Is That Supposed to Be Blood?

Look at this really cool paper fish on a wood carving board. Goddess kept asking, "Is that supposed to be blood? I can't believe they would do that!"

It looked pretty cool to me and I saved it for my Ruby Tuesday contribution.

For more photos from these amazingly talented art students go to yesterday's post .

What I Learned This Weekend Working With Nick

Nick is Nick Zungoli from Exposures Gallery in Sugar Loaf, New York.

Working with Nick has been very interesting. First of all, he is an actual photographer who gets paid a lot of money for his photos. He also travels the world to take photos that he sells. Not  a bad gig for someone who is in love with her camera and wishes she was making money using it. He has been able to make a living doing what he loves for over 30 years. So there is still hope for all of us who love photography.

While Nick's photos are on a whole other level than mine, there is so much to learn from him and I will share whatever I learn with you, my dear readers.

Here is my current list and if I can remember anything else, I will add it

• It really is all about the light!
• Use a tripod
• Learn your camera
• You cannot teach someone composition. You either have it or you don't
• If you are shooting in JPG only, you are doing your camera a disservice unless you will only use the photos digitally. If you can set your camera up to save RAW and JPG, go for it. 
• Think about the photo before you shoot to reduce the need for cropping (when I told him I am the cropping Queen).
• Download MyPantone and make sure your monitor is showing you the colors you will get on your prints plus assists with color matching and other coloring issues. Still waiting for my confirmation email but really excited to set up my monitor for color specification.

While I am not taking photos with Nick, I am a studio associate there to sell his photos, he has been kind enough to look at some of my flower photos. Here are some of his favorites.

So worth the 5 days away from my kids to hear him say; "Maria, you have the ability to be a really great photographer. You have great composition and a great eye for detail. You cannot teach someone composition. I am really impressed with your work!"

He told me to bring the camera in next time and he will give me a quick course on setting it up after hearing I know nothing about how to really get a great photo and that mostly I just consider myself lucky when I get a good shot. He doesn't believe any of these shots to be luck and thinks I am selling myself short. Excited to see what I can learn and applying it for some amazing shots.

More to come.

So Much Blue N' Yellow

This past Wednesday was the kids last day of swim class so I brought along the camera and walked the halls before we went to the pool. The high school art class at this school is amazing and their window displays really show off their talents. Here are just a few of the murals and art displays.

This paper fish was hanging by wire in a glass fish bowl

One of my favorite pieces. This artist has amazing talent.

How cool is this! Nice place to add some beautiful color

Working Mom

The title is incorrect considering that I have always been a working mom but my work never took me away from the house. Whether it was freelance work, babysitting, running Maria's Space, my social media company, or running my community website the kids are used to me working. What they are not used to is me leaving them and leaving for 7 hours to work somewhere else and I must admit, I am not used to it either.

Being a stay at home mom was something I was adamant about. My mom died when I was 12, we were abandoned to my grandparents by dad and molested by my grandfather but before all of that, we had some really bad babysitters. Both my parents worked and we had babysitters that either expected us to sit with our hands folded in our laps, hit us with brushes or left us with their older children who touched us inappropriately. Weirdness, fear, chaos, and being uncomfortable is what I remember as a kid and this was not something I want my children ever to experience. Life is hard enough without all of that.

BUT...life isn't easy and we cannot struggle financially anymore. The Teach has worked hard to make sure we stay in our home but we will never get our head above water unless I take whatever jobs come my way. This one landed in my lap and it would have been foolish not to take it.

Basically, the hours have been weekends when Teach is home for the kids and we don't have to pay for a babysitter which would eat into my small salary. The job is also more frequent because I am training but will eventually be a when we need you so it will work for now until something more permanent comes along.

The hardest part has been just leaving the kids. They hug and kiss me three times before I leave and when I come home they are waiting at the door which is nice too.

We will all get used to it and this week I will be able to pay for Handsome's glasses which are in! Hooray.

Color Carnival - July 29, 2012

Goddess and her candy. The girl would eat candy everyday if you let her. True chocoholic!

 

It Is All About The Jump

The kids have been in swim class for almost three weeks and they love it! Yesterday was their last day so I got to go in the pool too which was awesome. It is a great pool and listening to them complain about how cold it is twice a week made me very curious. It is cold but if you are like me and jump without testing it is easier to get used to. I see no reason to test the water with my toe then spend 14 minutes trying to get my body accustomed to it. Jump in completely and you are fine!

