Say Hello to my lil Friend!!

    There’s a package coming tomorrow and I won’t be home so I need you to sign for it… DON’T look at the package! Just put it away in the closet, it’s your xmas present! Promise me!!! 
     So I promised him! I LOVE surprises and I know how much work goes into planning a surprise, so I didn’t want to ruin it for him. He on the other hand, has ruined EVERY surprise that I have ever planned for him. (When I say EVERY- I mean E-V-E-R-Y single one for the past 8 years!!!) He is quite the detective, or maybe I’m just not good at being sneaky.  Anyway, I was expecting the package around noon and nothing came all day! Then 8:20pm rolled around and there was a soft knock at the door… I thought it was my mother n law so I called out Coming, Hold on (in a very nice voice of course!)… I opened the door and didn’t see anyone and as I looked down & around my eyes locked onto the big bold letters B&H on a little brown box! DOGGONE IT, I read the label! It was as big as day and I wish I didn’t see it, I felt awful for ruining his surprise!!! I even hid the box in the closet trying to
convince myself that I didn’t see it… but who was I kidding I knew right away
that it was the new lens that I wanted so badlyyy.  I didn’t want to ask for it because we’ve already spent too much money this year; our wedding, my lasik eye surgery, & the camera.  I didn’t expect anything more, so it was a big surprise! Of course he was mad that I found out what it was… But now he knows how I have felt every single time he ruins my surprises! So say HELLO to my lil Friend –50mm 1.4. (and since I ruined his surprise I got to open it early and play with it!!! –I feel like an excited lil kid)

Left- I used my older lens to take a photo of my NEW lens... Right- I used my NEW lens to take a photo of my old lens to show the difference of the Bokeh (fancy word for blurred background)

    As if this post wasn’t long enough, I thought I’d add a few more thoughts for those of you that still want to read lol… 

     Gift giving isn’t just about the gift, it’s really about the meaning behind it. In the beginning of relationships you want to shower your mate with gifts! (yes, I said Mate – no, I’m not Australian & yes, I use random words in my vocabulary). Most of the time you get them material items; clothes, shoes, purses, colognes, jewelry…  then years later after you run out of gift ideas, you give them money or gift cards. The thrill of gift giving slowly dies, and it turns into a chore. Then most couples will tell each other I don’t want anything this year, so let’s not get each other anything! But there’s always that one person who can't resist and ends up getting the other person a gift. Then there’s an awkwardness… why do we do this to each other? I speak from experience, Jack & I have been through all of these stages and I decided to put an end to the gift
giving funk! 

     Two years ago I was stuck, I had no idea of what to get jack for father’s day. After a few days of thinking about it, I thought of activities he hasn’t done yet that he’s always wanted to try (things he could eventually teach our son). I wrote everything that came to mind and had a pretty long list of activities. Some of them were out of my budget, so I chose Surfing lessons!  He was thrilled. It turned into something we could enjoy together, I loved cheering him on as he tried to catch waves, he was a natural. 
 
    Jack & I put together a Bucket List… Now we’ll never run out of ideas of what gifts to get each other (and we tried to just list activities, even though he snuck a 1969 Roadrunner on there... –maybe if we hit the lotto luv!). When writing these activities, Keep in mind that some years will be tighter on money than others, so throw in some free activities, for ex; a bike ride along the coast & bonfire picnic… (well.. maybe not for xmas). 
    
     Then he caught onto the idea and he got me my first Kitchen Aid mixer because he supported my baking dream. This year I got him flying lessons because it’s been a lifelong dream of his (Groupon is my new best friend!). I am so thankful that he got me this lens…  It’s not just about the lens, it’s the fact that he supports my dream enough to invest in the equipment. 

     Wow I really rambled, I’m going to leave you with a corny final thought; "I feel that life is too short to be unhappy, and I like the idea of living the rest of my life making each other’s DREAMS come true!" -& boy do I got a lot of dreams lol! 
So put some thought into your gifts this year… 

     -Thanks baby love for my gifts! You’re the BEST Husband I’ve ever HAD!!!