Cool App Sat - Nike Training

I love this app -  Nike Training.
It's your own personal trainer. They have four different "Goals" titled Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong, and Get Focused.  Once you click on the "Goal" Nike then breaks it down into three groups: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced.

It will keep track of your progress, and even has a reward system where you may work up the ladder to different categories.

The best part is they feature a photograph of the proper technique for each exercise and for how long you should perform it. And if that wasn't enough, all the exercises may be performed at home with no or light weights.

And the icing on the cake is you may save your favorite music to your exercise routines as well.

I use it at they gym for my workouts.  I frequently run out of new exercises to try and this helps me vary my workout by giving me several options quickly and efficiently.

Ok, now you have no excuse not to exercise. You have the workout, no gym needed, music, and photographs of proper technique all at your fingertips. Are you hating me about now? Or maybe loving it? lol And it's free!

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nike-training-club/id301521403?mt=8

Am I still A Californian or a Texan? Part Two

Well, I've been home in Cali for five days now. I went to a Giants game where we lost - urggg - though I did get to see Tim Lincecum pitch. We had great seats on the third base line. Hee hee, this images was taken with my handy dandy iPhone. lol

Tim warming up.

Spent Easter with the extended family, which I loved.  I haven't been able to celebrate a holiday with the  family in 6 years.  I really miss them. I miss the Greek cooking too.

And of course I have visited with a lot of my friend's. We went to some of my favorite restaurants and it just made me more homesick.

Tonight I am photographing my longest standing client. They have been with me since day one. I photographed Carissa when her mom was pregnant with her and now I'm photographing her high school senior portraits. Wow! I feel very special to be included in their lives and to celebrate and document their growth and maturity.

So, Yes I'm a Texan but I'm also still a Californian. I have discovered that being home. It didn't take but a day to feel like I never left. I love so many things about the west coast. But, I also love many things about Texas. That will be part three. lol

I'm so lucky to call both places home.

Cool App Sat - Facey HD

Did you know that Facebook has another app called "Facey"? What's cool about it is you can customize the background colors and fonts. It also looks more like the full web version.

My original Facebook app has not been able to update for sometime. It would update for 3-4 seconds giving me a sense a false hope only to convert right back to the old version. Not sure what's up with that? Well, with Facey I'm updated! Yeah!

My background color is a dark deep purple, my fav. What's your color going to be? Lol

Shakespeare in the Park

My daughter, Cate, recently played the "shrew" in "Taming of the Shrew". Of course I brought my camera and grabbed a few images from the play. I never get tired of watching the kids perform. They are a talented group.

What was unique about this production was they hit the highlighted scenes about 10 minutes each from 5 of Shakespeare's most popular plays. Okay, I have to admit it... it's been a long time since I've watched, read,  or listened to Shakespeare and I really don't remember a lot of the scenes. Especially the parts where everyone is "beating" each other up.
I'm wondering if he took his aggressions out in his writing?
I'm just saying! lol

Caleb and Cate

Modern Day Shakespeare

Gabby

Ernest

Ernest in Action

The Cast

Gabby, Joclyn, Cate

Cool App Sat - Hey Tell

The Hey Tell app is a voicemail text program. I know what you are thinking. I thought the same thing. When my BFF, Liddie, told me about this app the first I thing I said was, "Why? Wouldn't you just call?" lol

But, the answer to that is no!  Sometimes you just need to leave a quick message. The more I use it the more I love it.  It's most beneficial when I'm driving and we all know we aren't suppose to text and drive. The beauty of this app is you just hold down the record button,  say what you need to say (yes, it's limited amount of time) and then release the button. You are not taking your eyes off the road except for a few seconds.

I told one of my very good clients about this and she told EVERYONE. She especially loves it for her young son who isn't the best speller and would get frustrated texting.

I'll admit it... I am an avid texter and sometimes I just feel lazy and don't want to press all those darn buttons...

So give it a try and I promise you like it. :) Did I mention it was free?

http://heytell.com/

Am I still A Californian or a Texan? Part One

I'm preparing to fly home next week to photograph my longest standing client (from day one) and notice I said "fly home". But then I started thinking about it and it sort of feels more like coming home for a visit. Can it be? Am I starting to become a Texan after almost 7 years? I never thought that would happen. I was born and reared in Cali. It's all I know. Though I did buy my first pair of cowboy last year and love them. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have done that still living in California.

I do know that some things will never change. I will always be a die-hard 49er Fan and a SF Giants Fan. I do remember when I told my mom that we were moving to Texas and the second thing she said to me was, "You are not going to become a Cowboy's fan, are you?" lol

The biggest difference for me is food.  I'm a vegetarian for one thing and I like to eat very healthy.  When we first moved here I kept thinking I'll never fit in.  Being a vegetarian in Cali is easy. Not soooo muuuuch here in Texas. There is a long standing joke with all my friends that when it's my time to order at a restaurant they all start laughing and say, "Here we go again" because 90% of the time I have to order off the menu.

After being here for a couple of years my hubby and I took a trip to the Grand Canyon and when we sat down to order I started crying with happiness. There were at least 5 things on the menu I could order and eat without having to modify. :)  I was ecstatic. Boy, do I wish Texas would join in on that. Come on now, I can't be the only vegetarian here in Texas?

Over time I have come to accept that's just the way it is going to be when I go out to dinner. So now I don't feel as much of an outcast as I use too. And, I have even come to like some of the Texas food. Come on now, who doesn't like Texas Toast?

Well, will see what happens when I fly home next week. Will it feel like I'm home or just visiting?

ps - hope my mom doesn't read this. She always says to me, "When are you going to stop this nonsense and move home?"

