Brayden's 1 Month Photos

I still cannot my little Baby Boy is already 6 weeks and something days old.  Time is flying right by and he is growing up a little too fast for me to grasp.

I promise to be better at blogging, but he's been keeping me busier than I've ever been in my life... and I love it!

Here are some pictures that his Dad took on the day that he turned one month old... I mean, young!

Look at that smile!

Always posin'!

My FAVE!!

He woke up and gave Mommy and Daddy the glare! LOL

I LIKE it when its my Birthday!!

Last night, I found myself thinking about what I am going to do for my 27th birthday this year.  I know that my birthday just past, but I just really like it when its my birthday!  :)

For my 26th (exactly a month and three days ago), I wasn't planning to do anything at all.  BUT... it ended up being quite a celebration!

Jenny's birthday is exactly a day before mine, so we decided to celebrate together this year since she is moving and wouldn't be here next year.  

Practice Birthday run with Serina, Jenny, and Jackie happened the week before.  I haven't partied in quite awhile and I wanted to make sure I still got it!  ;) 

We stopped by a gas station for a cup of ice (lol... don't ask why) and pretty much invaded the place trying to find our favorite snacks.  The man working there was laughing at us and I just said to him, "Please don't mind my friends, they just came here from Cambodia so this is kind of exciting".  LOL... then he took a picture of us... see!!

It was quite a night in Hollywood and we had to make our usual stop in Thai Town afterwards.  Soooooo yum!  What a blast we had that night!

Then the night before my birthday, we went to Mai Tai Bar.  We counted down until midnight when it was my actual birthday and everything.  Oh boy... that was also a hysterical night.  I had quite a bit too much to drink and for the first time in awhile, I yacked.  Yeah... happy freakin' birthday to me!  WTF Wednesday is what we called it.

The following night, Sam and I attended a Yelp Elite pajama party.  Yayyy... the day of my actual birthday.  I had such a great day... relaxing with my Husband (he took the day off) and recovering from the night prior.  The Pajama party was sort of crazy... so many people and food and free drinks.  I still can't believe the bartenders suggest we each get two drinks so we don't have to go back to the bar often.  SCORE!!  I didn't want to drink though... not too much anyway.  Surprisingly on my birthday, right?  HAHA... it was a lot of fun any way.  We didn't really take pictures of ourselves (I was still a mess... lol), but here is a picture from upstairs looking down at half of the party.

The following night, I held my birthday dinner.  Close friends (the ones in California) and yummy food?  What more can I ask for?

The night after that was a blast as well (of course).  The girls and I had a little potluck prefunk and getting ready session.  So much food, cake, pinata, drinks, hairspray, and lipgloss.  PERFECT combination for my kind of night.  I love girl time sessions!

Then, we went off to party in Huntington Beach with more friends.  VIP, please!  The night went by way too fast for me and I had such a blast dancing my butt off.  I wished the night lasted longer because time sure flies when you're having fun!!

Finally a picture with my MAIN SQUEEZE!!  Hehe... he was busy taking pictures for my friends and I the entire night.  He definitely made my birthday special.  Gotta love the guy!  ;)

So many more pictures, but just wayyyyyy too many to post up here.  Oops!

You see... I didn't really PLAN anything for my birthday and I was just going to wing it.  Everything was pretty last minute, but its so nice to have people there ready to celebrate with me.

26 was such a memorable celebration... I can't wait to see what celebrating 27 is like.  27 is my favorite number, by the way... so it should be GOOD!

Good Ol' Days!

Yesterday, one of the old Cambodian Classical & Folk Dancers of Tacoma organizers uploaded some ooooooold pictures onto Facebook.  I was so surprised and happy to see these pictures... brings back the good ol' days!  These pictures were from when I was anywhere from 10-14 years old.  (I started dancing since I was 6 or 7)

Oh... the memories!!

With most of the group during a performance some time during New Year.

WHY was I wearing that hair pin? LOL... ready for the coconut dance!

WHY did I look so stiff? I was probably the youngest here performing the Krab dance.

A close up... sorta!

I looked so angry!  Hehe... rehearsing the wishing dance. So stiff... no likey!

Those were some good times!  She said that she will put more pictures on a CD for me the next time I am back in town.  I can't wait to get them and see them all! 

I think I still look the same... just 5 times wider.  :)

Brushes? CHECK! ... Beautiful Models? CHECK!

