Learning something new everyday...

This makes me...

2012-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

laugh! Abigail doesn't have any teeth and J.T. looks like he ate a lemon.... From May 2007

from 2004

2012-01-26T08:47:00.000-08:00

I love looking back at the kids' pictures from when they were little... Spring 2004

Seems like so long ago....

2012-01-25T15:34:00.000-08:00

from July 2005.... Hannah, Connor, J.T., and Abigail

J.T. and I

2012-01-24T07:19:00.000-08:00

A couple nights ago, J.T. and I were sitting on the couch together cuddling (which he loves to do), and here's how the conversation went:

Me: Pretty soon, you will be too big to cuddle with me. (I meant he will get older and won't want to cuddle with his mom).

J.T.: I hope not. And we can always just get a bigger couch....

Awwww, one of those "melt your heart" Mommy moments for sure!

22 of Me

2012-01-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

I Am: a very loyal friend.
I Want: to feel successful as a businesswoman.
I Have: the most awesome husband ever!
I Wish: I was more physically coordinated.
I Fear: failure. And sometimes success.
I Hear: nothing because I am hiding in the office.
I Search: for my true purpose on this earth.
I Wonder: what my kids will be when they grow up.
I Regret: not much. I'd rather learn from a mistake than regret it.
I Love: having the office to myself so I can enjoy the quiet and get something done.
I Always: have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning.
I Usually: take a little time for myself each day. (priceless!)
I Am Not: a morning person.
I Dance: if I've had a couple beverages.
I Sing: ummm really never.
I Never: sing in the shower.
I Rarely: leave the house in sweat pants. (and even then, only cute yoga pants!)
I Cry: rarely. And if I do, its usually while reading a book.
I Am Not Always: open-minded, but I'm trying to get better.
I’m Confused: why it's so hard to get motivated to exercise.
I Need: to take more pictures for fun.
I Should: get outside and take a walk.

What are your 22?

First picture

2012-01-18T09:03:00.000-08:00

This is the first photo I ever took with my first digital camera in July 2002. Isn't she cute?

Thought for the day

2012-01-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

"I'm not the kind of person who just slops around in sweatpants. I like to feel a little more together. You never know who you're going to see out there." ~ Scarlett Johansson

I love this!

Best friend

2012-01-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

Best friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway.
- Elbert Hubbard

Isn't that the truth? My bestie and I have been through a lot and we still love each other!

Winter favorites

2012-01-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

Two of my favorite winter pictures of the kids.... taken in January 2004...

Beautiful bride...

2012-01-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Waiting to see her groom....

Love the spot we had for pre-wedding pictures....

Things that make me happy

2012-01-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

In no particular order...

*when Andy kisses me on the forehead

*when JT wants to cuddle with me on the couch

*when Abigail wants multiple hugs when I tuck her in at night

*that my bestie knows what to say to make me feel better

*shopping for jeans, even if I don't buy any

*seeing my adorable nieces

*when my parents say "I love you" at the end of a phone conversation

*a clean house

*getting an out-of-the-blue text from a friend

*watching reruns of "Friends"

*doing a ride-along with my BFF

*watching "Sweet Home Alabama", "Pretty Woman", or "Dirty Dancing"

*getting a massage

*eating at the Melting Pot

*the feeling after a long walk or good workout

*taking a nap on the couch in the middle of the afternoon

Life

2012-01-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

Life is too short, grudges are a waste of perfect happiness, laugh when you can, apologize when you should and let go of what you can't change.

~unknown

Thought for the day

2012-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

-1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Just one...

2012-01-05T16:42:00.000-08:00

from the New Years Eve wedding....

Random cell phone pictures- 2011

2012-01-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here's a slideshow of some random pictures from my cell phone...

A New Years Eve wedding....

2011-12-31T11:34:00.000-08:00

I am excited to photograph Sarah and Pat's wedding tonight. How many times do you get to photograph a couple's wedding and reception over the course of two years... we will start the festivities in 2011 and end in 2012. Congrats to Sarah and Pat!

