Ramzy's First Prom

 I know this isn't something I'll do a lot of in my life (maybe from the lack of daughters in my life) but I love it when my nieces ask me to come and take pictures of them getting ready for their dances.  Ramzy just turned 16 and went to her first prom last week.  I had so  much fun shooting the whole process from make-up to shoes.  Here are a few that we shot.  It helps that she is so cute!

 I just love her expression in this one!

 a little edgy filter, but I like it!

 Oooohhh, attitude!  It suites her!

 So pretty!

 She's gonna love this one when she's 40!!

 I just love this one, too!  So cute!!!

 details....

 details....

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Thanks Ramz for letting me follow you around!  You are so beautiful and fun!

Eliza's 18!

My sweet little niece is 18 and I guess not little anymore!  She is just beautiful and is so sweet!  We went out after her birthday dinner and shot a few of her and I wanted to post.  I remember her from the day she was born and I have just loved her since!  Congratulations Eliza.  You have a lot of life ahead of you and some wonderful things to look forward!  I love you!  Hus

Testing for Green on St. Patty's Day

Gabe and Jake were so excited when they realized that Green belt testing day was on St. Patrick's Day!  Now there's luck! 

They both did so well and looked very prepared and ready for this testing.  I am so proud of them.  Both Grandma and Grandpa Sparks and Nonna came to watch.  Way to go, guys!!

Here's Jake waiting for them to call him to demonstrate Orange belt form

Answering with confidence!

 Gabe doing his form

 Jake doing his form

 Jake sparring

 The only time Gabe can beat up on a girl!!!

Cousins and Friends

I'm not sure when this happened exactly, but these four have become the best of friends and lately have been spending their weekends together.  Last night Jack and Andy came over to play in the snow with Gabe and Jake.  After a few hours they got cold and wet and came in and had hot chocolate and something to eat, Played video games for a bit and went back out again.  Then today Gabe and Jake went to their house and spent all afternoon there.  It makes me so happy that they like being together.  I never had the chance to grow up around my cousins and it makes me sad when I hear Todd talk about all the things he did with his cousins since they were mostly nearby when they were young.

I had to document these late night Fridays spending their evenings together!!  I love these guys!!!

My Mother-of-the-Year Nomination's in the bag!!

I got woken up to Gabe begging me to stay home today.  His argument?  Snow.  Six beautiful inches of it in our backyard!  At first I furrowed my brow and just said, "whatever".  but he begged even harder saying that if we waited until after school, it would probably be melted.  I got that!  Every bit of snow that we've received this winter, which really isn't much, has been gone by the latter part of the day for the most part.    Part of the deal (Gabe's idea) was that they would do some major cleaning.  Without too much more pleading, I caved!  I think the idea of clean bedrooms for the weekend sweetened the deal for me.  I can't lie!!!

I posted my deed on Facebook and as more and more people commented, I realized that these are the things remembered!  The exception.  The one thing that never happens.  It's these types of moments that are the memories that our children remember best!

I went to a funeral this week that made me realize that these are the times that will be the happy memories of my children.  Todd's uncle Denny died after battling Parkinson's disease for 35 years!  Each of his children had wonderful moments, simple moments, that were the thing that they spoke of fondly as they remembered their father.  Most of the children only knew their dad with this debilitating disease.  But even so, he somehow remained the fun-loving father that all of us want to be.  It was a lesson to me.

Now if I could have only been the fun mother that was out there in it.....well, who said I was perfect?  Poco a poco!!

This Made My Day!

My beautiful niece Eliza was asked to Winter Waltz and I said I'd take some shots of her before her date picked her up.  She looked a little Flapper-ish.  She wanted me to take some of her lashes so here is one that we did.

 The other girls she was going with wanted to get some of her lashes, as well.  I liked this one with the filters looking a little edgy.

 So pretty!

 I really like the black and white

 Another at this angle

I just love to have a reason to play around with lights and filters and be creative.  This is just what I needed this weekend.

Day 2

Orange Belts

My Boys tested last Saturday for their Orange Belts in Tae Kwon Do.  I am so proud of them for their efforts and they are doing so well!  I think Master Kim is happy with their progress, too.  I didn't really push it for today's pictures, but at least I have an entry, right?  But these are my favorite subjects to shoot!

My Peace Project

Today is January 10 and I am still trying to figure out my personal plan for 2012.  I guess resolution planning should be thought about BEFORE the new year in order to execute well.  But I guess I get too caught up in the whole January 1st thing instead of really planning out some good, attainable goals.  If I really cared to improve myself, it shouldn't matter when I plan to execute, but more that I execute.  I guess that's why it seems that so many people fail within the first few weeks of the new year.  They are more caught up in the "when" instead of the "why".  But I don't like when people say that they don't believe in New Years Resolutions and that their reasoning is that they are blown within the first two weeks of the year.  Ok.  So don't start on January 1, then, start on March19, or June 7 or whenever, it doesn't really matter!

I have been reading a book called "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin that I am really enjoying.  It's a sort-of self-help, non-fiction book, but I am really liking her delivery and how she has broken down her goals.  She has also set some commandments to live by that I really like that are really things I think would help me personally.  They are mainly things that would help her live more peacefully and also make it easier to attain her goals.  Some of them are:

Do what ought to be done
Do it now
Lighten Up
Identify the problem
Act the way I want to feel
Let it go
Be polite and be fair
Enjoy the process

Then she made another list which are her "Secrets of Adulthood".  Which are funny-but-true discoveries that she actually wrote down that help her just be happier:

People don't notice your mistakes as much as you think
It's okay to ask for help
It's important to be nice to everyone
Bring a sweater
By doing a little bit each day, you can get a lot accomplished

are just a few.  I really like the premise of this and she executes her goals in 12 month bites.  I like the idea of this approach in order to really master the goal.  Making a list of 10 or 12 things that I want to accomplish gets a bit overwhelming if you're looking at making all the changes all at once.  But taking one thing at a time not only seems more attainable, but it seems that the focus can be more intense on that particular thing.

Anyway, I am starting my own "project"not because I don't feel happiness, but because I want to feel more peace.  Maybe I should call it my "Peace Project"!  I'll report as I get things laid out. But I'm sure there will be some serious organization in the works!  What do you think?  How do you execute your resolutions or goals?  I'm open to anything!