"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 145 ~ Fall Pictures!

I was honored to be asked to take pre-school pictures at St. Albans Pre-School this year.  My son went there when he was 4-5 (he was a Kingdom Kid) years old and we LOVED it...his teachers Ms. Colleen (who is also the preschool director) and Ms. Courtney (of What's Up With The Wilhelm blog fame) were so great and prepared his so so well for the big world of kindergarten and beyond.   I can't say enough about the community and the teachers.  Thank you St. Albans!

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 66 ~ School

Seriously.  In Arizona, these days, school starts, AT THE LATEST, August 8th.  Really, I am not bitter.  Most thankfully, my kids know nothing different.  Every year I take a picture of the kids with their fingers representing their grade...this year, 4th and 6th, and in my un-biased opinion, could NOT be cuter!

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 60 ~ An Anniversary (and Sunset Clouds)

Today is my parent's 47th wedding anniversary.  They had their kids and grandkids in attendance-- with a toast and some cards in the mix.

 Plus, prior to dinner, there was this to admire....

And babies make FIVE!

This rocking mama was 30 weeks along at the time of our "maternity" photo shoot.  I didn't look that good at 30 weeks with one baby and Emma is having twins!  God bless 'em.  The "maternity" shoot turned into the 3 year old's show-- her expressions and her HUGE blue eyes were fabulous.   I couldn't pick just one...

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 50 ~ Agua Caliente

I went to scout out Agua Caliente Park for a photo shoot later today.  Usually Agua Caliente is a sure thing (and I will run into at least one other photographer).  The client and I had both heard water levels were down in the main lake so we were unsure of its suitability for a setting.  Gah, it was depressing...the grass is green but the water is sooooo loooooow.  The article (linked above) said that it is a spring fed pond and the spring stopped running last summer.  No help in sight for this Tucson landmark.

(DISCLAIMER: Commercial photography at this park requires a permit.  This blog brings me absolutely no $$ so I think I am good :) )

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 8~ Dogpile

Last baseball picture of the summer...really.  My son's team (wisely he is on the TOP of the dogpile) won their Little League championships last night.  It's been a fun (and nerve wracking season).  Think we are all glad it's over!  Luckily, it was another 7 pm game so no misting bottles or rotating seats as the sun moved to stay out of its glare required.

"100 Degrees Until Halloween" Day 5~ Baseball Playoffs

I know, I know, summer means baseball....but here, baseball is serious cruelty for these poor hot little leaguers (and parents) UNLESS the game is at 7pm and then it's just plain gorgeous....

This is my son sliding home and, as a totally unbiased person, he looks awesome.

What's in YOUR way???

Perhaps it's my impending 40th birthday...perhaps it was seeing such a new life (see newborn photo session below) and realizing how far away that all seemed to me...or, prior to all this, witnessing recent events where life can change instantly and with no warning, I wonder to all my friends and fans-- what's stopping you from capturing your family, your friends, your kids in a permanent, professional, and priceless way?

In my home office I have a wall covered with the yearly photos I take of my kids every Christmas.    Starting from the top left, there's 6-month old Alexandra...followed (very quickly, I might add) the next year,  a 2-month old Nathan with his "big" sister...and so on. This is far from all the pictures of my kids I have hanging up, but I love the continuity this wall shows.

Life isn't slowing down, we're not getting younger (although that's not to say we aren't getting better!)  I hope this post motivates you to just book the appointment-- set the date-- and know that you will be so thankful you did.

(P.S.  I could also attribute this post to Netflix and incessant "How I Met Your Mother" watching...but I think it's really all the mushy stuff heretofore mentioned)

Sweet baby Sam

It has been a LONG time since I have held a newborn.  I didn't realize how long until I saw that sweet baby boy in his mom's arms.  Sam was so alert and yet, mellow. I do NOT remember my kids being that way as babies, at all.  Perhaps it's just my addled memory but I was happy to capture a bit of this newborn's early existence. Congratulations!