My "baby" is 19 today!

Gulp. 19 years old. Can you remember being 19? It doesn't seem like that long ago. I can remember being pregnant with Jenny and daydreaming about PTA meetings, driving her to school, and worrying about her being a teenager all the while having no clue what parenting was really going to be like. But the moment I held her, I was smitten and everything just fell into place. I was meant to be her mom.

Jenny has turned into the most amazing young person I know, and I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter. She stands up for what she believes in and I have to tell you that in this society, that is a very brave thing. She is smart, caring, and kind. She loves generously and has a playful soul. I'm so happy she came home from college this weekend so we could celebrate her birthday with the whole family. Saturday morning we went over to the high school for an arts and crafts show because Santa was going to be there taking photos. Anna and Dominic both got to talk with Santa and get a photo tho' I couldn't talk Jenny into sitting on Santa's lap too. ;)

I did get a nice photo of Jenny and Chris together! Aren't they cute?



And one of Jenny alone.



After we got back from that, we were waiting on Curtis to finish a conference call so Jenny could open her presents. So I had the little ones start on some homework and Jenny joined in too. They look soooo bored!



Finally it was time for presents! The whole family chipped in together to get Jenny one big gift with some accessories... a new Nook!



She was so surprised, she had NO idea what she was getting. This girl loves to read more than anyone I've ever met in my entire life. She always has a stack of books and magazines with her. Needless to say, she loved the gift! :)

Here she is checking it out. Nana gave her a generous gift certificate for some ebooks.



My mom usually makes all of our family's birthday cakes from scratch. This was a four-layer (!) white cake with homemake vanilla almond frosting. Yum!!!



Jenny making a wish before blowing out her candles. I wonder what she wished for?



Then it was off to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco! My camera battery died part way through the trip, but Curtis brought the D40 along so I took a few photos with that as well as my D300.

The giraffe enclosure at the zoo affords a wonderful view with no fences or glass in the way. Curtis broke off a leafy branch and was holding it out to this giraffe so I snapped this photo of him looking at us. Doesn't he look like a bat or a little kid? I love his expression!



The little orangutan walking in the sunshine.



This old orangutan was eating grass near the fence. I was captivated by his hand grabbing onto the fence. Look at his fingernails! So human-like.



The lion was majestic!



This lioness heard a helicopter overhead and looked up to find it.



There was only a thin sheet of plexiglass separating this lion from us! Wow! What a view!!!



Chris and Dominic sitting on the park bench at the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. I have a better shot of them techncially where there's no head and hand chop but I love their expressions in this one and I'm a sucker for close-ups.



There was an area in the zoo with bells and chimes and one section had them built into the ground. Each of my children took a turn dancing on the bells and this shot is of Jenny's big finish!



One of my favorite shots from the zoo. Look how Dominic has his hand protectively wrapped around Anna's arm. Awww!



So I want to say Happy 19th Birthday to my sweet Jenny!!! I love you sweetheart. Here are 19 things I love about you right now:

1. You smile a lot.
2. You have the best laugh I've ever heard.
3. You love your family.
4. You don't cave to peer pressure.
5. You are brave.
6. You get excited by little things.
7. You always smell good.
8. You work hard and study hard.
9. You don't talk badly about people.
10. You adore your siblings.
11. You adore your boyfriend.
12. You appreciate gifts.
13. You are a first adopter of technology.
14. You have an amazing music library.
15. You are empathetic.
16. You are really, really pretty (I know that's superficial but I'm your mom so I can say it).
17. You are a voracious reader and always have a book to recommend.
18. You talk to me about everything.
19. You are my best friend.

Happy Birthday, Angel!

i heart faces ~ self-portrait

This week's photo challenge at i heart faces is a self-portrait! I actually had this same challenge at 9th & Bloom last month so I will use the photo I submitted for them. :) Makes it easy, right?

For this self-portrait I wanted to get creative. So I first shot myself holding a frame, then another shot smiling. Then I composited the two photos, converted the portrait to black and white, then added some dramatic lighting effects.

Image is clickable to see it larger.



Thanks for looking! And go check out all of the other fabulous entries at i heart faces this week!

Lots of new goodies and challenges at 9th & Bloom!

Hello friends! I'm having so much fun being on the Art Crew at 9th & Bloom. I have a couple of new kits to promote and I also want to tell you about the fabulous challenges the forum offers. First up, a beautiful winter kit by guest designer, Bluebell Designs. Winter Breath has a simple color palette with lots of natural elements. It was so easy to scrap with this kit!

Winter Breath

My Layout

9th & Bloom offers monthly challenges in which you can earn points that can be redeemed for gift certificates in the shop! To get all of the details, visit the Challenge Nitty-Gritty thread in our forum. Challenges include Template Fusion, Vintage Corner, Trendsetter, Inspired Impressions, and Shutterbug. These can really spark your creativity and I highly encourage you to come check them out!

