Wendy Rueter Photography

Chewy Goodness & Thirty of Thirty

2012-01-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

When I purchased the oats to make the energy bars I noticed a recipe for gluten free oatmeal cookies on the package. I have never tried to bake cookies without flour before and I was curious. Would they turn out? If they did, would they taste good? Well the answer to both of those is YES! They are so flavorful and chewy!

I recently found Pinterest and I am addicted! There are so many great ideas and so much inspiration. So today I will wrap of my Thirty Days of Gratitude. Today I am thankful for new ideas and all the people and media that inspire them.

Energy Bars

2012-01-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/3 cup Honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup oats

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground Flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients then spread in an 8x8 square pan. Freeze for about 1/2 an hour then cut into bars. Store in an airtight container with wax paper separating the layers. I like to keep them in the freezer. At room temperature they get a little gooey.

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It's a bit like cookie dough. Certainly not low calorie, but at least the ingredients are gluten free and fairly healthy.

Enjoy!

Twenty Nine of Thirty

2012-01-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

I am going to finish my thirty days of gratitude! Today I am thankful for the beauty of creation! Yesterday I went on a hike with my family and as the sun was setting I saw these trees and the bark was reflecting the evening light in such a beautiful way. They really looked like they were glowing.

Help-Portrait: More to Share

2011-12-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share just a bit more about my Help-Portrait experience last weekend. I coordinated all the volunteers in Orange County. We sent teams to three locations- the Orange County Rescue Mission, a Family Resource Center and the Southwest Community Center. My team went to the SWCC in Santa Ana. It's a smaller location than the others and there was only enough space to set up one portrait station. Because we didn't have an overwhelming amount of traffic we were able to print onsite. It kept us busy all day.

Early in the day this sweet lady came in. She spoke no English, but her joy was evident!

Our make up artist, Isabel, added just a bit of color then put a ribbon in her hair and she just lit up!

Thankfully Isabel is bilingual and was able to translate for us and even helped Maria by writing her comments on the photo below.

I had no idea how powerful it would to be able to deliver the prints right then and there. It was such a blessing to let the photographer who took the picture hand deliver them.

Since it was my job to run the printer I didn't shoot any portraits, but I enjoyed being where I was. The print queue got a little long later in the day. So after getting their portraits taken the kids enjoyed looking over my shoulder to see themselves on the computer than watching as their pictures came out of the printer. Their anticipation and excitement was so contagious.

Here are a few more behind the scenes and finished products.

One of the questions on the Help-Portrait post event form was "What did you take away from the event?" My answer to that was, "a full and joyful heart". I will pray for everyone who stood in front of our cameras that day and everyone who stood behind them as well!

Once again thanks to Bianca Schneider for the letting me use her behind the scenes photos for this blog post!

Happy People

2011-12-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

Three years ago I went to meet in person with a group of strangers that I met on the internet. In today's world you might think that I am absolutely crazy for taking that leap of faith. But this meeting was destined to bring together some of the most wonderful, genuine people that I have ever met. On that chilly October evening in 2009 we planned Orange County's first Help-Portrait event. If you want to read more about Help-Portrait read this post. This past Saturday was our 3rd annual event.

Two days later I am still full of joy and happiness. We had over 80 volunteers this year serving at 3 locations around Orange County. I was blessed to work with the team that went to the Southwest Community Center in Santa Ana.

My whole family came with me to our event. I have a 9 year old son and a 17 year old daughter. We were setting up early at a community center that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast was ending and there was a mom with her 8 year old son. I approached the mom and asked if she and her son would like to have a photo taken. She understood what I was asking even though she spoke no English. But the boy didn't want any part of it. I coaxed my son to get involved. That's my son in the black shirt and my husband beside him.

Reluctantly the boy came over with us, but instead of taking his picture we talked him into taking his mom’s picture! He didn't want to hold the camera. I think he was a bit intimidated by it. So I held it while he looked through the viewfinder and pushed the shutter button. He snapped a few of her then he said he would get in the picture if my son would get in the picture. In the end we got a very nice portrait of him and his mom. And we found that he speaks English. As they were choosing their photos the mom asked if she could have the one that also had my son in it. I was deeply touched as I watched the boys interact and become fast friends. For the better part of the morning they hung out.

When you make a connection like that it is so meaningful and refreshing. My son wanted to know when we were going to go back so that he could see his friend again.

That is just one of the many stories from our day. And one of the hundreds of stories that photographers and volunteers from around the world have had to share the past two days.

If you are interested in reading and seeing more go to our local Orange County Help-Portrait Facebook page or the official Help-Portrait page.

You can follow us on Twitter at @HelpPortrait_OC

And a HUGE thank you to everyone with whom I worked on Saturday!

And special thanks for Amy Nguyen, Bianca Schneider and Katie Rueter for taking the photos included in this blog post.

And look who overcame his fear. We are all hoping that one day he will join us!

Twenty-Eight of Thirty

2011-12-08T16:56:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I totally blew it. And I could make lots of excuses, but I won't. I am just going to ask for your forgiveness and hope that you will give me a second chance to finish what I started; my thirty days of gratitude. I am just going to pick up where I left off.

Today I am thankful for prayer and friends who offer it up on my behalf. I don't often ask for prayers for myself. I am sure that I probably should, but often my prayer requests are for family members or friends or even strangers. This morning I ran into a friend at school and she noticed that I am fighting a cold. She immediately asked why I hadn't texted her and asked for prayer. It was a nice reminder of friendship.

And the photo above? Well I can't post without including at least one. That is Sweet Misty, my third child.

Twenty-Seven of Thirty

2011-11-27T14:55:00.001-08:00

Today I am putting away the Fall pumpkins and pretty golden/orange flowers that were on my table throughout the past month. And I am switching to my Holiday color scheme as seen above. Even though it's still Fall (and ignoring the 80° temperature outside) I am going to embrace the cool, calm tones of Winter as the Christmas decorations come out. Today I am thankful for color!

Twenty-six of Thirty

2011-11-26T19:03:00.001-08:00

For the past few years we have gone to Peltzer Pines to get our Christmas tree. But before we do that we have breakfast/lunch at the Silverado Cafe. And this happens on the weekend after Thanksgiving. It is now a tradition. I am thankful for the things that we do as a family that my kids look forward to. Many more fun traditions coming up in the next few weeks.

Twenty Two Thru Twenty Five of Thirty

2011-11-25T09:35:00.001-08:00

It's been a busy week! On Monday we had a cousins slumber party with 7 boys! It was great fun! (And I am not being sarcastic.) I know I've missed several days of thanksgiving, but my heart is so grateful for the subject of today's post that I could spend a whole month on it alone.

Like I said I started the week by having my California nephews come over. We so rarely get together as a group and even then it's with all the adults. This was just the boys and I was able to spend some one on one time with them getting to know them a bit. We went for a walk and I told them that I needed some sticks. I had seen these at Target and I wanted to make my own version. So I showed the boys this photo and we were off.