Closing out 2011

2011-12-30T10:18:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's almost the end of the year. While 2011 has been a great year in some respects, there have also been some things happen in 2011 that I don't ever care to repeat. I won't go into details because I want to stay positive and learn from those things, not dwell on them.

As I was trying to write this post in my mind (for the last couple weeks), my always loyal BFF sent me a link to another blog that really sums up my feelings on a lot of things. The post has a list of 30 things to start doing for yourself. Feel free to read the entire post, but here are a couple of my favorite of the 30 things...

1. "Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally."

5. "Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it."

6. "Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.

17. "Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t."

27. "Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of."

29. "Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. "

I will admit I have some difficulty with this one, but I am making it part of my 2012 goals to get better at this. I truly believe that 2012 is going to be a good year, especially because I plan to use what I have learned in 2011 to help make that happen.

I am extremely thankful for all the good things in my life... an awesome husband that puts with more than his fair share of stuff (aka BS) from me; two great kids that teach me a lot about myself; the best BFF that anyone could ask for (I could not have survived 2011 without her); a wonderful family (parents, sister, brother in law, adorable nieces); in-laws that are fabulous grandparents to our kids; and a few friends that I know will be there no matter what.

I am looking forward to 2012 for the changes I want to make in my life. Have you thought about what you want to do in 2012?

Fav from recent session

2011-12-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

Momma's never have enough pictures with their babies!! I just did this family session and this is my favorite one....

Christmas day 2011

2011-12-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

I am not sure where December went, but all of a sudden, Christmas was here! Santa treated us all well, as usual. The kids each received an iPod touch. It was a nice quiet, relaxing morning.

J.T. loved his tool kit that Abigail got him...

And she loved her beauty salon chair for her dolls that JT got her...

Santa also delivered to Abigail and J.T. at Grandma Pam and Grandpa Charlie's house. Pretty exciting!!

We had a very nice day. We left about 4:00 pm for Walnut Creek to go see my sister and her family. My parents were already down there. Onto Christmas #4...

Christmas eve 2011

2011-12-26T14:48:00.000-08:00

JT does not have a black eye.... not sure why it looks like that.

Photo shoot from Grand Cayman, Part 3

2011-12-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

This is what is called a "Trash the Dress" session. The dress doesn't really get trashed or torn up, but it does get wet (obviously). Nothing a little dry cleaner can't fix! I am hoping to do some more of these sessions in 2012. Volunteers???

Abigail and J.T.

2011-12-22T11:24:00.001-08:00

We weren't even trying to take real portraits here.... we were just taking a few so the kids could each make their own Christmas cards. I like these though... shows their personalities.

Photo shoot from Grand Cayman, Part 2

2011-12-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

Photo shoot from Grand Cayman, Part 1

2011-12-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

We did a fun wedding-style photo shoot on Grand Cayman. What a beautiful spot!

Senior shoot from the cruise

2011-12-15T11:11:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots from the senior session we did aboard the cruise ship.... I also tried out some new types of processing. What do you think?

Wanted: opinions about professional photography

2011-12-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

I am in search of local people who want to share their opinion with me on what they think about photography. I feel the need to take a good look at my business as we move into 2012. I would like people that have varying income levels, some who have been my clients, and some who haven't. I am still working on my questionnaire but I would really like to hear what current or potential clients think about professional portraits and photography. If you are interested, please contact me at sarah@sarahalbinphotography.com. Thanks.

Jamaica!!

2011-12-12T11:54:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post today with a few photos of our stop in Jamaica. I will write a more inclusive post from our photography cruise a little later. For now...

Disneyland trip: Day 5, part 2

2011-12-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Since our flight was a little delayed, we made another attempt.... this time with the Mickey ears hats.

Whew, that was tough! We got some fun ones though.

The flight back to Oakland was good. I was even able to do some Black Friday shopping at 30,000 feet via wi-fi. Pretty cool. After we got back to my sister's house, we figured out that we left JT's new Ridemakerz truck on the airplane. :-( We went back to the airport but it wasn't there. Still working on getting it back.

