I heart faces-Pets

Of all the pictures of Nicolas and Pebbles, this is one of my favorites. It was taken w/ my point and shoot back when Nicolas was just 5 months. Nicolas and Pebbles watch Blues Clues every morning and I was able to capture the moment one Saturday morning. They are the sweetest together.

To see more great entries for I heart faces-pets click on the logo below.

Black and White Challenge

This is my first entry at The Long Road to China! I love color pictures but this one picture was perfect for a black and white conversion. This may look like a little familiar to my followers b/c I blogged about it back in April. To see more cool entries click on the button below!

It is a jungle out there...

Lately there has been a bunch of talk about bugs on the photo forum and Pioneer Woman just finished up a photography assignment. So yesterday as I was walking Pebbles along the small wooded area by my house, I saw this really cool dragonfly. (see 1st pic). Today I took out my camera and went on a mini bug picture hunt. I found a ton of cool bugs!!

The dragonfly that kept buzzing around me...

Then I caught a glimpse of this really cool small butterfly...

Then this other butterfly. I love the red and gray.

And last I saw this little thing jump on this leaf and I thought it was a cricket. But as I inspected the leaves more closely, it was a mini frog! It was adorable. I even saw it catch a few flies. (that would have been an awesome pic but I'm not that good yet).

Here is a link to my full set on flickr.

Have a great evening!
N@

In Honor of Father's Day...

This is a letter to my wonderful husband...
Gordis,
I want to thank you for being such a wonderful father. You have changed since Nicolas was born. Your are more gentle, more loving, more patient, and more thoughtful. As I watched you play with Nicolas yesterday I realized why you wanted to be a dad so badly. It is the quiet moments in the morning just you and him, it is the big smile Nic gives you when you walk in from work, it is the contagious giggle he lets out when you tickle him, it is the peaceful toddler letting you rock him to sleep. I know that the early months were hard for both of us but looking back they were so worth. I'm so glad we have embarked in this parenthood journey together.

Love you Nat & Nic

Nic at one day old!

First Father's Day

Nicolas' first bat

my two sleeping boys (taken w/ camera phone)

Lastly this was taken yesterday (on father's day).

To many more Father's Days in the future...

Honest Scrap Award

I was nominated for the Honest Scrap Award...a fun way to get to know me and other blogs. The rules are list 10 interesting, random facts about yourself & then nominate other blogs!

1) I haven't had a caffeinated drink since I was 13 (almost 16 years). It started off one day that I could not sleep at night and I attributed to drinking soda late at night so I slowly cut it back until I convinced myself that any caffeine in my body will rid me of a good nights rest.

2) I am a twin. I don't know how my mom did it. We were premature, born at 32 weeks and then 19 months later my sister was born. 3 under 2! Some days I can barely handle 1, I can't imagine 3. I also have another brother 10 years younger than me. We are a big and close family.

3) My best friend, sister and I used to make "shampoo" out of leaves. We used to gather a bunch of leaves, smash them together with rocks, and then store it for use. We never used it but we would spend hours making "shampoo."
4) Leo and I met when I was almost 17. He was my first "real" boyfriend. We have been together almost 12 years! I never thought that the scrawny guy I met at church would one day be my husband and the father of my child.

5)I slept w/ a stuffed monkey until I was about 20!! By the time I was 20, he no longer had hands, feet and only half a face. Every time his ear or tail would fall off, I would sew it back together. I wish I had a picture of him but he is long gone.

6) I never liked Barbies! I thought they were boring.

7) My mom didn't allow us to sleep over at anyone's house when we were kids. I didn't have a slumber party with girls until after I was married. We had a blast. Here is the pic to prove it.

8) I was deathly afraid of wooded areas until I moved to NC. I thought that bad people would be lurking in the woods and would come out and attack me.

9) I'm addicted to the internet! Blogs, forums, facebook, etc.

10) I can't think of a 10th one...so 9 it is.

