Shooting Friends

Two of my favourite things are:
1) Friends
2) Taking photos

Put them together and I am a happy girl.  That's what this is below ... a photo shoot I did of some very good friends of mine.  I have known Jalen since he was just a kid himself.  He is full of attitude, determination and bursting with personality.  Stacia is an awesome, responsible mom, and has a great sense of humor.  And little Harmony is so cuddly and is cute as a button.  I could snuggle with her all day.  I love them tons.

As I said earlier in the month, this October has been beautiful and warm here in Santa Cruz.  It was slightly nippy the day we took these but not bad for October, not bad at all.  I had so much fun shooting them, and they have asked me to take their wedding photos down in LA next summer.  I am already looking forward to it.

sierra nevadas

Kindergarten

This morning I sent Levi off to his first day of school ever. That's right, he started kindergarten! My baby is of course no longer a baby, but grown up into a full-fledged kid!

Yesterday we had his orientation where we got to meet his teacher, see his classroom etc.  When we arrived I headed toward the kindergarten buildings, because naturally, he is beginning kindergarten.  I couldn't find his room number, and was told it was in the main building.  When we found the proper classroom and I started talking with the parents and the teacher I found out that unbeknownst to me he was in a K/1st Grade class!  I guess based on the knowledge they have of him from our application, the school decided that this was the best class for him.  There are 13 kindergarteners and 10 first graders in his class.   He doesn't go to lunch with the rest of the kindergarteners at his school during the kindergarten lunchtime, but instead goes with the first and second graders.  He doesn't go to the kindergarten jungle gym or have his classes in the kindergarten building.

This concerned me for a second, but then I thought about how absolutely smart Levi is, and that he also does really well socially.  I don't like to just brag on here, but Levi is a very bright boy, and has known the whole alphabet since he was one year old, and learned to tell time on an analog clock when he was two.

This morning when we arrived he found his cubby and jumped right in, just as if he had always done it.  I knew he'd be fine and do great.  I knew that I was probably more nervous than he was.  I stayed for the welcoming assembly, and then kissed his cheek goodbye and went home to an empty, quiet house.  The whole thing was a little bit emotional, but I didn't get misty eyed until I saw this note on the counter:

When I picked Levi up he said that the day had been great and he had already made friends.





I hope this school is ready for Levi! He is one amazing kid!

Independence

I finished up my course of steroids.  Three days.  Outpatient.  No problem.  I'm not saying I particularly enjoyed it (because I didn't)  . . . driving up there three days in a row. . . . but, oh, doing things as an outpatient is so much nicer than being admitted.  Yep.

I didn't sleep, but that's okay.  I am sleeping again quite perfectly soundly now that it's over.  Whenever I am fully sleep deprived I am tempted to write blogs on here.  There's not much else to do in the wee hours of the AM when you are super tired, but yet somehow still wired.  I resisted the temptation this last course.  I'll spare you, ha.

So I'll hear the results about if I still have rejection after another bronch.  That should take place in the next few weeks.  Not on my mind right now though . . . I have been busy living, living, living - having fun and relaxing.  Spending time with wonderful friends and spending time just staying home.  Seth is usually more of a homebody and I am usually more antsy to GO.  This long weekend we were for the most part just staying home or doing small errands around town, but I enjoyed it.  Plus living in Santa Cruz on Independence Day is an experience of it's own.  No need to wander very far.  We rode bikes to get down to the beach, because as usual the roads were shut down and traffic was being redirected.  It's always a little intense, but there's nothing like it.  This year was actually the most tame I can remember. They are cracking down more I suppose.  Maybe we'll have to go down to Aptos next year.  I saw no fire dancers or hillsides catch on fire.  We did end up in some kind of outdoor rave/dance party where everyone was adorned in glow sticks and totally intoxicated.  Try pushing your bike through a crowd like that.

My sister is getting married this week!  AAAAHHHHH!  I can't believe it, time has flown.  I am so happy for her and am already antsy for her to start having babies, ha.  This week we have rehearsal, a bachelorette party, manicure,  wedding.  Y'know, the usual.  Except it's not usual because it's my one and only sister getting married - a once in a lifetime thing, so I'm pretty elated.

I hope it's okay with her, but here are a few pictures I took of my good friend's son.  He is adorable (so is his older brother) and I have been waiting to get some good shots of him ever since they brought him home from South Korea.

So cute, right?

Bridgeport

Ham

A couple of months ago I took Levi to the park.  He took his scooter while I walked alongside.  At one point during our walk I said "Wait Levi.  Let me get a picture of you with your scooter."  All of a sudden he started striking all of these random, different poses.  I kid you not,  all of these pictures were taken in a time frame of under 30 seconds!  Um... SOMEONE is waaaay too used to the camera!!!! Haha

My son is such a little goofball.

Hunt Photos

On the Lake

Look what I found!
This is a very old photograph of Levi, but I just love it.  I took this several years ago with my Holga.
We went kayaking and packed snacks and picnicked out in middle of the water.  It was a beautiful way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.
I can't wait to do it again!

Gloomy

kitchen window view

Our Trip - Day One

Day 1

Our first full day in Yosemite we only had one goal in mind:  to play in the snow!  And that's exactly what we did!  We were nervous at first that we wouldn't be able to find any, because the weather was so clear, and we weren't positive there was any left over from the last storm.  There is nothing worse than telling a five year old that you are going to play in the snow, only to not be able to.

The mountains were covered in snow!  As we climbed the mountain and saw the first couple patches of snow were so thrilled.  We  drove up to Merced Grove and played there for the first half of the day.

Snowball fight!

We made a snowman.

Levi was slightly sad to leave the snowman behind when we had to go.

Snowman tragedy. 

The second part of the day we hiked to see the lower Yosemite falls.

Wandering the hillsides

Rambling about with two of my favourite men...