Social Media Pet Peeve No. 398,042

Social Media isn't going anywhere--it's the new norm.  How do I know this?  My grandmother has a Facebook account! For the most part, I like social media!  I really do. There are some awesomely wonderful things about Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but there are some aspects I could live without and I'm positively certain I'm not alone in my thinking. Right?
Last week, I read an article about wedding guests taking pics with their phones and ruining the photographer's photos due to guest's phone camera flashes.  In the article, the PROFESSIONAL photographer hired by the bride and groom vented about phone camera use during the ceremony and ruining many of her shots.  She called for an "unplugged wedding" asking for people in attendance to put away their phones and simply enjoy the wedding.  Click HERE to read the article.  Social Media Pet Peeve:  Sharing Other People's Life Moments Too Soon
Nearing the time of Joy's arrival, I was informed that there was a good chance I would be put to sleep during her delivery.  Essentially that meant friends and family would probably see her precious face before I even laid eyes on the baby I'd carried in my womb for nine months.  About a month before her arrival, I sent an email to the family members who would be present at the time of her birth and asked them to please refrain from texting pics or posting pics of her on Facebook (social media sites) before I gave the "okay".  Does that sound silly?  Is it so much to ask that I get to see my precious baby before "friends" of "friends" of "friends" of "friends" take a quick glance at her!?! People I don't even know!?!  I think not!

Thankfully, I was awake during her delivery, but even so, my family honored my request and waited to post pics of her on social media sites until I gave the nod of approval.    Get this: A few pics of my new baby girl were texted (unbeknownst to me) and posted to FB by someone I barely know just seconds after my first FB update. WOW! *By the way, the premature text wasn't a malicious thing--it just happened. I know of several other accounts of people sharing someone else's life moment and the outcomes have been so frustrating for the folks involved. Why the rant?  I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed with social media and wish folks could just sit back and enjoy life a little more--myself included. Ask yourself:  Is this my life moment to share with the world?  In a world where everyone can know virtually anything about everything in a matter of minutes why not make those precious life moments sacred...if only for a little while.  Am I alone on this one?  What are your social media pet peeves?

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It's been a while since I uploaded any phone pics to my computer and to the blog.  I figure...if you follow me on Instagram you'll see the ones I take the time to post.  So for this phone dump entry, I'll share some non-instagrams...

Ready for this?

Gonna have no shame for a minute...

Y'all know I like to keep it real.  Ummm...don't know what to think about this one.  I wore that pink shirt the day AG was born (2007).  I believe it covered my entire belly (even though I gained a bunch more weight with her than I did with Edy or Joy).  I didn't wear the shirt when I was pregnant with Edy, but I guess there is a possibility it shrunk somehow!! Right? :)  I'm just four weeks away from meeting my little (or not so little) baby girl.

Edy @ AG's dance class
Isn't she pretty?

I upgraded to an iPhone5 and got a new phone case to go with it.  Thanks, Etsy! 

BTW, my bro-in-law introduced me to the DROP BOX app.  I like it SO much better than using the photo stream because my pics are always waiting for me on my desktop instead of the other way around.  It's a good app for me.

The "sick bug" has visited our home.  Not only have I had a terrible cough, scratchy throat, and "the crud", Edy got some sort of stomach virus that has been pretty terrible.  When I finish this post, I'm off to my bed because I got little to no sleep last night as I stood with her over the potty.  Poor kid. It was a long and tough night.

Fortunately, she started to act herself around 3PM this afternoon.  I'm hoping tonight is better and no one else gets that awful bug.

I've kept the girls separated most of the day in an attempt to make Edy rest *didn't work*.  I sat on the front porch swing (and breathed in the delicious pollen that makes my cough go nuts) and watched AG twirl and sing to her little heart's content.  just priceless.

 
*Just realized a few of these were Instagrams I've posted already.  Oh well.

phone dump...

the end.

what's up with that?

