Lunch

Eat.

Complain.

Sing.

Watch.

Learn.

Done.

New Toys (For Everyone)

I am NOT a photographer. In fact, I take pretty lousy pictures. That's why I leave the picturing to the professionals. However, as you know, I read blogs and one of the writers has an iPhone and raved about the Hipstamatic App. For $1.99, you get the starter Hipstapak that includes a few lenses, gels, flashes and films. I goofed around for a while (too long, really) and took pics of me, my lone tomato, my feet, and AJ in the tub.

I also purchased a few add on lenses, gels, and films. CUZ I'M HOOKED. I know they do that on purpose, too. I wouldn't have purchased an app for say, $6.00 because "that's too much money" I said. But I played with the darn thing and bought more and ended up spending $6.00 on a camera app! I like this app NOT for the camera actually. I like it because it makes my world look like the era I was supposed to be born in. I like old stuff. It makes my stuff look old. And that's cool to me.

I reminds me of this old Brownie camera I took pictures with at my Granny and Grandpa's house once, then I lost it in the garage with the film still it and when we found it years later and developed the film, it was all runny and colorful and out of focus and reminded me of a really nice day.

I used this camera this morning when Cheri from work dropped off a barrel full of trains for AJ. He lined them all up and ran them around the living room and had a blast looking at all the colors and faces on the engines.




We took a walk to the park (he took 2 trains with him) and I took his picture there, too.

I Need To Wear More Makeup...

I hope to still get a bumper crop of tomatoes, but I will have to wait and see what happens.

If I smoked, I might need a cigarette after that. Ha.

Crabtree Nature Center

This morning I got the idea to go to Crabtree Nature Center with AJ. We asked Mom to go too. It was a nice morning and took a short walk. AJ checked out all the good resting spots and all the places the animals might be "hiding".

The nature center exhibits had changed a little since I was there when I was a girl. The tank of turtles and the flying squirrel habitat were the same, but they added a whole area for touching things like antlers, snake skins, pelts, and bugs.

There are injured animals there that cannot return to the wild because of their injuries. The turkey vulture was very interested in AJ. He may have been hungry....

We had a real nice time and AJ loved all the things there were to do and see. We will go back again.

Ducks Ducks Ducks

We went to the Schaumburg Library last week and read books and worked puzzles. After we were done, we went over to the "Town Square" and watched the fountains and looked for baby ducks. They were fearless and quite prolific, I might add. There were little ducks ALL OVER. Some were right out of the egg fresh it looked like and others were a little older. They are very tame and seemed to know where they could get a little snack as they came up to AJ right away. Since it was a hot evening, the spitting fountain over there proved to be a good distraction for AJ and he- for a brief moment- forgot he was tired and cranky. He wanted his shirt and his shoes OFF, though, and wanted Mike and I to get wet too.

Large in In Charge

AJ learned how to turn the hose on and off at my parents house last week. He stayed there in the morning while I taught Bible School last week. He enjoyed the mister feature and figured out how to make rainbows.

Coach Katie Comes to Visit

My friend Katie (from And Then There Were Three...) stopped by today to let me try a sample of a meal replacement/supplement called Shakeology. I know, I know. If you don't know about it, it sounds a lot like SlimFast or some such nonsense. But it is actually very different than that, it just looks similar. Below is a 57 second fast breakdown. Watch if you want.

Katie has decided that she wants to pursue a business as a Beachbody Coach. This means that she is available as a resource to people who are trying to get fit, stay fit, lose weight, and eat healthfully. She can also earn money from this venture and build a business. So, she offered me a sample of the shake and I thought it would be worthwhile to video a "real live person in the trenches of weight loss who might be stuck on a plateau" to give a blow by blow reaction We made the shake, and I tried it right there on the spot. Cameraman Mike also tried it and he said it was really very good. He is a chocolate shake expert and it passed muster with him, so you know it is good.

I think I am going to try it for a month to help me blast this wall that I have hit with weight loss. I am working out more, and eating healthfully, but the pounds are not coming off and if I can curb cravings while getting vitamins I need, then I will try it. I researched Shakeology heavily before even trying it and I read all I could find on the Interloop (positive and the little negative I found) and watched a bazillion YouTube vids about it. I like what I found and think it is worth a try. Here is my slightly edited taste test!