This week’s iCapture gives you a taste of Beverly Hills, where I’m currently staying to cover the upcoming 3D animated film The Lorax.  Here are just a few photos I took on a leisurely Sunday afternoon stroll through the city.

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

Shot with an iPhone, filtered with Instagram

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

Shot with an iPhone, filtered with Instagram

Day 1: Me

On the surface, it seems quite simple and straightforward.  Take one photo every day for an entire year.  Since smart phones are now equipped with up to 8 megapixel cameras, it’s easy to photograph those beautiful, unexpected moments…the ones I never managed to capture because I didn’t have my camera with me.

I’m not one to commit to something I don’t think I’ll follow through with, so while I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of documenting a year of my life through photos, I’ve never aspired to take on such a feat.  What would I take photos of? What if I missed a day?  What if my photos were boring?  Can I REALLY take a new, interesting photo every single day? The list of questions (and excuses) can get quite lengthy.

And then one day in early January, I saw this hashtag: #janphotoaday.  Interesting…maybe I could commit for a month just to see how it went.  And the fact that I actually had photo prompts made it all seem so doable! Since I didn’t have to worry about what to take a photograph of, I could focus on simply taking the photos.

So how’s it working out for me?

Today is January 25th…and I humbly admit that committing to anything for 30 days, let alone 365, requires discipline, persistence, and accountability.  I was doing great for the first 10 days.  I don’t really know what happened after that.

Because I don’t like empty space, I’m planning on filling in those days I missed…and hoping I at least make it to mid-February next month. Baby steps right?

So here is what I’ve learned in the less than 30 days I’ve been participating in Project 365.

1. Doing anything, every day, for any length of time, is more difficult than it seems

2. There is so much beauty in the world….even in something as simple as a mailbox…or a cup of coffee

3. And because of number 2, I must slow down to soak it all in

4. There are some absolutely incredible photographers who I know will be recognized one day for their work

5.  I have a lot to learn about photography…but I’m getting better every day (I mean I have to, right?)

6. Follow through is a desirable and necessary character trait that carries over into many aspects of life

7. I really, really, REALLY love photography.  My husband can attest to the fact that I can get very absorbed when I’m viewing photos on Instagram

8. The end result is always worth the journey

Are you participating in Project 365? If you are, I’d really love for you to leave a link in the comments so I can follow along with you on your journey.

One of my favorite photos from 2011...shot from a moving car through the window!

Things are a bit different around here aren’t they? If you’ve been reading Rockin’ Mama for any length of time, you know the many changes that have occurred throughout the years.  What started out as a very personal online journal read by no one except my immediate family, has become a lifestyle website with an emphasis on photography, food, film, travel, and more…all with a mind towards the environment.

I love the new direction the site is taking. You may have noticed an increased number of recipes and my new photography series called iCapture. In addition to the diversified content, I want to get back to the basics of blogging, so you’re definitely going to see more of me.  I want to engage with you…learn from you…share with you. I want to talk about the “pretty” things in life one day and flesh out those day to day struggles we all face as women and moms the next.

I love working with brands….I love the opportunity to give you back something through giveaways…..I love giving you a preview of experiences so that you can decide beforehand whether those experiences might be a good fit for your own family. I simply need to incorporate more of myself into the site this year, whether it be through photography or recipes or short stories and quips.

What changes are you making this year?

About a week and a half ago, I did some serious sweating cardiovascular fitness and strength training at Barry’s Bootcamp.  In my 30+ years, I’ve taken countless fitness classes…but none like this one.  Is there any exercise regime you’re doing right now that will result in burning as many as 1000 calories in an hour?

For the last fourteen years, Barry’s Bootcamp has been delivering “The Best Workout in the World.” Much like boot camp, characterized by discipline and structure, this one hour class combines interval cardiovascular routines on the treadmill with strength training using free weights.  What’s interesting about the workouts is that they actually change each day to help achieve optimal results.   If you were to attend a class each day, you’d work different parts of your body, which is something that is quite unique and sets the workout apart from others. The workouts can vary from two 30 minute segments to four 15 minute segments and this constant transition between cardiovascular and strength training is why it’s effective in helping to improve the cardiovascular system resulting in weight loss and muscle strength.

I took a one hour class, and to be honest, it was hard!  I’m not at my optimal fitness level, however, I do work out so I was a bit surprised at how intense the class was. But I LOVED the burn I felt in my abs the next day and I actually felt really good after the class…energized.  The class is meant to be challenging but not impossible, and much like any workout, you can and should tailor it to your fitness level. If you prefer to walk versus run, you should.  You can also opt for lighter weights if necessary.  The workout can definitely be adapted to your personal and current level of fitness and there is much room to advance and see results.

The class I attended just happened to be led by celebrity trainer Derek Degrazio, who’s helped people like Britney Spears achieve real results.  He was energetic, motivating, but serious about helping each of us achieve results…even in just one class.

At present, you’ll find classes in select cities across the globe including Los Angeles, Orange County (Irvine), San Diego, New York City, Nashville, London, and Bergen, Norway. For information regarding class times and prices, just visit Barry’s Bootcamp.

