Erin Clausen Photography

Birthday Celebration

2012-01-31T19:13:00.000-08:00

This lovely family was gathered to celebrate their grandpa's birthday -- a milestone birthday -- and they wanted to take some photos together before they scattered back to their various corners of the earth (well, corners of California, at least). I offered to drag them out to my current favorite spot, and they looked past the ants and the dirt and the stray pieces of rebar and humored me.

I think we captured many nice images that'll help them remember this particular moment in time.

Here are some of them.

Spring(ish)

2012-01-25T10:33:00.000-08:00

It's supposed to be 77 degrees here today. January 25th, and 77 degrees.

I know that we need rain, and we should probably suffer another stretch of cold temps so as not to confuse the local crops, but how can you not celebrate spring temps and a gorgeous splash of sunshine in the middle of winter?

I thought I'd mark the day with a couple of shots from last weekend. The trees in Carmel were just starting to blossom.

Ah, spring. Even if it's just a sneak peek.

Being The Girl

2012-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Being the girl of the family means that you're subject to this.

And entitled to do this.

The Twilight, revisited

2012-01-17T19:13:00.001-08:00

Ha! I was just scrolling through the other shots from yesterday and couldn't resist adding this one to the blog. Remember when I said that the goal was to "capture them as they are now?"

This shot was 100% orchestrated by my daughter and executed entirely by the three of them. The only thing I did was click the shutter.

Sometimes they make taking photos a pain in the butt. And occasionally, they make it very, very easy.

The Twilight

2012-01-17T18:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was MLK, Jr. day. We were coming off a weekend of being cooped up at home with a nasty stomach virus, and after walking the dog to the ice cream shop down the road, we were still itching for something to do outside. (Well, I was.) I decided that it was the right afternoon to begin Project 2012-b.

(Project 2012-a is this, by the way. I downloaded the app and am 17 days into a 365-day string of camera phone snaps to document the year. So far, so awesome.)

Project 2012-b is this: Each month, I plan to do a quick and simple photo session with my kids. I'm going to spend a grand total of five minutes each month brainstorming clothes and location, and beyond that... it is what it is. The idea is to grab some shots of my three yahoos as they are at that point in time. At the end of the year, I can put the photos together in a book and -- voila: holiday gift for myself and the grandparents.

I came up with the idea one afternoon while on a run, and a primary motivation was to document the cute and crazy teeth situation we have going on. My oldest is finally getting the last of his eight permanent front teeth. My middle is, well... in the middle of the teeth transition. And my baby girl, I knew, was going to join the ranks of the partially toothless any day. She'd been futzing with a loose bottom tooth for a couple of weeks, and I knew that we'd be seeing a sweet little window in that smile any day.

Turns out that the loose tooth hung around in her mouth for about as long as it took the sun to set.

The bar is not high -- just a handful of shots from each month's mini-session.

One down, 11 to go.

A Peek at the Fiesta Bowl, Clausen-Style

2012-01-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, four-fifths of our family road-tripped RV-style to catch Stanford's appearance in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. Why four-fifths? That was because the eldest Clausen child declared his complete lack of interest in football and his refusal to miss a day of school. His parents decided that while we could force him to sit through a football game, we weren't going to force him to miss school and deviate from his principles. (And principal.)

The roadtrip was loads of fun, and it afforded us the chance to connect and catch up with several special friends -- both Stanford alumni and Oklahoma State alumni, which made for a lively tailgate experience. Of course, I photographed the entire trip, and someday I'll get my arms around all of the photos, but I did manage to get a handle on those from game day and figured that I'd at least post those here while the memories are still fresh.

Get ready for a big ol' photo dump. :)

I love how the Stanford-by-marriage guy in our group felt a need to make clear that he wasn't all in:

There were quite a few of these Cowboy hand signals going on...

... and that left us feeling a bit lacking in the spirit department. So we figured, if you can't beat 'em...

Even the baby bulldog got in on the tailgating. And I promise, no animals were endangered for the purpose of this photo, despite what it looks like in the following pictures. The cup of beer was a prop. Only a prop.

It's a good thing that my husband doesn't get embarrassed easily (clearly):

The second half of tailgating seemed to fly by (hmmm... I wonder why...), and before we knew it it was time to go inside.

Gotta love the Stanford band. Their irreverent pre-game and halftime field shows are near and dear to my heart, and they still entertain. What other band can point out the state of Oklahoma's homesteading history and tie it to the game at hand by turning the word "LAND" into, well:

Of course, non-Stanford peeps probably enjoyed the more traditional on-field shows.

Or not.

And finally, perhaps my favorite shot of the set. His focused attention was one of the primary reasons we paid a big chunk of change to get to the game and get into our seats.

It's also the reason he sat, sobbing uncontrollably, for a good five minutes after the game concluded. He takes his teams' losses very, very hard. At the end of the trip, though, even he would tell you that it was a fantastic long weekend and worth every mile, penny, and tear.

The Latest Shots of Stella

2011-12-28T17:54:00.001-08:00

She's growing so dang fast that I tried to grab a few shots of the baby dog today (she's about four months now). She was more interested in showing off her latest skill -- high-fiving -- and so there weren't many shots to be snapped.

Maybe I'll get one of the kids to video the high-five thing so that I can post it here. It's pretty darn funny to watch a bulldog high-five...

Getting Back in the Swing of Things

2011-12-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

The past month had me running every which way, working hard to keep all of the balls in the air and prepare for a festive and memorable Christmas at the same time. Suffice it to say, it was an exhausting stretch.

In an effort to close the books on 2011 and look ahead to the new year, I've spent a good part of today sorting through my personal photo files and trying to get them into a manageable state. All of this work has basically underscored how much more there is for me to do, but with Christmas behind me and a good night's sleep under my belt, that doesn't seem as frustrating as it might've just last week.

Here are a few random family snapshots to serve as placeholders until I get back to posting more interesting fare. These are from Thanksgiving weekend, I think, when we opted for a night of movies and foam curlers (for the girl).

Noah fell asleep like this...

And here are a couple of shots from the morning of Miss F's first ever basketball game. She was pumped. :)

Fall Foliage

2011-11-30T16:06:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, people tend to tout the beauty of the East Coast, the Northwest, and other parts of the country that get that gorgeous fall foliage. They tend to look down on California a bit... I mean, we have our fantastic year-round weather, and for that we sacrifice fall color. Right?

Wrong.

At least when you're talking about the Central Coast. Because our surrounding vineyards afford us a good stretch of magnificent color in the fall. And wouldn't you know, Thanksgiving weekend turned out to be one of our postcard weather weekends. So we got the benefit of the famous California weather and the colorful backdrop people usually associate with colder climates. Lucky us.

This great family got to take advantage of it all, and they got some pretty special images to boot. Unrelated side note: I predict that these kids are going to grow up to be absolute stunners in the looks department.

Because It Makes Me Laugh

2011-11-25T15:03:00.000-08:00

every.time.I.look.at.it.

Our Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T14:49:00.001-08:00

Here are some snapshots from our mellow, fun, delicious Thanksgiving. Not documented: Brian and me after running the 8-mile Turkey Trot (thank goodness), our post-run Bloody Marys with good friends (bummer).

Hope everyone had a good turkey day. :)

Fresh Air

2011-11-21T23:02:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile since I've shared work on the blog, so I'm posting a few from a recent maternity session.

This mama is a lovely, mellow woman who already has one lovely, mellow daughter. I'm betting that the new little guy is going to be one chill dude.

I think that this family is in for some very special and happy holidays this year!

My Boys & Their Dogs

2011-11-15T22:52:00.000-08:00

Our new addition has fit into the family quite seemlessly. Crunch tosses me the occasional look as if to say, "Did you not realize that I am very old and want only to snooze peacefully in a corner without being pounced on by THIS THING?" Other than that, though, it has been pretty smooth sailing. She sleeps through the night and gets up when we do. She's even down to about one potty accident a day. Good stuff.

My boys have actually surprised me with their attentiveness to both dogs since bringing the puppy into the fold. Noah, in particular, is very careful about giving both dogs equal attention. Tonight he spent a long time on the floor with a hand on each resting dog, talking to them and telling them that they were good and sweet. He finally turned to me and very sincerely said that he thinks he might like Crunch just a little bit better. He clearly doesn't want to risk making the old guy to feel like yesterday's news.

Here are a few snaps of my lovely boys and their dogs.

Crunch has taken over the bed we bought for Stella, which she enjoyed for the first few days we had her. Not a big deal, since she will probably grow out of it before too long. It's funny, though... She doesn't want to be on his old bed (which is just a few feet away), but rather nestled up to the side of him. I love how her front leg is even hooked over the side. :)

Here are a few other quick snaps of the new girl:

More Dogs

2011-11-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

I was feeling bad about not including Crunch in the last post, and I managed to grab a reasonable shot while he sat and watched his new baby sister scamper around the room. Here's the old man himself:

And on the topic of dogs, here's Foxy's latest crafty creation (I swear, this girl generates projects at the rate of several an hour). Obviously, she was inspired by the theme of the weekend.

:)

Meet Stella

2011-11-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Call us crazy (and people have), but the Clausen family decided that it was time to add a new puppy to our family. You know, because we're always sitting around, twiddling our thumbs and wondering how in the world to spend our time. ;) After research and debate we settled on a bulldog, and then after more research... and more research... we found a breeder that we felt was a good match.

Since the breeder was in Riverside County, though, we had to ask a lot of questions and make our final decision as a leap of faith. We didn't actually meet Stella until she was delivered to us by my parents -- aka the puppy storks -- yesterday afternoon.

Good thing we like her.

A LOT.

I did try to take some photos of Crunch, too, but he was all wound up and wouldn't sit still for anything. Try telling that dog he's about 84 in people years. The dude thinks he's still a puppy most of the time...

