Life is good

Life is a funny thing.  Sometimes it is good, sometimes it sucks.  But this is about photography, right?  Well for the past year, it seems that photography has been my life.  It is one thing to photograph your children playing in the mud because you want to preserve that gleeful moment, it is another thing to do it for a job.  Though it can be a very enjoyable job as well.  My head is spinning...where is this going?  Okay, see honestly I have never been a fan of blogs, and it took me a long time to cross over to the dark side (well, a whole 6 months...because I started doing photography, chuckle, chuckle.)  Everything I read on starting a successful photography business, included having a super fabulous blog.  And WOW, were they right.  I never meant to start a full fledged (is that a word?) business.  I meant to take things slow, sucker a few friends into paying me to take their pictures, making money and perfecting my art at the same time.  I got sucked into the realm of everybody else's super fabulous trendy and cute blogs and photography skills, and spent many hours on the computer researching my business.

Am I quitting...NO!  I love photography, always have.  And I still have some weddings lined up for Spring and Summer and expect another busy Holiday Season.  But for now, I am GRATEFUL for the slow down.  Don't be surprised if I don't blog for awhile, or heck, if I do.  But I am slowing down in more ways than I know.  I notice myself enjoying life again, I mean really enjoying it...the way life is meant to be enjoyed.  I watch my babies sleep, I respond with patience to the most horrible of adolescent behaviors, I snuggle up to my husband, I am silly, I am running........I just feel good.

So for now, I plan on keeping my business small.  I am signing up for a photography class that I've been wanting to take.  I am being very picky about the sessions I take on.  My time is precious.  And so is yours...so get off this blog (don't even bother with my cute family pictures below) and go watch your babies sleep, or help an old lady across the street, do something GOOD, you know?

But if you happen to be LDS and you are reading this, go ahead and check out the funniest blog ever.  My sister told me about it...it is www.seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com, it is a riot!  And it pretty much sums up what I think about blogs!

Good times....

Now let me self-indulge...

So Brock and Nate just wrapped up basketball season.

And today we kick off Baseball season...

Jake was practicing with the boys and I caught Karah off making wishes...lucky shot!

I just liked how the light was peering through the gate...note to self...time to prune the roses!

And merely a couple days later, I once again caught Karah in the moment (which one is your favorite?)

While Brock and Nate have been enjoying a multitude of sports, I have been home with the babies.  But occasionally I get out with Karah and Rob, like this trip to the fire station with our Mommy and Me Music Makers Group.

This little guy was so cute with his hard hat!

There we all are!

My little Rob!

Thursday was FREE Aquarium of the Pacific Day for PTA members and their children.  I was able to meet two of my sisters there for a fun filled frolicking fish frenzy.

Nate taking his hand at petting the sharks!

Brock wondered why I was making a big fuss about taking his picture that very second???

We wanted to get a picture of all the kids, but at that very moment a huge shark went gliding by...very exciting for them.

My niece Ryan, with eyes of wonder...

I just loved the feel of this photograph, her hands pressed up against the glass with shimmering lights everywhere...

Brock just completed a 3 page report on Sharks, so I figured it was fitting to pull him out of school, for some hands on learning, right?

Okay, my niece...oh, I just start laughing thinking about this moment...she had a field day at the water feature!

My boys had to get in on the action as well.

Ny nephew is as handsome as they come, even with the wrinkled up nose smile!  Can you say "Baby Blues"...check out those eyes?

Thanks fishies for a wonderful day of exploring your beautiful world, goodnight.

Family

I am always haunting my thoughts with the fact that I don't take nearly enough pictures of my youngest two, as I did with my older two.  So I have been making a conscious effort to grab the camera over the past few weeks.  I just want to post a few pictures from the last couple weeks.

I knew I should have put the eggs on a higher shelf!

Karah is starting Ballet and Tap...so stinkin' precious.  I wanted to put these pink ribbons in her hair, but she managed to find this green frog hair pin and insisted!

So I realize she isn't gleaming smiles in this next picture.  And I could try to pass it off for pure childlike curiosity and wonderment...but the truth is she was just super annoyed that I wanted to take her picture...go figure?

