The squeaky wheel gets the grease!

Yippee!!!

I am so excited :)
I happened to send Ephiphanie (see yesterday's post) an email telling them about my troubles ordering and that what I really wanted was a turquoise Belle, not a turquoise Lola.  Guess what! They pulled through for me - they happened to have a "spare" Belle :)

Be still my heart!

So, after almost a year of coveting...this shall be mine!

I am sending this good karma out to you!

Indecisiveness.

So...

tonight I am very grumpy at myself.  I have been hovering in indecisiveness for almost a FULL year over a camera bag...
Liked it before it was even in production (at first could only preorder). The purse style spoke to me - zippered pockets on either side, relatively "small" but big enough to hold my camera body & more than one lens, and...the turquoise colour (if you know me, then you will know it is my fav colour). {sigh}

Finally made a decision. Ordering tonight (after getting almost through the "checkout" process at least five times in the last month or so, but just not quite ready to "commit" by clicking that final time).
Now not available to ship until April (was still available immediately last night & this morning when I checked).

As my heart was set on ordering this week & after almost wrecking a $500 lens by constantly chucking camera in diaper bag or other purse...decided definitely needed sooner than April.

Thus, I ordered a different style. Still in the turquoise colour that had sold me on the first one...but not my dear, sweet, Belle.

I'm quite worried that this one will be too "deep" and too "trendy".  But the anger at myself brewed strong & I couldn't help myself as I clicked "proceed to checkout". Argh!

Hopefully Lola & I find true love once we become acquainted. It will only take a week to see.

Let this be a lesson to you out there in blogland.  If you like something, if you keep coming back to it (like every week you compulsively have to check the website), then just buy the darn thing. Don't let indecisiveness get the best of you.

Yours truly,
Neurotic Nelly

PS - here is the link for the bags above - Ephiphanie Camera Bags. First one is the "Belle" (also available in brown, pink & red), second one is the "Lola" (also available in red & black). Trust me when I say I have extensively researched purse-style camera bags this past year.  These passed all reviews and are popular...so a warning that you may have to wait until spring to get the one you want...unless you are a little bit neurotic like me :)

If you are in the market for a purse-style camera bag, you may also want to check out these bags:
Kelly Moore Camera Bags
Jo Totes Camera Bags
Jill E Camera Bags
Emera Camera Bags

Also many cute handmade ones on etsy.  Happy shopping!

Happy Holidays!

Our little family is back from Manitoba and our first holiday celebration of 2010 :) We had a great time with family...ate great food, played games, read books, watched movies, giggled, ate some more, and just generally enjoyed some serious r & r.

We have another celebration to look forward to at the end of the week, but for now we are home, sweet, home.

From our home to yours...wishing you a very Merry Christmas & all the best in 2011!

Traditions!

I have come to realize that I am a devout traditionalist...

There have been many hints at this along the way. For example:
- My hubby must pick out the xmas tree
- My hubby puts the lights on the tree & the lights outside; I do the rest of the holiday decorating
- We go "away" for a weekend in Dec. to xmas shop together (this year we managed half a day...but at least we got away as a family)
- I stack all the xmas presents we have purchased in big piles on the spare bed, then wrap them all at once (usually the night before we need to leave to be somewhere for the celebrations, lol)
- My hubby & I having a slight argument over whether we shall cart the rather "large" santa gift for Baby B to MB for Santa to bring on "actual" xmas morn (guess which side of the argument I was on - and yes, I do realize that I am slightly irrational with this one)
- Filling stockings for each other in my nuclear family
- Silly gag-gift stocking stuffers from my mom every year (including the dogs)
- Xmas pj's to be worn xmas day
- Xmas baking...and participating in a "bake exchange"...my contributions including rum balls & sugar cookies each year (although this year I think I found a new fav recipe that might make an appearance next year - peppermint chocolate crackle cookies)
- making homemade presents
- attending the xmas eve church service
- and the list goes on...

Today, some would call me crazy as I headed out on the roads admidst the bluster & muster in order to participate in the yearly bake exchange.  I, being a commuter-at-heart, found the travel conditions not bad at all (however, I did leave Baby B at home). I will concede that the wind was howling and the snow was falling (even though you can't tell from this picture)...