Needless to say I came home with enough sticks for several vases. But as of yet I have only had time to make this one.

Later, just before dinner I gave them all a stack of post it notes and some pencils and told them to write their name on the first one. Then tear that off and write the names of their siblings. One on each post it. Then one for their mom and one for their dad. After that I wanted them to think of everyone that is in their family. Aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. So that every name had it's own square. We then placed them on very large pieces of paper to make the beginnings of a family tree.

As the week went on I began preparations for Thanksgiving dinner which we hosted here. Unfortunately I don't have many pictures from yesterday. But let me just say that it was almost a perfect day. All of our local siblings, cousins and grandparents came over and I got to skype with my sister for just bit before dessert. While there are many others that I wish could have been here I am thankful for the fellowship of those who were here.

I am guessing that you think the subject of my post today is family. But you're wrong. While I am deeply thankful for my family this post is about connection. There are so many things that bring us together and when we find we have something in common with someone else we make a connection. And I don't know about you, but I can't imagine my life without these connections. So I thank my creator, God, for placing me here in this place with these people, my family, my friends, and even the strangers with whom I am blessed to work.

Twenty-One of Thirty

2011-11-21T22:00:00.001-08:00

Cousins!

Nineteen of Thirty

2011-11-19T15:45:00.001-08:00

Thankful today for no rain.

Eighteen of Thirty

2011-11-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

To lose yourself just for a bit in a good story can be a nice temporary distraction. Today I am thankful for fantasy, imagination and make believe. They flex our creative muscles and help us to think outside the box. But I also have to add that I am just as thankful for reality :)

Seventeen of Thirty

2011-11-17T17:06:00.001-08:00

Thankful for a quick moment today to enjoy the view.

Sixteen of Thirty

2011-11-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

Thankful for great ideas.

2011-11-15T22:27:00.001-08:00

We had our final Help Portrait planning meeting tonight! Today I am so thankful for all the loving, generous people who have stepped up to give of their time and talent!

Fourteen of Thirty

2011-11-14T20:16:00.001-08:00

Sweet Treats!

Thirteen of Thirty

2011-11-13T21:17:00.001-08:00

Dinner with friends at a really good Mexican restaurant! Today I am thankful for fellowship.

Twelve of Thirty

2011-11-12T21:43:00.000-08:00

Corky & Katie

Today I am thankful for creation. There is so much beauty around us if we only take the time to enjoy it.

2011-11-11T22:02:00.001-08:00

Anyone else look up and see this today? With all the messages and offers of gratitude to those who serve our military I was already feeling inspired by their selfless acts and dedication, but to look up and be blessed by the sight of this glorious sky was just more than I could have hoped for. Today I am thankful for inspiration and all the ways in which it manifests itself.

Ten of Thirty

2011-11-10T18:22:00.001-08:00

They say it's the simple things in life... Well today, for me, it truly is the simple things that mean the most. I am thankful that I didn't have to pack a lunch this morning. And I won't have to pack a lunch again until after Thanksgiving!!!

Nine of Thirty

2011-11-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the kindness of others.

Eight of Thirty

2011-11-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

Is it okay for me to be thankful for the same thing two days in a row? In all the craziness of this week I am feeling very inadequate and all the more thankful for grace.

Seven of Thirty

2011-11-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

You know those days where you are in constant motion; running from one thing to another, but never quite feeling like you've accomplished anything? That's me today. And you know what I am thankful for most on these kinds of days? Grace!

Photo taken in November of 2008, the first year I did the 30 days of Gratitude.

Six of Thirty

2011-11-06T16:54:00.000-08:00

It doesn't happen very often; a quiet house on a lazy Sunday afternoon. That red bowl you see above used to be filled with popcorn which we enjoyed while watching Sherlock Holmes. It's days like these that I am thankful for rest.

Five of Thirty

2011-11-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

I never played any team sports as a child. I think I missed out. Being a part of something bigger than yourself is a rewarding experience. And working together towards a common goal gives a sense of meaning and purpose. While I don't play any sports I do enjoy working on various teams. Today I am thankful for teamwork!

Four of Thirty

2011-11-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning I was thinking about the fact that in January I will have been married for 22 years. I don't know what brought that to mind, but as I pondered I realized that shortly there after that anniversary I will have been married longer than I was single. And I have to say that I think that's kinda cool. Why? Of course it's because I am married to the most incredible man on the planet! Today and everyday I thank God for bringing him into my life all those years ago.

Three of Thirty

2011-11-03T21:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I insisted that my son go through the drop off line at school. Going through the drop off gives him stress. Most days I park the car and walk him to class. That's the way he likes it. But this morning I hadn't showered and thought it best if I stayed in the car.

On his way to 4th grade he passes his classroom from last year. As I watched him make his way I saw Mrs. Swanberg (the best 3rd grade teacher ever!) walking towards her door and I waved. It made my heart happy to see my son change direction to go back and be warmly greeted by her. Then he walked to his classroom where his 4th grade teacher waited to welcome him.

Today I am thankful for loving teachers! My children have been blessed to have had many in their school careers.

Two of Thirty

2011-11-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

I never said that my photo had to represent my gratitude, did I? I hope I didn't make that promise, because today's photo has nothing to do with the object of today's thanksgiving which just happens to be Skype.

My sister and my father both live in a different state from me and I don't often get to see them. Having Skype makes it much easier to keep in touch and I absolutely love it when I get to see my nephews running around in the background while I chat with my sister. Or like today when my son was able to show his grandparents (who are out of town) his Halloween costume. And I got to hear my nieces playing the violin and the flute and meet the newest member of their family, a seven month old puppy. So thank you, Lord, for providing us with the means to connect!

One of Thrity

2011-11-01T20:02:00.000-07:00

One of the things that I cherish most about my everyday life is the opportunity to gather with my family at dinner. Despite the bickering children and the begging dog it is what I look forward to everyday. The verbal exchanges are often very fun. For example a few weeks ago we had a debate about whether the Star Wars story could exist somewhere in a galaxy far, far away. You might be surprised at who took what side. Tonight the topic was the leaves which I placed on the table. My direction was simple: on the leaf write something for which you are thankful today. My son was very curious about what we would all write and whether or not his sister was writing something that she had already written last year. As soon as she shared what she wrote he jumped on her, declaring that, yes, indeed she had written that last year. Never mind the fact that his was a repeat as well. And of course my daughter quickly pointed that out. It's all something that I will miss greatly next year when my daughter goes to college.

Today I am thankful for dinnertime conversation!

Thirty Days

2011-11-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

For the last few years during the month of November I have participated in a tradition called "The Thirty Days of Gratitude". This will be my 4th year and honestly, I am feeling a bit stale; like I have nothing new to share. But I also know that giving thanks to God for all the underserved blessings in my life is good. So keep an eye on this blog. I will be sharing my appreciation daily.

