Separation Anxiety

Having to send my phat daddy camera and my favorite lens to be repaired. I couldn't figure out why my images were not sharp. I thought it was me!!!! What a head trip! I then started to examine my metadata and talked with my photo nerd buddies. I realized I shot the images properly. What a relief!! On the bright side, it wasn't me and gear is still under warranty!!! What a bummer that I now have to offer re-shoots on two sessions. I could use my Rebel, but I want my favorite lens which I am also sending in to err on the side of caution. Feeling lots of apprehension about sending my equipment in!!! It's like putting an entire paycheck or your baby in the mail. Yes, they are insured and I am Fed Ex-ing them. Nothing but the best for my phat daddy & lens. I will miss them terribly until their return!

Speed Scrap

Kiahna and I did the speed scrap at Scrap Matters last night. Man was I rusty. I couldn't find my mojo. I gave up at and found a template that I made fit the instructions. Still had fun though!

Credits: Britt-ish designs Happiest Season of All kit with Faith Trust & Pixie dust v.2, template (altered) and star dangles from Sahlin Studios

Haven't had a chance to...

post layouts lately. Click here to see who made the supplies. Oh how I have missed scrapping!!!!

What did you think of 2009?

Most of it sucked! There were some nice moments. We've done our best to enjoy this year's journey, but it still mostly sucked. We try to be the "cup is half full kind of people", but lately we've been the "cup is half empty kind of people". I know, I know, time for an attitude adjustment. Working on it. We have come across a lot of...well, problems this year and trying our best to solve them.



















Trying to be humorous here. Is it working?
For other funny demotivational posters go here. Gave us a good laugh and boy do we need it!

It's been a long time since I've posted anything to the bloggy until recently!! If you have noticed, I've really made an effort to post during my vacation. I have been MIA for several reasons:

The holiday season (Oct-Dec) has really kept me busy. I have had lots of photography sessions/card designing which have kept me super busy. I am so thankful that I have a growing client base especially with Damian not working, but with a full time job (that hasn't been a fun place to be) and a full time family, it has been very hard to keep up with anything, even my little ones.

We were also the victim of identity theft. Some evil, horrid person decided to charge plane tickets to my checking account using my Visa check card of over $1000.00. There were several charges to our account which I thought was Damian paying our bills. While going through junk mail, I found an online confirmation letter sent to me with my name and the alleged names of the travelers. I almost shredded it, but suddenly felt strongly impressed upon that I should open before shredding. The really crappy thing is that I missed the window of time to dispute it with the bank. Jeez, can't help the fact that my husband is out of work because of a medical condition (totally illegal) and that we had to travel to UCLA medical center for said medical condition or that my Granny died???? All while I am supposed to noticed we were stolen from?? Sometimes some things go unnoticed and does not negate the fact we were victims of a crime!!!!! So I have to make recovery attempts the hard way (which may or may not be futile). Possibly finding an attorney, I dunno??? The airlines is less than helpful and the only thing I could find out is that they were never used. So I have spent a big chunk of my vacation on making a police report, fact finding missions, calling my senator, trying to find out a consumer reporting agency to report to. I am taking off (most) January off from photography to spend some much needed time with my family, finish editing my last wedding, and to focus on my Creative Team duties (in other words to save my sanity) despite the fact we could use the extra income. So that, my friends, is my boohoo story and my excuses for neglecting the bloggy.

***P.S. Damian may have a job possibility. Please send prayers& happy thoughts;0).***

***Update 12/30/09 Homeowners insurance is for sure covering the identity theft-Yay!- Just gotta jump through all the hoops then wait for it.***

Christmas came, kicked my butt, and left the house a mess!

I knew it was going to be a rough Christmas when late Christmas Eve night, the house alarm was set off by Santa (Daddy). I seriously woke up screaming! Not a nice way to wake up!!! We told the kids we forgot to give Santa the alarm code. It's not an easy thing to fall back asleep after being scared awake. It took about 2 hours for me to fall back asleep on the sofa. Fortunately good movies were to be found on cable.

