{Curly Gurly Couture}

It's already February (wow, that came upon us fast!) and I'm excitedly getting ready for Valentine's Day.  Not for me but for my kids.  I've never totally understood the romantic aspect of it as an adult since I feel like everyday is and should be special with the one you love.   But for kids I think it's such a fun, happy holiday!  My ideas are brewing for crafts, gifts and decorations.  So hopefully in my next post I'll be able to share that with you :)

I'm so excited to share this next designer with you!!  Her name is Gina and she's also an amazing photographer out of St. Louis Missouri!  She's expanded her talent with the creation of Curly Gurly Couture, where you can find lots of her girly creations!  Her hair accessories are gorgeous {unique, well made and with a mix of textures}, she also makes the cutest vintage lace topped leggwarmers!  I fell in love when I got her package and became an immediate fan!  I love her style.  It's exactly the look I lean toward and love- her vision & creativity rocks!  Check out her store and her Facebook page where she features the latest accessories, specials and Curly Gurly Couture news.  She's currently out of the leg warmers shown below the last one was just sold but she has many more of styles, colors and designs to choose from in her shop.  :)

{Polk-a-dots}

The weather changed yesterday.  We went from 80 degrees, clear and sunny - BBQed, swam and spent this weekend outdoors.  Then yesterday, the it all changed and I welcomed it.  It was cold, rainy and so cozy inside.   I had my fireplace going and of course when the kids got home we splurged (as we always do when it rains) and had hot chocolate and marshmallow {heart shaped ones}.  The kids were giddy, as was I.  I celebrate the rain.  I celebrate the cooler weather.  To me, it's not winter unless it's cold, raining & snowing: I embrace 4 seasons, I yearn for 4 seasons.  So this week is supposed to be a little bit cooler and I'm not complaining (except when my fingers are numb and I can't warm up...then I'll just hop in the bath tub to thaw out).

Speaking of changes in weather...Kait Emerson has the some cute designs out right now that are perfect for winter & for spring!  I'm so luck to have worked with the talented Feanna, owner of Kait Emerson Designs for the past few years.  She always has me giddy with excitement when I open her packages.  Look at what's in her stores right now.  Brielle begs to wear the polk-a-dotted number all the time.  I'm surprised it doesn't have holes in it from all the washing it's been through.  Check out what's new in her shop.  She also posts her latest designs, specials and other news on her Facebook page.

{Little Milla}

**Squeal** Look at this little doll-faced cutie!  Milla and her mommy (my cousin) came all the way out to AZ from Seattle to do a photo session.   Okay....not really.  Her mom lives here so when she was planning her trip out here she booked a session!!   I was so excited to see her and baby Milla!   She wasn't a fan of all the dirt AZ has to offer but she did fall in love with the citrus fruit.  It kept her entertained - enough to even put a little pretty on her head (she pulls everything that's on her head off immediately) for about 3 minutes :).   I wished we could've visited more but next time Reid's in town (this was a quick visit), we'll get all the kids together and have some pool time!  I miss being so close to my cousins in Seattle -- makes me miss the NorthWest even more.   Sigh... :)  That just means I'll have to visit more often.

{getting ready for Spring with Eliza Kate & Nuxiemade}

Is it still snowing where you are?  I take that back, don't tell me.  I'm a four seasons kinda girl so jealousy will ensue ;-)  Since I'm in Arizona I'm living vicariously through other friends photos in the cold, white snow and I'm taking many trips out of town to trick my body into thinking I'm living in a four season kinda world.  My body & mind aren't easily tricked but I'm having fun visiting many wintery wonderlands.  Here in the land of the sun it's been 75 degrees so it's preparing us for an early Spring.  And with Spring coming soon Eliza Kate has some ADORABLE new designs coming out.  And Nuxiemade has a new hat design (my favorite design so far!). I get so excited when we get to work Krystin & Melissa.  Their work is amazing, they collaborate so perfectly and I love how their styles coordinate so well!!  Melissa's hat can be found along with many others in her shop.  Check them out.  Eliza Kate Designs is introducing this new Spring inspired peasant dress , should be popping up in her store soon.  The colors she chose coupled with the peasant style design make for a perfect sunny day dress.  It's in Brielle's closet right now begging to be warn again.  I think this week with the temps creeping up B will be giddy to wear it again.  She's  a girly-girl - very into dresses, ruffles and anything 'pretty'.  Thank you Eliza Kate & Nuxiemade for sharing your talent and your 'pretties' with me.  xoxo.