She's a Senior!

2011-10-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

She's a senior and a very pretty one at that. But I'm not biased :) This is my daughter, Katie, and I am thankful that she let me take her out the other day to shoot some portraits. Next year this time she will be off to college so I am trying to savor every moment I have with her. We will be taking more portraits in a few weeks, but here are a few that will start her senior portfolio.

It's Fall

2011-10-19T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's definitely Fall. It crept up on me this year! This morning I took a walk around my neighborhood and snapped a couple shots of some Halloween decorations.

Hope you all are enjoying the start of the holiday season!

Field Trip

2011-10-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

This past week I went on a field trip with my son's class. We went down to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. What a fun experience for the kids and what a beautiful place. One of the first things they did was to make their own adobe brick.

They used these frames to shape the adobe into a brick then wrapped the brick with newspaper and placed it in a box to take home. My son's is still outside baking. He's been turning it over every day and it should be done by tomorrow afternoon. He came home with the idea of mixing his own adobe and making a wall in the backyard. Below are life size adobe bricks and frames that would have been used back in the early days of the mission.

There are just so many peaceful places there at the mission. I really would like to go back some morning to take it all in.

All of the arches and the columns are very appealing to me. At the end of our tour the classes gathered by the fountain and the kids really enjoyed watching the Koi fish. My son and his friends discovered that the littler fish like to eat ants. So they were picking ants up off the ground and placing them on the lily pads with the hopes of seeing the fish eat them. And they weren't disappointed. I didn't capture any ant eating, but I did manage to get a couple of the water lilies.

So anyone want to join me on a photowalk of the mission? I am anxious to go back. But it probably won't happen until after the first of next year.

Street Donuts

2011-08-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

Last week my family and I were vacationing in Seattle. Our first morning it was our goal to make it to Starbucks. You know the ORIGINAL Starbucks in Pike Place Market. As we walked down Pike street from our hotel we passed by this trailer. I was amused by the name. I'd never heard of "street donuts" before.

My son decided he wanted to try some.

They are just these cute mini donuts and you get your choice of toppings. My son chose chocolate.

So if ever you find yourself downtown Seattle on Pike Street stop by for a little treat!

Street Donuts

2011-08-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about summer is dinnertime on the patio. I found this quote online and I changed it a bit to suit my feelings. The original quote by an unknown author is "Amazing friends; summer nights; chocolate ice cream; mud slide fights. Half the summer is gone already. Let's enjoy the rest, slow and steady." Hope you all enjoy what's left of the summer!

A Moment

2011-08-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Every year on July 4th my husband and I have a big BBQ at our house. It usually includes 30 to 40 people. This year we had a special guest join us. Most of us didn't know he was coming including him mom. So it was such a sweet moment when he walked out to the backyard and his mother caught sight of him. I was busy being surprised and delighted when my friend nudged me and indicated that I should be using the camera that was sitting in my lap.

Sam is a firefighter in the United States Air Force. While he was home for the week I shot some family portraits. It was an honor to capture some family time with these friends.

Tea with Friends

2011-07-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

One of the things I cherish most is time spent leisurely with friends. And when the setting of such a gathering is the porch of a lovely tea house where cool breezes are blowing on a warm summer day, well, I just can't imagine a nicer way to spend an afternoon. Today was that kind of day.

We gathered to celebrate Mandi's birthday. There were 8 of us. A couple I knew; the rest were new friends just introduced to me today. But we chatted while enjoying the sweets and savories with a comfortable ease.

Then, as our meals were finished Mandi's cake was brought out. She made it herself!

And as beautiful as it is on the outside it was even more delightful to the taste.

She handmade all the flowers.

The layers were white cake and chocolate cake with peach and chocolate mousse fillings. And it was the perfect mixture of moist and fluffy. The icing was Mandi's own recipe. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you, Mandi, for including me in your birthday tea! It was a delightful afternoon.

Oh, and I made some chocolate macarons with raspberry/marscapone cheese filling. And, you know, I just had to take pictures of them.

Cookie

2011-07-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

Just before school got out last month a friend of mine asked if I could come and take photos of Cookie, a middle aged Shih Tzu. Cookie belonged to relatives of my friend and she was very sick with cancer. Her fur was discolored and she moved slowly, but what a sweetie she was. Sadly, Cookie passed away last week and my heart goes out to her owners. But thankfully our hasty portrait session captured her sweet disposition and pretty face.

If you'd like to see more of Cookie, click here.

2011-06-06T11:09:00.000-07:00

Last week I met up with Anna & Jed and their three adorable children. Anna was one of my daughter's junior high teachers and it was so good to catch up with her and her family!

Thank you, Anna & Jed! It was so good to spend some time with you and your sweet kiddos.

One Year Old Cutie Pie

2011-05-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more of this handsome little guy. He reminds me so much of my nephew who lives in Texas. It's been so fun going through his portraits. Enjoy that twinkle in his eye and his charming smile!

Just One

2011-05-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been over the top busy for me. But busy in a good way. I have taken photos for several school events as well as a couple portrait sessions. Last Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting this little guy and his beautiful family! He will be one year old soon. He was absolutely adorable and I can't wait till I have time to really go through all the images from his session. But I just couldn't resist posting this one!

Tomorrow night I have a session with great family! And I can't wait to share more.

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Soccer Mom

2011-05-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Growing up I didn't play any sports. So I have really enjoyed watching my kids play. This spring my son is playing on an AYSO soccer team. While he's not the fastest or best athlete he is really enjoying it. We have been blessed with a great coach who knows the game well and also cares about the boys. He encourages them to reach their potential not only as individuals but as a team.

Surprisingly, my role has not been that of team photographer. We have one very enthusiastic father who takes the time to shoot many photos of each game and share them with the rest of us. So I wasn't needed in that capacity. And honestly action sports photography isn't what I do best. So I have taken up the job of team mom. And I love it!

Unlike the Fall season, formal team and individual photos are not taken. As the season comes to an end (We have one more game next week.) I realized that we don't have a posed team or individual photos. So this morning I took care of that and I am pretty pleased with how they turned out. Below is my son.

I am so thankful for this opportunity for my boy and I hope that he continues to enjoy playing!

A Mommy & Her Girlie

2011-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

This year I have been shooting a lot of photos for my son's school. Mostly of his class and a few other events. And I have been actively involved with the school's photography team. It has been such a blessing for me to meet and become friends with other moms at the school. This was our first year there. I was feeling a little alienated in the beginning not knowing anyone, but as the year has progressed I have found my place and met some hardworking, wonderful people.

Our photography team was asked to take some head shots for the website. Yesterday morning another photographer and I accomplished that task. After which we invited one of the moms to be our model. She along with her beautiful daughter posed for us! And I am so happy with the results. I just had to share.

