Evelyn: 50 Weeks

piggies

getting into trouble... 

Someone got into the dog water... 

New This Week:
First Thanksgiving!
First time meeting Santa

Cut her 3rd tooth! 

bed hog

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! 

Evey had a wonderful first Thanksgiving. 

Pinterest mapping in a foreign language

Incase you missed it Pinterest rolled out Pinterest Maps, SUPER COOL! I am a travel nerd and many of my future plans involve travel, If we won the lottery I would spend most of it traveling, I am sure of it.

*if you already have made some pin maps share them with me in the comments! I would love to see them!*

So anyway, as soon as I had a chance, I set out to make up my Japan travel board (because we all know I have an unhealthy relationship with the country). Almost immediately I ran into a problem. I don't have a japanese keyboard, and even if I did, I don't know how to spell Tokyo, or Mt. Fuji in Japanese. 

Well folks, I found a very round about away around not having japanese on my keyboard, and I'll show you my work around. (BTW if you have an easier way of doing this please share with me!)

Follow the directions on Pinterest to start your first map, it's okay I can wait, they have directions on how to do that.... 

Okay, you're back already? Well than, lets go! 

(click on pictures to see larger images!!)

My Japan Pinterest Map

 Once you have your map set up you need to start adding places to it. You can move your map using your mouse and zoom using the +/- in the lower R corner

Lets add a place

Lets start with somewhere I have never been.

Never been to Kyoto? Check!

 Now what do I want to look at in Kyoto? How about historical places, you know, since I am a history major and all.

Oh No!

 You'll see above that it's kind of hard to search for general things, without knowing the exact name of what you are looking for, and in some cases, without having the name in the common spelling used in that country it can be difficult. I found some things you can work around, Like I was able to find Mt. Fuji, because I know where it is, but for some reason I had to zoom into the area while using the search "Current Map View"

Well I found a way to browse destinations, surrounding to areas I want to see.
 You'll notice Pinterest Maps uses FourSquare, a maping app for your smart phone, where you can check into places and post pictures and such, great for stalking friends and family.

I don't know if you need a foursquare account to do any of this, I have one, so you should too. 

So I decided to look at places around Hiroshima (I know it was Kyoto earlier, but I've never been here either.) Foursquare will automatically show me "Best Nearby" I really don't know how they decide best? I think it may be the most popular for people checking in that current day. 

 (for this part of the search I have Google Translate turned on)

But I want to look for something that interests me. I'm a tourist so I want to go sight seeing.

 BAM! Look at that. Thank you Foursquare.

 Once i find something I am interested in, I turn off Google Translate (either turn if off at the top or right click and choose to turn it off on the little menu that pops up)
Next I highlight and copy the Japanese

Go back to your pinterest page and paste the japanese into your search menu, and Ta-Da!

I already know the map location I am looking for is the castle, because that's what I wanted to see. 

Add your own description and then choose a picture

And you are done! 

Foursquare also has a few other cool ways of finding things. "More Like" "Places People Go After" and "Appears on XX Lists" the first two are self explanatory, the last is just where people can make lists of destinations, like favorite shopping places, or temples, or cheeseburger joints. All three of these are great ways to find more places to pin on your maps and explore areas.

I find this last part super useful for more than just Japan. Pinterest Maps doesn't yet have a way to find similar things, or other pins in the area, so using foursquare you can see more destinations like the one you have just looked up.

I hope my little photo tutorial helped you, let me know if you have found an easier way to do it!

I am totally in love with Pinterest mapping and see myself staying up all night playing with it.

(this blog post is 100% my ideas and opinions, I have no relationship with Pinterest besides a mild addiction)

My Maps:
California To Do
European Vacations
Island Paradise 
Japan
And of course:
Okinawa 

Evelyn: 49 Weeks

New this week:

Walking like a champ!

Running... like a duck

I guess more like a really quick waddle 

This is what 99% of the "photo shoot" looks like each time. 

You know what's really stupid? Social Phobias.

My social anxiety isn't that bad, but I have a really hard time talking on the phone with anyone but my immediate family. I don't even talk to friends on the phone. I don't know what it is about the phone but it makes me sweat. I hate calling the doctor, I hate calling about getting my car fixed. I hate calling anyone. If I didn't talk to my mom for about an hour every day or two I would only use my phone as a phone about once a week. I have recently been working on broadening my Beachbody coaching, and I need to do a conference call with my head coach (Upline Star Diamond Coach) and a couple other coaches. Just the though of this makes me sweat, I felt instantly hot and uncomfortable thinking about it, trying to think of a way to get out of it, "I can pretend to be sick and not have a voice", or "oh what if the baby is crying? then I'll just have to get the abridged version of the call and take off". Actually writing this out it all sounds so silly. I can't believe I am trying to get out of a phone call that is intended to help me succeed.

But I am going to do it, I really have no excuse, no way out of it, and when it's over I can think to myself just how silly it is that I was dreading it.

11 Months

Evelyn Likes:

playing patty cake

dancing

petting the dogs

Evelyn Dislikes: 

being fed

nap time

teething!

Dear Evelyn,

I cannot believe you are almost a year. It seems like just yesterday I was laying on the couch watching my stomach move around with you inside. Now you are just weeks away from being a toddler! Looking back at the pictures it's amazing to me how much you have grown, I can barely even remember that tiny little baby face that you once were. It's really weird how that works, it seems like there is no way you have been with us for almost a year, but I look at the baby pictures of you and they seem so far away. I hope the next few years don't go as fast as this first one has, I want to relish in all the sweet moments of your youth.

Love Always, Mom

Evelyn: 48 Weeks

the dogs wanted Cheerios too?

reading to herself

getting top teeth = chew on matchbox car
Whatever makes you happy baby. 

New this week:

Started sleeping in the crib (part time)