{last night they understood}

Last night my children understood… We were sitting at the table eating dinner and talking about babies.  Somehow the conversation had me casually answering a question mentioning that I was adopted (something I thought would go over their heads since we’ve mentioned it before in front of the kids).  Tyler and Brielle froze, their eyes popped out of their heads and their jaws dropped. ‘You’re adopted’ they both barely got out.  It wasn’t even a question, it was a realization.  They were in shock.  Oh my gosh, they can't get it?  They won't get it?  Do they get it?  My heart was racing confused, surprised and not prepared for their reaction.

Me: ‘Do you know what being adopted means?’.

Brielle: ‘ Yes, it means your mom didn’t want you’.

Tyler piped in ‘um yeah, they left you – right?’.

I couldn’t help but giggle.  I wondered how they knew that.  So I asked.

‘On Annie, she was left too'  they answered.

Ah-ha – that’s right, we watched the movie ‘Annie’ about a month ago and we talked about Annie’s biological parents and why she was in an orphanage.

Brielle thought for a minute and said, ‘who adopted you?’

Then Tyler asked, ‘Did you have a name before you were adopted?’

Me:  ‘No, no name’.

Tyler: ‘Then what did your mom call you when you were in her tummy?  Baby?  Honey Buns?’

We all laughed at that.  Many more questions were asked and answered.  I’m so surprised they understood and were so interested.  They wanted to know everything.  I gave them all the answers I knew and we pondered the ones I didn’t know.  I explained that my birth mom loved me so much that she wanted a better life for me and gave me up.   That it was extremely self-less and took tremendous strength.  The questions and answers went on.

Then Brielle later said with persuasion,  ‘ Mommy, I think I was adopted’.

Me: Why?

Brielle: ‘Because I don’t remember being born and being in your tummy’.  ‘Yeah’, she sighed ‘I think was adopted’.

I assured her she wasn’t, but somehow she’s still convinced she’s adopted.

{Boston & Chicago - Winter Wonderland}

I've been away so much this month.  Where?  Well one of the trips was to one of the most beautiful cities in the states!  Boston!  I love it there!  I hadn't been in 10 years so this was truly a treat.  My husband had some business there so he asked me along.  I jumped at it!  But what about the kids right?  Well we're lucky to have such wonderful grandparents close-by, they stayed with the kids!  We owe them big for all they do for us and the kiddos.  Anyway, Jeff and I left on a Saturday morning for our snowy adventure!  It was cold and snowing when we landed - I was in heaven even though I couldn't feel my hands or feet and my face was numb.  This to me was 'winter', winter in a big-beautiful-historic city.  Our long underwear came in handy since we walked or took the 'T' everywhere.  What a cool city!  It seems I only travel to big cities in January.  In January of 2010 I visited Chicago for the first time.  It was A-MAZ-ING!  Everyone thought I was crazy for visiting in the midst of their freezing weather, but I was thrilled to be there.  I don't think I ever shared those pictures on my blog - so I share those here too.  :)  First up - Boston in the winter!

