2/25/11  12:13 AM

8lbs. 21 inches

Eli Jonathan Huffstetler

Say cheese... {Kids and Camera reviews}... from Jenny H

So I take a lot of pictures... ok so I'll be honest, I take a ton of pictures. I started with a little kodak easy share and with one trip to Jamaica + our 1st aniversary=  and that all turned into my first SLR. It was a Pentax, still is a great little camera I keep for small outings. I had origionally went to pick up a nikon D70, but the guy talked be into the Pentax and I can't say that I regret it. It takes great pictures and is a great size. The thing is, well it's an olde goldie, aging in at 4 years old.
  So I graduated when I started taking serious pictures for people and after taking classes I felt that I should give my clients the best I could offer. I have a Cannon 40D that is a great find, but a little big for the everyday user. 
A friend was looking several months ago at buying into the SLR family, but with so many choices how does one shoose?  So I did some research for her. She has a 2 year old little girl and has gone through 2 cameras in a year and a half. She was looking to purchase a video camera and a SLR camera. This is my review incase you are in the market...

We LOVE our flip! We took it every where in Aruba. The cool thing is you can make a picture out of any clip of the video. Not the greatest quality of printed picture, but good enough to blog. I can see us using this with Eli daily for sure.  It is really clear but no comparison to a SLR when it comes to portraits and keepsakes.


SLR 101...

Things to ponder...

Add the price of the Kodak, and the Sony and all the memory cards and batteries etc... whaLLA! That could have been a cannon SLR. I know you saw that coming ;)

You will want a camera that you can change lenses and zoom to see her in her 1st recital and other things she will be in that you will want the best quality pictures of.

For an all in one…

I suggest the Nikon D3100, it's one of the smaller ones and it is good in low light. (Recitals, where you can't use flash etc) It also records with real time zoom 1080 HD!!! Retails for $640... killer deal for 2 in one. It is the same cost as the Nikon D40 that doesn't record.

For the smaller D (digital) SLR (single lens reflex)…

I would suggest the Canon EOS Rebel XS 18-55IS Kit + EF 55-250mm III (that is 2 different lenses in this combo pack…retail $600.00) is also comparable to the Nikon D40. I am a huge Canon fan but I do know from experience that the Nikon D40 is a great camera that is light weight and compact and works great under low light.. I could not find specs to compare the sizes of the two but they look about the same. My mom has the D40 and it is great for the computer challenged and if you just want a flawless point and shoot with a great lens.

I know you are totally confused by all the info, but hopefully this is a start to your research. Honestly don’t do much online… go to the store and play with the different ones. Check to see how easy they are to work with… try not to focus too much on a big zoom… which will be tempting to do because you are not use to that, but rather put your attention on the lower f number and the higher ISO.

So I think that with Eli I am going to keep the flip in the diaper bag to catch all the quick moments and carry the SLR with me for special events.

Oh and you will want an external flash... it reduces red eye and keeps pics from having the "deer in the headlights" "white out madness"; cause you can tilt the flash from being direct on your subject. (Really not complicated to learn)

Hope this helps anyone in the market for a SLR. Would love to help answer any questions. just leave a comment and I will be glad to get back with you. That is if I'm not in labor ;)  10 day count down!

EWO,
Jenny H

Pass the Cash: Ryan Howell

I wanted to share this with you all about a little boy who is dear to me. Ryan is my nephew-in-law who was diagnosed with a stroke at birth. His mother, Anita, is the sister to my sister-in-law. They live in Myrtle Beach and co-workers to his dad, Wes, are hosting a Pass the cash fundraiser for Ryan to go for his second hyperbaric therapy. Check out this video to see what they are doing at the House of Blues for Ryan.

