Facebook Photo Filters

This evening, our nephew Andrew initiated a Facebook Messenger screen time call with me.  He was using funny photo filters, and I sent him a picture of me and Caeden.  

Andrew asked me to try the filters, and I didn't even realize they were available on Facebook Messenger.  We spent the next half hour sending funny pictures back and forth and laughing our heads off!

Recovered

Last night, when we got home after all the festivities, I was very excited to send my photos and video from the camera to my phone so I could upload them to Google Photos and Facebook right away...and instead of selecting the WiFi controls I accidentally touched the option under that on the touchscreen menu--FORMAT! I formatted my memory card and deleted all of the photos on it!!!!!!!  (Why in the world those 2 things are next to one another on the menu, I'll never understand!?!?!  But I suppose that is beyond the point!)  NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
I quickly downloaded a memory card recovery software, and didn't sleep at all during the night while it ran and tried to find all of the items that have ever been on my memory card.  Obviously, it was able to recover the photos, but I'm still working on trying to get to the video.  
I felt so horrible at the thought of losing all the photos from the evening, and was very frustrated with myself. I AM SO GRATEFUL I was able to recover them!!!

Friday, phones, funny faces, flowers, and friends

I enjoyed a quiet day at home today, trying to do some cleaning and organizing.  As I pulled a box out from under the desk in the den, I found all my old cell phones!  (Yes, I know, I need to donate them to people who can use them.  I have two envelopes in the box with them for just that purpose.)  I just thought it was funny to see them all lined up with my current phone.  (And even that [an iPhone 4s] is considered "outdated.")  Each one of them seemed super cool at the time. 

SOMEone used my phone to call Daddy and ask him to get Little Caesar's pizza, and I found these on my phone after...

The Japanese Cherry Tree bloomed in our south side yard today.  Many times we've taken Annah's picture with this tree.  ( - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2012 - )

Sylvia's sweet friend Isabella is here for a sleepover tonight.  They are even cute with mustaches!

Twisty faces

I found these photos in our Photo Stream.  Looks like some children I know were having a little fun with Photo Booth on the iPad.  Heehee!

We had a wonderful service this evening.  Our current sermon series is Love Looks Like Something, and each of our pastors are taking turns preaching over the next few weeks.  Tonight was Pastor Jessica's turn, and she spoke beautifully about what love looks like to her.

Bird Watching

Sylvia's class at school has been watching the Decorah, Iowa bald eagles' nest live streaming webcam recently, so we've been checking in on them too.  There are now three eggs hatched, and it is neat to see the fuzzy eaglets growing in the nest!

Work Hard

I was sitting at the computer checking email just now, when I heard a reminder alarm on Annah's iPod.  I looked at it and loved seeing "Work hard at school."

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

- Colossians 3:22-24

Presidents Day

Today is Presidents' Day, and the kids were off school!  I was foolish, and scheduled music lessons all throughout the day, though!  I should have taken the day off to spend with them!  

I had a couple lessons in the morning, then the piano tuner came.  When he was finished, Jeremy called, and we decided to meet for lunch.  He took the afternoon off!

We decided on Chili's.  Man, I love their food!  

They also have a Ziosk on every table, which is very cool.  There are games on it to play while you're waiting; you can peruse menus and order dessert from it; and you an pay right on it.  I have paid on one and had my receipt emailed to me, but today Jeremy paid and it printed his receipt right out.  Pretty nifty technology!

Jeremy ordered some potato skins appetizers, yum.  The kids all had cheese pizza and cinnamon apples.  I almost always order their crispy shrimp tacos at lunchtime.  Nom, nom, nom!

When we finished, Jeremy took Sylvia and Caeden with him to run an errand and then home.  Annah and I went to pick up her new glasses!  She is really, really excited to have them!!

Back at home, Caeden and I played a Wii game of his choosing (30 Great Games) before I taught more lessons.  Jeremy and the girls played a game of Monopoly for the afternoon (Daddy won.), and they all played some Wii.  Mario Kart never gets old. ;)  

Family Feud

I've had some friends invite me [through Facebook] to play Family Feud recently.  What a fun game!  I always loved the gameshow, and now we have fun playing with the app!

Sketch Me

Playing around with another free app...Sketch Me.

