Emily’s Musings

I still want a Nikon D80. In case any of you were wondering. It’s not that I don’t like our camera, (a Cannon S2 IS) it’s just that I know how amazing the Nikon camera is. Both David and I want this camera and when we get hooked on something, (especially an electronic/gadget which probably puts me in the geek category) it is almost all we can think about. If anyone out there would like to gift a Nikon D80 to me, seriously, I swear I will send you a Christmas card every year and make you an awesome treat. Hey, it doesn’t hurt to mention what you like because in a previous post, I mentioned how much I LOVED HI-CHEW candy, and a friend of mine (who is from Japan, but lives on Saba now) brought back some HI-CHEW for me from Japan! I almost didn’t tell David about the candy, because then I’d have to share it with him. YEAH, IT’S THAT GOOD.

While we are still very excited to one day be the proud new owners of a Nikon D80, we are happy with our current camera because we are now utilizing Photoshop Elements. We have had this program for a while, but never fully understood how to do cool things with it. We have been reading tutorials online and here are a couple of photos we have edited:

This photo was taken by our friend Daniel, who used a regular “point and shoot” camera (not the Nikon D80, which have I mentioned we’re obsessed with?) This is a great photo, but check out the how much better it looks after some tweaking in Photoshop:

Doesn’t that look amazing? Just a few little enhancements here and there and viola!

I have always like this photo of my younger sister Allison and me. There are a few things that I wish were different, like having EXTRA WHITE TEETH, (because I am a huge proponent of straight white teeth) and fewer wrinkles, but hey, I realize I’m 30 . . .

Now I LOVE this photo. Not only do we have EXTRA WHITE TEETH, but the photo is soft and we have fewer wrinkles.

Still, can you imagine how great the Lesher family photos will be with Nikon D80 (have I made myself clear?) and Photoshop Elements? Yeah, we’re excited.

Something is wrong with me. Really, really, wrong. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and do you know what I asked for? RAM. Not like, “honey, I want a pet Ram for my big 3-0″, but as in RAM for my computer. What happened to me? I’m not sure I even knew what RAM was last year. On previous birthdays, I have always gotten great clothes, and designer hand bags and shoes. What happened to those days?

I MOVED FROM CIVILIZATION. That’s what happened.

I honestly don’t care what I wear here. Shoes are a bother, and the only classification your handbag needs is, “Does it grow mold easily?” Notice how the word “here” is emphasized. That is because I know when I return to civilization, were clothing is available to buy and people don’t wear shoes just to cover their feet, I will dig deep inside of me and find the “old Emily” I left behind in Texas. I’m sure returning to my wardrobe locked away in storage will help me find that girl. But until then, I still want some RAM. In fact, a lot of it would help.

I can’t believe I care about techie things so much. I know it’s because I have come to LOVE my computer like it’s my second child. It is my umbilical cord to the outside world. It does everything I need it to, and so much more. There is only one problem. It is so s-l-o-w. I get frustrated waiting to upload pictures. It honestly takes five minutes to start Windows Photoshop Elements, and that isn’t even editing photos! I don’t like wasting perfectly good paradise weather w-a-i-t-i-n-g for things to load. I would do so much more with photographs if it didn’t take Hannah’s entire nap to get things going.

I actually really, really, REALLY, want a Nikon D80 for my birthday. I know that won’t happen this year because let’s face it, we are medical school students living on an island out in the middle of nowhere. I want this camera so bad, I honestly can’t stop thinking about it sometimes. It’s just seems kind of illogical to purchase it now. We would have to sell our Saba car to pay for this camera and seriously, I need a car more than I need to photograph everything I see. The desire for this particular camera is not just mine. David really, really, REALLY wants a Nikon D80 as well. One day, we will get one, and when we do, all of you will be drooling over how great our pictures are and we will just say, “it’s all about the camera.” Ah, one day. One day, I will have the most amazing pictures of my kids, BECAUSE OF THIS CAMERA.

Here’s another thing while I’m thinking about it, I would really like a Cricut and a Kitchen Aid Mixer when I get back to the states. I never was much of a chef in the states, but living here I have really come to appreciate good food and I really enjoy cooking. I know when my appetite returns, I will want to cook everything in the house. I may as well have good appliances right? I heard about “the Cricut” for the first time on Sunday from a GUY in our Branch. Yes, a GUY told me. He had that look on his face like “Where are you from? Planet Saba? You should probably get off that planet and get back the real world. There is this thing called Scrapbooking. Have you heard of it?” Yes, he gave me that look. Wouldn’t you know, a few days later I saw an infomercial on Lifetime for the Cricut. I have to say, it can do some pretty cool things. And in true infomercial fashion, I watched thinking, “I have to have that!” Plus, a friend of mine in Orem was in the commercial. David and I were laughing so hard! I need to email her to let her know she is famous, all the way down here, in the middle of nowhere. More of a reason to get it right? If she has one and LOVES it, I know I would too! We’re friends! I know the same day my appetite returns and I cook everything in the house, I will also be nesting. I will want to make cute things for Hannah’s room and for the new baby. I can see it now, CUTE THINGS!

As the big 3-0 looms around the corner, I’ll let you know what I ended up with. I’m 99.9% positive I have RAM coming my way. Mostly because that is the first thing I asked for, and it is the most reasonable and cost effective thing to buy. Plus, my husband follows instructions really well when it comes to buying me technology. This is after all, his language.

As David puts it, I have have been “busy and important” this past week working on a couple of advent calendars. When my friend Rebecca left Saba, she dropped off two advent calendar kits that she didn’t get around to making. Lucky for me! Since there are no fabric/craft stores on this island, it was a special treat to have the kits.

Now, I don’t now how to use a sewing machine, so I did as much of the needle work by hand (I don’t really recommend this unless you have TONS of time and don’t mind doing tedious projects). When it came time to quilt it and sew the front and back together, I called on my friend Sally (who has been known to solve several of my problems). She really made these calendars come together!

On this calendar, you put little treats or presents in the boxes. I can’t wait to fill it up!

On this calendar, you put up an ornament each day, counting down the days till Christmas.

Look how cute it is all dressed up!

I have really been in “project mode” this week, and I came across a website that has darling Christmas ideas. Click here to see a cute elf shoe pattern. I made an elf shoe today, but since I am limited on felt here (okay, honestly, I was SO GLAD to have found any felt, I really am not complaning) my shoe was done in brown not white. Maybe I’ll post pictures later, but check out this site. Also, the same site has a great advent calendar idea. I will be making that calendar next year!

Buckets of rain pounded down on Saba this weekend. With one large drop of rain, Hannah basically took a shower totally clothed. We desperately needed the rain, so I am very happy to have a full cistern. However, I did have to come up with something to do around the house to stay occupied. Hannah’s lovey is a Pooh Bear. She mostly loves this particular Pooh Bear because it has tags. In fact, she loves any stuffed animal that has tags. I got this idea of a “tag lovey” from a friend, and I decided to make one for her. Now, I don’t sew. If something can be made with a stapler, tape, or glue gun, I can make it. Sewing is a little out of my league. However, I had nothing else vying for my time, so I made this lovey by hand. I went a little crazy and added probably too many tags, but now she has options.

I decided to go to town and embellish some of her clothes. I love patches and needle work. I took all of her boring pieces and made them sassy, like her. Check them out:

Won’t her bum be cute?

She will be cute on both sides!

Look at her cute outfit now!