...it's been a while.

Wowza! I used to update my blog all the time and then this happened.....

and then....this happened! 

My "big" girl is now 18 months old and her baby sister is 9 days today... and momma has some updating to do. We've had some big changes (besides the obvious change of our whole world revolving around two tiny humans). Our next biggest change was a move to Redlands! Which moves our business a bit further from LA and changes the way Cutts Imaging Group works...we've starting moving toward photographing more weddings and guess what? We love it! There is soooooo much joy in working with your husband photographing a new life and love just beginning. I end up teary-eyed every time. So a few highlights from our last wedding.

Jon and Gena 

These two! So much fun! I loved that they made their wedding their own-a Star Wars Themed grooms cake, the bride wore a Wookie back-pack and R2D2 charms...they owned it! And you can literally see the love on their faces

Gena's gift to her groom.

Pacific High School Seniors....and one Freshman!

These guys were so great! Not only willing models, but also super nice! Alex, J.C., and Quadree have been friends since they were in elementary school, I met them photographing one of their water-polo matches (so fast! I clearly need work as a sports photographer....) and J.C.'s mom helped us set up this photo shoot. 

And this is one of my favorite portraits of the day. Javin is Quadree's younger brother, he told me he didn't like his smile in photos, so this one is a little pensive. 

Johnae

 Johnae is so lovely! I think my favorite images of her are these lens-flare-y ones....a little more magazine and a little less "senior portrait." And Johnae was the perfect model for this, she even styled the shoot herself.

 She also liked this one-very sunny, so-cal sunset....

Film Stills: Losing Fergason

Rachel on the Beach

Rachel is an actress and writer from Alabama who is now living in Santa Monica. She was such a delight to photograph! 

Little Women

One of my friends, Lisa,  and her daughter (about 5 years old) was staying with us a few years ago. Lydia has big, beautiful eyes-and when anyone who met her would say "oh, what pretty eyes you have" Lydia would say "I know!" in a well-of-course-I-do sort of way. Understanding this was a great time to teach Lydia about modesty, Lisa had instructed Lydia in proper discourse. "Thank you. I appreciate the compliment." and had also devised a strategy for her daughter....

Lydia was told that whenever she felt like it she could look in the mirror and tell herself what pretty eyes she had. (How's that for positive affirmation? we should all start our day this way.)  So while she was visiting I overheard her sitting on the toilet, looking in the mirror, and cooing to herself " you have beautiful eyes! and such beautiful eyelashes!"

Lydia playing dress up. Check out those beautiful eyelashes. 

She's not alone. I watched a little girl, maybe around 4, at the grocery store. She'd seemed quite distracted (running into her Aunt's big purse quite a few times) until she noticed the mirror (you know, the one they use to check under your cart) I saw her move in to examine her reflection several times before she went in for a big kiss. To herself. I couldn't help it--I laughed out loud and introduced myself to her Aunt. She told me her niece LOVED looking at herself;  if there is a mirror any where around she can't even see anyone else.

And I wonder when it changes; when do we stop looking in the mirror and thinking "What pretty eyes" and start thinking "where did those wrinkles come from" " look at those zits" "my nose is too big" "my lips are too small."

I think these little ladies are on to something. The only person responsible for my self-image is me.  So if you catch me looking in the mirror and telling myself how pretty my eyes are, you'll not only forgive me, but you'll know who my role-models are.

Community Garden

Our friend Kumiko came by the other day with a huge bag of citrus fruit (for which I never properly thanked her, especially since she sacrificed her fruit picker in the process.) It was a generous gift-of time as well as fruit-since each variety of was packaged in it's own brown bag with little stories and drawings on them. 

Tearing each gift open felt a little like Christmas. And truth be told it smelled like Christmas too, the bright citrus smells mingling together. Every Christmas morning we found a sweet orange in the toe of our stockings, a sunny reminder of summer in the middle of winter.

I took a few minutes to take some photos of these little gems because it reminded me so much of growing up in Utah. As soon as the gardens were in and producing neighbors were out and about delivering their extra fruits and veggies. There's even a joke about it:

Q: What do you call someone who has to buy zucchini in summer?

A: Someone with no friends. 

And honestly, I'd never bought a zucchini until I left Utah. Italian Squash? Sounds fancy to me. 

So it's just fruit, right? In my experience it's a little more than that. There is something about a sharing with your friends and neighbors that creates community. I know that it made me a feel a little more at home. Thanks Kumiko, and I owe you a fruit-picker.