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, Foxy opted for pretty when it came to Halloween this year (as anyone who knows her might imagine). The boys, however, went with silly.

Here is my goofy crew before they headed out to eat a quick dinner with friends and then trick or treat. :)

Fun stuff!

Happiness is...

2011-10-29T14:57:00.001-07:00

... being a Watermelon Fairy for Halloween, even if no one you know is quite sure what one is.

It doesn't matter. The costume clearly makes you think you're the prettiest, cleverest thing on the planet.

If only they made these in grown-up sizes.

I'll post a few pics of the boys tomorrow. What their costumes lack in pretty, they make up for in funny. :)

Bake Sale

2011-10-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, my kids got all excited about raising money for their school's walk-a-thon. Since I'm not a huge fan of going door-to-door (or picking up the phone) and just asking for money, I supported their idea to have a bake sale and put the profits into their walk-a-thon envelopes.

We baked, baked, baked for a couple of days, and then they executed their two-pronged plan. First, E walked the halls of his dad's office with a cart filled with goodies (thankfully the A/V department there had the perfect cart). When the other two got home from soccer practice, they joined a couple of their buddies and had a neighborhood stand. In all, they collected almost $200 for their school. Good work by them!

We Did It!!

2011-10-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

I achieved a big goal on Sunday -- one I never, ever thought I'd achieve. I'd watched Brian run the City to Sea half-marathon in previous years, but I never would've guessed that I'd be motivated to try it myself... let alone have the fortitude to actually FINISH IT.

But having missed the SLO triathlon this summer (we were in England) and after opting out of the Pacific Grove triathlon (not feeling the kelp swim this year), I agreed to train and run this race with my good buddy Summer. Together we ran, ran/walked, and drank a lot of after-run coffees... And suddenly it was race day.

We got up early on Sunday morning and headed downtown with Brian and another friend who was doing the race. I snapped a few quick camera phone pics before tucking my phone in my water belt, and before I knew it we were off.

Brian never planned to run with us -- he's way too fast -- but Summer and I hoped that we'd be able to hang together and encourage each other throughout the event. We'd never run that far together, and in fact I'd never run more than 8 miles ever. Fortunately, we were able to stick with each other throughout the race. Thank goodness, because I don't think I'd have had such a good time if I hadn't had her by my side. :)

Here's a little collage of iPhone pics, plus a few that Summer's husband snapped at the finish line (including that one of Brian chasing me in!).

Just noticed that the map of the course is dated 2010... I guess it must have been reused and recycled. I swear that we did this race two days ago. Just ask my weary legs!

The Little Chef

2011-10-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

I couldn't close out the family photos from this past week without adding these snaps of my little chef...

On Wednesday, I picked her up after kindergarten and we spent a little time roasting butternut squash for dinner (I tried a soup recipe I'd found online and it was pretty darn good!). I cut and scooped, and she brushed a little bit of melted butter onto the big pieces of squash before they went into the oven.

Together, we were a cooking power team!

80's Day!

2011-10-07T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Clausen boys got a lot of coverage in those last two blog posts, so I thought I'd toss a few pics of the girlie onto the blog this morning.

It's 80's day at school, and she was soooooo excited to dress the part. As usual, we were running late getting out the door to the bus, so these were snapped on the fly. I wish I'd budgeted a few actual moments to play around a bit. She was so cute!

The Boys' Triathlon, Part II

2011-10-05T23:09:00.001-07:00

As promised, here's the second batch of triathlon shots. Kind of overkill, I suppose, but I just can't resist. I was/am one proud mama.

Splashing around and warming up in the lake with the other kid athletes:

Aaaaand, they're off!

Cute little swimmer:

And Evan is out of the water!

Then Noah emerges to lots of cheers. :)

In the transition area:

Noah was a little quicker in the changing area (shocking to those who know my boys, I'm sure!), so he was the first Clausen out on his bike. He got a little guidance, and then he was off.

Brian ran up the initial hill alongside Evan, despite the fact that he (Brian) was running six miles later in the morning as part of an Olympic distance relay. Crazy man!

After a TOUGH bike course, they came back in by coming down that same hill.

Then Noah rode in:

I didn't get shots of Evan running out, since I'd been waiting for Noah. But here's Noah heading out on his run:

After a bit, the first Clausen boy stormed into the finish. Go Evan!

If you happened to have clicked on that video link in the last post, you may have noticed that Brian taped Noah's finish. This shot shows Noah looking over at his dad:

(Psssst. Don't start doing any math and comparing the boys' times. Noah missed the turnaround sign and ran an extra mile. Whoops!)

And a last shot of the little dudes after the race. They are real champs!

The Boys' Triathlon, Part I

2011-10-03T21:41:00.001-07:00

I am splitting this post into two because I am too tired and lazy to edit any more photos tonight. I'd much rather flop on the couch and catch another episode of Friday Night Lights (our new TV obsession... and yes, we're way behind the times in that regard).

Anyway, this past weekend the boys tackled the kids' version of the Tinley Triathlon out at Lopez Lake. Evan had done it last year and was fired up to do it again. Noah was happy to make the minimum age requirement this year. Actually, he was one of only two participants who were under nine!

They both had a great time and -- most importantly -- great attitudes. They just cruised along and did their thing and pronounced the whole experience a lot of fun. That's my boys. :)

If you're interested in the video footage, you can check this out. Please excuse the couple of minutes during which Foxy takes over videographer duties. It's a little Blair Witch-y if you get my drift.

Here are the first half of the photos I snapped...

Getting their transition areas all set up:

I love that the girl who did their body markings got E's age wrong and just crossed it out and wrote in the correct number:

And lastly, a family shot taken and sent to us by the thoughtful Meg Taylor (whose oldest son is a triathlon machine):

It's rare that I actually make it into a photo around here!

Like I said, I'll get the remaining photos online tomorrow. I'm sure there are some family members who'll appreciate seeing the whole set.

Soccer Debut!

2011-09-25T12:00:00.001-07:00

File this one under "posts that are 99.9% for the grandparents"...

Foxy started soccer this fall, and while the jury's out on whether this will be a sport that she sticks with long-term, she is definitely enjoying her little team and is having a very good time on the field. It helps that her team is made up of good buddies and her coach is terrific.

Technically, this was their second game, but it was the first time I brought along my camera. So, soccer debut!

Full disclosure: These photos might make her seem like a bit more of a playmaker than she actually is. I'd rank her fifth of five on the intensity/aggressiveness scale, but like I said, she's having fun, and she was getting in there and mixing it up a little more this week than last. We're proud of her, in any case. :)

These Two Are Two!

2011-09-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Long time, no see.

Right?

I have completely neglected the blog over the last month or so, for a variety of reasons. I won't bore you with the laundry list, since we all have enough of our own lists and excuses. What we don't have enough of is photos! And what's better than photos of these guys??

K & K have been a part of my life -- my photo life and then my real life -- since they were born two years ago. It was an honor to capture their changing faces every month of their first year, and their mom recently told me that while so much of that year is a blur, her memories of those photo session mornings are distinct and precious. Tomorrow is their second birthday, and to celebrate, we took the boys out to Mission Plaza and let them run around.

Get ready for a BIG preview. I just can't help myself. :)

At first, we got the smoldering, serious looks. Well, I guess toddlers don't smolder, but can't you just imagine these guys wowing the ladies in a couple of decades?

When mom busted out their skateboards, things got a lot more playful. I was FLOORED by how coordinated these dudes are -- and how BRAVE -- when they're on their wheels. The looked around for any sloping surface, and then they were off.

After skateboards, we cruised around and explored. Despite their insane physical skills, they still take stairs like any normal two-year-olds: on hands and pudgy knees.

After that, it was just pure silliness. It was so fun to watch these guys goof with each other. What a special bond twins have...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, boys! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and can't wait until we play again...

(Oh, and here's a little link if you want to see their first birthday post.)

A Business Update & The First Day(s) of K

2011-08-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

First of all, a quick business item...

I've now closed the calendar to new bookings for the remainder of 2011. If you'd hoped to schedule a family session or a newborn session or a birthday appointment for a little one, please accept my apologies and know that I truly wish I could take every possible booking. I love sharing in your family's milestones and capturing those special memories. Unfortunately, the reality is that my time is limited and at this point, I balance work with a very busy family life. I never want to shortchange my clients or my family, and so I need to be mindful of not overextending myself. I hope that you understand and are able to maintain balance yourself -- whether it's work, the start of school, new lessons, sports seasons, a combination of these, or whatever else has you occupied this fall.

Moving on to the purely personal side of things, and because a post is never complete without a photo (or two or three...), here is some documentation of the Clausen kids' first couple days of school. On a side note: Thank goodness the first week was a short one! I'm not sure which family member was most tired last night, but we were ALL in the running...

A quick shot of all three before we headed in to their new classrooms:

And then the focus fell mostly on the little miss, who was starting kindergarten -- and was practically bursting with excitement about it all.

The next day was her first time riding the bus, so I brought my camera to the bus stop to capture a little bit of that as well:

Could that backpack be any bigger?? She wanted one with wheels, and it sure looked smaller online...

And she was off!

The first three days of school, at least, we great ones for all three Clausen kids. Let's hope the remainder of the school year is as fun and as smooth...

Ballerina Girl

2011-08-16T10:11:00.001-07:00

Foxy performed in her second ballet recital this past weekend, right on the heels of our big family road trip. I was a little worried that she'd have some trouble -- she'd missed the last four classes leading up to the show -- but with the help of a friend who emailed us a video of the dance, she knew her stuff and was thrilled to perform. It helps that the teacher takes the stage along with kids this age!

She wasn't into taking many photos, as she much preferred to get her fanny backstage and hang out with the performers. But I did snap a few, just to document how very grown up she seems in full costume and make-up.

