The weather is starting to warm up, the sun is out longer & the flowers are starting to bloom!  I brought the girls out to a park this afternoon and the field was filled with yellow blooms.  Here are a few that I took of the girls. 

Oh and just to note, a great friend of mine, Andrea R. was able to resurrect my old blog posts from waaaaay back.  So please excuse the mess if you are heading back to my earlier posts.  There seems to be a \ or a / next to any apostrophe or quotation mark that was made.  I’ll hopefully have some time in the future to fix all that up.    Thank you Andrea.  You are amazing.

16 years ago, I was attending the University of Guam.  I was working on getting my degree to become a middle/high school science teacher.  It was my second semester and I was determined to finish up my general requirements first.  A class called “Culture and Education in Guam” opened up.  It was just a trial course but it did satisfy as a general course.  So I took it.  Fast forward to the first day of class.  It was in a room in the university library.  Air conditioned and I was bummed I forgot to bring a jacket or light sweater.  The tables were formed into a big U shape.  I took my seat.  Our instructor, when through the syllabus and then we were put into groups.  He was in my group.  Let’s fast forward a couple weeks.  He decided to call me one night.  To ask if we had any homework.  I was perplexed.  We’ve never been assigned homework in this class.  Hmmm.  We ended up talking a lot the next couple days.  We shared information about our likes, our dislikes, our dreams and aspirations, our family, our friends.  He asked me to marry him two weeks later.  No really.  We were on the phone in the early morning and he just asked.  I said, “Yes.”  We married 4 years later.  Now here we are.  Our life hasn’t been all roses & smiles.  There have been some very difficult times.  But we’re still here.  It’s made us stronger.  It’s made us love each other more.  It’s made us cherish our lives together.Taken when we were still dating.

Taken two years ago on our 10th wedding anniversary.

I attended the Sandy Puc Family Tour last night and was once again pleasantly happy as I drove home.  This is my third seminar.  I attended the Bellies & Babies tour two years ago and the Tots to Teens tour last year.  Every year, I leave with a wealth of information & inspiration.   Last night was no exception.  I left knowing what I’m doing.  What I’m put here to do.  What my role as a photographer is.  It’s to capture memories.  Freeze a moment in time.  I need to remind my clients & friends that THIS IS IMPORTANT.  You don’t purchase the paper the photo is on.  You purchase the memory printed onto it.  And I thank you.  I thank you for allowing me into your lives.  For allowing me to do what I love.

Thank you.

but still as hot as can be!

Just wanted to wish one of my BFF’s Emily of emily g photography a very very very happiest of birthdays today.  In a few days she’ll be adding another sweet thing to her brood.  A great week for her indeed.  Another decade older & the arrival of Griffin soon!

Here’s some photos I’d like to share of my sweet friend, her family and her belly. 

From our photo swap back in October last year…

I adore her family so.

And from her maternity session taken December of last year…

The lady is stunning inside and out. I’m honored to call her my friend.

Happy Birthday Em. You are loved.

My youngest sweetest girl has been admitted into the hospital for the second time in her short 3 year 3 month life.

The first time she doesn’t really remember. It was the day after we were released from the hospital. I delivered her via c-section just 5 days prior and she was jaundiced. That stay lasted less than 2 days. She was a very compliant little baby girl.

 
 
This time she’s in because she has pneumonia caused by RSV. She started really not feeling well on Thursday. She was seen in urgent care & they did the chest xrays & blood draws. We went home with the pneumonia diagnosis and possible UTI. They prescribed Tylenol for her fever and amoxicillin/augmentin for the pneumonia. Fast forward to this morning. She still isn’t doing well. Not keeping her fluids down including her medicines. She wasn’t sleeping well because her cough would wake her up. Her fever was still high. So the doc decided to admit her.

  
The IV placement was difficult. She cried a lot but was tired enough that she couldn’t fight. Right now they’re giving her strong antibiotics and the Tylenol/ibuprofen combo for her fever. Were also doing chest percussion treatments to loosen the yuckies on her lungs. Poor thing has to wear diapers again because she can’t control her peeps and poops. She hates it.

She was extremely sad and crying when she found out her daddy & Lia had to go home.  She kept crying “I want my daddy and sissy.  I want to go home too.  I’m all better.”  Breaks my heart.

The machine for oxygen saturation keeps beeping because her level keeps dipping below 91%. They might give her oxygen later if this keeps up.  She’s tried to pull her IV out 5 times already while in deep sleep.  I guess this momma isn’t going to sleep any time soon.

