five on friday {san jose, california, family photographer}

1. So this popped in my Inbox the other day - GapKids and Diane von Furstenberg have teamed up. Yes, please!!  I immediately opened it and saw some maaaaaajor eye candy!! Can't get past the cuteness! Early Bird has way way way too many dresses so I may end up passing but I secretly wish they had them in my size (not like a wear alot of dresses but just seeing them in my closet would make me happy!) and maybe make me motivated to wear them.

2. My Spring/Mother's Day mini-sessions are happening this weekend. Can't wait!! I've got a great spot picked out but it's in a very "interesting" location. You'll have to wait until next week to find out why!

3. The P family (which is my family) has  a big top-secret, stealth trip planned in a few weeks and it involves Mickey, Minnie, their friends and our neighbors. And, best of all, it's top secret to three kiddos! We're hitting the road together with only the adults knowing where we're ending up. Can't wait. Oh, and we'll celebrate hubby's birthday while we're there! Bring on the singing.... and the embarrassment!

4. I was browsing Pinterest the other day (I know, shocker!) and I came across this video: Recreating a  Tutu's Splendor about the New York City Ballet's costume department. It's a short (6ish minutes) but beautiful video on how they recreate vintage tutus. I highly suggest watching it. Beautiful visual and photography appeal as well. It's also very calming for some reason. Early Bird watched it over and over. 

5. Random photo of the day:

My sweet friend, Sarah, on a recent day trip to San Francisco. She is sooooo busted with two cups of gelato! 

monthly quote blog hop - april {san jose, california, family photographer}

I missed last month (we were in Texas) but I'm back this time for another round of Monthly Blog Hop. 

I'm pairing up with some other talented photographers from around the world to put our own spin on a quote.

April's quote - Having courage does not mean that we are unafraid. Having courage and showing courage means we face our fears. We are able to say, "I have fallen but I will get up." - Maya Angelou

Being a photographer means that I am afraid of failing All.the.time! Sometimes I'm afraid to take risks. Sometimes I don't want to take risks. Sometimes I just want to sit my camera down and walk away. I'm afraid of failing at a deep deep passion I have. Sometimes, yes, I do fail. And sometimes, I do just walk away.... but only for a bit. However, I've learned if I stop taking risks. If I stop picking up my camera. If I don't face my own fear of failure I'll never know the happiness that comes from seeing an image of mine that truly truly makes me happy, even if it only makes ME happy! 

I had taken this image last summer. I've looked at it several times and have always passed it up. I see the technical flaws, the chopped limb, out of focus, etc, etc. I've looked at it's failure, at MY failure. However, today, I decided to throw my own fears out the window and embrace the image. Not for what's wrong with it but for what makes it right, only if it's for me. 

Don't forget to head over to the next talented photographer, Kim Ebert, and see her take on Maya Angelou's quote. 

five on friday {san jose, california, family photographer}

1. I'm going to start this FOF off a little gloomy but end on a much cheerier note. This past week, within 12 hours, I found out two of my friends have cancer. Both are moms in their 30s, both have two young kids, and both have wonderful supportive husbands. All I could think of (and still do daily) is it's just not fair! Just not fair at all. It makes me so so so mad that their lives, and the people around them, are forever changed! One has invasive breast cancer. She caught it herself... thank goodness! I'll leave you with a phrase that she said, "Make sure to check your boobies!!" Pass the word on!

2.  Early Bird's Spring Break is next week and we're heading to Tahoe for a few days! Can't wait to go! I've never been in the spring, just the winter and summer. While we're gone we're having a little bit of work done on our house. And yes, I planned it that way! I'll get to come back to my own version of HGTV reveal!! (which reminds me, need to take before/after photos!)

3. Can you be in love with a pair of boots? While I was in Texas I broke down and bought a pair of boots. I have lusted after these FOR YEARS! I had been wearing my Target boots and every time I wore them I would look down and hate them more and more. They were reminding me of two evil step-sisters taunting me time and time again (Cinderella anyone??!)! I decided that if I was stiiiiillll lusting after the boots two years later that I needed to bite the bullet. So, I threw those evil step-sisters to the curb and let me tell you, my feet are happy again.  Every time I put them on they make me feel sassy! Now, isn't that what a good pair of shoes are suppose to do for you?! Oh, and when I wear them Early Bird says I look like a cowgirl. Well, I did buy them in Texas after all!!

4.  I have one spot left for my Spring/Mother's Day Mini-sessions on April 27 & 28. And because it actually feels like spring today and I'm a mom and I feel like we should celebrate all moms I'm going to gift the next person who signs up a $50 gift card to the Gap, so she can get some new clothes for the mini-session! After all, moms need to be the best looking ones in the pictures, right?!!