My little guy Rob is 16 months old.  He was sportin' the sweetest blonde babylocks, and I just didn't want to cut his baby hair.  So I came home one day and Jake had given him his first haircut, a little buz!  It is actually growing on me.  He looks so grown up!  (*I should mention that Karah also got her first haircut, but it was self induced...I tried to hide the front and center snips with some sassy bangs, see picture above...good times.)

This is just Rob munchin' on a Peanut Butter and Jelly.  The sun had just set, I like the faint light in the background.

These are just some fun ones of Rob and Karah playing together after dusk.  The were picking all my flowers and throwing the petals in the air with squeels of delight!

I hope you all are enjoying a beautiful day and looking on the bright side!

I'm singing in the rain, singing in the rain...

Well this song pops into my mind for a few reasons.  First of all, we have enjoyed a good drenching here in Southern California....and the earth always looks so beautiful after the rain fall.  The local mountains are covered in snow, the air is fresh and clean, blah, blah, blah.  Secondly, I need to think happy thoughts to save me from these torrential computer problems.  I couldn't have gotten a new mac at a better time.  My computer basically crashed and is headed to the repair shop.  Nothing to freak over, everything is backed up.....(oddly this happened EXACTLY one year ago).  Which is why I am so happy to have my new mac.  That being said, I have so much work to do just transferring files and learning how to use the mac, etc.  So thanks especially to the Easton Family for waiting patiently to preview their pictures...and to my million blogger fans (okay 24.....but heck, that's not bad)...anyways, I appreciate your patience!

A beautiful family!

Gorgeous

Again

So curious

Grandma to the rescue

I absolutely love this one of the grandparents enjoying a picnic basket full of chocolate chip cookies with their grandchildren...priceless!

The boys exploring...

Hugs

I love these sibling moments....brothers and sisters having a good laugh, just like childhood!

The best part of the afternoon, had to be flying a kite! I should have posted each of these pictures individually, each one is a precious moment, enjoying the beautiful world we live in. You know, some people wish for no wind, so their hair doesn't get messy, or no rain, so their dress doesn't get dirty or no sun, so their arms don't get sweaty. (Okay I'll give it up on the last one)...but these things are all part of life and make our pictures REAL...real people, in real moments, with the real world. This is why I love shooting on location as opposed to in a studio...these are the pictures you treasure forever!

Let's go fly a kite, up to the highest heights, let's go fly a kite and send it soaring...

Okay, and just a few more of this darling baby girl...exploring the world through her eyes.

She was all giggles for mom and dad!

And this beautiful baby, with that darling outfit, and the most gorgeous afternoon sunlight...all make for my favorite picture of the day!

Thanks for traveling from all over to take these pictures! Okay, I know it was for Disneyland the day before...but this was pretty fun too, you have to admit!!!

Sneak Peek!

More to come...

Watcha gonna do when they come for you?

Bad boys, bad boys, watcha gonna do, watcha gonna do when they come for you! This was actually a very fun afternoon with a local traffic unit. My sister-in-law is the cute red head (I mean really, who looks this good in a khaki???)...anyways, they were very cooperative, except the sassy red head who couldn't keep her laughter under control. My case in point...

But we finally got the nice portrait we were looking for. They took the image in and had it engraved into glass on a plaque for their Sergeant who was being promoted and going to serve in a new location.

Then I was able to capture a few casual shots, as they sat around and ate their Dunkin' Donuts! Just Kidding, that is so 80's anyways, haha. Well, I gave these a vintage feel.

These ones make me think of the TV show "CHIPS".

and this one...

Here are a few of the headshots...

...

...

The guys working hard on the job!!! Just messin'

Okay, my personal favorite, I grabbed this when he didn't think I was looking.

It really was my pleasure to do these photographs. On my way home I had a funny thought as a Police Officer passed by...I wondered if I could get out of a ticket if I showed the officer the pictures I just took on my camera??? Not that I would need a reason, it wasn't like I was speeding or anything;-)