Cassi is turning 9!

I truly do not know where the time flies and I know it's very cliche but it seems like yesterday she was in diapers! I took Cassi to Old Poway Park in Poway to take her nine year pictures early this year because last year I got into October and her birthday passed with no pictures.

We went to Poway Park with Lori Bevan so she could photograph her daughters also. Cassi has been friends with her daughter Lexi since birth so we were able to capture a couple of pictures of the two of them all dolled up together!

October is a super crazy month for me professionally and I fit in a trip to Disneyland and a birthday party for family each year for Cassi.

So here is my beautiful daughter growing up way too fast and lookin gorgeous doing so!

Enjoy!

Darrin's (and the rest of the PH Patriots) highlights

Here's the highlights from Darrin's game-The very first play is Darrin. If you have never checked out the Prep Pigskin Report-It's a great way to see all the San Diego High school sports highlights every week. I am not sure how this works so if you need to...chose 8/31/07 PAtrick Henry V Santana Sultans.

I promise to figure this out by next week!!!

Enjoy!!!

KUSI - News, Weather and Sports - San Diego, CA Highlight Zone

Patrick Henry 32-Santana 27

I wanted to share this pic from my nephews awesome home opener on Friday...He was amazing! The Santana Sultans scored a touchdown with less than a minute in the game (55 seconds to be exact!) to go ahead and Darrin was able to accomplish a drive all the way down field in 49 seconds and the Patriots scored a game winning touchdown with only 6.4 seconds to go on the clock!

He had 59 yards rushing, 187 yards passing as quarterback and 7 Tackles on defense as safety.

I think I got those stats correct...I am sure I will be corrected if I didn't but if you want to see highlights (he's number 32)...check out the above post for highlights!!!!

Cassi started school this week, I helped Geri shoot a wedding on Saturday and I spent a wonderful Saturday afternoon with my Mom and sisters (Diane and Debbie). We went to one of the local casinos and had a blast! (We all won which helps!!!!)

I have more images to show but they'll have to wait til next post!!!!

Enjoy!!!

Missing my baby...

I know this sounds crazy but I can not sleep because Cassi is not in the house tonight. She spent the night at a friend's house and you would think I would be elated but NOOOO...

It's almost 1:00am and I am missing her!

She is growing up to be such a little lady and although she can be a beast at times...mostly she's a beauty!

I took these pics of her last week.

Enjoy!

Are you ready for some football???

Here's Cassi sporting her LT jersey while supporting her cousin Darrin. I love this picture as the team comes on the field for the first time this season. Their team name is the Patriots and I like how this Patriot seems to be watching over them as they come down the hill.

I didn't realize I captured this image until I was editing these but from all of the news reports...Number 28 Dillon Baxter for the Mission Bay Buccaneers is supposed to be some kind of phenomenon. He scored millions of touchdowns as a freshman for their Varsity last year and was named second team All CIF last year...as a freshman. There was a news article about him on Thursday calling him "the Next Reggie Bush" so I figure I'll hang onto this image and maybe someday it'll be worth something. And..of course I thought it was a really cool shot!
I love this image of my nephew Darrin carrying the ball. I take pictures at his games and it gives him a chance to see the game and see parts of the game he didn't get a chance to see.

I am so excited for football season to start!! There are so many names and teams I will be watching this year and it'll be fun to see how they all do!

Of course we love our San Diego Chargers and after the crushing loss that ended last season I think all of San Diego can not wait for this season to get under way!

My favorite team to watch is my nephew Darrin and his high school team. Darrin has played organized football since he was 5. When my sister chose his name I recall her saying to me, "Don't you think his name is a good name for a football player?" Little did I know how prophetic those words would be.

Darrin has already been on a football team (American Youth Football) that won the National Championship in Florida (as their quarterback), has been named to the 2004 American Youth All-American Football team, was MVP offensive and overall for his freshman high school team, and is on his second year Varsity (as a junior) playing both offense and defense.

The last two years Darrin has been a running back but the team needed his expertise and leadership at quarterback so he is filling that need on the team this year.

Last night was their first scrimmage and I have to say they looked petty good. They were playing Mission Bay High School which is a really good team and I think they held their own. The score doesn't tell you much because they played 1st, 2nd and third string so everyone could get some time on the field.

I will be keeping you up to date on his team and their progress this year so I will apologize in advance for my ramblings.

Enjoy!!!

My excuses why...

Where the turf meets the surf....

We spent an amazing day at the Del Mar Racetrack where my sister and her husband have season box seats that are amazing. My brother in laws best friend is a very successful horse trainer here in California and he had two horses running last Sunday including a stakes race so we got to be a part of a very special day.