One of my all-time favorite designers is MK Designs. I use her kits in a lot of my siggies and cards. She has a new release this week called Pieces of Christmas. This kit is filled with gorgeous hand-painted, whimsical elements. I chose to scrap this kit for this month's Trendsetter challenge in which we were to tell something we really love about Christmas, make the layout look modern, and not use a photo.

Pieces of Christmas

My Layout

I also made this layout with By Becca's Magic Moments for this month's Template Fusion challenge. The template was fun and really easy to use.

Magic Moments

My Layout

Thanks for looking!

Thoughtful Thursday: Celebrating Stasis

It has been a long time since I've written a Thoughtful Thursday post and quite a while since I've blogged about Anna. The thing is... she's doing well right now. I say that with a whisper in my voice and hesitation in my heart because with her, things change rapidly and dramatically. It's easy to blog when things are rough but finding that appreciation for stasis and celebrating it should be just as important.

The school year started off really badly. Six weeks of misery for her and the staff at school. Countless specialist appointments, endless meetings, daily reports. Changing her placement from inclusion to life skills has made an immense difference. She is participating in class, she has befriended Caroline (Anna reads her stories and gets to push her wheelchair to the bus at the end of the day), she has not been back to Room 300 (the in-school suspension room), and she is happy to be at school. Her body has finally recovered from its premature thrust into puberty last year; changing from Risperdal to Abilify is what turned that around. She hasn't had a seizure in 17 months, a new record. She is on a good cocktail of meds now too. For the first time in ages, she is stable. Stable. Most parents have no idea what a blessing this is. It's easy to take for granted having a happy kid, one who is generally healthy and well-behaved. It's agony to watch your child endure psychiatric issues, health concerns, academic problems, and social missteps. Feeling helpless is the worst feeling... as a mom, your instinct is to do anything and everything to have your child be happy.

stasis |ˈstāsis|
noun formal or technical
a period or state of inactivity or equilibrium.

We're into at least a month of Anna achieving a sort of statis... emotionally, psychologically, medically. Dare I say, there have been moments of feeling normal, even typical, in our family of late. Stability is the core of helping Anna navigate the world. When things are predictable and when she feels safe, she starts to blossom. So even though it seems like Groundhog Day here most of the time, it works. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. So, I want to challenge each of you to think about your life right now. If you are in a zone of stasis, become aware of it. Put some of the memories of this time in a bubble... write about it, take photos, record it in some way. Because the thing about stasis is that is doesn't last. Things change in a heartbeat, regardless if you have a child with special needs or not.

My nephew's father passed away last weekend. He was 39 and suffered a stroke. Curtis went to Ohio this week to be with his sister and our nephew and it's been a profound experience. Our nephew is only 12. Can you imagine having to tell your child that their father has died? Curtis has been helping the family... they've been at his house (SIL is divorced from him) gathering mementos for our nephew and cleaning things out. I got this text from Curtis yesterday morning:

"We are cleaning out his house right now and it is so striking. A life unfinished. Everywhere I look is something half done. It makes me a little ashamed for my procrastination and what people would say of me if I were suddenly gone. Umph, so heavy."

So if you have stasis in your life at the moment, celebrate it. Celebrate the routine, the mundane, the boring. Make today a thoughtful day in your life.

i heart faces ~ scenic b/w

This week's photo challenge at i heart faces is scenic black and white. From the i heart faces website:

"We have had several B&W themes in the past, but this one will be a bit different. In this portrait photo challenge, we are looking to see how you incorporate an interesting scenic background into your entry.

Your entry must also have a human face in it somewhere, BUT the face does not have to be clearly showing... it can even be the back of the person’s head that is showing. Please focus more on showing off beautiful scenery in your photo entry than on the actual face this week.

So fun!"

So for this challenge, I chose to enter this shot of the Denver airport. I figured everyone would be showing off scenic photos of landscapes, so I wanted to add something different. I went on a women's retreat weekend in Colorado in August with a group of women I met nearly 8 years ago. We all have children with special needs and we try to meet every summer. This year we went to Keystone, Colorado. Arriving at the Denver airport, I dug my camera out of my bag and just held it up and looked around. I'm drawn to lines and I love the lines in this photo. There are a few people visible up on the mezzanine.

Image is clickable to see it larger and this photo is stunning in its large form.



Thanks for looking! And go check out all of the other fabulous entries at i heart faces this week!

It's Black Friday at 9th & Bloom!

So many new delicious releases today for Black Friday! You can't miss the incredible deals today at 9th & Bloom!