Thank you, ladies, for smiling at my camera and letting me capture such a sweet moment!

It's all about Relationships

2011-04-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me well knows how important meal times are to me. It's not just that I love to eat, but it's that I love the fellowship with others. Any time that my family gathers for a meal I feel compelled to make it as special as I can. Now I will confess that not every dinner is homemade. And there are nights like last night when we all eat something different because I dropped the ball and didn't make dinner. But we were all at the candlelit table together at the same time.

This next paragraph may seem to take a different turn, but bear with me. This past week I went to lunch with a very special lady. She is of no relation to me, but she is as much a part of my family as those with whom I do share a biological connection. It is such a pleasure for me to spend time with her. While we were visiting she offered me something I could not refuse: china. She shared with me that this set was purchased when she was newly married. In a move long ago, some of it was broken. Originally there were eight place settings. Now there are four. (The number of people in my immediate family.) She had noticed how much appreciate such things and wanted me to have them.

Now I am back where I started. At meal time. Since it's been a crazy busy week for me I have yet to use this beautiful china for a meal with my family, but I will soon.

This morning I just couldn't resist using one of the tea cups as a bowl for breakfast. I wanted to give it a test run so to speak. No. Really I just couldn't wait any longer to indulge. For me it's not just about the food, but about the presentation :)

Thank you, Aunt Leonor. I absolutely love this china mostly because it was a gift from you, but also because it is so my style.

Below is me with my daughter, Aunt Leonor and her daughter, my friend, Frenely.

I hope to give these pieces a proper photo shoot sometime next week.

2011-02-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

There are tulips on my kitchen table. A reminder of my weekend. Yesterday I hosted afternoon tea for my family and a few of my friends. My daughter presented these tulips to me at the beginning of the tea.

It was about 6 years ago that I hosted my first tea. Back then it was a mother/daughter tea for Katie and her friends. After that I hosted a couple family teas. Yesterday was a blending of the two, and I think the mix worked!

It started with the invitations:

Funny thing about the invitation: I am not really a lavender kind of person. It's just not my color. But as I was designing the invites Lavender stood up and politely asked if I would choose her for the main color scheme. And she seemed to fit in with the feeling I was trying to convey so I stepped out of my comfort zone and let her guide the way.

There were moments when I regretted this decision. Once I had decided on lavender for the invites, the decorations had to follow suit. And like I said before, lavender isn't one of my go-to colors. So I have nothing in my collection of candles, table linens, etc. that has lavender. And I didn't want to spend a lot of money. It's times like this that I love scouring my favorite blogs for centerpiece ideas. Throw in a trip to Ikea and an idea was born.

And so Lavender proved herself to be worthy.

The menu included strawberries, both plain and chocolate covered, cucumber sandwiches, ham and cheese puffs, chicken salad in mini bread bowls, chocolate chip scones, strawberry scones, blueberry scones, freshly whipped cream, and lemon snaps. Tea choices were English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Green tea, and Vanilla Chai. Unfortunately once my guests arrived my camera was put away and I didn't get photos of most of the menu.

Conversation was cheerful and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I know I did. Last night as I was reflecting on the day I felt peaceful. It is these relationships that I cherish. And I wish that I could have invited all my family and friends.

2011-02-13T21:52:00.000-08:00

I had such a good time with this family. They were so easy going and fun to be with. We met at a park in Irvine starting the session on the rocks.

These folks didn't even really need a whole lot of posing. They are naturals. Glenn and Denise will celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary next month!

This young man was very polite and he looks good in front of the camera.

As we were getting ready for the next family pose I paused to get this shot of Denise with her oldest son, and I am so glad that I did.

Here's the whole crew.

Here are the brothers.

There was one particular rock that caught his eye. Unfortunately it didn't work out for a picture, but we found another that did.

This tree was just inviting these boys to pose with it.

This tunnel is what drew me to this location.

This was the first time my family accompanied me on a shoot. My son was chomping at the bit to play with the boys. After this pose the three of them began flying a couple of paper airplanes that my son had brought along.

While the boys ran around I took another opportunity to get a couple shots of just Glenn and Denise.

At some point one of the planes ended up in a tree. That was our cue that it was time to wrap things up.

Thank you, Glenn and Denise for the opportunity to get to know you a little better and preserve a brief moment of your family's history. It was truly my pleasure.

Sneak Peak

2011-02-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of making portraits for Glenn & Denise and their handsome boys! We bee-bopped around a park in Irvine and got some great shots. Here is a sneak peak for Denise! I can't wait to show you the rest.

Strawberry Season

2011-01-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

This time of year my kitchen calls to me. I love to cook anytime, but especially in the winter. Breads and muffins just seem like such an appropriate treat when the weather is a little cooler. So I had muffins on my mind when I picked up my CSA box last week. I was so excited to see strawberries included! My chocolate chip loving daughter was skeptical when I mentioned my strawberry muffin idea, but everyone else was eager to sample the results.

I'm happy to report that I have another successful recipe to add to my collection.

A Willing Model

2011-01-20T14:18:00.000-08:00

He is such a cutie pie! When we met him and his mom at the lake yesterday he was so full of personality. And ready to give us some great expressions!

On Wednesday mornings I meet with a couple other photographers, one of whom is an experienced photographer who has graciously offered to teach us amateurs a thing or two. But we needed a model. Earlier this week I put out a call on my Facebook page for anyone available for job. This little guy and his mom showed up! He was such a good sport and followed where we went and let us pose him without complaint!

Thank you, W&J for spending some time with us at the lake and being such willing models! I always enjoy being with you.

Which Dessert?

2011-01-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

Last week I filled out an application for an internship. One of the questions was "If you were a dessert what would you be and why?"

I really like this question. I am not exactly sure why. Perhaps it's because dessert is something to which I can relate. I love to cook & bake, and I sure love to eat. And so I felt sufficiently qualified to answer.

So what dessert would I be? A fresh from the oven, homemade, chocolate chip cookie. Why? Because like me, chocolate chip cookies are relatively ordinary and not necessarily very fancy. But they are so delicious. They are simple and made from basic ingredients, but you can dress them up and take them anywhere. And my husband loves them.

My kids love chocolate chip cookies too! My daughter prefers the dough raw. Yesterday I made a batch and couldn't resist setting up a little photo shoot.

So just for fun if you were a dessert what would you be? Or if you could eat a dessert right now what would it be? I'd love to hear from you!

Clementines

2011-01-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

I love these juicy little treats! And I got some in my CSA box this week.

Field Trip to Olvera Street

2011-01-11T22:14:00.000-08:00

I have always enjoyed going on field trips with my kids. There have been very few over the years that I have missed. And most of them are quite fun and educational, but only a handful stand out in my memory. The Wild Animal Park, Sacramento, and Angel Stadium are some of my favorites. And I think last week's trip to Olvera Street in Los Angeles will be one of those.

