Minimum Exposure

The Boss

2011-03-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

His PJs claim that he's the boss. This may not be entirely true, but he does a pretty good job of getting his own way.

Playing at Dusk Among the Rocks

2011-03-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

The Birds

2011-03-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

There are some birds that like to gather in the trees behind our yard. They gather by the hundreds. I don't know what kind of bird they are, but they make quite a racket.

Every so often something will startle them and a whole bunch of them will fly off in a big black cloud. It's kind of fun to watch.

I didn't realize I had given birth to singing monkeys.

2011-03-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

Geographical Pancakes

2010-11-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

Here is California.

A Welcome Break

2010-11-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

Big sister is not hugging or kissing him. Phew.

Have No Fear On Halloween Night

2010-10-31T06:15:00.000-07:00

I have a super hero on duty.

Blue in the Face

2010-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Of course a princess can have a blue face. Nothing wrong with that.

Feet Are Cool Too

2010-10-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

I think it's neat how babies explore things with their sense of touch. Even their feet are busy feeling things.

Hands Are Awesome Play Things

2010-10-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Sibling Love

2010-10-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

Swing Time

2010-10-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Little Laundry Dude

2010-10-25T08:45:00.000-07:00

He likes to be where all the action is.

If You Give a Kid a Camera

2010-09-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

I recently downloaded all of the pictures from my 8 year old daughter's camera and proceeded to delete a few of them. But there were some I kept that, had they been on my camera, I would have deleted. What I realized was that kids take pictures of the stuff the grown ups don't think to take pictures of.

This picture is from a little over a year ago (yes, it's been that long since I cleaned off her camera!). We had been out in the garden and the mosquitoes came out in full force. My poor little girl got bit up so badly. Of course, I didn't take any pictures and would have forgotten all about it.

I don't generally take pictures of the room just for kicks, but we just recently moved out of this house and here is a picture to remember it by.

You'd Look Worried Too...

2010-09-07T06:11:00.000-07:00

if you had 3 big sisters to watch out for.

Stud Muffin

2010-09-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

Turning On the Charm

2010-09-05T06:07:00.000-07:00

Baby Feet Are Awesome

2010-09-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

Totally Cute

2010-09-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

I Make Cute Kids With Blue Eyes

2010-08-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Just because I'm biased doesn't mean it isn't true.

The Thompson Grape Poster Child

2010-08-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

Her daddy works for a farm and he brought these home. Yummy fresh grapes!

My Little Man

2010-08-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

Miss Me?

2010-08-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sure the one or two people who still come by this blog must have missed me terribly, so I'll explain. It has been REALLY busy around here lately. Excuse #1 is I just recently had baby #4, a sweet baby boy much loved by his three big sisters. Excuse #2 is that shortly after said baby was born we also moved into our new house. See, I wasn't kidding. I feel like I gave birth to a baby and a house which is a LOT to go through, let me tell you!

Sibling love.

The Face of a Happy Kid

2010-06-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

She just recently got her hair cut to a cute bob and she loves it. When I asked if I could take her picture, she was more than happy to comply. She comes up with poses all on her own. While this wasn't the one that best showed off her hair, it definitely shows her mood.

"Look! I Caught a Bubble!"

2010-06-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

Blowing Bubbles Requires Concentration

2010-06-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

I'm sure she didn't see most of the bubbles she blew because she had her eyes shut whenever she blew. So funny.

Climbing a Really Big Rock

2010-06-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

Climbing a Big Rock

2010-06-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

Climbing a Tree

2010-06-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

Senior Portraits

2010-06-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

I really liked this picture, but he did not. He thinks he looks too dorky. In other words, it looks to normal.

These are a little better:

But this one is great:

They're Family Too Right?

2010-06-07T06:01:00.000-07:00

My kids love my friend and her boys. They wanted in on the family portraits. =)

Schools Out!

2010-06-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day of school. Hooray!!

Family Portrait

2010-06-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite of the family pictures. We'll see if my friend agrees.

Sometimes I Just Can't Help Myself

2010-06-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

I recently took some pictures of my friend here and her two boys. Her oldest is going off to college and she wanted to make sure to get a family portrait while he was still around. I like the humor of this picture, but the lighting isn't quite right. Too many shadows on the left sides of their faces, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun with it, right?

