Hello, hello!  I had an entire post written out before Christmas but never had a chance to post it.  Now it’s outdated~ lol!  Well, at least I made it back here before the end of the year so I’m happy about that.  I hope you’re having a wonderful time during the holidays!

Birthday Parties Galore

You wouldn’t believe how many birthday parties we attend!  I love it though~ being able to celebrate such happy occasions with our loved ones.  I wish I could take tons of photos but it often turns out that I have to chase Evan around instead!  Here are a few photos from recent parties…

Party Planning

This time of year is especially busy for us because of the holidays and preparing for Evan’s birthday party.  He’ll be TWO so very soon.  It makes me excited yet a bit sad to see that he’s growing up so fast.  This is the season that starts the trips to Michael’s, glue gun burns and endless crafts.

I want to say a special thank you to my amazing friends and family who have been helping me these past few weeks.  The top distinction goes to my husband who has been my seamster, master craft direction interpreter and the one who massages my cramped up hands.  Miny, Steve, Jean, Jane, Helen & Yuewen~ you’ve won my heart forever.  I can see how much you love Evan and that means the world to me.

Name & A Black Eye 

Me (to Evan):  What’s your name?

Evan:  Name!  

Evan hit his eye on a coffee table and got a black eye~ I hope it goes away before his party next week!

Santa!

We searched high and low to find a Santa willing to include our Bella.  The funny thing is that both Evan & Bella didn’t want to sit by Santa.  In the end, Evan made Bella sit in between him and Santa.  That’s what fursisters are for!

Here’s our holiday card!

Our Christmas isn’t complete without Teresa’s delicious cookies!  An incredible baker made these but she also happens to be a high powered attorney at a big firm.  Teresa is a woman of extraordinary skills!   

12 Months of iPhone Photos

I love taking photos with my iPhone and looking back at them~!  Here are some random iPhone photos~ one from each month in 2010. 

Good-bye 2010!

I can’t believe that 2010 is almost over.  The end of the year is always a perfect time for reflection.  I look back on all the triumphs and heartbreaks I’ve experienced this past year and I realize that the one thing that stands out in whatever situation I was in is the love of my family and friends.  I remember it all.  The kind words and the heartfelt gestures.  The hugs, the shared tears and laughter.  I don’t ever wish for fame or riches…all I wish for is what I have now.  Love.  That’s what happiness is to me.  My wish for you is that you find your happiness…no matter what form it comes in.   

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend ringing in the new year!  Thank you so much for your love and support during this past year.  You have all made my life so much better just by being in it.  Happy End of 2010~~ and here’s to a 2011 filled with Love! 

SHUTTERmoms!

Hi buddies~!  I’m trying to keep up my goal of blogging once a week.  Thanks to you and all your encouragement I’ve been on track.  This week I’m so excited to share with you a new photography workshop just for moms taught by the fabulous Tim Park.  I’ve been fortunate enough to help him in the planning process and I know this workshop will be awesome!  Here’s the basic info:

* What:  SHUTTERmoms, a photography workshop just for moms!

* Date:  Saturday, January 29, 2011 from 9:00am-12:30pm

* Location:  Garvey Center in Rosemead

* Fee:  $85 early bird and $105 after January 15, 2011

* Why: It’ll be such an invaluable opportunity to improve your photography skills and meet other moms. I really hope to see you there!

* Guess what?  Tim is offering a special discount for my friends.  Here’s the LINK to the website.  Just mention “skippee” when checking out and you’ll get an additional $10 off. 

Photography Improvements

I really encourage you to attend the SHUTTERmoms workshop because I’ve personally seen so much improvement in my photography skills after taking one of Tim’s workshops.  Not only is he a talented photographer but he is also a gifted teacher.  I’ve attended numerous photography workshops but most of the time things just flew over my head or I didn’t gain that much out of the experience.  After Tim’s workshop I felt like I learned so much and I use his tips every single day.  No wonder people from all across the U.S. fly in for his workshops!

Here are some photos of Evan that are SOOC (“straight out of the camera”) before I took Tim’s workshop. 

Tim mentioned that parents take a lot of the same portraits of their kids over and over again.  I realized that I often fell into that same trap~LOL!  Looking back I wish I had taken more detail shots, more shots of the background, etc. to know what the story behind the photo was.  Where were we?  What were we doing?  The mundane details of the everyday become blurred into our memories but those are the things I often want to remember. 

