We decided to go with ProPhotoBlog.com to create and customize our blog design. It’s really pretty simple and I was actually surprised that I was able to customize the look of the site easily. Plus, if I need to make changes to my blog design in the future, I can do it myself quickly and easily! It took me one whole day to finish my blog site to the way I want it to be. If you’re interested in purchasing ProPhotoBlog, here’s a $10 Discount Code that they gave me to share with you: JOASOL449. Here’s an overview of what ProPhotoBlog can do: http://www.prophotoblogs.com/overview/

Well, I hope you enjoy visiting our blog site! Ryan and I really do appreciate your support and trust!

Here’s a screen shot of our old blog design. It has been good to us but it’s time to say goodbye!

I stepped onto the scale this morning and it showed me losing a total of 12 lbs since the beginning of the year and I wanted to post this up on my es-sense blog because the news is worth sharing.  I know it’s not much but it is a start :). It really is hard work, but I’m praying and hoping that by this time next year, I can start sharing how awesome it is to have reached my goals! Some of you may have already visited my other blog site, but if not, here is it: The Never Ending Battle. There you will find what I’m doing to change my life for the better :).

One of the things that I’ve been trying to do is organize! Yes, after 7 years of marriage, we have collected so many things and it’s driving me crazy!  So during these next few weekends, I’m going to dedicate most of my time as a “housewife” and figure out what to do with all our things.

Today, I found a video tutorial that I thought I could share with all of you.  It’s from the www.ehow.com website and it’s about “How To Properly Fold a Fitted Sheet”.  I was extremely happy when I found this video!! I always had trouble folding those sheets that I would roll it up and stuff it into the closet! :oP Why didn’t anyone share this information with me before?? 

Oh well, now I know how to fold those sheets and if anyone else finds this information useful, let me know so I don’t feel too bad about not knowing this information beforehand…

How to Properly Fold a Fitted Sheet — powered by eHow.com

My family, (the Endique’s) have known her parents for so many years.  They’re really good family friends that I have grown up to know as uncle Ramon and aunty Amy.  When I found out Kristi was planning her party three weeks before the event, I offered my services to them and I was so thrilled when they decided to have me as their photographer.  I really do love this family.  They are one of the sweetest and kindest families you could ever know. Her brothers, Kevin and Michael, are wonderful too! They are so supportive to their little sister.  You could really feel the love they have for one another. I’m really happy to have been a part of it.

Kristi, Aunty Amy, Uncle Ramon, Kevin, and Michael: Thank you all for being so wonderful! Not only are you considered family friends to the Endiques, but you’ve always been: family. period.

Special thanks to Natasha of NTME Photography for helping me out that day! She took photos of Kristi getting ready for the event. THANK YOU TASHA! :)

Kristi waited in the ladies room before her grand entrance, so we decided to take some photos of her in there.  Who can make a ladies room a cool place to take photos??? Kristi can…

Kristi and her grand entrance :)

Aunty Amy worked really hard on every detail used for Kristi’s birthday. From the program below, to the giveaways, centerpieces, etc.. She wanted her daughter to have a memorable debut.

With her parents :)

Her BFFs

Make a wish…

Family portrait

To view more photos, please click on the play button below to play the slideshow.

We had never met in person and at that time we only communicated through chatting on the mIRC channel, #iglesia. Occasionally, we would send emails to one another, but that was it. Yet, I knew he was a special guy that I also wanted to get to know better and so 12 years ago, I told him over one of our Internet Relay Chats (IRC) that I loved him too and I wanted to get to know him better as my long distance boyfriend. It has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my entire life :)

Truthfully, we didn’t know where our relationship would take us especially since we lived oceans apart and we’ve NEVER met in person… BUT we had devotional prayers for one another. We had faith that if it was God’s will for us to be together, then God will help us with our relationship no matter what we had to go through and no matter how far apart we were from each other. Now, 12 years later, we can see how much God has helped us in our lives. He has never let me and Ryan down. To Him, we are forever grateful!

Ryan: Thank you so much for being here with me. I REALLY LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH! :) Happy 12th Year Anniversary as Ryan & Joan!! Here’s a picture taken of us during our FIRST Anniversary as a couple! I’ll never forget that day because it was our last day together before I had to leave the Philippines for the US! My oh my! We’ve certainly changed a lot, huh dear? I’m looking forward to many more years of changes and growing old together :)

Taken today at 1:39 p.m. with our built in camera on our computer monitor. :)

Below are more photos of us.. just because I started scanning some old photos and might as well post some up for memories sake :)

Taken after the worship services of the Kabataan (Children’s Worship Service) in Evangelista. I was a CWS Teacher and Ryan was a CWS Chairperson.  I performed in the CWS in the Philippines. I didn’t get to teach CWS in the Philippines, but I helped as a CWS Officer :)

The following picture was taken during our 3rd Year Wedding Anniversary. We went to San Francisco :)

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who had taken time to wish me a happy birthday! I really appreciate all of you for the messages, the phone calls, the voice mail singing the happy birthday song (Gavin) heheh, the electronic birthday cards, and for the gifts! I’m so blessed to know each and every one of you, my dear friends and family.  I pray to God that all your prayers and wishes come true and I hope for more years of friendship with one another!