5. Random photo of the day:

This is Early Bird's version of being sassy. I think she was channeling Fancy Nancy. You can't really see it but on the floor she had lined up five different outfits for the rest of the week. Each had a hair accessory, tights or leggings and a jacket or sweater to go with it. That's my girl!!

happy easter!!

five on friday

1. This is probably one of the most painful Five on Fridays I've ever had to type so it's going to be short  a FoF. 

2. Since I've been a sewing whore lately I had a hobby-related "incident" yesterday. I was cutting some thread and didn't get my middle finger out of the way in time. Needless to say 36 hours later my middle finger near the nail is still bleeding. And it hurts to type the "E", "D", and "C." (Ouch, that hurt to type those three letters.) Oh, and I've had to flip the hubby off a few times to get some sympathy!

3. The family and I are starting to make summer plans and this summer might turn out to be a 180 from last year. We're thinking of driving to Oregon from California. I can't WAIT to see that part of the country and I can't WAIT to take a crapton of pictures along the way!!

4.  Easter is two days away and we bought Early Bird's Easter dress yesterday. This year I was brazen enough to let her pick it out... gasp! And not surprising to me she picked out a pick fluffy gown with tulle. (why does this not surprise me!!) Oh, and it looks like it's suppose to rain on Saturday, the day of our church egg hunt, and Sunday... dang California weather!

5.  Random photo of the day:

sunset and the skateboarders {san jose, california, family photographer}

For the past few months we've had a few skateboarders showing up on our street to practice. They've always been very polite and are always fun to watch. They also happen to come at the perfect time of day, for me at least, around sunset. A few days ago I finally decided to ask them if they wouldn't mind if I took some pictures of them while they did their thang! They didn't mind at all and seemed really excited.

I had a great time and loved capturing them in the beautiful light we had that night. I totally forgot to ask them their names so hopefully they'll see this and chime in!

Thanks again guys and hope to see you around the streets soon! You were great models!!

five on friday {san jose, california, family photographer}

1. Can We Bring the Holidays Down a Notch?! Seriously! It's a good read!! If you haven't read this yet you need to. Whether you agree or not it's still a good read. And for me personally, since Early Bird is getting older, Christmas wore me down this past year. I can't possibly imagine trying to have every. stinkin. holiday an over-the-top celebration all year around (and don't forget about the birthdays sprinkled in between). For those of you that do, more power to ya! You've got way more creativity and energy than I ever had or will have. (And you know who you are Austin Jenn ;) Oh, and I blame Pinterest for half the problem ;)

2. As for the latest holiday, St. Patty's Day. Here's how it went down: Early Bird and I woke up Saturday morning (the day BEFORE St. Patty's Day. This will be important in a minute.) We head to the kitchen and I realize it's St. Patty's Day (remember, it's really the following day.) I told her that we can color her oatmeal green and then wear green the rest of the day so we won't get pitched. She was PUMPED about adding food coloring in her oatmeal. So, we eat our green oatmeal and (I think) we wear green the rest of the day! (By this point I'm excited that 1. I didn't forget St. Patty's Day, 2. We celebrated it doing something lo-key and 3. Early Bird had a healthy breakfast AND it was fun!). So, the next day we go to church and on the way in we were greeted by another church member asking us where our green was? Doh! You mean TODAY is St. Patty's Day?! Oh well, we celebrated early the day before and you know what?! Early Bird didn't care! Which means I didn't care either ;) It was a win-win.

3. I think I'm a tad late to the party but I'm obsessed and I mean OBSESSED with Downton Abbey! I just finished season two (I think the fourth season has started. Right?!) I'm not sure what I enjoy more, the costumes, the beautiful lighting they use (mainly on the exterior shots) or the story lines? Oh, the gorgeous sets play just as much a part as the story lines!! It's such a good combination of actors, setting and story lines. If you haven't caught the bug it's not too late. I think you can see it on Hulu or do like me and watch it on Netflix, on the iPad, in bed, under the covers, the first three episodes, all at one time.

Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantam, played by Maggie Smith, is by FAR my favorite character!! Quick witted and talks straight from the hip! Oh, and I love her family loyalty. 

 check out that set and her costume (oh, and she wore PANTS! Can you believe it?! The nerve of her!!).

unfortunately I wasn't able to track down all image sources. However, I think most come from here, PBS' Web site.

4. Mother's Day is coming... fast! If you need a good gift to give (even to yourself) try a spring/mother's day mini-session! check HERE for details!

5. Random photo of the day: