weekend away with the family

This last fall my husband and I decided we had to stop talking about how we were going to teach our girls to ski someday and actually plan a trip to the mountains and take them skiing. They weren't getting any younger, and as I mentioned in the previous post, time is going by so fast and they are only getting older. ( I suppose so are we.)

I pulled out the laptop and went to the same website we always go to when planning a vacation, VRBO. It proved successful again and we found a perfect little cabin in Greenwater that would work great for a weekend skiing at Crystal Mountain.

I probably should mention that it has been 7 years since Robb and I have been skiing and although we knew this to be true we didn't really evaluate what this would mean when we got onto the mountain. We headed out early on Friday morning straight to the mountain. Once there we got the girls registered and signed in to lessons and being the optimistic pair that we are, we headed straight for the summit. This was sure to be an adventure and I have to admit there was nothing that would have prepared me for the complete meltdown I would soon have.

Luckily for me and all the others on the lift, I remembered how to get on and off of the chair lift. This is where my memory on what I was doing pretty much came to a screaming halt. It was as if I was dropped off at the top of the mountain having never been skiing before. I was at a complete loss. I couldn't remember a thing and I started to freak out. I didn't know where to go but I had to make a decision, right or left, knowing that one way would take me safely to a blue run and the other way would take me to a not very happy double black diamond future. It was at this realization that I completely fell apart into a mess of blithering crying right there on the slope. It was right at this moment my cell phone rang. (I should also probably mention that by this time Robb had already headed down the mountain ahead of me and I was laying in the snow afraid to move any further for fear of what was ahead because I couldn't remember for the life of me what I was doing.)

So I was laying in the snow, a complete mess, and my phone began ringing. I pull myself together to answer it and who should it be but my dad who proceeds to ask me "what you up to?" At that I completely lost it again and he quite calmly demanded that I pull myself together. He reminded me that I am a great skier and I just need to point them down the hill in a pie and it will all come back to me. I don't know why but, after I calmed down, I believed him and stood back up and slowly began to head down the mountain. It wasn't but a couple hundred yards and I was already starting to remember what I was doing and feeling better. By the time we made it down the mountain Robb and I both agreed we were complete fools to try to go all the way to the Summit on the first run and needed to stick to the basics for a little while (at least the first day) until we felt comfortable on our skis again.

After we came to our senses and went back to the basics, the rest of the day went great. We picked the girls up from their lesson at the end of the day and all headed back to the condo. They had a fabulous day and were both moved up to the next level for the next day. All together it was a success and although we were all exhausted, we were already looking forward to the next day.

After three days on the mountain we all wanted to stay there and keep skiing. The girls moved up two more levels and Robb and I were finally comfortable again on our skis and thinking about the next time we would be able to get back up to the mountain. One thing for sure . . . . we will be coming up again soon.

they grow so fast

I have heard the saying since I was young that time flies by too fast. I never really understood it as well as I do now as a mother. Every time I look at my girls I realize just how fast time is flying. Not only as they grow taller and enter into higher grades in school, but also as their personalities become more developed and fine tuned and I really get to see the people they are becoming.

Ever since I myself was in grade school I have detested school photos. Now as a mother and a photographer, I love that I get the opportunity to give my girls "school photos" that really represent who they are at this point in their lives.

This year we were blessed to be able to do our little photo shoot at a lovely event venue in Sequim, Washington. Fern Hollow is a beautiful 2.5 acre estate that can accommodate up to 200 people for weddings, family reunions, corporate retreats and much more. It is a truly magnificent venue. You must check it out.

So here are a few of my favorites from our photo shoot. I love that a different portion of their personality is represented in each of these photos.

fall family photos : ryan and amanda

Fall . . . when kids are heading back to school, football is in full swing, leaves are changing color, the air is starting to crisp, and the holidays are just around the corner. It is also the perfect time of year for family photos. I started the season with a wonderful couple, Ryan and Amanda, and their three beautiful children. We met at one of my very favorite event venues. Fern Hollow is a beautiful 2.5 acre fully landscaped estate at the base of the Olympic Mountains and just steps away from the Dungeness River. It was the perfect place for me to capture them all enjoying the gorgeous weather and each other. Thank you Ryan and Amanda for having me capture your family in this beautiful setting. It was a truly beautiful afternoon.

stepping out on their own

College is such an exciting time for all those involved. Exciting for the parent as they watch their child embarq upon the adventure and exciting for the student who is stepping out on their own and making adult decisions like what classes to take or what snack foods to keep in the dorm room for those late night study sessions. Parents worry about the decisions they will make, the people they will meet, the grades they will get and so much more.

Recently I was lucky enough to get together with Megan, Mary Beth and Ashley the day before they all headed back to college for their sophmore year. These three would make any mother proud and reassured. They work together to be an amazing support system for each other, encouraging each other to buckle down when necessary, to enjoy life always and to be kind and love others in all that they do. We had an amazing time exploring Pike Place Market and downtown Seattle. Thank you girls for letting me share a little time with the three of you and capture a little bit of your relationship. Best of luck this year and in your future.

1st day

I have come to the point in my parenting life when my oldest doesn't want me to take her photo on the first day of school. As we arrived at school she all of a sudden became super embarrassed and wanting nothing to do with having her photo taken. I of course was taking them anyway and take them I did.

At first it was a struggle, but eventually I was able to snap a photo of both of them without any visual signs that they didn't want me there.

I have two beautiful girls that I am so proud of and I can't wait to see what the year is going to bring. It is so amazing watching them become the independant beings they are. What a joy to be a parent.

a trip to the general store

There is nothing quite like a photo shoot of a 1 year old and Bekah was a fabulous example of why. I met up with her and her mother for an afternoon photo shoot in the quaint little town of Port Gamble. We had a wonderful time. From our trip to the general store . . .

to watering the flowers . . .

Bekah was a joy to photograph.

three blind mice?

We grow up with nursery rhymes. We all know them but don't remember how we learned them. I remember reciting 'three blind mice' as a child and even reading it as an adult to my girls. I always felt sorry for the mice. The mean old farmer's wife who cut off their tails; She deserved to be ran after, didn't she? Well, I began to rethink this logic last night as the girls were shrieking on their top bunk and my husband was hunkered down on the floor by the bottom bunk trying to find one of the sneaky little devils that had been brought into the house by one of our feline members.

At first he wasn't sure he believed there was one in there. He was sure the girls were over-reacting. But then he saw it and he was instantly on a mission, as if letting the mouse win would somehow define him as a father. We couldn't have that now could we? Of course looking back at him hunkered down throwing blankets everywhere and lifting mattresses, I am not sure what exactly he thought he was going to do if he saw it. I think he may have had visions of snatching it with his bare hands. . . right! That would have happened. I wonder if he envisioned it biting him after that?

Turned out that thing was faster than lightening. It didn't take long for my husband's quick wit to set in though. As he was tossing blankets he yelled out to me . . . OK, so I was hiding in the other room. . . "Grab the vacuum." Yes, we resorted to the vacuum. Helpful in multiple ways - suction is faster than those darn things can run, it has a long bar so we didn't have to actually touch the thing, and the most important reason of all that it was the perfect weapon is that it wouldn't kill the mouse. Our girls would have no killing.

With vacuum in hand we were poised by the door waiting for it to try to escape, and try it did. In one swift motion the vacuum bar came out and mouse was sucked into the vacuum.

Daddy - 1, Mouse - 0.