One of the best things about this trip? We took the train!

Many people who live in Southern California have a long commute to work. Thankfully I am not one of them, but if I were this is definitely the way I would travel. We boarded the Metrolink in Irvine and rode it up to Union Station in LA. The cars were comfortable, clean and pleasant albeit a little loud with 60 third graders and their parents.

In the almost 25 years that I have lived here I had never been to Olvera Street. I loved it! The colors and flavor of the neighborhood were so warm and welcoming.

The buildings are so full of history and interest.

We walked through the oldest house in Los Angeles the Avila Adobe.

We visited the fire house and the Chinese American Museum and we ate some of the most delicious tacos I have ever had!

Then we walked over to Chinatown before heading back to Union Station.

It was a great field trip!

Red Heads

2010-12-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

Oh my Blog, how I have missed you. I love spending time in this little corner of my world. But with the craziness of the holidays my free time has been short. Today I am taking a couple minutes to share some portraits of my cousin's daughters. They came to stay with us over the Thanksgiving holiday and I so enjoyed every minute we had with them!

The oldest is 3 years old. She is full life and curiosity. Her favorite question is "Why?" And her energy was contagious!

Her baby sister was just as endearing. She is nine months old and full of smiles!

Our time was limited by the sunset, but we managed to have a little bit of fun before losing the light.

The umbrella was in the back of the car and she spotted it as I was getting my camera out. It's such a sweet moment to witness when something so simple can bring such joy to a little one.

That's all I have for now. I hope you are all enjoying this Christmas season!

A Picture is Worth

2010-12-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Last year when I went to meet a group of stranger's at a local Starbucks I had absolutely no idea that my life would forever be changed. I had heard about Help Portrait on Twitter of all places. Chase Jarvis posted about it and it caught my eye. I followed the trail to the HP community website where about 20 other photographers had gathered and a meeting was set. Uncertain of my skills and completely self conscious I offered to help. And that was the beginning.

Interacting with families and individuals who come in feeling uncomfortable and leave feeling better about themselves is what Help Portrait is all about. Giving hope to those who have lost it. Making them feel important and loved. I came home knowing that I wanted more. More of photography, more interaction with such talented, giving people, more opportunities to make people feel special and beautiful. I came home knowing that I wanted to be a professional photographer. And I came home feeling a little guilty, like I had gotten way more than I had given.

This year I took on a different role. Instead of acting as a photographer I organized the volunteers and made contact with the two organizations that we served. It was a much bigger experience for me. We expanded our group. Not only did we grow in volunteer numbers but we were able to add two more locations and reach more people.

All in all we had 54 volunteers taking portraits of 404 people! And next year we will reach more!

To see some of the behind the scenes photos from this year's event go to our Facebook page.

I would love to have you join us next year! Mark your calendar for Saturday, December 3, 2011. Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and join the Help Portrait community site! Of course I will be posting info here on this blog as well!

Gratitude and Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T12:26:00.000-08:00

About a week ago I had so many balls in the air that one of them fell. Unfortunately the ball that I dropped was this blog and keeping up with posts here. So here is a quick update on my daily gratitude:

#19 home improvement

#20 good sportsmanship, the ability to roll with the punches and house guests

#21 my cousin, Laenie, who assisted me with a big photo shoot

#22 a house full of happy people and lots of activity

#23 girlfriends, especially the ones I also call family

#24 three sweet redheads all here at my house this week

#25 family and the opportunity to spend time together

#26 the majestic creatures who live in the sea (we went to Seaworld this day)

And today I am thankful for grace. You know, the kind that offers mercy and forgiveness.

I am way behind on my photo editing but here are a couple images from my Thanksgiving. It was such a lovely day spent with family and food!

Hope you all are enjoying your holiday weekend!

P.S. my table decorations were inspired by this post from these fabulous wedding photographers: The Youngrens

18.30

2010-11-18T20:10:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my friends. Both new and longtime. God keeps blessing me through them.

17.30

2010-11-17T20:03:00.000-08:00

I recently joined the photography team at my son's school. And one of the gals on the team has a friend who is a professional photographer. He's been shooting for many years and has so much knowledge and talent. This morning he met with us for the third week in a row to help us learn more about photography and specifically how to shoot in the church sanctuary.

I am so thankful for him and all the other professional photographers who so freely share their expertise and willingly teach.

16.30 A Quiet Morning with Bacon and Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-11-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

This morning I am thankful for a couple hours of quiet to myself. I got up early (for me at least) to make breakfast for my swimmer. She has practice at 6am. Last night she requested bacon and chocolate chip muffins. I packed them up for her to eat after practice. After she left I enjoyed the stillness as the sun rose. A very nice way to start the day.

The Hotchki

2010-11-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

Last night just before sunset I met my sister in law and her family for a quick family session.

I love these guys! I asked them what made them the happiest in the world. My one nephew told me that his birthday made him the happiest. He's the one in the middle. The oldest Hotchkiss boy told me that In-n-Out made him the happiest. I responded by asking if it was a double-double that he liked. He was quick to come back with, "No! A Triple-Triple!" Then he went on to proudly proclaim that he invented the triple-triple!

When I pulled this next one up on my computer I was wondering aloud how lucky I was to have caught these expressions on all four of their faces. My husband said, "It's because I was dangling our son upside down behind you."

And there you have it!

The C Family

2010-11-14T17:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing my first family. I've done just the kids. I done couples. And now I can say that I have worked with a family unit.

Larry & Wendy have two handsome sons. And they were full of energy and life and all the things that make little boys the treasures that they are.

We found some fun places in the park.

The boys were engaging and so fun to be with! And so were their parents. Thank you Larry & Wendy for a lovely evening!

12.30

2010-11-12T22:09:00.000-08:00

Thankful today for a morning out with my daughter and her friend. We went to the mall where Ina Garten was signing cookbooks. Then we went on to lunch before heading back home.

11.30

2010-11-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

Thank You to our veterans!

10.30

2010-11-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter what the temperature is outside, when you've in the midst of a busy day or an uphill bike ride water is not just a necessity, but a refreshing treat! Today I am thankful for water and these great containers that my son and I use everyday.

9.30

2010-11-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I mentioned that I shot some portraits for a beautiful family. Well, here they are! I have many more fun photos to share from my time with Larry & Wendy and their boys. I promise to have a more complete post up in the next couple of days.

9.30

2010-11-09T20:53:00.000-08:00

I have so many things today. I drove for my son's 3rd grade field trip. In my car were 4 energetic, happy boys who surprisingly passed some of their energy on to me. This afternoon there was a wonderful portrait session with a beautiful family & tonight, a meeting with a team of giving, talented volunteers! A good day. While I took many photos I'm sorry that I don't have any to post just yet. But check back!

