This past weekend my entire extended family went to Pismo Beach to honor my Grandma that passed away just a few months ago. She grew up in Pismo and we all gathered to have a funeral service and a family reunion. I spent time with family members that before this weekend, were strangers. I remember when some of them were born and hadn’t seen them since…and now they are taller than me :)

It was a quick weekend, I felt like we needed more time. One moment that I will always remember is when us granddaughters came together with our Moms and fingered through Grandma’s jewelry. She didn’t wear very much, and what she had was modest and I’m glad to have chosen just a few small pieces that I can remember her by. A small heart to wear on a chain around my neck, it looks like a piece of gold Grandma may have panned for on one of her camping trips. A small shape of Baja Mexico to be worn as a necklace, Grandma & Grandpa would take their motor home and travel to Mexico quite often. She was always so supportive of my husband and I’s call to Mexico.

It all felt very eerily familiar since it just feels like yesterday that we did the same thing with my Grandma B’s jewelry. I lost both my Grandma’s within a year of each other…more than that my Mom lost both her mom’s within a year of each other. That is incomprehensible. In my reality…my Mom will always be with me.

To honor my Grandma, houses were rented on the beach, tons of food was brought and we all tried to laugh as much as possible. She wanted us to do that, and she would have loved to have been there. I am truly thankful for the weekend we all had together.

As soon as we pulled up to the driveway, something in me changed. It is the beach. It is the sun and the sand. I made my husband promise that we would live on the beach one day. I think more and more that we go there, he realizes how important it is to me. I’m not sure why the Lord has called me the middle of California and not the ocean’s edge, but one day I know I will get there.

So I got back from Denver and got slammed with a cold! I know it has been forever since my last post. I’ve been in bed for the past couple days… but I’m totally fine now and back in the swing of things! I think maybe it was those crazy students running me into the ground while I was with them! But really, I had a lot of fun and I was sad to go. I told them I would be stalking their blogs…and I will!! I definitely will post more photos of my time there, but first, just one photo from a family session that we held the last day we were together. The students did an amazing job directing the family and getting some really unique shots.

The best way to learn to take photos of people…is to get out there and take some photos! This young family is a part of the YWAM base there and had never had any type of professional photographs taken of them. They even started to tell about a disastrous wedding day and issues with their wedding photographer…but they didn’t get into details. I can only imagine the horrors! So we seriously went paparazzi on this family. It Was Fun! We could not have photographed a more deserving family that morning. I really hope they enjoy their images…more to come later!

It’s the kind of love that isn’t just a feeling anymore, but a habit, a comfortable soothing routine. The kind of love that you choose to partake in, every single day. That choice is made over and over until you don’t need to consciously make it anymore. Together, you.just.are.

She told me during our preparation lunch together, that it doesn’t feel like it had been 50 years. The look in her eye as she spoke of her beloved was nothing but adoration and respect. She was worried she wouldn’t be able to get through her vows on the big day, but she did beautifully. They were surrounded by a room full of people who love them, admire them and wanted to celebrate their grand accomplishment.

I for one, am very inspired. How will my marriage look 40 years from now? Right now I am encouraged that when we blink our eyes, and our kids are throwing *us* an anniversary party, that we will still look into each others eyes with half as much admiration as John & Joan.

{Thank you so much for allowing me to capture the moment you committed to another 50 years together. It was such an honoring experience. I learned a lot about love that day. }

I may be biased because they are my family. But this is one gorgeous couple and that baby melts my heart. *sigh*

I found a great little spot behind my house to take photos at. It would be perfect for a family session. My sis let me try it out on her little family.

We had some wonderful friends from out of state come visit us this past weekend. The two days they were here were relaxed, fun, lazy and full. We went to Old Sacramento, walked around, took photos and had lunch. Taking photos of their 4 year old was a treat, she is absolutely beautiful, I mean model beautiful, and loves photos taken of her!! We’ve arranged a marriage between her and my Zach :) No pressure kids :) Of course they have to live in Sacramento and not Ohio…that means that our friends need to move BACK here (hint hint!!) Again… no pressure!!

I only have the privilege of raising one boy. He is though, gearing up to be a very boy’s boy, man’s man, whatever you want to call it, he is all boy…all the time. I know it was God’s plan for me to only have one boy. Even though I’ve only got Zach, I truly don’t think he will be my only “son”. I photographed a beautiful family right before the holiday, this amazing Mom was surrounded by sons. These boys were pleasant, polite, funny, silly, innocently inappropriate at times, and made me laugh so stinking hard the entire time. Their family was fun. The whole thing just looked like a lot of fun. Isn’t that what having kids is about? Raising these little people and having a joyful time doing it? And when they grow to be young adults, you get to have adult conversations and talk about life and have these amazing friends who you’ve raised to go down the right path. They will bring home their friends and no one will ask but you will fall into the mom role to those who you did not raise. I think that is my future…to be a mom to many…at least I hope so.

