Tinkerville

Starting Now

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

The other day I read a blog post by Jess at irocksowhat.com on sometimes wanting to quit everything she is doing because of self consciousness. It hit home so much it has inspired me to be as truthful and honest.
Yes, I left blogging for awhile and it was because I needed a break- a release from pressure of always comparing myself to everyone in the blogosphere. Like, Jess I understand looking at others who so much better at doing the same thing you are and comparing. I am into art, illustration, design, photography, digital art. I am a newbie at most except art and photography - been doing photography for a year now and art I have been drawing since I was young. With those skills I really am trying to do design, digital art and illustration. There ate so many people out there that are so good at what they do, it is intimidating as it is inspiring. I know what I want to create when it comes to my creative work but it is hard starting out, working your way up until you are that good. I know I want it now! We all start as a beginner or not at the best but who wouldn't want to bust out doing just as you envision. And seeing people are great at it just makes you self-conscious.
Because of my self consciousness I have not even post some of my designs, illustrations and other stuff. I know it has to stop and I am going to try with now.
It is not all bad, I love blogging, reading other blogs, chatting and getting to know other bloggers. From blogging, it has made me go further in photography. I love it but it has to do with starting now.

Catching up

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:22:00 +0000

I have been so busy lately with school finally with Spring break I feel like I have a chance to post maybe catch up alittle even reading blogs has been out. I am a graphic design major and taking a lot of design classes this semester.
This semester has been such a delight, I have done sooo many design projects and learned so much about design that I definitely know its what I wanna do. I cant wait until the summer when I will have way more time to churn out more designs.
My family is finally starting to get back to normal we were so out of element with me returning to school and David having to play mommy to Hayden several hours a day. But now (as school is almost out) we are finally falling into a routine of life.
I just wanted a quick post to say hey ya

Its my party and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to!

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:10:00 +0000

Today has been such a chill, exciting day. Yesterday I finished up some books freeing up some of my time to today to play with Hayden. We got to paint outside, run about the house, even play in the tub with his clothes on.

A couple of weeks ago, I scanned in some of my sketches from an old sketch book but never did anything with it so I decided today I had the time to actually put up some of them on deviantart. That was something so exciting to me. I feel as if I'm finally getting something out there. Yesterday, I started some sketches on some new designs. I am over the moon with my creativity flowing out of nowhere lately. Next week, I hope to get started on some of those designs. I am so freakin' excited!


Hayden and all his cuteness Have a nice weekend!

What are We Gonna do Tonight, Brain...

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:25:00 +0000

Okay! This post has been two days in the making. SaY wHaT?! Yup, Photoshop on my computer was being weak and when Photoshop was working I realized I needed software to make a collage. Whoa is me. I needed to finally put to use Photoshop elements 9, which I got with my Wacom tablet, so I had to download that from their website, Ya-de-Ya-Da, anyway it was taking FOREVER! I ended up resorting to Picasa. But the job got done! And without further ado...

I am doing a sorta photo dump of all the things you missed in photos. I am so surprised at the age 2, I freakin' love it. Hayden is such a delight, I see him growing and doing (and saying) so much everyday. He is really becoming a fantasy person, complete with ninja noises, imaginary swords, dragons, and spider man. He is also an outside person, he loves playing outside while I write soaking the beautiful summer, chill weather in California. He is such a character, I love him.

Daddy and Hayden

World's cutest ninja!

I Rock

Ahahaha-Gwahahaha...

...No

2012 Wish List

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

Its a new year, ladies, and with it comes new trends, wants, dreams, and must haves.

Imac

As with Apple every year they release new products and the rumor grapevine has been sizzling with the upcoming Imacs. were the golden standard desktop in 2011 and are the gems of art and design, the not so hush - hush rumors are whispering about touch screens, TV funcionalty, AMD's Radeon HD 6990m GPU, plus more awesome features.

The negative? Maybe waiting 5+ months or more for it. Boo. Currently, I bought an Hp Laptop running windows 7 April of '11 just as my desktop gave on me. My laptop is a gaming one since I am a big of a computer nerd, so it does pretty good in running my CS 5 suite. But I heart desktops and can't wait to transcend to the Mac world for art and design purposes. (That and the fact that I have wanted a Mac since 8th grade. GEEK ALERT) Thus I am looking to replace my desktop with an Imac and be in design heaven!

