Snapshots from Wednesday

Can you tell I am totally LOVING this new camera? I spent hours last night online looking for digital photography lessons. I found one here: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/classroom.php

I'm really having a lot of fun trying different techniques, learning different settings on my camera and luckily I have willing photo subjects! My daughter and her best friend had a ball yesterday taking photos.

I'm getting ready for our annual beach vacation. We leave on Saturday morning for New Symrna Beach for a week of fun and sun. I always look forward to this vacation every year. We've been going for the last 6 years and go with Kristina's bestfriend and her family. It's always a fun time and we all enjoy spending time together, playing bocce ball, horsehoes, basking in the sun and of course surfing.

2 Peas Blogger Challenge

Today's challange is to list 5 things I like about myself:

1. I am an optimist.
2. I cherish family and friends
3. I'm funny and have a great sense of humor
4. I don't let people intimidate me or let them make me feel inferior
5. Just got a new hairdo... cut and highlights.. and I love it even if my hubby doesn't! ( He's one of the typical males who like women to have long hair.)

My daughter took this photo of me this morning at Tampa International Airport with my new camera! Having lots of fun with it today! Check out my photo blog for some great nature shots I took this morning.

New Camera! I've gone Digital SLR

I took the plunge tonight and purchased the Nikon D50. I really was undecided on whether to get the Canon Rebel XT or the Nikon. I did lots of research and thought I was going to go with the Canon since my other Digital is a Canon and I LOVE LOVE that camera.

But, after making the trip to Costco and going through all the features and accessories, the Nikon was definately the better deal for me and what I wanted.

I really can't wait to get up tomorrow and take some photos in the daylight outside. I took about 100 pictures tonight inside and the camera definately takes awesome pictures. I'm going to sign up for a photography class and learn more about this camera and the more advanced techniques.

The beach photos will be awesome this year.. :-)

Check out my photoblog at http://timelesstreasuresphotoblog.blogspot.com/
I'll be posting lots of pics there that I take with the new camera!

Ciao

New Photo of Me and Hubby

Love how this photo turned out! This is me and my husband Bennie.

Kristina- carrying sword- Platoon Commander!
Kristina receiving her Leadership Cord
Close up of Kristina receiving her Leadership Cord
Kristina leading her platoon during Pass & Review

 

Snapshots of Saturday 6/24/06

After a week of attending Leadership Acadamy, my daughter Kristina graduated today and these photos are from the graduation ceremony. We are so proud of her! She was Platoon Commander for the 2nd Platoon.

I missed her so much. I wasn't able to even talk to her via phone while she was there. I have never gone more than two days without talking to her! I know.. I'm a sap.. I just missed her so much. We are very close and it was a long lonely week without her! So glad she's back home.
Next Saturday we head to the beach for our annual beach vacation. Can't wait!!

I've got some great photos here to scrap for her scrapbook!

Thanks for looking! 

