Kirby brought the mail. As the kids watched him open the box, I heard one of them say, "Mom, your camera came."

Well, I didn't order any camera. I think I kind of let it skim past my ears, figuring they were mistaken about the contents. But Kirby walked up to me and placed a package in my hand. A camera. A Canon PowerShot. 30x. * jaw drop * I stood stunned, with my mouth open, staring at the picture on the box, for a good thirty seconds. Before I could wonder how on earth he managed to pay for it, he said, "I didn't buy it." My brain went numb, I think: If HE didn't buy it, WHO DID?

He handed me the packing slip:

What a mighty gift. I don't deserve it.  Wow.  "I laughed, I cried -- it moved me, Bob."

Thank you. (Imagine the older of the brothers in Peter Pan -- John, I think -- "I shall try to be worthy of my post.") Only, this is me, in my best imitation of his voice, "I shall try to be worthy of your gift." And I will restrain myself from tagging you in all the photos I post on Facebook. Ha.

Oh, I am so happy. My day is better, I read your message to my family and there was cheering at the end. You're welcome.

And yes. Just because.

P.S. Don’t know if you saw the note, but there is an Extra Back-Up Redundancy Battery of Joy coming, too.

January 22:
Hello!

I have a question for you. I'm pondering a camera upgrade and am currently picking the brains of my Facebook friends. What kind do you have, do you like it, and how does it fare with shutter-speed? That's my biggest gripe about the one I have. I also think I got spoiled using the one at work a bit ("I hate waiting.")

I've messaged a few people I know have Canon Rebels, and I just remembered you had a good sized camera, too. (Oops, typed "god sized" first, it's not *that* big!)

Thank you

Emily

Currently, I have *no* camera. My Canon died a good year and a half ago, and I've made do with borrowing Bri's little pocket Canon (a... Power Shot, I think it is).

The Canon I did have wasn't particularly big, either. A Canon S3. They're up to at least the S5, but my aunt had an S5, and if I had cash in hand today, I'd still get the S3.

It had a 12x optical zoom (digital zoom unknown, 'cause I refuse to use digital zoom), customizable settings (aperture, ISO, flash levels, color balance, etc.), and was GREAT at ready-to-take-the-next-picture speeds. Bonus points: the preview screen could flip out (like a camcorder), which was great for from-the-ground-up shots -- and it used 4 regular AA batteries; no special battery pack required.

Not an SLR, so the "manual focus" setting was a bit of a bother (controlled with distance buttons in the menu, not hand-on-the-lens), but I just learned to set the lighting and focus with the button half pressed, then aim toward my subject.

If you can find one, you should be able to get it for around $150. But if you can afford a Rebel, by all means, get the Rebel!

Kari

January 27:
Thank you for your info of experience Still looking around, I think my next move is to go to a Best Buy and just mess with some of 'em!

I looked at cameras today.
A. The Rebel was amazing. The zoom was disappointing; to get the 12x I'm used to requires a $thousand+ lens purchase.
B. The new PowerShot was amazing. The optical zoom was *choke* 30x. THIRTY. I don't remember the model number; it was $399 at WalMart, but they're Out of Stock until Who Knows When.

I'm still Just Looking, but if you feel like chatting about what you find / decide, I'm interested in what you have to say...

K

Thirty? Isn't that like from here to far away? I could see Sarah Palin's house from here

I've also been peering at the Pentax K-x. I'm a sucker for the colors, an orange or green one would be nice. But I'm so picky, I hate pushing the button and the picture won't take right away because it's still focusing...so that's why I think I need to just use some. Oh, and the Pentax (my smart momma pointed out) only has a 3 time zoom. Pbhbht. The one I have now is a Kodak Z981, I'm thinking of giving it to Anna if I get a new one.

Do you like the Powershot?

E

Gave the puppies a bath.  I think it helps that there were two of them; they weren't as scared as Wendy was for her first bath.  They cuddled and romped with Logan in front of the fireplace.  Precious.

Alexis Syness / Fritz at Angela's Pampered Chef party.  Joi came, too.

Bonners Ferry to Paula's .  The Long Bridge. Tea, cheese zombies / calzones, hot cocoa, charlie's school.  Paula's really pushing me to establish a photo / graphics business.

I forgot my purse at Mosquedas.  Not on purpose.  When they found it, and volunteered to drive it down, I assured them I wouldn't need it before Sunday, that I'd just get it at church.  No, they were looking for an excuse to drive the Sienna.

