New Camera

Shawn and I have been talking for awhile about getting a new camera.  We had decided when we got married that we would get one when we had children...but we finally decided to jump the gun and just get one now.  We went to look at the stores over the weekend then did some research and got one today.  Love it!

We decided on an Olympus (because I love Olympus cameras...my current camera in an Olympus and it has lasted me quite a long time!).  Once it got it home we got it all together and started playing with it.  We got a package deal from Best Buy that included an additional lens and case, so I think we got a pretty good deal!

Here are some of the pictures we took today while playing with the different modes and lens.  We took some around the house and the others while we took Marcie for a walk on our apartment property.  She was quite a good model for our pictures :)  We have such a pretty dog!

Pumpkin Carving!

Shawn and I were out shopping today...enjoying a day with just about nothing important to do.   We decided to wander around Target (what else is better than that?).  We we wandering around the Halloween stuff (if you can find it through all the Christmas stuff that's out already...but that is another story) and I found something that I really wanted.  Well a few things.  Actually more than a few, but we settled on two things.  A really cool clear glass pumpkin shaped candy bowl with a lid and a pumpkin carving kit with stencils of characters from Monster's, Inc.   So cool!

So we decided to buy something pumpkins too and get the decorating going!  I bought a couple of small, decorative pumpkins to complete the centerpiece of my dining room table.

I decided to carve "Boo" in her monster costume.  It was hard!  There were a lot of details, but I think it came out pretty well!   Shawn decided to do the Green Lantern logo (probably because we bought that movie today too). 

I am totally new at the pumpkin carving thing, but I think we did pretty well!  I can't wait to do it again next year!  I also dug out some stuff I bought after Halloween last year and got Marcie in her scary "eyeball" scarf.  She was not really a fan.

She did like the bits of pumpkin she wouldn't stop eating though.  I hope they don't make her sick :( 

I love days like this...all day with my favorite guy!

Logan's First Trip to the Zoo!

Yesterday, Mimi and I both had the day off so we decided to take Logan to the zoo.  I have purchased a Groupon ages ago for the Capital of Texas Zoo (which is really more of a wild animal sanctuary, so it is small but easy to navigate with a curious toddler).

Logan came over to get Auntie Lisa all ready in his safari outfit.

The zoo was a perfect size.  It had a lot of animals you don't typically see at zoos and you were close enough to really see everything.  They still had a few of the big, cool animals though.  Logan had a GREAT time!

He pointed at everything!  Pointing is his new thing.

This capybara is huge!  I didn't know rodents could get so big!

Logan's favorite part of the day...the bridge.  He ran across this bridge probably 10 times, laughing out loud the whole time!

Piggies!!

He wanted to pet the pigs, but the pesky goat wouldn't get out of our way!  Mimi and I were pretty sure he was going to start hitting the goat like he does to the dogs at home when they are in his way!

He was so brave with the goats.  He fed them and petted them with no fear!

He was totally in awe of the lion.  It was the longest period of him standing still all day.  He just gazed at the lion...and pointed at him of course!

We thought this prairie dog was hilarious.  He was made a tunnel that lead him out of the his enclosure and he was making a new tunnel under the cage that the parrots were in.  He was right in front of us and as we stood watching him he started kicking rocks at us from inside his tunnel.  He thought he was being very threatening, but we just thought it was adorable!

Logan was totally worn out by the end of the zoo adventure.

Time with Logan

We all know how much I enjoy my time with Logan.  So here are some pictures from recent times with Logan.

Yummy cookies.

Logan went swimming with me and Shawn a couple of weeks ago.  When we got home he decided he needed to wear my shoes!

He's such a daredevil.  He saw his momma use the stool to get up on the counter and he decided that he could do it too!  Up on the stool all by himself!

Logan has recently discovered blocks.  He loves them.  The loves to stack them and then knock them down!



I gave Logan a haircut the other day and today we realized it would make the perfect faux-hawk!  Isn't he the cutest!

Oh my goodness...I love this kid!

Austin City Limits Music Festival

This year was our first time at ACL.  We only went for one day but I'm glad because we are so sore and worn out today!  We got there early, just after they opened the gates.  There was still room to move around then...the majority of the people didn't show up until after 3pm.  Then it was hard to move at all without touching someone!

The festival had 7 different stages set up for live music throughout the day.  We didn't know all of the bands that were there, so we wandering around checking them out when there wasn't a band we wanted to see.  We started out by checking out a band the Cults.  They had a different sound I really enjoyed it.  Here's a picture and a sample of their music.

Next we headed to the big stage...The Bud Light Stage (all the stages were sponsored by different corporations).  This stage was one of the two that was showing the main (more known) acts throughout the day, which would culminate at the end of the night with Kanye West.  He was awesome, btw.  I don't have any pictures of his show because there were SO MANY people that we really couldn't get any decent pictures, even of the video screen.  It was great fun though with so many people dancing and singing along.  In the morning though we saw Theophilus London.  I had heard of him before but I had never heard his music.  I didn't even really know what type of music it was...turns out he is a rapper.  He was really good.  We enjoyed the show.

The best part of his show...IT RAINED!  Woohoo!  The audience was more excited about that than his performance ;)

We checked out a few other bands that we didn't really like much, then we stumbled on Brandi Carlisle.  She was good...even Shawn like her band.  It was a different sound, but country based.  They were playing on the other main stage, the AMD stage.  This was located on the other side of the park from the Bud Light stage and was showing the other main acts throughout the day.  After her shown we ate and then waited for Ray LaMontagne.  He was really good as well, but his music is so mellow it is really kind of weird at a festival such as this.  Plus, during his show is when the rest of Austin decided to show up and the sun decided to come out...boo! Thus began my sunburn!

We took a break for awhile to sit in the shade and have a snack before SARA BAREILLES.  She is the show I was really waiting for, and she did not disappoint!  She was so freaking good!  We have a really shitty camera, so we didn't get very many good pictures but I did manage to get a video on my phone of one song.  I can't even describe how awesome she was.  If you like her even a little I would highly recommend seeing her live.

Everyone was hoping she would sing "Gravity" but that song was way too mellow for her level of excitment!  You could just tell how thrilled she was to be there.  Her whole band...their excitement was tangible!  She has a really good stage presence too, she's funny!  I'm still working on uploaded the video from my phone...once I get it to work I'll post it on my blog.

The two closing acts were Kanye West and Coldplay.  We were closer to Coldplay after Sara Bareilles was finished with her set, but we both thought Kanye would be more fun.  We danced and had a great time!  Our feet were absolutely killing us already, so we didn't stay for his whole show (we still had to walk the journey back to our car) but we stayed for most of his show.  We left after he played "Stronger" since we both love that song.  He played some new music and a lot of old stuff too, which was awesome! Overall, we had a great day and can't wait to do it again next year!

Anniversary Trip: Part II

We started off the second day of our trip by watching the sunrise over the ocean from the balcony of our room.  Beautiful.



After breakfast it was time for a full day of beach/pool fun with nothing particular planned.  Shawn enjoyed splashing in the ocean like a kid again!



I took my turn standing in the ocean...but that's far enough for me!



I'd rather stay on the sand and socialize with the gulls.

Of course we had to get a couple of pictures together...not the greatest but they'll do.

I enjoyed just looking out over the ocean though...such a awe inspiring sight!

Shadows are fun too!



Aside from our time as beach bums, we did very little.  Just relaxed and enjoyed being together.  We tried a little local hamburger place for dinner and it was really delicious.  I can't remember the name though :(  Anyway, the next morning we got up, ate breakfast and walked on the beach again before heading home.  What a perfect anniversary!