Times are a changin'

So, Christmas is over and my birthday is right around the corner, then the new year begins. I look so forward to this time of year, the kids are so sweet and you notice a lot of the little things they say or do and you feel all warm inside, then one day, it just seems like too much. All the stress and hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays, why do we do that to ourselves? I guess their is probably already a condition called Christmas postpartum? If not, their should be. My kids got everything their little hearts desired (not just because of us, but because others buy them so much). We all ate way to much, and now feel like big blobs walking around and wondering where all of our money has gone. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and I love seeing my kid's faces light up when they come down the stairs wondering what Santa brought them this year, but I just can't seem to shake the bad feeling I get when I think of the state of the economy. I still have my job, heck, I even was cocky enough to go out and buy a new car last week, but about 12 percent of our work force got laid off last week. I work in the publication field and we are hurting. Times are changing, and print publications are hurting for business. We are going to pour some money into marketing and branding, which we should have been doing all along! I hope other companies plan to do the same. We all have to spend money to make money. I keep telling myself times are changing, and we must change with it! How come is that so easy for me to tell others, but I have a hard time listening to myself? Really, down deep, I know everything will be alright. My little family will be just fine. I hope everyone else feels that same way, because if I didn't have that, I don't know what I would have. I guess that is one way to look at things, all of this recession talk reminds me what is really important. It's not the kind of car I drive or the house I live in or my job status, it's that I have a healthy loving family that will always be there for me, and I for them. 

Now I can tackle Monday and go back to work tomorrow!

Happy TImes

It has been a while since I have been here. But sometimes, you just want to talk about things that have nothing to do with anything. Like the fact that I had an amazing Christmas. First off, my kids are at the perfect age. My daughter wrote santa a note last night asking him, how does he do it? That simple. I found that to be so cute. She also put a p.s. of please take some cookies to Mrs' Claus. How cute is that? Also, my husband got me a book of David Carson's Design. I have the first two, then never bought the third, named Trek. One of those things, I was into, then I had kids, and things just didn't seem as important as they were before kids. Well, my kids seem to be surviving, so, I found myself through graphic design again. I miss my old friend of design, and welcome to be influenced again. I can't wait to see what 2009 brings.

I love my life. See you again soon my friend, blog.

To make things even better, my nine year old still thinks I'm cool and hugs and kisses me every day.

Inspiration

I found this today as I was getting inspired by other photographers...

I love how love can be so infectious. This was something that reminded me how special memories and thoughts and photographs are. To capture a moment.

Check out this link, and I will try to learn how to embed videos for the future. :)

A Short Love Story in Stop Motion from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo

Growing up!

I have been super busy with Bella Bee lately. Things are looking good. We have been blessed with lots of work, and that makes me really happy. However, that has left me with little time for this blog. Check out Bella Bee's new blog. Follow us at www.bellabeephotoblog.com. I have worked long hard hours on it, and it's paid off. Although, I'm not completely done with the design, I'm getting close and it's ready for action. I will probably never be done, those of you who know me, I'm a complete perfectionist (well, about some things, no, my house is not spotless). I just always feel things can always be better so I make adjustments to things until I can tell I'm driving my husband insane, and then I finally realize enough is enough and usually stop. So, my point is, if I have not blogged here for a while, and you really want to know what I am up to, you should check out Bella Bee's new blog, that is where all my extra effort has been going these days.

Shootsac

I got my new shootsac today. I am so happy! Now maybe the FedEx tracker will not have as much lag time, I think I checked it every 20 minutes the last couple of days! I can't wait to take it on a shoot this Saturday. And, tomorrow, I am picking up my new 24-70, 2.8 lens, so now my super cool shootsac will have a super cool lens to go with it. I love photography gear. I am such a geek. BTW, I held off on buying a cover for my shootsac, mostly because I like to make my own things, or at least have my husband make things for me, you know, to be cool like that. Never wanting to blend in! But mostly because my birthday is coming up soon, I think I can wait until December. (Hint, hint)

Dia de los Muertos

I love Dia de los Muertos. Here are a few pictures I got last night at the Rose Marine Theater in Fort Worth. These kids were so happy and I hope they keep this tradition going for their future generations. What a wonderful day to celebrate!

And some great art too look at as well...

Kids and weddings

I shot a wedding the other weekend in Austin. The wedding was wonderful, however this blog is not for wedding pictures, but I loved some of the moments I captured of the children at the wedding, so I decided to post them here. To see the wedding, check out Bella Bee's blog, this wedding should be posted soon.

