Hello Lovely!

A few weeks ago, while taking Sam's eight month pictures, I noticed that all of my photos had a light line running through the center of them.  Thinking it was dust in the lens or something, I switched lenses.  The line was still there.  I tried taking photos with and without the flash.  The line was still there.  I was completely distraught.  This was my beloved Rebel xsi and it was putting a line through all of my pictures.  

After doing some research (thank you Google!), I diagnosed the problem as a faulty sensor.  I then called Canon and described the problem, and they confirmed...faulty sensor. My options were to send it to the Canon Camera Hospital (that's its official name, I'm sure) and have the sensor replaced to the tune of $200 plus tax and shipping, or participate in the Canon Trade-In program.  The trade-in program allows you to trade in your camera for money towards a refurbished upgraded camera.  After a lot of thinking and working of numbers, we decided to do just that.  We upgraded to the Canon Rebel t3i, complete with HD video functions, remote flash capabilities, and lots of other bells and whistles I need to figure out.  It arrived this week and I can't wait to try it out.  

Via

Hello lovely!!

Meal Plan Monday

I hate to cook.  Like, really hate it.  I'll bake and I'll make appetizers.  But that's the extent of my relationship with the kitchen (except if you count cleaning, because I feel like that's all I do sometimes!).  Kurt's the cook in our family. So, in an effort to attempt to cook a little bit more, I turned to my trusty pal Pinterest.  There are some amazing and amazingly easy recipes to be found on there.  

I found these three recipes that we're planning on trying this week.


Chicken Tortilla Soup

Source: chef-in-training.com via Kate on Pinterest

Crockpot Baby Back Ribs

Source: thelarsonlingo.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Hawaiian Chicken

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Kate on Pinterest

It looks like our crockpot is going to get quite the workout this week, but isn't that what it's for?  What good is it sitting in the cupboard?  I'll let you know how they turn out!

Miscellany Monday

I'm linking up for Miscellany Monday!

1.  FEVER!  I haven't had a real fever in a long time.  That is, until this weekend.  Saturday night, I started feeling achey and chilled.  I didn't sleep well Saturday or Sunday nights due to said fever.  At one point during the night, I took my temperature and it was 102.  I went to the doctor today and they did strep and mono tests, which both came back negative. They think it's just a virus, but it is bringing me down!

2.  RAVENS!  It was a hard-fought game, but our guys couldn't pull through in the end.  There was definitely a BMM (bad mood man) in the house last night.  

3.  BIRTHDAY!  We got together with a bunch of Kurt's friends from high school for Miss Molly's first birthday.  Four of us have kids, and they are all within a year of each other.  It was fun to see them playing and interacting together.  The next generation!

4. TELEWORK! Today is a telework day for us.  Our report cards are due by 1:30, but I turned mine in before I left on Friday.  Thank goodness, because there is no way I could have gone into school today.

What's on your mind this Monday?

Chopped!

My hair has been driving me absolutely crazy lately.  First, I'm way overdue for highlights.  I look like an opposite skunk, with the dark streak going down the center of my hair.  And then there is the style, or lack of style.  It's longish with layers, but has just gotten out of control.  I've been wearing it in a ponytail everyday for literally the past three weeks.  So tonight, I headed over to visit Kurt's cousin Dana, who is my stylist.  I went with these two photos as my inspiration (gotta love Pinterest!):

Source: google.com via Kate on Pinterest

Source: wellrounded.me via Kate on Pinterest

She ended up putting a couple highlights in along my part just to brighten it up (and to help with me that skunk look!) and took four inches off the back!  My hair is now the same length (!!) and just about to my shoulders.  I looked down at the salon floor and couldn't believe she took that much off.  I had no idea my hair was that long!  I'm really liking the style, though I'm worried I won't be able to make it look as good myself.  No picture tonight, because I'm ready for bed, but I'm take one tomorrow.  I'm feeling four inches lighter and sassy!  

Waterbaby!

Sam has always been a fan of the water.  He loves bath time, which is part of our nightly routine, and he seemed to like the fews times he was in a swimming pool last summer at just a couple months old.  Kurt and I feel that it's really important for him to feel comfortable in the water, especially since we are members of our neighborhood pool and my in-laws live near the water and have a boat.  Kurt was on his neighborhood swim team for many years, so we decided that he'd be the one to take a swim class with Sam (it has nothing to do with the fact that I wouldn't be caught dead in a bathing suit right now!).

Our county rec program offers a class called Waterbabies for children 6-18 months old, which is held at a local indoor pool on Saturday afternoons.  We've had two classes so far and Sam has really enjoyed it!  He's learned to float on his back (while Kurt holds him), kick, blow bubbles, bob up and down, hang on to the side, push off the wall, and jump into the pool.  Next week, they are putting their heads under!  I was that mom with tears in my eyes during the first class.  It was so cool to see him so relaxed and comfortable in the water.

I'm sure we'll be spending a lot of time at the pool this summer!  Look out baby pool!  

What I'm Loving...

I'm joining up with Jamie for a little What I'm Loving Wednesday action!  My friend Jenni is now back to blogging and has inspired me to get back on the wagon, too!

I'm loving this sweet eight month old!  What a big boy!

I'm loving that my boys are loving their "Waterbabies" class! What great Daddy/Son bonding!

I'm loving that I'm taking a "me day" off tomorrow!  I'm not loving the trip to the dentist that's part of the day off, but I am loving that I'm getting my hair cut and highlighted and a pedicure.  A trip to Target or the mall may also be in order!

I'm loving my awesome parents, who not only watch Sam two days a week, but make us dinner, clean up our house, and do our laundry while they're here, too!  They are amazing!

On the topic of laundry, I'm loving that our washing machine is now working again!  Word to the wise...invest in a lingerie bag!  

Have a wonderful rest of the week!