Sophia's Blogger Challange from 2 Peas

1. FIRST NAME? Monica
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? A character in the book The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Sunday
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, even though it's not the most beautiful I've seen, it suits me!
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Boars Head Honey Maple Turkey Breast
6. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes, 2 children, Son 17 and Daughter 16
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Definately! I think I'm a lot of fun to be around, I'm loyal and take friendships very seriously.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Just my blog. I used to have a journal when I was a teenager but stopped writing in journals years ago. I love my blog! I have a private blog that I don't share with just anyone.
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Sometimes, it depends on who I'm with.
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, Never have had a problem.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Sure! I love adventure. Definately would love to skydive someday.
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope. I normally wear slide on shoes or flip flops/sandals. If I do wear lace up shoes, I kick them off.
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Emotionally and mentally yes.. physically, not really but I'm not weak either.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? UGH.. I can't find it anymore! It's Haagen Daaz- Banana Foster Ice cream
16. SHOE SIZE? 8
17. RED OR PINK? Pink, but I like red too.
18. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my smile. I have never liked my smile. It's crooked.
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My maternal grandmother.
20. WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? 1965 in Sebring, Florida
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jean shorts and no shoes!
22. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Spagettios
23. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? XM Radio Online- Highway 16
24 IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Sky Blue
25. FAVORITE SMELL? Gardenias
26. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED WITH ON THE PHONE? My Dad
27. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU MEET? Their eyes, then their smile.
28. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?. Not that I can think of.
29. FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Coke
30. FAVORITE SPORT? Football.. College.. Florida Gators!
31. HAIR COLOR? Natural- Dark Brown- Right now... have red highlights in it.
32. EYE COLOR? Brown
33. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No, I do wear glasses. I've tried contacts and just can't stand putting things in my eyes.
34. FAVORITE FOOD? German Food! Schnitzel, goulash soup, anything German
35. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Happy Ending!
36. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Pride and Predjudice
37. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Multi Color Stripped Tank Top. Red, Brown, Tan, Black, Olive Green.
38. SUMMER OR WINTER? Definately Summer! I live for the beach!
39. HUGS OR KISSES? Kisses from my husband and kids. Love hugs from anyone else!
40. FAVORITE DESSERT? Key Lime Pie
41. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The DiVinci Code
42. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Purple Pansies
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Waves crashing on shore, babbling brooks.. water..
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles!
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME ? Germany
46. IF YOU COULD PICK ANY TWO PEOPLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH, WHO WOULD THEY BE? My long lost best friend from 4th to 8th grade. I would love to find her and catch up! Julia Roberts. I've always admired her and love her acting. I would love to sit down and have a conversation with her.

Three New Layouts

Sorry for the bad photos. Have I told you lately how much I am having problems with my camera? I want a Canon Digital Rebel XT soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad!

These are three LO's I've done in the past few days.

1. This is my son playing the guitar. I like how this one turned out. Love the Rhonna Farrer Alpha Stamps!

2. This LO was done with some items from my http://www.jennibowlin.com/June kit. The photo of my hubby was taken in 1988, almost 20 years ago! Love how it turned out!

3. My first attempt at paper tearing. Really had fun making this one of my daughter and her best friend.

Life is settling down a little and the nights have been quiet here this week. My daughter is still at Leadership Acadamy and I'm missing her like CRAZY!! I'm going to scrap some more tonight after dinner!

Thanks for looking~

 

I Have Been Scrapping!

Between all the chaos and life happenings I have managed to do some scrapping.. Here's a few LO's I've completed this week. Sorry the pictures turned out so dark. My camera is really ticking me off lately. It's not taking photos like it should the flash isn't working..

I need a new Canon Digital Rebel SLR!!

I'll keep dreaming for a while longer. Maybe for my birthday next month??

Alberto is here...

Well it's been raining since late last evening. And it's only supposed to get worse as the day goes by and tomorrow approaches. The latest reports have Alberto reaching Hurricane strength sometime soon.

I haven't been the best blogger last week. Chaos in the Lockhart household is the only word I can think of to sum it all up. Hoping that this is a better week.

I'm taking a class at Ruban Rouge tonight. So excited!! It's being taught by the K & Co rep and it's a mini book class. Should be alot of fun. I just hope the weather isn't too bad.. I HATE driving in a downpour!

I haven't had any time to scrap lately, other than working on a circle journal I'm in and very behind on. I have 4 journals sitting here that I have to forward on.

I'll try to update this later tonight after my class!

For now.. have a great day!

Bloggity Blog... This is gonna be a LONG Post!

I recently joined in the Layout A Day challange at 2Peas in The Pub.. I've been loving it.. it's motivating me to scrap everyday.
I've done it each day and posted each day since June 1. Tonight my camera batteries died and of course I don't have a new set in the house. So, I have to run to get batteries tomorrow morning so I can post my LO.