First up, a beautiful, hand-painted traditional kit by Fly Pixel Studio called When Santa Comes. This is so pretty!

When Santa Comes

My Layout

Next an adorable, hand-painted whimsical kit by Holly Designs called Santa's Little Helpers with a matching alpha called Whimsy Candy Letters. You have to see this, it's so cute!

Santa's Little Helpers

Whimsy Candy Letters

My Layout

And finally, a new collab from By Becca at 9th & Bloom and Stolen Moments at ScrapMatters called Joyeux Noel. This is a stunning, rich, versatile holiday kit filled with amazing, realistic elements that you will use again and again. This is a must-have for your holiday scrapping!

Joyeux Noel

My Layout

Thanks for looking!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There are so many blessings in my life that it is easy to take them for granted. So many people are struggling in the world, struggling to survive let alone thrive. So I want to take a moment to pause, to breathe deeply, and give thanks for some special things in my life. Clickin' Moms, the photography forum where I've been hanging out, had a Thanksgiving challenge. Our challenge was to take seven photos between November 3rd and 25th of things we are thankful for. These are my seven things.

(Image is clickable to see it larger.)



1. Holding Hands
This is a photo of Dominic and Anna holding hands. I am thankful that they love each other and at the age of six, Dominic already understands that he had to take care of his big sister. He loves her unconditionally.

2. Family
This is a photo of my family (missing Jenny though!)... Anna, Curtis, and Dominic. I am thankful for my family, thankful for a wonderful husband that is also a wonderful father to my children, and thankful to have them all in my life.

3. Medicine
This is a photo of my medicine. I have fibromyalgia and connective tissue disease and without this medicine, I would be unable to function everyday. I am also grateful for all of the medications that help Anna thrive.

4. Anna
This is a photo of my daughter, Anna. She is 9 years old and has autism, epilepsy, hypotonia, and is cognitively challenged. I am thankful everyday to be her mother. She has taught me more about loving with my full heart and soul than anyone else I've ever met.

5. Coffee
This is a photo of my favorite coffee, freshly ground Sumatra from Starbucks. Without at least 2-3 cups everyday, I would be a walking zombie. I drink it black. And strong. My husband calls it my turpentine.

6. Chris and Jenny
This is a photo of my daughter, Jenny and her boyfriend, Chris. I am thankful that I got the honor of being Jenny's mom. She has been my little angel on earth from the moment she was born and now she is in college! She is smart, funny, perceptive, empathetic, strong, and mature. I am grateful she found Chris and that he treats her so well. I love them both very much.

7. Dominic
And finally, this is a photo of my son, Dominic. My adorable little pickle. I am thankful beyond words to be his mother. He is so funny, crazy smart, goofy, silly, and sweet. I love that I can talk to him like an adult and that he still wants to snuggle with me. I am crazy about this little boy.

I am living in gratitude. :)

I also want to shout out to my mom who is in Pennsylvania visiting her sister and brother-in-law. Happy Thanksgiving mom, Beanie, and Charles!!! I am incredibly grateful for my mother; she is my best friend, my confidant, my cheerleader, the shoulder I cry on. She helps with the children an enormous amount, despite working a full-time job during the day. She has invested so much of herself into my family and I am so thankful.

And finally, a moment of gratitude for Clickin' Moms who has opened my heart to photography. I love taking photographs and capturing memories... and learning to do it with proper technical skills has allowed me to explore my artistic and creative side too.



Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Photoshop 101 Giveaway

Clickin' Moms is a wonderful community of women who share a passion for photography. They also have some pretty rockin' workshops! Lisa Harrison is offering a spot in the next PS101 workshop. Check it out!

In the Spirit of Thanks and Giving

Fix-it Friday #78 at i heart faces

This Fix-it Friday photo was submitted by Susan Keller, an IHF contributor. What gorgeous bokeh!!! Here is the original photo:



And here is my edit (image is clickable to see it larger):



Using ACR and PS CS5:
~ adjusted the exposure and white balance
~ cloned some green and bokeh to cover the white blobs at the top of the photo
~added a curves layer set to screen at 30% opacity, masked just on the boy's face to brighten (similar to center fill light)
~ran Noiseware at low opacity
~ran Florabella Luxe's Sweet Sunshine action, lowered to 40% opacity to add warmth
~added a vignette at 20% opacity, erased over boy's face
~sharpened

Thanks for looking and come check out the other edits at i heart faces!

New release today from By Becca!

Becca has a new release today at 9th & Bloom just in time for the upcoming holidays. It's called Magic Moments and has a dreamy palette of winter whites, sparkling golds with touches of aqua, mint and cranberry to bring the magic of the season to your pages. This is a truly stunning holiday kit. To make collection even more enticing, Becca is offering a cluster pack as well as a bundle.

