The Missing Link – Week 20

Have you ever felt like something was missing from your life? Well, it could just be one of the links below. Hence my post title! You may ask yourself "Is she serious"? Well the answer is "No, I'm definitely NOT serious”. I'm just feeling silly. Seriously though, I thought I'd share some of my favorite links with you in an effort to spread the love. What's better is that I thought I'd make this post a weekly thang! No that isn't a typo. I told you I was feeling silly. So the links below may not complete your life, but I'm hoping they, in some way, add to it. I separated them into categories for easy navigation. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

The Missing Link – Week 19

Have you ever felt like something was missing from your life? Well, it could just be one of the links below. Hence my post title! You may ask yourself "Is she serious"? Well the answer is "No, I'm definitely NOT serious”. I'm just feeling silly. Seriously though, I thought I'd share some of my favorite links with you in an effort to spread the love. What's better is that I thought I'd make this post a weekly thang! No that isn't a typo. I told you I was feeling silly. So the links below may not complete your life, but I'm hoping they, in some way, add to it. I separated them into categories for easy navigation. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Finally shooting RAW!

Guess what?  I’m finally shooting RAW!  I didn’t think the ol’ laptop was going to be able to handle the RAW files, but I lucked out!  It didn’t shut down once!  It’s amazing how much you can alter a RAW photo file.  So much more than a JPG/JPEG that’s for sure!  You know what I love though?  A photo that barely needs any processing!  As much as I love to have fun with edits, it’s quite refreshing to get a shot that needs little to no tweaking!  Especially when you’ve taken hundreds of photos! 

I just want to cry!

If you’ve been following me, you’d know that I got my new MacBook Pro in the mail, however, I’m typing this on my old laptop.  Why, you ask?  Well I’ll tell you…

First, and most importantly, Windows Live Writer (which is the tool I use to write my posts) isn’t supported by MAC and after hours of searching for a new blog posting tool, I’ve come up with nothing!  That’s right NOTHING!  I’m not yelling, I promise.  I’m just venting.  I tried publishing some test posts using two different applications but with no luck.  Ecto removed my formatting so my post was a mess and MarsEdit apparently published my post but it wasn’t showing up on my blog!  Really?  Qumana couldn’t find my blog at all even after multiple installations and I’m pretty sure Bleezer was the program that needed my FTP host and path which I still have yet to find!  I’m worried that I will not find a blogging tool!  I could use the Blogger interface but I’m cringing just thinking about it.  They always remove my formatting so my posts are all over the place.  You know, paragraphs and images inconsistently spaced!  It drives me MAD!

Which edit are you digging?

So here’s the scoop.  I need some help.  If you follow me, you’ll remember seeing this picture of my hubby already.  I've decided to print it but not sure which edit I like better.  I thought you guys could help me choose.  Please, however, do not take #2’s crop into consideration when you are choosing.  It’s really not cropped like this; I just wanted to fit it into the same size box as the rest of the photos and I was working with a collage template.  In my original crop, his chin is not cut off and you can see more of his hair.

Do you want to be button buddies?

I think this is such a great idea and was wondering if you’d like to swap buttons with me?  You know, I’ll post your button in my sidebar and you do the same for me!  A little like scratching each others back I guess!  If you are interested, feel free to email me and we can discuss.  You an find my email button in my sidebar at the top of my page.  My buttons are readily available on my buttons page in a variety of sizes so I’m sure you will find a size that works best for your bloggy site.  If, however, you need a different size just let me know so that I can customize to your request.  Just be sure to contact me first so that I can grab your button as well!  Okay, so there is my request.  Out there for all to see.  I guess I’ll just sit back and remain hopeful that someone will want to be button buddies with me!

Free Printable: New Baby Checklist

I’ve been reading an awful lot of bump updates lately and I remember when I was pregnant (especially with my first child) that a new baby checklist would have come in handy!  I found a few partial lists on various websites but never came across a complete and thorough one to really keep me organized.  The hospital is fantastic in that they usually provide all of your immediate essentials like formula, bottles, diapers, swaddling blankets, infant caps, pacifiers, washcloths etc. but when you go home, we all know, that you are on your own!  I guess it’s safe to say “you better be prepared”.  I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of pregnancy was the preparation.  I really relished in all of those moments from purchasing boring necessities like petroleum jelly to the fun and exciting things like a little onsie that read “I love my Mommy” on it!  I just about melted right there in the clothing isle!  The hubby could have dropped me off at any baby store and I would have been happy for hours!  Need infant brush & comb; CHECK.  Need nail clippers; CHECK.  Need bouncy seat; CHECK.  Need want that adorable little bunny with those super floppy ears for the shelf in the nursery; CHECK!  Anything I could think of, I bought! 