I wuv these wittle faces!

iPhone 4s

I am now an iPhone girl.  My phone's upgrade time came up a couple weeks ago, and we made the switch from Android to Apple.  Since we have an iMac computer and an iPad, it made sense to switch to the iPhone and sync everything up with iCloud.  And, since it was my upgrade time with Verizon, the cost was a fraction of what an iPhone costs regularly.

We decided to go with white, because it's so signature Apple-looking and different from anything else.  For now, I'm just using a bumper (had to add a little red!), but I'm nervous about dropping it and smashing the screen or back since I'm such a klutz.  I may get another cheap rubber case for my own peace of mind, but for now I like seeing the shiny Apple on the back. 

I'm still getting used to everything.  It is very easy, but there are so many amazing things to learn to feel like I'm using these tools and technologies to potential!  

In order to sync all the devices with iCloud, I had to upgrade our iMac operating system to OS X Lion ($30) and then upgrade iPhoto too ($15).  While, I wasn't excited about spending more on those things, they are nice upgrades, and the iCloud syncing is pretty convenient and cool.

My only complaint would be that I have to put the phone on Wi-Fi to sync with the cloud, and I normally wouldn't do that with my phone since it has its own signal.  Not too big of a deal though.

I'm already liking the Instagram app, having an app for Pinterest, and a friend got me playing Family Feud.  I'm trying out Menu Planner, but not liking it too well so far.  If I put the time in to enter my recipes and pantry items it would be great, but I haven't done that yet.  Still using Grocery IQ instead.  Oh, and it is so great to have the Reminder app synced up on both my phone and iPad.  Love that one!

Retro-Cool

I was using my old PWP3 word processor today to type on small cards.  The kids each came into the den at different times and asked, "Ooh, what is that!?"  They thought it was some kind of cool new piece of technology until I explained that my parents bought it when I was in junior high or high school.  (In their eyes, apparently that is "the olden days!")  Still, they all thought it was "SO cool!!"

Annah wanted me to show her how a typewriter works, so I did.  (I didn't bother showing her how the word processing part of it works, beyond verbally explaining.)  

She still thought it was really cool, and amazing how the ribbon and correcting ribbon work.  She wanted to try typing, and did a few random sentences.  She still thought it was pretty cool, except that you can't change the font. 

RED Obsessed

I recently realized my favorite color is apparently red.  I looked around me and realized that I gravitate towards having red accents in my life.  In the house, I have my bright red shelves in the den, the kitchen is red (since 2003), and our bedroom has red.  My purse and hat and gloves are red.  My phone and iPad cases are red.  I tend to scrapbook with red paper and accents.  

When I came to this realization, I don't know how it wasn't more obvious to me.  Our wedding color was red.  I wore red for my junior prom and my senior recital.  I have chosen red over the years for important or prominent things in my life.  

I guess it's time to officially declare it: Red is my favorite color.

Fall/Holiday Concert

Annah played her clarinet in the 5th grade band tonight during their first performance!  She looked so beautiful in the gown Gram made for her!  Before the concert, she told me she was nervous because she would be sitting on the end of the row near the audience.  But after the concert, she said she couldn't see the audience because she just looked at Mr. M. while he was conducting them, and she wasn't nervous; she just had fun.

The kids have only been in band for 2 months, and a lot of their class time has been about caring for their instruments and very basic beginning techniques.  They played 5 songs tonight, including Jingle Bells.

It is really fun to see these kids, who have been growing up together for 5+ years now, start to do activities like band and sports together!

Our new elementary school principle took this video of the 5th grade band playing Jingle Bells.  (Annah is on the right.)  They are off to a good start.

As usual, I accompanied all the choirs for the concert.  This is the 6th grade choir, showing Mr. M. their "telephones"--checking their posture.

I was a little nervous, but mostly excited, to use the ForScore app in the iPad for the concert.  (My little page-turner was busy playing in the band, and I didn't want to worry her with something else to think about.)  The app is really amazing.  I scanned my sheet music into .pdf files, and all I have to do is tap the screen and it turns the page.  I am just beginning to learn about all the cool things this app can do, let alone the iPad!  I had only practiced with the app during 2 rehearsals, so I was a bit nervous.  I knew if I didn't use it, I would chicken out every time.  It really went pretty well, and I am looking forward to learning more.

All the ensembles were a big hit with the audience, and it was such a fun to be a part.