Thought we would share a few photographs from our trip to Orlando.  First stop was the World of Harry Potter.  This small area of Universal Studios gives the best parts of Disneyland a run for the money.  Every attention to detail was just incredible.  There were lots of things to do, but highest on the list for the girls was a trip to Ollivander’s (for a magic wand), and a tall glass of Butterbeer (Reilly managed two glasses).  Low on the list was the food….Hogwarts tavern was without question the worst food I have ever eaten served at a restaurant.  Check out Miss T’s face at the table below…that sums it up.  We of course went lots of other places at Universal, but this area just caught my eye.  Here are some favorites from the day.

We decided to sneak out for a quick vacation to the snow with the girls a couple of weeks back.  And when I say quick, I mean quick.  Stef had pre-purchased a night at the Squaw valley resort some time ago that had to be used before the year was out.  Nothing like waiting till the last minute..

In that 24hr period we did the following:  Lunch in Truckee, sledding, ice skating, drinks by the fire, more sledding, swimming, eating, shopping, more shopping, more shopping, and lunch on the way back down the hill.  Whew!!!  Of course I had the job of documenting the adventure.  Here are a few shots from the trip.

A few weeks ago we held our 2nd annual Santa Portrait Charity Event at the Silver Spoon children’s boutique in an effort to collect Toys 4 Tots.  We had an amazing response and collected over 200 toys!  We are so appreciative of everyone who participated in this event, as well as the Silver Spoon for providing the perfect location and the most amazing Santa.  There are far too many portraits to include in a blog post, so this is really just a teaser (and if case you weren’t aware, the first darling little girls are ours…:-).  To see all 188 portraits visit our Facebook page here.  Enjoy and Merry Christmas–Ho! Ho! Ho!

We first met Lindsey over a year ago when we photographed her with her husband and darling daughter.  We were thrilled when she contacted us to create something special as a surprise for her husband on their anniversary.  When we met to discuss what she was looking for and the vision she had for her session, the recurring theme that kept re-surfacing was “romantic.”  Fast forward to the day of the session; Lindsey brought clothing and accessories that perfectly captured the essence of what she had described.  Suffice it to say we very much enjoyed her session and willingness to trek into the stickery woods barefoot in order to capture the perfect image!  What a fantastic gift this album was for her hubby!

Meet Kayla – class of 2011.  Fashionable and fun, Kayla brought lots of clothing/accessory goodies to her session.  And those wedges…

Once again, there was more light chasing and some travels down alleys.  Her makeup was generously provided by her aunt and it was gorgeous!  Thanks Kayla!

Some faves.

Meet Jessie – class of 2011.  Jessie had a few different looks in mind for her session so we mixed things up a little.  We started around town and for the most part, I looked for interesting places while Jessie got into the role.  Then it was off to the grassy fields for a softer look.  She brought her older sister Tara along who acted as wardrobe assistant, hair advisor, and yes, a mobile clothing rack.   Tara was also supposed to be an expression coach but as you can see, Jessie did quite well on her own.  I thought she did a fabulous job pairing her clothing with the environment and expressions to match.  The session ended with us literally chasing light before it disappeared, and we caught some magical moments.  Here are some faves.

Trick or Treat!  We couldn’t help but share a few favorites from our 3rd annual Costumes & Cans Halloween charity event, held a few weeks ago at the Silver Spoon children’s boutique.  The costumes were better than ever, and we want to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who came out and donated canned food items–we photographed over 170 kids and collected 1,000 pounds of food for the Placer Food Bank!  These images are just a few of our favorites, but to see all of the adorable kiddos and costumes, visit our Facebook gallery here.  Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Meet Katie – class of 2011.  Katie brought all kinds of things I like to see on a senior session.  Hats, scarves, cool accessories and FABULOUS makeup.  She wore them all well and did a great job in front of the camera.  We started downtown and ended the adventure out in the open fields for a different look.  Thanks Katie for walking through the piles of sticker bushes to get the shot..it was worth it!  Here are some of my faves from the day.

Yes, it’s already that time again!  For the first time ever, our girls started school on the same day, at the same school today!  Reilly started 3rd grade and Teagan started kindergarten, and I’m not sure who was more excited–us or them!  Everyone was up and ready for school on time and in great moods.  Both girls had their outfits chosen and laid out well in advance.  Now if only we can stay as prepared, on time, and chipper as we all were this morning….one can have dreams, I suppose!  For today, at least, it fantastic!  As you can see from the photos, Reilly was much more concerned with getting to school and seeing her friends than posing for pictures.  Teagan was more excited about her outfit and shoes.  🙂  They both had a great day to what is sure to be a fantastic school year for both.  Congratulations to all of you parents out there experiencing the joy of back-to-school!