A Reality Check

I will share that I spent most of last week, wishing it was over. I believe I was just exhausted, physically and mentally. I’ve had two big work weeks in a row, I’m one who doesn’t shut things off easily, you know? Thoughts, they just rattle in my brain until I’m slightly batty.

Then there was that ski weekend retreat with the youth group. I had it good, I didn’t have to roam the halls until 2:30 am making sure kids were in their rooms. I got to bed early, 1 am each night and I got to room with another adult…For you night owls, that’s 4 hours past my bedtime. There were much heartier souls there and I want you to know, you guys rock!

Anyway, even with the cushy treatment, I was still relatively tired (and sore) when I got back and instead of resting, I went right into another big week.

The husband was also sick, really sick. I gave him some leeway with the bathroom project for those of you who think I’m an uncaring, nagging, insensitive wife. He got to rest for at least a couple of hours…kidding.

This bathtub? It’s gone by the way. Seems like this project is beginning to have a life of its own. I know when the husband reads this, he’s going to say, “Why did she put that picture in the blog?” I don’t care, it’s gone and good riddance.

As you listen to my complaints, I know you can relate…I know I’m not alone…I know I can commiserate with you.

Anyway, the weekend was still relatively full but the single event that really made my weekend was the two hours I spent at the Calvert Animal Welfare League, photographing their animals.

Animals don’t have the worries and responsibilities that we have. They are faithful that someone will be there to feed them.

I found Shylo. He had faith but the human responsible for him didn’t take those responsibilities seriously. He was skin and bones and it broke my heart.

So for all of the burdens in life, God gave us the ability to free ourselves of them, if we choose. We have the ability feed ourselves. And we have the ability to be happy for a couple of stressful weeks because we are in control of our lives, unlike Shylo who was grossly let down. Poor dog, I should have brought him home. But instead, I’m going to showcase him tomorrow so perhaps you can find it in your heart to give him a home.

Our Creative Youth

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKzh3C-IdAQ&hl=en&fs=1]
Today one of my favorite sites, Shutter Sisters asked us to showcase the artist in our lives.

One of the most creative people I know is our Youth Pastor, Mark. Mark is a talented videographer, photographer and graphic artist. However, where he is most talented is loving and challenging our youth. I owe Mark a huge debt of gratitude for the program he runs. My kids are the direct recipients of his generous spirit.

Last year, a group of youths did a skit that makes me cry and cry again. The skit is about pain and rescue. These are community youths, the kids of my friends and my neighbors. They put on the most moving skit I have ever seen done by kids of this age. Thank you Mark for being their mentor, leader and example.

The World In Black & White

It’s a Monday contest over at iheartfaces.com. I obviously care more about entering than about the outcome. So be it, it’s tons of fun for me.

This week, it’s black and white. Sometimes that’s how I see the world, I’m not all that progressive…

For the kids category ~

I don’t know this little girls’ name. I came upon her and her family at the top of the mountain while skiing a couple of weekends ago. Her parents gave me permission to photograph her and she hammed it up! She reminds me of a Dr. Seuss character, so the boy took to calling her Cindy Lou Who. It’s perfect.

For the adult category ~

This is Pastor Shaun McBride. He gave us an awesome sermon on love, forgiveness and Finding Nemo. The kids thought he was great. He had to be charismatic in order to keep them engaged and awake at midnight after skiing all day.

See great entries on iheartfaces.com

The Difference Between Boys & Girls

A couple of weeks ago, I posted Snuggles’ funeral.

While the girls were mourning over Snuggles’ demise,

The boys were doing what boys do.

While the girls were grieving over the loss,

The boys were making as much noise and getting as much air as they could.

Boys.

Did You Know? – Driving In Maryland

The radio “said” today that Maryland was one of the few states that didn’t have a law requiring drivers to turn on their turn signals while changing lanes.

Huh. For the last five years, we thought Maryland drivers were rude.

I know the picture of the dog has nothing to do with this post. It’s Friday.