And the venue didn't allow videography or flash photography, not that that stopped a lot of the parents in the audience. I'm a rule-follower, though, so I was grateful for my flashless still camera.

Today she has her pre-kindergarten doctor's appointment. School starts in just eight days!

Long Time No See

2011-08-10T00:16:00.000-07:00

Are you one of the handful of people who read my post awhile back which declared I would blog every day for the rest of the summer? And did you wonder what the heck happened to that promise?

Well here's my answer in a nutshell: I was crazy.

Actually, I did know that I had a couple of exciting trips coming up, and I thought that with that kind of material, it would be a lot of fun to post a few shots each day. But blogging from the road is harder than I thought. First, the logistics of travel, plus the time change and access issues in England made it a challenge to keep up daily blogging while there. So I kind of failed right out of the gate.

Then, when I returned from the UK, I ran smack dab into a hard reality: I had THREE DAYS to prepare my family for a two-week RV road trip. As I sat down that first morning with my cup of coffee and my notepad, the to-dos rapidly stacked up and before I knew it I had 39 on the list. And the list just kept getting longer.

And then. Then! I did hit the road for the RV trip, and I blogged those camera snaps from the first night. But I also spazzed and thought that I would be a HUGE dope if I broadcast to the world -- aka, the dozen or so people who might stumble onto my blog -- that we'd be out of town and our house would be sitting empty for two whole weeks. Doesn't that just scream, "Why don't you bust in and take the few valuables I have?" Not that anyone reading my blog is that kind of a person, but hey... You just never know how things will go.

However, I did want to share photos of our trip with friends and family, and I did want to keep up blogging, so I set up a new site and sent the address to my mom and Brian's mom and a few others. And now that our trip is coming to a close and our house will be reoccupied in short order, I figured that it made sense to post the link to that second blog here.

If you've read this far, and if you have any interest in seeing a lot of vacation pics of these little nut jobs, then by all means click here.

And please accept my apologies if you happened to have been sitting around these last few weeks, waiting for me to make good on that promise. I hope you had other, more trustworthy people keeping you company here on the Internet. :)

Road Trip!!

2011-07-30T20:39:00.000-07:00

I know that I fell woefully short on the blogging this week, and I promise that all will be explained.

Eventually.

Just not right now.

For now, I give you: iPhone snaps from an itty bitty little roadtrip.

I'm Like A Bird

2011-07-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

I'm flying away from England tomorrow. As sad as that is, I've got a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks. The remainder of the summer will be good. And it will be photographed. :)

Mr. Bird, above, is courtesy of Sunday morning in Hyde Park.

Saturday in London

2011-07-25T06:52:00.000-07:00

Brian and I arrived in London Friday evening and -- after dumping our things at the appropriately named Darlington Hotel -- walked along Hyde Park and down Oxford Street before meeting our friend Roufa at (again, appropriately!) a rooftop bar.

That was the start of a very long, very fun evening. Among other things, we dined on tapas, mugged for our cell phone cameras, and popped in and out of a number of nightspots, including the Ice Bar. (Talk about tourist experience with a capital "T," but we loved every frigid minute!) I hadn't realized that it would stay light until almost 10:00, or I would have brought my camera along. Ah, well... we filled our phones with cell snaps that prompted many hearty laughs the next day.

And that next day was soooo much fun. Despite getting a rather late start, we ended up seeing a great deal of London by foot and by bike, starting with a walk through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens:

Then we met up Roufa again at the amazing Portobello Market.

There were oodles of antiques, plus sights and sounds abound...

I found the most AWESOME souvenir at this print shop; I picked up intials for everyone in our family and a funky way to display them.

After that, we procured some rent-a-bikes and set out to see more of the city. I was a half-second late on this snap; I meant to catch him checking out Page 1 of the 35-page rental agreement:

I believe that the words being uttered here were "Awwwwwwww yeah!"

Then we were off. I snapped this one at the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, which is a very cool place for kids and families to splash around:

Then, after a quick ice cream, we were off to cycle by many more parks, monuments and ideal subjects for touristy snaps...

Westminster Abbey:

Then some snaps along the waterfront:

And finally, we cabbed it over to Brick Lane, where we enjoyed a unique dining experience. Just as we were warned, men lurked outside every.single.establishment, wheeling and dealing and trying to smooth talk us into choosing their restaurant (A round of free drinks! Twenty percent off! TWO rounds of free drinks!). It actually got a little wearying after a awhile, so we selected and waited a few minutes and then enjoyed a great Indian meal to a thumping techno beat.

After our experience on Brick Lane, Roufa (uber host!) walked us around and into a couple of watering holes before we finally cabbed it back to the Darlington and collapsed. I was TIRED.

More From Bath

2011-07-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

I didn't quite finish up last night, so I'm back to post a few additional photos from my afternoon in Bath. (Apparently the pub downstairs from our room stays open only as long as the drinks are flowing. As soon as a "hen party," or bachelorette group, cleared out, the staff figured that it was as good a time as any to shut down for the night.)

Anyway, here are two more shots from the Roman Bath. I learned from perusing the posted signage that the rings around this bath area were put there by individual people grateful to be healed by the restorative powers of the spring water.

After walking around the Roman Bath and the amazing nearby shopping district, I hopped on a double-decker bus and took the guided tour of the city.

See? Me!

Do you see the ominous sky at the top edge of this shot? Well, I enjoyed the view from up top until about 45 seconds after I snapped this. At that point, it started to DUMP rain, and I scurried downstairs with everyone else.

The rest of the tour was a little wetter and grayer but no less interesting. Did you know that Bath was the social center of England in the 1700s? And that there were uber-fashionable people named Macaronis, who wore towering powdered wigs with hats perched on top, and that said hats were so high up that they could only be removed with the tip of a sword? Me neither.

And after the rain I walked around some more and found other pretty things to check out in this beautiful city. So glad that I made the trip!

Greetings from Jolly Old England!

2011-07-21T15:18:00.000-07:00

As Brian and I lingered over yet another amazing dinner tonight, I mentioned that perhaps I'd set the bar a bit too high with the intent-to-blog-every-day thing. As is his style, he just indulged me with a small smile and completely refrained from saying "I told you so."

Oh, how I love that man.

You see, I KNEW that I would be leaving the country just a few days into my attempt at continual blogging. But I thought I could shoot off a quick wireless post while waiting for the plane, and then I figured that I'd have oodles of free time once we landed. No kids, no responsibilities. That's a recipe for fun photos and carefree blog posts, right?

Not so much.

I didn't end up with much time at the gate, and then I forgot to account for the jet lag that kept me sleeping until 10:00 or later and then (puzzlingly) crashing not long after dinner. Perhaps if I had my husband's remarkable travel skills and had snoozed for 9+ hours of the flight over, I'd be in better shape. But alas...

ANYWAY, I finally got my act together today and not only took the train to Bath -- BY MYSELF!! -- but managed to snap a few photos and even get them online. I'll try to take a few more shots tomorrow (though sadly, Swindon isn't quite as photogenic as Bath). If doesn't happen, though, I've got London on the horizon this weekend. As cheesy as it may be, I'm making Brian take me on the London Eye, and THAT should be good for a photo or two.

But for now, I give you Bath.

Argh! The pub staff is kicking us out and the wireless access is shutting off. Boo! I'll have to share the rest in the morning...

Sweet Sisters

2011-07-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

I first met and photographed these little girls about a year ago, when they were nine months old. When we got together yesterday, I was reminded how sweet and engaging they are.

They have so much fun with each other and with their parents. They're curious, brave, agile, silly, and downright lovely. Here's a bigger-than-usual preview, just for fun.

By the way, if you're a recent client, you might recognize these sweeties from my current packaging labels:

They've grown a bit, huh?

My Little Chef

2011-07-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it was bound to happen: I went to bed without posting as promised. It was one of those days where we ended up spending some family time at the pool, which turned into takeout dinner with friends, which turned into watching the kids ride bikes in the street. When it was all over, I flopped into bed and read for about five minutes before falling asleep. I didn't keep to the blog schedule, but my heart and mind were definitely where they were supposed to be.

So here's a random little post, and I'll try to follow it up with something else later. I did have a session with some darling 22-month-old twins yesterday morning, and I'll have their preview ready soon. It'll be a fun break from the Clausen-polooza that's filled the blog lately.

These snapshots are from a recent summer afternoon. The boys were at camp, and I was trying to get a few things done around the house. I was not in the mood to make and clean up yet another lunch, and the girlie happily volunteered to do it herself. I was pretty darn impressed with the results!

Ball Boy

2011-07-15T20:55:00.001-07:00

Tonight's post highlights Mr. Middle Child.

This kid is the sports fanatic of the bunch. If there's a sport to watch, play or wear (via a logoed hat, shirt or shorts), he's all over it. So far he's played on baseball, soccer, basketball and flag football teams, with plans to play them all again in the coming year. He's also obsessed with handball, so much so that he finally convinced his dad to clear out one side of the garage to create a handball "court." No we have nowhere to put all of our extra crud. ;)

With all of that said, his favorite thing to do is just drag out his dad for a good ol' game of catch.

I've seen this look so often this summer that I've started calling him Grumpelstiltskin:

This look is MUCH better:

Snaps from Beach Karate

2011-07-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

I spent most of last Saturday's beach karate event in line at Joe Mama's, waiting for a muuuuuch needed cup of coffee. (I understand and appreciate that they craft every cup by hand -- and mmmmm, it's good -- but YIKES that place is not speedy.) E was out on the beach with his dojo-mates, kicking and punching and demonstrating his moves, and the rest of the family was out there watching and playing, so I figured that slipping away to wait for caffeine was just fine.

Of course I did have my camera on my hip and fired off a few snapshots before I trudged off to tank up.