{Below:  I couldn't resist the lines in the two photos below.  This door was on an unmarked building on Commonwealth.  I loved it.  And the escalator was in the tunnel on the way to the 'T'}

{below:  random alley that I liked in Government Center (I think) and the statute of the soldier below was in that alley in front of a bar.  I liked him :)}

{below:  in Little Italy - a cool street sign.  On that same street we noticed silverware in the cement  on the stoop of an Italian Restaurant.  Cool hu?}

{above:  'T' Sign - we got to know those well.  Their transportation system made life so easy there.  I wish every big city had such a slick system.}

{below:  The 'T' - notice that the guys on the right are in their underwear...they were musicians playing at the station.  I'm still not sure why they were in their underwear. Entertainment everywhere in Boston.}

{below:  the beautiful Capital, just off Boston Commons}

{above:  random narrow alley - cool lines.  below:  one of the many places I want to live in Boston.  Doesn't this look cool and quaint?  Sigh....}

{below:  we stopped for breakfast 2 mornings at this great little dinner on Beacon Hill - The Paramount.  So yummy.}

{below:  view from the Institute of Contemporary Art.  I sat in this area of the building for over an hour.  So therapeutic.}

{below:  the Holocaust Memorial.  So sad, yet so beautiful.  The lines on the tall pillars (there were 6 pillars) were the serial numbers of the victims who were killed.}

{below:  random splashes of color on the waterfront}

{below:  Jeff and I named this wondering boom-box carrying man - the 'boom-boom man'. We saw him several times in the Public Garden carrying his beach-scene-painted boom box, blasting his tunes.  We couldn't make out what he was listening to.  Entertainment a-plenty lol.}

{below:  Artsy building among the beautiful brownstone on Commonwealth}

{below:  used books liked the exterior walls of a second hand book store Jeff and I stopped at.  :)}

Next are pictures of Chicago - Winter 2010.  Another city I love and can 't wait to visit again!!  So amazingly beautiful!!

{below:  The Carousel on the Navy Pier had such an eerie look, slowly moving with empty seats.  It was begging to be photographed}

{Below:  Man fishing in the ice off the Navy Pier.  They were catching alots of fish on this cold winter day}

{Below:  the next several images are taken from the Sears Tower. What a fun experience!  I walked a few miles in the freezing cold to get to the Sears tower.  I was numb by the time I got there but it was 100% worth it!}

{Below:  'American Gothic'.  Such a pretty setting for this statue.  They moved it shortly after I left Chicago and brought it to....guess?  Mesa, Arizona!  Really.  I need to photograph it here since that's where I live. Crazy how that happened}

{below:  Cemetery that was calling me off the freeway on the way back to our hotel.  I thought it was beautiful.}

{Are we really 5 days into 2011?!}

Is it really 2011?!!  I'm having a hard time comprehending this change.  With the New Year (5 days into it) have you started new goals for the next 360 days?   I have a hard time with New Years resolutions, I'm afraid of failure (who isn't?) so I try to avoid setting myself up for something that I may not be able to achieve/maintain.  Boo!!!  I know.  But this year something's changed.  As my kids are growing, I'm seeing glimpse's of my children all grown up and going off to college and it scares me.  I don't want to miss them as they grow, I don't want to mess up by being so consumed by my work, or be unavailable when they need me.  It all hit me during busy season when I was up till 3 am most nights  and then in a fog the following day but still trying to be fully engaged in their lives.   I love my job as a photographer and I love my job as a wife and mother.  So it's a balancing act and one I need to be sure to give proper balance to.  So in 2011 I'm going to work on being more 'into the moment' with my children all year (even during busy season).

Speaking of busy season...I was so busy I didn't get to post sneak peeks (some clients got them on Facebook but I was pressed for time to blog them - bad.) So I'm going to be doing session recaps for some of  my sessions in the upcoming posts.

Here's some recaps from my California sessions.  I had a blast and loved every moment I was there. This first family was incredible, I went to High School with the mom, April.  She convinced me to come to So Cal to do these fun sessions and I'm so glad I did!!  :)  Such a gorgeous, photogenic family too.  Little Luke is so smart, chatting about football stats and all things that are over my head when it comes to sports.  And sweet Tessa is a doll - full of smiles.  And I  love here strawberry blond hair.  And I loved this family !

Oh and my dear friend Tanya's little man below!  Tanya is one of my bestest friends from High School and it was such a thrill to see her and her little boy Gavin.  He stole my heart and sent me home a great drawing of what he though my family looked like.  And guess what?  In his picture, I'm taller than Jeff (who's 6' 5")!  I'm 5' 3" (on a tall day) so I got a kick out that as did my hubby.    A little artist...that Gavin ;-)  But not only that - he's a Rocker!  Really.  At 6 he is so comfortable with a guitar and was so into playing it on the beach I couldn't break his focus.  I love that boy!

And isn't this family gorgeous below?  Sasha (the beautiful mommy below) is Tanya's sister.  Her son Robby is the same age as my son so it was fun chatting with him about all things related to the 2nd grade.  And the location we used for this session - I loved it!!  There was so much variety and peacocks running around wild!  Here's a peak at our session. :)

{’tis the season…}

to celebrate, to spend a lot of time with family & friends, to laugh, to give, to reflect and be thankful.  This year we've done a lot of all of those things.  The kids have been so giving this year, understanding that although it's fun to get gifts it's also fun to give gifts.  So they've been on a giving spree - making cookies and giving them to others, making cards and giving them to friends & neighbors.  I'm eating up their enthusiasm!  This year we didn't do the Polar Express, we didn't do the North Pole Experience, instead we spent time together talking about Christmas, talking about our wishes, and doing a lot of  crafts.    Brielle has made so many snowflakes I can't even count them (some of which have gone to neighbors & family).  Tyler has been writing stories, making books.  He's encouraged Brielle to write stories as well so most mornings they are up early at the kitchen table, coloring, drawing and writing fun and sometimes crazy action packed stories.  And since it's been unseasonably warm here we check the forecast daily hoping for a cold, wet day so we can light the fire place and sip on hot cocoa with marshmallows (our favorite!) :)  I think it's finally starting to get cooler - yay!!  So many things to be thankful for this Christmas - my amazing clients (I really do have the best clients out there and I'm so thankful for them!), my families health, my loving husband and my two silly kids, and my friends (who I've neglected a bit during busy season - thankfully I think they forgive me) :). Here's a little sprinkle of the things that make it feel like Christmas for me in Arizona. :)  Merry Christmas to you!

Brielle's Room - the kids wanted a tree for their room so we got these little trees for them to decorate.  They don't want to take them down after Christmas...but they'll see them again next year :)

Tyler's Room - I love the billiard balls (whatever they're called) that he choose to put on his tree.

And on final one of Brielle at her Christmas Performance for Ballet, Tap and Tumbling.  She was so excited for us to see her perform!!

It's been a whirlwind...

...of client sessions, designer shoots, fall/winter festivities, dance recitals, school activities, and the craziness that goes along with being a mom and running my own business.  I've missed you though...missed blogging, missed sharing, missed this little bit of time  I get to focus and reflect.  So this post is one of many to come and is a client session share of a beautiful family I photographed over a month ago.  I know, I'm embarrassingly behind on sharing my sessions.  Don't give up on me....I'm working hard to get things done and dedicate time to sharing here :)

This family was insanely fun to work with!  They were so photogenic and up for anything!  Denisse is such a beautiful person and I'm so lucky she's a friend of mine.  And her girls are gorgeous!  Take a peek :)

{The Measure}

It's busy season!!  And with that, I'm sooooo embarrassingly behind in blogging.   I really don't like neglecting one of my favorite place to share with you.  But I have a good excuse...I've been sick but still trying to edit sessions while coughing, sneezing, and overall feeling blah into the wee hours of the morning (which is only making my recover efforts worse).  But my clients and designers are worth it.  I love them both!  I recently went to Southern California for some photo sessions - which I'm now planning on doing at least once a year.  So let me know if any of you are interested and I'll keep you posted on my travel plans.

I've also been keeping busy with the amazing designers I work with.  The one shown below is new to me and I am in love!!!  I didn't know what she was going to send me (I never do so it's always very exciting!) and I squealed when I opened the package!   I love the vintage, peasant style of her designs -  she discretely adds the modern twist into her line. Making her clothes very functional for today's busy kids.   Just look at her on-line boutique - and don't blame me when your shopping cart is full when you check out. :)  It's hard to resist.  I'm a huge fan already - The Measure. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!!!