IPhone 4s

I know the next gent is coming out but I really would love to get an upgrade to the 4s in white this February. I like IPhone oodles. The apps on there are stupendous and addicting. My phone has quickly become my best friend.

Kindle Fire

This e-reader is calling me to close my books and join the e-crowd. I am a book worm. I can read 1000+ pages in 3 days with a toddler! I have many books, and the library is a frequent hangout for me. I bring many books with me wherever I go, it makes buying a small bag worthless for me. I usually buy bags big enough to hold a good size book. So the idea of carrying around thousands of books at once time in one sleek device is a great thing. I still love the actually feel, smell and look of real books but this reminds me lugging about lots of CDs or just getting an MP3. And you all know who won that battle.

Ipad 2 err ...3

Okay, Apple is rumored to be slipping up another Ipad...the Ipad, an upgrade to make the peps who snatched up the original Ipad actually want to upgrade. But I got my peepers on the Ipad2. With the release of the Ipad3 we're guaranteed to see a price drop in the 2, that's when I will pounce. Any Ipad will do for me in the end. I don't even have one! I know it will be grand to have one for school, jotting down notes, and more.

Easel
I have been doing lots of sketching and drawing lately. So far I love to bits charcoal and my mechanical pencils. I plan on getting some more pencil pastels to try out too, I have used soft pastels and love them too. I want to start doing more figure drawing and live drawing to really get a good start in that I want a studio easel. This will also boost me to start painting more on my own, instead of partnering with a friend like I have been doing.

Many Pretty Dresses

In 2012, I plan to be more into keeping myself "cared for." I realized I am a bit of a low key jeans and T-shirt girl. I like that but what girl doesn't want to doll herself up a little? In 2012, I plan on having fun with clothes. I love thrift shopping and forever 21 is a great place. To spice it up lots and have fun, I plan on taking heart to my lo-cal and checking out thrift stores and Forever 21's in other California cities as I get around California more.

2012 has finally come! Here's to hoping for a good New Year!

Dreams come true in my Secret Garden

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:22:00 +0000

I have been really into creating designs and art. My brain has been racing thousands of miles per second, spilling out design and art concepts and ideas. It excites me with an overwhelming sense of happiness giddiness, and "I can't flippin' believe it," that I could find something that I love doing and that I think is made for me. It is a perfect way for me express and let out the many ideas and thoughts I think everyday.

Another thing is I have bounced back and forth, flipping, changing what I saw myself doing and wanting in a career. I have so many interests and things I love doing that finding my place was hard. And nothing I settled with was perfect, I always felt like I was sacrificing something - some other part of me when I decided in things in my career. With art and design, I feel whole. It has everything I love and want to do in it - it is so vast.

Everything I love is artsy- has to do with creating! I love to create visually, I am a visual person. But I feared for a long time a career doing things in the arts. Until earlier this year when I finally realized that I always came back to it, that everything that I loved, that excited me was all in the arts and involved creating - that that was where I belonged. Many things opened it lead to graphic design and art. Tomorrow I start school. I am super excited! Unbelievable to see myself actually here in this moment knowing what I want to do and doing it. It makes me a better person - a more happy person, seeing me fulfill my dream of finding a career I love and getting an education in it.

I am planning on changing up somethings on my blog. I have decided to try to "grow it." I want to find other mothers who are designers and create art of all levels and mediums. I know I started this in pregnancy and came into the whole "mommy blogging" but really I don't feel anymore as if I'm taking over "Hayden's blog." I started this to chronicle my life during motherhood, thoughts, happenings, feelings on life. I have come to think this too is apart of my as a mother. Becoming and being an artist that is craving time to create and be artistic alongside being a mom.

I plan on updating my banner and button with designs by me and maybe changing the title. I can't wait for the next upcoming weeks so I can start uploading more art to my blog. For months I've had a deviant art and plan to finally start posting my art, photography, and designs.

Of course, I am scared but I also see my fear as good because it means it's happening things are coming along. Plus, I love the confidence that comes with looking that fear in the eye and beating it. It makes me feel as if things are coming true.