I think the facial hair is just the right touch. =)

Fearless Reptile Hunter

2010-06-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Actually it's made of plastic, but I bet I had you fooled for a few seconds.

She Cracks Herself Up

2010-05-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

Like, Wow!

2010-05-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

I just love everything about this picture from the sparkle in her eyes to the color in her clothes.

Too Early or Too Late?

2010-05-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween in May!

A Girl And Her Grandpa

2010-05-27T20:14:00.000-07:00

Chubby Hands

2010-05-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

I love these chubby hands. One day the cute dimples will be replaced by knuckles. *Sigh*

Oh Happy Day!

2010-05-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

When mommy paints your nails and you wear a pretty dress, it's a happy day.

The Middle Child

2010-05-12T06:45:00.000-07:00

This one is now 5 and getting ready to start Kindergarten. Crazy.

My Oldest

2010-05-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

This one used to be my baby. Now she's a big, big sister. Soon she'll be a big, big, BIG sister. =)

Changing Faces

2010-05-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

My baby, for now. Soon she'll be dethroned and join the ranks of big sisterdom.

It's Friday. Have a Laugh!

2010-04-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

I Get How He Feels

2010-04-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Eeyore doesn't look too thrilled to be part of this Candyland game. Frankly I don't blame him. They've got balloons tied to all of his legs and his tale. And to top it all off he's got a big candy cane shoved in his mouth.

Adapting Well to Life in the Country

2010-04-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Good Company

2010-04-27T21:07:00.000-07:00

My good friend and her young son.

Holy Cow, She's 5!

2010-04-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

My 2nd born is 5 today.

A Humerous Perspective

2010-04-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a picture of this mule's head from below. I thought the result was pretty funny looking.

The Finished Product

2010-04-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the finished product from my visit to the glass blowing studio in Tacoma, WA. It had to cool in a hot oven over night and I wasn't able to pick it up the next day. So I had it shipped home to California. I think it turned out beautifully.

Mixing it Up

2010-04-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

We have three girls. I was wondering if my husband had what it takes to make a boy. Turns out he did. We are looking forward to July when we get to meet the little fella. Hopefully by then we'll have figured out what to name him.

I'm Attracted to Colorful Objects

2010-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Pretty glass ornaments on display at the glass blowing studio.

Working On Lung Capacity

2010-04-05T05:55:00.000-07:00

This here is the fellow who was helping us make our lovely glass objects. He is blowing through the end of the pipe to make the hot glass expand. You can tell that the glass is hot because it is all orange. When it cooled down you could see the colors we had picked which were actually blues and other colors.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Those wild Easter chickens laid some crazy looking eggs this year. Beautiful, don't you think? My kids call the one on the bottom right the "Earth egg".

Playing With Molten Glass

2010-04-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

That's me in the picture. So you can safely assume that I wasn't the one holding the camera. My friend took the picture and I liked it so much that I'm sharing it with you. I like how the picture is divided in half. It's a cool play of light and dark. And I like how the the only color in the picture is in my attire and the orange glow around the hole. My friend and I were learning how to make blown glass at a studio in Tacoma, WA and it was SO FUN.

In case you were wondering, that is a big belly you see there. I'm five months pregnant and carrying very high .

A Spicy Bouquet

2010-04-01T06:31:00.000-07:00

Pike Place Market. Seattle,WA

The Leaning Tower of Seattle

2010-03-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

What's better than the Space Needle? The leaning Space Needle! Who needs to go all the way to Pisa to see a leaning tower. The leaning tower in Pisa doesn't even lean over as much anymore since they fixed it. Ok, ok..so the Space Needle doesn't lean, but it would be cool if it did.

So Tempting...

2010-03-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Seattle, WA

Maybe I should give up my land-loving ways and buy a houseboat instead. Hmmmm...

Cute Kids Fit in Small Packages

2010-03-24T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Belle of the Ball

2010-03-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Dancing with abandon. Such is the joy of being almost five.

Buds Beginning to Blossom

2010-03-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Apricot blossoms.

A Pink Almond Blossom

2010-03-21T06:12:00.000-07:00

Most of the almond trees have white blossoms, but this one in our yard had pink blossoms. Must be a different variety.

Nature's Collage

2010-03-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

Fun With Bark

2010-03-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

A picture of one of the fruit trees. I believe this is our apricot tree.

This Tree Grows Kids

2010-03-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

My two older girls playing in the fig tree.