I am so frustrated with g**gle!  Things I love are going away...
GoogleReader:  gone in July
iGoogle: gone in November

I have read/skimmed/scanned/followed 115 blogs through GoogleReader for the past 4 years.  It makes blogging/blog reading so quick and organized.  From time to time, I'll check in on the actual blogs I follow, but mostly I just keep up through GoogleReader.  Oh, and I have my GoogleReader account linked to my iGoogle homepage.  Again...gone are those days.

So...
I found out about Bloglovin'.  Apparently, it's comparable to GoogleReader.  I haven't been linked up long enough to make a decision either way, but I have several blog friends that have posted about it and seem to enjoy it.  It literally took me 2 minutes to transfer my favorite blogs from GoogleReader to Bloglovin'.  It took me another minute to organize them into catergories.  The app for my phone was free (another good thing), and it looks like I'm all set.  I guess I will keep my GoogleReader account open until it is no more in July, but I can use this time to get used to Bloglovin'. 

If you are like me and read your favorite blogs through GoogleReader, you might think about trying out Bloglovin' or if you find something better, post about it so I can see if I like another subscription source better. ;)

You can follow my blog through Bloglovin' by clicking on the link below. 

Spotlight on Some Friends' Blogs

I have a couple of friends that have recently started blogging (or should I say...Again, Amy!?!)  I love it when my friends jump on the "blogging-bandwagon"! I helped their blogs out a bit with a little make-over.  Check out Amy's blog:  The Crispins...Everyday Blessings.  She writes a about her family and life as a SAHM.

And check out my friend, Kara's blog: Milk & Honey.  She writes about her two little girls, life as a SAHM, and her new business: LaneyBugs.

These girls have been good friends to me since moving to Texas.  I have enjoyed reading their blogs and look forward to upcoming posts!  

changes around the blog

You may have read in an earlier post that I made some changes to the blog and I was worried that my old domain (blogspot.com) wouldn't link to my new domain:  ourjoyhisglory.com .  It appears that all the kinks have been worked out and the new domain is up and running.  Supposedly, any links to the old domain will be redirected to the new one (let me know if you have any issues being redirected).  The only problem I have encountered deals with pins in which people have linked to the old address.   It looks like those pins show an error instead of redirecting to the new address.  That problem may eventually work itself out or all of those pins may be lost forever.  For now, only new pins will link to the new address.

So...for the first time in the history of Our Joy...His Glory, I paid for a blog make-over. *gasp*  Granted, I paid 15 bucks and it was a premade template, but I like it.  It was a splurge.  It was so easy and I love the simplicity of the new look.  After years of trying to make my blog look as good as I possibly could on my own--I'm worn out.  I also paid 10 dollars for the new (.com) domain.  Twenty-five bucks for the ole blog after almost five years isn't too bad. :)  Who knows, maybe I'll get even more gutsy and add some ads in the future.
*If you ever choose to update your blog through designerblogs.com, please tell them I sent you.  I would love a $5 coupon for the distant future. :)

If you are a Google Reader subscriber, click over and check out the new look.  If you're like me, you like to peek in on the actual blogs you read from time to time.

Thanks to all of my readers/subscribers/followers.  I don't know if I bring much to the table, but I appreciate you sticking with me!  Also, thanks for the sweet comments on my posts--it's encouraging and motivating to hear from you.

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My recent FB cover photo and desktop background

Timeline Cover

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Check out my new fall desktop and facebook cover photo:

 

Happy fall y'all!

Embrace Timeline!

Lots of my facebook friends have moaned and groaned about the new (is it really that new?) timeline.  I, for one, love it.  I think it's efficient--I like efficient.

I've used Picasa to make my own timeline cover photo a few times and it's fun and simple.  If you decide to make one, be sure to set your  collage size to 851 X 315 and don't resize your photo once you export it to your photo album or it will be distorted.

Also, The Cutest Blog on the Block has some adorable premade timeline templates.  Just choose one you like, save it  as a photo, and upload it to your favorite photo editing program and make a collage.  That simple.  

my timeline cover

my desktop background

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Blog Facelift

I gave the blog a makeover for a less home-spun look and a more clean and polished one.  I'm kinda getting tired of all the makeovers, so I wanted something that would look nice and neat for a while.  We shall see how long it lasts!

