Luckily tonight I had gotten my work done earlier than I had figured. Lucky because I was still reading that site I had talked bout earlier today! While on The Pioneer Woman I moved to her photography section where it shows actions and such for Photoshop. I had always seen these in there but thought nothing of the section.



In fact, I see a lot of stuff in Photoshop and think nothing of it. I'm a very "copy, paste, crop" kinda gal when it comes to Photoshop. My eyes have been opened.



I tried it on this picture of Ruby at the park. One of my very favorites of her.



Here is a before the actions:

Here is an after the actions:







So much more colorful, crisper, prettier, don't you think? I went through a lot pictures we have on our Flickr account and played with them. I can't wait to take some pictures and try it out more.



I'm really thinking here people!

I like finding good websites. When I find a good website I may spend hours or days reading everything they have written about. Looking at their pictures, becoming interested in their writing style, who they really are, what they think about. For the short time that I catch up on their website I become obsessed.



Reading someone's website from the beginning to the end is almost like reading a book. Becoming interested in it is like becoming a stalker. I guess, in a sense, I am a stalker today. I had found this website before but only looked at the cooking section. Last night I went back to it and read the actual blog part. What caught me was the gorgeous pictures and of course her kitchen. Jealous? You bet!



Ok, ok! You probably want to know website I'm talking about. Should I share it? If I don't does that make me more of a stalker? I guess I'll share it. The website is Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. So far I am in love with everything about this website. I do this. I find a website and love it and then when I have read all the website it's like a good book that is over.



But unlike the book, I can easily pass it on to all of you. This really is one of those websites that is a gem to find. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to reading/stalking.

Click here to read about it

It's crazy to think that my little brother is going to be 19 years old. I can't believe that he is already almost 20! Time really does fly.



So, today I have to bake a cake for him. He requested German Chocolate cake. I have to get a couple more things from the store to make it this morning but if that's what he wants, that's what he gets. In four more days is my Moms birthday. She request a spice cake. Of course I will taking pictures and using my new mixer for the first time! Woohoo!



Speaking of which, I ordered the whisk attachment and a cover for it last night. The cover is personalized! It's going to be so cute!

It is super crazy to think that it is already 2009. I am totally looking forward to 2008 being long gone and moving onto a new year. This year, should be pretty good. We usually have good luck on odd years so we'll see how that goes!



I stayed up way too late last night and am now behind on work. Which I suppose is alright but it means that I'll be working a lot later than I had anticipated. I guess that also makes up for the fact that I got done with all my work pretty early last night.



With the new year brought a new stray that decided it was going to stay around in our sun room. Jamie came home from Karate on Tuesday night and said he thought one of our older cats were outside. I went to look and it is a female. The other cat was male. It was crying and yelling and ran in the house. Well, of course we can't have anymore cats so I put her back outside.



I know, the cardinal rule of stray cats is do not feed them. But when it is a young kitten and is crying outside the door I felt bad. I gave it some food and water. The door has been open for it to go out and back to where it lives but it has yet to leave. I don't know. If it sticks around, after I get Teeny fixed, it will get fixed as well. If it takes off after that then at least it is another stray cat that will not reproduce and add to the ever growing stray cat problem here.



So, goals for the new year? I have goals of buying things. First thing on the list is dog crates. After that it would be s new range. I already have it picked out and Mom agrees with it. I think when she sees it in person she will love it even more. After THAT will be a new microwave, or before that, who knows.



Remember to eat your black eyed peas and turnip greens for good luck, health, and prosperity this year! We are going to the store in a bit to get them along with some other things!



Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas was a blast this year even though a lot of stuff went wrong before hand. Oh let's list them for the fun of it! The washing machine is broke, my mixer broke, the car broke, the water pipes all froze up, hmm...what else was there? Hey, I think that was it! The bad thing of it all is that it all hit in about a week. Sweet!



Christmas was fun though and baking still went on. I still made cupcakes although I am majorly slacking on the pictures for these baked goods. It's messed up but I was too lazy to grab the camera. However, for Christmas I got my Kitchenaid mixer! WOOHOO! I still have to buy a cover for it but I know just the one I want. I also got a ring from Jamie, a very pretty locket from my mom, some awesome cookbooks that I can't wait to try stuff out of. A cute shirt, personalized snowman blanket that is soooo soft! I got a lot of stuff. At least there were no tire chains!



The best thing I gave was to my husband. It was so exciting. I got him a PlayStation 3 this year. He was so surprised about that. We got my my mom a aquarium for her frog which she seemed excited for. It was a good year.

Here is my sexy lady Trinity. She is my cat and has a big attitude! Gotta love her!

For years Jamie has been talking about the different things that he wants to be able to do in the great room downstairs. He has big plans for that room. One of his plans involves buying a projector instead of having a television downstairs. I found the Epson PowerLite Home Cinema projector which is really cute and supposed to be a really good one. There is a rebate on it so it is like getting it on sale which I like.



