Distressing Remedy: My Family

This past couple of weeks has been quite stressful--with all the new changes at work and all, due to budget cuts. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. The best remedy for dealing with stress is to spend some quality time with family. Well for me at least-especially this past weekend, I needed it. I love my family. It’s as simple as that. They help me put things into perspective and make me value what’s important in life. You just gotta take it easy and enjoy life and the people in it.

So this past weekend, we celebrated my niece's, Pauline, first communion. I felt a little awkward running around church in heels and a dress to snap pictures… but hey, I did it. Not only that, but my mom kept giving me the “eye” to run out and snap more photos. The pictures turned out okay. I forgot to take off the 8-point star filter so it made a lot of the pictures fuzzy and not as sharp. Eh… I’m still learning.

I can't wait until I get to upgrade my camera body and lens!! But that will be WAY DOWN the road... it's super duper expensive!
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This is Pauline. When I was editing this picture, I was trying to go for the old vintage style. This is the best I can do, for now. I'm pretty sure there are more complex things on photoshop that would take it to the next level but I haven't learn that yet. There is so much to learn!


Then I tried the vignette action. Personally, I think it's cheesy but I figure my old school brother and sister-in-law might like it. hehe



The 8-point star filter made the flash reflection on my sister-in-law's mother glasses a star. Let's just say her eyes were sparkling with delight as she witness her granddaughter's first communion... hehe



This is my lovely sister Hien. I figure she won't mind me posting this picture of her because she looks super cute!


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The day after the communion, I got to spend some time with my sisters, brother-in-law, and my baby niece- Zoey. She’s only 27 months but she is brilliantly smart! I don’t want to brag and all but DANG, she is one smart cookie! She knows all her colors, characters, numbers, letters, she understands everything, and speaks like she does too! We all have to watch out what we say in front of her because she picks it up so QUICK! One time I called Momo, “crazy dog,” and a second later, she turned around and said to his face, “crazy dog” (in her cute little voice) and starting giggling. She cracks me up!

She is so much fun to be around too! Whenever she comes over to Grandma’s, she’s very shy. So imagine my amazement when I finally get to see her in her comfort zone. I was definitely in awe until she amazed me even more with her modeling skills. She’s a natural and where did she even learn to pucker her lips???












I had a wonderful time hanging out with my hubby and family. We walked around Santana Row in SJ—and imagined my disappointment when I realized I forgot my camera! There were some great spots to take pictures too! But hey, all the more reason to come back!

This Memorial weekend is quite a busy one but I'm totally looking forward to it. I really wanted to go to Disneyland but other plans came up. This is my agenda of things to do and places to go for this weekend:

1. Capture senior snapshots of my niece, Melissa, all around sactown
2. Congratulate my other niece, Jessica, for graduating from junior high
3. Finish reading In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
4. Attend Melissa's Graduation
5. Attend my monthly book club
6. Go to Denio's Farmers Market to snap some photos and pick up some produce
7. Go to a friend's BBQ at Elk Grove Park
8. Watch Shrek 3D: The Final Chapter
9. Have a vintage style photoshoot with some friends from work.
10.Take a nap from all of these activities