Wishing Everyone...

"May your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions."

Can You Spot the Imposter?

I've been doing head-swapping and cloning like nobodies business! Is it terribly obvious who has been erased in?

Tuesday Randomeness...and a GIVEAWAY!!!

So we finally completed the process of wiping our poor computer clean. I'm convinced it was suffering from something far more powerful than the bubonic plague. About 30 hours, a dozen disks and 100 restarts, we have a fully functioning computer.

As much as I was looking forward to this break from school, I am already counting down the 21 days until we start back up. I've been going to school for so long, I think I've become institutionalized. I feel all out of place when I'm not going.

So I was looking at my blog statistics over on Google and last night I hit my 10,000th blog hit. I'm both thrilled and bummed by this achievement. I have visitors and even regulars from as far away as the Czech Republic and Greece, almost 500 visits from Germany...and yet the same 10 people comment. Granted they are 10 wonderful marvelous spectacultar peeps, but I'd really like for some of the others to come out of hiding. So in order to coax y'all out of hiding, I'm going to tempt you with prizes :)



I've got a bag full of all sorts of fun goodies, and I promise I will make it worth your time for responding. It is totally gender neutral, so don't shy away if your a guy. A winner will be chosen at random thanks to random.org

All you need to do is answer this question:

"My New Years Resolution is..."

What are you aspiring to accomplish, achieve or attain in 2009?

You have until January 6th 2009 at 5 p.m. Central time. Winner will be posted that evening. Good luck, and can't wait to see your posts!

Finally, a Family Pic

And it took amazing effort let me tell you. Turns out if I whack my head repeatedly with a sharp stick, Kaitlyn will laugh a good bit and occasionally look at the camera. This is nice, because I was running out of random ridiculous noises and phrases to say in order to get her to look my direction.

If you look closely, you can see my stick :) For those of you who don't know, hubby has a 10 year old daughter. She is the best big sister in the world, and we were so happy to have her for the holidays.

And hubby and I took a few shots while the kids were running around. I processed these a lil' different then usual, there was a nice patch of light shining through the balcony.





(To see the full version of this, please go to my photography blog: www.tyoungphotography.blogspot.com )





Here is a shot I did this morning on my new floor set-up. Still have no idea what I'm doing with the speedlite. If anyone has any advice, please feel free to dish :)




Well that's plenty of pictures for now. Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Studio Take 2

Check this out! I found 22 square feet of wood laminate for just 26 dollars! I will post a pic tomorrow using this new set-up. :)

My New Studio!

I am soooooo excited hubby actually let me do this. I was totally okay with settin' up shop in the garage. It was his idea actually to take the extra bedroom. These are just quick snaps...





That's my art on the wall. :)



Just the bare bones of it. I plan on sprucing it up in the future, I just fixed it up with stuff I had around the house. I plan on displaying a ton of photography and art on both the walls as well as the shelving unit. The light is pretty decent considering there is just the one window. But now that I have the speedlite it shouldn't be a problem.

Here is a super quick snap of the girly. She HATES getting her picture taken, it's a miracle I was able to get this.



This was taken with my Tamron 17-50 f2.8, ISO 200 SS 1/20 with my speedlite bounced off of a 24X30 piece of white framed canvas that I hadn't yet painted on. The room is actually deep enough for me to comfortably use my nifty fifty...once it gets back from the doctor.

I'm SUPER excited and I really hope that this summer I can do some paid sessions.

Trojans, Worms and Speedlites

How's that for a title. :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Christmas! Our computer is TOTALLY on the fritz. We ran a scan last night and removed over 90 Trojans and 2 worms. Still in the process of getting it functional.

Here's just a quick snap of my girly this morning. It was taken with my new toy, a Canon 580 Speedlite! I have much too learn but considering the fact this room was extremely dark I'm pretty stoked. It was perfect for all our holiday snapshots.



Looking forward to hearing about everyone's Christmas!