New Pics… Sneak peek of Disney World

I planned on sharing all of my Disney World pictures in one post (my Thursday post) but, had unexpectedly (and at the last minute), went out to run some errands that took me ‘till 10:00 pm Wednesday night so now I’m exhausted.  I could only bring myself to process the following three pictures.  I hope to have the others processed to include in my The Missing Link post that I publish on Fridays.

New Pics… Very Attractive

I thought I’d share this Instagram photo with you.  What?  Do you like my toe nail?  I know you do.  It’s very attractive!  It may be a little too short.  I’m trying to grow it longer.  It’s weird how my big toe always grows the fastest.  I think there is something seriously wrong with my other little piggies.

New Pics… Alivia’s 2012 Photo Book

I’ve been working like crazy on Alivia’s 2012 photo book.  My goal is to complete one for every year of her life.  I thought it would be something nice for her to have when she’s all grown up.  With the amount of pictures I’ve been taking, though, it’s going to be more like 2-3 photo books per year.  It’s only the beginning of May and I already have close to 75 pages in her photo book now.  I wanted to be able to share the link for everyone to check out my photo book, but I’m nowhere near done.  Instead, I thought I’d offer a sneak peek.  In case you are interested, I am using Mixbook.  I spoke about it in a previous Missing Link post which you can find HERE.  I love the software.  It is very easy to use.  They also have a large selection of backgrounds, clipart, and fonts to work with.

New Pics… Why isn’t it working?

Okay, I’m seriously stumped.  I am writing this as a follow-up to my Issues with Posting post which you can find HERE if you haven’t already read it.  I received a comment from Sarah over at It’s on the tip of your tongue that she was using Windows Live Writer (WLW) and loved it so I thought I’d give it a try.  This very post, as I type it now, is being drafted in WLW.  Before this post, however, I tried a couple of tests.  Unfortunately when I hit that little ol’ publish button my posts were reformatted again.  Some of the reformatting included the removal of justified paragraphs and the insertion of additional spacing between paragraphs and pictures.  I just can’t seem to get away from that one!  It’s literally driving me MAD I tell ya!  I still would like to give a BIG thank you to Sarah and others that offered wonderful feedback, but I am really starting to wonder if it’s something in my own system.  Perhaps a glitch of some sort? 

My Day of Randomness

Okay so here's the scoop.  It was quite chilly yesterday so I didn't get any outdoor photos!  Boo!  I did, however, make up for it in Instagrams and indoor shots!  Yay!  Livvy and I didn't too much yesterday.  We had a little trip to the Carter's store to use some gift certificates that had been sitting in my wallet just beggin' to be used!  I bought her 6 sundresses.  On the way home from Carter's we stopped at DSW for my mom to buy some shoes she wanted.  While I waited in the car with Livvy, I snapped some Instagrams.  Then it was back home to have chicken for lunch and strawberries for dessert.  Livvy watched an episode of The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jake and the Neverland Pirates and then it was back out to my mom's house where we visited for a couple hours and stayed for a pork roast, corn on the cob, and broccoli dinner!  We left my mom's at around 5:45 pm and were back at our house by 5:49 pm.  Did I mention my mom lives across the street?  Yes, it is very cool!  I don't know how many times we've walked to each others houses in our pajamas, slippers,  or kitchen aprons, sometimes not having showered yet, no make-up with our hair dirty and all!  What a sight!  I'm sure you can imagine.  Although you wouldn't have to imagine if I got some pictures of us.  No, I wouldn't do that to you!  That's just wrong!  Trust me when I say it's NOT pretty!  Seriously though and silliness aside, I wouldn't change it for the world!  I'm sort of a mama's girl.  Even still, at 35 years old.