Good Photoshop Karma?

Several years ago I finally bought Photoshop. It was awesome! I made a Christmas Card collage and was having fun figuring things out--had even researched classes I could take to learn more. Then one day I smelled something burning and suddenly my computer shut down...it had literally fried. So Dan bought me a new computer but came home with a Mac. I was pretty excited about trying out Mac, but that meant my Photoshop was useless. It took me a year before I finally got around to calling Adobe and switching platforms. I got all hooked up again this fall. I'd even taken a Photoshop class through Community Ed so I actually remembered how to use layers and other cool Photoshop offerings. Then on a whim I decided to upgrade my Mac to the Leopard OS. It was a bad move made only worse by discovering Photoshop for Mac didn't work with Leopard. BUT... Finally last night a friend's blog mentioned that Adobe was now offering free online services to get name recognition among the Photobucket and Shutterfly crowd. I clicked the link and was rewarded with finding that Photoshop Elements for Mac had a new version compatible with Leopard. I downloaded the upgrade last night and was up and running. I'm excited to be a part of this Photoshop world!!

Trying to get to Cancun

We just returned from a warm spring break in Cancun. Our condo was right on the water (literally the waves came all the way up to the pool wall at high tide) and had ocean views on three sides. Beautiful! We arrived home Monday and today it snowed. Will it ever stop?! Aslan, where are you? (Ha, ha...that's for Sheree).

Prior to our trip I'd been very successful on my diet for the two week "cleansing" period. Then I had a couple of bad diet days because I'd purchased everything for Christopher's birthday party ahead of time, including the pinata candy. And at night it was calling to me. CURSE YOU PINATA CANDY!! However thanks to the bacteria that magically appears in water as you cross the pretend line from the U.S. to Mexico, and my cavalier "I'm sure this salad won't hurt me!" I've lost the pinata candy pounds. ...I should have bottled some of that magic diet water and brought it home! Who's going to Mexico next?

Well, we started off our trip with me having to make a quick stop at the post office to buy stamps so I could mail out the birthday invites. With only 1 person working it took 20 minutes to get through the four customers in line. I didn't want to lose my place in line to yell at someone in the car to check to see if the stamp machine -- on the other side of the building! -- sold 2 cent stamps, all the while believing that not every customer could be as slow as the person ahead of them. I was wrong. (And why didn't anyone in the car come in to me to find out what the heck was taking so dang long!)

Eventually I mailed the party invites and now we had to make our typical family vacation airport mad dash (topped only by the time that with less than an hour to departure to Vancouver, Dan literally did pull over like he said he would if the kids didn't stop fighting. They did and we made it. But I wonder if one of these trips...). We arrived at the airport to discover Marty's suitcase had been left home.

We made it on the flight and thanks to my impeccable timing and friendly demeanor I was able to get us all seated together from our previous 4 different rows configuration. After many long years of traveling with infants and toddlers--oftentimes on my own on long cross-country trips--we have finally made it through to a new age!! Where a flight used to feel like I was holding my breath the whole time hoping to make it to the other side (city) without disrupting anyone around us--holding my breath, yet singing, reading, nursing, walking, cajoling, finding snacks, finding toys, cleaning up spilled drinks, anchoring little legs to keep them from even touching the seat in front of us...and on and on and on...NOW, everyone hooks up to their respective IPods and Gameboys (I pack books just in case--but who am I fooling?) and even Nick gets Dan's IPod with Arthur and Blues' Clues episodes, and I cram those earphones into his ears (not an easy task) and he was happily engaged as was everyone else for 5 short hours. I read three magazines, played Sudoku, ate my crackers and cheese (but not the raisins) and the vacation began.

A New Tag

What is your Hubby's name? Dan

How long have you been together? We met when we were 18 and spent every second of the summer together (except the day after our first date when I had to go see "my missionary" off at the airport and he had a date planned with his girlfriend.) He left on my birthday for a two-year mission--the worst birthday of my life. He came home and when we spoke on the phone for the first time we decided to be just friends while I figured out my feelings for my current boyfriend. When we met up at college for the first time again we spent every second together after that. I guess it was all that time together that got us through the years of investment banking when we didn't have any time together. It's been almost 19 years since our first date.

Who said I love you first? He did. Since I was currently in love with someone else and knowing that he would be gone for two years I was pretty realistic that a future together was not very likely. But by the time summer was over he had completely won me over and I was in love for life.

Who is smarter? In the words of Blue, "Hmmm."

Who does the housework? Monica and Hector

Who sleeps on the right? When we're in bed, he's on the right.

Who pays the bills? Mostly auto pay. But Dan has paid the others for a while. He says it's my turn.

Who cooks dinner? Me on the weekdays. Dan generally cooks on Sundays. He also cooks breakfast most of the time.

Who drives when you are together? Dan

Who is more stubborn? Me.

Who kissed who first? Dan--on the first date. Another reason I said I couldn't marry him. I didn't want my kids to think it was okay to kiss on the first date.

Who asked who out first? Well, if you count passing me a note in class which said EXACT QUOTE: "Come over tonight and cook me dinner" as asking out on a date, then it was him. I, of course, passed it back saying "Uhhhh... How about you cook me dinner?!" All of his friends were having a BBQ/pool party, and the guys did all the cooking. Dan even made me breakfast at midnight (about) but I've said too much as I know my daughter reads this. But suffice it to say that I knew I'd found a good thing when I found someone willing to cook for me! (And what happened to the note? He tore it up and threw it away so his girlfriend wouldn't find it. And the next day I headed off to the airport to say goodbye to "my missionary" with a very guilty conscience!)

Who proposed? He did. He made dinner and had also composed a very sweet poem.

Who has more siblings? Me

Who wears the pants? I want to know what Dan would say!
!
I tag Michelle (tag Sheree and she can tag Bekah so we can hear everyone's stories!), Melissa, Leslie and Camille!

Typing Test

Michelle and Courtney -- I never could resist a typing challenge!
93 words

Speedtest

Killing Time

29

If I knew how to spell fushia I'd have one more and they didn't accept off-white!!


51

Courtney's Science Project

Courtney's science group won a national "environmental challenge" sponsored by Lexus and Scholastic. The winners are now all competing for a $10,000 scholarship in the next level of the challenge. Courtney's group is encouraging "Go Green on March 17th by participating in a 'No Car Day.'" Check out their blog at www.stopthepollution.blogspot.com and their video on you tube.

Their first No Car Day they sponsored at their Jr. High cut the total number of cars dropping off at school in half. Also, did you know if you are going to be idling for more than 5 minutes you should turn your car off? Support Courtney by checking out her blog and youtube! Thanks! Tell your friends!!

More from Christopher

Climbing into bed...
Christopher: Mom, hand me a pair of socks.
Mom: Isn't it too hot to sleep in socks?
Christopher: No! Sleeping in socks makes my feet soft. Mom, feel how soft my feet are!!