I took Dayla to a birthday party last week at a cool little place in called Kidsville. Ginette was at a shoot that morning so I wasn’t planning on taking any pictures. She showed up partway through the party with a camera so I snapped a few shots. Mostly I wanted to test the IS capabilities of our new 70-200 F4 IS.

This is the birthday boy with a good friend sitting in a plastic fire truck. To be honest I did yell “Kiss her!” I didn’t think he actually would.

Memorial Day has always been an awesome day.  I mean, who doesn’t love a day off of work and having a BBQ by the pool?  I know that I have enjoyed and reaped the benefits of this holiday for many years now, and I am thankful.

As I sat in Arlington Cemetery for the first time last year (and on Memorial weekend) I began to feel overwhelmed and thankful in a whole new way.  A cemetery is just a cemetery, until you start to really take in that each of those headstones is someone.  Someone who left a family behind.  Someone who may have left a child behind. Seeing a widow who is my age weeping, or seeing a 6 year old put flowers on his father’s grave, while his mother clutches his hand, brings a whole new meaning to memorial Day.

So thank you to all who serve for our country.  For having the courage I don’t have.  For making the kind sacrifices few people even know you make.  And thank you to all you families who have lost someone at war. Your sacrifice and loss is something that words of thanks could never be enough for.

To Everyone: Happy Memorial Day!

I can’t begin to guess how many meals that I consumed at California Pizza Kitchen over the many years that I worked there.  I have tried everything on their menu and would have no problem admitting that there hasn’t been one thing that I tried that I didn’t like.  There was one thing that stood out for me though, one thing that I ate more than any other item on the menu.  The “hidden gem” is what I called it, as most people don’t know that CPK has sandwiches, but oh DO they.  When I knew it was going to be a long or a rough night, I knew that my order had to be “The Grilled Vegetable Sandwich“.

You can call it copying or call it flattery, but I had try an iteration of that sandwich.  It is totally worth making in your home. Grill some of your favorite veges, grab the world’s best herb focaccia bread from Fresh and Easy, and top with a little goat cheese aioli.  It will blow your socks off.  Guaranteed.

Today’s Feature: Grilled Vegetable (Portobello Mushroom, Onions and Red Bell Pepper, topped with Field Greens) Sandwich,

with Goat Cheese Aioli on Herb Focaccia

As you can probably guess by my verbose outpouring of love for my clients, I love people. I have always been this way. I love meeting new people, I love helping people, I love hearing other people’s stories, and now I love capturing people with my camera! I, simply put, love people.

I truly have adored each and every family I have ever met, and feel blessed that it is my job to capture your life, your story.

With the S family they didn’t just make me swoon and capture my heart like most families do, they made me want to hang out with them every day. Yep. They are truly that much fun. I am not sure what the exact tipping point was that made me realize that I want to hang out with them every day, it is hard to pin point it. Maybe it was when Erin and I talked on the phone forEVER and it felt like we were old friends. Maybe it was when I saw that Erin is the type of mom I want to be and admire. Or maybe it was when I suggested letting her kids have ice cream for the photo shoot, which has been a long time vision and I have been DYING to do it, she was SO into it, in the way that a girl friend squeals over a cute dress that makes you look amazing. Or maybe it was simply because her kids adored the camera and the camera adored them.

Whatever the exact reason was I am not sure, but truth be told, they stole my heart.

S family. If only I could hang out with you everyday I would. You made me laugh, made a little old photographer’s dream come true, and you made me feel blessed to have met you. I had so much fun and dearly hope our path’s cross again one day!

Three adorable little ones…just warming up….

Thanks to mama’s help, WARMED!

Caroline is vivacious, and Brooke and Ben just sweet at can be. I am so excited…this picture just seemed to capture who they are; Caroline with her pose even has a little extra twist of the hip!  :)

Doorways with beautiful brick wall = love. Cute family in them = LOVE. LOVE.LOVE!

Can you see the reaction to the “peak a boo”? This picture makes me laugh out loud! I want to hang it on my wall in a giant canvas…for the days I need a smile!

[Sorry, I am going to say "love" a lot in this post.]  I LOVE this series! Isn’t Erin the most gorgeous mama of triplets you have ever seen? And the love she has for her kids (and they for her) just makes her glow!

And Scott sure did love his little ones too!  As requested, “Just the men.”  The handsome men. AWE. LOVE.

Silly faces are the best!

Here are three kids, triplets, looking perfect and calm like I am sure they do everyday!

Then we let loose for some candid shots. Here is Brooke dancing…and Caroline rushes to join her. How I love little girls!


The ever sweet Ben

Next comes my little dream come true: KIDS EATING ICE CREAM = CUTE OVERLOAD!!

Then we have the nice little family is just here eating some ice cream….peaceful…cute…perfect….

…then the photographer stirs up some trouble….

….sending everyone home sticky was my ultimate goal! Thanks S family for making my dream come true!

“He loves everything to do with firemen”

I could just picture him running around the house dressed up like a fireman.  The fights to take off the firefighter gear so they could go to the grocery store.  Explaining that wearing a fire fighter’s hat might not be appropriate for a wedding.  I don’t know if that is how it actually plays out at their home, but that is the image that popped into my head when she said it.  In the midst of having my vision I just said, “That is awesome!”.

I just love that kids are who they are.  They get into what they are into and then they are shameless about it.  Wear it everywhere.  And I LOVE AND ADORE parents who just let them embrace it.

So when Rebecca said that she might bring some of Hunter’s firefighter attire for our photo shoot, I am pretty sure I squealed.  I am not a squealer…but that day I did.  ”OOOOooooooooo YES!  BRING IT!”

This photo shoot was a-mazing.  I got to walk around the most gorgeous, lush park that I have ever been to.  I swooned as I got out of the car and saw the redwoods, green grass, flowers, duck pond.  Memories flooded as I reminisced what it was like to grow up with redwoods in my backyard (answer = the BEST thing ever.) And then when they arrived, the first thing I noticed was Hunter’s fireman boots.  I was in heaven.  I got to capture Hunter being the most fun, energetic, social, and imaginative boy I have ever met…and sweet sweet Lexi who the moment I held the camera up to my face smiled with the kind of smile that just makes you melt.

E family, thank you!  I had so much fun!

Check out this tree! Isn’t it gorgeous? And the light…and the family…and the…well, everything!

Introducing the sweetest smile in the world…by Lexi…

This picture kills me. Rebecca, I can’t believe you don’t get in front of the camera more often. We are all at a loss…. you are gorgeous! (Those eyes are natural folks!)

Introducing the fireman himself…Mr. Hunter!

Every fireman needs a fire pole to slide down….

…and some formal fire fighter portraits (I am in LOVE with these! Isn’t he the most handsome little guy? Hunter stole my heart!)

Sometimes firemen like to also hide in bushes and watch out for dinosaurs! (like every little boy!)

Then we rounded the troops for a little play time. This was SO much fun! I simply adore the way these shots came out…real family moments…..just playing and giggling like families do!


This shot is a more calm moment, but something about it makes me smile.

I am in LOVE with this series. I told Hunter not to smile. He held it for about a minute…but then burst into full giggle. It was the best.

And this one DEFINITELY makes me smile…and warms my heart. I love the love. I can’t fake that as a photographer. I can’t make a family connect and love one another…this family just did, and I was lucky enough to be there and be a part of it. Thank you E family for warming my heart!