i missed my parents

In our family, we are bit funny that way. We don't miss each other. We love each other a lot but when we don't see each other it's okay. But for the first time in my life -maybe it's because they have been gone for a month and maybe because I am a mom now and I value family time more than before - I miss my parents. I really love them so much and realize how great they are and how lucky I was to be raised by them. My mom is a star wherever she goes and my dad is funny and kind. I have friends who have sick parents and it made me realize how precious the years to come are. I am lucky to have them healthy, but most of all happy.

lunch with the girls at the beach

my dad reading in the sun ! how lucky is he?!!!

my favourite dress of the Oscars

so girly ! so perfect ! I would love to go to the Oscars one day !

guess where I am going in a month or so?!

Annona, here we come ! We can't wait !

my modelling days

I stumbled on this picture the other night while I was looking through a box and saw this "famous" picture of me. (Funny to think that so many ex boyfriends have had it in thier wallets!!! They all wanted this picture !!!) For many years, I did these amateur modelling photo shoots. I loved to do that. Don't think I would do it anymore. I see a new Tanja in the latest pictures. Once you turn 40 things really change - the face, the body. Happy I took this kind of pictures when I did. Will have fun looking at them when I am 80!

he is my son

Everybody is wondering who Luca looks like. If you look at this picture when I was young, I see the ressemblance.

my second boy

There is not one night where Mike and I go to bed without talking about how great Luca is. We love his great smile, his dances, all the words he already says, his kisses (that are so gentle and so cute), his wanting to hold our hand, his love for cars (Mati taught him real good !), his love for food. He makes us really happy. He is a real sunshine. He is our little Loulou.

Escazu

Don't know why but I have been thinking a lot about Costa Rica lately. I have been feeling nostalgic. Maybe I miss the fact that I was so free then. Every day for almost a year I did only the things that I liked. And now, although I love my life, it is all about work. Free time - what's that man?!!! I need to get the balance back. My body is talking to me but for the moment I cannot listen to it. I miss the Escazu pool, I miss eating ice cream at the drive through, I miss walking for hours in my flip-flops, I miss the tanning, I miss my students there, I miss Esther, I miss spending time with Sofia, Jesper, Marco, Gustavo, I miss the Multiplaza, I miss taking the bus, I miss the morning rain, I miss wearing skirts every day, I miss the San Jose market, I miss eating papaya every day, I miss my painting class where we had rice pudding, I miss walking to the grocery store, I miss the week that I spend with Jojo there where we had a blast, I miss my swimming instructor, I miss weekend getaways, I miss speaking Spanish every day... I am not the person to look behind but lately I wished I just had a little time just for me.

want to find a gold heart like this

Mike, Jojo and Claude know that when I shop I often say "this would be great for the beach". I know it is a funny thing to say especially that we live in a cold country and that I go to the beach about two weeks in one year. It is weird to shop for a short time span like that ! But for some crazy reason, my beach wardrobe is really important to me. If I would lose my suitcase while going to Mexico I would freak out! Really ! I really love my summer clothes. And lately, I have been noticing older women at the beach and I always find it beautiful when they wear gold jewelry in the sun. It just looks rich and perfect on tanned skin. I have been wanting to buy a thick golden necklace but I always change my mind once I get to the store. The ones I like are about 500$ which I can never spend. So I found another solution, maybe just buy a great gold heart. I am super picky with jewelry and have been to at least 6 jewelry stores and have not found what I am looking for yet. Tiffany has them but it is out of my budget range also... I'm looking, looking....

cool pictures from my girls

how cool are those? (wanted to put Claudette in there and I couldn't find one...)

Don't really remember where we were Claudia. Do you?

What a day we had with Bianca !Souvenirs....

On Daisy's wedding day on our way to the hairdresser...

I think Jojo started being sick after that supper ?! :)

wow ! how to style your hair

check it out here. I tried the Messy Bellerina Bun which looked beautiful and I plan to try the Natural Loose Waves.Gotta buy that iron!

How to be an Amazing ...

Found this text while doing research for the topic and I find it simply great! Inspiring ! from this web site 1. Don’t worry about marks while you are in school. No one will ever ask you what school you went to or what your marks were when you leave it. (this pertains to the field of illustration). 2. You are always working for yourself, even when you work for others. Sometimes it feels like you are just the hired hand (and some clients can be really challenging to work with). But there is always some way to turn an illustration job into something exciting for you. Some ideas: experiment with a new technique (or a new color palette), use it as an opportunity to learn about a new topic, rebel against the job in tiny ways (do some roughs just for yourself in which you insert subversive material). 3. There are no actual rules for how to become a successful [insert profession here]. Make your own path. 4. It will help you to create a social network of other self-employed people. 5. Move your body every day. There are many health reasons for this, but it also helps you to work on ideas subconsciously. Ideas and solutions will come in when you least expect them but (almost always after a minimum of one hour of walking). There are new studies that suggest increased oxygen to the brain is a greater source for creativity than “creative brain exercises”. I have found this to be true for myself. 6. Goof off on a regular basis. 7. If you want to work on your art, work on your life. All those personality traits that aren’t working for you will come back to haunt you in your career (i.e. assertiveness, fear of conflict, fear of confrontation.) It’s all connected. 8. What you think becomes your reality. I always had a belief that if I cleaned out my recycling bin in my studio I would get new work. And guess what, it always happened. If you think the industry is screwed and there is no work to be had, guess what you will find out there? 9. Focus on ideas instead of tools (technology). Anyone can learn to use the tools, but it is the thinkers who really impact the culture in important ways. In the end the tools don’t offer anything interesting. 10. Worrying about the competition does very little to help your career. I know it’s hard sometimes to ignore what other people are doing (we all think that others are doing better than us), but every one of us is on a different life path. We are all here to accomplish different things and even though it would seem like one person’s path is similar to yours, it is not. 11. Only work for free if you are passionate about the cause or receive something of value in return. (Be wary of people who offer your name in lights in lieu of money. Many people will tell you something is good promotion for you, often it is not and there are no guarantees when it comes to promotional value). If you are not getting something of a measurable value (i.e. printed pieces, or money) ask for something else, creative freedom. If they refuse then they may not be a good client to work for anyway. 12. Take some small risks on a regular basis. Some ideas: write some places/companies you would really like to work and let them know why you think they are great. 13. Don’t worry about whether or not you are good (good is subjective and most people are not great judges of their own work), just keep making work. 14. Ignore cool. Successful people do not try to be hip, they just do work that excites them. 15. Always come back to work that excites you. Even if you get off track for a while. Do personal work on a regular basis, show it to others. You can reinvent yourself at any time.