Goddess jumps

Handsome jumps 

Two Instructors jump

Surprise In A Photo

Last month I was in an informal photo class with two professional photographers and we headed outside to take some photos after the rain. Upon noticing a bunch of rain drops on a blade of grass I got on my knees and snapped some shots. Finally having time to look at them, I zoomed in to check out the drops and noticed this little guy in the top photo. Same picture just cropped closer so you could see him too.

Color Carnival - July 22, 2012

Some awesome colors for a girly girl pirate birthday party at Handsome's Godmother's house. Love these colors together.

Scunci Flower Bendini Clip Review

The 411 by Maria:

We love Scunci and have about 15 different pieces that we alternate from. This is really great because Goddess can do it herself. She LOVES the color and I love the ease of using a beautiful clip that quickly transforms any hairstyle into something special. The scünci® flower bendini clip that we reviewed is one clip that looks like two flowers attached. We picked up the pink two piece clips last week and Goddess wears them every chance she gets.

You simply slip the clip into your hair and flip it. It holds even my super thick hair which is very amazing. Nothing holds mine for long and today, it has been in for over 9 hours.

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Phantom by Laura DeLuca

The 411 by Maria:

First, don't be thrown off by the cover. The 3 characters are very Sims like and there is more to this book than this cover depicts. It is much deeper and you will find yourself completely engrossed in this modern day version of Phantom!

This is my third Laura DeLuca book and what I can tell you about Laura is that you can tell that she really loves creating her characters. Each character in Phantom is important to the story and all very well rounded. I wonder if she has a back story for each one! I wouldn't be surprised.

Rebecca is like every one of us in high school. She has a few friends. She longs for the popular boy but he is so far out of reach. Her talent as a singer would probably have gone unnoticed if the school wasn't looking to cast the roles of her absolute favorite play Phantom of the Opera. Overcoming her shyness and nerves she sings the songs that she knows by heart and wins the lead role of Christine. While she has been dying to be on popular boy Tom's radar forever, she is now drawn to new guy, Justyn who wins the lead of the Phantom.  With Tom and Justyn vying for her attention and affection, Rebecca finds her life paralleling Christine's.

People are dying, accidents at every corner and Rebecca is living the role she obsessed over.

What a great read it made me long to see Phantom of the Opera again.

This was a mystery, love story, and musical all tied into one! There were so many quotes from the play, the songs, the words of the lovelorn Phantom and his obsession with Christine are throughout the book. Laura must be a BIG fan of Phantom!

Also, kudos to Laura, it wasn't until I was 85% through the book that I finally realized who the villain was.   Whenever I thought I had it figured out, I didn't. If you read it and knew before that, I would love to hear from you.

Great young adult book!

Enter to win Laura's Phantom Prize Pack

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Get Your Daily Requirement of Omega 3 with an Omax 3

The 411 by Maria:

Teach and I are both at a place where we put a lot of weight on what we put in our body. Maybe it is because we are getting older. Maybe it is because of my medical issues in 2010. Whatever it is, it isn't a bad thing.

Both of us are careful what we put into our body and I can tell  you that for him, it is really showing. He looks better than ever but than again he only eats 6 different things and works out 2 hours a day for the past 4 months. Good for him but this is not something I can do. 

What I can tell you is that the omax3 Ultra Pure soft gels are easy to take and easy to remember. The best part like the feature portion of this post states is that there IS NO fishy burps. If you have taken Omega 3 supplements you know this is pretty nasty.  These tablets are easy on the stomach as well. I have had no issues. While I have not tried the freezer test myself it makes sense.  Knowing there are no saturated fats makes this something the Teach and I feel we can take for a long time. We like knowing that although it is one more pill, it is a good one!

Wilfred Is An Interesting Show

The 411:

Well..OK...where should I start. I found myself completely shocked at this show. Really, Elijah Wood/Frodo wants to commit suicide and now sees his neighbors dog as a dude with an Australian accent wearing a dog suit? Umm..I watched the whole first season and must admit the first half was like watching a train wreck. Almost like I was uncertain as to whether I should be watching this. Was this for real? I can tell you now that 13 episodes in, I am hooked but The Teach absolutely thinks this is the worst show ever. He doesn't get it at all but than again, we have very different humor. I love watching comedies and stand up comedians and he, not so much.

Elijah is a big actor to me, I have watched him since, Radio Flyer in 1992 and love him so maybe I am a little biased and the show actually sucks.

Only Ryan can see Wilford in his adult wearing a dog suit form while everyone else sees him as a dog. Watching Wilford, hump legs, motorboat boobs and be forced to lick peanut butter off a perverts balls was just disturbing but I love hearing how Wilford/the dog can't help himself after all he is just a dog.