The doc says she may be released Monday but most likely Tuesday. I’m so happy she’s in good hands. The Lord is watching over her and a ton of people are praying for her quick recovery.

About a week ago, I was given the opportunity to celebrate a friend’s 50th birthday party!  Doug turned 50 on Halloween.  You probably remember Doug from a special engagement session a few months ago.  Usually his birthday party is a held at home and the guests are in costume.  But this time was different.  Turning 50 is a big deal!  His partner, Dan organized a wonderful party.  Everyone was in cocktail attire and the party was in the screening room at the Hotel deLuxe in downtown Portland, Oregon.

I took photos during the party and boy was it a blast!

This photo was taken during the secret slideshow that was shown on the big screen.  It was so fun to see Doug throughout the years.

Friends & family came from near and far to celebrate with Doug.

Here’s the birthday boy, Doug partying up with friends!

Dan had his turn to get down on the dance floor too.  Man, those Container Store employees do know how to PARTY!

The snazzy birthday boy in is nice grey suit with his partner and party planner extraordinaire Dan.

Dan and Doug’s mommies watching the festivities.

Dan’s mom and dad.  So cute!

Did I mention that there were hot guys at this party.  Well, look there’s one right now!  I asked him to dance with me several times. 

And I danced with some of my funny, awesome buddies from the Container Store too.  Woohoo!

Good food, good friends, good music, good dancing!  Thanks Dan and Doug for having us and a very Happy Birthday to you again, Doug!  Wishing you 50 more awesome years!

Before Halloween, I talked to the girls extensively about what they’ll be dressed up as.  Malia wanted to be Ariel, The Little Mermaid, use the same dress she used on her fifth birthday earlier in the summer and she wanted me to color her hair red with that red powdery spray you can get at Sally Beauty Supply.  Jenna wanted to be Tinkerbell and use the same costume she wore on her birthday party when she turned two last year.  But, I wanted something different.  So I toted the girls over to Toys R Us and Target and found two identical costumes that just super adorable!  Behold… my Supergirls!

When I hear that answer from a toddler, I could tell it’s going to be a fantastic session.  This is little Keara.  She’s turning 3 very very soon and loves to giggle.  She has the cutest toothy smile and my goodness could a little redhead in pigtails be any cuter?  I think not.

Most of our time together was spent looking for birdies in the sky and making silly faces.

I just adore the colors in this jacket of hers.  It really brings out her bright blue eyes and red hair.

Isn’t her toothy grin just so cute!

She was having so much fun inspecting all the wonders of fall.  So I just let her.

Thank you Keara for spending a few minutes with me.  I enjoyed our walk around your neighborhood.  Can you do me a favor and teach my girls that they should always say “Sure!” to me? 

If you don’t already know, Jerry’s in the Air Force Reserves.  So once a month during a weekend, we drive up to Tacoma, Washington.  Sometimes we get lucky and stay at a hotel.  Sometimes that hotel has an awesome pool & spa.  Here are some pictures of my loves having fun.    I just adore them!

Malia J.  I need to remember to enroll her in swim classes again.  On this day she learned how to float on her back.

Sweet Jenna Bean.  She loves to swim and I’ll have enroll her in swim classes too.  But first, she needs to get rid of those pesky diapers!

They love using the spa more than the pool for some reason.  Haha.

Lia and her daddy.

Jenna and her daddy.

Tiffany received a gift certificate from her sweet cousin, Amy last Christmas and decided to use it on a nice fall day.  We took photos of her and her darling little girl, Claire.  Days before the session we were so worried about the weather.  The rain would not stop pouring.  I told Tiffany to just be prepared because the session can still go on.  Just bring Claire some little rainboots and a cute umbrella and we should be good to go!  Fast forward to the day of the session and the skies parted and gave us some sun.  Sun!  We were overjoyed and the session went off without a hitch.  Except for 3 white balloons flying into the sky way before we wanted them to.  But that’s okay.  I got more than enough cute photos of sweet little Claire!

See, isn’t she just adorable!

Claire and her gorgeous mommy, Tiffany.

Our favorite topic? Pizza!

We did end up breaking out the umbrella.  But not on the count of rain, just because Claire wanted to show off her twirling skills!

Capturing moments like this is EXACTLY why I just love my job!

Thank you thank you thank you again Tiffany and Claire for spending a wonderful fall afternoon with me!