Magic Moments

Magic Moments Clusters

Magic Moments Bundle

My Layout

Thanks for looking!

Rambles

Jenny was home this weekend and mentioned that I haven't written anything personal on my personal blog in quite a while. Um, yup... busted! That is so very true. With the photography-induced passion setting its claws in me as well as the increase in digital scrapbooking commitments, my blog has become more of a show-off and buy-me type of place. I'm really sorry about that.

Today Curtis and I went to see our marriage counselor. We're not in a bad place right now but we're not in a good place either. We want to be in a good place, so we are ready to do some work again. We had a really interesting session where our therapist brought up a couple of books by Julia Cameron... The Artist's Way and Walking in the World. They are about living a more purposeful, spiritual, present, and creative life in the everyday, day-to-day world. We have quite a bit of homework including some "artist's dates" with each other and by ourselves. I'm really looking forward to starting this journey to keep chasing down some balance in my life as well as that ever elusive tranquility. I'm even thinking about starting a weekly project for this next year that will include photography, writing, and digital art... and I'm even flirting with the idea of inviting others to join me in an online community type of format. I wonder if anyone would be interested?

So onto the updates!

Jenny is going through a rough spot including true misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and wicked homesickness. Sweetheart, I love you, I believe in you, I'm proud of you and how you are handling your life. Chin up, 'k? My mom has been very sick for the last four days. It's been years since she was down like this. Poor baby. I have an online friend battling cancer and another who found a lump today on a mammogram. My SIL's ex had a stroke on Sunday, our nephew is devastated. Any prayers for all of them you could spare would be much appreciated.

The kids are doing well right now, knock on wood. Anna and Dominic have had mostly good weeks at school for the last week+ and after nearly a month of bad days for Pickle, the respite is so very welcome. Curtis had an incredible trip to India with many adventures, including riding an elephant bareback! He is committed to finding more joy in his everyday life now too. As for me, I'm doing okay... a bit overwhelmed and maybe a tiny bit overcommitted (insert heavy sarcasm!), but I always love having too much to do. It makes my whacked type-A personality a happy girl. I've been having some right knee pain and saw my ortho today for a follow-up from the MRI I had last week. (I had surgery on my left knee three years ago to trim out a mensical tear and to have a microfracture done on the patella where they poke holes in the back of the kneecap to create artificial cartilage). He said my right knee would need attention within 5 years and we are getting there. The arthritis went from mild to severe and the joint is full of fluid, it's really tight, with a lot of pain and pressure. I also have a cyst that's formed because of the swelling and a lesion in the femur that is benign. Oy! So today I got two injections in my knee, cortisone and a lubricant. Ouch! Hopefully that will relieve some of the discomfort for a few months but I might be facing a partial knee replacement next year. :(

I am coming up on a busy season, like everyone else. Siggies, holiday cards, and layouts will be taking up all of my spare time through the end of the year. I've so enjoyed doing Project-365 and have learned so much and captured (almost!) an entire year of memories. For anyone thinking of doing this, it has taken me at least an hour a day of committed time every single day to take the photo(s), download, edit, and post them. But I'm really glad I did it.

Remember that almost everything in your worry bucket is trivial. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, someone will always be there to help you when you stumble. Don't be consumed by petty things, don't let drama take over your normally sweet personality, stay true to yourself, and love love love your family and friends. I love all of you!

Do you like the new blog? I love Lily Designs and she had this template pre-made with her new kit, Winter Walk. It seemed perfect for me.

Man, I cannot write a short post for the life of me!

I'm in the Art Crew!!!

9th & Bloom is a digiscrap store that hosts my favorite designers, including By Becca, for whom I CT. Recently, 9&B held an open site CT call... basically this means that as a site creative team member, you have full access to the store and you design layouts for all of the designers. It's highly competitive and a very coveted position. I was shocked and giddy to get the news yesterday that I made the Art Crew and I'm now a site CT member for 9th & Bloom! Oh my gosh, you have no idea how excited I am!!!

So one of the first things I wanted to do was create a layout with a new release this week. FeelGood is by FruitLoOp Sally and has such an attractive color palette that I would have purchased this kit if I hadn't made the site CT yesterday. I love the mixture of realistic elements and hand-drawn doodled elements. Isn't it fun?

FeelGood

My Layout

Thanks for looking and sharing in my exciting news!

New release by AnnaBV Designs

Have you started dreaming of Christmas yet? Dominic has! I was so pleased to see this kit come out... AnnaBV Designs is releasing a new kit today at ScrapOrchard called Letter to Santa. I love this color palette and it some truly adorable elements. I had fun with this one!

Letter to Santa

My Layout

Thanks for looking!