jealous of your camera! It’s on my wishlist right now too – and i’m actually taking rec’s on my blog for the best type to get. I guess you give this 2 thumbs up, so I’m adding it to my potential list! Lucky you!

    And I’m diggin the 3 gift rule – never heard of that, but it’s a great idea.

  60. oh. my. lanta! katie, i cannot believe you came to chattaboogie & rock city!– i live on the street over from rock city. could TOUCH it.
    you’re like a celebrity.
    don’t you love Lookout Mtn? Granted, you only saw it @ night but the view is beautiful, ay?

  61. Katie, thanks for getting Jeremy a waffle maker, so that good recipes can abound, LOL! My husband makes delicious buttermilk pancakes from scratch every week (if anyone is wondering, the recipe is Martha Stewart’s, but he tweaks it a bit-makes sure the consistency is right and beats the eggs separately). Sometimes I’d rather have waffles, but we’ve only used our waffle maker twice, and neither of the recipes were very good, so I have put it in our garage sale/donate box. I may take it out once again to test out these recipes…Thanks guys!

    P.S. Katie, I especially like the picture of Will and his Grandfather!
    P.P.S. Our tree is still up too. I guess we sort of have excuses (we were traveling from xmas through New Years), but I don’t think there is anything wrong with it if you don’t 🙂 However, we had our friends over on Saturday for a ‘Procrastinator’s Christmas/New Years/Epiphany’ Party, so it worked out really well!

  62. Loved this post. Our lil guys are about a month apart in age and it is fun (and reassuring) to see them develop so similarly. Crew (my son) had about 5 minutes of fun with a box of bows, other than that, he wasn’t sure what to do with everything. Looks like you had a fun couple of days!

    PS We had the same strategy on gifts with Crew. We had fun stuffing his stocking with a few gifts and let the over-jellos grandparents handle the rest. Worked like a charm. 🙂

  64. Do you feel that the main difference is the 50mm 1.4? I know you have the 1.8, see a big difference between those two?

  66. I don’t know if anyone else has said this, but I have some friends that do the 3 present thing this way…. a need, a want, and a surprise.

    It’s a little less restricting I think. 🙂

  67. You need to watch this YouTube video…It’s a Bill Cosby sketch from the 80s, I think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyMSc97UksM

    He talks about how all kids obviously have brain damage because you tell them to do something, and they never listen. Actually this whole show is hilarious. I watched it on HBO or something a few weeks back and couldn’t stop laughing. You should also watch “Dad is great. Brings me chocolate cake.”

  69. Love the camera! I would love to get a really good one when my husband and I start having kids to capture the moments! I got a 47″ 1080P LCD flat screen tv for unmentioned holiday. My hubby had to work Christmas eve and I was over at my parents house. He went home and set it up before he headed over. When we got back home, I had a big beautiful tv staring at me. We previously had a 22″ in our living room so this is definitely an upgrade! I know, not a really girlie gift but I’m lovin’ it anyways. Love the pictures of Will and don’t worry about the Christmas tree. I still see Christmas lights on houses in July.

  70. Congratulations on the new Camera! Can’t say that I’m not a bit jealous. Have fun learning with it. I have the 50 mm 1.4 as well and love it. So I think you will definitely enjoy it!

    Sorry you were sick for Christmas. Looks like it was a lot of fun non the less. And for the first time this year we did the 3 gifts: a book, an outfit, a toy. And I think we will stick with that for a while!

    Looking forward to see more photography!

  72. Dude, I don’t think I could live without our tv. You probably would have had to fight me over the middle seat with a beauty like yours!
    xo – kb

  78. Congratulations on your new camera! You have a wonderful talent and I am sure you will put it to good use. I dont see how your dream isnt a reality. I’m sure many people would love to use your photography sevices! I’m a stay at home mom too. I have dreams, but just not quite sure what they are, if that makes sense.
    My 13 month old son was/is the same way. He’s a climber and gets into everything. And he did the same thing- give me that look when he knows I dont want him doing something and then give me that mischevious smile.

  79. Hi Katie!
    This was such a nice post! I know you are going to make a wonderful photogropher. I would totally hire you if you didn’t live on the other side of the country :). And as a mom you shouldn’t have to give up your dreams. If it is meant to be, then God will help you find a way. I am not a stay-at-home-mom ( I have a full-time job), but I have been home for the last couple of months because I just had a baby a few weeks ago. I’m now home with my 18 month old and my newborn. It’s so hard! I often have days where I look forward to going back to work, but I also cherish these times I am spending with them. I hope to be going back to school next fall to further my career and at first it really scared me (and I felt really guilty) to know that I was choosing a career, rather than to stay home. However, I just make sure I ask God to lead me to where He needs me to be, and I know wherever it is, it will be the perfect spot for me. You are very talented and you have definitely been given a wonderful gift! I know God will help you find your balance. I hope you have fun learning and discovering with your new camera!
    Theresa

  81. Seriously, isn’t it weird that hopeless feeling we stay at home moms get? Even though my hope is in Jesus, and I CHOSE to be a SAHM, I still find myself panicking from time to time that I will never again have a thought to myself or fulfill any of my dreams. I’m trying to be a photographer, too and struggling between give up until my kids are a bit older or go after it full speed ahead. It is tough to give over so much of yourself and who you are to another human being 24/7/365. Imagine how Jesus felt giving all of himself to us on that cross.

  82. I may or may not be insanely jealous of your Mark 5D! That’s awesome! Here’s to 2011, where us wanna be photographers really do it!

    Way to go, Katie! Shoot until that lovely camera croaks from all the love!

  84. I look forward to hearing and seeing all about the 5D. I love your tutorials; sometimes photography can be intimidating. Sometimes you can snag nice lenses on Craiglist. I am still on a crop sensor and hope to go full frame in a few years.

  85. I’m totally late responding to this post so figure we’re even 😉 My fab boyfriend bought me a Canon EOS 500D (which is the Rebel T2i in the States I believe) and did the same as Jeremy, doing all the research and found a great deal (even though it was scarily expensive). He said he knew I would love it (oh and I do) but that I’d never spend that kind of money on myself. Such a sweetie.

    http://gettingitswoonworthy.blogspot.com/2010/12/why-my-boyfriend-rocks-canon-eos-500d.html

    Needless to say, I am going to be reading and re-reading all your photography posts as I’m a complete novice!

    I am loving your pics of Will, that kid is just GORGEOUS! You already take amazing pictures, you’ve got the talent, now go and follow your dreams, girl!

  86. It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas! I love all the pictures. My Hubby got me a camera too!!! He got me a Canon EOS 3, a film camera I am SO STOKED about! He knows me so well. I just love cameras, they’re so fun!! Photoshop is next on the list…

  87. I am quite jealous of my Christmas camera. Do you like it? I’m looking for a swanky camera and that looks small enough to tote around!

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