Simple fun

When they aren't fighting (and that is rare)

it's amazing how much fun these two can have.

A few weeks ago (when it was hotter than heck) I sat and watched these two have the time of their lives with 3 things:

1. Water

(Yes I covered her who-ha with cute decals.... no baby nudity on my blog)

2. Odd end containers, buckets, cups and shovels

and

3. Each other

Just going back and forth...

...forth and back

dumping water in the trucks

and on themselves

Oh the joy!

In a panic to protect my lens, these images turned out much fuzzier than I would have liked....

but the kids were having a blast

and my lens was dry and waterless.

Linus on the other hand.....

was scared out his mind thinking he was the next target....

and he was.

Ella

This new location... I just love.

It's my secret spot.... 

(and this one I'm keeping to myself)

Been eyeing it for years.

Literally about 2 years.

So I bought a tutu and put a beautiful little girl in it at my new location.

And I think they turned out perfect.

Thank you Ella. YOU are perfect.

Oprah says....

... your house should rise up to greet you. I hate to quote her, it's actually quite trite, but when I heard her say this, I could not agree more.

For the last 5 years our house was dedicated to an infant, then a toddler, back to an infant (plus toddler) now to a toddler and child. Bins of toys instead of nice shelving, exersaucers and jumperoos instead of coffee tables.... you get it. Now it's time to take back our house. (although we still have made it kid friendly)

Our first step on our long house remodel journey, our living room

 I've always loved the Hamptons/nautical/Nor Cal beach look. So we compiled all three looks, with of course ample pictures. Finally I have somewhere to put my pictures!

Wasn't sure about this color combo for the cushions, but I must say it is one of my favorite parts of the decor

I may not see them often, but my girls will always be my girls

Now this flower arrangement does not in anyway go with the decor. Actually Hydrangeas or Orchids would have looked better, but the flowers were on sale and I just love putting lemons in vases. Reminds me of our wedding centerpieces and they give off a wonderful lemon scent. Try it!

The Terrible 3's

You hear all this talk about the "terrible 2's"

So when Finn turned 2... I waited in anticipation... and waited.... and waited....

for tantrums

throwing

screaming

hitting....

and you know what?

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Sweet as apple pie.

Waited all the way till he was 3 and thought I was out of the woods.

Enter Finn version 3 point five. 

Wow.

Throwing himself on the ground at the toy store because he didn't get the toy he wanted?

Check.

Lying about who torn the pages out of the library book?

Check.

Urinating in places other than the toilet? 

Check.

New favorite saying "Sunday did it"?

Check.

You get it. 

I realized that I am not out of the woods, but that I have just entered into them.

Well, at least there is one thing that I can always count on with him.

Adorable and heart melting photos.

Finn, I love you so much, terrible or not (I know at heart you have the sweetest soul) and like I always tell you

"today was a hard day, but tomorrow will be better"

and it will...

Johns Sneak Peek

This weekend I had the delight of photographing Kelly and Brian's new baby girl, Ashley Bryn. 

But I'm not going to lie....

I was so nervous, to say the least.

Here's the story....

After meeting Kelly, we started our photography session and she showed me a picture of her son, done when he was a newborn. She wanted to replicate it for her daughter.

The second I saw it, my heart stopped, not only because the picture was perfect, but because I knew exactly who her other photographer was.

I've seen this photographer's work and to say her work is amazing is quite an understatement.

So the picture she had shown me, I had already seen.... several times.

I strive to be the photographer that Julie is... go ahead, check her work Lot 116 Photography

(just as long as you stay loyal to me ;))

Did you check it out? Isn't she wonderful?

Now can you see why I was nervous?

But to compare myself to her is unfair. I am me, she is she, and although I have a long way to go to be where I want to be, I am proud of the work that I produce.

So that being said,

K and B, I hope you love and enjoy these pictures. Your baby girl is just fabulous....

This was the picture I was asked to replicate

Check it out here

and this is how it turned out.