The Evolution of the Cell Phone...

Cell phones have come a LONG long way over the years...

I've had one for a very long time...Very.

My first cell phone when I was in college looked something like this...(Though it WASN'T 1989!!)

I found this pic with a great article on The Evolution of the Cell Phone found HERE - 

There really has been an evolution of phones over the years...While I've been carrying around a cell phone for nearly 20 years, I got my first 'smart' phone two years ago - it was one of those things that I didn't know I needed until I actually had my hands on it.

My husband is the last American hold out I think...(& we still don't have a DVR in our home either...)

My phone has treated me well over the last two years, but it takes really crappy pictures. Crappy pictures or not - I'm thrilled that it does take pictures (and video!!) when I want it to - I love not always having to have a camera with me...but I HATE not having my phone with me at all times.

I don't trade my phones in as often as a lot of folks do - I'm pretty hard on things (so says my hubs!) but I still like to hang on to them and get the most out of them that I can...but here's the thing. I'm guessing that my smart phone - old or not, does many things I am not aware of...

I am currently test driving the Droid Incredible 4GLTE from Verizon & WOW! Is it ever S.H.A.R.P!! ~ especially when I put it next to my Droid X - which, by the way, looks very Zach Morris-esque when they are side by side!
It's a sleek and slick little number - and from what I've seen so far, takes AMAZING, sharp, crisp pictures! (Which, I can't share with you just yet because I can't figure out how to get them from the phone to this computer...)

So...my question to you is....
What do you do with your smart phone?
I'm loving the lightning fast speed that I can browse the web, check my email, snap photos...

But what am I missing out on?
I'd love to hear how you use your smart phone in your everyday life.......What do I not know I need - until I see it?

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Holiday Card Outtakes...

Now that the holiday cards are (almost all) out - I can share the Holiday Card outtakes...

People sure make it look easy - getting a great shot of their kids for the perfect holiday card...
Our kids give me a run for my money when I'm trying to photograph them...

Here's some of the fun we had...

Holiday Cards...How do you choose?

It's that time of year again - Are you starting to put your Holiday card together?

This is one of my favorite things about Christmas...The treasures that come in the mail every day from Thanksgiving through the New Year. I simply LOVE getting Christmas Cards in the mail, and cards with pictures? My FAVORITE!

I hang all of the cards on our wall and leave them up until well into the New Year...

Every year, I have trouble deciding on how to do my Holiday Card - Remember last year? I enlisted the help of my blog readers to help me decide...

I'd like to do that this year too - but it seems silly to show you my card(s) before I send them in the mail doesn't it? I mean, isn't that half the fun of Holiday Card Season? The suspense of what is waiting in your mailbox?

Can you help without seeing MY actual pictures in the cards? I hope so...and let's face it...my kids do NOT cooperate for pics like this!

Do you like to see one picture cards like this version on Shutterfly?
Or maybe a collage of pictures on the card?

Do you like to see the whole family or just the kiddos?
What about holiday letter writing? Yay or Nay?

We have yet to adopt a holiday letter into our routine - and I don't see it happening anytime soon - but the Christmas Photo Cards - that is a tradition I can't see giving up - ever!
But what about something short & sweet like this that combines the best of both worlds?

This seems like a great idea for a portion of my cards to send to family & friends that we don't see on a regular basis who may or may not read this blog to see what we are up to...

So...what say you blog reader land friends?
What is your favorite Holiday Card to give or to receive?

I tend to gravitate towards the layouts that work with black & white photos, something that says classic & Christmas...
I plan to get busy on mine next week so I can have them all addressed and to the post office Thanksgiving weekend...While I'm already online making my cards & trying all sorts of different picture combos in various cards...I might just as well make a wall calendar too right? Have you ever made one of those? I think they make awesome gifts!

AND!! Calling all bloggers! Would you like the chance to receive 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly?
Click here! http://bit.ly/sfly2010


*** By sharing some of Shutterfly's gorgeous Holiday Card designs with you, I am eligible to receive 50 photo cards courtesy Shutterfly ***

Picture Perfect...

So a few weeks ago, while volunteering with a great group of gals, I grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots of this adorable little guy...

A self proclaimed picture fanatic - I just love love love snapping shots and trying to capture little moments...We spent maybe five minutes in the dandy patch...but I got a few fun shots ~



Shortly thereafter, I received what I consider to be the highest of compliments from Trish.
Seriously, from someone who makes her living via photojournalism, her profession, someone who is so highly regarded in her job...what a compliment!!!

It was also Trish who had the idea that we should blow up one of the pictures I got and surprise Liz, this little cutie's Mommy, with it.

And so we did.

We went with the second pic above, and YOU GUYS!! ~ it turned out GORGEOUS!


Just see how happy Liz was opening her gift!

(and a HUGE shout out and thank you to Kellyn for delivering AND taking photos of Liz with her gift for me!)

I think she likes it? Do you?

I found this company that makes afforable canvas prints from your photographs - The Canvas People - and I highly suggest you check them out!

Not only do I love love love love LOOOOVE how the canvas turned out - the turn around time for this gorgeous new wall art was a week! A WEEK!

If you are looking to put some 'art' up on your walls, or give someone an awesome gift - this is the ticket!! We got the 11 x 14 size and it is just simply PERFECT!

Sorry that I don't have any pics of the canvas by itself so you can see the detail, etc. I mean, it only sat on my kitchen table for about 6 weeks before it was delivered to Liz so you can see where I might not have gotten any right?

Now, I'm off to find some of my favorite pictures of OUR kids to have Canvas Prints made! Gorgeous!!

Want your own? (I'm seriously thinking like a half a dozen of these on one wall!)

Take advantage of their GREAT specials going on now!