Frostbite

Well not officially, but I swear if it gets any colder I will soon be a victim. My feet have been in a state of numb for the last couple of days, no joke. I broke down last night and bought some super cozy, super cute sock monkey booties. Ashley, I know of your obsession with sock monkies...please don't mug me in a dark alley for buying these. :)

My New Face

I'm finally getting around to uploading my before, during and after shots of my face. I mentioned a few months ago that I had a Vitalize chemical peel done. It was done on the 16th of October. I was pretty happy with the results. That was until I started using the Obagi Nuderm products. I started the system on the 19th of November. So it's been exactly a month. I have to say, I couldn't be happier with how it's all turned out.







Here's the before. I am extremely embarassed to post a pic of me with no makeup, but to see the full effects it's important.


October 15th, the day before my peel:


Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is why you wear sunscreen.


3 days after the peel. I started peeling like crazy, and stopped taking pictures because it was so disgusting. You can see some of the sun damage lightened immediately after the peel:



Today, December 20th. NO makeup, NO touchups. All I did was sharpened the photo for web.
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Sun damage is practically non-existant. My fine lines that I was developing on my forehead have softened. My skin tone is even and my complexion is improved. I am SOOOOOOOO stoked! So if y'all are looking for something to freshen up your skin I totally recommend having a Vitalize Peel. But to get max effects, you need to pair it up with the Obagi NuDerm System. I promise it's worth every penny.

I felt compelled to come back and add a pic with makeup. There's just something grotesque about me and no eye make-up. ;)





Happy Weekend everyone!

Habits

So I'm feeling comfortable enough in my skin to admit to you today that I am not perfect. Pretty far from it actually.


There's a shocker.

If someone were to ask me, "What is your worst habit?", it would take me no time at all to fire back...

"I procrastinate".

I have to be one of the worst procrastinators I know. You take any task no matter it big or small, and I will find or have already found a way to delay it to the last second humanly possible. I always say that I perform better under pressure, which I believe has come to be the procrastinator's motto. A way of making a nasty habit sound efficient.

So your probably wondering what the heck this has to do with a stockpile of hair products right?

Well, if you were to ask my Hubby what my worst habit is, I'm sure he would triumphantly declare with a scoff and roll of the eye that I have an inability to utilize an entire bottle of Shampoo or Conditioner. It's always the same. I get about half way through a bottle and decide my hair has become immune to "Super Shine" or "Boldly Brunette" or whatever the flavor of the week is, and the bottle heads to the back of the bus. Or the back of the tub I suppose would be more accurate. I am aware this annoys the husband to no end, but it's me. What can I say, I like variety. I'm just not ready to make the leap and commit to a hair product.

So what would you say your worst habit is? And if your spouse was asked the same, how would they reply?

Mr. Postman...

came bearing gifts!

Here are the highly anticipated note cards from the talented Michaela! It's so nice to get something fun amidst all the bills and advertisements.





These were even more gorgeous in person. Thanks again Michaela!

And by the way, Girly made good use of the tissue paper, putting her origami skills to use.

My New Find

As if Coldstone itself weren't evil enough, they decide to package up their waist-expanding goodness into a convenient evil little package.



I picked up the Peanut Butter Confection, and in doing so passed up the infamous Strawberry Blonde. I now realize I should have just saved myself the time and energy and just grabbed both. Now I have to make another trip out into the freeeeezing cold.

Glimpse

You know that point when you look at your child and realize they are no longer that tiny fragile thing anymore? When their baby-like features are replaced by more grown-up ones, and you can look them in the eyes and get a glimpse of what their future may hold?

I had that today.



No matter how badly I want to sweep her up and protect her from all that is cruel and unjust in this world, I know I am powerless to the passing of time. There will come a day when she will talk back to me. She will shut me out of her room and exclude me from her life because her friends are way more important. She will have her heart broken by what is sure to be her one and only true love, only to have it be broken by the next one and only true love. And my heart will break too, right along with hers. Despite my best efforts to explain to her this pain will pass, and that it's not the end of the world and she will go on, she will continue to believe there is no pain like the pain she is feeling right then. Regardless of the countless times I tell her "You'll understand when you have kids of your own", she won't. Until she does have kids of her own.