While I don't think Wilfred is for everyone, it is dark, and strange but very thought provoking. Is Ryan crazy? Is Wilford crazy? I have no idea but I am hooked.

Quotes from Wilfred
I don't know, Ryan. Why is the sky grey? Why is the grass grey? Why is a rainbow grey, grey, grey, grey, grey, grey and infra grey?"

How many innocent babies have to survive before we put an end to this senseless nurturing?

One man's trash is another man's feng shui. That's why I left that pool of yellow water by the southeast door.

I hope you're proud of yourself Ryan. I'm gonna be up all night licking Jenna's tears. Do you know what all that sodium's gonna do to my blood pressure?

Sometimes when I look at you, I can almost see a 10-foot tampon string hanging out of you.

Bwahahaha...

The Three Stooges on DVD & Blu-ray July 17th!

The 411 by Maria:

Literally hysterical and the perfect introduction for my kids who have never seen the Three Stooges.  Larry, Moe and Curly are back and funnier than ever. Played magnificently by Larry (Sean Hayes), Moe (Chris Diamantopoulos), & Curly (Will Sasso) we laughed in almost every scene and if we weren't laughing we were oofing and oohing. The Three Stooges slapstick comedy is perfect for the whole family. 

Sean Hayes as Larry is great. These guys really learned their roles and were in fact, the Three Stooges. With a lot of the same noises, hand gestures and comedy falls as the originals mixed with some correctness like the Jersey Shore cast and woman trying to off their husbands you and your kids will love this!

Making a a trio like the Three Stooges and their humor current, isn't an easy task but the The Farrelly Bros do a great job even adding a few minutes at the end letting kids know that all the gags are fake and showing them that the guys hit each other with rubber mallets and axes and how they shouldn't try any of this at home. Pretty responsible considering the humor and the fact that this is a family movie. There is some violence for a family movie but it is all very slapstick and cartoonish. Goddess and Handsome loved the movie and that says a lot. He doesn't usually sit for movies. 

Can A Tummy Belt Be The Answer To Our Tummy Troubles

The Tummy Tuck Belt is a 10 minute system designed to reduce those unsightly stomach bulges you’ve been carrying around - without leaving home.  The simple three step method is guaranteed to significantly decrease belly fat, and users will typically begin to notice a difference within the first week.     

The 411 by Maria:

OK everyone, I would love to be able to say that my belly looks like it did before my stomach surgery but I am not a believer in easy fixes. I believe the body changes from hard work and diet. BUT...what I can tell you is that the Tummy Tuck Belt is super easy to use. As far as ease of using this belt gets am A+.

Simply rub some cream called the Thermal Accelerator cream onto your belly, put the belt on (maybe the hardest part of the whole thing, I have tried it over my head and also by stepping into it and both require some work to work it to my middle). Next, you put in the instructional DVD and do the 2 minutes of abdominal exercises which consists of pulling your belly button in and your chest up, holding and releasing before doing it again.

The kit also comes with a measuring tape which you can use prior to putting it on and after taking it off to see if there is a difference. I can tell you that there has always been an inch difference on the measurement each time I have used the system but I know weight fluctuates all day.

My tummy issues are from two cesareans and an abdominal surgery in 2010. I am not expecting massive results because nothing apart from surgery will help extra skin but at the $40.00 cost, this won't break the bank. If it works for you, I want to know. The Teach plans on trying it to see if it helps him too. We unfortunately, since his weight loss are probably the same belt size right now. Hopefully it works for him.

What I do like about it is that I have to wear a belly belt for my hernia and this works better than my pharmacy belt. A+ on that one!

Goddess Birthday Post Part 2

Yesterday, I posted about the gifts, today are the photos from the cake!

Goddess LOVES her sweets. She asked for a vanilla cake with vanilla icing which threw me. I know her to be a chocolate girl so I am glad we discussed the cake first. She begged to help make it so together we created a basic cake with sprinkles.

She was pleased with her final product. We even did rainbow candles with colored flames. What's a birthday without some color?!

I love this birthday candle. Every year we take Handsome's and Goddess' Cape Candle out on their birthdays and burn it down to the next year. It is bitter sweet because it is amazing how fast the years go but I am excited for their birthday. And, Oh man do I protect this candle with my life. God forbid it breaks before their 21st birthday. They love watching it every year too!

For boys you can buy it here and for girls here. Great gift idea for baby shower or first birthday!

While we sang Happy Birthday she did a big swinging arm thing. Such a happy day in a kid's life! I hope she remembers how happy she was when she was young forever.