Early Evening on the Water

2010-03-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

Suisun City, CA. On our recent vacation.

Sometimes the reflection is more interesting than the original.

2010-03-02T08:28:00.000-08:00

See, I told you I liked this kind of thing.

2010-03-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

Look At The Pretty Colors

2010-02-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

I love all the neat stuff that grows on rocks.

Should I Take These As Warning Signs?

2010-02-27T08:21:00.000-08:00

Almond Blossoms

2010-02-26T08:17:00.000-08:00

Here in the Central Valley the almond trees are in full bloom and it is beautiful. The hives have been put out so the blossoms will be pollinated and turn into almonds.

Little Miss Dimple Cheek

2010-02-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Getting Groovy

2010-02-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

A fun departure from the self consciousness in front of the camera that I usually get from her.

My Three Stooges

2010-02-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

Offroading

2010-02-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

Who needs some rugged SUV with 4WD when you've got this?

A Story Waiting to Be Told

2009-11-03T06:48:00.000-08:00

I think this is a really fun picture and it looks like a scene from a story. What would you say is going on in this story?

Dress Up is Serious Business

2009-11-02T06:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween...

2009-10-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

from Dorothy, the Lion and Princess Leia.

Elusive

2009-10-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

A portrait of my friend. Yes, that's really what she looks like. At least when there's a camera anywhere near her.

Pertyful

2009-10-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

A lovely self portrait taken during a night out with the ladies in celebration of my recent birthday.

A Frowny Smile?

2009-10-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

This is the last that I'll be sharingof this series. It's time to move on. I wouldn't want my 2 or 3 readers to get bored, now would I?

Do Not Be Fooled By Her Serious Expression

2009-10-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

This kid makes so many faces. One minute she's laughing, the next minute she's scowling.

Oooh!

2009-10-19T06:16:00.000-07:00

In the past I have always tried to keep things true to life, but with a little more contrast and definition. However, recently I've been having a lot fun with color and straying more from "realism".

Happy

2009-10-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I decided to get some pictures of my baby girl who recently turned two. I have some fun pictures from our little photo shoot which really capture her personality. I'll be sharing two or three others in the coming days that I had a particularly fun time editing.

Go Ahead and Laugh

2009-10-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

This kid cracks me up. =)

Two Peas in a Pod

2009-10-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

When these two get together it's all craziness.

Looking Up to Lady Liberty

2009-10-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Greeted by Liberty

2009-10-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

Magnificent

2009-10-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

U2. New York City. Loved every minute!!

Snuggles

2009-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

She's my snugly one.

A rose by any other name...

2009-10-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

is still a rose.

Respite

2009-10-10T07:31:00.000-07:00

This cold, overcast day came as a welcome relief from the summer heat. Now we're a getting in to Autumn and that's a relief too.

End of the Road

2009-10-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

Keeping That Youthful Glow

2009-09-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

My oldest daughter gave me some packets of beauty masques as a gift. Of course, when she gave them to me she was really wanting to be able to do them with me. You can click here and see when we did the chocolate masque together. On Sunday she was begging me to do another masque with her. The one she picked, however, turned out to be a cloth cutout soaked in stuff. Since we couldn't both do it, I said she could be the one to do this masque. Boy was she thrilled!

The masque was really meant for an adult face, but I made it fit. My husband and I thought she looked pretty funny like this. But half the fun of doing beauty masks is looking like a weirdo. =)

After 5 minutes it was time to take the masque off and reveal her fresh and glowing skin. I like how she makes a big deal about how soft her skin feels afterward. I think the shirt she's wearing is appropriate, because she really is one cool kid.

Cantaloupe Makes Her Happy

2009-09-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

This kid loves fruit. She's pretty good at eating vegetable too, but fruit is her favorite. This was a cantaloupe picked from our garden, so it tasted especially good.

Afternoon Siesta

2009-09-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Some times, even though you are a big four year old, you still need to take an afternoon nap.

All In A Row

2009-08-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

Around here people don't have mail boxes right up near their house. Instead all of the mail boxes for a group of houses will be together on a street more convenient for mail delivery. And around here the mail man drives a maroon minivan. =)

Daddy And His Girls

2009-08-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

Scenes like these make me run for my camera. I love it when my girls get all cuddly with their daddy.

Be Vewwy Vewwy Quiet!

2009-08-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

I'm photographing wabbits!