Overall, it was a great trip. Not exactly relaxing, but fun. Thanks Mom and Dad for taking us!!!

Disneyland trip: Day 5, part 1

2011-11-30T14:47:00.001-08:00

While we were waiting to check out of the hotel, we made an attempt to get some shots of the kids wearing their Disneyland shirts.

First Michela and Abigail....

Then our two....

And our unsuccessful attempt to get all four of them in one place....

We decided we would try again at the airport. To be continued.....

Disneyland trip: Day 3 and 4

2011-11-29T16:28:00.001-08:00

We started Day 3 at California Adventure Park. We looked around a little and then we had a reservation at "Ariel's Grotto" for lunch with Princesses. Michela and Abigail were very excited about this.... let's just say, J.T. was not. :) Oh well, can't have it all....

J.T.'s day wasn't all bad..... he had some fun too. Some of us went on the California Screamin' roller coaster... the kids loved it!

We saw "World of Color" that night, after dinner. I think it was one of our favorite things of the whole trip. It's a cool show with colored lights and water.

After the show was over, the big kids got to stay out late, while all the grandkids went back to the hotel with Ma and Papa. Mary, Jeff, Andy and I rode on "Soarin' over California" at California Adventure Park first. What a cool experience! Then we tried to ride some rides at Disneyland, but a lot of the ones we wanted to ride were either closed down or the wait was too long. Oh well, we still had fun!

On Day 4 (Thanksgiving Day), we decided to go back to Disneyland. We had to get a picture of Ma and Papa with the grandkids in front of the entrance....

And then we found Minnie Mouse. The characters were kind of hard to find. They just sort of showed up and then you had to wait in line to see them and/or have your photo taken with them. Seeing the characters was a big highlight for all the kids.

We decided to go back to Downtown Disney for lunch because it was a lot less crowded. That day we ate at Rainforest Cafe which was fun. And look.... I even made it into one picture for the trip!

That night, for Thanksgiving dinner we went to Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, which had a New Orleans type theme. It was really good, but the little girls weren't too interested in sitting and eating. Afterwards we walked around Downtown Disney. We even made a Build A Bear. By the end of the night, we were all pretty exhausted so we headed back to the hotel...

Disneyland trip: Day 1 and 2

2011-11-28T14:12:00.000-08:00

On Sunday afternoon, we drove to Ukiah to stay over so we wouldn't have to get up so early on Monday morning to head to Oakland. The kids woke up at 3:30 on Monday morning anyway. After stopping at Mary's to consolidate vehicles, we went to Oakland airport, grabbed a quick lunch, and boarded our plane.

It was a quick hour flight down to Orange County airport. We then boarded the "Disneyland Express" which took us to our hotel, Courtyard Marriott. After getting settled, we decided to walk to Downtown Disney, which is an open-air shopping center next to Disneyland. I don't think we realized how far the walk would be, but we made it.

J.T. was very excited about going to Ridemakerz to create his birthday gift. You pick a car body, chassis, wheels, tires, etc and create your very own remote-control vehicle. He picked a black Dodge truck, which is probably hard to see in the photos. He loved driving that thing around the hotel room and hallway. We ended up going back to the hotel for dinner, due to everyone being tired.

On Tuesday, we headed out to Disneyland. It was a little chilly in the mornings, but it warmed up fairly quickly. I think most days got to around 70 degrees.

Our first ride was "It's a Small World." They had it all decorated for Christmas so it looked really cool. The little girls, Michela (3) and Francesca (18 mos) loved it.

Because it was so crowded, we decided to leave the park for lunch. We went to House of Blues at Downtown Disney. They had some really great margaritas! ;-) After lunch, we headed back to the hotel for some down time... naps, pool time, etc. We had dinner at Naples Restaurante & Pizzeria, which was really good. Some of us went back to Disneyland for the fireworks show and a few rides. Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, and Autopia were the ones we rode.

And we got to see Mickey Mouse all dressed up for Christmas....

To be continued....

