A Ballerina Party Fit For a Princess

 Last week I went and photographed a little girl's ballerina birthday party? Well let me just say it was so cute! This birthday mom knew exactly what she was doing that's for sure.



I arrive. Nervous of coarse. This part is off the topic of me arriving but it is necessary for the story... I have this really cute camera strap courtesy of August Blossoms. Anyways the birthday mom compliments it, I reply "thanks I got it on Etsy" me being awkward then followed that up with "have you heard of that before?" like who doesn't know what Etsy is. So she says yes and we move on.

This is my strap in case you were dying from the curiosity

When I say this party was adorable I mean perfect. Everything I was hoping for when I was asked to do this. It was everything a little girl could hope for. She even had the ballet instructor come and do a ballet class for all the girls at the party.



  I started complimenting her decor, asking her if she made some of the stuff. She says "yeah I actually have a shop on etsy..." ummm cool! Stupid me me asking this lady is she had ever heard of it, and she has a shop on there. If you ever want any poms for a party she does a great job, Go check out her shop DecoPOMS and tell her Amanda from Lillys & Lollipops sent you!



I finished the party, and I became more nervous than I was to photograph the party.  I emailed her a couple days ago just updating her, letting her know I was done editing and I should have to pictures to her very soon. She asked if she could have a little preview. I was nervous but I sent 5 pictures. She emailed me back "I'm not even kidding when I say I'm in tears, the pictures are beautiful."



 This email made my week! I made some one cry and I'm happy about. This just reassured me I want to continue on with photography. This is why I am doing this. I'm creating memories for people. I spent 5 years working in a salon making people feel pretty, and that was a great feeling, but not like this, this is different because I created a keepsake, I preserved memories that will last forever. It's a great feeling and I can't wait to create more memories!



Wordless wednesday: Tutu cute

Over the weekend I went and took some pictures for a ballerina themed birthday party. It was one of the best looking and well put together kids parties I have ever seen. There were tutus, princess crowns, and ballet dancing happening all under the same roof. So much cuteness!

I Take Grey's Very Seriously, and a chance to win $400.00

WARNING: This post contains major Grey's Anatomy spoilers...

Any other Grey's Anatomy fans out there? How disappointed are you with the season finale? I knew there was going to be a death, but I am so not happy about it being Lexi! I was wanting Lexi and Mark to end up together, I loved that whole story in the show.

Not only did they show the death within the first 20 minutes of the show, as if that wasn't enough, they leave you hanging big time with Mark barely clinging to life, and Arizona not doing well either. I wish that they would have at least been found and taken back to the hospital. I would have felt better about the ending.

Obviously I take my Greys very seriously... I know I need to get a life. Don't be jealous over my exciting life of tv watching, and blog ranting. As I'm writing this I'm in shock/ a little embarrassed/ making fun of myself about how this last show of the season totally ruined my night, and that I'm still thinking about it the next day. Can someone please remind me this is just a show, and I don't know these people personally?

Did you watch the finale, What did you think?

 Also head over and check out the Blogaholic Social Network for your chance to win $400.00 paypal cash!


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You call it impatient, I'll call it drive



 Something was going through my head, something motivating, something that lead me to type these words " Hi ladies, I'm am portfolio building, would anyone be interested in getting some pictures done. Family, kids, maternity, newborn... Email me!" and then Something went through my head that forced me to post that on the mommy and me playgroup Facebook page... What am I doing! Surely No one is going to lend me their children and let me take pictures of them, but at least I tried. That's what I told myself. At least I can say I tried. 5 emails later I have sessions booked for the next 4 Saturdays! Oh no, here come my nerves and me talking myself out of it. Making myself feel guilty for wanting to do something besides being a stay at home mom. I love staying at home with my daughter, and I feel blessed we have the opportunity to live that way. I just want something for myself. That's not a bad thing, or selfish thing right? Like its such a big deal I will be gone for a couple hours on a Saturday when my husband is home and completely available to watch the kiddo. My husband who is also so encouraging while I take the plunge and stop talking and start doing.

 I have been taking pictures as a hobby for 2 years. I always shove those thoughts I have of one doing it professionally aside, But those thoughts always come back. Which makes me believe it's for a reason. So why not at least try, just to say I did. I offered to do some free sessions for some of the moms in my playgroup because I need more experience. All my mommy guinea pigs are all aware that I am not a professional and that I am just starting out.

 I need more proof to myself that despite my awkward shyness, I can do great things. That's right awkward shyness, it's so bad yet I keep pushing myself to get over it. I'm terrified that I will go out there to take these pictures and make a complete fool of myself. I don't know any of these people. I have only been to one meet up with the play group.. I'm the worst playdater. The plan was to wait until we moved back to Florida in a few months, I know tons of people in Florida that would gladly hand over their kids to me, and who I wouldn't feel so nervous around. But I'm sick of talking about it. It's how I am, I can't stand talking about something over and over and not ever doing it. You could call it being impatient...I'll call it drive.

 I think this will be good for me. This is real on the job training, except no one is there to train me. This Saturday is my first session, some one asked if I could come out and photograph her daughters 4th birthday party. I absolutely couldn't resist because it's a ballerina party! I really think this is a good icebreaker... Wish me luck!

I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...