When Everything withers away The Important Things Stay

Coming into Me

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:28:00 +0000

I am just going to lay everything out and write this as It comes to me Once Hayden was born I throw myself into being a Mom. I gave up everything that I felt was not "motherly" or what a mother should do. Along the way, I shed most of my interests becoming more and more dedicated to being a mom. I became so Step ford. I lived my life as if I was acting playing a part. This Step ford life though showed on me, it beat me up and dragged me down. I was just unhappy because it wasn't me. I was living life, dead almost, going through the motions.

This way of living affected so much of me and my life, marriage and myself. I gave up most of me who wished her husband would grow up. My husband is a chill laid back person, who never gave up his video games or late night viewings of south park. What I didn't really think about was joining him, just telling him to grow up, we were parents.

I left blogging and all social networks to give more time to Hayden, guilty at how much time I spent at the computer. It became more of a burden and like bondage, then the fun way to journal about my life and express myself that had drew me to it. That's because I had drained all expression from me, thinking I'm a mom now can't do this and that. I looked at myself and realized how much I restricted myself and cut off I'd become as a person.

A couple of months back I made the decision to return to school, it seemed so natural for me. But it struck a fire in me to really get to know me and bring back everything I tossed, to get my mojo back. I was tried of being this Step ford supermom

It seems like in the blink of an eye I caught up with myself, but really it was a heavy thing for me. I realized how much I was something that I didn't want to be, that I had become less confident in myself, fearful of almost everything in life and probably teaching my son to be the same way.

Over the last few months, I have really came full force like a hurricane into myself. I had been running away from my creative side so long, stifling it like lack of oxygen to a flame, for so many reasons. But now I am totally comfortable with myself and the fact that I love to create. I am a creative person, I love to everything that involves creating. Art and writing are so close to my soul and who I am, I am sad I gave it up, neglected it along with so many other things. In just a few short days I start school with a double major in art and graphic design. I am so excited to have found a major that is totally something I want to do and crazy about.

Once again in life I can sing to music like there is no tomorrow, I have picked up drawing again - sketching has become a big past time for me, I have been growing in photography, and planning on delving into many other art forms. Inspiration is around me, I see the mixed media, painting, and crafts I know with time I am gonna give it a try.

This post has been really hard for me to write, I have a hard time revealing myself so openly but I feel a call to write it, to post it. I am feeling so alive and happy in life right now despite everything, sometimes my heart swells and I can't believe it. I feel like I have been in a dark haunted forest lost now I am being showered with Spring gardens. Right now is an exciting time for me, I feel so many different opportunities and things will be in store for me this year. I look to my family, David and Hayden, I love them so freaking much and look forward to so many things with them.

My b-day is coming up so fast and I have realized how relaxed I have become, stopping being so hard on myself, to believe more in myself. I am young, only 24, about to turn 25, I need to also be my age, play video games with my husband, or maybe leave Hayden with Grandma so David and I can go to a concert or a dinner just to two of us. It is normal what parents and people do and it is better for Hayden to see me happy and doing what I love no matter what.

I had been nervous about turning 25, I felt too young I wished I was 30 (NOT TO SAY 30 ISN'T YOUNG), I hated being so young, but now I know I better enjoy it and my family. There are so many things ahead, I plan on taking nothing for granted. 2012 has come so fast, I look to it knowing I can't stop the past but I am looking toward the future a new year.

Happy New Year

Shenanigans

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:14:00 +0000

Late yesterday afternoon, I made the decision to take my sleepy toddler swimming, thinking it would settle him down. What I forgot was the settling down happens AFTER he gears up into overdrive at the sight of the gallons of water in a hole called a pool. Add to that sleepy = tantrums and I'm not listening! I have no idea why I forgot this. Why did this slip my mind? I've been doing this Mother gig for two years and whatever else it says on my blog ticker says now (if its still there). But I did and I paid. Paid so much by the time I half dragged, half carried my screaming, hitting, and biting toddler out of the pool area my entire body was shaking.
Hayden has this thing about getting out of the pool, standing at the edge and jumping back in as I catch him to keep him from going under and coming back up. Well, I put him by the edge of the pool like always, expecting him to jump back in. Instead he made a beeline for the deep end of the pool. And I'm still in the water! Just looking at my toddler about to jump into the deep end of the pool, luckily some bystander on the side of the pool nabbed the top of his vest just as his one of foot left the edge. I actually stayed for about five long minutes of pulling, fighting, tantrums and another beeline for which I called it quits. My body was shaking so bad, I could have cried at the pool area and even coming home he was still acting up, not wanting to go where I directed him on his push toy. AARh! Sleepy toddlers!
No more swimming alone with Hayden and definitely no swimming when it's really naptime.