My favorite was this first one, with my little orange-belt in the air.

As I just explained to my yahoos, the blurred faces above are because I'm super careful about posting other kids' images on my blog without permission. My boys said it's cool because it makes them look like aliens.

Our 4th

2011-07-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

I said that I'd post something daily for the rest of the summer. I didn't say that the photos would be of-the-moment, or even in chronological order. :)

Tonight we're hopping back to the 4th of July.

We spent the holiday weekend in Carmel (and some of it in Santa Cruz), as we tend to do. On the 3rd, the weather was GLORIOUS. We walked the beach in warm sunshine and soaked it all up. It was fabulous.

The actual holiday was quite cold and foggy -- as Carmel so often tends to be -- and we spent a good chunk of it reading and playing around the cabin itself. Brian fired up the grill, but not before shopping for enough to feed 20. Despite a guest list that included only the five of us Clausens, we managed to make a good-sized dent in his spread.

We did actually have a few feathered guests, notably a red-headed woodpecker and this blue jay who stopped at the feeder for a snack. Interestingly, this guy knocked a bunch of the seed to the ground and then hopped down to pick his way through it down there. Our super sneaky dog, Crunch, kept an eye on him from a top-secret hiding spot.

Silly, silly dog.

Resolutions

2011-07-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Drat. Sometimes I HATE my laptop. I had this whole, well-thought out blog post typed up and almost ready to post, and with one errant brush of my palm, the whole thing went POOF! into thin air. It has happened before, and I can't tell you how frustrating it is. UGH.

I'm not feeling up to redoing the whole thing, so let me summarize in much a much less entertaining and articulate manner: I am making some resolutions. Make that RESOLUTIONS. I am talking serious commitment here.

A few highlights in bullet-point form:

- I will stop using the excuse that I'm missing this year's SLO triathlon to slack off on exercise. I WILL BREAK A SWEAT ON A DAILY BASIS.

- I will continue to focus the majority of my energy and attention on my now 5-, 7- and 9-year-old kids. They reeeeeeally want my time and attention more than anything else, and they're actually quite entertaining little people these days. Unfortunately for my clients and potential clients, that will mean a continuation of my very limited work schedule, at least through the summer (and possibly through the fall). It makes this a tough resolution for me, but I've come to see the importance of it above all else.

- In the absence of regular client previews, and in an effort to document the fleeting moments of this summer, I'll publish at least one blog post a day for the rest of the summer. They may be brief, with only a photo or two, but there will be something to see for anyone who happens to drop by.

I have many, many more areas of self-improvement to tackle, but I'll leave the published resolutions at those for right now. They seem to be enough. They fill the plate. They are possible.

So for tonight I leave you with just a couple of snapshots from the girlie's 5th birthday party last month. What the shot of her lacks in technical perfection, it makes up for in personality and emotion. She was SO THRILLED to host her Pinkalicious pool party.

Until tomorrow...

Happy Birthday, Eazy E

2011-07-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

I borrowed from a star-crossed rapper when I nicknamed my first-born.

One of his good buddies calls him The Incredible Mr. E.

I think that we're both on the right track.

Happy 9th birthday, sweet boy.

The Circus is in Town

2011-07-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Circus Vargas plopped down in the middle of San Luis this week, bringing a whole bunch of trailers and trucks and of course a big top tent. I figured that it would be a fun experience for our kids, who've never been to anything even remotely resembling a circus. Plus, since this is the summer of Questionably-Conceived But Likely Still Memorable Clausen Family RV Trip, I figured that it fit right in with our summer plans.

The kids were absolutely exhausted from a day of lessons/camp/playdates/swimming, but they were excited, and fortunately the circus didn't disappoint. It was a pretty cool show with at least half a dozen acts that left us marveling (or hiding our eyes behind our hands like big chickens, in the case of Evan and me). I didn't photograph much during the show, mainly because I was either hosting a kid in my lap or clinging to our belongings so that they didn't fall through the bleechers (again). Or hiding behind my hands (again). Plus, our seats were good for seeing, but not so much for photographing.

ANYWAY.

Here are a few fun shots. Of course, it was all about the circus food at first...

At intermission, they announced that anyone interested could line up to get a photo taken with their enormous snake. (Interestingly, this was the only animal in the tent. The circus is animal-free these days, which I understand and appreciate.)

GUESS WHO BOLTED TO THE RING TO BE THE VERY FIRST PERSON IN LINE?

Seriously, I was still trying to figure out if I'd even heard the announcement right, and Little Miss Crazy Pants was all ready to go. It happened so fast that I didn't even have time to get the camera properly set for my own photo. Fortunately, I was able to get it all ready before she jumped into a second opportunity to pose with one of her brothers.

And here's a final shot of my clowns on our way out to the car after long but pretty much perfect day:

Little D's Big Day

2011-06-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

I hadn't seen Mr. D since his six month photo session, and when I laid eyes on him this time around, I was struck by how much he's looking like big brother T. The boys are just 14 months apart, so it'll be really fun to see how much they resemble each other -- or not -- as they grow together.

While T was a barrel of laughs at his own one year session, D is a much more serious guy. We did have fun and captured some great smiles, but he's definitely more reserved at this age than his big bro. And they differed in another regard as well; while I told their mom that T was perhaps my most enthusiastic cake eater, D here was about as lukewarm on the whole idea as they come.

But enough with the comparing and contrasting of the little dudes. I think handsome D stands out just fine on his own. :) Here are a few favorites...

Thanks to his parents for allowing me to commemorate the big "oh-one" in photos!

Little Lovely

2011-06-15T23:00:00.001-07:00

I am extremely grateful for the life I lead, but I admit that every once in awhile I find myself feeling like a hamster on a wheel. Dashing from place to place, cramming in errands and housework during every free minute. Juggling three kids and the business that I have carefully built over the last few years. Toss in one of my own kids' birthdays and the last week of school and I swear, I know how that darn hamster feels.

Fortunately, this hamster had a little help. My parents were in town this week and lent a big hand with the kids. My husband continued to cover some of the bases -- okay, several of them -- for me. And I got the privilege of photographing a couple of special little people.

First up was a precious little baby girl. Just eight days old, and already she and her parents seemed to have settled right into life as a family. It was a joy to be able to spend time with them all and to capture her at this fleeting stage.

This is one gorgeous little girl.

This morning's session was with a birthday boy who hit one this week. I'll be back soon with a few photos of him...

This Big Reason

2011-06-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Here's the big reason why I haven't blogged much lately:

Care to guess who finished preschool last week? I'll give you a hint: She's an art project-generating chatterbox, and I love her very much. :)

'Tis the Season

2011-05-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

One reason for my sporadic posts lately is the fact that we've entered "The Season."

The Clausen kids were born in May, June and July (of slightly different years, obviously). That means that from late April though late July, I tend to spend a ridiculous amount of time and energy planning, prepping for, executing, and conducting follow-up (ie, nagging my kids to write thank you notes) for birthdays. And since this season overlaps the end of the school year, it can get pretty crazy around here.

Anyway, tonight's task was making cupcakes for Foxy's "summer birthdays" party at school. She and two classmates have birthdays that fall outside of the school months, so her preschool honors them with a special little party.

Foxy's all over that plan, but I'm tempted to see it as one more to-do on the season's endless list. And then I see how much she enjoyed licking those beaters and I think that perhaps it's not such a bad idea, after all.

More Disney Cruise Pics (LOTS More!)

2011-05-19T09:48:00.001-07:00

As I flipped through our photos from this trip, I decided that I did a reasonable job of capturing the sights, sounds and excitement of the week. Not a great job, but that was to be expected. I tried hard to be very present and play with my kids much of the time, setting aside the camera when I might otherwise have picked it up and stalked them like one of the cheetahs in "African Cats" (which we saw in the full-sized movie theater on board!).

I think I struck a decent balance. I caught some of the fun in photos, while capturing much, much more of it in person.

Here's some of the documentation, with a tiny bit of commentary...

Here are my parents, who took us all on this fabulous vacation:

This is the "shark" that terrorized Magens Bay, on St. Thomas:

And I know that these are kind of heavy on pics of the girly, but she's my most agreeable subject, and the boys were often off at The Club, doing big boy stuff...

Some boat ambiance pics:

This area's called The Cove, an adults-only pool area where my sister-in-law enjoyed some nice, peaceful time on a lounge chair (lucky girl!):

And some shots of the very best part of the cruise, Disney's own island in the Bahamas:

Apparently, the fish in the snorkling reef were THIS BIG:

And the hula hooping was just as impressive...

And that's about it. I've got more, but I think that gives you a good taste. If you and your family are considering going on a Disney Cruise, I can tell you that my family gives it a hearty endorsement. My almost nine-year-old is even begging for us to go back for his birthday in July. That isn't going to happen, but we may well try and swing another cruise in the next few years... In the meantime, I've got to get working on plans for our summer RV road trip. Now that should be good for some photos...

An Experiment

2011-05-08T20:50:00.000-07:00

We're driving home from a super-quick, super-awesome trip to SF (don't worry, I'm not behind the wheel), and I thought I'd see if I could do a blog post entirely from my phone.

SO. Behold my birthday boy and his buddy just before entering AT&T Park today:

Cool!! This old dog learned a new trick!

Total Change of Pace

2011-05-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

This past week, I tackled something completely outside of my comfort zone: on-location photography for a budding musical artist. This guy is a friend of our family and is putting together his first album. I was pretty blown away by his talent as well as his understated confidence. I hope that this is the start of a great career and big things for him.

Here are a couple of my favorites. :)

And if you happen to be waiting on a post with more Disney Cruise pics (*cough* Mom *cough*), I promise that it's coming soon. This past week was nuts, and I still have some real work on my plate. But there are a lot of fun shots from that trip, and I definitely want to share more...