I'm a Dreamer

I'm a dreamer, I always have been.I have big dreams for my family, my blog, my photography, my singing career... Ok so I'm never going to have a career in the music industry, or performing of any kind, for a couple reasons...number one I can't sing,or play an instrument. Even though I did teach myself Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on my husband guitar, which seems promising if you ask me. Anyways, the other reason would be because I'm way to shy, and way to critical over myself. I would never be able to see myself on TV, or hear myself on the radio. I can't even bear to hear myself on video, or on voicemail. It's one of my biggest flaws,being hard on myself.

One thing I strive for as parent is to instill in my daughter to always be yourself, and love yourself. I want her to know who she is, and be proud, and to not care so much. Be a leader. Be an individual. Honestly I think even the most confident people in world have insecurities. They are just better at masking them. I envy people like that.

Growing up I have always some what tried to be like other people, dress a certain way because I was trying to fit in. Probably definitely got myself in to trouble because I was tying to fit in. I have always just wanted to be liked. As I get older those needs to be liked and to fit in, start to fade away, but my insecurities are still there. Except Now I can look back and say to myself "none of that was a big deal." I wish I knew then what my life would be like now. I think it would have made me care less. Maybe be more of an individual, more of the artist that lives in me today...because I am an artist. I create, whether it being through hair, pictures, writing, or even a craft, I am and artist.

Once you have kids you live life through their eyes. You suddenly appreciate e

very second of everyday. I find myself being taken back by beauty in things like trees. When I was younger I didn't give a crap about trees, and not that I am some sort of tree enthusiast, but simple details in your daily life become more beautiful. You love like you have never loved, and you are loved more then you have ever been loved.

Life is what you make of it... and I am a dreamer.

Recipe: Picadillo

 Picadillo is one of my favorite meals. Not only is it delicious comfort food, but my husband loves it, and always raves over it, which makes me feel good, and my daughter likes it to. It has been awhile since I have made this, we use to eat it probably once a week. It's great because there is always left overs, which you could use to makes some empanadas, I usually just pick up the pastry disk my Goya in the frozen food section, and follow instructions on there. I would love this baked empanada recipe one of these days.

What you will need:

1.5 lbs. lean ground beef

1- 15.ounce can of diced tomatoes

1- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce

1/2 of a white onion

1 small green pepper

1 Beef Bouillon cube

1 tbsp. of brown sugar

1/4 cup of  white vinegar

1.5 tsp. of capers

about 15-20 green pimento olives 

1 tbsp of garlic powder

olive oil

Directions:

Finely chop onion and green pepper, add to a pot with a drizzle of olive oil, and cook over medium heat, until onions become translucent. Next add the can of diced tomatoes, and let cook for about 3-5 minutes.



Add your meat, garlic powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Continuously stirring until the meat starts to break up into small bits. Let that cook for a few minutes until mostly browned. Reduce heat to medium/low

The remaining ingredients need to be added slowly one by one, letting each flavor have time to sink in.

For me this process takes about 25- 30 minutes. They can be put in any order you wish but this is the order I usually do... and it's just because this is how I do it, no particular reason. I usually add one, stir, let it cook for about 5-6 minutes, then add the next.. and repeat..

Olives ( I like to chop my olives up so I don't see them in there, they are a MUST HAVE in this dish, but I don't care for olives by themselves. So I hide them)

Brown sugar

Vinegar

Bouillon

Tomato sauce

capers

After all the ingredients have been used, I let it simmer for about 10-15 min.

I serve it over white rice.

ENJOY!!

Outdoorsy Girl

  I have been a little absent lately, and I'm sorry I have a very demanding child and I'm having to get use to her ALWAYS wanting to go outside and "pyay" I think she could live outside. I usually take her out to play for about an hour or two before nap time. Then sometimes after that we will go out back and play with her new little water table I just got her, which she loves. She is really into playing with water. I could give her a plastic bowl full of water and a spoon and she is a happy camper. So the water table was the best $30 I have spent!

I thought her how to water flowers, so she is really into watering things, whether it's weeds, or a fake plant inside the house, they all get watered.. I  really love how she grabs the flower weed, and dumps water directly on top of it :)

I hate to admit it, but I have that kid who goes into neighbors yards and pulls their newly planted flowers out of the ground...

 



 Tuesday I think I even went above and beyond, after Ava's gymnastics class, I took her to the park. I thought I had really worn her out good, which is my main goal in life these days "Make Ava tired, run her ragged." just kidding about the running her ragged part, that seems a little harsh. Anyways little to my surprise she was even harder to get down for a nap then normal. I think she knows my plan, and what I'm trying to do, so she fought it... HARD!  It's funny though because today we barely did anything, hung around the house, then went swimming for 30 minutes, and BAM! she's out just like that.



 I have to admit though,there are some day when I don't want to go outside! It's hot dangit! Kids don't care if it's hot, cold, raining, they just want to play. Does that make me a bad mom? I'm sorry that I don't have all these cool kid crafts to do. I pin them on pinterest all the time and never do them. She does enjoy finger painting though... I just try to save that for rainy days. I tried to get her cutie little hand prints, and they looked like gigantic blobs of smeared paint. Am I the only mom that can't make A hand print fish and octopus? She doesn't really get it, because in her mind why just stay on the paper when I could be painting the walls in the garage?

 

(via)

There she is, a little Picasso. Sorry for the dumb cell phone picture. Painting is very high pressure situation with my kid, you never know when she is going to get up and dump paint everywhere. I was unprepared. Oh and don't mind my beautiful garage.