This post was supposed to be about the pool incident but in a day Hayden has so many shenanigans, I decided to write about some recent ones. I could have several posts on this little guy doing exactly what he isn't or sneaking about until caught then giving me an eye that makes me think: "Should I melt or stand firm?" Sometimes it seems as if he's playing me like a piano, killing me softly.
Ever since I potty trained Hayden, he's refused ANY thing that covers his nether regions. Yup, no pull ups, no undies, no diapers at night. He is a 2 year old nudist. He has come around to at least letting me put on undies - At least until I'm no longer looking then: "off!" This of course is cool around the house but it has been hindering progress! I have been working on getting down potty training outside. Going when I'm on the run or at a friends or even at night, hard when he wants naked. He has to learn to pull down pants, undies and pee. He doesn't say "pee, pee" or nothing when he goes, just goes up to it and pee. So I have to let him just go nude and break my back chasing him around my coffee table until I wrestle on undies or pull ups. And undies he knows not to pee in but pull ups he thinks are diapers and will wet in them, I have done away with diapers.

Hayden loves raiding the fridge for goodies between meals AND snacks. " There gots to be some candy I can get." This usually happens once I leave a room or am cleaning, he will run into it and bring me juice to pour him, a package to open and fruit (which he is crazy about he will take it over chocolate MISSION ACCOMPLISHED). Overall, it's annoying my fridge is disorganized, I wish to get Hayden fed on a schedule as he will be in school, and I also know he does it because he can! But the kicker is the way he runs when caught or the smile he gives so innocent, so mischievous, he kills me!

Life in the fast lane

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:33:00 +0000

So life has been going a million miles per hour and life has taken over and I have little inspiration to step into the blogging world - I am barely hanging on!
After much fear and even more confusion I picked up a ball of yarn ( no it's not for the cat that I don't have) and some crochet needles checked out a book in crochet and you tubed my life away until I could do a slip knot, a foundation chain, turn a Chain, do a slip stitch, a single stitch and a double stitch. I have just been practicing and memorizing stitches for the most part but I have a few squares and funky unrecognizable patterns. But it's uber fun. I am beside myself in excitement that I am really learning to crochet and knit! Knitting I have been doing shorter I just started last week and can cast on and knit and last night I learned to purl. Which i am happy about because it was intimidating at first but now I can knit fast.
With it finally getting hot and humid enough to choke baby kittens, I have taken Hayden to the pool twice and he is a fish. He can kick and paddle already I even can let him go and he will swim with the help of his vest. I am totally investing in this kid some swimming lessons he loves water!
I am gearing up also for some major toddler crafts, now that Hayden is the King of following direction now and can sit still for more than a minute.

And Sickness Becomes Us

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:03:00 +0000

Hayden and I have been uber sick. Hayden has been hit with the works: puke, fever, diarrhea, sleepiness. It makes me sad he has to be this sick when others are enjoying our cold Spring weather (trust me cold Spring weather is a God send for the Central Valley) But he has been handling it like a champ. I love age 2- Terrible twos eat your heart out, this is the best most perfect age!
Me, I started with what I hate the most: sore throat, icky! Then I got overcome with a stinkin' cold! I hate being sick. Like really it sux the life out of me that something can invade my body and make me feel like such crap and that I am so vulnerable to it.
The funny part about this is Hayden is handling it better than I. He has been cuddling with me (awesome!) No, I didn't just say it was awesome that my kid is sick and I enjoy the extra cuddles. *side eye* Another thing he has been tolerating is the telly and some good books. He has become quite the t.v. person now that he is sick (mainly because he has no energy) he will sit and pay attention to it for longer now. And me reading him 50 jillion books with long narratives. He can talk well so he tells me "T.V., T.V." and hands me the remote and tells me what he wants to watch. He doesn't play too much with his cars but still begs endlessly to go outside and who am I to say "sit, veg in front of the telly no outside." Bad Mia! Nope, I dress him and enjoy the explorer in him. Maybe he will like nature and Earth as much as I do.
Then there's me I am whining and complaining about my cold, I thankfully have no sore throat anymore. YES.