Mmmm, I love the bake exchange.  Great friends, good treats...

A great tradition - well worth the drive! Yummmm - can't wait to sample some of the goodies :) Thanks to Trish for hosting us this year!

What traditions do you follow throughout the holiday season?

Heart is full...

Is your heart full?

As I was reading this blog entry, I literally stopped to think about life.  It gets crazy. I get frustrated. I get a little negative. And...I forget to be grateful for what I think is a wonderful and full life. 

My heart IS full.

I'm thankful that today I happened to decide to read this blog as an "unwind" session before bed.  It left me reflecting on all the positive things in my life.

I just love, love, love Lisa Leonard Designs.  I've been secretly wishing for one of her necklaces for quite some time...but it just doesn't seem right to order one until I know my family is complete. So I've been waiting.  And waiting.

Maybe this is for me?

Joy of the Season

One of my favourite parts of the holiday season is walking at night when there has been a good frost.  There is something so magical about the way the lights twinkle & glitter against the white of the frost.  So beautiful, and so peaceful. 

I decided to try and capture some of that magic tonight with my camera...I wasn't really successful as I struggled with my focus (for example, the picture above could be way more sharp), but what I am happy about is that is does evoke the mood that the walk brings upon me. I love that the colour is "off" as it captures the warm glow of the red and yellow lights.  It is one of the many reasons why I feel so lucky to live in a place that experiences four distinct seasons (and add to that the relatively mild weather we have been experiencing of late).

This will most likely make an appearance into my December Daily album (once I decide just how I'm going to get my pictures printed).

Sometimes it is the little things that really bring upon the joy of the season for me.  What about you?

A Moment, Sense of Wonder and Letting Go

A few more Reverb10 writing prompts...I may choose to include some of these in my December Daily album (or may not).

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)


Hmm...it is hard to pick just one moment, so I will pick one of the most vivid sensory days for me this year (while camping in July).

I was valiantly trying to get back into my running habit, so had taken B out in the chariot for a jog...I remember feeling very energized and alive - there had been a bit of rain the night before so everything was wet and green and smelled just so fresh. I was really savouring the fresh, crisp morning air, azure sky and bright sunshine and kind of lost myself in the moment, appreciating the beauty of the park and the silence around me.  When I looked up, there was a skunk crossing not even 6 ft in front of me (and I had my dog on the leash next to the chariot...to this day I'm not sure HOW he didn't notice that skunk!). For the record, I could say the one true phobia I have is of skunks.  Amazing how I felt in that moment.  It is like time stood still...as I prayed that the dog would not take after the skunk, that the skunk wouldn't stop, how I was trying to calm my racing heart and keep breathing so as not to hyperventilate, how I was trying to keep the running rhythm so as not to disrupt the peace and cause a major catastrophe.  Honestly, the one moment felt like it took hours to pass, when in all likelihood was only a matter of seconds.  Thankfully the skunk passed and continued on his/her merry way without even a glance in our direction. The immense relief was almost palpable. I had to actually slow down and walk for a few minutes to get myself to stop shaking.
Later that day I remember loving the smell of the fire, the crackling of the burning wood and the calmness and peace that reverberates after dark in a campground, with the sound of my husband quietly breathing and turning pages in his book as we both tried to read by the light of the fire and lantern. To this day, I still appreciate the effort my husband took to spend each night that week with us at the park - for him it meant adding an hour of commute to his day, and it made me feel like B and I were the world to him.  I had such love and appreciation and my heart just felt so full.  I remember that day and those feelings vividly.

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)



This one is easy. I watched my little boy grow :) I have always been a little struck by the wonder of we humans. Truly amazing creatures...that we start from the joining of two microscopic cells and become these complex living, breathing machines blows me away on a daily basis. 

 

This year I attempted to rid myself of all the clutter that tends to gather...I did pretty well, although would say the household could really use another thorough cleanse.  We are so fortunate to have so much so as to have excess...I have passed much of this on to those in need.

