Photoshop

I've been messing around a bit more in Photoshop.  I am still very lost most of the time, but I am learning a little more each day.  One of the most dangerous tools I have found is how to do  "virtual weight loss."  I have spent way too much time altering pictures of myself to see just how good I could make myself look.  You can trim, enlarge, tone, get rid of wrinkles and blemishes, whiten teeth, add volume to your hair, plump lips, and even give yourself fake eyelashes and make-up.  Luckily I am not very good, and the pictures usually come out looking at least a little distorted.  I do find myself looking in the mirror wishing I could do the same thing in real life.  It is scary how with a few clicks of a mouse, you can completely erase reality.

Sorry for the tangent.  Today, I have spent my day changing this:

Into this:

It is far from perfect, but I learned a lot doing it.  It has been a long time since we have had a family picture taken, and it was kind of fun to create one on my own.  I'm not happy that half of my head is missing.  I am learning a little more each time I attempt a project, and I see things that I want to do differently when I take a picture.  It gives me some definite goals to work on.

It has been fun having hobbies that don't include cooking, cleaning, and "momming."  I have realized that I am much more aware of things lately.  I went to the dentist last week, and I spent some time checking out the photographs in the office.  I find myself analyzing things more, and really thinking.  I'm still trying to balance my time between the "want-to"s and the "have-to"s.

I have to quickly tell the story that goes with this picture.  My mom has given me the assignment to get family pictures of everyone in my family.  I finally got my kids organized on Sunday, and started taking pictures.  I set up the tripod, and tried to "arrange" my family for a picture.  Max always has to be in the middle of the action.  He kept getting in my way as I was taking individual pictures of the kids.  When we all sat down to take the family picture, it was too much for him.  He came running in and got in the way, just as the timer was beeping.  I was annoyed, thinking we would have to take the pictures all over again, and my battery was threatening to die at any moment.  I yelled at Max to get out, and Hubby told him to sit.  He sat there next to the family and posed as the pictures were taken.  Allen and I were both cracking up.  I don't think I could have gotten him to sit there like that if I had tried all day.