Putting my webcam to use

So It comes to this

Here to document my sickness

One shoe on, One shoe off

Absence

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sun, 29 May 2011 21:45:00 +0000

I have been gone so long it feels outstanding. I looming gap that I have not thought about. I must admit it felt sooo good not blogging. What? I had more time, it was completely different and I had more time to focus only on Hayden and I.

Emotionally lately I have been a nervous reck it's not cool feeling that way, or being as paranoid as I've been lately. Yes, there is reason, reasons I choose not to say but overall. I know I need change, change into something simple, not complex. May has been just a hard month for me as a person, my emotional state, the only thing not affected would be my parenting for Hayden. He has kept me sane and close as possible to the Earth during this time. My best friend thinks its the reality of my Mom leaving town. I don't know, but I do know I've never had an entire MONTH BE so bad.

And in the greater scheme of things, my son had a birthday. Birthday! Birthday! And he is no longer my 1 year old but my cutie pie 2 year old. Terrible twos my tail, I love him at this age I hope he never grows up. This time is too fun too precious, special and unique.

I have little pictures except some from DSLR because I was a genius and washed my Canon Powershot in the washer with my swimming things earlier this month. Nice...I know. Bad bad May.

Shaking it up

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sat, 14 May 2011 11:46:00 +0000

I know I haven't been posting much but its been because I've been insanely busy. Lately, I have been doing tons of writing, chasing after Hayden , snapping photos, and reading, reading, reading on photography. Another thing is I've been thinking about changing things up a bit on this blog. For a while now this has been Hayden's blog and I've thinking of indulging more of my husband and I in too not just leave it a Mommy blog, because there is so much more to me than just being a mom. And with Hayden turning two, I have gotten back many things that I didn't have time for, or was blocked creatively. lately, I have done lots growing, thinking, and agonizing. Over future where do I wish to be in so and so years, family, aspects, accepting this and that- whatever I've gone through alot.
And I've realized I have a hard time just putting myself out there. I would love to make many blogger friends and people know me the person- Not just my son and life as a Mom. Yes, I'm Hayden's mom but I am also Mia.
So hopefully, I will decide on what to do with the other blog- my photography- add it here or switch it to tumblr or wordpress. But I am looking forward to doing and posting more stuff and having people get to know me and my tiny family more.

Mother's Day 2011

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Mon, 09 May 2011 07:14:00 +0000

This mother's day was the best I could have ever asked for. Usually on Mother's Day I am indifferent, I am still on duty, I get a pat on the back,a few happy Mother's Day, a present or 2 and overall its any other day as always. I don't put too much into it when it comes to me.

this Mother's day was no different at first. My husband had to work,so on Saturday he cooked me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. he is a great cook so I love it when he cooks, which is more often than one would think.

I woke up at noon today- yes, noon. I originally woke at about 8am and realizing that the house was quiet, I went back to sleep. The toddler didn't wake me until pass noon. :) !! I loved it! Even then we didn't leave the bed, but I switched on my partner in crime and parental BFF Netflix instant stream, put on the Backyardigans, and we sat watching it until Hayden got hungry. He even watched it as I set up Breakfast *cough* lunch. I returned to bed with the food! We ate, massacred the bed with crumbs, and I snuck some Spider man in on Netflix before we got up.

About 2 my husband's boss had a heart and let everyone off and we quickly dressed deciding to accept an invite to his parent's house. Eating was cool as always there and who doesn't like a dinner cooked by someone else on Mother's Day? but afterwards, Hayden didn't want to stay inside, so after much resistance I gave in, thinking they have a backyard that I envy might as well enjoy it. I grabbed a ball, Hayden grabbed an even bigger one and after playing chase, we did catch and kick ball.
Things like this made me happy to be a Mom to Hayden: To see his face as he threw a simple sphere object in the air, giggling all the way, to breath in and sigh it out that life can be so simple and a pleasure at any and every time if it were new an different or actually adventure out and try new stuff.