We could not have asked for a more beautiful, more eventful... fun day than we had.

These are taken down in the paddock. Because Eric had two horses that ran (AND WON!!!) this day we were able to go down to the paddock in the owners area while the horses were prepared for their races. We even got to be in the winner's circle and picture after the horses won. The first horse...Scat Thief was a long shot that came in and paid pretty well and the second horse Salute the Sarge was the favorite in the stakes race and won it. This horse is unbeaten in three races and they have huge plans for it.

Cassia and Mackenzie got tattooed (okay...their faces painted!) while in the infield of the racetrack where they have family entertainment.
Cassi throwing the peace sign...
My gorgeous nephew Brendon!
MacKenzie, Cassi and Steven in their season box at Del Mar.

Michael Baze is the jockey who rode both horses and is having a phenomenal run here at Del Mar.
Mac posing in the paddock!
Steven, My Mom, Brendon, Cassi, Diane, Mac, Kathy and I down in the paddock before Scat Thief ran.

This is Eric Guillot (My brother in law Brian's friend) being interviewed after the stakes race. He is a big deal now in the horse racing business. My sister tells all kinds of stories from when he was just starting out years ago and I have to say this man is hysterical!!!!

(By the way...all of the above images are taken with my Casio Point and shoot!)

I feel like all I do is make excuses why I don't post more often on this blog and then I realize that although my life moves at 100 miles an hour I wouldn't change it for the world...so you are getting a random post of everything I have been up to since last post...along with some pics to prove it.

My wonderful Aunt Kathy was out from Ohio and when she is in town we just have a blast!

A simple rundown of our week:
Harrah's
Del Mar Race Track
Anthony's on the Harbor (seafood)
Wind and Sea Beach
Viejas
Coronado Ferry across the bay
Barbeque at my Mom's
and that isn't all the wonderful meals we had...and the great conversations on my Mom's backyard patio...

My aunt is a joy to be around and we just have loads of fun when she comes to town! In between all of the entertainment...I worked and had a staff fiesta to go to so I have had very little time for anything else...(evidenced by the loads of laundry waiting to be done!!!!)

Enjoy!!!

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

My sister and friend Erin had front row seats to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill perform. Here is their proof of how close they were to the stage.
Tim and Faith opened the concert with a duet.

Faith Hill performed first and was amazing although there were times she didn't seem all there. At the end of the show Tim McGraw said she had fallen ill backstage and wouldn't be coning out for the encore so I think that's why she seemed a little out of it...

I love this picture because you can see how close my sister was to the stage. At times she had to shoot UP to take his picture. My seats were awesome but no where close to the stage!
I love this mans arms...MY WEAKNESS!
I am not sure which song he is singing here but it looks like he is singing "Live Like You were Dying" which was the most awesome thing to sing along to. It must be amazing to have thousands of people sing along to one of your songs and know ALL of the words!
My sister had the privilege of sitting super close to two of the San Diego Padres Star pitchers...Jake Peavy and Trevor Hoffman (definite Hall of Famer!) They were enjoying the show just as much as we were. Diane texted me that they were sitting by her and I have to admit I spent a lot of time watching them!!!

So...I was hoping to update everyone since the last time I posted. I...as always have been incredibly busy these last few weeks. It's 1:00am again and I have so much to share I know that if I don't start posting soon I am just going to get overwhelmed and never do it! These pictures are courtesy of my sister Diane and her great seats at the concert last week in San Diego. Her friend Erin was given these tickets at the last minute by a friend and so Diane passed her seats on to Angela and me.

I have to admit to not really being fans of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill but after this concert I went home and did some damage to the checking account on ITUNES. They put on an amazing show and every seat in the arena was a great view.

Tim McGraw has a new single called "If You Are Reading This...." and it is the most amazing song out there right now. I don't think you can get through the song without choking up. It's a letter home to a military man's family after he has passed away. San Diego being such a military town this song was especially sentimental.

One of the radio stations the next morning talked about the fact that Tim McGraw gave 100 floor seats to a military family here in San Diego that lost their son in Iraq and he dedicated the song to them when he sang it. It was really an amazing thing for him to do!

So...I have an aunt in town from Ohio and we have been on the go all weekend. Today we went to the Del Mar racetrack and had the most amazing time...I will post pics tomorrow...

Enjoy!!!!

a new baby girl!

A friend of mine had her third little girl last Monday and me being one never to miss an opportunity to photograph sweet little babies I went to visit her (of course with a camera in tow...I had a new lens I needed to break in!). I have been photographing her two oldest daughters for about 7 years and this new little one is just as photogenic as they are.