Here are some photos of Evan at a recent event~ the grand opening of Giggles N’ Hugs.  Can you see some improvement from my old photos?

In the back of my mind I always have Tim’s tips on being a storyteller and director in taking photographs.  I try to capture what’s going on in the background and memorialize the story of that day.

Tim also taught us to look for interesting compositions when taking photos.

Tim inspired me to look beyond just taking portraits and to capture beautiful moments and interactions between people. 

Portraits are great but I hope the next time you pick up your camera you’ll also try taking some background shots, details shots and candid moments to try to tell a story of your beautiful life! 

At any given moment I’m thinking about a dozen different things.  I can never keep up with the to dos, randomness and ideas that race through my mind!  Here’s a peek into the mumbo jumbo of my mind, hehe.  

Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  We had a lot of fun eating, eating & eating!  One of my favorite memories will be watching Evan ask everyone to juggle for him, hehe.  Our contribution to Thanksgiving dinner was a yummy seven layer fiesta dip!

30 for 30 – Miny’s Birthday!

One of my bestest buddies turned 30!  We celebrated at the Boiling Crab and ate a truckload of seafood.

My college buddies and I usually pitch in for a gift card but I wanted to make this year’s gift more special.  Gift cards are awesome but I love the thought that goes into handpicking special gifts for someone.  Miny is one of the nicest people I know so she deserves only the best.   

Some of the gifts included – cow slippers, Martha Stewart cards, vintage frames, an Anthropologie robe, lip gloss and assorted goodies from Korea/Japan.  My favorite items from the bunch were the ones I made, hehe.

Shuttermoms Workshop

Tim Park is one of my favorite photographers, mentors and teachers.  I was so inspired and learned so much from attending one of his workshops.  I pestered him for months asking if he could have a workshop just for moms…and now it’s becoming a reality!  Save the date buddies!!!  Saturday, 1/29/11.  The workshop will be held at the Garvey Center in Rosemead from 9:00am-12:30pm.  I’ll update you once the details are finalized!

Quick & Easy Greeting Card

Sometimes (a lot of the time) I’m scrambling around before a birthday party trying to get everything ready that I don’t have time to find and write a card.  Luckily I found an awesome solution!  I just cut out the letter of the birthday kiddo’s name and let Evan draw on it! This is a win-win-win situation – it’s so easy, it’s personalized and it keeps Evan preoccupied while I get ready!

Sue & Dave’s Birthdays!

My dear friend, Sue, just threw a surprise birthday party for her husband.  Sue & Dave’s birthdays are so close together that I considered it a celebration for both!  Sue & Dave are like the homecoming king & queen…they’re both fabulous and so nice!  It was really dark so I didn’t get that many photos (boo!) but here are just a few.

Memory Box Frame

Many of you asked about the memory box frame that Helen brought to my photo book party.  Helen and her hubby, Youkeun, were nice enough to work out a deal with their album company to offer these frames to the public.  The cost of the frame is $125 plus $25 for shipping.  If you live in Southern California you could pick it up to avoid the shipping fee.  I’m definitely getting one!  Let me know if you want to order one too. 

The Fall – November 17, 2010

Dear Evan,

Today you took a big fall.  You were standing on a chair, it fell back and you landed on your face.  I was sitting right next to you but in the instant that I turned my head the other way…you fell.  I just held you tightly and wiped the blood from your mouth while my heart was breaking.  Later as I put you in the crib for your nap you just lay there crying and whimpering quietly for me to make it better.  I couldn’t and my heart broke again.  As tears streamed down my face all I could do was stroke your hair and whisper it’ll get better, it’ll get better, it’ll get better.

You finally fell asleep but the next few hours were so hard for me.  I was afraid there was something really wrong and that you wouldn’t wake up.  Thinking that for even a second was unbearable.  You finally woke up and looked at me with those amazing eyes…and I couldn’t have been happier.  

The heartbreak and joy that comes with being a mom will always take my breath away.  I know that this isn’t the last time you’ll fall like that.  No matter what happens though…just know that it’ll get better.  There will be times I won’t be able to be by your side to stroke your hair and tell you that but just remember that you are always in my heart.

 Mommy

Ending on a Happy Note!