Bjerke Maternity Sneak Peek {Mill Valley Maternity Photographer}

 
If you have been following my blog for a while, no doubt you will recognize this beautiful Mama to be. I met her as a child, she babysat my children, I was there taking photographs on her wedding day in 2009 and now she is about to have a child of her own.

Yes it makes me feel old! But I feel privileged to have met her and to continue to be a part of her life and to be the one who gets to help her document some of these important milestones. In just a few short weeks there will be newborn photos and I cannot wait!

Enjoy your sneak peek Jenny and Mark, so looking forward to meeting your little guy and watching you grow as parents.

Better Than Chocolate Chip Cookies

In our house, this cookie is the favorite, hands down. Why have a plain old chocolate chip cookie, when you can have a chocolate chocolate chip cookie? Just as easy to make, with the addition of unsweetened cocoa powder to the batter. I made some today with my youngest and thought I would share our recipe (from Real Simple) with you.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk-chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. Lower to medium speed and add the egg and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
2. Form the dough into approximately 1 1/2-inch balls. Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
3. Bake until the centers are just set, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Mmmmm...delicious!

Nelson Family Sneak Peek {Marin County Family Portrait Photographer}

We all mean to have family photographs taken on a somewhat regular basis. We know our children are growing and changing daily and that by next year they will be in a completely different stage. It will be harder to remember exactly what our family is like now, a year from now. Life does not slow down and before you know it more time has passed than you would have liked.

I love looking at our family photos from over the years, seeing the changes and the progression. I love helping to capture that for others. These are important memories and times worth capturing!

This lovely family have had a tough year. An adoring mom, who truly found real joy in her family; her children, who cherished being a stay-at-home-mom like few I know, was forced to return back to work. I know it was not what she would have chosen, but sometimes difficult decisions are forced upon us. She and her husband are a team though and she recognized that this was what had to be done. It's at times like these when we cling to what matters most: our faith, our family and friends. Life is not always going to be easy, we were never promised that.

I love the love that they have for each other, that at the end of the day, they are each others safe place. I am so glad that this shoot finally took place. It was a beautiful evening, with gorgeous light, for this beautiful family.

It was hard to narrow down a few for this post, but here is a sneak peek. Enjoy!

Sunburst Lemon Bars

I don't do it as much as I would like, or used to...but I love to bake. You will have to believe me when I tell you, I am a huge chocolate fan, but sometimes a hot day calls for a light, refreshing, zingy treat.

This weekend I was given lemons so off I went to Pinterest to find something yummy to make. I found these sunburst lemon bars, glazed instead of just sprinkled with powdered sugar and decided they would fit the bill perfectly.

Click here to see where I got the recipe from.

Sunburst Lemon Bars

barely adapted from Pillsbury, Easy Meals, Picnics & Potlucks, August 2005
makes 36 bars
per bar: 150 calories, 6g fat, 22g carbs, 0g fiber, 2g protein

Ingredients:

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Filling
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Note: You'll need about two lemons for the juice/peel in this recipe. If you don't have enough lemon juice left for the glaze, add water until you get the right consistency.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat flour, sugar, butter, and peel on low speed until crumbly. Press mixture evenly in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl with wire whisk, lightly beat eggs. Beat in remaining filling ingredients except lemon juice and lemon peel until well blended. Beat in 1/4 cup lemon juice and peel.
3. Remove partially baked base from oven. Pour filling evenly over warm base.
4. Return to oven; bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until top is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. In small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar and enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency until smooth. Spread glaze over cooled bars. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator, but allow bars to come to almost room temperature before serving.

A Day in the Life - May 2012

I recently read a blog post that totally resonated with me. It was all about how often photographers end up neglecting the documentation of their own families. Sometimes it can be due to being too busy with client work, or a lack of inspiration, or just not being able to balance everything. The photographer went on to say that she now chooses one day each month to document, from morning to night, so that each month she is guaranteed photographs of her family and her life.

I felt challenged and inspired, so I am starting it too! May 1st was my first attempt, as I figured the 1st of each month would be the easiest to remember. I haven't made any rules for myself, but will try to post by mid-month a few of the photos from that day.

These are not technically perfect (far from it), or portrait-worthy, this is just real life (try not to be jealous of my laundry and dishes!). If you are doing something similar leave me a comment with a link to where I can follow along with you, I would love that!

Beltran Baby Sneak Peek {Mill Valley Newborn Photographer}

 
I remember, when I was much younger, thinking that all babies looked the same. The truth is, that until I had my own, I really did not pay much attention to babies. Now that thought seems quite bizarre and I wonder who I used to be to think in such a way?