We are home

2011-11-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

We had a great trip to Disneyland with my family over Thanksgiving week to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. More to come later, but here's one out-take in our attempt to get a shot of all the kids wearing their Mickey Mouse hats...

An idea for you

2011-11-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

As we approach the holiday giving season, consider this idea. We've been doing this in our family for a few years. We decided that each year that we would buy our kids (who are in need of very little) one or two less gifts. We then buy gifts for kids in our area that are truly in need. Usually we pick a few tags hanging on a giving tree in a local business. In addition, here's another idea....

Fortuna Fire Department Co. 2 Santa's Sleigh Program is in desperate need of new, warm coats for kids ages 2 to 17. The goal is to give one coat to each child on the list this year. There are 380 children in need. Please donate to this wonderful cause. Get your employer, your friends, your family, everyone involved!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-02T14:18:00.000-07:00

Wedding guest etiquette?

2011-11-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

For all my photographer friends that shoot weddings, you will enjoy this. It's a great blog post titled "What photogs want YOU to know: wedding guest etiquette" by Jen McKen. Or if you ever attend weddings, you may find it amusing also.

Happy 8th Birthday JT!

2011-10-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

J.T. got to celebrate his birthday several times over the past few days. Cupcakes at school, breakfast at Hot Brew, dinner at Shamus T Bones, and finally dinner with (most of) the grandparents. He was pretty excited to get a few bucks and some Disney gift cards for our upcoming Disneyland trip....

Soccer is done!

2011-10-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was not a very good soccer mom this year. I only took pictures at the last game. Here are a few...

Vegas baby!

2011-10-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Andy and I took a much-needed, although last minute, trip to Las Vegas for our anniversary. We had some great weather and stayed at a really nice resort. Here's a few pictures I took...

At the top of the Stratosphere...

We are already trying to figure out when we can go back!

Beautiful wedding...

2011-10-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

This was definitely one of the most beautiful weddings that I have been to, let alone photographed....

Little Mr. B

2011-10-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

Michela

2011-10-11T16:00:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that Michela is 3! She's a great dancer....

Cousins

2011-10-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

The cousins came to visit...

Landscape

2011-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I don't take very many landscape photos mostly because I can't ever capture what I want to capture, if that makes sense. This one of my favorite landscape shots that I have ever taken, and it was a test shot to check my camera settings... who knew???

Sequoia Park duck pond....

Shipping days

2011-10-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite days of the year....

And they're off.... Harris Ranch bound!!

Birthday sleepover!

2011-09-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

Abigail had a sleepover with her BFFs on Saturday for her birthday. The girls had fondue (pictures to come), watched a movie or two, and just hung out. They had a great time!

So sweet.....

2011-09-13T10:04:00.000-07:00

Super cute!

2011-08-31T14:25:00.001-07:00

I love how the engagement shots for Ashley and Robert turned out. Can't wait for their October wedding....

First day of school

2011-08-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Abigail is in 6th grade and J.T. is in 2nd grade... where does the time go?

Annual end of summer portraits

2011-08-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

I photographed my most most challenging clients yesterday..... yep, my kids. It took a little while, but we got some good ones....

Last week of summer

2011-08-28T08:49:00.000-07:00

I know I'm not the only one thinking this right now, but where the heck did summer go???? School starts tomorrow. I'm ready. I think the kids are too. All in all, we had a great summer. Soccer started yesterday but in my rush to get there at 7:50 am, I forgot my camera. It's okay, though, because we have 7 or 8 more games. Will get some pictures posted in the next few weeks...

"Anything you want"

2011-08-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

I don't do book reviews very often, but I just read a book that I would highly recommend. It doesn't take very long to read... it's less than 100 pages.

"Anything you want" by Derek Sivers really made me think. It's mostly about having your own business, but it also applies to life in general. Sivers explains his philosophies from the 10 years he operated a small business.

Some of the themes that really impacted my thinking are (as quoted from the book):

-"Business is not about money. It's about making dreams come true for others and for yourself."

-"Success comes from persistently improving and inventing, not from persistently promoting what's not working."

