Declan Pictures

It's not easy getting pictures of kids sometimes.   The biggest thing I always tell parents is full bellies (most of the time I offer to bring juice boxes and cheese sticks), a NAP, and I think the biggest thing parents aren't aware of is from the time they start walking until they're 5, a lot does depend on the parents with discipline and encouragement.  But if the kid isn't listening to you, how do you think they're going to do listening to me, the stranger?  I try squeakers, playing chase, talking to them, making goofy faces, but doing all that while trying to get a focused picture is not easy, and I'm still learning a lot.  I like when kids are at the bribe age (like pizza or ice cream after) cause they'll hurry up and give you great pictures to get it! lol I think parents think you should have a magic wand that makes kids happy, heck I wish I had the magic wand, but for some odd reason kids think photoshoots are the perfect time to have a meltdown.  


My kid is not the exception.  I always made a pact to myself that I will not bad mouth David lol so I will just say, he is not helpful, and thinks by me trying to get Declan to read a book in the grass and look up at me and smile, is controlling and not letting him have fun.  (I will not go there with what I REALLY want to add here but, let's just say I'm better off on my own taking pictures or having Resi help because Declan just loves her and she makes him smile BIG) Needless to say the pictures in the grass did not go well and I may try again after his nap.... but here are some shots that I took of him this morning. 

Man I love this kid

This is my favorite so far today

Mommy you're the silly goose.

Before you ask, it is not just cause he's part Mexican that he is so tan, we go to the park everyday, lift up the sleeve of his shirt and you'll see a little farmers tan! He's all white-boy (except at least he tans and doesn't just turn pink and burn lol)

Spring pictures!

This week I plan on doing a tutorial as well as giving a recipe for amazing turkey meatloaf that I created lol it's easy, cause as a mom I do not have time to cook gourmet everyday, but I like to let people think I do! (though I guess my secret will be out, darn)

Thanks for reading! 

Aftermath

After my "bad morning" I trudged through the rest of the day, I went to Resi's and got the phone that came with her plan before I gave her my old iphone, contacted my photoshoot client, and went off to the destination to take pictures.  And I'm glad I did!!

It was one of the BEST photoshoots I have ever had.  Pictures turned out really well, but above all I witnessed the proposal of a really really sweet couple.  We had tons of fun and I got awesome shots, over all it was a great experience.  

There were two family's at the park, it was a double photoshoot and they had the parents in waiting around hiding behind trees waiting for the proposal.  (all of those photos are candid except for the bottom one, it was the actual proposal).  There was also the sweetest little girl in her tutu and umbrella named Neveah (Heaven backwards) 

Overall a great photoshoot!

Now the aftermath of that was I was nauseous  and dizzy, perhaps from not eating much or from the Benadryl or a combination of the two... I went to bed that night scared to what I would wake up to in the morning.  To my surprise (and relief) I was dramatically better.  

Bad Morning

So "bad" morning to me seems like an understatement.   I've never been the "why me" type of person... never, not once.  I'm pretty much easy going, some call me the eternal optimist, and I pride myself on it. I'm not a big complainer, with close friends I may "vent" a bit (I have to consider you a close friend to vent to too because I dont like my business out there), but I never say words like "I hate my life" and I am ever in any way shape or form ungrateful for the things I have. I've survived a lot of terrible things ie: mom dying, grandma (i still miss her and it's been years and years), my grandpa collapsing in front of me (calling 911 giving him CPR and always stuck with the feeling if I would've done things differently, faster, better, would he still be alive), running and getting hit by a truck (a silverado to be exact, those things are not tiny and the cartoon-like imprint of a Stephanie size shape making up the dent on the hood, laughable now, but anything but that then, followed by having my first seizure, peeing my pants....)... so yeah there's been a bit of "hard times".  Some how I still remain have remained an optimist....


That being said I have had a "bad" morning.  So, again if you know me you know I'm allergic to all types of bug bites and have sensitive skin.  Most of my friends have never seen this side of me, David and I have been together for 3 years and he's never seen this side of me.... until today.  Yesterday what started off to me as "concern" (i say it that way cause I actually wanted to go to urgent care then, I know my body and had a feeling it should be dealt with), there was a little "bump" on my eye I felt but david couldn't see (this was all while we were out to eat at a restaurant).... then I felt my other eye and felt the same thing, in the same spot.  Then I randomly started feeling itchy in various places and we noticed more bumps, this time visible to David, by the time I got home I had them in random various places.  They didn't really raise red flags even though I still felt I should go in, I took an allergy pill, showered, went to bed hoping everything would be ok in the morning.


Was I ok this morning?  NO, I AM NOT!  But thank you very much for asking.  What IS going on is now my eyes are swollen, my minor "bumps" have swelled up, I have more swelling (is there there a better word I should be using to describe severe swelling?)  in all the infected areas. About 30% of my body is red and swollen!  We ruled out bed bugs, and it seems I'm having an allergic reactions to dust mites from the restaurant.  I feel icky, and itchy, as well as I look like a leopard!!


So if you're thinking I should take pictures and post... well that sort of thing I would use my phone for, but since I decided i should wash my bedding and didnt see my phone that was hiding in the sheets, it is now washed and not use able.  I normally would wait it out, see if it will start up after the nice "bath" it just took, but I cant cause I have a photoshoot.  I would just message the friend who got me the photoshoot and ask for their number and use David's phone to just verify when they're there and such, but when I went to her page I saw a friend post on their wall "I have your phone" which probably means I'm S.O.L. How's that that for a cherry on top?  Lol after writting all this my mood is slightly better, and since the time is now 11:55 I decided to keep my optimistic attitude and hope for a better afternoon and hope, this too shall pass.


I really hope anyone who took the time to read this had a better morning.


  

How to make hamburger cup cakes!!!

What you need:

* yellow cake mix

* brownie mix
(and of course the ingredience listed on the back of the boxes, milk, eggs, oil...)

* shredded coconut

* green, yellow, and red food coloring (unless you cheat like I did and used the  pre made frosting that is already colored, if you use that you need red and yellow frosting, but you still need green food coloring)

* Frosting (if you didn't use the premade ones I did, I suggest buttercream or cream cheese, so I didn't have to buy red or yellow food coloring or worry about not getting the color the color I wanted)

* small circular cookie cutter

* seasame seeds

* squirt bottle of water

* zip lock baggies (only needed if you didn't buy the pre-made frosting)


(This all can get pretty pricy about 25 + dollars give or take and about 2 hours but if you have fun and they're a hit then it doesn't cost that much to make more for the next time :) I encourage home made cakes, brownies, frosting, I just dont have the time to invest as a mommy of a needy little boy to do that lol)

Bake brownies according to the box, I suggest following the instructions for the 16" X 9" instructions.  Because you're going to need to use the cookie cutter to make the "burger patty" and you're going to want it to yeild as many as possible.

Bake the cupcakes according to the package ( I suggest leaving it in a couple min past the suggested baking time, to brown the top of the cupcake so they really look like buns... remember brown not burn, you also dont want them dry, so 1-2 min should do the trick, I usually have the oven light on to watch them)

let them cool off for 20 (ish) min.

While you're waiting for them to cool off get 1 1/2 cups of coconut and mix it with a few drops of green coloring, keep adding coloring until you get the color you want your "lettuce" to look like!  I loved the deeper green personally

If you decided to make your own frosting separate it into two zip lock baggies, mix in the food coloring until you get what color you desire for the red "ketchup" and yellow (either "mustard" or "cheese")

Now lets get to work!!

use the cookie cutter to make the "patties" try do do them as close together as possible so you can get as many as you can.  If you dont have a cookie cutter I think it's fine because I got the brownie peices that were left over and balled and smushed them into patties, to me they looked more authentic, but some people like the "pretty" and uniform aspect of things.  Just make sure you have something to measure so they're all approximately the same size and thickness of the patty.

cut your cup cakes in half (I placed them on a separate cookie sheet) I had the "patties" on one cookie sheet and the "buns" on the other. You dont have to do this it just made it easier to grab them

If you're using the zip lock baggies, a tiny piece of the corner of the red baggie line the bottom bun with red frosting

add the "patty" to the buns

then cut the bottome of the yellow baggy then add "mustard" or "cheese"

add your shredded "lettuce"

and place the top of the "bun" on the cupcake

now spray a mist (if you dont have a spray bottle get a bowl of water and lightly wipe water on the buns) then sprinkle the seasame seeds on top...

there you have it, hamburger cupcakes... nom nom nom :)

Sorry if I knew I was going to write it out I would've had more pictures then just the finished product.