I also let go of a longtime friend this year.  Our friendship had faded and we had been out of contact for awhile, but I still harboured feelings of regret, frustration and even maybe a bit of resentment for the assumptions made during that time.  This year I was able to accept it for what it is and to let it go.  We have different lives and different priorities...and while it is painful for friendships to be lost, the waxing and waning is natural and a part of life.  I wish this person nothing but the best in life.

I also definitely let my "body" go this year...the desperate attempt at getting back running slowed to a halt.  I am frustrated that I didn't ever really lose my "baby weight" but have accepted that my body has changed forever.  In the new year, I hope to reevaluate this part of life and hope to be able to make fitness more of a focus. I won't run a full marathon by 35 (which has been a longtime goal)...but someday I WILL.

Since returning to work, I have let go many of my domestic duties.  I let dirt, grime and chaos accumulate to the point of it being overwhelming, and then I attack like a person possessed.  Definitely not ideal, but it is reality.  Something has to give when there are so many hats to wear.  This is what I "let go" of to retain my sanity.  Again - hoping to reevaluate this in the new year so as to avoid those days of being overwhelmed.

 How are YOU reflecting on 2010?

Because I don't have enough to do...

Well, OK - my title is a complete lie.  I seem to be running on all cylinders like a chicken with my head chopped off these days...so the good ol' sarcasm snuck into the blog.

I wanted to share one more little task I will be trying to keep up with through the month of December. I am following the prompts from Reverb10 to reflect upon this past year & look forward to 2011.

You might be wondering why in the world I would commit to something such as this when I am so busy? Hmmm...I think it is because I have this continuous, inner battle to find as much joy and gratitude from the everyday as possible...and when life gets busy the time I take to reflect upon these things all but vanishes. In a nutshell, I get busy, start taking life for granted, and get grouchy and negative.  I need to stop "busy" being an excuse to be grateful for the life I lead, I need to kick grouchy to the curb. I have a great life, and I need to remember this fact every. single. day.  Hence the commitment.

So - here are the first two prompts & my responses.  My goal is to summarize once or twice a week the prompts given daily (trying to be realistic with my goal-setting, lol).

#1 - what one word summarizes 2010? why choose that word? what word would you like to describe 2011 at this time next year?

Well...I chose one word to represent 2010 back in January.  That word was cherish.  I chose this word then as I felt so lucky to have become a mom and to have the opportunity to stay home with my son through his first year.  I wanted to really cherish the moments I got to spend with him as I knew the year would fly by.  Fly by it did! I do believe that I lived this word in 2010 (at least 75% of the time if I am being completely honest). The love that blossomed from the addition of B to our family continues to grow, and I will always be thankful for him (even through the frustrating times), so I believe I will continue to cherish the moments together. I have been trying to select a word that will represent 2011 for me, but haven't got it narrowed down to a winner yet.  Here are the "finalists":
balance - this is something I have struggled with oh, so very much as I've returned to work...as I've always been pretty good at multi-tasking I took for granted that balance was something that I would find sooner rather than later, but that just hasn't happened.  I want to really work on finding better balance between all the roles that I have in my life!
love - it is so easy to get caught up in negativity when you are tired, busy, frustrated (you get the idea)...for these reasons I want to have a word that reminds me to focus on the positives, the love I have for my family, friends, and life in general
nurture - this word to encourage me to focus on my family first
create - one of my goals for 2011 will focus upon expanding my creativity
no - although it sounds rather silly, I really need to add this word to my vocabulary...and do less things well

#2 - what thing gets in the way of your writing?
Hmm...since I don't really consider myself a writer (just on this blog per se), I would have to say life itself gets in the way (see above description - I've already waxed poetic)

Now a peek at December 1st:
     - have a great little project/gift planned for this fun ribbon!

   - I have titled this pic "great intentions" lol - hauled up all the xmas decorations with the intention of getting them all up...but two little things called a 1 yr old  & exhaustion got in the way...but I did get started unpacking tonight!

I hope to take time to compile the December Daily album once a week, so will keep you posted on the progress I make.  Trying REALLY hard to convince my husband (aka: Scrooge) to get a tree this weekend but not sure if I'll be successful!

Hope your December has started with a bang!