I've got lots going on at home.. My sister-in-law and her 8yr old son just moved in with us this past weekend, and are staying her about a month. Long story short.. she's going through a divorce and needs help getting back on her feet. Needless to say, anytime you have additional people in the house, things don't run like normal. I love my SIL to death, and I'm trying my best to get her to focus on anything but being depressed. It's been almost 1 year since they've seperated. I think she needs to get a grip and find another outlet to take her mind off things. I've tried to get to scrap with me.. and she wants to, she just keeps getting upset looking at family pictures, brings back to many memories and then we have the cry session all over again.

Tonight, my DD and I went shopping. Went to Old Navy and American Eagle to get some shorts and shirts for the annual beach vacation. I had fun spending one on one time with my daughter. Now that she has her drivers liscence.. I don't see much of her anymore. I guess that's part of growing up huh? We went buy to see Mom and Dad tonight on the way back from the Mall.

I'm really looking into getting a new camera. Want to get the Canon Rebel XT before we go to the beach. I've got a little saved and since it's my birthday next month, I'm hoping I can talk my parents and DH into helping me get the camera as a birthday present. I really really want this camera!!

Small toot.. I entered one of my sunrise photos.. (actually it's the one up in my banner) in a photography contest and I just received a letter stating my photo made it to the semi-finals and will be published in a book. I'm excited!!! Even if I don't win.. just getting it published in a book is really exciting to me!

Well.. I guess I've rambled enough.. I'll post more tomorrow with photos!

Chow!

Weekend Recap

Had a very busy weekend.. and I'm totally impressed that I got these two LO's finished. The top one took me forever!! I'm not sure I like how it turned out. The photos are just my absolute favorites. I actually submitted the top left photo on the Sunrise LO to a photo contest and just received a letter in the mail that I've made it to the semi-finals. I've never submitted any of my photography to a contest.. so I'm excited to have my first entry chosen!

The second LO is compiled of photos I took in my back yard. Love Spring!! Nuff said.

We helped my SIL move out of her apartment this weekend. Very stressful. She and her son are going to move in with us for about a month. Long story short... she's going through a divorce and needs some help getting on her feet.

Will post more tomorrow. I'm loving this LO a day challange!! It's keeping me motivated!

Chow! 

My First Effer Dare and LOTD

I've really been trying to broaden my scrapping skills. I LOVE trying different techniques and trying new things. I finally decided to try an Effer Dare... if you haven't ever heard of the Effer Dares visit their blog site by clicking http://www.fortheloveofeffers.blogspot.com/

Basically, a group of greatly talented artists create a theme for creating a Layout. This week's dare was to use take your bad photos and make them look stellar. Here's what I created with two blurry pictures from NYC.

I like how it turned out! I'm going to go back and do some of the other dares! Try it.. they are fun!

I also started doing the Lay Out of the Day in The Pub at 2peas. Here's the LO I did today.

The journalling reads: All of the years you and Casey have spent going to Jennings has really meant a lot to you both. Every year you look forward to the time you'll spend on the lake fishing. Your dad and Casey's dad used to go there every year when they were young and now they bring you two. Hopefully it will be a "tradition" you will carry on you will carry on with your son.

I'm looking forward to getting some pages done this weekend! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend scrapping or doing whatever you have planned!

New Layouts and other Ramblings...

Love how this LO turned out! Basic Grey Ribbon is so pretty!
This is my ME LO I did in Elsie's class a few weekends ago.
Tryed my hand at some doodling.. it's ok.. need to practice more.
LO of my daughter's best friend CJ who is in the Marines. He came home for the Navy Ball and to see Kevin graduate. It was great having him home for a month! Miss you already CJ!

Fact: Today is the first day of Hurricane Season.

Fact: It's hotter than H E double hockey sticks here already. I think we're in for a very long hot summer. UGH!

Fact: In exactly one month I'll be soaking up the sun on New Symrna Beach, FL for our annual family vacation for the 4th of July. We always go there during the 4th and I am so looking forward to it! Sun, sand, ocean, family, friends, pina coladas...what more can I ask for??