I heart my new camera

My computer still isn't working right. It just took me about 2 hours to upload photos and get them ready to put on the blog. It shut off on me 3 times during this process. Twice, it was almost finished uploading and I had to start all over.

Anyway, I haven't gotten to share pictures from my new camera. Russ completely surprised me at Christmas with a new Canon Rebel xsi 12.2 mpx digital SLR. PLUS a tele-photo lens. It has been very exciting (and overwhelming). There is so much you can do with it and I haven't got a clue how to use 75% of the cool things on it. Someday I'll take a class to learn how to use it, until then, I just keep on clicking (656 pictures saved since I first got it- that doesn't include the ones I deleted)

But I wanted to share some of the highlights from Christmas and some of my recent favorite pictures:

Rylan, Papa and Maddie Josh is actually smiling!


Eric with Rylan I love this little outfit

We got Mom a flat panel for her computer. She had no idea.

It snowed on Christmas eve- HUGE flakes!

The Night before Christmas


Maddie got an acoustic guitar.


Russ' favorite gift was the Lite Brite :)


I think Rylan having a "boy toy" was Russ' favorite.

A picture of me- these are rare.

Becca helping Grandma make cinnamon rolls.

Russ balancing Rylan

And again...

And again. Notice the bald spot? That's why she wears a lot of hats. Aren't her little jammies the cutest? Thanks Aunt Marla!

Grandpa and his girls

Grandma with her girls

Becca stuffing her birthday cupcake.

Becca showing off her "birthday outfit". Russ playing stick the tail on the pony.

Becca's friends at her birthday party.

Can you tell I did the cake all by myself? Jenny B- I wish I had even half your talent of making cakes! And this picture was just so cute of Becca squeezing the life out of A.


Maddie started playing basketball in December. Russ is the coach/ref. Jenna from church is on her team. Maddie loves it all so much (we were very surprised by this).

Maddie's first real shot in a game. (she missed)

I love this soft focus picture of Becca.

She was playing outside in her mask, velvet black/red skirt with a blue shirt, pink butterfly on it, and one blue princess shoe and one pink princess shoe. She told me she felt very pretty.

Rylan likes to suck on her toe.

I love all of these shots of Rylan. Her eyes are just so blue!





Don't you just want to pinch those cheeks?



I'm learning about the different settings on my camera- see the difference? The second one is so much clearer.

And this was my favorite series of pictures. From happy, to sad, to snot bubble.