I am up early this morning getting my makeup kit together and just finished cleaning my makeup brushes.  (Some of these brushes I've had since 2004, I've realized, and I still use it ALL the time.  LOVE IT!)  My call time is at noon, so hopefully these bad boys will dry by then.  I should have done this since last night, but I decided to hang out with a few of the girls last night instead since I haven't done so in nearly a month since I've been sick.  I needed some girls' time and I had a blast... as I always do!  :)

I should finish getting ready, but I just had to come here and express my excitement.  Let me see if this better explains it:  I am sooooooooooooo exciiiiiiiiiitedddddddddddddddd!!

Okay all done!  LOL.

Let me share pictures of two of my models during my last photoshoot.  I added their pictures to my website at thydalim.com but am still trying to find a better way to make my portfolio more organized and run smoothly.  Anyone wanna lend a helping hand?  Oh well, I will worry about that later because I have a gig today, one next Friday, a beauty event next Saturday, and another makeup gig next Sunday!  Whoot whoot... I love LA Fashion Week!

Anyway, here are the pretty models I mentioned before:

I will write more about their looks on my makeup artistry blog,  thydalim.blogspot.com a little bit later when I have more time... but don't forget to subscribe to that if you haven't already.

I am still looking to do more high fashion, editorial, and beauty shots so that I can add them to my portfolio, so if you have any ideas, just shoot them my way and I'd greatly appreciate it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and please... wish me luck in all this.

XOXO

Starving Artist

Lookin' Kinda Crazy!

I was sick yesterday... *cough cough* but am feeling a wee bit better today.  I was in bed all day and it was hard to move... eep.  Today, I am still in bed and feeling a little lousy, but I can open my eyes long enough to blog.

Speaking of opening my eyes, here is a picture I took before leaving to the Yelp Elite Event on Tuesday night... which was SOOOOOO fun, by the way!

Yeah... lookin' pretty crazy, I know.  I figured I'd add this one since according to my poll, two people said they'd like to see more pictures.  I'm kind of sad that only 5 people took the poll, but I guess thats okay considering the fact that about three people told me they can't vote on their phones.  Better luck next time!

My internet is being a little crazy, but there is this video that I really want to upload and share!!  I'm gonna take a little nap and hope that my internet gets it together so that I can share it with all of you.  I'm excited!

Alrighty... tschuss!

Thoughtful Thursday - Love... FOUND.

I promise not to be a puppy in love and make every entry about love and about my Husband, but today has to be the day and this entry has to be the entry.

I often have a hard time showing and telling my Husband how much I appreciate him and everything he does.  I guess after seeing the movie, "Why Did I Get Married Too?" made me realize how great of a Husband he had been to me for the past year and couple of months.  (Which by the way, I wrote a short little entry about the movie and how I feel about it here on my other blog Oh Too Much)

He is SUCH a dork... one of the reasons why I love him so much!

People spend so much of their lives searching for the perfect partner and having these high expectations and list of criteria that their prospective partners need to fill.  Let me tell you now that if you have what you call "standards" and think that the other person has to fulfill those standards, then you should probably ask yourself what qualities is it that you have that makes you fulfill the list of criteria that they have?  Does that make sense?  I guess all I am saying is that you shouldn't look at love and a relationship as a one way street where you are the only one with needs and desires.  Take yourself off a pedestal every once in awhile and be present and level with those around you.  If you walk around with your head held too high and your nose in the air, how do you see, smell, and appreciate those that are there and ready to love you?  Keep this up, and you would never find true love... thats the truth.

I remember a line from one of my friends wedding vows "It is not only about finding the right partner, but about BEING the right partner".  - SO TRUE!

We need someone who loves you for who you are and not what you could be.  - Same goes the other way around.

In no way am I saying that you should settle for less.  By that, I don't believe that you should settle for anything less than happiness.

I am blessed to have found my true love at the young age of 20 as a friend.  I am glad I got to know him and built a friendship with him before that friendship blossomed into love and a relationship because I not only have a lover, but I will always have a friend.  Five (going on six) years later, I am happily married to this wonderful man who loves me unconditionally.  He would kiss me in the morning before I can rid the morning breath.  He doesn't mind that I look a mess in the morning (and those who have seen me in the morning can testify) and tolerates my smell if I didn't shower in a day (gross and TMI, I know... but I have my days... haha!).  I never have to wonder where he is or hope that he would come home or wait by the phone waiting for him to call.  I no longer have to go to bed alone at night or wake up wondering where he is or who he is with.  I don't have to eat dinner alone (unless it was planned) and there is no longer a day that goes by when he doesn't remind me that he loves me.  I never go to bed angry or upset... that's a rule that we have and its been working wonderfully...

