We received two of these “digital cameras” (quotes are appropriate in this instance). My kids are delighted! They spent all day taking pictures… I get home, install the software, try to download the images, and get the same error every time… connection error, check your manual. The manual of course doesn’t help. I was hoping the internet would help, but so far, nothing… anyone have any idea about this?

I’m thinking I’m about to go purchase some better cameras for my still-quite-young children, ugh.

UPDATE: Okay, I somehow managed to install an updated driver and after messing around with the software for far too long, suddenly I am now able to get photos off of these cameras. However, this camera appears to basically be a substandard webcam and takes photos that look as though they were taken with a substandard webcam. Sigh.

I went to the company’s website, which is digitac dot us, then to their download page. There I found the driver link that eventually worked.

Okay, here are pictures of the camera end of the cable:

It’s been awhile since I really posted a lot in this blog. Seems most people find me via my “Recurring Plane Crash Dream” post, which I find slightly amusing since I haven’t had one of those dreams since I posted that blog! Hopefully all the commenters have had the same luck in that respect.

So what’s new with me…. Read the rest of this entry »

I had a really good day today. I was walking to get my kids from the gym daycare when I was done working out, and bracing myself against the rain, when I realized that:

a)it wasn’t really that cold out
b)it wasn’t windy at all
c)I didn’t have to assume that walking in the rain was an unpleasant experience

I started walking normally and allowed the rain to fall on my face – and smiled. Read the rest of this entry »

When I was a little girl, I spent the summers with my grandparents. I would leave my home the day after school ended, and stay with them until the day before school started. They lived in a secluded forest area in northern California, and I remember spending lots of time outside playing with their aussie Sheba, while my grandpa worked in the garage and my grandma worked in the garden. I remember watching game shows and soap operas with my grandma. I remember my grandma sneaking into bed with me at night because my grandpa’s snoring got too loud. Every morning she would make me what amounted to a chocolate shake for breakfast, adding an egg in so it would have some substance. Mostly, I remember how much they loved me and how much I loved being there with them. Read the rest of this entry »

We took a trip to the Railroad Museum in Old Town Sacramento… had a great time! It’s an amazing place. )

Continue on for a few more pics…

Read the rest of this entry »

We had a wonderful day yesterday! We took a trip to San Francisco… took the little monsters to the Aquarium of the Bay, and they got to see loads of fish, sharks, starfish, and cool stuff like that. They were uber-happy…

Take a look at this post for a couple more great pics!

Read the rest of this entry »

This is going to sound absolutely horrible and I will explain in more detail below. I have found the best motivation to exercise, which says a lot coming from an anti-exercise woman like me: a few hours each morning without my kids.

Explain, you say! Alright, I will.   I haven’t worked since I got pregnant with my daughter, about four years ago. I don’t have family around, and up until a few months ago I didn’t even have a babysitter for the occasional night out with my husband and friends.  So basically, I’ve been with my kids, almost 24-7, for the past three years. And now they are both TODDLERS!

I need the break.

So, I joined a gym. They have a wonderful nursery and great facilities. And the motivation to actually go there and exercise is the relaxation I feel, even while working up a sweat. I tried using the bowflex at home, but that motivation just wasn’t there.

I have lost 10 pounds in the past two month, due mostly to my exercising at the gym. Another thing I learned is that when I exercise regularly, I don’t really get as hungry. Odd, but refreshing.

I’m still working on the flattening the mommy-tummy. That’s going to take a little longer, but I have confidence that it will happen.

Check out this spot-on poem about the trails and tribulations of curly hair:

http://lorivelarde.blogspot.com/2008/07/to-my-curly-haired-comrades.html.

Had me actually lol-ing! Enjoy!

Here is a quick recipe I whipped up using what I had in my kitchen! It came out great, and can easily be the centerpiece of a meal instead of meat… If you like the taste of sour cream and onion potato chips and the taste of mushrooms, then you will probably like this recipe. It doesn’t look super appetizing in the picture, but I’m sure you can spice up the look if you so desire. Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »

I am at a loss for fun activities I can do with my two toddlers. The older one is almost three, and the younger one is almost two.

We can’t go outside to play in the yard for the most part, because we don’t have a fence around the yard and I can’t keep two toddlers safe from running into traffic at the same time. So I’m looking for some indoor stuff to keep them entertained and also help them learn.

My biggest problem is that both I and my husband are the babies in our families and we have no practical experience with kids. We really have no idea what we are doing (don’t tell anyone…)!

If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them!