I am really loving bright bright colors and baby Addison's room is painted in neon pink and green and I fell in love with it. They really did a great job making her nursery a happy place for her to grow up.

I thought I would share some of the images we captured that morning. Her middle child loves the camera and the camera loves her back so I added some of hers on here too. Her bedroom has exquisite paintings on her walls and the wall behind her says..."It's good to be Queen" and it totally sums her up!

Congrats again Cindy!

Enjoy!

My achy breaky heart!!!

Cassi and her friend in front of the Billy Ray Cyrus display at WalMart.

Fan who waited all Night shared this signed glossy of Billy Ray looking prettier than his daughter Miley.

That's as close as we got to Billy Ray because of the big balding guy in the white shirt...Walmart body guards if you will!!!

So...today...I think I jumped head first into the preteen years with my 8 year old. My phone rang this morning and it was my sister calling to inform me that Billy Ray Cyrus was signing autographs at the local Santee Walmart (yes...gotta love the venue!!!). My daughter told her I was still asleep so she asked her to pass on this delicious piece on information to me...unbeknownst to my sister that he is the father of Disney's teen sensation Hannah Montana. I think my sister thought I would get a kick out of the fact he had fans.

Well...my daughter and her friend were ecstatic. There was no doubt in their minds that we were going to brave the crowds and the heat to meet Miley Cyrus's hunk of a father. Me...I'd already seen him sing in the pouring rain after a Padres game years ago when Achy Breaky Heart was huge. Even then we had absolute front row seats to see this mullett wearing country singer.

Off we went to the local WalMart because I was sure no one would be standing in line waiting to see this "Dancing with the Stars" loser. Boy was I wrong! In the 90+ degree heat the line was all the way around the WalMart and getting longer by the second. There were fans of all ages everywhere! I was told that from the spot we had in line it would be at least a four hour wait. Guess we should have got there at midnight like the rest of them!

I talked the two girls into seeing if we could catch a glimpse of him in the store and then buying the new Hannah Montana CD...

So that's the pics you have up top. Our glimpse of Billy Ray Cyrus signing autographs for all of those adoring fans who braved the WalMart parking lot in the super hot heat...TRUE fans if you ask me! We asked one of those fans if we could take a picture of their signed photos...after all Billy Ray had touched it!!! Sooo...here goes the next few years of my life chasing down the stars for Cassi...wonder who'll be next???

Oh...yes..I did buy his newest cd...there's always a chance it's good right?????

Enjoy!!!

Christmas in July

This is going to be a quick post for a couple of reasons:

1. Cassi would not get off the computer tonight because she had important Barbie business to take care of.

2. It's 12:20am

3. I had a busy day at the park photographing and I am tired tonight...

With that being said....

The above photo is my Christmas Card from last year. I figured since it has been 7 months today since Christmas it was time to share it with my friends. Last year was a really hard year for me around Christmas and I guess I wasn't up to my jolly old self because the Christmas card you see I created on December 24th (actually Christmas day if you get technical about it). It was 1:30 in the morning and I usually at least have a card for my family. So I quickly created this card...printed it on my home printer and made enough copies for my family. I never got around to sending it to my friends because I never made any more copies.

However, I brought one to work after the New Year and Renee has it posted on a wall by her desk with all kinds of staff pictures from throughout the years. It has been hanging there for 6 months at least.

This week, (coincidence????) three of my best friends have commented to me that they never received a Christmas Card from me. And now I feel bad. All three of them sent out their cards like they do every year with gorgeous family/children's pictures on it and I didn't send them one. And now I realize they see the one hung in the studio so they know that 1. I did take the time to make a Christmas card 2. I gave one to the studio and 3. I didn't send them one.

I feel bad. I know all of them are teasing but what if they secretly have a Christmas Card stash of all the Christmas cards I have sent them since Cassi was born? Now there stash is missing the year 2006. Shame on me!!!

So...my three friends (and you know who you are...) look for one in the mail soon and I promise never ever ever to skip the annual card again. Promise!!

On another note:

My oldest sister Debbie celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary today. WOW!!! If you know my family history you realize what a big WOW!!! that actually is. I want to congratulate them on those twenty years and let them know that I think they are wonderful people and great parents and wish them another 20 years of happiness. That's a long time nowadays to stick with my sister...bless you Art!!!!! My brother in law has officially lived with my sister longer than she did with us growing up. He's a saint!!! Seriously Debbie...Congratulations and I love ya both!!!!

Anyways...Merry Christmas to everyone else I missed!!! Only 5 months before the next one!!

Enjoy!