I loved this Mother's Day because I realized that it WAS any other day- A day to appreciate and have a good time with my son. A time to take the day to day tantrums and applaud the new found independence and intelligence that brings on these fits from hell. A day like any other day that I wake up to my little alarm clock, happy to see me.

I love this Mother's Day because I am a Mother. I got to see Hayden do many cool "firsts" like riding a battery powered John Deere truck that everyone calls "Gator."

I got to see my husband play Daddy and give Hayden lessons on a trike.

Even Hayden going up to Grandpa's motorcycle, asking to get on it, making sounds like its on before grabbing the handles and moving them . Very proud Mommy moment, I just flashed to him being older and getting on it.

Or him having a mind blowing time getting on the actual tractor and crying when we pried him off of it! Just great, priceless stuff that makes me glad to be a mommy.

Of course, I took some pictures! Its what everyone wants to see anyway.

Riding Gator

Trike lessons from Daddy

On Grandpa's Motorcycle and tractor

Happy
Mothers Day to all, hope everyone had fun too!

my week in iphone pics

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:56:00 +0000

I am linking up w/ Amy. She does this link up of basically a week in cell phone pics.

Playing at the park

Taking pictures w/ my Canon

Playing in the car

Daddy and son watching TV

top left: car seat, toy; bottom left: cheesing 4 da camera; center: smiles; top right: playing in my window; bottom right: playing w/ my tripod

Wkend Pt Deuce

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Thu, 05 May 2011 08:58:00 +0000

Okay. I really honestly forgot that today was Wednesday, indeed 100 and 10% for the life of me I thought it was Tuesday. Where has my week exactly gone? BUSY. Busy doing Mommy stuff, not getting any sleep because my toddler wants Mommy to cuddle with him in his new bed, trying to my house organized (sent I got back from Los Angeles I have had little to no motivation to keep up with simple tasks such as putting laundry away). I have several laundry baskets waiting to be folded and/or hung, putting me behind in the dirty stuff because I don't want to wash and have more baskets. I really need to get on it A Sap BUT...I have a toddler that always wants me outside.
Then there's writing. Yes, I have started back writing, so happy I have gotten my mojo back. But it takes soo much time and effort to balance motherhood and getting in enough time to write. I am hoping to find some time to pen some poems that I can post on my LiveJournal. And I also have picked up my guitar again, yes Hayden still messes with it but I kinda brush it off because I am secretly overjoyed to the max that he even likes the darn thing.

Anywho I had a weekend. This weekend we were so rudely (not JK) awaken by David's parents asking if we wanted to meet up at a park and have Hayden play. Of course, I was still sleep at this time (No it was 11am like the clock said, I set the clock wrong *side eye*) So we crawled out of bed like the zombies we felt like and went to the park. This was our third trip to the park spring started but I really love the park as you can see, and have plans to travel all over Fresno to visit and make use of our many parks.

Hayden had lots of fun playing on the playground. He even convinced himself that he liked swings and tried many unsuccessful times to get me to let him swing. But he paid me back by climbing over and over again the contraption in the first and second photos, stopping my heart every time he did it. One more way of him showing me how much he isn't my little baby anymore but my little toddler that wants to do what he wants and do everything himself. As you can see he had much fun of Sunday was the brighter end of a pretty dismal weekend. ;( SO far this week has been better, I don't have much planned for this coming week except maybe realizing BIG TIME and getting some major writing done while I have David around for the one day he has off. Yeah, he is working on Sunday. He has been putting in some crazy hours lately. I am totally looking for him another job, the one he has just has gotten too time consuming and he is almost near home. He needs something else, *here's to hoping*

Weekend pt1

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Mon, 02 May 2011 02:51:00 +0000

This weekend didn't even seem like a weekend. My husband worked all day on Saturday in fact I didn't know it was even a Saturday until 4:00pm! I was woken up by my sister and cousin saying that my mom wanted to see Hayden before she left. We spent of the time at my Mom's. It was bittersweet for me seeing my family leave Fresno, I am not even sure when I will see them again. Hard...