The list goes on, but we all get the point... I am a lucky woman!

I can tell him all my dreams, wishes, and plans... and he would listen because he is and will be a part of it all.

Weddings... can you feel the love?

I woke up this morning to the sun rays beaming through my weak shutters and birds chirping.  Thats how I knew it is going to be a great day.  And even if it isn't a perfect day, I am going to try my best to make it a wonderful one.  Got an interview this morning... and so do 29 others who are fighting for the same position that I am going for.  I know that it sounds like a lot and is a bit intimidating, but I am trying not to let it get to me.  I have nothing to lose and the least that I can gain from this is practice.  I always learn something new, and I am ready for that at the very least.  

Looking on my calendar and I can see that wedding season is kicking in.  I have at least one wedding to attend each month for the next 6 months.  Wow.  I love weddings and I am not complaining one bit, but it makes me feel giddy inside to know that my friends are falling in love and taking this step into their future.  I can't explain how happy I am to know this and I hope that I can join each and every one of them on their wedding day... though this might be difficult since the weddings are held all over the world, it seems.  I just found out that my cousin's son (who is 21) is getting married in May!  Personally, I feel that 21 is a bit young, but who am I to say?  I don't know their relationship and as long as they are happy and in love, I couldn't be happier for the little twerp I call my "nephew".  (all of my cousins' kids are my nieces and nephews to me... the whole second and third cousin thing is just way too confusing to remember with a huge family like mine)  There is something about weddings that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  :)

My best friend is getting married this summer... the same weekend as my wedding anniversary (so we can celebrate our wedding anniversaries together in the future, duh!).  They are so in love and one of the most loving couples that I know!  She calls me for tips and suggestions on a lot of the wedding plans, and I am loving it!  Although I am a thousand miles away, its nice to know that she still comes to me when she needs a second or third opinion.  I'm glad that even when we are so far away, our friendship still grows and we still make time for each other... even if its for the half hour morning commutes to work.  Anyway... wedding planning is so much fun when its not your own.  As indecisive as I am, thank goodness I am not the one who has to make the final decision like I did for my own wedding.  I am one of the people who can come up with a million ideas and suggestions but if you were to ask me to make a decision, my mind goes numb and blank.

I look forward to the little things like the Save-the-Dates, the details on the invitations, the centerpieces, the guestbook, the cake topper, the wedding favors, the details on the dresses... you know, all the fun stuff.  OH... and I especially look forward to the food and the dancing!  (How could you not?)  Inevitably, I am going to need waterproof mascara.  I don't remember going to a wedding where I did not cry at.  Yes, I am a sucker for love and a walking ball of emotions and tears.  My friend asked me to help her find some readings for her ceremony, and I was crying while coming across some things I found on Google!  Yes, Google makes me cry!

Let me reminisce my wedding a little bit...

Daddy and Mommy pretending to cut my hair.
Laughing and crying tears of joy because I adore my Parents so much!

Mommy kissing me and whispering in my ear in Khmer how much she loved me as she was blessing me... I couldn't hold it in.

SOME of the elders in my Family on stage as we all gave our "thank you" speech.  Mommy kissing me as I spoke and tried to hold in my tears.  Thanks, Mom... you just defeated the purpose and made me cry more!  LOL

Dancing with my HANDSOME Daddy.  He doesn't dance and kept trying to tell me to cut it short.  No way, Jose... we are dancing until the very last tune!  He is so adorable and still to this day, the Man with the biggest heart anyone has ever known.

Resemblance? Its in our personalities and our upper lips (they disappear when we smile)... LOL!

Hitting the dance floor with my Friends and Family.  The Man in te black suit and the big smile is my loving Uncle... who I love sooooo much!  I tend to get silly with all of my Family members and I don't think I'd ever grow out of it and they still see me as the silly little 7 year old without any front teeth!  :D

and finally, with my loving Husband.  (nuff said)

Okay... reminiscing some of the happiest moments of my life set the mood to an even greater day and now I am going to knock the socks off whomever is interviewing me.  I hope they're ready for this!  :)