Another Chance to Win...

So many bloggers get cool things to offer their blog readers... and some, like McMama just buy really cool things to give away to their readers... (Side note... why don't companies contact me for this stuff? Oh well - maybe one day - I certainly can't afford to buy my readers anything-Sorry!).

If you're interesting in getting some really awesome stuff to help you with photography, then check out MckMama's site. Check it out anyway because it's a great site, and she's just awesome. For another chance to win... head over to Grammie Mommy's site...

I'm blogging about this to get another chance to win these items, because I have a dream of being able to be a good photographer... and I think I need good editing software in order to do this... that makes sense, right???

Here's to hoping I win :-)

Editing Photos

So... I mentioned my new camera. I'm super excited. I've always wanted a nice camera--because I think, somehow I was meant to be a photographer. It's not that I'm really that good or that creative, but it just seems cool!!! I love looking at photographer blogs like my friend Erin's or this great blog that I came across. People are so creative, and I long to be like that...

So, back to my camera. With some--ok, a LOT--of help from my mom, and a little help from the budget nazi's(that's me and my hubby), we bought a camera. Had to have a good one for the San Fran/Paso Robles trip!!! We got a Canon as the brand came highly recommended to us. This is the camera we got... a Canon Rebel XS. We got a great deal at Best Buy because they price match--who knew!

I found out, in a very round about way, that I have some image editing software at home on my computer. (This was a big A-HA! moment for me) So, I've been editing some of the photos. You'll have to let me know what you think! I'm going to show you the original and then the edited version... Flowers seemed to be a good subject to start with. I'll probably post some of the puppy too :-)

Original Photo:

Edited Photo:

Original Photo:

Edited Photo:

Original Photo: (of my gorgeous hubby)

Edited Photo:

Original Photo:

Edited Photo:

Original Photo (This is Dom and Terri's wedding cake):

Edited Photo:

Original Photo (of my precious puppy)... I forgot how to zoom...

Edited Photo (I was able to zoom with the editing software... YAY!):

San Francisco and Paso Robles - Dominic's Wedding!

Last weekend, Richie and I headed out to San Francisco and Paso Robles, CA. San Fran was the first stop... we stayed in a hotel off Fisherman's Wharf and did as much in San Fran as we could before heading south for the wedding. We walked around the Wharf, saw the Sea Lions, went to Ghiradelli Square, took a cable car, saw Lombard Street, and inadvertently saw downtown (oops!)!!! It was a great trip, and I think with the time allotted, we really got a lot in. Then we drove down the scenic route to Paso so that we could see the ocean and not just farm lands :-)

On Saturday morning we got up early and started out at about 10am at a winery. We went to Eberle, J. Lohr, EOS, Donatoni, Poalillo, Jada, and also to Croad. The wedding was at Croad so I don't know that I can really count it, but I will! The wine was incredible. Richie and I have decided we now know how to taste the difference between cheap and not so cheap wine. The budget nazi's that we are, we couldn't bring any home. It helped that the wineries can't ship to Tennessee so we used that as an excuse. Believe you me though, I would LOVE to have some of that wine!!!

It was an amazing time and I thought I would share some of my pictures from the trip... And yes, these pictures were taken with my new camera :-) YAY! They look a little blurry here, but I promise, they are really good :-)

This is the happy couple... congrats Dom and Terri! Thanks for inviting us to be part of your day!