He wants to have a projector and then make the room like a cinema room and have it dark. When we get our own place or build it then we are going to have a room like that but with no windows so that it is able to be dark and not shine on the television or the picture. I think it is a really good idea and since he began talking about it, projectors have come down a lot. The Epson is pictured above. Isn't it sleek and cute? I really like it. I think it would make a nice little projector and not stand out like a sore thumb! What do you think about having a projector instead of a television?

I bake. I bake a lot! I have boycotted baking until Christmas (besides the baking for parties) since I want a mixer. Again with it! I slip that bad boy in all the time! Anyway, I have found something else that I would like. Stainless Steel Measuring Cups! I have plastic measuring cups that I got on sale from Walmart I think it was but these are so pretty! They are professional looking and they won't break or anything like that.



They also will not have the smells stay on them when you leave it sit out. That is something that I really like about steel as opposed to plastic. They are a bit on the pricier side for measuring cups, $40! But I would definitely pay it! I want it. I hope my family is reading this because if they have yet to get me any Christmas presents then this is something you can get for me! Or any stranger that wants to get me something. Here is an idea! Please! I have no shame in begging for what I want. Well, yes I do but I will just buy them when I do not have taxes or other people to worry about. In fact, maybe I will buy them after I buy dog crates for my dogs. Which reminds me, I should look for them and check out prices.

We had an ice storm last night. It made some of the trees and bushes in our yard so heavy that they are leaning over. This tree out front looked rather pretty!

This Saturday we are having our family bake day! I have been looking forward to this for a good long while now. I have enjoyed these bake days since I was little. Now that I am older and like baking I can contribute a lot more. Plus, it is bonding for my Mom and I. This year my sister is here for it! The last couple of years she was in California. So, it will be extra fun as well now.



There are a few things that we do not have that would make baking in our home a lot more easier and more enjoyable. One of these things is a stand alone mixer. I know, I know! People are probably tired of me talking about these! I really want one of them though. So badly! I would sell...hrm well nothing! I just want one! They had them on sale at Black Friday sales though! That is not what I want to talk about though. We really could use the Ginsu Home Basics 36-Piece Knife Block Set. It comes with the knives as well as utensils for cooking. The only problem that I can see is I cannot tell if the spatula and stuff are metal or plastic. I'm so tired of plastic ones! They burn up in this house!

There are a lot of things that they come up with today that you would have never thought about. The Kid-Tough Waterproof Digital Camera is one of those things for me. What is so cool about these though is that they are tough, allow the child to be creative, and also lets them learn how to take good pictures. My little brother would love to have one of these. He is only nine years old but he likes taking pictures of different things. Unfortunately, all of our cameras are too expensive for him to just play around with. If you pick one of these Kid-Tough digital cameras on a sale then it would make a fantastic gift for a kid to have! They would love it. I am sure you would find a lot of pictures on the camera that you had wished that they did not take though. Imagine the memories they would capture. The accomplishment they would feel would be awesome as well. I really want to get this for him. I am going to keep this in the back of my mind for his birthday!



I know he would really love to have something like this. It would make him feel like a big boy as well!

Christmas is an awesome time to surprise people with the things they want or even just give things to people that they really need. When you hit up those sales that go on during the season make sure you do not forget your furry family members though! I have been looking for my dogs to give them something for Christmas. In fact, I got them bones for Christmas Eve. They will love them. They are the big femur bones.



Now, Christmas day is something different. You see that raccoon toy? I want to get them that for Christmas. It is a Coleman Bandit Dog Toy. It is for a small dog but my big dogs love little stuffed toys as well. I really want to get this for them for Christmas. Too bad I didn't see this early enough! I don't think they would be able to deliver it to me in three days! That would definitely be a mail miracle though! What are you getting your dogs?



If you have a big dog that goes through bones like crazy then pick up one of those femur bones that they sell in the pet stores! That's what my dogs are getting but don't tell them! I had to hide it downstairs because if they saw it, it would be all over!

I have been in the mood to read lately. I have a book somewhere that I really want to start reading again but I sure can not find it anywhere. That figures. It is a series of books actually, I think four. All on the women and wives of Henry the Eighth. I watch the movie The Boelyn Sisters and got intrigued to finish reading this series. Since I can't seem to find these books though I have been on the look out for other books that look really good.



I was thinking of getting the new Stephen King book Just After Sunset: Stories. It seems like a really good book and usually everything that Stephen King writes turns out to be awesome. I can get it on sale and have really been thinking about getting it. It has been a long time since I have bought a book brand new. I think the last time that I bought one brand new I was in elementary school. How crazy is that? I love new book smells too. Anyone else have a book recommendation for me? I could use all the ones you can give me! I really want a book to read!