A Little Taste

2011-05-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

It sure seems like I've been away from the blog -- and the real world -- for quite awhile. In reality, I was only gone for about 10 days, vacationing with my family and soaking up all that a Disney Cruise in the Caribbean has to offer. But that's just long enough to find myself completely, happily, thoroughly unplugged.

I'll have lots and lots of fun and silly shots to share soon. In the meantime, I must focus on a little work and getting the Clausen family back in the groove. For now, here's a little (teeny, tiny, barely representative) taste...

Back for More

2011-04-18T17:52:00.000-07:00

I was flattered when the K family contacted me several months ago and asked about booking a session. I'd photographed their sweet newborn daughter last year, and they wanted to capture her at the one-year mark and get some other special family images as well.

Our plans were derailed by illness once along the way, and in rescheduling we considered various options for timing and location. There were nap schedules, lighting considerations, and all of the usual good stuff to mull over and kick around, but in the end it was all worth it (at least I think so!).

We managed to capture the dainty and darling Miss A and her sweet sister K, plus some other good lookin' people as well. ;)

Little A was pretty serious during our time together, but I think we succeeded in capturing her gorgeous eyes and delicate features at the tender age of one. I look forward to sharing the entire gallery with her parents soon!

An Old (Young) Friend

2011-04-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

This morning's session was with an "old" friend. We got together to photograph T in honor of his second birthday, but I've had the pleasure of photographing this guy since he was a newborn. You might say that we go way back. ;)

It was so fun to watch him run around and explore. He was absolutely darling as he pointed out the distinctions between the surfaces below him -- grass to sidewalk, sidewalk to dirt, asphalt path to wooden bridge plank -- and gingerly tested each one with his toes before deciding that it was safe to cross the invisible threshold. And he upped the darling factor by waving goodbye to every animate and inanimate object as he moved from one area to the next. I found myself thinking, "goodbye, computer," and "goodbye, coffee mug" as I took leave of those things later in the day.

Here are some preview shots from my session with one very busy, very endearing little dude.

Oh! And because I can't resist letting everyone see just how much he's grown in a year, here is a shot from the first birthday session:

You can check out more from that session here. Cuteness abounds!

Lovely Mom-to-Be

2011-04-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's session was with a beautiful mom-to-be. She's one of the lucky ones -- the pregnancy has been smooth sailing, for the most part -- and it showed. She seemed excited yet peaceful, and I get the sense that it's one happy little dude blossoming in there. I can't wait to meet him!

Stopping to Smell the Roses

2011-04-05T20:48:00.000-07:00

This post is simply because I'm trying (really, really, really hard) to stop and smell the roses.

Or at least the weeds in the field down the street.

Even if it's just once in awhile.

Because almost everything on the to-do list -- as pressing as it may seem -- is actually small potatoes.

Right?

Little Big Guy

2011-04-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to photograph this guy when he was brand new and again with his family in the fall, and I get to see him once in awhile when he and his mom shuttle his big sibs to school and their activities. It's always a treat to see his big blue eyes and his darling smile.

But those eyes and smile are a bit deceiving. They always led me to believe he was one of those big, rolie-polie babies, when in fact, he's a one of those healthy little peanuts. Small on the scale but big on sweet personality. And as I saw on Friday, he's definitely his mama's number one fan. They have a great bond, and it's really fun to witness.

Here's a preview from his one-year session... These don't even include the cake shots, as it's been a busy weekend and I haven't even had a chance to go through those yet. But they are bound to be a great addition to his birthday gallery, and I look forward to smiling my way through the editing process. :)

Perfect Storm

2011-03-22T09:48:00.001-07:00

If you're here in the San Luis area, you're well aware of the rain we have had lately. Today's sunshine is apparently just a blip on the weather screen, giving us a taste of sun on our faces (if not actual warmth) between storms. On the up side, the hills around us are a dazzling, brilliant green and will likely stay that for awhile. No early brown for us this year.

Unfortunately, the rain has washed away some well-laid plans. My son would like to point out that his last two baseball games have been rained out. Saturday's session was rescheduled for April. And Sunday's session, well... it didn't quite go as planned.

The idea was hatched by a client who'd recently done a mini-session with me. She had two girlfriends coming to town, and they were going to stay at a beach house with their kids the weekend of March 19. The friends were interested in doing a session while they were there. It sounded great to me, and I had a couple of fun ideas for places we could meet up and run around.

But that rain I mentioned? It had other ideas.

Since the girls were only in town for the weekend, we forged ahead. I met up with them at the beach house. But it's safe to say that four preschoolers and a kindergartner cooped up in a house that isn't their own doesn't exactly make for the smoothest photo session. I wish I'd come with a thermos of bloody marys for their moms. ;)

Those sweet kids did their best, though, and while it might not have been the most fun their moms have had on a girls' weekend, we managed to get something out of the experience. Here's a sampling... Hopefully it begins to prove that -- in the end -- it was all worth it.

Remember My Little Buddies?

2011-03-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you probably remember K & K -- the little dudes I photographed every month of their first year.

Well, K & K are now about a year-and-a-half, and I still look for opportunities to hang out with them. Yesterday, their mom graciously agreed to show me around her adopted hometown of Cayucos, as I needed to scout some possible locations for a future session. Of course, a big part of the attraction, for me, was getting to catch up with these guys and their mama.

They certainly brightened an otherwise gray and drizzly day. :)

Launching Her Career

2011-03-16T20:09:00.001-07:00

My littlest baby has embarked on a new path... that of violinist.

After a hands-on music presentation at her preschool, she became enamored with the instrument, and she spent weeks lobbying for lessons. When I happened to talk to a friend who mentioned that her daughter had started to play, I decided that maybe I should indeed follow up. After a little research and some email correspondence, Foxy's life as a real-life violin player was born. (And yes, I do like that adding a sprinkling of the arts to her character counter-balances -- to a certain extent -- the pole-dancer-in-waiting nickname.)

At any rate, she is wild about her new endeavor and practices up a storm. Let's hope that the passion is rooted deep and holds true for awhile. The thing comes with a one-year rental agreement, after all.

Creeping

2011-03-16T12:45:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in that last post that we'd hit the park before the fog and drizzle rolled in. A more accurate description might be "creeped in"... I just love the way fog looks as it creeps over the surrounding hills. If I didn't have to head inside and start dinner, I'd have sat in a trancelike state and watched it until dark.

Placeholders

2011-03-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Last weekend's session was postponed due to client illness, and it looks like potential rain has already derailed at least one of this weekend's sessions. Such is the way it goes with location photography in the winter/early spring, even in this typically lovely part of the world. Ah, well. At least we have the return of late sunsets. If only I could get my body -- and the bodies of my kids -- adjusted to the time change.

I have a few other draft posts percolating, and I'll work hard to get those pulled together and online soon. For now, though, I simply offer up a glimpse at my yahoos at the park yesterday, enjoying some sunshine before the fog and drizzle rolled in.

Who said it was tough being the little sister? I'd say it's often she who wears the pants... and sits atop the dogpile.

One Smiley Dude

2011-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's session was with a little guy that I first met when he was just a few months old. Here's Mr. A back then:

I always have a great time seeing just how much my little clients have grown, but this smiley dude was an absolute delight. I don't think they get much happier or sweeter than this!

It sounds like I'll get to photograph him with his lovely parents later this spring. As you might imagine, I'm definitely looking forward to that!

Opening Day

2011-03-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

File this one under "posts that are mainly for our family's out-of-town relatives"...

Yesterday was the final day of basketball and Opening Day for the baseball season. The Awesome Santas, as our boys' basketball team was known, wrapped up their final game in fine fashion, I hear, putting many balls into the basket and generally having a great time.

I didn't get to attend that event because Noah's first baseball game conflicted with it, and he opted to kick off the season with his baseball team. First up was the Opening Day ceremonies and the parade of teams into the SLO Blues Stadium. I had fun getting a few really cute shots of him interacting with his teammates before they paraded, but since I don't post here without parental permission (and I didn't ask for it), I'm going to hit you with a few snapshots instead.

Here are a couple with his buddies. This first one makes them look a bit like little Martians, given the icky color cast from the bright orange plastic seats.

And then it was on to the game. My little dude didn't get a hit, but then those were kind of hard to come by (for both teams, really) on this first day. He did manage to foul off quite a few, which was pretty impressive to me since it was the first time he'd ever had to hit pitches thrown by a kid (instead of a coach).

Then I saw him walk out of the dugout like this, and I knew it would be fun.

He did a great job as catcher. Again, it was a whole new experience for him.

I liked the pat on the head from the coach at the end of his stint as catcher.

One down, 13 games to go. And then a tournament. Good thing I like this kid!

One Year Older, If Not Wiser

2011-03-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

It has been a long couple of weeks now. My husband spent a week in Europe on business, and during that stretch I endured an ant infestation, a broken dishwasher, the process of researching and purchasing a new dishwasher, an hourglass that shattered into a million pieces right at bedtime, an entire mug of coffee spilled onto my laptop, and three kids who apparently packed away the sweet sides of their dispositions in their father's outgoing luggage.

This week has been easier, in part because I've been able to spend a little time with family and friends celebrating the fact that as of yesterday, I'm another year older. But I've been no less exhausted, and I realized last night that I can likely blame that on a bad cold that has decided to settle into my head yesterday and wreak some havoc. So it was kind of tough to rally for the birthday dinner that my kids had planned, and to which they were really looking forward. But I did, and I'm really glad about that.

After a slightly bumpy start, we settled into a fun time together, and the whole thing culminated in the dimmed lights and flashing disco ball and crazy Japanese techno music that mark a birthday at our favorite sushi place. My kids were in heaven and my photo was snapped for the wall.

I was also presented with two darling drawings done by my boys as we waited for our food. One shows our family as Lego figurines; the other shows me (I think) and two of the sushi bar staff.

