Using SmugMug to host the content for 1and1 registered domains

Torrey wanted her new photography business domain (porchswingstudios.com) to actually point to her SmugMug website (porchswingstudios.smugmug.com).  But she didn't want to use an HTML frame, since the URL in the address bar never changes as you click through the site.  She also didn't want to use an HTTP redirect to to SmugMug since then the URL in the address bar would be the SmugMug domain instead of her business domain.  She wanted the domain to be her domain, but the content to be from SmugMug, and links should work as expected.

She has a "Power" user account on SmugMug which enables a feature called "Custom Domains" which is exactly what she was looking for.  So I read the docs up to the point where it read: "FYI: We don't support domains from 1and1." which is where we host her domain.  Well ...damn.

But they didn't mention why 1and1 wasn't supported... and I really don't like being told NO.

So I tried it anyway and guess what.. it didn't work.  I found that 1and1 only allows setting alternative DNS name servers, or a CNAME on their DNS servers, or an A record on their DNS servers.  Those are exclusive "or"s (pick one and only one) and its that xor that doesn't play nice with SmugMug since they require adding both a CNAME and an A record in DNS for the custom domain feature to work.

However, 1and1 did allow setting alternative DNS name servers so I figured I'd give that a shot.  I've never set up a DNS server before, but I remembered that the AWS service Route53 might assist with this.

And sure enough, Route53 is a hosted DNS web service which is precisely what I needed.  In 10 minutes I'd set up a "Hosted Zone" for my wife's domain, added the A record and CNAME records that SmugMug required then edited my DNS settings in 1and1 to use the 4 DNS servers that Route53 gave me.  Then I waited for my domain to start using the new name servers.  And waited... and waited... It took about 6 hours to propagate but I found stories on the web of people waiting 3 days for this to go through so it could have been worse.  I used http://who.is to verify which name servers my domain was using and once it was the Route53 servers I modified my SmugMug Account settings and set the "Custom Domain" to the new domain... and it worked.  Yay!

The downside is that its $0.50 per month to host the DNS for the domain in Route53. The additional $6 a year to make it work with SmugMug makes 1and1 more expensive than most of the other registrars I could go with.  Not to mention the hassle I had to go through to get this to work.  Maybe that's why nobody else was foolish enough to make it work when they were told NO to begin with...

Halloween in Portland

Evolution of a Walker

Two days after her first birthday Olive took her first solo step (before I grabbed the camera) in front of the dishwasher (and in front of Grandma Edwards which made her very happy). We hoped to catch another first step but she wouldn't have it, and in fact didn't step again that day I don't think. Anyway, this is still a cute captured moment post-triumph.


Then about a week later we played some Parent Ping Pong.


Then about a week after that she was off and running (almost literally). Here she is playing Atlas with a ball at our friends' house. Of course it was always right before I grabbed the camera or right after I turned it off that she really got going, but I think you can get the idea.


Monster Baby!

Halloween 2009

For Olive's Birthday we received TWO ladybug outfits - luckily one was perfect for the day and the other for night, so she got to wear them both and they were both ADORABLE. Here's the proof.

ONE YEAR

Summing up the first year of life with Olive would be basically impossible, so I'll just focus on the festivities celebrating the momentous milestone. On Sunday, the 18th day of the month of October in the year 2009, Olive Elora Edwards invited some of her nearest (though some did travel) and dearest to join her for pumpkins and presents. Here is a taste in pictures and video.


YAY! Grandma's back!


The cupcake in all its yummy glory.


Olive post cupcake.


The pumpkins - (from left) a picture of Olive and a pumpkin we got that was the same weight as her at birth (~8lb 2oz). An offspring of the original pumpkin. Another pumpkin her birthweight. A pumpkin her current weight (~24lb)!


Olive and her pumpkin.

And... "the video"...

Backblog

Well, hello there, haven't seen you for awhile! Um, so yeah, hopefully my mother-in-law will still love me when she gets back from the summer because she's now gone 6 weeks with no update. Sorry Mom E! Here are the top video moments that I have edited as of today.

And again a link to the pictures I've posted on Facebook so I don't double my efforts (I'm a busy woman, you know!?)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2474339&id=10730580&l=c7c5e69b15

August 12 - hanging out at home


Both of these are August 15 - playing with Olive's new bouncy ball



August 26 - Seattle Center with Dan


August 29 - Family visit (fair warning - this is a super long one, but fun)


August 30 - hanging out at home


TODAY! September 18 (11 months, baby!) - morning play

Sorry

My last post was over a month ago and contained material that was at least 2 weeks old, so it's been awhile I guess... What can I say? Life has been fairly insane around here and I just haven't had the time. In fact, I don't even really have the time right now but I thought I should at least say hi and let you know we're all alive and (mostly) well. Having already updated some pictures on Facebook I think I'll just link you to those for now in lieu of doubling my efforts - sound ok?

So here's our first backpacking trip on 4th of July weekend:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2449283&id=10730580&l=3ce10ef678

And some other selections of summer festivities:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2450635&id=10730580&l=70139b8792

I'll do my best to get back on track when I can! Love you all. =)

For the Diehard Fans (warning: these are long)

Some typical "happenings" in the life of Olive around 7.5 months.

End of May


Beginning of June