My heart feels so full when I think of this family. I was graciously allowed to photograph Harper’s birth, and then I got to come back and meet her (in the daylight!) and take photos of her, just 12 days old. I have lots to say about her, and lots to share, but right now I am very overdue in showing her parent’s a sneak peek of our time together.

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Over the weekend I got to spend a day with this lovely family. I truly had a blast…I drove away thanking Jesus again for my job and the wonderful people I get to meet.

When talking over the phone, Jana and I labored over where to hold our photo shoot. The location really speaks a lot about the family, and when families only take professional photos every few years, we need to get it right! Jana wasn’t sure if I should even come to their home because she said it was so small and wasn’t sure about the available light. She kept saying it was tiny and full of things because she has two kids, and of course I understood because…well…homes are made to be lived in! I went to their home anyway and I am so glad I did! What a lovely home they had, modest in size but absolutely overflowing with beauty, love, care and thought. Walking in I was greeted with such a welcome and I knew right away that this would be one of the funnest sessions I’ve had to date. We could have spent all day in their home (and almost did!) but we ended up making our way to Maidu park in Roseville and that was a great decision as well!

Thanks Jana & Chris for allowing me into your home and spending the morning with me. I had a blast! I know we spent way more time with each other than planned and I thank you for that! I hope Collin got the strawberry ice cream we bribed him with, he deserved it!

I definitely will be blogging more from this session, but for now here is a sneak peek into our day together…

I am so behind in my blog posts! I’ve got so much to catch up on. Its been a very crazy past couple weeks. Everything from a wonderful girls’ weekend to my Grandpa getting married (yep!) to photographing my first birth…there is a lot to share!

I was looking across the hundreds of photos I’ve taken over the past couple weeks and saw this one. I don’t think you can get anything more precious. These are the cousins…

Also, I can’t believe it slipped my mind. But remember back a few months ago when I was asking for votes for the KCRA A list? I am so thankful to everyone who voted for me. I didn’t place in the top 5 in Sacramento, so I wasn’t able to know my ranking. Its ok though! It was just so lovely to see those of you say such wonderful things about me and my photography. I promised that if you voted for me and left me a comment, I would put those names in a hat and draw a winner of a complimentary session. I’m please to announce that JUANITA is the winner! She’s a photographer herself, and a dear friend. Hey Juanita! Maybe we can do a swap??? I need family photos!

Don’t forget, mini-sessions are coming up! If you’re considering family photos at all, maybe engagements or you’re a grad on a budget, these are the sessions for you. Shoot me an email or give me a call and we can talk further.

…things will be a lot different at my sister’s house. Anyone who walks into their house can see things have already started to change, the decor is rightfully turning from contemporary chic to baby items galore. The spare bedroom in their house has meaning now, painted the perfect shade of blue, blankets and stuffed animals picked out for him, a crib waiting to be slept in, a chair waiting to rock him.

I don’t think my sister has left one stone unturned, one thing left on her list not checked off…or will be checked off very soon. She’s ready, waiting, expecting and also I can see not trying to form expectations. Yes…things are going to change. My sis with her beautiful hair and flawless face, will still be beautiful and flawless, but she’ll carry herself differently…a little more tired, a little more frazzled, maybe a little more flawed and a lot more beautiful.  My very cool brother in law will still be cool, but in the “I carry a diaper bag and I’m proud of it” kind of cool. Gaming will be done with a baby on his lap, he’ll learn to make lunch one handed.

No one can truly tell them what is going to happen. Believe me, I’ve tried! They know all the stories, all the advice, they’ve gone to classes and read books, sis and I have talked for hours and hours, but all of that won’t replace what is going to happen the day he is born. Labor…she’ll finally have her story to share. The first time they walk through their front door, a family….did they really let us take him home?? and what do we do with him now?? That first night…and the sacrifices that will follow that don’t really feel like sacrifices, just natural acts of love.

We get the privilege, those of us who surround them, to witness a beautiful transformation. One guy…one girl…who love with an everlasting love…transform into parents, a family. Life won’t ever be the same, in a wonderful, amazing way.

Love you guys…can’t wait for Ethan to arrive…more photos to come later.