Here are my 5 nominees:
1) My cousin. She wonderful mother of three boys, WAHM, and amateur photographer. I love our long conversations and she blogs occasionally, maybe this will give her the boost.
2) Ashley, no longer an e-buddy. We finally met yesterday at a photo GTG. She is an amazing editor and photographer.
3) E-buddy Amanda. Her macro photography is breathtaking! Take a peek.
4)Another e-buddy. Mrsxoxo1958. Her little boy Luke reminds me a lot of Nicolas. The big brown eyes and the hair!
5)Lastly, e-buddy, janineb. She blogs about her everyday life with pictures. She also is the new moderator for the POTW for the bump photography group. She is a busy woman.

Have a great week!
N@

Pebbles...

This is Pebbles. She was my first taste responsibility and having some thing depend on me. We got her when she was just 3 months and the first few months were a little tough. Leo had wanted to have a baby then but then decided that we should wait since Pebbles would wake us up in the middle of the night to pee. I took on most of the middle of the night responsibilities which should have been a foreshadow to our baby days. (LOL) Now she is my jogging partner (the few times we get to jog a week) and will always be a puppy at heart. Pebbles and Nicolas fight like brother and sister. Nicolas will scream and cry when Pebbles steals his blanket. And Pebbles moves away as soon as Nicolas is being too annoying.

The pictures below were taken after a very hot jog/walk. Pebbles was exhausted. And this is the way I love to see her, worn out!

Later!

Race for the Cure 2010

My day started at 5:30am. The Race for the Cure competative (not that I could really compete w/ the real runner) race started at 7am so we needed to get to the venue by atleast 6:30am.
This was the sunrise at around 6:05am. It was this amazing orange color; the picture does not do it justice.

The race started at 7am and I was done by 7:40am but I don't have the official time, yet. I think I finished in under 35minutes. It was a beautiful and hot morning. This is my 4th year running it and my 3rd year running together w/ my friend Laci. We always have a great time!

Leo and Nicolas came to support me and Nicolas was happy as can be. He loves people watching and was able to run around and release energy. As for Leo, he was a tropper and woke up early to make come along.

Lastly this is Sod Trotters. We always get together for a group picutre and this year it was taken w/ my camera. Some of us run in the early morning 5k and others walk/run in the later non-competative races.

I dragged all day but was able to fit in a couple of naps to be able to function. Until next year!

I heart faces-play

Nicolas, Leo, and I went to Myrtle Beach, SC for the weekend for a mini-vacation. This was Nicolas' first time in the water and he loved it! This is not the best picture, taken w/ my simple point and shoot, but it exemplifies the theme perfectly. Nic loved his sand toys and he was looking adorable in his sun hat.

To see more great I heart faces entries, click here.

Memorial Day Weekend

The weekend started off with Nicolas being Mr. Cranky Pants. I'm attributing it to his molars but it always seems to be teething. Nicolas has also been taking really short naps on weekends, so it makes for long days. He is so active that if he doesn't nap long enough he is extremely cranky.

But Sunday we had a great time visiting my family in Greensboro. We met Isabella, she is almost 3 months old and was a sweet and calm baby. I also hadn't seen Daniela, Felipe (cousin) and Diego (cousin) in over a year. It was nice to see my cousins and my aunt and uncle. Here are some pictures of the weekend.

Below is Daniela (2nd cousin), Flavia (cousin's wife), Isabella (2nd cousin) and Nicolas.

This is Nicolas funny, happy face. He was loving the mini-football.

Nicolas and Leo were enjoying the afternoon outside. See how happy Nicolas looks?

And after a long day at my fam's house, Nicolas zonked out. He didn't make a peep on the way back from Greensboro.

And as the sun was setting all I was thinking was how grateful I was for two boys and a 3 day weekend.

Lastly, I've been in a photography funk (thanks GLEE for the adjective) and I think it is partly because I've been blogging and editting my pics on a netbook. The screen is small, I haven't been able to install and play with PhotoShop Elements 8 (PSE8), haven't built my desk, or set up our new printer. I need to get on the ball and get Leo to help me get it all set up. Maybe by the time I blog again, I will be up and running.

Have a fun short work week!