-"The real point of doing anything is to be happy, so do only what makes you happy."

I related the above themes to my photography business. Once I get my thoughts a little more organized, I plan to write blog post or two on how these themes are helping me focus my business.

Fashion tips...

2011-08-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some fashion tips that should've been passed on to some of the attendees of the Humboldt County Fair (not in any particular order)...

1. Look in a mirror before you leave the house.

2. A hot pink bra does not look good under a semi-sheer white t-shirt.

3. Buy a size larger jeans so your muffin top does not explode over the front and sides of your jeans.

4. Wear shorts that are long enough to cover your underwear (and your cellulite).

5. Flannel pajama pants aren't really appropriate to wear to the fair, especially if they say "Naughty and proud of it" on them.

6. If your shirt isn't long enough to cover your muffin top, buy a bigger size.... pretty simple.

7. Remove the size tag from your jeans. Yes, Levis are meant to have them, but most other jeans are not.

8. Cropped shirts, with your belly showing, can be worn by very few girls.... most of us can't. So don't.

9. 5 inch heels to the fair? In the livestock barn? Really? Need I say more....

10. Look in a mirror before you leave the house.

We survived the fair...

2011-08-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

We survived the fair! Selling Abigail's lamb was a little easier this year..... Not quite as many tears. But then again, we bought two ewes so Abigail can start her own little flock....

Thanks so much to Eel River Organic Beef and Clint and Christina Victorine for buying Abigail's lamb again this year.... we really appreciate the support.

A few sad moments at the end of the day....

Fair show day

2011-08-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

We survived another fair show day.... Abigail and George did great!!

Meet Melissa

2011-08-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last but certainly not least... Melissa is my 3rd senior rep...

To be a good friend...

2011-08-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

From Gloria Gaither, Sue Buchanan, Peggy Benson, and Joy Mackenzie of "Friends Through Thick and Thin."

To be a good friend...

1. Smile often; laugh aloud now and then; giggle even.

2. Become aware of several things that you especially enjoy. Watch for others who enjoy those same things.

3. Identify an acquaintance who has a need you can supply. Offer yourself. (Hint: start with the obvious-- your sister, spouse, neighbor...)

4. Learn to enjoy being alone with yourself. Identify what elements of living enrich your life. Incorporate them into your daily routine. If you are happy being you, it's likely others will enjoy your company too!

5. Forget what you give and remember what you receive,

6. Be the one who is there doing when others are saying, "Is there anything I can do?"

7. Listen-- even in the silence.

Meet Chrissy

2011-08-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

Chrissy is another one of my beautiful senior reps....

Meet Ashley

2011-08-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

Ashley is one of my senior reps this year.... we had a great time doing her session!

2011 Humboldt County Fair entries- update

2011-08-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

I have this sort of love-hate relationship with entering photos in our county fair. I wasn't going to enter any this year, but on the last day entries were due, Sandi talked me into it. The past couple years I have been in the professional division so I can only enter one black/white and one color. Here are my two picks for this year.....

UPDATE: Miss Michela is famous.... I received a First Place on this photo....

UPDATE: And Sandi's legs are famous too.... I received a Second Place on this photo....

Good times and bad

2011-08-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

I know I'm stating the obvious here.... Marriage is hard work. It takes effort from both people. There are going to be good times and bad. But it's worth it!

It seems like divorce is becoming an epidemic. I am not judging anyone that chooses divorce because I think we can all agree that no one really knows what goes on in a marriage except the two people in it.

The other day, I read something interesting a movie star said about her failed marriage. She said that her and her husband agreed (when they got married, I'm assuming) that if the marriage took too much work, then they would get divorced. I think this is very sad.

As an aside, let me say that thankfully I've never been through a divorce. From what I've gathered, by the time a couple decides to get divorced, it may be too late to fix things. Notice I said "may" because generalizations are just that.... not true of every situation.

As I said before, it takes effort on the parts of both people in a marriage. Don't let it get to the point where it may be too late. Have date nights. Do things just the two of you. Think about things from the other person's perspective. Sit down and talk. Don't let resentment build up. These are some things that have worked for the successful marriages I've observed.