Just as my Mom once did for me. And maybe one day she will look back on it all, and it will sting more than she can imagine, and want to take it all back. Just as I do today.








I love you Punky Butt. No matter how many times you break my heart, shut the door, or come home late.

Saturday Ramblings

So I was surfin' the web last night and came across a tutorial on how to get great Christmas tree photos! If you look on my blog list for "caught on film" you can see the tutorial and admire her much better version of it.

It involves an obnoxiously long exposure time, so unless you have an extremely steady hand I suggest a tripod. I set my app. to 22 and had about a 25 second long shutter speed. Look how twinkly the lights are!



Make sure everything in your picture is motionless or else you will get crazy motion blur. One of my dogs meandered across my scene twice before I decided to hold him captive for the time being. I think I may give this technique a try tonight with some of the neighborhood lights.


*****


I have been searching for some old school jammies, you know the ones with the feet attached...possibly even a butt flap? Well I came across these at Target.



How I wish I had a pair of these. If only a certain someone would go to the women's section behind fitness and across from maternity on the third rack on the right size medium and pick up a pair. Oh if only. And if your feeling froggy you can order me that snazzy 24-70mm we've been talking about.

See hubby, don't the jammies seem like less of a headache now?


*****


You know how the other day I did that little photo shoot with girly and the bowl of marshmallows? Well...in doing so I came up with what I would like to think is a fabulous idea. Most nights I like to have a mug of hot cocoa right before bed. It's Mother Nature's Ambien if you ask me. Well...I normally make up the hot cocoa, add a splash of vanilla (or vanilla vodka, depending on the day), a sprinkle of cinnamon and at least 9 thousand marshmallows.

So yesterday when I was strategically putting all of the giant strawberry marshmallows, it dawned on me...how SCRUMPTIOUS would it be to top my cocoa with some of these bad boys!?



I can't capture hot cocoa the way Amy can...but I had to share my discovery. It's a liquefied chocolate covered strawberry dream. Yum.


Have a great weekend everyone!

Parenting Tip #3

Start every morning with a nutritious breakfast.

Mercy

Anyone care to join me in a celebratory Woooooooooooooooooooohoo!!!

Not even 4 months ago it would cost us $42.00 to fill up our CHEAP vehicle. I won't even delve into how much we spent on the guzzle-mobile. Yesterday, I got a full tank of gas for just...

drumroll please....

$16.00

So now groceries should follow suit right? I mean if it's less to ship it, our food should cost less? Okay, now I'm just getting carried away.

How much is gas in your neck of the woods?

Say it Ain't Snow!

It's an exciting day here in Austin Texas! Last night around 11 it began SNOWING of all things. Keep in mind we had a record high of 81 no more than a week ago. It may have been a measly centimeter or so, but it was still snow!



My truck even wore the pitiful precipitation proudly.


In the academia world...I AM OFFICIALLY DONE with this semester!!! Now to ponder what I will do with myself the next 5 weeks. One thing is for sure, I will have to hide my bank cards and other monetary units. I've been known to cure boredom with retail therapy.



And in other news, I am the PROUD WINNER of a snazzy set of note cards by the ever so talented Michaela B! I'm a fan of her blog and photography, and have to say this is the first time I have ever won a contest so I am super stoked! Go check out her handy work here:

http://mysite.verizon.net/restehve/portraitsofnature/

And check this out, it's the picture announcing my big win :)



I made the front page!

Ahhhhhhh I feel like a celebrity. :)

Finally Some Alone Time

This is the first time in over 2 years that Hubby and I went and did something, just the two of us. We haven't had the opportunity since she started going to daycare to get out, because our schedules are just too ridiculous. We took a stroll around the downtown historic area and took some pics, followed up with some lunch.








I couldn't be serious to save my life...



Cropped...









This next shot inspired by the amazing Desiree Hayes. I hope to one day rock half as much as her. Go check her out! http://www.desireehayesphotography.com/blog/



This blog tends to cut edges off my pics, if your interested in seeing these the full version check out my photography blog :)

http://www.tyoungphotography.blogspot.com

Parenting Tip #2

Despite all effort, expect casualties.