Luminosity Cleanse...

You see this vision board I had? Well that number right there 110? That was my goal.... in 2011! Ha! so it's been a couple years and I have yet to achieve that.... until this month.

(yeah and the no drinking thing, pfft.... riiiiiight)

This month something kicked into high gear in my brain. Maybe it was that fact that summer is just around the corner. Maybe it was because I was tired of feeling uncomfortable in my clothes. Maybe it was because Sunday turned three and there were no more excuses that I had "just had a baby" (yeah I know you still say that too even though your child is no longer a baby) Maybe it was the combination of all those things plus more. 

You see here is me... pre baby

Tahiti. My honeymoon. I was in the best shape of my life. Feeling strong and confident, but before I can go further into my story,

Let me back the bus up and show you where it started....

Here: Her name is Fat Cho and you can obviously see why. 

Oh yeah, thats me. In college. Chris Cho. I had gained about 30 pounds my freshman year. Bad eating habits, late night burritos and too much partying. I was so unconfident and uncomfortable. I was puffy, my clothes didn't fit and honestly I wasn't getting asked on dates.... at ALL!

The sad thing is, is that it took me about 4 years to get it all off. 

With healthy eating and exercise and a wedding dress to fit into, I got down to the weight that I loved and stayed there for a couple years till....

I got pregnant with my first.... then my second.

So fast forward to now... I still like to sometimes say that I've had two kids and that I'm just too busy, but the reality is, is that there is always time for fitness and health.

I had heard about the wonders and powers of juicing from several people... especially my husband who is a juicing enthusiast. So when I was researching a way to kick start my diet I looked into juicing and after a few days of it I fell in love. 

So here I am tonight. The night before my longest cleanse (a mere 7 days).

I am dedicated to it and I want it so badly I have given up alcohol, sweets and my fav carbs. I am documenting my time before, during and after the cleanse as a hopes to keep myself accountable and possibly pursue you to try it yourself.

I'm trying out Luminosity cleanse. It is local to San Diego and Jennifer uses organic fresh produce to fit your body's needs to cleanse your body of all extra crap in your system. The best part? She delivers the juices and smoothies to your house each night.

So here we go!

Here I am tonight hoping to reach my vision board weight from 2 years ago.... but more importantly I hope to find myself with more energy, a cleaner internal system and more confidence and comfort.

Wish me luck!

Ewww.... Vignette. How to get rid of it.

I discovered this little trick a while ago, but thought I'd share.

I hate the look of vignette.

So 2001.

Not really my taste, so if I can avoid it I will.

Sometimes I can't help get a little vignette especially with my 24-70mm and when I shoot really wide open.

So here is what i do to get rid of that yuckiness.

When you open your file in camera raw go to the 6th tab over to the little symbol that looks like a bunch of parenthesis.

once your there go down to where it says 

"lens vignetting"

move the tab over to the right for less vignette and to the left for more (ew but please don't do the latter of the two)

Viola! Vignette is gone!

Enjoy!

Finn turns 5!

Finn.... ahhh... my Finny. My first born. My only son. My first baby. My Finneus.

I cannot believe you are five. FIVE. That seems so old.

I remember when we brought you home a whole 6 pounds and 3 weeks early.

You cried not for hours, not for days, not for weeks.... for months...damn you colic

And in that moment, I remember thinking that I couldn't wait till you were older, till you were around 5.

So the time has come. My biggest baby boy you are now 5 and oh how I wish you weren't.

I am not sure how you got so big so fast but I feel like you get older exponentially faster as the years go on.

If I could I would keep you at this age forever. You are perfection.

Finny, I love you more than anything, ANYTHING in the world.

You are my most special little man.

I so love you at four. So please make me these promises as you enter 5.

Promise me when you are are 5 that you will still poke me on the shoulder in the middle of the night and ask to cuddle...

That you will still play with my hair while we watch tv and kiss me on the shoulder...

That you will think that I am the most fun mama in the world.

Promise me to always run to me when you are sad or hurt... no matter what...

That you will whisper "You're beautiful" into my ear...

And that you will say as I tuck you into bed "I'll see you in the morning and the middle of the night mama... I love you and you're the best mom"

I surely hope so.

I hope you always do. At 5, at 10, at 20, at 50 no matter what age I want you to keep your innocence that defines you at this age.

Always.

I love love love love you to edge of space and beyond.

Xo, Mama.

Why I shoot RAW

... because it can save a beautiful image like this....

  and make it look like this....

Are you shooting RAW?

If not, how many awesome *over or underexposed* images are your deleting that you could be saving?

xoxo, C.

Sunday's 3!

Sunday Drew Nelson.

I love you.

You are my heart. You are my core.

You are and forever will be, my girl.

You give the best and biggest hugs.

You always want to try to make your father and me happy.

And despite the obscene temper tantrums you do in the middle stores,

or having to go into your room 3 to 4 times a night to make your blanket straight,

or never letting me talk when I need to....

Sweet girl, you always make me happy....

You make me so, so, so very happy.

I cannot for a day... no a minute.... no a second... think about how my life would be with out you.

I love you, I love you, I  L O V E you

more than you ever know and I will never tire of telling you that.

Happy birthday baby girl,

may all your princess wishes and fairy tale dreams come true. {today and always}

Lola's new BFF

Look who found a new best friend.... Lola! She's in hog heaven.

For the last week, Finn has been obsessed with her.

Im just happy he's stopped asking for a baby brother.

I guess he got the hint and moved onto Lola.

Hanselaar Wedding

Irish vs. Dutch

Dutch vs. Irish....

none of it mattered because in the end,

love won.

There was plenty of love at this wedding....

from family,

from friends,

and all for each other.

I so dearly wish I was a guest at this wedding

its energy was absolutely 

amazing.

But why wouldn't it be since the bride and groom were nothing short of that.

S & S, it was beyond my pleasure. Enjoy these sneak peeks.

xoxo, C.