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6/30/12

Pretty Princess

S: Mom, don't I look cute for work? 

Me: Yes. You look very cute. What shoes are you wearing?

S: My brown ones. And my new bag matches perfectly!

Me: Yes it does. You're almost 19, don't you want to look pretty?

S: I don't care. (then in a sing, songy voice) I want to be a pretty, pretty Princess!

And she pirouettes out the door....

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/29/12

What a drag it is getting old

As I write this post, it is precisely 7:17 on a Friday night.

I have brushed my teeth, put on my PJs, and am settling on my bed getting ready to watch Ally McBeal on Netflex.

It wasn't that long ago when, it this time on a Friday night, I was changing out of work clothes, touching up my makeup and hair and getting ready to out to a club for a night of dancing, drinking and socializing.

I wish I still had that energy....

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/28/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/27/12

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john cena
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6/26/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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July Photo Challenge

We're doing it again!

With the help of my sister and mother-in-Law, here is the list for July's photo-a-day challenge.  Join us, it's loads of fun!!

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6/25/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/24/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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Camera+ - iPhone camera app review

Camera+ is my number 1 go-to camera app for improving my photos, as well as editing many of them.

By developer tap tap tap, Camera+ uses the iPhone's camera, but greatly improves the built-in features.

One of my favorite features is the touch focus and exposure. It allows you to set the exposure separately from focus for the perfect shot. A simple touch with a 2nd finger while focusing, adjusts the exposure and perfects the shot.

There are are several useful shooting modes such as stabilizer, to steady the shot; burst, for a rapid succession of action shots; and timer, perfect for self portraits. Camera+ also boasts a 6X digital zoom for clear close-ups, and a grid option for help in eliminating all those tilted shots.

You have the option to save to Lightbox, Camera Roll or both. Another feature I love is the Photo Details. It shows you when the photo was shot, the size, what edits you've applied and a map showing where the photo was taken. And for the real photography enthusiast, you can also view the finer details of your shots, such as ISO, focal length, shutter speed, and more.

Want to share your photos? It so simple with Camera+. You can share via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, email, or even create a web link. All from right with-in the app.

But the truly fun part is all the editing options available.

You can crop your photo in square, 3X2, 5X7, 16X9 and more. And with the Scenes editing tool, you can adjust the lighting for shade, flash, fluorescent, portrait, plus several more.

With the fun FX Effects, you can do so much more with your photos. Apply an edit, then adjust the intensity with the slider for even more dramatic looks. And with the ability to import from your camera roll, you have the capability to edit shots taken with just the on board camera or other apps. Oh, and I can't forget all the frame options! From a simple thin black or white border to a styled Old-Timy frame, Camera+ has it all.

Color effects, such as So Emo can add some emotion to a shot ~

So Emo at 100% intensity w/ a rounded black border


 Black and White with adjusted intensity has a nice soft effect ~

Black & White at 78%  intensity w/ the dark mat frame


 Want to go Retro? There are 9 different Edits from Hipster to Antique.

Fashion at 100% intensity w/ a vintage frame


Antique at 59% intensity w/ the offset frame


Faded at 100% intensity w/ a viewfinder border


 Overlay at 100% intensity w/ instant frame & caption date

At only .99¢, (with the option to purchase more in app effects) Camera+ is definitely well worth it.

6/23/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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The little red mystery button

Remember when I got my "new" police cab over a year ago and wrote about the mysterious red button? The one I couldn't figure out?


Well, more than a year later, and after I get rid of it, I now know what it was for!

When I got my Mountaineer, our installer at work asked what I was doing with the police cab. I told him nothing and if he wanted it, I'd be willing to do a trade. If he would put new front break pads and roters on my new car, I'd give him the Crown Vic.

He jumped on that deal in a heart beat!

Last Saturday, he put the new breaks on and I signed the police cab over to him. Yesterday, he told me what the little red button did.

He said when you had the keys in the ignition and the car running, you could push that button and take the keys out.

And the car will stay running!

I had no idea! I thought maybe it turned on the roof lights. Or the siren.

I was way off on that!

6/22/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/21/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/20/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/19/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/18/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/17/12

Power Cam - iPhone camera app review

Like so many these days, I use my iPhone to take pictures.

A lot.

I have several photo apps I love to use, so I thought for those of you who are stuck in Instagram (Which, by the way, I love, but there's so much more out there!) I'd review a few here and let you know my take on them.

First up is a cool app called PowerCam by Wondershare Software Co.

Taken with the Chocolate filter.

PowerCam is a free app (That's right - FREE!!) with over 50 effects for both still shots and video.  It has real-time preview of your shots, a built in album to manage your creations, and several fun frame styles to complete your master piece.  It's an all-in-one camera app featuring FaceTimer, Tilt-Shift, Color Splash and more.

