OMG - the last time I blogged was like 2 weeks ago?
School started - I'm taking Microbiology this semester - after taking Anatomy & Physiology I as a hybrid class (1/2 online; 1/2 onsite), Micro is a piece of red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.
My first test was today - good to get that over with...I think I did well - we'll find out on Monday. Promise to update that info when I get it.
Since the last time I blogged, Angelica had a birthday party. She turned 7 years old on 9/19. In the Philippines (where my parents are from), 7 years old is a big birthday - we had quite a few friends over; each of our friends has kids - we had 23 kids over for a Backyard Movie Night. We showed "Lion King 1 1/2" by Angel's choice. The night was great; even though at the end, we could see our breath. Some pictures I took that day...
While this isn't the best picture taken for many reasons (see below), I decided that from now on, I will always take a picture of my three kids on each of their birthdays. First of all, my camera is so tilted that my kids look like they could have had a V8 or that they're about to slide back and to the left. Lesson? remember to tilt your camera for a different viewpoint but don't over do it...next time. Also, I have a nearly unhealthy obsession with shooting in a wide aperture so that I don't need to use a flash - but I need to remember to turn that up sometimes so that I have more of my frame in focus. Poor Angel is out of focus in the back...Dylan too...at least Melody is in focus - too bad she looks like I'm gonna yell at her. Have I mentioned how hard it is to get all 3 kids to smile together and look at me at the same time?
I love this picture of Angel, even though I got this weird smile, because I got the greatest shot of her 7 year old dimple. I applied an action called "boost" from
CoffeeShop (click on their button on my blog - they've got great free actions for Photoshop CS4 and PSE).
This was the big magic moment - officially 7 years old with the blow of her candle.
More pictures from Angelica's birthday party later (when I get permission from friends to post their mugs on here).
September is a big birthday month for my family - besides Angel, there's my cousin Ron, my niece Samantha, my nephew Dennis and cousin Charli-Rei (both on the same day as Angelica), my grandmother, Adam's Grampy Ray, me and my Mother-in-law (got all that - mark your calendars). So on the 20th, we went to Aunt Nancy's house to celebrate Grampy Ray's birthday. Photos from that day:
I kept telling Angelica to fix the headband that she received as a birthday gift - but she insisted on wearing it this way - she looks like she's from Olivia Newton John's "Physical" video from the '80s. One day when she's older, she will hate me for taking this picture but not as much as she will hate me for taking this picture:
I think the peanut butter/cheddar cheese cracker crumbs make this photo. Someday I intend to use this photo for blackmail purposes..."do your homework, Angel or I blow up the headband picture and have it hung at the gym at school..." She'll probably put it up herself...
Anyway, Aunt Nancy's backyard has a hill that the kids really enjoyed.
The kids tried to wheelbarrow race down the hill - apparently Melody has no upper body strength because here she is with Angelica having the time of her life while her sister is just about to face plant in the grass.
When she finally got tired, I asked her to rest near me - and she laid on the grass and winked at me - I'm glad that I was there to shoot this moment. Melody is a character.
As soon as I can get permission, I'll post other pictures I've taken - and I promise to make more time to blog.
Posted by: |