January 10, 2013...

I was seriously really close to failing this challenge today because I am feeling unmotivated and tired...BUT since this is as much as practicing and thinking about photography as it is training for mental toughness, I am making myself try extra hard...

This was a small van that was parked around the Ginza district selling taiyaki (kind of like a double sided fish waffle stuffed with either custard or red bean).  He definitely did not skimp on custard nor red bean and it might have been the most delicious taiyaki I've ever had.  YUMMY.

January 9, 2013. I love bread.

I love bread and I love pictures of bread. Hmm hmmm hmmm.

January 8, 2013

This is one of my most favorite photos that I've taken.  Looking at it usually makes me happy, hence why I keep a copy at my desk.  Not sure if it's because I love roasted corn or because this was taken outside of a cottage that we had rented while we were staying in the Robertson wine region of South Africa...but I remember feeling as though I've won a jackpot after eating fresh corn first in the summer in Washington DC then again in November in South Africa.  Two fresh corn seasons in one year, can't ask for much more...

Can't remember if I posted this photo before but too bad if I have...we just got home from our first birthing class. Must go to bed!

January 7th.

Kruger National Park, South Africa.

I hope we can go back for another vacation some day.

Okay, I messed up.

So my photo a day challenge was a disaster since I only lasted one day.  Hmm, I am going to try again and maybe redeem myself this time because ICM is making fun of me.

Four photos before I say good bye to this very relaxing weekend (i.e. no home depot visits and we scored a glider for an awesome deal - yay!)

A photo from a fortune cookie factory in San Francisco, taken a while ago.

Something is kind of strange with the white balance (is it too yellowish you think?) but for some reason I still really like this photo...maybe it's because it's taken from my favorite farm stall in Glen Ellen and I miss it.

Our favorite room in the house is the sunroom - tons of windows, therefore, nice filtered light.  Just testing out the lighting in there for photographing :) Plus, these white mums were the last of the bouquet of flowers that ICM bought me last week!

Let's house I remember to put something up tomorrow, if not, I can blame it on pregnancy brain, right?

January 3, 2012

It's a new year, so of course I need to attempt to post a photo every day.  Let's see how long this will last.  Last year, I think I lasted for about 14 days...

2012 Year in Review

2012, how you've WOWed me.

I kicked you off with a quiet New Year's day starting with waffles my boyfriend made me.  After 364 days, I say good bye to you with an awesome husband and a baby on the way.

So much has happened this year that most people would consider us kind of insane.  In 365 days, I became a homeowner, car owner, wedding planner, a wife, a  U.S. Citizen, and a mom-to-be; and really, most of that happened in about 6 months.  Thankfully, I also got to travel a lot this year, YAY YAY YAY:  Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles x 2, New York x 2, New Orleans, Boston, West Virginia several times, and Japan for three weeks.  The Japan trip was especially special not just because I've always wanted to go to Japan but because I got to go with ICM and learned why the country continues to be so special to him after all these years.

I am so lucky because I am surrounded by great friends and family and even though I've known that all along, I felt it so much more this year because of the overwhelming support everyone has given us during the wedding.  My friends and family made the wedding so memorable and I'm so thankful!

Here are some of my favorite photos from this year:

Aside from a lot of studio photography early this year, I also got a taste of what it's like to second shoot a wedding.  Let's just say that it is tiring and requires a lot of hard work.  People, be nice to your wedding photographers.

Oh yes, MD has legalized gay marriage.

Wedding planning at its best.

Tiger, you're so cool.

Family

The two most important men in my life testing the DIY photo booth at the wedding.  Classy.

NYC with our bump!

I swear they gave us this flag, I didn't bring my own!

JAPAN!!!

Best pork buns I've ever had.

Watching sumo with my some of my favorite people!

A froggy backpack for our daughter.

Life is so good.

West Virginia!

I have high hopes for 2013 though I expect that ICM and I will experience it as sleep-deprived first time parents.  We are so excited to see what's in store for us.

Here's to an awesome 2013!!!

Love,

Po

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hi! Happy Thanksgiving! I'm back!

So many things to be extra thankful this year and so much to recap on this blog.  This photograph was taken in Japan.  People usually purchase these tags already written for specific prayers and wishes or they can write on it themselves and they leave it at shrines in hopes that it will come true.  While we saw a good number of these, at this one particular place, the tags filled the holder!  I was especially drawn because of the only word that I could really read, which is the one in pink, and that tag says "thankful."

As much as I complain vocally all the time, I also spend (I think) an equivalent amount of time reflecting on how lucky I've been all my life.  This year has been amazing and I hope it stays that way.  I'm thankful for a lot of things but this year, there are several things that I wanted to give a shout out to.  Supportive and wonderful friends and family - something that I feel constantly but was overwhelmed by the amount and power of it (in a good way) during our wedding; a great spouse who I can count on, someone who spoils me but also keeps me accountable in being a good and responsible person; a sister who I consider my best friend and makes me wish that everyone had a sister so that more people in world would be mentally sane; all of my adventures, our latest being Japan; and lastly, a baby girl on the way!  I seriously can't ask for more.

I hope you'll have a wonderful Thanksgiving too!!!!!

Here's a photo from the top of "Joyama" in Tsushima :)