For our anniversary, we took a trip up north to Napa, the city and a few other places.  We flew up there and drove back in a 240SX, one that we bought up there.  This would make this the 6th 240SX we’ve bought!  Between eating amazing food, hanging with good friends and buying another 240, I’d say this trip was one of our most memorable trips ever!

If you are new to my blog, and don’t know the significance of the 240SX & me + Benson, rather than explaining, read this past article.  Reading this article brings back so many memories…like ducking from cops in Irwindale so we could get cool photos at a warehouse.  Ahhh memories!!!!!

Here are some photos from our trip:

The San Jose airport is the coolest airport compared to all the SoCal ones!

Remnants of Ryan’s scotch

my husband is a photographer-in-training but he just doesn’t know it yet

me and Benson finally getting a taste of Thomas Keller’s famous fried chicken.  At Addendum in Yountville, CA

 a chateau cat…one of my favorite shots from this trip!

there is something romantic about us driving home in our new 240SX.  I think we’re the only couple that can say 240 and romantic in the same sentence…

Teaser
I just finished up a super fun photo shoot with a local make-up & fashion blogger.  Photos coming up soon

I was sitting in the drive-thru yesterday, thinking about options…  reading emails, and a good friend forwarded me a link.  I usually delete those, but this friend doesn’t send me much ever, so I checked it out.  It ended up being a fantastic read.  It very much rang home with the options stuff!   It was titled “The 10 things I’ve learned.”  It was an essay, and was listing out the top 10 things he’s learned in life.  The ones that really hit home for me were these:

• You can only work for people that you like
• Some people are toxic, avoid them.
• less is not necessarily more
• how you live changes your brain
• doubt is better than certainty
• tell the truth

Check it out .  Maybe this too can help you with your “options.”

I haven’t had a chance to download the photos from this weekend’s project.  So for now, I’ll leave you with my favorite shot from my work’s “Team Building” day out.  We spent an entire workday at Downtown Disney & K1 Speed.  How fun is that!?

The University of the Internet
At last the final long weekend is here.  I am giving myself a photo assignment:  backlighting.  I think backlit shots are so pretty!  I don’t do these enough!  A backlit shot will make a person glow, similar to this shot of my pretty daughter Kristy <3

I’m shooting a kid’s birthday party, indoors.  That will be a pretty fun challenge as well.  Backlighting and indoor natural light shots.  Check!!!!  What is YOUR assignment this weekend?

Honored
This past week, for the second time, I was there for the delivery of my friend’s new baby.  I was there for her 2nd and this time, her 3rd.  Witnessing the birth of a baby is something so magical.  Witnessing a baby take their first breath evokes this unique feeling that you couldn’t get anywhere else besides a delivery room.  I’ve been there for of course my own children’s births, but its vastly different just being an observer, rather than the deliverer.

That afternoon, just before she went into the hospital, as I was sort of whining about having to leave work early to go to the hospital, my friend summed it all up for me:  “you should feel honored.”  That’s right.  What the hell was I thinking?  I AM honored.  Thank you Cindy for inviting me in again to share this special moment with you…

Stay tuned for the upcoming newborn photoshoot!

I’ve been taking care of my elderly grandmother that I am SO fortunate to have in my life still…she physically is in terrible condition, but mentally “all there” and in great spirits. I’m witnessing Benson’s only grandparent left, slip into a state of alzheimer’s. At work, my dear co-worker has cancer. One of my students in Drifting Pretty is on leave because her mother is in grave condition, in the hospital suffering from cancer. Benson has 2 friends who’s moms both suddenly passed away. I could go on…there is more, but you get the picture.

Sad things go on, life goes on…all these happenings in life make me super sad, but more importantly, incredibly thankful. I am Thankful that I’ve been blessed with time to spend with these people, blessed to be able to comfort friends and blessed with this trait to make the best out of anything. This is depressing shit right? But I turn all this shitty news into thankfulness, and I find comfort and continue on with a contentment towards life. I don’t know how I got that trait…but I am thankful.

thankful too for this…