8.30

2010-11-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

I was out scouting portrait locations this evening with my son. And bless his heart he and his bag of popcorn allowed me to click away to my hearts content. Tonight I am thankful for his willinginess to help me.

7.30

2010-11-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

I think I've mentioned before how much I enjoy looking at wedding photography. And in particular I enjoy the detail shots. It makes sense given how much I like decorating my own dinner table. Since I am not really a wedding photographer I don't get the opportunity to shoot many beautifully made up tables. So when I walked into Pier One with my friend this afternoon I was immediately happy to see this Fall/Thanksgiving display. And it was just inside the window with perfect light begging me to seize the moment!

My gratitude today is three fold:

Inspiration that comes from seeing what other people can create
Friendship with two very special people who met us for lunch and shopping
Opportunity to practice my skills

6.30

2010-11-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

Our last regular game of the season was today. This was my son's first experience playing organized sports. And I am so thankful that it was such a positive one for him. It has been so fun to watch him grow as a player and as a teammate. And we were blessed with a patient and encouraging coach. It's been a great season.

5.30

2010-11-05T12:45:00.000-07:00

When you make the decision to become better at what you do God puts people in your path that will encourage you in your pursuit. At least that's what He did for me. There are so many individuals who have been instrumental in urging me to follow a dream. Some of them don't even know the influence they had. Others are constant in their support. But all of them have played a part in my becoming a photographer.

There are a few that I would like to thank by name.

Debbie, my sister-in-law, was the first to take a chance on me asking me to take portraits of my, then, one month old niece.
Dessa, my friend and neighbor, asked for portraits of her son who is now in the Marines.
Kimberly, my sister-in-law, was also one of the first to let me experiment on her kids, my nephews.
LM, my college friend, who cheers me on from across the country.
Larry & Wendy and Chris & Katie for letting me practice on you and for all the encouragement you offer along the way.
Maggie, a new friend, was the first bride to invite me to document her wedding and then became my first paying client.
Amanda, my MOPS friend, who asked me to celebrate her son's first birthday with my camera.

All of you have uplifted me with your trust and your kind words of encouragement. Thank You! I only pray that I can be as much of a blessing to others as you have been to me.

4.30 My Man

2010-11-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Since it is his birthday I think it's only appropriate that my post today be about him. Although there is not a day that goes by that I don't thank my God for my husband, today I want to honor him. He is hard working, generous, selfless, thorough, brilliant, loving, thoughtful, flexible, and handsome. He is my lover, my prayer partner and my best friend. And I can easily overlook his choice of hats given his many other fabulous qualities.

Happy Birthday, my one! I love you.

3.30 Near Misses

2010-11-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

My son and I have been riding our bikes to school. The fresh air and physical activity first thing have been a real treat for us. Most of the way there we are off road on trails that run parallel to the main streets in our city. Just before we get to the school we cross over the major street. But still we are using the crosswalks during the "walk" cycle of the red light. There is then one driveway and one other road to cross, but we are riding on the sidewalks at that point. And I have felt very safe.

This morning we got to the last crossing. My son is very conscious and pays close attention to me. As we approached I saw an oncoming car that was intending to turn right onto the road we were crossing. The driver saw us as well. She stopped to let us cross. I looked left to make sure there were no other cars coming and gave Josh the go ahead. He was about six feet in front of me. It was just as he was starting across that I looked to my right and saw a car intending to turn left onto our road. The driver saw the other car that was stopped for us, but she didn't see us. She gestured with her hands at the other driver and then started to make her turn. In that moment with my son in the middle of her path all I could think about was getting her attention so I screamed. It was a full on blood curdling scream. And she stopped! Praise God!!! And I am so thankful that there were no other cars coming as she was in the middle of 3 lanes that could have had traffic.

As we got to the other side of the road my sweet boy was apologizing. I had to reassure him that he had done nothing wrong. As the day has gone on I am overflowing with praise to God that this was just a near miss. Even though my absolute worst fear could have been realized this experience was a blessing. How can that possibly be, you may ask. Whenever there is any life threatening situation our priorities get realigned. I think we need that sometimes. Another blessing will come in the form of awareness. I know I will be paying closer attention to the roads as a driver and a bike rider. And I can only pray that the driver involved and the driver who witnessed the whole thing will also be more aware on the roads.

One other thing that is going through my mind today is that I could have been that driver. There are days when I am running behind and become impatient and frustrated behind the wheel. In those moments I could have easily missed a pedestrian, biker or another car. It's keeping me humble as well as thankful.

So today I am thankful for near misses.

2.30 Tradition

2010-11-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for Tradition. Traditions connect us with our past and our future. Not all of them stand the test of time. But I am amazed at how much some of the traditions that my family has created mean to my children. They are quick to remind me if we forget.

And we are coming into a season full of those traditions! I love that they are meaningful to all of my family, not just me :)

One of the things that we do is a Thanksgiving Tree. We write one thing for which we are thankful on a leaf and place it on the tree. I am hoping to get everyone to write something daily, but I won't be a policeman about it. By Thanksgiving our tree should be full of leaves. By the way, that table runner was made by daughter when she was in the 2nd grade. She is now a junior in high school.

This time of year what traditions do you hold dear?

The Journey Begins

2010-11-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

This will be my third year to do the Thirty Days of Gratitude. And I am so excited to start fresh today. If you are interested you can see my last two years worth of photos on Flickr.

Today I am thankful for this trail:

It provides a way to and from school for my son and me. And what a beautiful morning it was!

For what are you thankful today?

Thirty Days

2010-10-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

November is the month to be thankful. Being thankful in our daily lives brings a certain amount of contentment and happiness. Starting tomorrow I will be posting daily to this blog. It is my goal to take a photo each day of one thing for which I am grateful and share it with you. I hope that my journey will inspire you to find the things in your life that bring you joy. You don't have to take a photo of those things but it doesn't hurt to share them with others.

I invite you to take the next 30 days and focus on the blessings in your life. And if you feel comfortable please share them here in the comment section or in your Facebook Status or your Twitter feed or all of the above.

A Simple Sunday Night Dessert

2010-10-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made Apple Crumble. The apples came from my CSA box. The idea came from a new blog: Cooking Outside the Lines. Check it out. There's some good stuff.

Fall Decorations Three

2010-10-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

I am certainly looking forward to some sun! These overcast days are bringing me down. But here's some holiday fun that made me feel a little happier.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend!

A Movement

2010-10-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I found out about a movement called Help Portrait. I watched the following video and knew that I HAD to be involved! Last year's event was one of the best days of my life. To make a difference and put a smile on someone's face is truly a blessing in and of itself. Please won't you consider joining me.

The next planning meeting for the Orange County Help Portrait group is Tuesday, November 9 at 7pm at The Wedding Pantry in Tustin. I would love to see you there!