No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to sweat it out with Derek Degrazio at Barry’s Bootcamp.

But for now, here are a few photos I snapped with my iPhone!

A preview of sorts

Because I love photos of food!

And why I'm here!

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

Shot with an iPhone, filtered with Instagram and PicPlz.

Royal/T’s latest exhibit is TAG You’re It, where visitors will experience art from “a child’s eye view.”  Their hope is that younger audiences will “see eye-to-eye” with art. Interestingly enough, children can play “Art Tag,” a game of hide and seek where the viewer looks for things hidden within the pieces by the artist. Dining in the establishment is quite an experience. The food is Japanese inspired with a hint of French influence.  Here are just a few of the photos I snagged:.

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama

Shot with an iPhone, filtered with Instagram and PicPlz.

Just thirty minutes prior, I had set butter out on the counter to soften…real butter.  I was in a baking mood and I wanted chocolate chip cookies…the kind with real butter, real eggs, and dark chocolate chunks. I don’t remember the last time I baked real chocolate chip cookies, hence the somewhat urgent craving.

I walked into the kitchen and started gathering my ingredients…eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, raw organic sugar…That’s when I heard footsteps and my son’s tiny voice… “Mommy, what are you doing?” I’m silent for a minute, already foreseeing the next question because it’s so completely obvious what I’m doing.  “What are you baking?” he asks in his sweet inquisitive voice.  What I want to say is, “Sweetheart, it’s bedtime.  It’s very important that you go to bed on time and get enough sleep for school in the morning.”  But what I really say is, “I’m baking chocolate chip cookies,” (and I REALLY wanted those chocolate chip cookies!) already prepared for his response.  “Are they going to be Vegan?”  At this point, I’m stuck.  I can either bake two different batches of chocolate chip cookies, or simply put aside my desire for a warm, chewy dairy and egg-filled chocolate chip cookie and make the vegan alternative.  It’s late and I’m getting tired, so I look into his sweet brown eyes and say, “Yes honey. Of course they’re going to be Vegan so you can have them.”  But I’m not off the hook yet because my son is two steps ahead of the game.  “But why do you have eggs and real butter out?”  Guilty.  I’m not in the habit of lying to my children and I was a little caught off guard.  However, in this particular situation, where telling him that I was planning to make the most delicious dairy and egg-filled chocolate chip cookies ever and that he wouldn’t be able to eat any of them would have just devastated him in that moment. He really is great about avoiding foods he can’t eat when he’s at school or out.  But home is supposed to be a safe place.  “Silly Mommy” I laughed. “I took the eggs and butter out by mistake.”

What ensued was about 15-20 minutes of measuring, mixing, and baking vegan alternatives.   My son and I have been baking since he could hold a spoon, and despite my initial longing to have some “me time,” I really enjoyed making those chocolate chip cookies with him.  And when they were done and he had finished eating the first one, he looked at me with those brown eyes and said, “Mommy, those were the best cookies ever!”  My heart melted and of course I let him have just one more before bed.

Living with food allergies is difficult…not just for my son, but for our entire family. It touches so many aspects of our lives…some, most people wouldn’t even think about. Like whether I should feed my son before a birthday party or bring in treats to have on hand at school.  It dictates where we shop, where we dine, and how we plan activities.  The question I’ve been debating lately is whether or not our home should be a safe environment for him…free from any foods he can’t eat.  But I have a daughter…a daughter who, as far as we know, isn’t allergic to any foods.  Do I “deprive” her of those foods?  It’s a decision I’m constantly going back and forth on.

Not the prettiest but they taste incredible!

In general, I resort to getting my cravings for real milk lattes and real butter desserts satisfied outside of our home.  While I can’t say that every food in our home is safe for our son (we’re working on it), we’ve done our part to ensure that he has a wide variety of foods that he can eat.  And every single meal I make for our family can be consumed by him. I’ve spent countless hours reading, researching, speaking to parents and professionals, and experimenting to give him as many food options as possible.  I’ve learned to make cheesy vegan pizza, delicious vegan pancakes, hearty allergen-friendly soups, and the most delicious Vegan Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies I’ve yet to taste. This recipe is simply an adaptation of Hershey’s Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies, which I was going to use initially:

But the question still begs, should I as a parent make our home a safe place for my son so that he can walk into the kitchen, pick up a food and not worry about whether or not he can eat it?  I’d love for any of you who have dealt with this issue to weigh in on the topic.

Unfiltered

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!

I’m starting a brand new series for the new year called iCapture. It’s totally unsponsored and simply a place to share and discover amazing photographs captured through the lens of an iPhone.  Each week I’ll post a few of my favorite photos. Won’t you join me?  I’d love to see what you’ve captured this week via your smart phone (any smart phone).

To begin this week’s iCapture, I wanted to share some photos from the Walt Disney Studios, located in Burbank, California. As a child, I remember visiting during the holidays for their  Christmas market, never realizing until I was much older that the studios is not actually open to the public.  Here are just a few photos I captured yesterday while having lunch with some friends:

Can you guess where this is?

What have you “captured” this week?  Share your photos below!