2018 Lifestyle Project - Week 9

You can read the introduction to this project by clicking here.

We got to celebrate another birthday in our house this week;

This is my sweet spunky girl who does nothing by halves. She gets things done...all the time. She is creative and doesn't shy from new things. I love that I still get morning cuddles from her and that she listens to her body and knows when she's tired and it's time to stop. She is amazing in so many ways and I can't believe she's becoming a grown up before my eyes! She is a challenge and a joy and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

She's not a fan of cake, mainly because she doesn't enjoy icing or frosting, so her usual request is for pavlova, which works perfectly well too.
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  Love you my Bryttain Sage and everything about you 😘 

  
  
  
  
  ...and one more, just because...
  
  

  

  
  

Photo Project February 2017 - Photo A Day - Day 28

Another day, another birthday. This crazy little girl just turned eleven! She has an enthusiasm and zest for life that is hard to keep up with, at least for me. She is incredibly motivated and loves accomplishing whatever is put before her. She is still all about the extremes and that means wonderful, amazing highs and oh so difficult lows. She is sweet, kind and caring and loves to help others, she's my little right-hand and I know I can count on her. We are the same and yet so different and I love her fiercely, excited and nervous for her to grow up in this sometimes scary world.

Here she was early this morning, very ready to open some presents, classic Bryttain...while we were desperately trying to get up to speed...

She's not very into cakes and once again requested a pavlova for her birthday dessert, fine by me...yum!

And just like that the months is over. Thanks for following along, see you again next year.

*As in years past, I am once again doing a February photo project and will post a photo a day. It may only be one month of the year, but I love to look back on these photos and it never hurts to have a bit of discipline. No real rules, just our life documented a little. Maybe there'll be captions, maybe not, there could be the occasional phone photo thrown in on busier days and sometimes it may be hard to narrow things down and there could be bonus photos.

 I'd love for you to follow along, or even join in. Let me know!

February Photo Project - Photo A Day - Day 11

All my kids are little artists, but my big girl, she's in her element making and doing. Her happy place is being creative. This is one mess I don't really mind, as long as it gets picked up eventually :P

(As in years past, I've decided to do the February photo project and take a photo a day. It never hurts to have a bit of discipline and with all our transitions my creativity has been sorely lacking, so I'm looking forward to jumping back in. No real rules, just our life documented a little. Maybe there'll be captions, maybe not, there could be the occasional phone photo thrown in on busier days and sometimes it may be hard to narrow things down and there could be bonus photos. I'd love for you to follow along, or even join in. Let me know!)

Mine

I know I may be a little biased, but I think she is beautiful. That's all!

52 Week Project - Week 29

*Just as a reminder, this is a personal project I am undertaking this year, in order to shoot more and share more. Each week of 2011 will have a corresponding favorite photograph.

I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of posting from my 52 week project. I cannot believe that we are already in week 37, this year is speeding by! So without wasting any more time, here is the picture from week 29.

This was her first day of school. Officially a kindergartener! She was excited and ready to go. She felt confident and comfortable. She had spent the past two years watching her older brother at this school, in the very same class, with the very same teacher. As a K/1 class, she was even familiar with half of her classmates.

For me it was, and is, so bitter sweet; my baby girl growing up and leaving home (well not quite yet, but almost). I love the quote I found, which describes raising children from my perspective, so perfectly. We have to let go, to let them grow up and become the people they are, in their own right. Yet at the same time we keep holding on, keep loving, keep being there for them and encouraging them to their full potential. What an honor and a challenge.

Love that little girl and so incredibly proud of her!

52 Week Project - Week 24 {Marin Child Portrait Photographer}

Aaaah summer is in full swing for us. School has been out for three weeks and we have been hiking and playing at parks and going to the beach and meeting with friends. Life is more relaxed and much less structured.

Any time there is water to counteract heat it is a huge bonus, the kids could not be happier. We spent time this week visiting friends and playing in the San Anselmo creek, which my friend's mom's house backs onto. Water, sunshine, shade, friends, snacks...they really make for the best of times.

How is your summer shaping up?

52 Week Project - Week 21

Well once again I am posting later than I would like. The good news is, that I am keeping up with this project and shooting more as a result. A bit of discipline never hurt anyone. Pretty soon we will be halfway through the year, which is ridiculously crazy to think about.

School is out and I now have three children at home again, so there will be many trips to the park, and if the weather ever gets it's act together again and behaves like summer, trips to the beach! I am waiting anxiously.

52 Week Project - Week 14

We, or maybe I should own it and say "I", can be my own worst critic. We so easily see our flaws, the places where we are far from perfect. We see ourselves as nobody else can, because we are the only ones to know the internal dialogues, the struggles that we hide from the rest of the world.

I am on a journey. I want to be able to see myself as I was truly created to be. I want to humbly be able to recognize my areas of strength, my talents, the gifts that I have been given, the things that make me unique and different from everybody else...from every other photographer out there.

When my children look at me they see my heart! They know that I love them, and will fight for them to the end. They see my loyalty and that I truly want the best for them. They see that I am beautiful and fun and creative. They see me at my worst and my best, the highs and the lows...and they love me. Their little eyes see ME! They are a gift to me and teach me new things each day, I want to be better for them and for that to impact everyone that I come in contact with.

This past weekend I 'attended' a live, online photography class. If you are a photographer, or aspiring photographer, I encourage you to check out Creative Live, it is such an amazing resource. They provide free classes, as long as the timing works with your schedule and you can attend the live event. If that does not work, then you can buy the class after the fact, to watch at your convenience. There are many workshops out there, but they cost a small fortune; through Creative Live you can have access to amazing teachers for a fraction of the cost.

This weekend's course encouraged more searching of myself and challenged me to be prepared to take risks, to try...and do things 'wrong', because in that process I might find the 'right' way to do something.  To try to let go of my perfectionism, because all that does is encourage me to procrastinate. None of us will ever be perfect - yet how many of us strive for that, or to appear to be that? To think about what makes me different and use that to my advantage.

Take a moment to step back and see yourself as someone who loves you sees you...you might be pleasantly surprised!

52 Week Project - Week 9

My little girl turned five this week. It is so bittersweet to watch our children grow. More often than not I wish I could stop time and keep them as these sweet children, yet with each new accomplishment I burst with pride at who they are becoming. I cannot stop time, no-one can, and this is one of the many reasons I love photography. All the little details that I could not possibly remember, probably even by next week, can at least be captured and looked back on again and again.

Before I had children I did not fully understand how precious each and every moment was. Our life, our time is a gift, not to be squandered. That minute, hour, day, week that has passed, we will never have it back again, it is gone forever. Let's make it all count.

52 Week Project - Week 2

This beautiful child does nothing by halves. She feels things so deeply, whatever it be from frustration or anger to joy, humor or excitement, it is without restraint. It is a trait she most certainly inherited from her Father, who is a man of passion.

The negative emotions can be hard to deal with, of course, but when she laughs it is hard not to laugh with her. There is something so real and so raw about laughter that is refreshing and contagious. Her days are most certainly not wasted as she brings joy to our household. What a gift!

Pretty Britty

My beautiful little girl, she takes my breath away. There are times that she is a complete challenge and I wonder how we will make it through the teenage years, but she also has a quiet sweetness about her.

I had taken photos with Asia the other day and I did not want Bryttain to feel left out, so this evening it was her turn. Of course, she was far more interested in picking grass than looking at me, but all it takes is one or two good ones to keep this Mama happy.