So they came down.  Stayed to eat hamburgers with us.  Shawn networked our computers, and Kirby had to leave him to fix the flooding in the basement.  Mari and Bri went out to help him, siphoning the water from the woodshed, digging a trench, etc.

Kendric and Kaiden playing under the dining room table.  There's a brace under there, Kendric likes to lay on his back and look at the bottom of the table, where he's drawn control panels for his imaginary fighter jets.  "Okay, scan in.  First your hand, then your eyes, then your chin."  (Chin?!)  "We are approaching the enemy base..."

Karlie had a fever, I was tired.  We had to keep the kids upstairs, so we put on How Its Made videos from youtube.

Logan lost his last lower incisor... Talk with Steve.

Lois phoned, but couldn't chat long because she was preparing for a girls' night in: pedicures, movies, etc.

It's been a looong time since I've had a girls' night.  It's been a long time since we've had an anybody night.  Never mind that we were just getting dinner on, that I was already in my pajamas, Kirby said, "So?  Call a friend, invite her over for a movie night."  I phoned Lori, and sure it was an outrageous idea, and sure it was short notice, but after she got over the shock, she sounded like she might be excited about it.  "Just a minute, let me call Shawn and see what he says."  As we plotted about the evening, thinking the girls could watch a chick flick upstairs, the boys could play darts, etc. downstairs, we thought, Well, why not invite their whole family?"  So we did.  And so they came.  Oh tra-la-la-la-la!

Scribblish.  Rags in Moriah's hair.  Myra and Moriah painted one another's nails, etc.  We girls did were particularly careful to keep to our side of the house, but it wasn't long before the boys were sneaking upstairs.  First Kaiden came up to get a game.  Then Kirby came up to get popcorn.  Finally, we were all gathered in the living room...  and chased ourselves to bed at like 1 a.m.

Saturday morning:  Up at the crack of dawn.  Not really.  7:30 ish.  Kirby got up to start coffee.  Shawn brought potatoes and made some splendid potatoes o'brein.  eggs, blueberry pancakes...  It was delicious.

They left so Shawn could work on their car four runner thing.  They've been without a working car for... a long time.  And the Sienna's been sitting in our driveway for ... a long time.  So we worked out a trade.  Our minivan for one of their trucks (firewood!).

So today:  We drove the Sienna to church.  I can't believe it's been nearly a year since it was my regular car.  When we got the van, I expected it would feel like driving a freighter.  No, it was rather easy.  But going back to the Sienna felt like driving a race car.  So nice.  The girls went with Lori for her maiden voyage to show the car to her in laws, and pointed out all the nifty gadgets like the sun roof, moon roof, etc.

Bears v. Packers.  Packers won.

Ben called to say Rikke was in labor.  Aaaa!  We had hardly spread the news around the house when he called back, "It's a girl!"  Her name is Berkley Nicole Brown.

You can't really call it a "science experiment" when you don't bother to investigate explanations, right?  But we did see for ourselves What Happens when Ivory soap is microwaved: fun stuff.

Now kids are carving up the rest of the pantry pack of soap.

Dad, Mom and Nicole came to visit.  Nicole brought gifts: AE vests for the girls, a basketball hoop and electronic safety dart board for the boys, Scrabble Flash for the whole family.  Mari's chicken and rice soup for lunch.  Grandpa brought steak and ribs for dinner.  Pictionary and Actionary with Grandpa Rick.  Watched videos at wimp.com 'til late.

Sunday:  Dad went to church -- the early service -- with Kirby, Bri, Myra and Kendric.  Lunch at China place.  Back to the house for goodbyes, then to Rognes' for dinner.  Hoisington boys were there, too.  Songs, the girls sang This Little Light of Mine and ... and... Home on the Range.

Monday:  Kirby wen to LynTron to get this toolbox.

Tuesday:  Watched Nanny McPhee Returns, and as it was getting over, Dave called to say he was coming over.  They arrived at about 10, and stayed to visit for hours.  Moon light, light outside, the kids ran to the church to show Johnny their snow piles, the play house, etc.

Wednesday:  Box from Philipp and Sandra.  Candy.  Mmm.  German chocolate --- so smooth, not so sweet.  Mmmm.

Heard honking overhead.  I looked out the window to see a large formation of Canada geese flying north.  North.  Toward Canada.  Is winter over?  Or do they just want to die at home?

Mari is officially as tall as her mother.  Yeow.