Then I put Hayden down for a nap and before I knew it David was home. My mom had a couch that used to belong to David's grandfather and we had to get it and move it over to our place. It looks pretty cool in our living room and now for some reason our looks more homely and less like an empty space.
For weeks now I have been on the look out for Hayden a big boy bed, I simply felt it was time. So when my mom mentioned she would be leaving hers, I decided to take it for Hayden. So Friday night, extremely exhausted and all my husband and I decided to get Hayden's bed up. Hayden helped, he hindered, he jumped relentlessly on the boxspring before we finally go the bed up and in a position I liked. I wanted him with full size bed, he ended up a huge queen size bed that makes him look like a doll when he sleeps in it.
But man was it needed. Hayden loves it so, so much, he plays on it, jumps on it, and on Saturday once we went home he played on it ...and ...fall...asleep. Yup, the big bed gets major points on the Mommy scale, plus now we can lay in bed together and read.

Secret's out!

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 07:59:00 +0000

I have a secret...

I love drawing, there I said it, yeah I know not much of a secret but its still something ya didn't know. Anywho, so does the hubby but when it comes to him and I he dusts me! He is actually planning on hitting up Aaron's whenever he gets some time off for a restock.I have been doing it for years now since high school, one day I might post some of my stuff but that's whole other post!
Since pregnancy, I couldn't wait until Hayden was old enough to start having fun with drawing, I have been looking an easel for months now for his 2nd birthday so he could do more drawing than what he does now. Ever since he could hold a crayon, we have sat down at his desk/table and colored, imagine my elation when I realized he really loved coloring and drawing his unrecoginizable lines on paper, even writing religiously on my walls (he actually wrote on the walls so much I taped paper to his door so he could have that "wall" to draw on)
I have been so waiting for Spring for the outdoors crafts and art options, I have been waiting almost 2yrs to do. During my latest excursion to Walmart, I impulsively stopped by the kids toys for some sidewalk chalk thinking this is less messy than finger painting. On Easter he ended up playing with sidewalk chalk at his grams thx to his cousin and Grandma/Grandpa's supply. Obviously, he loved it because he got it all over himself. We had to change badly, he had it everywhere. But it must have made a lasting impression because today when I couldn't find crayons (Daddy hid them and now we can't find them). So I decided to bust out the sidewalk chalk. As soon as he saw them he started going crazy, he couldn't even wait for me to open the box. Pictures of what we did

Please forgive the picutres I simply grabbed my point and shoot camera, and started shooting not caring about nothing

Backyard

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:10:00 +0000

Early in the week Hayden finally got to meet his Great Grandparents! They live in Washington and they finally got to visit! Hayden took to them immediately, talking up a storm and laughing also wanting to play outside. David's parents live on a farm and have a huge yard that Hayden decided to take full advantage of.

He loved playing

and exploring randomly

the space he even used the flashlight as a mic to sing. He had a great time!

I Like

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 06:47:00 +0000

Currently I am reading "Annie Leibovitz at work" first off let me say I love her work she is a great photographer. This book really gives you an in depth of how many of her photographs have been taken it is great. I am really inspired when it comes to her work, I just love her photos. Recently, I decided to start an "I like" gallery of photos that I love and/or inspired by. The first picture to be included was this picture taken by Annie Leibovitz of Keith Richards while on tour with the Rolling Stones.

I love how broken and out of it everything is. The lighting equipment, sheets messy and disarrayed that "shouldn't be seen" keeps with the subject laying uncaringly,drunkenly, "broken" and taken apart, simply out of it.

Gone...

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:50:00 +0000

I have not neglected this blog I promise. I left Long Beach, Ca early and abruptly not on good terms with my family, I really was messed up emotionally for along time. I just think I needed to grieve on some of the relationships that were lost and I know that some people, even though they are family, are not needed in life. But it still hurts to think of having to cut off someone you have grown up around for years, boy did it hurt. It still does, but I know I don't need negative people in my life.
It has been also hard on me because I had to leave my younger sister who had just been released from the hospital following surgery. It has been tough too because the family I did have here are no longer here but still in Long Beach, ca.
I came home and I really felt lost, I have been gone only 2 weeks but it may have been a month. The time off I took from also have made finances soo different this month and way tighter, having to deal with that and my crazy family, I can say has been hard, hard, hard. I will be alright though. I have been taking a few photos though along the week, nowhere as usual but I do have some.

