Ready....set.....what?

So yup, in a family of three sweet girl cousins and one RAMBUNCTIOUS boy, "ready, set, go", pretty much looks like this.

And what is an egg hunt with out documentation from both angles.

Sonia is so close to doing it all on her own.

And Rainn slept through the whole thing. Mostly in his mama's pouch.

But the best part of my easter was the 90 degree weather, and all the big kids stipping down for some water fun. Time with family is such a blessing to me. I am thankful for all my nieces and one little nephew!

An answer to prayer

One of the best things about teaching is the collaboration you have with colleages. You bounce ideas off of them, you get ideas on how to get your kids to behave better, and you laugh about the things at your job that only YOU could find funny as a teacher.

Entering into a new profession, I felt like I was on an island working on my own. Sure, I could make a long distance phone call to my parents begging for photoshop help, but it is not the same as a real live friend in the flesh who can help you out. So I prayed that one would come my way......

Along came Michelle Nicoloff, fellow photog. Michelle can laugh at my mistakes, can tell me hers, but more importantly, we share the ideas, and joys we have in this job. I am so truly blessed to have her in my life. It was also an honor to be able to photograph your four beautifuls. What craziness, what fun!

My life is a TV show

Sometimes I feel like my life is syndicated programming. Like when I am in the grocery store, and CJ just won't listen to me, as if he has suddenly lost all hearing in his ears. And as he runs away from me with the glass jar of spaghetti sauce, I at least know that when I get home to review the tape, some lady with a strong British accent will give me some pointers and advice on better disciplining him. Or when I sit at my cluttered desk, instead of picking up everything around the office, I hope someone will waltz in and tell me that under fifty bucks, they will transform this space into a fabulously hip organized room fit for the pages of Martha Stewart Living. But as the family went shopping this afternoon, and I left my husband and CJ to return some things I came back to see CJ riding the carousel with his dada up there on a horse next to him. He was saying something to CJ that was making him crack up, and then my life was a sweet hour long show, where the biggest problem is that someone didn't feed the dog, and the happy family ate dinner together every night. And it made me happy to think we would have such great commercials at our breaks, like Hallmark, or Master card. They both saw me, and as they turned the corner, I heard my husband say to CJ, "wanna trick mama?" When they came into view, CJ had his daddy's sun glasses and sweatshirt draped on his head, and my husband had CJ's tiny little sweatshirt plopped on his. Neither were laughing. I was laughing hysterically. And I thought, I can only hope there are lots of reruns!

Camera phone

Fantabulously beautiful!

My baby sister...
is having a baby!
This will be CJ's third cousin in four months! I wish I could have shot all three sisters pregnant at the same time, but this skinny little girl didn't even look pregnant three months ago.

Who can be skinny and fat? such a conundrum. One that answers "not me" in my book. I gained over 80 ponds with my boy. Somehow I thought I would give birth to a 50 pound child. Maybe the Carl's Jr. Chili Cheese fries had something to do with it! (and they are back by the way!)

She is another radiant beauty in the family of fertile princesses!

Love ya tiff!

March Favorite Image Contest!!!

Go ahead, try and chose a favorite from these adorable faces.
It was hard enough narrowing it down to these seven!

Miss O
Kiss

Brothers

Buddah

Fun

Ride

Flowers

And my heart grows bigger yet!

In absolute and total head-over-heels in love with my new nephew! Want to kiss his feet, hands and nose all day long. Love his sweet small eyes, squishy big lips, the way his sisters laugh at him hysterically, the way my amazing sister does it all! Wish I lived next door to this family for sure. I love you guys!!!!

Dream workshop

Last weekend was a total blast! It was my first photography workshop down in San Diego, and I learned so many things I can't begin to list them all. My favorite photographer ever, Barb Uil, from Australia was there for Q & A, as well as hands on instruction. In my dreams, I walked up to her and shook her hand and said thank you for being such a great inspiration to me. What I really said was, and I quote, "hguit, owkn, umm, andl oiwen like yourws work." She thought it was my american accent I am sure.
Anyway, everyone there was so supportive, encouraging, and informative. I learned a Ton of new ideas and techniques! Here are a few images from the workshop.