I am still astounded by how much a child can look so much like each of it's parents or siblings. Family genes run so strong. Now as I look at various newborns, it is hard to see similarities, other than the general size and need for care. Each baby, from birth, is unique with their own features and little personality. No two are the same.

I had the pleasure of photographing another little nugget, a baby brother this time. It took a while for him to fall asleep but then he slept hard for us, even through hat changes. I am not a photographer who carries a large stash of props (when I arrive at a house for a shoot I already look like I'm moving in) but would rather use things that have meaning to the family, whether it be a favorite blanket, or toy or item of clothing that is theirs, that or just the sweet newborn nakedness. This Mama is a crocheter and had a beautiful blue blanket as well as a couple of hats she had made for her sweet boy, she was well prepared.

 

Kalli, I do hope you are getting some sleep (hard with a little one and a baby, I remember)...I promise it keeps getting easier.

Last week was so disappointing, it was Spring Break for my two oldest and it rained...almost all week. I am so happy to feel the sun on my skin again, to not be cold, for the days to feel bright and cheerful.

In celebration of this lovely weather I thought I would share a few recent florals, just because sometimes it's fun to have a change from photographing people and it gives me a good reason to get out my macro lens.

Happy Spring!

Beautiful Baby Beau {Marin County Newborn Photographer}

Newborns are some of my favorite photography subjects. Yes you have to be incredibly patient, yes it can take hours (no I'm not kidding!), but it is so wonderful to experience that newness again. I love to watch new parents as they interact with their little bundle. I am reminded of how exhausted and elated and overwhelmed and in love I felt. No one can fully describe it to you, it is something you have to experience for yourself to fully understand. Having a baby; your child, is truly life changing!

Meet one of the latest cuties.

Beautiful mama loving on her boy :)

Proud daddy doting on his son

Precious little moments...all of them!

I was just thinking the other day, what a blur February was...and we're already in April,what even happened to March?!

I need to do a little bit of catching up, not the least of which is photos of my two oldest children who both celebrated birthdays in February. At the beginning of February Arran turned eight. Sigh!

He is becoming such a big boy, yet he retains a sweet boyishness and innocence that I love. Still a rule follower and reserved in many situations, at home we get to see his silly side. I love his little face, and his smile with his grown up teeth has changed how he looks, more than I anticipated.

Then there's my girl Bryttain. Ah what a long way we have come. This was the year she started school and I think we found a new appreciation for each other. Always my independent go-getter, she became a little clingy, she holds my hand more often and it is so wonderful to have her run into my arms for a huge hug at the end of each day when I pick her up. She is doing so well at school and has made lots of new friends. She also decided that she no longer wanted to have a fringe (or bangs for my American readers) so we are in the process of growing out her hair which makes a huge difference to how she looks. She grows more beautiful each day. Where did those six years go?

Beautiful children, inside and out - I am one blessed Mama! Love them so much!

Happy Valentine's Day

Blowing hearts and kisses and Valentine wishes!

Hope that whoever you are, wherever you are you feel loved today. Happy Valentine's Day from me to you :)

Fifteen Years.

Fifteen years ago I was living in England, it had been snowing all week and I was about to get married. It was January 18th, 1997. I arrived at the church early because I was excited and ready to marry this man (but seriously, what bride ever arrives early?) I may have caused a slight panic and some hurried scampering.

Our honeymoon was lovely, but cold - we had been unable to leave the country due to his visa status and so we had hopes of going somewhere lovely and warm for our tenth anniversary...well that came and went; we had no money, no time, and nobody to watch the kids. As our fifteenth anniversary approached we started dreaming again and amazingly...we did it! Wonderful friends took care of our kids and we headed down to Mexico for a long weekend in the sun, on our own together. It was quite bizarre!

Fifteen years! I love this man, my best friend. He loves me unconditionally, he sees past my (many) flaws and imperfections, he encourages me, he tells me every day that I am beautiful and that he loves me! I cannot imagine having done life with anyone else, we were meant to be. He has made marriage seem easy, though statistics show that for many that is not true.

To see his smiling face each day brings me such joy. To see our beautiful children, our family, fills me with so much love I feel I could burst. Our fifteen years have flown by and I look forward to many, many more.

Happy New Year

One of my goals this year is to take more photographs with me in them! We did not even have a family photograph at the end of the year to be able to send out Christmas cards and it made me sad. Our family is continually growing and changing and as I help others document that, I want to also document that for myself. I finally have a remote again for my camera and my family has been warned...I intend to use it.

Hopefully you will be seeing a lot more of me on my blog and my children will have photographs to look back on of us all together, being us. I am not a resolution gal, but this is definitely something I plan to be intentional about this year. Happy New Year!