Playing with his cousins, hanging out at Target, Easter afternoon breakfast for lunch cooked by the hubby, Hayden happy to have candy in the forecast

Easter egg hunt

Isolation

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 22:57:00 +0000

In photography sometimes you need to focus or "isolate" the subject to this effect a small f/ stop is key. The smaller you go in f/ stops the less depth of field you will have, throwing everything except the subject out of focus. While tack sharp is the important, so is isolation- especially in portraits or places with not so attractive backgrounds.
Images that have one subject usually work great with isolation apertures.

My week in Iphone pics

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:40:00 +0000

Hayden was born bald so I was surprised to find out that his hair is now long enough to put in a pony tail

He is getting so big nothing that used to fit can fit anymore and I was in shock to see him sitting up to the table all big.

Having fun with wigs. It was a riot! Funny stuff, he stills looks cute

My younger sister was admitted to the hospital yesterday, requring surgery. Hayden put on my other sister's boots to go to the hospital and was rather upset when he discovered that he had to go to bed instead.

Touching up Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 19:06:00 +0000

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This is my first time participating in Sweet Shot Tuesday over @ my 3 boybarians check out her blog and photo challeneges.

I took several macro shots for these photo challenges but this one stuck out ALOT. I love the "peeping tom" aspect of it. Its like we're on the outside looking in or even spying on something private or not usually seen. Ahh, I just love it! Makes my heart go pitter patter. Anyway, the first exposure is straight out of the camera. I love the shadows on the leaf and throughout the exposure in the sooc, but I am a fan of the edit because of the background and the light. Hmm, both are "good" in my book.

First I read a smart fix. Then I did a color variation on the exposure, increasing the green midtones, decreasing the red, and slightly lightened. Next, I adjusted hue/saturation, switching to edit greens first, I increased the saturation, lightened just a little before going to the yellows. Again, I increased the saturation and lightness. And we have our edit!

Black and White

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 08:55:00 +0000

This snap shot is of my son, originally part up of my week in Iphone pictures on link up on my other blog This So Called Life . All I did was converted it to Black and White using Photoshop Elements 7 for The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Black and White.

Boy Do I Have A Story To Tell You

noreply@blogger.com (MiaB) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:40:00 +0000

Aperture is extremely important to photography. It controls the amount of light passing through your lens and the second thing it does for your photos is it controls the field of depth. Now you're probably at huh? Well, how you ever seen pictures of people aka portraits and the background is a blurry mess? That is depth of field: the smaller the f/ stop the less depth of field you'll have. The bigger the f/ stop the more sharper your photos will be from front and back.

Today we will talk about f/ 22 or what Bryan Peterson calls the "storytelling" picture. In landscape photos tack sharp is the name of the game. In these photos, you'll want everything in your photo, from front to back, tack sharp. Just as the name says these photos tell a story. There is beginning (the foreground subject like the trees), a middle (the street and tree), and an ending (the housing and sun). For these pictures f/22 is the aperture you want, capturing the beginning, middle and end in sharp detail. Also a 12-24 mm or a standard 18-55mm is the perfect lens for the job because it will capture the widest view possible.

As of now I'm in Long Beach, Ca visiting family for about a month, and along on the trip my hard drive bit the dust. Yes, I'm so sad and angry because if I wasn't going to be able to use it it could have stayed home and been safe and sound. I'm going to see if the warranty can save it but my data is probably gone forever. Luckily, I listen so I back up like crazy in multiple locations. So yay for me some of my photos are still on my desktop hard drive. I am though going to get me another hard drive, hopefully a portable one, so that I can have a portable back up and have another place to back up my files. So my original photo for this exercise is somewhere on my desktop maybe but as of now I have no access to it, so I had to snap one just for this. Problems that I see are...

Not tack sharp there was some shake somewhere and done at 55mm instead of 18mm. I will be practicing this as I love landscape photography. Comments are welcome as well as links to your own landscape photos and tips. If you'd like to join in and do your own "storytelling" photo be my guess and drop the link in the comment box.

Bryan Peterson is the best pick up his books: "Understanding Digital Photography" and the great "Understanding Exposure" That book is recommended by everyone pick it up!

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Taken with my Canon Rebel T1i on a tripod 18-55mm lens at *55mm, f/ 22 for 1/8 sec

*This should have been 18mm but I really wanted to focus on the bushes as the subject