How about those boobs? I love the drawings, and I love my family for dragging my getting-sick butt out to dinner to celebrate yet another birthday. :)

To Combat the Dreariness

2011-02-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

The weather here today is cold, wet, wet, and cold. Add to that my current project: organizing four years' worth of personal and business files on five different hard drives. (While I have multiple copies of everything and while the business end of things is fairly tidy, my growth -- in a technological sense -- has been somewhat ad hoc and my systems reflect that. Ask me to put my fingers on, say, photos from when Noah was a baby and I'll likely get a glassy look and start rummaging around for an open bottle of wine.)

So as I sort and weed and occasionally bang my head against the desk, I'm going to take little breaks to look at photos like these from last weekend. Our good friends from Santa Cruz had come down to the cabin for a sleepover, and in the morning light the girls were all a-giggle while catching some air together.

Worth the Wait

2011-02-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

During our recent weekend away, we hit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We do this every time we're in town, which is many times a year, so we have annual passes and have explored most parts of the facility dozens of times. As a result, we'll sometimes pop in for just a half-hour or so. Other times, our visit consists primarily of lunch in the cafe. Since we've seen most of it before, none of us feels like we're missing out on anything.

Which is why this time, I allowed myself to be talked into the face painting line. I figured that if we killed a half-hour in the line waiting for a design on her face, who cared? It wasn't going to be my only chance to see the sea otters this year. (Or her dad's. He waited for awhile, too.)

Except that it wasn't a half-hour. It was more than 90 minutes. See, the cluster of six or seven kids ahead of us in line was quite deceiving. Apparently, there are many families who thought nothing of bringing in other kids -- plus extended family members and perhaps even friends they'd made during their visit -- to rotate through the face-painting lady's chair during "their turn." I was floored by the number of adults who plopped down in the chair, mere feet from my daughter and other little kids who'd been standing and waiting patiently for ungodly amounts of time.

But in the end, it was that patience that won me over. She didn't complain once, and in fact she thanked me profusely as she finally got close to the front of the line. And her excitement about the shark that was feasting on her eyeball was just too sweet.

In the end, it was worth the wait.

My Fruit Loops

2011-02-14T20:53:00.001-08:00

We Clausens just spent a relaxing and restorative long weekend in Carmel, our favorite family getaway spot. The entire experience would've been top-notch, if it hadn't been for the constant worry about our dear friend Justin, who had to make an emergency helicopter ride to Stanford on Saturday night. Fortunately, he's on his way home now, and it sounds like he's going to be okay. We'll continue to keep him foremost in our thoughts, though, until we know that there's no further reason to worry about his cute, sweet self.

Anyway, I had some valentine-y photos that I intended to share from Carmel but I forgot to take along the cord that links my camera to my laptop. Ah, well. More time to relax at the cabin and catch up on some other computer-related to-dos.

I'm turning to the unpacking end of things now, but I'll leave you with this goofy shot of my little fruit loops, who saw these at the candy store and thought they looked downright awesome.

A Glimpse at the Minis

2011-02-09T10:11:00.001-08:00

Here's a very quick look at a few of the images from last week's minis. This just scratches the surface, but it's better than no peek, right?

Right.

Now I must attempt to hem -- with a broken sewing machine -- a table runner for Friday's second grade tea party. Watch out, Martha Stewart. ;)

And Now, the B Family...

2011-02-07T23:22:00.000-08:00

Whew. What a week. I am reeeally close to wrapping up all of the mini-sessions and valentines. I am therefore very close to getting a solid night's sleep and maybe even a run in somewhere in the next couple of days. Light at the end of the tunnel!

Before I hit the sack tonight, however, I want to share the preview from Saturday's session with the B family. They are lovely, and so are these images.

I love that this guy has a smile at exactly the same stage as my own first grader's. There's nothing quite like a first-grade smile, and I'm glad we captured this one.

And with that, I sleep. Probably quite soundly!

Because It's Driving Me Crazy...

2011-02-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

... that I haven't posted anything in more than a week. And I have soooo much to share. Last week's mini-sessions were so very fun, and there are many, many darling images that resulted from all the effort. Plus, I had a full session on Saturday with a beautiful family and those images beg to be shared as well.

But I have much to wrap up. There are a couple more valentines to be ordered. So for tonight, at least, I am only able to toss up a couple of images from the last mini-session I did.

They might not even be the best of the lot. I don't think that they are. But I really, really love them.

Announcing... In Very Limited Supply...

2011-01-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to do it... I was going to keep my calendar open and catch up on a bunch of Clausen family to-dos. The thing is, with an open calendar, I still haven't made much headway on the to-do list. Things just seem to pop up and suck up my free time. And I miss getting out there. The shooting and the editing. It's way more fun than organizing my closet.

SO. I am announcing a very limited supply of Valentine's Day mini-sessions. There are four indoor slots and four outdoor slots. And they're THIS WEEK, people. I know that it's short notice and limited supply, but if you make this happen, I promise that you won't be sorry. You'll get some very sweet shots of your little darling(s), and I'm throwing in 24 wallet-sized valentines to boot. (You can also upgrade to 4.5x5 press-printed cards for an additional fee.) You get to choose from the 8 different designs shown below, and they'll be hand-delivered on Wednesday, February 9.

Don't wait. Contact me by email (erin@erinclausenphotography.com) or phone (234-4143) to schedule yours!

More Hiking

2011-01-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

The kids and I stumbled upon another great hike after school one day last week. I continue to be amazed at the number of beautiful trails we have snaking up, over and around the hills of San Luis.

Here are a couple of quick shots from the impromptu hike. E went on a major hike with his dad yesterday and they took along a camera. I'll see if I can track those photos down and add them to the blog as well.

Piggy Tails and Grins

2011-01-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

My posts lately have been all about the Clausen family, and as scintillating as those no doubt are, I thought I'd change things up with a few photos of a little pig-tailed doll. It was so fun to see her (and her mama) and witness just how much she's grown. For a quick flashback, check her out during her cake smash a year ago.

Absolute cuteness, right?

Amazing Experience

2011-01-23T20:34:00.000-08:00

So I had this whole blog post written up and ready to post. And then I inadvertantly swiped part of my palm across the touch pad on my laptop and the whole thing went "poof"... just as my autosave kicked in. And I was left with two measly letters on the screen. Grrrr...

I'm too tired to reconstruct it now, but here's the gist:

Anyone who's been within earshot of the Clausens in the last week knows that we were up to something special during the boys' day off from school on Friday. We're fortunate to have some very special, very thoughtful friends, because we were invited by them to visit the closed-to-the-public set of Wipeout. Yes, we were on the set of what my kids consider the most awesome most amazing best show in the whole wide world and probably the galaxy.

Needless to say, they were in heaven. If you talk to any of us in the coming days and feel like hearing about it, I can guarantee that we'll talk your ear off.

The entire experience was amazing, and we had such a great and memorable time. The only bump in our otherwise fabulous ride was when we were told to pocket the cameras while on the actual set. Oh, that was so very hard for a person like me to do. But I have to say, I probably enjoyed our time there even more because I had to do that. With no camera to futz with, I held my kids' hands. They cuddled in my lap. I soaked up details about the show and my kids' interaction with it that I might otherwise have missed.

So it was all good.

We were able to take a few shots as we were coming and going -- mostly as we passed through what they refer to as the "graveyard" (where the old props and obstacle pieces are stored) so I'll share those here. And the official show photographer took some others that I've been told we'll get eventually. If that holds true, I'll share them when I can.

Here's Noah documenting the view as we were driven onto the lot by our friendly escort.

And here are my yahoos as we passed back through the graveyard to our car.

So very, very fun. And I apologize in advance if our answers to the question "How was the Wipeout visit?" are a tad longwinded. It can't be helped.

My Obsession With The Mustard

2011-01-19T12:06:00.000-08:00

Last week, I emailed a friend. "Meet me at the mustard," I implored her. "Bring your camera. It'll be FUN!"

You see, I have this obsession with mustard. Those little yellow flowers that are EVERYWHERE at this time of year. I love their color, their perkiness. They seem so happy, in their weedlike way.

I was sure that we would have a great time playing among the blooms, and I wanted to practice shooting in backlighting with a relatively new lens that I've yet to "click" with (pardon the pun).

Except that I was late. And the tall weeds were seductive, luring the boys way, way off into the far reaches of the fields where our lenses and strict instructions could not reach them. The sun dipped quickly, and before we knew it we were running late for basketball practice. My friend gave up and packed her kids into the car. None of my hooligans was paying attention to a thing I said, or perhaps they actually were, for they were opting to do the exact opposite of everything I asked. And once I again, I was hollering at them to please, for the love of everything, use those big, beautiful brains that God gave them.

But then I got home, and I had these images. And a bunch of others. And I realized that sometimes the beauty is there -- it's just not the way we pictured it in our heads.

Sometimes I just need to take a deep breath and let go.

One More

2011-01-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

I am trying to force myself out of my box in this new year, and this shot from today's hike is one example of my efforts toward that end. There's something about it that I love, so I figured I'd add it to the collection already posted below.

Re the box thing... I was going to try to set concrete goals for myself -- like an OOTB photo post a week -- but I'm already overwhelmed by the size of my to-do lists. So I'm going to refrain from committing to specific numbers and dates and will instead just try to take more of them.

Family Hike

2011-01-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, 3/5 of our family was really tempted to laze around on the couch and watch football. Fortunately, we opted to get off our buttocks (as my daughter would say) and get out the door into the gorgeous sunshine.

We've got this book, which details hikes all around the San Luis Obispo area, and we've tried a couple of new ones recently. The trail we picked today was awesome -- complete with waterfalls and streams to ford (the footbridge was washed out in one place due to recent storms). The kids had a ball, excluding the time when Foxy spotted a pile of animal poop the size of a basketball and decided to be scared of possible bears. Other than that, they were pretty much happy little people, even laughing off soaking wet shoes and scraped up legs.