I'd be curious to see what you all think....

Buddies

2011-08-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

It was early in the morning but they still are smiling....

Meet Rosie

2011-07-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

This is Rosie, one of the guard dogs for our sheep. They live with the sheep and are there to protect them from predators. The dogs (Violet is the other one) are supposed to ignore us and focus on the sheep. Yesterday we went out to take a few pictures and the dogs were so interested in my camera. Isn't she cute?

The job of parents

2011-07-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Parents can and must:

train,
shape,
mold,
correct,
guide,
punish,
reward,
instruct,
warn,
teach,
and love

their kids during their formative years.

-Dr. James C Dobson from "Parenting isn't for cowards."

Read this...

2011-07-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

I have read this before but was glad to be reminded and read it again.

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY ..... IT'S PRETTY PROFOUND.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those people on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said , 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a
late breakfast, It looks like rain' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because Americans cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches.. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan
on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and
bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to...not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Make sure you read this to the end; you will understand why I sent this to you.

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on
the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.' And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good
friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as well dance!

~unknown

Last day

2011-07-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

On the last day, we took a group photo of our EL family... the kids didn't want to leave because they had so much fun!

We drove to Reno that night and the rest of the way home on Sunday. We had such a great two weeks but it sure is good to be home!

Next stop?

2011-07-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

We had a relaxing last day on Maui and flew out on a red-eye flight. We got back to Sacramento about 8 am. Since we had about a 10 hour drive to Utah, we figured we should get as far as we could. We stopped for a quick breakfast in Reno and kept going until we got to Winnemuca, where we stayed overnight. The next day we drove the rest of the way (took 8 hours!) to Logan, Utah.

Why Utah? We went there for a Ranch Management meeting of our Executive Link board. We had some great meetings and the kids had an absolute blast hanging out with the other kids. J.T. is the second one from the left.

Besides our meetings, we toured around to see all the ranches the Parker family has for their cattle. It was great to see the places we had heard about.

Day 7

2011-07-12T00:59:00.000-07:00

We took our (almost) annual family picture on our favorite bench first thing in the morning. We decided to go driving and exploring on the other part of the island. We went to Kahului for shopping and looking around. Then we headed to the cool little town of Pai'a. We ate lunch at Charley's, a restaurant that has become somewhat famous because its Willie Nelson's favorite restaurant. We also had some awesome gelato. Yum!

We also drove to Kihei and Wailea. We looked around and did window little shopping, but didn't really buy much.

After that, we were all tired so we headed back to the pool....

Day 5 and 6

2011-07-11T00:56:00.000-07:00

Andy and the kids went to the beach, while I went for a little photography field trip. It was fun to play around an try to get some cool shots. Here are a couple....

We spent time at the pool for most of the afternoon and BBQed for dinner.... The kids enjoyed swimming while the guys did the BBQing.

Day 4

2011-07-08T00:54:00.000-07:00

The Victorines arrived late last night. We met up with them in Lahaina. It was raining.... like really raining. Not just a tropical shower. We did some shopping and looking around. We had lunch at Bubba Gumps which is fun. The kids haven't seen "Forrest Gump" so they didn't get some of the funny things in the restaurant.

We spent the afternoon at the pool....

For the dinner that night, we went to my favorite restaurants in the whole world.... The Melting Pot. It was so good! The kids had a great time....

Day 3

2011-07-07T00:52:00.000-07:00

It's beach day! There's a nice, little uncrowded beach right down at the edge of the property that was perfect for the kids. Andy and I laid on the grassy area right above it. The kids had a great time playing in the water and building their sand sculptures....

Later we went for frozen yogurt and shopping at Whalers Village. The kids just love "Yogurtland" because they get to make their own creations with any type of yogurt and toppings they want. I must admit, I am a pretty big fan myself. :)

We BBQed burgers for dinner and it was so nice to be able to eat on the balcony...