This little boy was the son of the groom, and posed like this every time he saw me coming. Someone must of told him he MUST smile, even if he doesn't want to. 

This is his brother. Same smile most of the time. His grandfather on the left, was quite the photographer of the family, and the boys were quick to smile for him.

This little girl was super cute. She is at that age where she is too old to be playing with the little kids, but not quite grown up yet either. She is keeping a look out to make sure the groom does not get a peak at the bride before the ceremony.

This little girl could not be seen with out her teddy bear, she was all for posing for the camera. So cute!

Look at that hair! So cute, in the next photo he is about to ask the little girl above to dance.

Kids always seem to be the first ones out on the dance floor.

Glad to be home

Alaska was wonderful, but I sure am glad to be home. Who wouldn't be happy to see a face like this waiting for you to get home? I love my dog! Isn't he sweet?

Homer Alaska

I spent the day in Homer, Alaska. It was wonderful. I woke up and had a message and a facial. Maybe the best one I have ever had. Then, I spent the day hiking and sight seeing. I had an amazing day.

This is the Homer Spit.

This is the jacuzzi at the spa I am staying at. It is overlooking Kachemak Bay.

This is the view from the Jacuzzi facing Homer spit. See the swing on the left, that is where I read my book.

I miss Tater, so I thought I would take a picture of other people's dogs. Everyone seems to have a dog in Alaska.

Are these two birds kissing? :)

View of Kachemak Bay

View of all the boats docked in Homer.

This is Grewingk Glacier

Another view of Grewingk Glacier...

The bay again.

My first eagle sighting.

Eagle posing.

First seal sighting...

I think he sees me. I saw several seal's. They seem to play peak-a-boo with the tourist. They were cute.

Aydin, I bet you didn't know that volcanoes are not only in Hawaii. They are also in freezing cold places such as Alaska too. This is a view at sunset. The sun on the right, on the left is a volcano named Augustine. It was so pretty.

What a day!

I think I am too tired to go into how great my day was, but here are some pictures. I hope to go into detail on them later. But here are some sites I got to see today.

On the way to the Kenai Peninsula...

Ressurection park...

Inside the park, about a two-mile hike...

A tiny town called Hope, this was my favorite building in their city...

Either Mount Redoubt or Mt. Iliamna, don't know which right now...

Thunderbird Falls

Tim went with me to Thunderbird Falls, he took his little point and shoot, but was able to hike to a different spot than me, so he got a better picture of the falls. Isn't it pretty?

Can you find me?

Beautiful Day

I had a wonderful day today. I started out the day with going with Andy, who just got named publisher for Alaska magazine, to Flat top mountain. He is a great guy who has all kinds of neat stories from growing up in Alaska.

Then I went to lunch with the crew from the magazine and ate at a place called Mooses Tooth. It has yummy pizza. It was fun.

Then Tim and I went for a drive, first we stopped and took about a mile hike to thunderbird falls, which is between Chugiak and Wasilla. We hiked up to the waterfall. Took a shot from above...

Then hiked down to take a shot of the bottom of the waterfall. 

It was beautiful and I was really wanting to see a waterfall while I was here.

Then, we went to Wasilla, which is where Gov. Sarah Palin lives. We saw the tiny hospital she just had her baby in. It was a small town mostly filled with strip malls and fast food restaurants. However, we did find this pretty park, with a great view of the mountains.

Next I went to Tim's house for dinner, I had a wonderful time meeting his family. His was wife was really cool, and super nice. 

I'm very excited about my trip to Homer tomorrow. Can't wait!

Getting lost

I finally got my wish. It stopped raining, however, it stayed cloudy. Here are my pictures for the day...

This is my view from my hotel room, the south side of Anchorage...

After work, Tim, the editor of my magazine, told me about Kincaid Park, he said I was sure to see wildlife there. First I walked around for hours and got lost. But it was very pretty.

Then, I came upon my first wildlife friend. He chatted away at me. I don't think he liked me very much...

This was my second friend to come upon. He was sweet and posed for me a lot. I got a lot of great shots of him. Isn't he pretty?

This moose was the first of four I saw at Kincaid park. He looked both ways before crossing. What a smart boy!

I was told to never get between a moose and her baby, but I didn't think she would ever let me get this close.

Yummy...

Doesn't this moose remind you of Tater?

Good night Lillian and Aydin. I will be home soon.

P.S.

Lillian, I hope you are keeping up with training Tater.

Aydin, I hope your spore characters have evolved.