The Cool Cat

The last time we were at CAWL, we came home with a cat.

Not just any cat, The Cool Cat.

We just love him.

Tomorrow, I hope to stop by again on  my way to PETCO. I hope I don’t come back with another animal.

It's Friday! – Wonder Girl

It’s Fix-It Friday over at iheartfaces.com. I love this challenge. It’s so appeals to the geek/artist in me. Taking a photo and playing with it all day is a sick addiction. I don’t know why I do it. It’s a good thing I have this blog or else I’ll be doing it alone, in the dark, where no one can see. Thanks to the ladies over at iHeart Faces, my addiction is bared to the world.

The Wonder Girl After

The Wonder Girl Before.

Here goes…

TRA2 – Pool Party (one of my favorite actions)
Ctrl M – lightened the photo (quite a lot)
PW’s – Define and Sharpen
TRA2 – Smooth-O-Matic
Ctrl J – to duplicate the layer just in case I messed up the next step, which I did.
PS2 – Clone tool (got rid of the little blemish on her forehead)
Lowered opacity to 72% to blend in the cloned area a little more. Good thing I duplicated the layer!
Flattened the image.
Took a soft brush and lightened under her left eye. It took me a couple of tries to get the right brush and hardness.
Then I played with hue/saturation and decided I just needed to stop.
I selectively cropped. Et Voila!

Find TRA2 here.
Find PW here (although I’m sure everyone who got this far in the post knows that.)

Now I’m going to critique my own photo. I do believe it’s too soft and needs to be defined a little more. But then I could be here all day! The resolution is slightly off because I had to re-size for the blog. But frankly, I’m not sure how to fix that so there you go. Too much fun to be had and not enough time.

Go find out what all the fuss is about over at iheartfaces.com.

The Bathroom Files

This is the bathroom floor, yee haw! It’s stripped and cleaned.

And here’s a lonely and sad hammer, deprived of its only purpose in life, to hammer nails.

It’s because the husband went to the doctor today was told he has bronchitis. Anything to get out of finishing the tile…

Before And After – The Bird

My parents bought me the action set from Totally Rad. They said they weren’t sure what they were buying me, but it was a really nice gift. I use it all the time.

Post-processing can mean the difference between a good picture and a wow picture.

When we are on vacation, we cannot help but act like tourists at times. So while boating in Florida last month, we decided to throw some food out to the birds. Locals don’t do this, only tourists like us do.

This gave me the wonderful opportunity to try to capture birds. This little birdie flew right into my camera view. This picture is straight-out-of-the-camera (SOOC). He had one leg and was perfectly outlined again the blue sky. I didn’t even need to crop the picture, he aligned himself perfectly.

As good as I think this happenstance is (I didn’t plan it at all), I thought I could use some pizazz.

I used the “Punch Out!!!” action on the TRA2 set. It turned the blue sky even more blue. Love it.

Look at the difference side by side. Don’t forget!! you need to flatten the image (Layer>Flatten Image) before you go on…

I ran the “Punch Out!!!” action again but I started losing the details of the features, so I lowered the opacity of the layer to about 50%. (Flatten please).

Then I ran the “Burnt Edge” action. This action is pretty strong, remember you can always lower the opacity. But I left it at 100% because I thought the blue sky can handle it.

There you go…I love this bird.

Letting Go

Our high school youth group went on a ski retreat last weekend and in a moment of weakness, I volunteered to go. There are a lot of reasons for this, but one of the primary reasons was that the boy was on the trip.

And some of his friends were going too. I thought it would a great time to hang out together, you know, him, his friends and his mom.

EJ is his friend from church and she is a wonderful girl. For those of you who are nodding your heads in supposition, they are just friends. He’s way too young to have a girlfriend. I was watching him teach her how to snowboard and it was bittersweet for me.

Because he’s so caring and so patient.

Because one day, there will be a girl who will not be “just a friend.”

And I won’t be the number one woman in his life anymore.

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