Day 2

2011-07-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

We actually slept in later than I expected, til about 6 am (9 am home time). Usually we are up by 4 am or so on the first couple days. We decided to head to Makawao for a couple hours. It took about an hour or so together there with JT chattering or asking questions the entire time. Wow that kid can talk!

Makawao is the cowboy town on the island. There are a couple stores and an art gallery that I just love. First stop was Aloha Cowboy. It's a western store that has a hula girl wearing a cowboy hat, boots and a grass skirt, sitting on a surfboard as its logo. It's a really neat store with lots of cool logo gear.

We made a quick stop at Komodo Store and Bakery for what are supposed to be the island's best donuts. I'm not really a donut person but they were pretty good. After that we headed to the Piiholo Ranch Store. They also have cool western gear and clothing. JT wanted to buy out both western stores.

Last stop was the Randy Jay Braun gallery, which is one of my favorite parts about Maui. He does amazing photography ranging from hula girls to Hawaiian cowboys to sunsets. I could spend an unlimited amount of money there. There is a sign hanging near the cash register that says "Your husband called. He said to spend as much as you want.". I love it!

After that, we went to Cheeseburger in Paradise for lunch. No Lahaina shopping today.... We went back to the condo for some pool time and relaxation.

A few photos....

2011-07-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July!

It was a nightly occurrence to try to get the perfect sunset shot....

Maui! Arrival day....

2011-07-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

What a day! Yesterday we drove to Sacramento, spent the night, and caught an early flight to Maui. We arrived about 11:15, Hawaiian time. Since we got up so early (3 am Pacific time), some of us were a little crabby. After we picked up our rental car, we grabbed lunch at McDonalds, did some grocery shopping at Walmart, and were finally on our way to Papakea Resort. It seemed to take forever but eventually we made it. We unloaded and took a few minutes to relax before heading for the pool. After awhile, I ran to the grocery store to get dinner stuff while the kids swam with their new friends. Dinner turned out good.... my first time cooking mahi mahi. Andy crashed early but the kids and I found a few fireworks to watch. Off to bed.....

Love is in the air....

2011-07-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

The V family.....

2011-07-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Why we procrastinate

2011-06-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

We feel overwhelmed.

We overestimate the amount of time needed.

We would rather be doing something else.

We think that if we wait long enough, the task will go away.

We fear failure.

We fear success.

We enjoy the last-minute adrenaline rush.

-Bob and Emilie Barnes
from "The 15 minute money manager"

Things I did today...

2011-06-26T18:10:00.001-07:00

Today was a pretty darn productive day for me... In case you are wondering, here is what I did:

went to Healthsport (the gym)
cleaned out our garage (big job!)
made a dump run to get rid of garage stuff and recycle cardboard
hauled some stuff to a friend's storage unit
did two loads of laundry
did my best not to strangle my children
got caught up in the office

and that was all before noon.... very good day!

2 of my favorite things!

2011-06-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

I took this photo for Glamorous Boutique in Fortuna a couple of weeks ago. It combines two of my very favorite things.... jeans and photography!! Anyone who knows me probably knows that I have a jeans addiction... and I really like the ones with the sparkly pockets. Go check out Glamorous if you are in town....

Dance Circus

2011-06-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

I photographed the dancers of the "Dance Circus" put on by No Limits from Arcata and McKinleyville a couple weekends ago. Here's one shot of our good friends, the Alto kids.... Aren't they adorable?!

Tennis

2011-06-15T14:04:00.000-07:00

Grandma Pam and Grandpa Charlie signed J.T. up for the youth tennis league here in Fortuna. He seemed to really enjoy it....

Popcorn for dinner!

2011-06-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

The picture was taken with my phone but they actually appear to like each other! I let them have popcorn for dinner and watch a movie. Mother of the year, I know!

Passion Flowers by Jamie Hindley

2011-06-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

For all of your flower needs, you should contact Jamie Hindley at Passion Flowers. She recently opened a shop in Ferndale and has a new website. Doesn't she do beautiful work?!

My fav....