New Years Resolution

So back at the begining of the year my Bestie and I exchange our resolutions.  (cliche I know but bear with me, it does have a point) Mine were to lose weight (another cliche), actually learn to read and write crochet patterns, get my website going for my business and advertise in the neighborhood paper in hopes of having a steady flow of business come in, and to keep up with a blog.  Well I have lost a little weight just by walking Declan (my son) to the park everyday and trying portion control, I really do need to step it up in that department, but something is better than nothing right?  I have also been having steady business in photography (by word of mouth, I have been having a good flow of shoots).  Learning to read and write crochet patterns seems easy, but I'm uninterested in taking the time at the moment to do so, crocheting is a lot of work and everytime I make something I swear I get a million people wanting it!  It is very very very flattering (seriously I take pride in my work and love when people love the outcome), dont get me wrong, but I dont think people realize the effort behind it, it takes tons of time, and a bit of money.  I have always very much appreciate the gester of handmade gifts (ask anyone close to me when they ask me what I want for christmas or my bday, I always say a personalized CD of music, because it's another passion of mine and I love to hear what people pick).  But on the other hand home made gifts like the diaper cakes I got at my baby shower, I received 3 and was SO thrilled people took the time to make me something.  I didnt realize how much time went into it all until I made my own.  And after I had no idea how much money went into it also (not that gifts or how much you appreciate them should be based on price)... I had always percieved handmade gifts as the "cheaper" but more thoughtful option of gift giving.  I'm here to tell you it's anything but that.  Let's take people who keep telling me I should open an etsy store (which I thought at one point I wanted to do) Lets say I charge 25 for an angry bird hat and 5 for shipping...  lets say it takes me about 8-10 hours to make, each color costs about 3 dollars and there is red, yellow, white, black, and red (but the beauty part is if I have the color or another person buys the same hat I can make a few hats off of it and not lose the cost of yarn. So I dont mind if friend of people I made something for want one too and want to pay cause I already have the supplies and it's profit)  So that's 15 dollars, so what I'm charging minus the yarn cost is 25-15= 10. Then lets say it takes me 10 hours to make, that's a dollar an hour!!!!  Granted I do it while watching re-runs of Grey's anatomy after Declan has been put to bed, so I'm technically getting paid to watch TV, but still.  I much rather have it as an offer with my newborn shoots and gifts for friends and family.  I am very crafty and like to make/do/try new things whether is recipies, sewing, photography, crocheting, and I dont want to put all my efforts into one thing.  I am a jack of all trades I guess, though sometimes I do wish I was a master of something. 


Which brings me to blogging.  I am a many passion kind of girl, I love music, I love crafts, I love photography, I love love love love love love love love being a mommy, and I really love that David supports everything I do, and sometimes encourages and believes in me more than I do, crocheting started out as his idea, I was thinking it was way to hard to learn.  But before there was all of this I tried to write a book and I've always loved writing and poetry.  I was that geeky kid with a little note book jotting things down to remember to add to my writing later, so a blog just seems to fit.  My mom wanted my major to be creative writing and drama cause I was good (not bragging, and if you know me you know I'm very self concious so it takes a lot for me to "praise" myself), and very passionate at both, but I always believed those types of things (no matter how good you are) you excell only if you know someone to get your foot in the door, or else people like *insert really bad actor who you know wouldn't ever even be considered if it was not who they know* would not be allowed to act. But, on the flip side I'm not the best at grammar, though I try to be a stickler about it, that is something for some reason, that never really came easy to me.  Unlike math and science which I excelled in and understood very well. English was probably my worst subject, though creative writing was a weird exception to that, and I love to read.  I always figured you cant have one without the other, maybe you can, or maybe I'm an exception.  


So with all that I am going to try (once again) to have a blog.  I hope you enjoy!