Um… since when does it rain EVERY DAY in October?!?!?  Poor Meegan’s family session was rained out the first time, and then we rescheduled and almost got rained out again!  Luckily, it stayed dry until we were on our way back to the car.  We made it by the skin of our teeth.  :)

Normally three year olds are not super fun to photograph.  As a mother of a three year old, I know all too well how they can have crazy toddler PMS and become “shy” at a moments notice, how they’ve learned how to smile in a really weird way so that they tuck their lips up into their mouth, and how they sometimes just refuse to participate in being a normal human being. This sweet boy defies all the odds though.  Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have stumbled upon the *perfect* three year old.  Sweet, adorable, loving, funny, and just a plain good time.  I wouldn’t mind if he taught Claire a few tricks. ;)

Thank you Meegan and Ryan for allowing me to have a glimpse of your amazing family.   You both must be incredible parents, and people, to have managed to raise such a sweet boy.  Enjoy your sneak peek!

Man, this group was fun.

Bennet’s girlfriend Jill and his daughter Chloe found me and arranged a surprise family session for Bennet.  They were out here, many from out of town, staying in a (gorgeous) beach house in Venice, on a family vacation to celebrate Bennet’s birthday.  We headed down to the beach Sunday morning for the session, football, hanging out and goofing around.  The whole family was such a pleasure to be around… fun-loving, relaxed, silly, sweet, the kind of people who you’d want to hangout with indefinitely.  I felt so honored that they chose *me* to capture their love for one another, because it is truly special and one of a kind.

…oh, like I needed another reminder of why I love what I do. :)

Enjoy your sneak peek, Bennet and Family.  (and happy birthday!)

Here’s a few images from Jakey’s 6 month mini session that I just couldn’t resist posting.  More to come next week!

I met up with Katie and Nick and their dog Sadie this week in Pasadena to shoot their engagement photos. It’s people like this who remind me why I do what I do. They were sweet, fun, and um… incredibly gorgeous! Katie made my job a lot easier by having the same name as me. I’m TERRIBLE with names and often rename people accidentally during sessions. And Nick kept me laughing with his posing “skills”. Haha… don’t worry, Nick… I’ll save your super awesome posing photos for your password protected gallery… ;)

Thank you thank you thank you Katie and Nick for being the awesome people that you are. I wish you the best in wedding planning and wedding day and all the rest of your happily married life. <3

Enjoy your sneak peek.

hahahaa… this one cracks me up.  “Sit, Sadie, sit….”

Um, no thanks.

The apples were to honor Nick’s mother who passed away last May.  She was a teacher.

All the Sadie pictures crack me up.  I especially love that Katie drew and arrow to Sadie as well.  Haha!

this week i turned thirty.  i wasnt quite sure how i felt about it, to be honest with you.  i sort of expected to wake up to confetti and fireworks and a large man standing up on my dresser with a bullhorn announcing to the world that the universe is now plus one “real” adult.  alas, there was no bedroom circus, no light parade, no fire-eaters.  october 5th was nothing more than the 10,957th day since i popped out of someone.

i did consider this “big”  birthday an opportunity to reflect on life, et al.  what i’ve got, what i want, what i did, what i havent… and most important; who i am, who i ought to be.   i’d like to think that as i’ve gotten older, the “me” that i am getting closer to, the me that i would like to be, is hopeful, kind, and generous.  and i hope that this thirty year old “me” shows who i am not in my shoes, accessories, or car… but in my actions, words and heart.  that’s my goal.

i read a quote the other day that i really liked: “there are years that ask questions and years that answer.” -zora neale hurtson

i think my thirtieth year answered a lot of questions for me.  i was able to answer one particular question that i’ve been plaguing myself with for years now…

“am i happy yet?”

yes.

i’m not perfect, and i don’t promise to be, but i am learning from and just basically basking in the glory of my imperfections.  i think this year i can finally accept that.  i’ve finally learned it’s ok to be me. it’s funny how easy it is to be happy once you find that you really believe that simple fact.

it’s ok to be me.

thank you so much to my dear friends and family, and my loves. for not only helping me celebrate my thirtieth birthday, but for helping me get here safe and happy.

jeremy, claire and i after dinner on my birthday.

It’s that time of the year again! (YAY!) I really love the holiday season.  The smell of the fireplace, cookies baking, the twinkling of the tree lights, warm fuzzy scarves, family, turkey, red wine, the familiar sound of carols, a bustling mall, wrapping gifts (unwrapping gifts), and last but not least sending and receiving holiday cards.

This year I put together a special collection for my Clients…. modern, fun and unique Holiday Cards to spread their joy to their friends and family. Take a look at the 2010 Holiday Card Collection. They are completely customizable and just gorgeous in print with a pearl finish, professionally printed on 110lb stock paper.  Showcase your family’s beautiful faces, you only get to do this once a year!!!

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

Holiday Card Pricing

• 5 x 7″ Flat Double-sided
• Press printed on 110lb. cardstock
• Pearl Coating
• Envelopes Included

Sold in sets of 25

25 – $60

50 – $120

75 – $175

100 – $230

125 – $280

150 – $330

175 – $375

200 – $420

225 – $460

250 – $500

Limited Edition Holiday Mini Sessions*

Only SIX Spots Available!

$150

1 Hour Mini Session

Gallery of 10 Images to Choose From

Custom Holiday Card Design

15% Off Holiday Card Order

*Some restrictions apply, please contact me for details.

Last January I took my sister out to a new location to mess around. She’s pretty and she doesn’t run away from me like many of my small clients do, so it was super fun and we got some great images from it. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago she informed me that one of her friends, Andi Hodgson actually painted the photo I’d taken of her. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but today I finally saw the finished piece. Beautiful!!!

See for yourself.

Oh, also, for the record Andi is not a girl, so if you were going to refer to him as “her” when commenting how awesome the painting is on facebook, you would be mistaken. Trust me.

Photo of painting posted with permision of Andi Hodgson