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The Boo Crew

There's an APP for that!

I am loving APPS.  Here's a list of some of the one's I'm using thus far.

•  instagr.am  I enjoy tweaking photos and sharing them with friends.  If you are an  istagr.am user, find me and we can follow one another.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• RunKeeper:  Keeps up with the distance, time, and calories burned during my workout.
• SparkPeople:  Great for making meal plans, calorie counting, and developing fitness goals.
• Restaurant nutrition app: I don't know the name of it.  Mark my words, I will NEVER consume a Quesadilla Explosion Salad from Chili's again.  I'll let you google the calories in that SALAD. 
• You Version Bible App:  I like to have the narrator read my daily Bible reading aloud while I read the coordinating commentary in my ESV Study Bible.
• Urbanspoon:  Can't decide where to go eat?  This app does the work for you.
• Pandora:  I listen to my favorite stations while jogging/walking and RunKeeper tracks my activity.
• Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest
• Angry Birds and Paper Toss
• Mint.com:  It's in sync with my bank, keeps up with my finance goals, and lets me know when I've exceeded my limits.

I can't forget AG's favorites:

• Make Me a Princess
• Cupcake Maker

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What are some apps that I can't live without?  What are some good educational apps for AG and RoRo?

Suggestions welcomed and appreciated!!!!!!!

Birthday Card

Since I hand crafted Ava Grace's first birthday card (check it out here), I wanted to do something similar for Edy's first birthday.  

I "virtually" handmade Edy's birthday card. I changed some of the wording for the blog (Sorry, I only have enough cake for 20).

Road Bumps

We are without Internet again.  It is a long story, but I don't think we will get it back until our house sells and we move to our permanent location.

I came up to the church to upload some pictures for printing, do some banking, blog, check my email, add to my Netflix queue, check the news/weather, upload some videos, Facebook, read some blogs, and finish some online Christmas shopping.  Boy, do I love and miss the Internet.

I worked on a couple of blog posts that are scheduled to post over the next couple of days.  It was very difficult to blog with the girls playing and needing my attention.  Needless to say, the posts are just some pictures with a little bit of explanation.  I imagine that is how they will be until I can concentrate on the content more.

We are still praying that our house sells soon.  Whew!  It still kinda feels like we are living in limbo.  Anybody know the feeling?

It has been one of those weeks!

Well, we are here--in Texas.  It has been a crazy week! 

The guys loaded our moving truck all day on Monday.  I am so glad we hired people to load our things.  They did a good job!  Tuesday was moving day.  We woke up, finished cleaning our empty house, and headed to Jacksonville.  It was very sad to leave our home.  I couldn't believe that I got so emotional--but I did.  I walked back to the nursery and cried.  Both of my babies came home to that room.  It was tough.  We pulled out of Fort Smith at 9:30am and made it to Bullard, Texas around 5:15pm.  It was a long ride.  When we got to our new place, lots of church guys were there to help us unload.  They were quick.  The rest of this week, I have been working on unpacking.  I feel like I have moved a mountain.

On another note...how bad is our health care?  SO BAD!  Since I am not teaching right now, we have a private health care plan.  Guess what? They denied any treatment for kidney stones AND Graham's back issue.  WHAT?  Kidney stones aren't preexisting.  Plus, Graham has not had surgery for his back in almost ten years AND he doesn't take any meds for his condition.  UGH!!!! I could just scream!  When Graham questioned the kidney stone exemption, the representative said that they denied it because it was reoccurring.  Really?  We get colds each year, too.  What's next?  Are you gonna deny treatment of colds, too?

By the way, since we are living in the country, we have little to no cell service and no Internet.  We are working on the Internet thing, so I will be away from the computer for a bit.  I ran up to the church to catch up on emails, etc. 

Sorry for the ramblings, I gotta get to Walmart and then we are headed to Tyler to look for a new couch!  I'll blog when I can.