The kid who doesn't wake up early ever (Nick) was the first up at about 6 am. He does make exceptions for baseball or Christmas morning. I being on the sofa of course hear him coming out to look at the presents, count the presents, run back to wake Jared (the usual early riser), & hear the discussion on who has the most presents in the very best stage whisper voices. I nicely ask them to let me sleep a few more minutes and to carry out their discussion in their rooms. I took pity on them and let them come out eventually. I really just needed a few more minutes!

I loved seeing the smiles on their faces as their Christmas wishes came true!! The boy's have been doing this a while, so they were finished opening their presents lickety split. The little ones were so fun to watch! They took their time and were so excited over each and every gift. After every gift, Olivia said "This is what I always wanted!". Jack had the cutest expressions while opening his goodies!!!






























































I managed to muster the strength to get cinnamon rolls going, pile up the trash, and start the ever so tedious task of taking those flipping toys out of boxes. Word of advice, have on hand wire cutters!!! Makes life so much easier! Damian was good enough to cook a majority of Christmas dinner. I did take-over when it came time for stuffing and gravy. I am a gravy snob and am very particular about it! If everything tastes bad, drown it in gravy and all is better. Damian did a fantastic job on the dinner so good gravy was an added bonus!

Mom spent the morning with us and my Dad and my step-mom spent the late afternoon with us. It took 4 adults to assemble Olivia's stinkin' Disney princess stroller. She had been on us all day about it and we desperately needed grandpa's help. What a pain in the a@#!

I declared that if your last name was Wolff, you could stay in your jammies all day long!!! Too tired to look pretty! We didn't get all the Christmas trash out, left the house cluttered, and were all in bed terribly early. Christmas, a painful yet wonderful day! Still trying to recuperate today. I declared it another stay in your jammies all day kind of day.

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed day!

Heart Shaped Bokeh

Like how the Christmas lights are shaped like hearts? Want to learn to do this???? So easy, no Photoshopping required.

The Spirit of Christmas

Naughty or Nice?

Jack has a serious man crush on Santa. He kept saying "I see Santa". He was an absolute angel for Santa and became upset with me when I took him off of Santa's lap. As I was trying to pay for the disc, turkey butt kept trying to get back to Santa. It would have been really cute aside from the fact holding him back was like wrestling a greased pig.

Welcome Chloe

My BFF Kiahna had her baby last Friday. She so kindly allowed me to take Chloe's first pictures. I love them and was getting a bit emotional editing them. Wanted to share some of them here. I love me some chubby fat babies!

For the record...

Each year I have to document who got to put the star on the tree otherwise we have the mother of all arguments amongst the kids (O.K., mostly the boys. Olivia can hold her own now). Nick contended he did not get to do it last year. Hah! Here is proof he did:





















Credits: Simply Dated V4, Santa baby, Fabulously Negative template v3 all by WM [Squared] @ Scrap Matters

So this year, Olivia got to put the star on top of the tree. She was soooo excited that she farted on Daddy as he held her up there. Good thing I don't raise modest children with good manners. She thought it was hysterical and laughed her butt off (no pun intended).





















No lie, this picture captured at the exact moment of release.

Bokeh Baby!!!

Loving me some shallow depth of field!!

'Tis the Season...

for holiday choir and band performances!!!! Nick was lucky to be included in choir this semester. Those of you who know him know what a clown he is. Well, one day during practice in October, he got kicked out of choir indefinitely. The music teacher for our district approached me during my lunch break to inform me of his antics. Of course he prefaced the conversation with "Wow, your boys are like night and day!". Every time the choir teacher would turn around, Nick would bust a move and spaz out getting everyone around him wound up. Much like the below picture.














(Disclaimer-I did not ask him to pose like this)
Nick did this several times before getting caught. After three weeks on the sidelines and an extremely long apology letter he was commissioned to write by me, he was allowed to rejoin the choir. My wild child did a great job and we are proud of him for pulling it together otherwise he would have been grounded until 30. The theme of his performance was racial tolerance and multicultural appreciation symbolized through red and green candy canes personified. Get where I am going? Lame show, great singing by my kid! Wouldn't have missed it!





















