One Camera. One Lens. One Photo a Day.

Spinning…

We got the rain that was predicted and it kept us house-bound for most of the day.

Later this afternoon, though, we did get a slight break and it gave us all an opportunity to get some fresh air, and head to the grocery store to resupply.

The rain knocked the leaves from the trees and that made the day feel even more like autumn.

Kate had a lot of stored energy that she was able to expend, here spinning on the sidewalk in front of our house.

Mission San Juan Capistrano Portrait Session…

Late this afternoon I had a family session with Helen and Michael’s family at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano.

This image is of their daughters and it happened after the session was completed.  When we were walking out I was struck by the feel of this building and just loved the shape and texture of it.

The girls gave me an expression that seemed appropriate for the feel of the light and the location.  Even though the weather was a bit dreary and seemed to threaten rain (we’re supposed to have it all this weekend), we were fortunate that it held off to allow us to do a session.

“Sharkbait, ooh-ha-ha…”

I almost felt like we were on the set of Finding Nemo this afternoon at Sea Life Aquarium at Legoland in Carlsbad.

Sparky was totally transfixed by everything he saw here but especially the sharks and Rays.

Kate had fun popping in and out of the little portals to get a kid’s eye view of the fish.

We just had the most wonderful day in Legoland.

It was a bit of a reward for me for finishing our 3rd year of the Kids of OC Charity Book Project.  About a month ago Nicki blocked out the calendar on this date — at the time I figured the book would have been long designed and delivered to the printer.

But we had a tiny setback in the form of nearly two weeks of rain that forced us to push back our deadline in order to accommodate our portrait clients.

It was a clear cool day today and we had the run of the place.  Kate and I went on 3 different roller coasters (from easy to fast) and of course the fast one was the one we loved the most.

We got the photos the park makes of you when you ride and it’s hysterical — Kate’s hair is literally standing on end as we head down the coaster — me with my mouth wide open screaming, too.

What a great day — it really reinforces the reason I do this work — is because it’s around preserving family memories.  And today I was fortunate to have created so many more family memories that will forever be burned into the brain.

Spilled “Soup”…

Continuing what they started the day before, Kate and her brother made “soup” today.

Water from the downstairs bathroom sink in a bucket seasoned with rose petals, berries and leaves.

Yum.

When Kate was gone, Sparky picked up the bucket and proceeded to dump the entire contents out onto his shoes, socks and pants.

I had a feeling it was going to go and the moment I made the photograph I sensed that I had my photo for today.

In the wake of the Sparkman…

Our little guy leaves quite a trail…he opens up the tupperware cupboard and just tosses things on the floor.

Of course there are the trail of food…perhaps it’s so he won’t get lost finding his way back to the kitchen to create more havoc.

It’s a mess, true, but I smile when I see them because I know why it was created and could not be happier.

Having two is just getting better every day as he becomes more of a person (and a loud one too — this kid makes some serious noise too!)

Late Light at Salt Creek…

Gardner and his sister Riley Jane from their late afternoon portrait session in Dana Point.

The kids making their “soup”

Kate and Sparky played together this afternoon making a witches brew of soup — a combination of water, leaves, and berries that they found in the front yard or plucked from the bushes just outside the gates.

Sparky is wearing an oversize t-shirt in this image, which almost looks like a lab coat from this angle.

They had fun and thankfully none of the “soup” was consumed.

New hair cut…

This morning, while Kate was still over at Marlee’s house for the sleepover, we took Sparky to get his hair cut at Stew’s in Ladera Ranch.

He did not like it at all.  Crying and carrying on, he wouldn’t even settle down without having a dummy in his mouth.  And even that didn’t work.

Nicki had to hold his head still so the barber wouldn’t cut him.

The only thing that would get him to call down as a stuffed dog that sang “Who Let the Dogs Out.”  I think it was the dog that settled him and not the music, but it’s tough to tell.

This was made on the steps at Jeff & Nicole’s once we arrived to pick up the girl.

Then, off to the final soccer game of the year — Kate was dragging.  The late night, the excitement leading up to The Sleepover caught up to her.

After the game, and then to the team party, she was exhausted (they both were, but Kate in particular).

It was a hectic day, the start of a very hectic weekend but a good one.

The Three Musketeers…

For the last week Kate has been counting down the days until her sleep over with her friends Mia and Marlee at Marlee’s house.

After gymnastics Nicki dropped Kate at the house and came home with Sparky.

It was so quiet because we’re used to the energy of two little ones battling it out for attention during dinner and bath.

I popped over to the house to see the girls very briefly, and to also deliver Kate’s princess mattress to sleep on tonight.

The girls were finishing making pizzas and we’re excited, happy and just having a great time.  It seems, by all accounts, the event lived up to the anticipation — which is not always easy.

In this photo are Mia, Kate and Marlee before dinner and before their movie (Toy Story 3) and then off to bed.

Thanks to Nicole and Jeff for hosting and giving the other parents a quiet Friday night.

3 Leaves and Shadows…

There’s nothing quite like the light in the late afternoon in autumn.

It helps make the simple and mundane all the more interesting.