And could you even imaging this many camera's facing you. So glad I wasn't this guinea pig.

Snowy wonderland (much better title)

Last week we made an 8 hour trek, uphill by the way, to a small town called Brian Head, Utah. It was a B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L place. Living in such a gorgeous area such as so cal, I forget the majesty in other types of scenery. Big Bear is our local mountain winter, and it has nothing on this place. When it snowed here, it was a winter wonderland!

They even shut down roads because of the snow.
But we made the best of 280 inches of snow on the mountains.
Those lucky people who get these views every winter. Snow was so deep, you walk, and sink as deep as your waist. And who knew that snow really did sparkle? I thought that was a Christmas marketing tool!



And despite one day of freezing weather and snow, CJ was such a trooper. Everyday he was out for two hours learning to ski. "No Pizza, french fries." Whatever that means in his head, he got it!

The story....(part two)

One thing I am trying to include more is my attention to detail. Whenever I see pictures of the little things, it makes the day flood back to me piece by piece. This picture below reminds me of the sweetness shared betweent these two siblings. It is so fun to watch siblings love on each other. They were about a year apart, and acted as if they were twins. SOOOOOO adorably loving in every way.





It was nice to hang out with you again Stacy. I miss our lunch get aways at school!

The story.....(part one)

My goal in taking pictures:

Capture the moment.
Capture the child.
Show their personality.
Tell a story.*

*not neccesarily in this order

So to be inspired by my big sis squaregirl and post old pics of the family. This one fit the criteria of the above goal.

I didn't take it. Although it does give me clues into the reason behind the wild child I gave birth to. Eplore, tear down, and have fun. Motto to live by for a three year old.

Do you think there is a resemblance?

I blinked, now he is three!

It has been three years in the blink of an eye. My little baby is not so little, and now a boy. When he was a baby I told myself, "self, don't forget this moment!" But I did. Much of it anyway. And now he is three, and there is so much more to tell. Hopefully this will remind me of these days.

CJ my sweet three-year-old, you were born with a happiness inside of you. You wake up early and ready for the day with a smile on your face. The world is yours for the taking, and you do that each and everyday! Everywhere your feet take you, they take you in style. I can't remember the last time you walked anywhere. You hop, jump, and run EVERYWHERE! There is no room that can contain you. Your ingenuity allows you to open all doors, locks, climb over obstacles and explore. It is impossible for you to walk by a stranger without saying "Hi, what's your name?" Even in your jogger as I am passing someone by. You make friends with the bagger at the grocery store, and every child that nears your height. "Is that my friend?" you turn to me and say, as a child walks by you. You love to make messes, but even more you love to clean them up. You hate sleep, as you feel as if you are missing out on the world spinning around without you. Your imagination can turn the bath into an ocean and the couch into a mountain in under 10 seconds. But you rarely leave that world as quickly. Your are loving, and generous with your kisses and hugs.

Hold on to that happiness, even in the hardest times of your life. Keep that sylish step as you go through life, and never walk anywhere that you can skip to. Let your creativity allow you to explore the world. Continue to see the stranger as a potential friend, and be kind to everyone you see. It is your gift. As you go through life, learn from your messes, and enjoy the lessons learned as you clean them up. Use that childlike imagination to dream big, and hold onto those dreams. Continue to love others as you do, for in that you will find true happiness. I love you CJ!!! Happy Birthday.

A girl can dream

This backyard was sooooooo amazing! It was everything I would imagine for my kids. Clubhouse, fruit trees, a garden. But the best part about it was this amazing hammock.





And I can't get enough of this face! I have been thinking about you lots lately cutie pie....