I would say she had a great birthday!

My Little Lesson In Firework Photos

Color Carnival - July 8, 2012

Headed out to see some fireworks last night! My favorite shot of the night and so proud of myself. Never get those great firework photos.

Goddess Turned 7

Well, it was April 14th but I have been one busy woman so better late than never considering I never got last years birthday tribute up. Here is her 5th Birthday and her 4th Birthday has links for the prior years. I know in the future I am going to sincerely regret not getting last years up which makes this one even more important so without further ado...Goddess turns 7! This year Goddess wanted to be blind folded to see your presents. Typical since she covers her eyes for everything. "Your making me something, OK...I will cover my eyes so it is a surprise!" I got you a new bathing suit. "Hold on, let me cover my eyes so I can be surprised!" Not sure if it is a phase, but I find it so cute.

Look at the excitement behind the blind fold aka scarf!

Ten Things I Love About You

How serious you are when you pose for my camera then completely change to a ridiculously hysterical face. You are so funny.

How you touch and kiss my face all over. You are so loving and sweet. You act like the mom to my inner child which is unbelievably soothing to me.

Your drawing abilities. You are extremely talented. You put a lot of thought and details into your work. Also, you think outside the box. You can see things out of nothing that no on else sees.

Your ability to make me laugh. Laughing is one of my favorite things to do. It feels so good to just let go and you crack me up as much as you make me mad.

How you still bring me things from outside. Flowers, grass, rocks leaves they are all gifts from the heart and I love each one of them.

That you love doing things for others. You have a huge heart and will do anything in your power to make someone happy.

That you share everything. If your brother asks to play with or have something, you freely give it up with a "you can play with this if you want" or "you can have it!".

That you LOVE Halloween. You were never a Barbie, baby doll girl and still are not into them. You love your dark, vampire, monster things. As long as they aren't too scary after all you are still a kid!

You love of music. One of my favorite things is listening to you sing. You make up a lot of your own words but love so many different kinds of music.

You LOVE wearing dresses. For someone who isn't a girly girl...you LOVE dressing up and do it every day.

Opening a gift from Aunt Marta

 

We had to order this special from Japan. She really loves Ruby Gloom and Aunt Marta wants to get her whatever she wants. 

 She is so fun to shop for. She asked for this Orbeez Soothing Spa right before her birthday.

A gift from Grandpa! She is already wearing the earrings and necklace he sent along.

Posing and I do mean POSING with her collection of Monster High things. She has almost all of the Monster High Collection. She LOVES her "Halloween" themed dolls.

Part 2 Coming Up!

Handsome, Goddess and Friends

I love hanging with friends. Friends are one of life's greatest gifts and watching my kids with friends always makes me happy. My friend Karen and I headed to the park in April with our kids. Our girls and boys are almost identical. The boys both born in May with one year between them and the girls both born on the exact same day in April, 2 years apart are also alike in their personalities.

Plus, I love hanging with their mom, we are polar opposites visually. She is tall and blond and I am short and brunette but she is someone I find hysterical and very sweet.  I only wish we had more time to talk. It feels like our conversations are always rushed because the kids are usually around.

Handsome is always really big help to Goddess when we are out. When they are in the house he wants nothing to do with her but out he says, "do you need help honey?"

Teen Wolf Is A Series To Get Involved In!

The 411 by Maria:

OK...here is what you need to know. I NEVER watch TV. There is very little time so while I knew of this show, sitting down to try to catch it never happened. So glad I was able to review this because I am hooked.

Why should you watch? First off it is a cast of beautiful people. Like Vampire Diaries which is about, well, obviously vampires. This is about werewolves. It is a nice healthy balance now if I could find time to catch up on Vampire Diaries.

They need to merge these two beautiful casts because the fans would go wild.

Forget the cover of the DVD! This does not make me want to watch the show at all. I am not exactly sure who thought this was the right cover but I digress. The show is about a teenager named Scott who is quiet, isn't popular and cannot play lacross to save his life. He basically warms the bench until he is bitten by a wolf. A werewolf to be exact. Like most superhero story lines go, it is fun watching him learn his new powers. All new powers have a learning curve and Scott's are no different. If he gets angry or hot for his new "female" friend and his pulse rinses, watch out! Scott will lose control although he is learning how to pull it back.

Meet Tyler Hoechlin who plays Derek, a lonely, brooding were not unlike Robert Pattinson's Vampire Edward. I see a resemblance and found it interesting to find out that Tyler turned down a role in Twilight as I believe Emmett.