For anyone interested, the trail was #84 in the book: Reservoir Canyon. If you're really adventurous (and without a preschooler in your party), you can take the trail all the way up to the crest of the hill and come down the other side in a totally different part of town.

And yes, if you happened to notice; that is a backpack full of dolls on my husband. Rapunzel and Snow White simply HAD to join us, or so we were (quite forcefully) told.

Belated Follow-up

2011-01-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

What happens when the husband works an unexpected loooooooong week, one which leaves us with precious few waking hours to see him (and put him to work on household tasks)?

I drop balls.

Fortunately, I didn't drop any that were particularly fragile. I did neglect to draw and post the winner of the newborn session giveaway. Good thing the entries were a little sparse. ;)

Without further adieu, the winner is Joanne, who commented here on the blog. Email me soon, Joanne, and I'll get a certificate to you for your friends.

While I tossed out the giveaway because I was feelin' all things baby last weekend, I also had a sneaking suspicion that I need to pump up the online and social marketing. While I know anecdotally that the blog does get read, and while I've been fortunate in keeping my bookings at capacity without much outreach, I've determined that the path to continued growth will require me to tinker with a couple of things and put in a little bit of elbow grease to reach new clients and provide a better experience for existing ones. I'm excited about the possibilities, and now I'm even more committed to following through.

Let's just hope that I do a better job following through on that than on my no-dessert-on-weeknights resolution. Boy, did I bomb with that one.

And because no post should go up without a photo, here's a shot of my three loonies. I was making a phone call after loading up the car with groceries, and I turned around to see this...

Yep, those are my goofballs.

So Big!

2011-01-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when K & K, the sweet boys I'd photographed monthly through their entire first year, arrived yesterday. They walked! They talked! (I swear, one of them engaged me in a lengthy conversation about "on" and "off.")

And they looked like little men.

Here they are, sporting the handsome holiday outfits that they never quite made it into on Christmas Day. Who wants to get out of their PJs if they don't have to?

On a different note, scroll down to see my post about the FREE newborn session I'm offering up. Easy to win and no strings attached. If you're expecting or know someone who is, check it out!

Win a FREE newborn session!

2011-01-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I received a package from the incredibly talented photographer/knitter/crafter Heather Bauers. I contains a sweet little knitted cocoon and a selection of A-DOR-ABLE newborn hats. (She just had a baby and her inventory is somewhat limited right now, but keep an eye on her etsy shop for some of the cutest newborn accessories you'll see anywhere.)

ANYWAY, unpacking my goodies gave me the strong desire to add another newborn or two to the coming months' schedule. The possibilities for darling photos are just too tempting. SO. At the risk of driving my CFO/husband a bit bonkers, I'm staging a little giveaway. If you're pregnant, or if you know someone who is (winning it for her would be an awesome gift!), this one is for you.

Easy-peasy to enter. Just leave a comment here or on my Facebook page by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, January 13. I'll draw one winner from all comments received in both places. The winner of a FREE newborn session (a $185 value) will be announced here and on Facebook on Friday the 14th.
The fine print: This giveaway is applicable only to babies not yet born. If you win, I'll pencil in your due date and then confirm the session date and time with you once your baby arrives. Please note that I photograph newborns before they are two weeks old (5-10 days old is ideal), because this gives us the best opportunities for those sweet sleepy images.

And since no post is good without a photo, here you go. It doesn't feature any cool hats or accessories, but darn if it isn't cute.

PRINT SALE

2011-01-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

The fine print: Please note that this cannot be applied to prints within a package, only to prints purchased a la carte.

Little Dude

2011-01-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

The following photos are from yesterday's session with little D, who's six months old and shares a birthday with my daughter (which makes him super extra cool in her eyes).

You may remember D from his family's fall session preview. Or you may just enjoy these fun images. ;)

Some Final Snapshots From Our Holiday Break

2011-01-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist tossing these silly shots on the blog. Just some goofy snaps from one evening during vacation. Unplanned, unedited. The girly and her dad just decided to ham it up.

And I love them for it.

Fourteen Schmorteen

2011-01-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

My extremely fortunate kids got some pretty nice gifts this Christmas, including a couple of VERY special Lego sets they got from Pops (their paternal grandpa). My last post included a picture of E with the At-At Walker that he constructed mostly on his own, with a little help from his brother and dad.

Having completed that set in what seemed like a flash, E declared that he was going to tackle the other set -- the 3,803-piece Death Star -- all on his own. With no help at all. Despite the fact that it was labeled as "for ages 14+."

I was a little worried.

I anticipated a few meltdowns and some muttered curse words (from me, when I was forced to help out or talk him down from the ledge). I definitely expected some tears and some foot stomping along the way.

I was so wrong.

My little dude, at the ripe old age of 8, put this doozy together ALL BY HIMSELF. On only a couple of occasions, I pitched in to find a stray piece in the pile, but he deemed that help acceptable because I (a) really hate doing Legos, and (b) am really terrible at doing Legos. Other than that, it was all him.

Perhaps the thing I'm most proud of is his attitude. Throughout the week that he spent on this thing, he was cheerful, pleasant and kind to his brother and sister. A few times he ran into stumbling blocks and when I encouraged him to take a break and go back with fresh eyes, he easily agreed. When I had to pull him away from the Legos to go spend a night at his grandparents' house, he smiled and said he was looking forward to the sleepover and would also be happy to return to the Legos the next day.

I was pretty certain at this point that despite all scientific proof to the contrary, this kid has none of my own DNA.

Here's the view of him we enjoyed for most of the past week:

And some other snaps from the contruction process...

And Mr. Oh-So-Proud-of-Himself:

Now I just need to figure out where we're going to display the darn thing.

Vacation

2010-12-29T21:52:00.000-08:00

This week has been reeeeaaally mellow around our house. The kids have played, I've cleaned up, we've snuggled and watched football -- and then watched rescheduled football -- and that's about it. For his part, Evan has been digging into the two GINORMOUS Lego sets that the kids got for Christmas from Pops (yes, they were bestowed upon all three kids, but only one has the interest and patience to build the darn things).

Yesterday we did go to the pool to swim at lunchtime (that's right! outdoors! hooray for the 3% of the country that's not under a blanket of snow!). And the day before that we hit the Bob Jones Trail with my parents so that Foxy could practice her new biking skills and we could all get a little fresh air.

Here's the photographic evidence...

Noah got a camera for Christmas. He's obsessed with its video capabilities. He spent the entire bike ride running alongside her and documenting every rotation of the pedals. We even had to -- got to! -- sit and watch a Blair Witch Project-esque DVD that night.

In Avila Beach after stopping for ice cream:

At "Halfway Hill" on the way back:

Back at the homestead and still obsessed with documenting everything. (And eerily resembling his mother...)

And the Lego dude with the first of his two crazy Star Wars creations.

The Death Star might warrant its own post...

Snapshots of a Clausen Christmas

2010-12-27T22:31:00.000-08:00

This year was much like Christmases of years past... Church on Christmas Eve, dinner with my parents, presents at home on Christmas morning, and a day with even more family after that.

There were a couple of key differences, though. For one thing, we missed my brother and SIL, who were with her family this year. For another thing, the kids have definitely -- finally! -- matured. While in the past we've spent part of Christmas afternoon facing down the greedy goblins that sneak in and suddenly embody our children, this year they were pretty good at maintaining the perspective that the holiday is about family more than presents. They were pretty patient about waiting their turn, and they were as enthusiastic about giving their gifts to each other as they were about opening things from Santa. And once they were done, they were done. Hardly a casual musing about whether there might just be one more thing for them under the tree. (Though I might have caught Evan crawling around beneath it a couple of times.)

I also managed to keep a pretty mellow attitude throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas -- partly as a result of getting packages wrapped up early and partly as a result of my sweet husband, who never missed a chance to compliment me on maintaining a happy (unstressed) outlook. The dinner was fairly unremarkable but yummy and well-received and the day wrapped up with everyone happy. Success.

Here are some snapshots that capture some of Clausen Christmas 2010.

First up, a lively church service during which the kids got to dress up and participate in the Nativity scene (they got to be Joseph, a shepherd and an angel).

Then it was off to dinner at my parents' house. They decided to give us our gifts that night, and the kids were happy to go with it.

Once home, the kids got down to business preparing for Santa. They even got quite upset when they thought Brian and I were staying up too late (and causing Santa to skip our house).

A last shot before bed:

And then it was Christmas morning.

Brian sports his gifts from Foxy and Noah (is it wrong for your kids to purchase beer merchandise??):

Evan asked for and got a desk for Christmas, and it proved the perfect place to assemble (in typical lightning speed) his new set of Legos.

And finally, some posed family shots, including the traditional shot of my dad and Brian's grandpa (who turned 90 last week!)...

... and an impromptu shot of all the girls wearing scarves (gifts and previously owned).

As I said, it was a good one. I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful holiday as well!

On Two Wheels

2010-12-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

First, my apologies for the lack of blog posts lately. I will make up for it soon. Promise!

And second, LOOK WHO LEARNED HOW TO RIDE ON TWO WHEELS THIS CHRISTMAS EVE!!

No, the bike wasn't a Christmas present or anything. Just her brother's old starter bike (and the one both boys learned to ride on without help). She just got it into her head that she was going to master this TODAY, of all days.

She was beaming. SO incredibly proud of herself. And then it was off to get celebratory ice cream, of course.

Deeeee-licious

2010-12-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

The cake was apparently yummy. But frankly, this little girl's one-year-old cheeks and legs reminded me of my own kids at that age, and I think that they were probably the most scrumptious thing in the room.