Fall Decorations Two

2010-10-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately the rain has kept me inside with my camera and I haven't had much time to go see Halloween decorations. But I did get about four houses down the street this afternoon before the rain started again.

While Halloween decorations have never really been my thing I have enjoyed seeing what my neighbors are doing this year.

Boo!

2010-10-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Want to create some fun and excitement in your neighborhood this Halloween? "Boo" your neighbors.

This morning my son and I went into stealth mode and delivered Boo Baskets to two of our neighbors. What are Boo baskets? They can be any container (basket, bag, box or bucket) filled with goodies.

Place the goodies on the doorstep of a neighbor and knock. But you have to be quick to disappear before they answer. This is the Halloween version of Secret Santa. Along with the goodies include a Boo poem and "We've Been Boo'd" sign. They will then place the sign on their door and hopefully in a couple days they will Boo someone else.

There is a really great article complete with downloadable Boo poems and "We've Been Boo'd" signs at Organized Christmas

For our treats I used a Jack O Lantern bucket and filled it with: a box of Halloween Macaroni & Cheese, some Halloween parachute guys from the $1 section, Halloween pencils and little cellophane bags with two small candy bars in each. All of these were from Target.

Now go make someone on your street smile! Boo them.

Settling into the Season

2010-10-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

Even though we are almost a third of the way through Fall I am just now starting to settle into it. Maybe it's this crazy weather that we've had. Heat then cold. I am just not used to it being so damp and cool this early in the season. The excitement that comes with the anticipation of the holidays is making its way into my home.

Tonight I grabbed my camera and headed outside for a walk just as the light was beginning to fade. My intent was to capture some of October. I was greeted with a flurry of activity on the street as the kids lined up on sidewalk. They had heard the tune. You know the one. In our neighborhood it's The Entertainer and it announces the coming of the man. The Ice Cream Man. He was still several streets away, but they waited patiently, money in hand, for him to turn onto our street.

I grew up in a colder climate than this. An ice cream truck rarely made its way into our neighborhood and never this time of year. But here, in Southern CA, the ice cream man comes year round. And he has a booming business on our street every time he does.

I didn't make it farther than a few houses tonight before it got too dark to shoot, but I decided to start a new series here on the blog. This is the first post of what I hope to be many. I love holiday decorations. And my neighborhood is full of wonderful people who love to celebrate! Check back on Tuesday for my next post with more fun decorations!

Family Portrait Sessions

2010-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

In this digital age we connect on Facebook and Twitter. We upload pictures to social networks and to blogs. It's fun to share our stories and images online, but there really isn't anything that compares to receiving a personal note in the mail. With our busy schedules and hectic lives it seems that the only time of year we send and receive cards is Christmastime. And a card is much more special when a photo is a part of it! Let me help you with that.

Sessions are booking for Sunday afternoons in October and November.

Random Fact: I love candlelight!

2010-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Dinner at our house is always eaten by candlelight.

Watch This

2010-10-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I had never seen this video before. It's a Kodak commercial from five years ago. Yeah, it kinda sums up why I love photography.

A 9 Month Old, a Tutu and Some Uggs

2010-09-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

She's gets sweeter every time I see her. I've taken her portraits at one month, three months, six months and now nine months. I like this age!

She was all smiles. And even though it was just a little warm, the weather cooperated and gave us some beautiful light.

Shamu was a gift from her cousin. Can you guess which one? (Did I mention this is my niece?)

This adorable tutu came from Heart Break Kids.

I absolutely love these precious moments between mommy and daughter.

I will never get my fill of images like this:

or this.

And we just had to get a few with these darling little boots!

She will be back in about three months :)

Sneak Peak for my Sis-In-Law

2010-09-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

More to come...

Stillness, Symbolism and Styling

2010-09-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

I love looking at the blogs of good wedding photographers. There is just something so soothing about beautiful portraits and new beginnings. I am particularly drawn to photos of the rings. The stillness combined with the symbolism is just so meaningful to me. And of course there is just so much room for creativity when styling them.

This ring was given to me by my incredible husband on our fifteenth wedding anniversary and I absolutely love it and him!

Do You Like Peanut Butter & Chocolate?

2010-09-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

So I told you all about the peanut butter cookies I made last week. My family wasn't too excited about them. My daughter kept telling me to add chocolate chips. (She and I are HUGE fans of the peanut butter/chocolate combo.) Despite my doubts I began to mix up another batch to experiment with the addition of chocolate chips. I didn't want to ruin all of them so I baked a tray of plain PB with the intention of adding the chips to some of the remaining dough. And as my life goes I had to stop the cookie baking to go pick up my kids.

In the meantime my sister-in-law mentioned that she was making this recipe which combines chocolate chip cookies and brownies. At that point inspiration struck. And I thought, why not try adding brownie to my peanut butter cookies?

When I returned home with my kids I quickly made a batch of the best brownies I have ever tasted. The recipe is for "Basic Brownies" from The Best Recipe. They are just the perfect blend of gooey goodness.

Add the already baked brownies to the raw PB cookie dough like this:

Turn them over and pretend like they are just plain old peanut butter cookies.

Bake the same as you would without the brownie.

And here's a peek at the backside.

My family loved them! Of course my daughter still wants me to try adding chocolate chips. Maybe next time.

Happy Birthday, Quinn!

2010-09-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

For two years I was on the steering team of the MOPS group at my church. (For those of you who may not know MOPS stands for Mothers Of PreSchoolers.) That is where I met Amanda. Last year she gave birth to her second son. He was born at 23 weeks and weighed just over one pound. Needless to say I cried and prayed and did what I could to support Amanda and her family. As her precious baby, Quinn, proved that he is a survivor I rejoiced. He grew and overcame huge obstacles and was finally released from the hospital.

Fast forward to September 19, 2010. It was absolutely a blessing to celebrate Super Quinn's first birthday with him and his family! Here he is with his mommy & daddy:

And here is the whole family with big brother. Of course you've already met Zander, Quinn's older brother. He's the one that I am going to hire as my second shooter.

This is one happy kid!

This is Quinn's grandma and when she came over he just lit up. Watching the two of them just made my heart happy.

Lots of other family and friends came to party too.

Thank you, Amanda, for asking me to document Quinn's day! May God continue to bless him with health and endurance!

A Beautiful Beach Wedding ~ Maggie & Jason

2010-09-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was blessed to document the wedding of Maggie & Jason. The setting couldn't have been more perfect. But then how can you go wrong with the beach at sunset? I arrived a couple minutes early and enjoyed chatting with Maggie's dad and his friend before everyone else arrived. It was exciting to see Maggie in her gorgeous wedding gown cross the beach to where the ceremony was to be held. Jason was looking very handsome himself in his black suit, but what was so endearing to me was that he was carrying his youngest son as his other two boys tagged along with him.

Family and friends arrived as the aisle was set up. The boys kept themselves busy.