I came home today to find a nice surprise! I got a gift from the Beltran family and it was so unexpected, I wanted to cry! I know, I’m too emotional and sensitive.. but really, I have the best clients-turned-friends that a photographer could ever have! Thank you Woji, Amy, Ethan, Eian, and Elle :) Looking forward to photographing your growing family as the years come…

Here’s the package I received today.

I confess. I ate half a truffle. It.Was.Delicious!

I’m not quite sure if this would fall under “Happy Friday Video” because it’s about a bride suing her wedding photographer, BUT today is Friday; I am happy; and this is definitely a video I must share with all of you! A must watch for all brides/grooms-to-be and also for wedding photographers too!

When I first started doing weddings, I admit I couldn’t afford to buy a professional camera or lenses. So what did I do then? I rented them!

If you’re wondering where you can rent equipment, check out Borrowlenses.com or Lensrental.com.  If you don’t feel comfortable about borrowing lenses online, look for a locale photograph company that rents out equipment.  It’s just for the best!

I guess we can all learn a lesson from the video above.

To use the excel file to randomly choose a name, list everyone’s name on Column A.  Then to run the macro, either do a Alt+ F8 or from the toolbar:  TOOLS > MACRO > MACRO and (if it isn’t selected already) select the macro and click Run.

The names that were randomly chosen for this contest are the following:

1. Gene Mapa
2. Steffanie Espiritu

I’ll be sending out the books today. Thank you both for your support and we’re looking forward to doing more contests for our “fans” :o)

Because this blog was pretty much about picking random winners for our contest.  Here’s a random picture of me and Ryan. This was taken after our very first visit to Porto’s, early February of this year.

Okay, back to my diet!

Ryan and I decided to go to Disneyland after work yesterday to celebrate my birthday.  We had reservations for the Blue Bayou Restaurant. I’ve heard reviews about this place and so it was nice to finally go there. The food was delicious, but I think what I enjoyed most was the ambiance. It really is a place that one must experience for themselves and I’m glad we finally did.

The crab cakes were really good and we also ordered the lobster tail with filet mignon.

Here’s a self portrait of us at our table taken with our p&s.

What’s a trip to disneyland without going on a few rides?? We decided to ride at least two before the park closed. The toad ride was really scary! Serious! I had to close my eyes the whole time because it was so dark there and just creepy.

Then we took some pictures with the castle.

I really don’t know how to pose in front of the camera.

Since there were so many people leaving the theme park, we decided to stay awhile longer and take some portraits of each other.

And because it was my birthday yesterday, I took the following shots of Disneyland to remind me what I did and where we went for my 32nd birthday.

Ryan has always been the kind of guy to really think long and hard about what gift he wants to get for me.  We’re not the usual, flowers and candies, or jewelry kind of couple. We’re more like, what is it that we really need and what kind of gift will help you kind of people. So when he told me that my birthday gift would be a trip to Ikea to get a desk, I was all for it!

You see, Ryan has his workstation table with his computer and his keyboard and speakers all set up. As for me, when I need to work on editing photos, I use the MacBook Pro and work on the bed with those wooden boards for laptops.  Then that started to get uncomfortable, so I started using my ironing board as a desk.  I know… pathetic huh? I thought it was a good idea at the moment! Kinda… until I kept knocking down the board and I almost dropped my laptop :oP. I’m realllly clumsy… :o( Ryan finally decided that it was time to get a table for me so I can work properly and efficiently :o)

We went to Ikea this morning and I chose a nice simple black table. He assembled it before going to choir practice. I didn’t know where to put the table because I’m currently trying to figure out how to organize our little office… so I decided to put it where we had our tv table set up.  We’re planning to move the tv to our bedroom, but Ryan thinks its better on the table so that I can use it as a monitor to view the pictures… but I don’t think so.. for now though, I’ve decided to leave it there until I figure out where to put everything… As always.. we’re reorganizing…

Anyways, here’s a picture of my birthday gift from my husband for my 32nd birthday! I’m officially 32 years old because it’s March 1 in the Philippines right now and I was born there :o) So I’ve already started celebrating my birthday until tomorrow evening where Ryan and I will be going to Disneyland to eat at the Blue Bayou Restaurant where we have reservations!

Thank you Ryan for my birthday gift! I love you very much! :o)