2011-06-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmm..... my mouth is starting to water just looking at this picture. Chocolate coconut cream cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Can not pass it up...

I'm getting away.....

2011-06-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

This was at the end of our attempt for a cousin's picture...

Well we tried....

2011-06-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

We went to the bay area for Francesca's birthday over Memorial Day weekend. We got the kids matching shirts and **tried** to get a group cousins shot.... well we get an A for effort....

Baseball is over....

2011-05-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

We all enjoyed baseball season but it's nice to have our evenings at home again... J.T.'s coach said that he improved greatly over the season so that's awesome!

Cousin love!

2011-05-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

Mothers Day gift...

2011-05-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

Look what J.T. made me at school....

Safe & Sober Fashion Show

2011-05-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

I volunteered to take photos at the Safe and Sober Fashion show held at the Scotia Inn on May 1. Here's a group shot that I took at the end... oh to be in prom-wear again!

Brotherly love

2011-05-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Aren't they just the cutest?!

Ian is 1!

2011-05-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

We were a little late getting Ian's one year old pictures done, but we did get them done. Here's a little collage I put together that I ordered to hang in my studio...

Girls trip

2011-04-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Abigail and I went to visit Michela and Francesca (and their parents) at the end of Spring Break. Michela just loved having Abigail there and didn't want to share her with anyone... least of all her sister!

We attempted a sisters picture, but it didn't turn out too well....

However, I did get adorable shots of the girls individually....

Baseball season!

2011-04-21T12:11:00.000-07:00

Baseball season has started. J.T. is playing in the coach-pitch division and is lucky enough to be on the Giants! Here are a couple pictures I took of the jamboree and one of the first games. He's having a great time.

Meet Daisy

2011-04-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

I really should've introduced her earlier, but meet Daisy, the newest member of our family.... she is 3/4 Pyrenees, but was the runt of the litter so we don't know how big she will get. We have two of her litter-mates that are guard dogs for our sheep. They are 3-4 times her size. Isn't she cute?

Where's the pot of gold?

2011-04-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

School pictures

2011-04-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

Last week was picture week at J.T.'s school. I was fortunate enough to get the job for the Spring Portraits. I suggested we try something new which was photographing one grade per day in the morning. That way, we got it done early leaving the teachers the rest of their day for class, rather than wondering and waiting to see when their picture time was. I think it went really well. Here are a couple of the kids...

Hawaii trip

2011-04-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

Andy and I, along with our friends Clint, Christina, Jack and Shawna, took an adults-only trip to Hawaii. We had a really good time, even though we had quite the adventure getting there.

Our morning flight out of Arcata was cancelled so at 12:45 am, we loaded up and headed towards San Francisco. This may not seem all the crazy. However, highway 101 was completely shut down due to a massive mud slide. Have no fear! Jack and Clint knew of an alternate route. It was interesting to say the least! The road was bumpy and curvy. There was snow on part of it. And it was so foggy that we couldn't see the road. Did that stop us from getting to Hawaii??? No way! We made it to Santa Rosa and picked up our good friend, Matt Parlato, and he took us to the shuttle bus. And then we were headed to San Francisco airport. We all got a little sleep in and made it to our plane with no problems. Whew!

We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki on the island of Oahu. The day we arrived was Andy's birthday and the following day was Christina's so we had a good time celebrating.

I really didn't take very many pictures but here are a few...

The weather was great. The company was great. The shopping was great. And lucky for us, the kids had a great time with all of their grandparents. Thanks Chet, Karen, Pam, Charlie, Mom and Dad!

Fashion show

2011-04-01T16:25:00.000-07:00

A week or two ago, I took some photos at a fashion show for Glamorous (one of my fav stores). It was held at Scotia Inn and turned out really nice. Here are a few of the shots...

Our new ranch enterprise

2011-03-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

We are in the sheep business! It's a little bit of an experiment so we will see how it goes... Here are few photos of our new sheep and lambs...

The morning after...

2011-03-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

I had to go clean up the studio the morning after my grand opening party and the kids came along to "help." I think they just wanted breakfast from McDonalds....