Jared's band performance was AMAZING! We have the best band teacher! Mr. Barr is part of the reason my kids still go to school in my district rather than the neighborhood school. Jared plays five instruments (alto sax, bass drum, snare drum, steel drum, and xylophone). He sounds like he has been playing for years. He attends zero period every morning for drum line and steel drum band practice as well as another band period during the day. The steel drum band was showcased as well at the concert. Truly impressive, and I'm not just saying this because I am his mom.





























































They are for hire if anyone is looking for a fantastic steel drum band. Thanks to my dad for bringing his camera. My phat daddy camera already has to be sent in. I thought I had lost my mojo and my ability to nail sharp photos. This went on for months, then I used my friends camera and I realized it wasn't me (Hallelujah!). I would have been bumming if I didn't get pics of Jared playing.

Because I am bored!

WTH! I'd like to think I look more like Eva Mendes. I tried to use another picture and Mike Meyers and Rosanne Barr came up. Yeah right!

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Random Stuff

The neighbors got a kitten. I am not a cat person, but this kitty is super cute. She likes us better. I personally think she is too tiny to be roaming the streets. She likes to sleep on our porch. The kids think she is ours. I am not feeding her and she better not poop in our yard. Friendliest kitty I've ever met. Daddy wanted to play with the camera today. He is learning about focus dots.
















Yes, I realize I have neglected my blog and some of you have filed informal complaints. I'll post some Halloween stuff and scrapbook pages and call it good for October. I have been busy shooting (pictures that is) kiddos and families.

Watched the new Star Trek movie last night. Pretty good! I thought the actors in the original series were kind of goofy, but the actors in the new movie, totally hot!!!! Yes, even Spock (I mean Sylar)!














I got a new haircut Friday night (see photo). I think I like it. In my opinion, I look younger. Decided bangs were cheaper than Botox. For now, I am growing it out until I hate it. I have a vision of long lush curls.
















Nick took this picture of Livi and I today. He's not bad. Both the big boys have really taken an interest in taking pictures.

Sooo, I have been approached by some of my friends (and my husband) to help them learn to shoot with their DSLR's. I have decided to teach a beginners class so long as I have enough people interested. I want to keep it to a small group (5-8 people). If you are interested, leave me a comment or email me and I'll start a list. Also note what month would work best for you (Dec., Jan., or Feb.). The cost of the class will be $100.00. That's $25.00 a lesson, not bad, huh? You can make a deposit to hold your spot. You can make payments so long as you are paid in full by the first day of class. I am thinking we could meet at my house and on location over a four week period of time. Wouldn't this make the perfect Christmas gift? I could be persuaded to have it sooner rather than later. So, stalk me if you are interested. C-ya!

Passionate Twilight Moms

That's what Sarah calls us!! I don't know what is worse, screaming teeny boppers or screaming mommies? Sarah, her sister Emily, their niece Adrienne, Kiahna and I bought our tickets for the midnight showing of New Moon the day tickets went up for sell. We met up with other Twilight mommies we knew and secured most of the back row of the theater. We looked forward to this day for months!!!! We had so much fun! We decided to catch the showing of Twilight before the showing of New Moon. So glad we did! We avoided sitting for hours outside on the ground and getting too cold.
















Longest 18 seconds in my life!





















So now, for my thoughts on this movie. I will do my best to not give too much away for those of you that have not seen it. The movie rocked!!!! Remember my not so glowing review of Twilight (click here)? New Moon delivered just as I had hoped and prayed for!! No corny lines like "Hang on spider monkey", cheesy background music, or lame field trips. Bella sometimes did go a bit crossed-eyed when gazing at Edward, but I can get over that! Oh and Edward was HAWT! For the record, I am on Team Edward (see shirt above). Lusting after Jacob makes me feel a bit like a cougar. In my mind, he will always be Shark Boy.













Dakota Fanning was just the cutest Jane evah!! Yeah, I know she is evil and all, but she was just adorable! Special effects were off the hook. Most of Twilight's special effects SUCKED especially in comparison! The wolves!!! OMG! So cool! The Volturi scenes, just as I pictured it! The ending very cool! The director Chris Weitz has made us Twi-hards blissfully happy! New Moon...two thumbs up!!!

I took the day off of work to sleep in. I couldn't imagine being with my kindergartners on little sleep. I would have been crabby!

So there are less than 220 days until the release of Eclipse. The mommies are already planning the festivities for the midnight showing. Woot!