This weekend was the first and last time that I ever buy Velveeta. It really is a plastic cheese product. It’s not cheese! Leading up to the Super Bowl, I had seen commercials for making easy queso. Velveeta + Rotel = voila instant queso. Yeah, not so much. I wanted to make it easy by putting it in the crock pot, and it just didn’t work out so well. I should have known that if it can sit on a shelf without refrigeration and still be edible, I should run in the other direction.

On a better note, the 7 Layer Dip I made was a hit! Made with real ingredients.

Which brings me to goal setting for the month!

FEBRUARY GOALS

PERSONAL
- wake up at 7:00am during the week, and don’t hit snooze and roll over
- reduce processed foods in diet (NO VELVEETA EVER AGAIN) and eat more real food
- participate in the instagram February photo challenge (username is catieronquillo). January was super fun, so why not keep it going?
- pray more, worry less

BUSINESS
- refine workflow system for 2012, write it down
- attend WPPI/Showit United and make time to connect with other photographers
- create a wedding guide for clients
- create a lookbook for clients
- launch a new collaborative project for photographers

As far as January went, I think I did pretty well. Setting goals has been really helpful in following through, most notably in the items that required doing something every day of the month. Writing, blogging, and taking a photo a day is not as easy as it seems and I’m glad that I pushed myself to make it to the end.

PERSONAL
- wake up every week day by 7:00am – as someone who is not a morning person, this will be a challenge! (I woke up in the 7:00 hour. That sorta counts.)
- start the day with reading, reflection, and prayer – instead of worrying, I’ll be praying
- end each day with prayer of gratitude
- complete the January Challenge on 750words.com
- participate in the January Photo a Day challenge on Instagram. Follow along on your phone – my Instagram name is catieronquillo

BUSINESS
- review and revise the Simple Plan business plan (a work in progress)
- host the first Showit Global Share group – this week on Wednesday at our house!
- create a wedding guide for clients (a work in progress)
- refine editing workflow system for 2012 – write down the system, work the system, stick to it (almost there…)
- get receipts in order…it’s that dreaded time of year.
- edit and share photos from a recent project – something good is in the works!
- blog everyday for the month of January – from thoughts, to advice, to photos, or an inspirational quote

What are your February goals?

But it’s also my Dad’s birthday today! He keeps me updated with the latest gadgets and gizmos, and the latest free apps. He may love Disneyland just as much (if not more) than my sister and I combined. And he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. Always willing to help and troubleshoot. In my family (and extended family) he’s usually the first to call for tech support. Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!

Photo by Vanessa Hendrickson of Contemporary Portraits

Actually, I was playing around with the interval timer on my camera, and had ten shots to play with. While I thought about posting a “normal” photo of me, you know of me smiling or something, I thought this one depicts me better. At least it will get a laugh out of Cent. He’s all too familiar with my weird faces.

But, I am shocked at how fast this month went by. However, by challenging myselt with 31 blog posts to write, I’m actually glad that this month is over tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

image from Plans Now

What is your dream home accessory?

Happy Sunday!

Yes, haters. I don’t understand them. And with the Internet, it’s so easy for haters to be mean. Behind the “safety” of a computer and an anonymous name, it’s easy to be negative, critical, and all around mean, just for the sake of criticizing someone or something.

I was reading this great blog post by Young House Love and how they deal with criticism. I love how Sherry says that she tries to look at them from a place of love. Considering their situation. And being compassionate.

I loved this advice. Because it doesn’t do any good to get upset over a comment from someone I don’t know and who doesn’t know me. And really, instead of get all up in arms about how much haters annoy me or are terrible people, instead, I don’t let it get to me. I think about them, and what their situation must be that they are willing to take the time to cut someone down. Positive comments and affirmation are great for self-confidence, however, all it takes is one mean or negative comment to ruin your day. At least, that’s how I feel.

And plus, if this criticism is coming from a source that is not important to me – my husband, my parents, my sister, or closest family and friends, then really, I don’t need to worry about it. Because those people know me, and they can call me out on something if I’m being ridiculous or out of line, and I can evaluate. But anonymous people? No worries.

I found this on Pinterest yesterday, and found the print on Etsy by Life’s a Journal.

Available on Etsy from Life’s a Journal

1. I don’t know what too me SO LONG, but I finally ate at Oddfellows in Dallas. Actually, twice this month. Many thanks to Sara & Rocky Garza for suggesting we go to lunch there. I had the Mac & Cheese, which was voted the Best Mac & Cheese in Dallas in 2011. I wholeheartedly agree. This past week, I had the Fried Green Tomato sandwich and it was amazing, too.

2. Spending time with the Photo Ladies. For the last few months, I’ve gotten together with some photographer friends. We share food, life, and business. It’s great to have friends to chat with, who understand what it’s like.