You have the choice to save to camera roll, share via email, or share on several social media platforms; such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more.

I had fun playing with all the different effects, and I've already found a few favorites.

Vintage




X-Sketch A

Cross Process


I have not played with the video effects yet (I need something more interesting than the computer screen to film, and the girls aren't being cooperative!), but it has some pretty cool ones. Such as Raindrop, 1920 Movie, 70's, Shake, and many more.

You can visit their website for more information, and more apps! (They even have an animated GIF maker for Andriod!!)

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/16/12

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john cena
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6/15/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/14/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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Bitch Rights

Earlier this afternoon ~

Me: What are you, 13?

Levi: In my heart I am. What are you, grouchy?

Me: Listen, I'm over 40, have 3 teenage daughters and have been married for 19 years. I have a right to be grouchy.

Levi: Damn! You have the right to be grouchy and bitchy!

6/13/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/12/12

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john cena
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6/11/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/10/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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Out with the old, in with the (kinda) new



The time has come to finally retire the police cab. Between the AC going out, the steering pump crapping the bed, the front end needing alignment and rear shocks, it just wasn't cost effective for us to do the repairs.

That and it has 350+K miles on it. (I'm kinda proud it has so many miles on it and still runs!) Plus it needed emissions testing for the renewed registration last month. I knew it wasn't going to pass on account of the 'check engine' light being on, not to mention whatever else may be wrong with it.

Like also needing new brakes. But that has noting to do with it failing emissions testing.

So, anyway, I've been looking on Graig's list for ever (okay, it was only since February) for a new car. I started my search saying I'm not picky, it just needs to run, have good AC, and no leaks.

Turns out I was lying to myself.

I am picky.

Very picky.




 I knew I did not want a little sedan. I hate little cars!

I told Sean I had a Napoleon complex.  I feel the need to compensate for my lack of height buy driving a big car!

I've always liked Jeeps, and the more I saw of them, the more I wanted one. So I began my search for a Jeep Cherokee.

I was having no luck. If it wasn't gone with-in an hour of it being listed, it had issues. Like engine knocking. Or no AC, or "a small oil leak". But I kept looking.

And looking.

And looking.

And looking....

Finally, about a month ago, I decided maybe I should expand my choices.  So I began looking for an Isuzu Trooper, Nissan Pathfinder or Ford Expedition.

Then Thursday morning at 7:30, guess what I did?

I bought a new car!!!



It's not the Jeep I wanted, but it's a sweet 1997 Mercury Mountaineer all wheel drive SUV. It has a little over 151K miles, but after the Police Cab, anything under 200K is good in my book!!

Chuck, the guy who sold it works for a repo lot, so they had limited history on it. It has AC, no leaks (it was in their lot for 3-4 months while they did a title search & you could see the spot it was in was clean), and runs well.

The body is in really good shape, but as with any car that old, it does have a few flaws. The back door on the driver's side doesn't open, the driver's side back-up light need a new bulb, the driver's side door doesn't lock with the remote, and it needs new front break pads and rotors. Oh, and the back hatch was replaced with one from an Explorer. (It has the Ford logo and says Explorer on it which really, really bugs Sean. It don't matter to me.)

On the plus side, it runs well, has cold AC front and back, and a nice Pioneer stereo that I have yet to figure out. (The manual is in the glove box, thank goodness, I just have to pull it out and read it.) And enough room for 3 kids, a husband and all the junk that comes along with them!

Stuff that can't be taken care of with a few dollars (Except for the breaks.That's going to be a few hundred dollars.).




Sean now has car envy. Although, for me, it's going to take getting used to a car that's not as wide and roomy as the Crown Vic, it's huge compared to his teeny, tiny station wagon...



6/9/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/8/12

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john cena
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6/7/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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I think sometimes I frustrate him

Last night after work ~

Me: Levi finally got a new work truck.

Sean: Yeah. What kind?

Me: I little white one.

Sean: No. Is a Ford, Chevy, Dodge.... That kind of truck.

Me: I don't know. I couldn't see the name on the side.

Sean: Well, you just can't tell a guy someone got a new truck and not tell them what kind it is.

Me: I did tell you. It's a little white one!

6/6/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/5/12

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john cena
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6/4/12

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john cena
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6/3/12

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

After the home show today ~

Sean: Who's water bottle?

Me: Whoever wants it. You guys can fight over it.

Sean: I win!


Thirty seconds later ~

Me: Hey! Let me have that water bottle for a sec.

Sean: Why?

Me: I'm going to take a picture of it.

Sean: You are so weird!

Picture of the Day


john cena
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6/2/12

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john cena
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6/1/12

Picture of the Day


john cena
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