the camera

Things could be worse, I admit.
But I am still bummed!!!!
Not only am I sick (flu? bronchitis?) but also one of my most fond possessions is broken.


My camera.


I take it EVERYWHERE. I am known as a picture freak...and yes, I admit that I am. I do not want to miss a moment of the boy’s life!


So now, it is gone. The first digital camera I ever owned....the one Josiah bought for me years ago on Mothers Day....the one that has photographed every major event in our life....is gone.

Well, not really "gone".......broken. Cracked. Unrepairable.

How???? Well, I will tell ya!

About a week ago I decided that I needed to document the strange things that I find all over the place. You know, odd things that the kids do and I find, thinking, "what in the heckfire is that?"

I had just found the ice/windshield scraper in the toilet.
So I took a picture. (you will see this strange compilation of photos on the blog in a few weeks)

As I was turning to walk out of the bathroom, the momentum apparently flung the camera from my grip...and across the room against the wall and subsequent wooden floor.
It cracked the case around the lens and bent the lens inside of itself.

I was very attached to my little camera, so this has been difficult for me. However, not one to dauttle, I have been researching cameras for days now. AND I AM SO CONFUSED!!! This is insane. There are far to many choices and far to many opinions and far to many reviews for one to make a wise decision.

So here is the question: Does anyone have any camera wisdom to pass along????????? I just want a very small, 7x optical zoom (or more), IS, cute (style over substance??? NO!), 7mp camera. Is that too much to ask? I have kinda narrowed it down to a Canon or a Panasonic.
Any ideas?
Do you have a camera that you LOVE?

Let me know ASAP!!! We are going skiing in Beaver Creek on Thursday and Friday and I need it before then!!!!!!! :)