As the mother of a boy I was completely taken with Mason who entertained himself with his lego toy. And this interaction between him and his grandpa was just precious.

I absolutely love this portrait of Maggie & her dad. She was just radiant and so calm as the wedding started.

Maggie's sister served as officiant for the ceremony.

The music was offered by Maggie's dad who sang and played the mandolin.

As the sun went down behind the cliffs we were blessed with some beautiful light.

Jason & Maggie, I wish you all the best. You are both genuine, wonderful people with three handsome boys. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day! God bless your marriage and your family.

My Friend & Me

2010-09-20T15:28:00.000-07:00

This is my friend, Zander. I was at his brother's birthday party yesterday. He let me take his picture, but part of the deal was that I let him take a picture of me. This is one that he got! I think I might need to hire him as a second shooter :)

I am excited to post more photos from this past weekend! Check back later this week.

Peanut Butter Cookies and Another Blog to Read

2010-09-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

I found a new blog this week. Like I really need another one to read. But this is a food blog. And, really, you can never have enough of those in your reader. I love to cook and bake, but I really dread menu planning. So I scour the blog-o-sphere for new recipe ideas, and this one seems to fit my style in the kitchen.

On Wednesday there was a very basic peanut butter cookie recipe. Right up my alley, simple, with no exotic ingredients. (Is it okay to blog in sentence fragments?) So last night in a couple minutes of free time I tried it out. And they turned out pretty good. Unfortunately my family is more of a Chocolate Chip Cookie kind of family, but I am enjoying them. I will change one thing the next time I make these: butter instead of shortening. I knew I should have used butter going into the recipe, but I thought I should at least try it one time as posted. Other than that it's a great, classic recipe.

Check out Pretty.Good.Food. I will be trying the Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples tonight.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

2010-09-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to shoot a wedding this month and I wanted to get some practice shooting couples. So I sent out a modeling request to some friends. Larry & Wendy and Chris & Katie responded to my request. I met them at City Hall in RSM and we walked around in the evening light and just had fun!

I met Wendy at MOPS and I was so pleased that she and Larry agreed to let me practice on them. Wendy won my portrait session giveaway last week and I look forward to shooting portraits of her family next month.

Her smile is just so contagious!

I love the grey and denim that they chose to wear!

I love this one.

Thank you so much, Larry & Wendy! I can't wait to meet the rest of your family and take their portraits.

I've known Chris & Katie for a couple of years. My husband and I had the privilege of working with them at church. They are truly beautiful people- inside and out! Could she not be a model?!

I am new to all of this. When I decided to become a portrait photographer I knew that I would need to learn more about posing people. Katie was full of suggestions! For which I was so grateful. Below is one that she said she had seen and really liked.

These two are just too cute!

Below is another of Katie's ideas! And I just love how they turned out.

I am so blessed to have shared an evening with these two couples!

I love Fall!

2010-09-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

All this week there's been a change in the air. I know I'm not the only one noticing. I've seen some of my Facebook friends mention it as well. But this morning was the first morning that really looked and felt like Fall. My skin felt a little drier. And the light looks just a little fresher.

It's all about the color for me. I don't really care for the itchy skin or the usually high temperatures of the season, but the tones and the clarity of the air are what make Fall my favorite season. And I welcome the return of the school year and the routine that comes with it.

To find out who won the portrait session giveaway go to my facebook page.

First Day and Only One Day Left

2010-09-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

It happens every year. And in my case it will happen twice this year: the first day of school. This morning my husband and I dropped our youngest off at his new school.

And he is so excited to be there. I can't wait to pick him up and find out how his day went. Meanwhile my oldest is still in bed at noon. She will start next week.

Also if you want to be entered in the drawing for a free portrait session don't forget to leave a comment here. All entries need to be in by midnight on Thursday!

Telling the Story

2010-09-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

I think I love taking pictures because I love the story they tell; the history and personality that they record. They capture the details that are often lost in the shuffle of life. I take pictures because I want to remember. In the photo above is a ring that belonged to my mother. My father bought it for her on one of their international trips. When she went to Heaven I inherited it. For me it's a reminder of the relationship that they had during their almost forty years of marriage. And I am blessed by the memory.

Styling Your Photos

2010-08-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I decided that I really wanted to improve my photography and one of the ways that I set about to do that was a 365 project. Basically what that means is that I will take at least one photo every day for a year. I thought it would be easier than it is. I mean, after all, I just need one photo. But there are days when I am literally empty. I have no photo in me. Those are the days that I really don't want to post what I force myself to take. But I am proud to say that for 2010 so far I do have at least one photo for every day. To hold myself accountable I set up a blog just for posting those images. If you're interested you can check it out at Around My Life.

One of the byproducts of this project has been an interest in styling my photos. So instead of just snapping what I see I am more active in setting up the scene by moving objects out of the frame that will take away from my overall image. Or choosing a more pleasing angle from which to shoot.

Below are my 365 photos from today and yesterday. The first photo was taken at a friend's house. I just loved this wood tray and the votive candles! The second photo is from tonight's dinner. I made an appetizer dip for my daughter and her friend.

This has also motivated me to cook more so that I have something to photograph. My family appreciates it. Although they sometimes get impatient when I make them wait to eat because I am setting up the shot :)

What do you do with Kale?

2010-08-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

I have been getting CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes from a local school. Today I picked up my box and along with all the other yummy fruits and veggies there was Kale. This is the third box that I have gotten and this is the third time that I received kale. Well, I'm not exactly sure what you are supposed to do with it. One friend suggested that you can make soup with it. But it's almost 100° outside. So no soup. And, really, it just doesn't seem like it would work in a salad. I can throw it away, but that really seems like a waste. So I decided to try to decorate with it. I think it goes rather nicely with my Double Delights.

What do you think? And if anyone has any recipes or other ways to use kale please share!

2010-08-25T16:35:00.000-07:00

So I love food! I love to cook it. I love to photograph it. And I love to eat it! Today I decided that I won't be buying white bread anymore. I am going to bake it myself. I'm probably not saving any money, but it sure taste better!

2010-08-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

One of my daughter's favorite places is SeaWorld. Yesterday we spent several hours there watching these beautiful creatures and even making a new friend.

Above is Corky. She is one of the seven Killer Whales that live in San Diego. In between shows we stopped to watch her in the underwater viewing area. And we were pleasantly surprised when she came over to say, "Hi".

This is Orkid. If all goes well she will be the next Orca mommy in San Diego. She patiently laid on her side while getting an ultrasound. And we were fortunate enough to watch.

Most of our time was spent with the killer whales, but we did manage to see the new dolphin show despite the crowds and we took a quick visit to Rocky Point Preserve.

All in all, a good day!

Introductory Pricing

2010-08-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

I am open for business and just in time for the holiday season! I am gearing up for some fall photo sessions. Please check back tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug 17) I will post my introductory pricing plans.