Made of Glass
It was quite chilly, and the wind blew right through me, as I stood outside trying to capture these images, but I just couldn’t resist. With the beautiful blue sky in the background, the sun shining bright and the ice covering the trees, everything was just shimmering! It looked like the world around me was made of glass and just so fragile.
There have been so many sluggish, grey, cold days this winter. You have to grab hold of the beautiful ones and remember them well!
San Francisco
Pete and I, along with my family, took a long weekend trip to San Francisco this past weekend! We could not have been more lucky with the weather and travel. Flying West meant we avoided all the crazy storms on the East and South coasts, and we got away from all of the arctic blasts in the Midwest! We were told more than once, that mid to high sixty degree temps, and the early burn off of the fog, were unusual for this time of year. We definitely picked perfect days to travel and sight see!
We started the weekend with a trip to the Petrified forest.
Followed by a stop inspired by The Bachelor! For all you Bachelor fans this season, you should recognize this Castle Winery!
We spent many hours along the National Seashore, taking in the beautiful ocean, sea salt breezes and warm sun. We walked down 308 steps to the lighthouse, only to walk back up the 308 steps!
A trip to San Francisco would not be complete without a Napa Valley tour. We toured and tasted wines at five different wineries! Although our timing was not great for perfect landscape photos, I still enjoyed capturing the off season scenes. In mid-February there is nothing growing on the vines, but the mustard seeds planted in between the rows, to help add nutrients to the soil, are just starting to bloom, adding a nice splash of color to the valley.
All in all, it was a fun, relaxing get away! If only we did not have to return to the arctic tundra of KC! A whopping 17 degrees!
Happy Heart Day!
Joey and Pebbles wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day! They are sending out lots of licks!
(And they wanted to show off their snazzy new track suits!)
Happy Birthday, Joey!
My little man turns nine today! Where does the time go?!?
He’s such a good boy! He actually sat there, with the tempting treat in front of him, and posed for me before attacking the cake! Luckily it’s a hard cake. If it was squishy, like the cakes I buy for my one year olds, he would have had it all over himself! The beard was bad enough!
My Family
This summer, my parents asked me to photograph our whole family. Luckily, our family is not huge, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not challenging!
I’ve always thought photographing the four of us, Pete, Joey, Pebbles and myself was challenging. Try adding four more adults and another dog to the mix…insane!
But, insane, crazy challenges have never stopped me before! My parents, my sister, her husband, their dog Libby Lou, Pete, our two kiddos and myself got together for an outdoor family session in July. In the end, it was completely worth it. We will have these beautiful portraits of our family at this time in our lives forever! It’s something we will never forget…sweating, dogs running all over the place, bugs biting, but in the end, a family who loves and cares for each other!
Harlem Globetrotters
Pete and I spent Saturday afternoon at the Sprint Center watching the Harlem Globetrotters. This was the first time either of us had seem them in live action!
It was an awesome display of amazing talents and perfectly choreographed moves. Big Easy and Flight Time, stars of the most recent Amazing Race, were both main attractions with lots of local fans.
The afternoon was full of dunks, spinning basketballs, amazing dribbling, tricks, stunts and a little bit of basketball! It’s the perfect show for kids of all ages! They really catered to the young kids, making it fun and exciting, while still keeping us older kids entertained. Definitely a must see!
Happy Holidays!!
Wishing you a holiday season filled with wonder and beauty!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
What are you thankful for this year?
I’m thankful for:
- An amazing, strong husband and best friend
- Two adorable fur balls, who make me laugh and smile every day
- Supportive friends, who are always there for me
- A loving family, whether close or far away
- Another great year of business
- A crazy holiday season, even if it means I’m going crazy, too
- A roof over my head, food on my table and clothes on my back
- A year free of major illnesses and migraines
AND the invention of coffee and Starbucks!
Something Different
Our home is decorated with photographic art…including portraits of our four legged, furry children! Although each piece is different, they are all photographs taken by yours truly, and are very realistic, capturing their personalities and their individualism.
I wanted something different for the family room. I commissioned my mother, Joyce, an oil painter, to create more of an abstract look of our cuties!
I am thrilled with the outcome!
She coordinated the background color to complement our large family portrait, which hangs over the mantle. Add a few new pillows, and the red toned color has become the accent color of the room.
Even though the paintings are more abstract and are not detailed representations of Joey and Pebbles, I can still see their personalities shining through.
Thanks, Mom! We love them!
Happy Halloween!!
Joey and Pebbles want to wish you a Boo-riffic Halloween!!
Also, to see all the winners from the Land of Paws Monster Bash last weekend, mentioned in my Cutest Puppies in KC post, click here!