And that's it for 2010 client previews. It's a wrap!

Closing the Loop

2010-12-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Last week (or was it the previous week??), I wrote that I'd post a recent, random shot of each of my kids. Well, I'm back -- and finally sharing a snap of my karate kid.

No crazy poses, no silliness. Just my sweet big boy in the uniform we seem to be constantly searching for as we paw through piles (and piles and piles) of laundry.

And now that I've closed the loop on that micro-project, I'm closing the loop on my 2010 client work as well. Today, I'll deliver the last set of holiay cards and the last print order. I'll drop at the post office a last package for a client who moved. And on Thursday I'll photograph my last little subject (another birthday girl who I first met as a newborn a year ago).

I'll complete my editing and post the final galleries of 2010, and then I'll finally -- FINALLY -- turn my attention to some personal projects and holiday preparations. Do I really have just 18 days to get that act together??

Goodness Gracious!

2010-12-01T23:24:00.000-08:00

I mean, seriously, have you SEEN anything this cute in awhile?

Happy birthday, sweet T. xoxoxo...

Her creative and thoughtful mama came up with the "O" and the "N" and the "E" and left them with me for future little Tinkerbells...

Comfort

2010-12-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Look at me! Sticking to my plan!

If you saw yesterday's post and know me well, you probably figured I'd end up bailing on posting any other random shots of my kids this week. In my life, something always pops up to divert my attention and pull me away from even the best-laid plans.

But here I am, back with a new favorite shot of my girl. This blanket got lost awhile back and -- amazingly -- she was totally fine and quickly over both it and the thumb. I did a happy dance, thinking that I had closed the door on the last of our family's diaper/pacifier/thumb habits with no major drama.

Then one night Daddy found the blanket and thoughtfully tucked it under her arm while whe slept.

Aaaaaand, the thumb habit is back. So is the constantly-misplacing-the-blanket-around-the-house-and-whining-about-not-being-able-to-find-it habit.

Good thing she's cute.

No Reason At All

2010-11-30T11:29:00.001-08:00

When I post a blog entry, there's usually a reason. A client preview, a personal story, or photos of a milestone in our family. Something like that.

This time there's absolutely no reason at all. These random shots just make me smile.

And in the interest of equality, I'll try to post a couple silly images of the other two Clausen kids in the next couple of days. Fair is fair, after all.

I also have a super sweet client preview to post tomorrow. So if you find the random family stuff boring, just hold tight. I've got something for you, too. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-26T12:55:00.000-08:00

The camera didn't make much of an appearance yesterday, in large part because I did an eight-mile charity run in the morning and could hardly move for the rest of the day. It was all I could do to pull together the stuffing and the sweet potatoes for the family dinner (but MAN, am I glad I did that -- YUM).

I did get a request for some shots for my brother and SIL's Christmas card, and my parents wanted in on some photo action as well. Thus, we have these...

And this one, which is so them, and which I think will get printed as a stocking stuffer...

Too bad that I didn't think to comb my daughter's hair AT ALL yesterday.

And this was the scene when Brian brought the turkey in from the BBQ. :)

And finally, I herded everyone outside for one quick family shapshot before dinner. It was near dark and there was hot food waiting to be transferred to the table, so it is what it is. But it's documentation of everyone who was present, and for that -- and their presence -- I am grateful.

Family Finale

2010-11-17T12:52:00.001-08:00

Dang it. I was THIS CLOSE. I made it almost all the way through the crazy fall family season without missing a deadline, but alas... This preview didn't quite get posted within the promised 48 hour window.

Fortunately, this family was very understanding. And cute, yes?

Now it's a sprint to get the remaining galleries posted, a few more holiday cards created and all orders fulfilled*. I am looking forward to enjoying some of the Thanksgiving to New Year's stretch with my own family, and I am long overdue when it comes to paying attention to some things around my house. I am fairly certain that there's a laundry basket of clean clothes that hasn't been unloaded in more than a month... which my explain my somewhat random wardrobe of late...

*If you've got an open gallery and plan to place an order before Christmas, please note that my deadline for receiving these orders and guaranteeing delivery for the holiday is December 4. Please plan accordingly, and of course let me know if you have questions at all. Thanks!

Wrapping it Up

2010-11-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks the end of my 2010 family sessions. They were actually due to wrap up last weekend, but the dreary rain led us to postpone the final two until now. And it's good that we did, as this weekend has been a gorgeous one. In mid-November. Go figure.

Anyway, here's the fabulous family from Friday (ha! alliteration!). I'm posting them without much commentary, as I need to pack up the car and head out to the final session shortly. In leiu of any narration, I'll just toss in a few more preview shots than usual. ;)

Remember this guy from his newborn session? What a big guy he is now!

Thanks, G family!

Change of Plans

2010-11-07T19:06:00.001-08:00

On Friday morning, I was looking ahead to a busy weekend of work -- I had sessions scheduled for Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Turns out, my weekend was great but didn't go at all the way I'd planned.

By Friday afternoon, I got an email from my husband saying that some friends of ours were going to be in town and would be hanging out with us and bunking down at Casa de Clausen Saturday night. And then the cruddy weather blew in, and both my sessions ended up being rescheduled for next weekend. So instead of a busy 48 hours of work, I got to partake in a relaxing and fun time with family and friends. Not bad for a last-minute change of plans.

Because I don't have any client previews to post this evening, I thought I'd share some before-bed snapshots from last night. I'm in the midst of setting up a permanent studio downstairs, so the lighting equipment and backdrop paper were handy. With girls this cute visiting, how could I resist talking them into a few minutes in front of the camera? My own daughter certainly thought it was a GREAT idea.

Major cuteness, right??

The Sky Was Falling

2010-11-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, I met up with the O family for their 2010 family photos. As always, it was great to see them... and as usual, I was tickled by the changes since the last time.

When I first met M about a year and a half ago, she was pregnant with Mr. T (who turned one this spring). We did some family photos last year, and then we got together again in June when she was pregnant with Mr. D. (Phew! That was a lot of links!)

This was my first chance to photograph the family of FOUR. And what a good-looking family they are... At first, Mr. D wasn't sure he wanted to wake up from his nap, but after a bit he was champ.

And because I just loved watching the boys interact, I have to post a few candids as well. Big brother was absolutely adorable watching -- very closely -- over his little guy.

At one point, though, he must've gotten a little too close, because baby brother got VERY unhappy. I couldn't help but crack up at the response of the apparently guilty party. His arms flew up, fingers grabbing at his own hair, and I could almost hear the Steve Urkel catch line, "Did I do that??"

No real harm done, though. This little dude was absolutely fine.

During the course of our time together, the wind picked up and the leaves started raining down from the trees above. It was truly beautiful, and T was transfixed. While his brother had a snack, the Big Guy investigated, showed off, chased and thoroughly enjoyed the falling leaves.

There's nothing like watching a kid experience something for the first time, and I felt fortunate to be a part of T's playdate with the leaves.

Thanks, guys, for yet another memorable experience!

New Friends

2010-11-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

This great family includes kids in both my boys' classes -- plus two little ones that my daughter adores. They're fairly new to town (at least this time around), but my own crew has definitely decided that they're good to have around. ;)

Oh, and I am going to have to ask mom to style my own family for our photos next year. LOVE what they wore!

Just realized that this preview is all vertically oriented... I must be in a vertical mood today. Never fear: There are horizontal shots, too, including a great family shot. Christmas card, here we come!

And I'll toss in one horizontal shot for kicks.

Thanks, H family! See you again soon.

Vibrant Girls

2010-11-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

Last Friday's session featured a great family who booked one of my very first sessions two years ago. It was fun to see and work with them again -- and in one of my favorite photo locations to boot.

The M girls are lovely and lively and their vibrant outfits just mirrored their energy and vibrant personalities. I've got lots of images to go through and pull from for their gallery. I'm looking forward to that!

We Tricked and Treated

2010-11-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm about to dive into client work this morning, but before I do, I thought I'd share a few snaps from Clausen Halloween 2010. It was a fun evening of catching up with friends and indulging the kids in their extreme excitement about the holiday. It felt good to focus on my yahoos 100% for a couple of hours; it's sometimes tough to do that at this time of year. Besides, for how many more years will they all think that it's SO FUN to run around with their parents and dig through their loot to find us our favorite candy? Me thinks not many...

Here's the Harry Potter Crew before we headed out. (That's Harry in his quiddich uniform, a student from Slitherin dorm, and Miss Hermione, in case you were wondering.)

And here they are as they jetted through a nearby neighborhood. Seriously, I think Noah may have added jet packs to his shoes. For most of the evening, that kid was just a streak of maroon robe. I think they only time he slowed down was when one candy giver asked to see a trick and he dropped to the ground for five push-ups.

Now it's time to weed through the candy and plot ways to get them in bed by 7:00 tonight. Halloween is awesome, but the Halloween hangover, not so much.

Rockin' It

2010-10-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

This family chose a rocky backdrop for their 2010 family photos. In my opinion, they rocked it. :)

Off to get the kids ready for some Halloween fun. I think I'm going to take the day off tomorrow to celebrate and recharge the mental batteries. I'll be back Monday with another preview from last night's fun session. Happy Halloween!

Remember These Cuties?

2010-10-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

I first met L & L when they were pretty darn new. Then I got to spend some time with them over the summer.

A couple of days ago I met up with them again to take some photos for the family Christmas card and document the twins at 10 months old. Unfortunately, that's just about the age that stranger anxiety sets in, and Miss L, in particular, wasn't convinced that my camera and I were welcome guests. It reminded me of a time when my own son -- at the very same age -- decided that he was terrified of his own visiting grandmother. :( In the end, we got some sweet shots, but I still feel rotten for causing her so much distress. I promise that we'll be friends again, sweet girl!