WINTER WONDERLAND PARTY: JOSIAH'S 1ST BIRTHDAY

I love parties.  I always have, for as long as I can remember.  Planning, decorating, hosting... it's all super enjoyable for me.  My sister does too, so now that she has two children she gets to put her creative ideas to use (like last summer's fantastic circus party), planning amazing events to commemorate their sweet little lives. Collaborating with her is one of my favorite things ever and we have so much fun together :)

If you've been reading my blog lately you've probably noted by now that my nephew Josiah turned one a couple of weeks ago.  Not only did we do a fun cake smash session and an adorable mommy and me portrait session, we also had a Winter Wonderland themed party to celebrate his first year of life with friends and family.  We set the wintry scene with green garlands, a mini Christmas tree forest, and lots of icy blue and white details.  I especially loved ice cream cake!  YUM!!!  It was the perfect theme for a memorable first birthday party!

Praying for the food and thanking God for His love and grace...

Cold Stone CAKE!

I'll end this post with the birthday boy and his family in the Christmas tree forest... :)

Happy birthday Josiah! YaYa loves you sweet boy! Mwah!

PORTRAIT SESSION: JOSIAH + ZORAYA

Josiah recently turned one and in addition to shooting a fun smash cake session, we also did a portrait session.  We headed out to a nearby park and I was able to capture some cute, woodsy pictures of my adorable nephew and his pretty momma snuggling and giggling amongst the wintry foliage.  Their mommy and me photos are just presh!

JOSIAH'S 1ST BIRTHDAY: SMASH CAKE SESSION

There is so much about this little boy that reminds me of myself.  His temperament, his face, and his personality are so similar to me when I was a baby.  Before he was born, I was dreaming of photography.  My first photo shoot was of him in his momma's tummy.  After that shoot I started this blog.  His little life means so much to me and my journey.

One year ago, my nephew Josiah was born.  

One year ago, I started on this crazy-awesome path into photography.

In the past year, my nephew and my business have both grown.  Being an entrepreneur, like having a child, isn't always easy... but it's so totally worth it.

To celebrate his first birthday we did a fun smash cake session.  When we put the bright blue cake before him, he stared at it in curious amazement for a bit.  It was soooo cute!  Seeing him discover this new texture and taste and watching his chubby little hands dig in was precious.  

Happy birthday to my cute little baby nephew!

BEACH BABES

Before I became an aunt, I knew little to nothing about babies.  I didn't babysit in high school and when people around me did have children, I'd avoid holding them for fear that I'd make them cry. Babies always seemed so very fragile.

Of course, much has changed since my two nephews entered the picture... and boy, I sure am glad it did. Although children can be difficult at times, there is something so sweet, so special, and so exciting about watching a little life form before your eyes.  I get a front row seat to these boy's childhoods.  I get to watch their little personalities unfold.  I've been able to re-experience innocent wonderment, reliant trust, and jump-up-and-down-excitement all over again through these little boys, and those are gifts that I cherish deeply.

Now, being a Californian through-and-through, I LOVE the beach, but of course, familiarity breeds contempt (or in this case, indifference)... until I was reminded of how other-worldly it really is.  Recently my younger nephew experienced the beach for the first time, while the older one got to dig around in the sand and I was able to document those sweet moments below.  Because we were in Half Moon Bay, it was pretty chilly and the fog rolled in quickly, but it was beautiful, nonetheless.  My two beach babes had a great time and I was thankful for the reminder of just how much fun the beach can be :)

GRATITUDE

If you follow any of my social media feeds you'll have noticed by now that I've been posting a daily photo via Instagram with the hashtag #30daysofgratitude and have probably wondered what that is all about.  Well, in honor of Thanksgiving being this month, and because there are 30 days in November, I wanted to challenge myself to stop at least once a day and document what I'm thankful for.  That's it, nothing fancy.  It hasn't always been easy but somehow, everyday, before the clock has struck midnight, I've remembered to stop and share something!  It has forced me to realize how much there is to be grateful for and how much I take things for granted or somehow feel entitled to them because I have never had to go without them.

This wasn't some original idea I had, I saw it on the instagram feeds of a few of my amazingly inspirational friends and naturally was inspired to join them in expressing my gratitude everyday.  Hopefully you've also been able to learn a little bit more about my life these past 22 days (and beyond) and what fires me up too.

Today I will be enjoying a Thanksgiving feast with my family and thanking God because He is the one to whom I owe my gratitude.  And He has been so incredibly generous and kind to me this year: in my marriage, in my journey into photography, and in my own personal growth this year.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! -Psalm 107:1

Happy Thanksgiving from me to you!

COUPLE: DAVID + DEBBIE

It seems I've been on quite a roll with cute couples lately!  This next shoot is one of my most recent ones and it is one that means a lot to me.  Friends, please meet David and Debbie... my parents.  This August marked their 28th anniversary.  Only God knows how thankful I am for them and for their marriage, but let me just say, my gratitude is greater than my love for chocolate... and that's a whole lot!  And to answer your question, yes my mom has always been this gorgeous and no she did not have me in her teens lol... I've got my fingers crossed and can only hope that I will look half this good when I am her age.  And as for my dad, well he likes to joke that my brains come from him ;)

Now to get to the real good stuff... the photos!  For their shoot, we started with a more relaxed look in an urban setting and later moved into a more natural setting for some amazing, fiery sunset shots in dressier attire (can I just say, I LOVE her dress!). All in all, a great evening spent with my mom and dad, documenting their love.

Mom and Dad: Thank you for letting me document you two at this stage in life and love.  I am so thankful to God for your commitment to one another.  Signed, your favorite (middle) child! ;D