Apartment hunting... Already?

Tomorrow my daughter and I are driving to Denton to apartment hunting. Didn't she just get accepted to UNT last week? Really? We need to go apartment hunting now? What if I pretend to be sick tomorrow and don't go? Will she stay with us and live at home and commute? lol

Ok, that's how I feel on the inside, but I'm truly excited for her. It's a big step, part of growing up and moving on with your life. I know when the kids were little I couldn't wait for the next step. You know. I can't wait for them to sit up so I can put them down in the grocery cart without having to bring in the carrier. I can't wait for them to walk so I don't have to carry them all the time. I can't wait until they are potty trained... Ok, we all want that step. That's not a fair statement.

So please don't be impatient. Enjoy every moment because before you know it, they are in college and moving out of the house. If I'm this upset about her going off to college can you imagine what I'm going to be like when she gets married? That poor photographer is going to have a lot of retouching to do, I'll be crying most of the time. She will no longer be my baby, she will be a wife, and then a mom. Oh man, I'm getting ahead of myself...   I'm doing it Again! Live in the moment and enjoy every minute of it.

Cool App Sat - Over 40

I'm going to try something new. A blog posting every Saturday that is strictly dedicated to the cool apps I find and enjoy. Please share some of your favorite apps too.

My husband told me about this one and it's pretty good. It's called "Over 40".  Mind you, I'm not admitting to being over 40.  Wink, wink.  And, I don't wear glasses... but I'm getting close to needing a pair. If the letters are small and the room is even semi dark, boy oh boy do the squinting eyes come out to play.

This app turns your camera phone into a magnifying glass and tada you instantly have glasses. lol

Hope it helps those that are over 40 and those that are even under 40.  The best part is it's free!   Here is the link:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/over-40-magnifier-flashlight/id381663967?mt=8

I know it's time, but I'm not ready!

We've been talking about my daughter leaving for college for the last several years, but yesterday she got her confirmation that she has been accepted to UNT. It hit me like a ton of bricks. And, truth be told, I was crying all day yesterday. Yeah, yeah, I know it's the circle of life and progressive of things, but doesn't mean I have to like it!

My son came home and saw me crying and ran up to me to put his arms around me and ask me what was wrong. He thought someone died! When I told him how sad I was that Cate will be moving out, he had the nerve to a laugh at me. He doesn't understand, he's not a mom. Only a mom knows what I'm talking about. Okay, dads too.

When my daughter came home I just lost it and starting crying again and she pretty much laughed at me too and gave me a big hug. Then all night proceeded to rub it in with little quips like, "We need to start apartment hunting" and "We will have to start shopping for furniture too".  Ha ha, not funny. Maybe in a few years it will be funny but not now.

We are extremely close, we talk, we hug, we laugh together everyday. I'm going to miss you my sweet girl. I've called her sweet girl her whole life and it is fitting. I'm one proud mama. She is kind, sensitive, mature, good natured,  thoughtful, and just plain beautiful on the inside and out. Really? What do you expect? I'm her mom and I'm allowed to brag. :)

UNT is lucky to have her. Cate, you better call everyday and come home often. Just warning you now.

Here are a few of my fav's from our masquerade session.

Love you sweet girl. Make me proud.

A real winner? Or just a little cheating?

My hubby and I were eating dinner with my son at Mooyah Burger - yum veggie burgers - and during dinner my phone beeped that it's now my turn on "Words with Friends".  Being new to the game I'm still excited to hear that beep and to see what my opponent played.

This particular game I'm playing my good friend Susan and frankly she is kicking my butt. I mean really, how do you get 32 points out of "hole"?  My regular play method is to literally make words up when I have no high scoring words available. One time I just started "farting" around while playing  with the letter "Q" and tried QAT on a triple word square and it worked. I started laughing out loud and my hubby could hear me from the other end of the house. He asked me what was so funny and I yelled back, "you will see". Two minutes later I heard him scream, "Qat? What does that even mean?" I don't know what it meant, but it did work for 36 points. lol  My point being I'm not the best at this... so back to dinner with my son...

I started complaining that I have no good letters and I need a high score to kick some butt back to Susan. Well, Conner, my son, pulled out his iphone and said what is your rack of letters? I told him and two seconds later he said try, blah blah blah. I never would of thought of that word but it was great and a high score.

Now of course my curiosity was up on how he came up with that word on his iphone no less. It took him a while to confess he cheats on Words with Friends and hasn't lost a game yet. Did you know there is a website dedicated to helping you to cheat? Is that fair? I can only hope that is how Susan is kicking my butt. lol  And, if everyone is doing it, should I use that cheat website too? Do you agree ahead of time that you both will or will not use the site? Or do you keep quiet and assume everyone is cheating too?

At least I know that I don't have to cheat to beat my husband, which he is not taking well. Especially since he is a much better speller than me and he thought he would destroy me. But, he doesn't play around with words to see what he can make up either?  Remember Qat?

Words with Friends

I know Words with Friends has been around for a while and I've heard all my friends talk about it... Well, I finally downloaded the free app and I'm having a blast. Even my 18 year old son, Conner, plays it with all of his friends. And yes, we have a continuous game too.

Mind you, I think I have played scramble 4 times in my entire life and thought it was boring. But, this is different, way more fun to get that beep that it's your move. lol  Or maybe, because I'm older and can appreciate it now. Whatever the reasons I suggest you take a peek and give it a try. It really is fun!

I also downloaded it on my ipad which I prefer. Can't beat that big ole screen!

http://www.newtoyinc.com/wp/