3. I made it a point that this month, I would connect with new friends and online friends. It’s easy to meet people at a networking event, but I believe it’s important to connect again one on one. And It’s super easy to have online Facebook friends, but it’s a whole other thing to get to know them for real. I loved getting to know them better, and I even got a chance to meet Eugene & Heather who were in town from Nashville, who until last week were only friends online..

4. At the beginning of the month, there was the first Global Share group and a handful of photographers came over to my house to hang out and virtually chat with groups from around the country. Although, we totally failed to take a group photo. D’oh.

5. Reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I just finished this book the other night and it was a great book. It’s a pretty quick read, and really gets you thinking about what’s keeping you from your creative breakthroughs. What is holding you back, what you can do to push through it.

Happy Friday!

I found this quote today and couldn’t agree more. I often find myself in this challenge where I want to ask someone for permission if something is okay to do. But there is no one to ask. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut, have faith, and do it. Rather than asking for permission, beg for forgiveness later, if needed.

Having grown up within the confines of rules and regulations in school, being my own boss has its own sets of obstacles. It’s a whole new mindset. I think that in times when I’m feeling lost or confused, I will come back to this quote. And instead of just wondering if it’s something I should do or try, do it, learn from it, and improve from it. Instead of waiting for someone (and probably no one at that) to give me permission, I will give myself permission to fail. I will give myself permission to test, try, get it wrong, and experiment until I get it right, or find what works well for me.

In the words of Thomas Edison, “I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 things that do not work.”

I love gathering inspiration for future shoots and ideas for wedding ideas that I love. And thanks to Pinterest, it’s so easy since it’s a visual bookmarking platform. As someone who doesn’t thrive with organization unless the structure is already there, this is wonderful. My mind is always running around (kind of like a hamster in a wheel) with ideas, and it’s so useful to have a place to keep everything. So, thanks, Ben. I heard that he was an awesome speaker at ALT Summit last week, and just hearing about all the fun things that went on at the conference, it’s on my list to one day attend.

Seriously, I remember the day a friend sent me the invite, I was glued to my computer searching for everything from interior decoration to recipe ideas to inspiring imagery.

Here are just a few of my favorite wedding inspiration boards.

Although, I do have one request to pinners out there. Please pin from the original source or permalink. (Whoa, I just got all technical, but basically it means that you would pin from the individual post instead of the blog’s homepage. If you have questions, leave it in the comments.)

Are you a pinner, too? Leave your Pinterest name in the comments! I’d love to check out your boards. Need an invite? Let me know!

How do you use Pinterest?

This morning I was browsing Pinterest and a few things made me laugh. Out loud.

I’ve totally done this. More than once.

Too funny. And sad. But more funny.

From The Berry

Um, yes…Happens to me more often then I’d like to admit. And you also pull out your phone like you’re going to call someone…

Rule for everyday. Smile, it confuses people.

Buy the print on Etsy from As You Wish Printing

Truth…

From BookFiend on Etsy

Happy Saturday!

And this week, I made an effort to do that instead of just online. Online is great, but there’s nothing quite like face time. It allows you to build an even better relationship and grow stronger as friends. I think that it’s easy to be “friends” online, but when you don’t really know each other, it’s just a hollow shell attempting to be a “friendship”.

Hey, I’m totally guilty of playing on Facebook instead of having real life interactions. It’s SO much easier to hang out online. But, I have to follow my own advice and get out there, make myself vulnerable, and meet new people. And it’s TOTALLY worth it. I’ve considered myself a shy person my whole life, and there are times when I just have to push through that fear, and make the first move. Even if I seem weird. Even if I seem a little creepy. (Like the few times I’ve asked acquaintance on Twitter to meet in real life!) To have that face to face time with awesome people is worth the little bit of discomfort. But once you push through and make that connection, it’s totally and completely worth it.

So, so worth it. In spite of my shyness, I love it. Talking to people one on one. I allow myself to be a little vulnerable and share openly and freely. I let my guard down. And I realize it’s okay. I get a little warm and fuzzy. I seriously love making new friends especially when they are awesome and I want to be their friend even more. Totally. It’s almost like dating. Like the dating I never did in my formative years. Like dating without the romantic intricacies. Now, I can use those “dating skills” in real life, to make new friends.

I love meeting Facebook and Twitter friends in real life. Because then, we can become actual friends. I think Facebook is great for that first initial interaction, but when you can meet and chat in real life and make a real connection that’s where the magic happens.

I encourage you to get out from behind your computers and hang out with people in real life. Even if it’s a late lunch, a playdate with your kids, or a quick coffee between carpool times. That face-to-face interaction is so essential.

To the Photo Ladies, Sara & Rocky, Wendy, Heather & Eugene, Vanessa, and Kelly, thank you for some face-to-face hang out time this week!

PS. If this post is a little all over the place, it’s pieced from one of my daily 750 Words posts that I wrote today. I hope it makes sense!

Thanks to Lynn for the photo above.