Pass the Cash: Ryan Howell - WMBFNews.com Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC News, Weather, Sports
You can donate online at this website set up for Ryan. Isn't he the cutest little guy ever! I hate that they live so far away from us. I have never really been able to be apart of his life, but his big sis Emily keeps me posted on the whole family and I get the pleasure of having dinner with them from time to time when they are in town.
Anyway, I am happy to share this incredible news with you guys and hope that you will share it on FB or your blog to help this family send this precious boy to his treatment in June completely free!
EWO,
Jen

My Valentine

 I was up in the walk-in attic digging out duffel bags to take to the hospital and found an old Adidas bag of J's that still had all sorts of stuff from the past in it. It actually had a gift bag with a built in card in the front pocket that is a bear holding a heart. It brought back so many memories... we started dating in high school and this was from one of the first Valentine's we spent together.  {everyone say Awe.. in unison ;)} So since we don't really put an emphasis on the "Day" I thought of going and getting a few of the things I had put in the bag about 12 years ago... simple things that I knew were his favorite things.  Oddly enough vanilla custard baby food will be one of the things in the bag. He loved this as a baby and it's actually a light snack, kinda like pudding, that he still enjoys on occasions as this. So simple, but meaningful. There was also a heart box that was in the bag and I wish I knew what I gave him in it... I will have to come up with something creative ;)

So here's my Valentine, the love of my life, my best friend, my safe haven. I am so in love with this man... I think you can tell...

I know... the bump looks huge... it's really not as big as it looks...

but who cares!

We have created life throught the power of God

and I love that the life was created

by the two of us!

u create and all things crafty

Since I am in the {Nesting} mode I have wanted to make everything I could get my hands on!  It has come to the point J asked me if it was possible if I could stop giving Hobby Lobby our money ;)  I just chuckled and said, sure. I just can't help myself, I just love to create. My ideal job would be to open up an all things scrapbook and sewing store.  That would rock my socks off!  I can't help that I like memories and cute things. I'm just a girlie girl ;)

So I wanted to share a few things that has made me say... "if only I had a few more weeks before Eli comes I would make THAT!" ...

Scrapbook page for my 9th mo for pregnancy... this site has a cute layout that you can use digitally and I just love that there is not mess to clean up and you can use the templates and papers over and over!  J loves that too!  Two Peas in A Bucket is my all time favorite site!  I have ordered several things for the baby's nursery because I had a hard time finding things I liked to coordinate. I am so please with what I have ordered and can't wait to get it all together this weekend with my new Silhouette! This things rocks! You  can cut Paper and card stock, Adhesive vinyl, Fabric, Heat transfer material, Rhinestone templates, Specialty media. Check out the site for endless possibilities for this machine!  I am obsessed.... and they give 2 free templates a month! The others are only .99 cent  in comparison to the Cricut where you pay 29.99 for a cartridge. Yeah no comparison!  You can also make anything you want without a template or cartridge. SO AWESOME! 

Mod Podge...  This stuff looks cool too. Check out this post for and idea flare! I think its cool you can make an old ugly table look like that with paper!

Subway Art... I am addicted to subway art in my guest bathroom. I have a staple 11x14 frame on the counter that I keep filled with these things and I just love changing them out. Eighteen 25 is an awesome place to grab ideas.

Okay so on to fabric...Make It and Love it shared on this post how to make a sweet baby blanket and hat. This may become my new signature item for baby showers... plus a pack of diapers and wipes!
UCreate posted these adorable owls that I bet could be cut out with my silhouette ;)

ok so I will stop before I overload you. Hope you liked the post!

EWO,
Jen

Baby Bump Memories

Ok so I'm 35 weeks and this bump is out of control!  I'm only 5'5" so he doesn't have much room except out ;)  And out he is! He is measuring right on target at 35 cm (from pb to top of uterus) so it's just the way I'm carrying him. He has a good way to drop too but Praise God he is head down!
  So I'll share my bump with you and let you in on a sneek peak of our bump pictures that a dear friend Julie & her hubs Noah took for us this weekend. We are so blessed to have such talented friends to take pics of us. I am always the one on the other side of the camera.  One thing I can say is I am thrilled we did them. I am in love with J's face in all of them. I have never seen him look this way... so in love with this baby boy!  I just can't wait to see his face for the first time when he holds this little miracle!  {tear}