Family time

The best part about photographing our wedding near San Fransisco was that we got to introduce Edith to my family! We stayed with my Grandma Ruth (who Vivienne Ruth is named after) and we got to spend lots of time with my Aunt, Uncle and even my cousin. It was so fun! We don't get to California nearly as much as we used to, so it was a real treat to show off our new sweet baby girl.

Highlights of the trip include: Golden Gate Park/Bridge, Shopping in Palo Alto, Wedding in Mill Valley, Hitchcock movie at the Stanford Theatre, and a visit to Carmel-by-the-Sea. A whirlwind fun five day adventure.

San Fransisco

My sister and I photographed a wedding near San Fransisco last weekend so we took a few extra days to have a girls week. We explored the city, hung out with family, and gave baby Edith all the snuggles and kisses. After we flew in, we headed to Golden Gate park and went for a nice long walk. We also stopped by Fort Point for a neat view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Edith is getting so fun and interactive. She has such glassy blue eyes and an infectious dimpled smile. I love that girl!

Orange Grove

Just realized I never posted these last photos from our trip to California. Since it was our last trip to Redlands, we just had to do one more mini session in an orange grove. I just love my beautiful girls!

Laguna Beach

Ever since our short visit to the beach in Santa Cruz, Vivi had been asking to go back to the beach in her swim suit so she could "get all in" the water. Since I have no idea when we will get back to the ocean, I knew we had to make time for it. Once we got suits and sunscreen on, we headed toward to ocean. I knew Lulu would be hesitant like before. The piles of seaweed on the beach didn't help haha. She kept saying they were monsters haha. Vivi was unsure as well, but had her goal in sight... swimming! As we got closer to the water, we saw thousands of tiny red tuna crab! They had washed up on shore because of El Niño. They looked like tiny baby lobsters wiggling around. I was a little creeped out. Viv was scared. Lulu was absolutely terrified! She kept crying and trying to climb up higher and higher in my arms until she was up on my shoulder. Mom and I got the nervous giggles. Once we passed the Tuna Crab, the water was clear and cold and Viv enjoyed a quick dip before she decided she was done haha. All in all a hilarious experience.

 Pointing out the Tuna Crab haha.

 Lulu enjoyed the sand from a safe distance away from the waves, seaweed and crab.

 Brrrrrr!

By far Lulu's favorite part of the day... washing up and playing with the shower.

60th Anniversary: Disneyland

Disneyland opened it's gate for the first time 60 years ago today on July 17, 1955. It truly is one of the happiest places on earth! It's full of so many memories that we hold precious and dear! We flew down to CA for my Aunt's funeral, and we were blessed to be able to celebrate my Grandma's 90th birthday and also be in LA on the very last day on my parents Disneyland pass. Disneyland holds some very fond memories from my childhood and I am so glad that I now does for the girls as well! We remember with fondness the different rides, shows, and parades from our visits to Disneyland. We LOVE it! The highlight of this trip by far was all of the Frozen-ness haha. Both girls are enamored by Anna and Elsa and all things Frozen. Viv likes to pretend she is Elsa and loves blond hair and blue eyes they both share. Lulu is partial to Anna. We went to a Frozen sing-a-long, a mini Frozen musical, and the icing on the cake was meeting Elsa and Anna in person! I was a pregnant hormonal mess watching that dream come true. It was adorable! Lulu was fearful and timid of the characters all day until she met Anna. She ran to her and hugged her and wouldn't let her go. Seriously sweet! Viv went straight to Elsa and hugged her. Then she proceeded to tell her, "I have white hair just like you! And blue eyes too!" They got to talk to Elsa and Anna for several minutes. It was adorable! Definitely a highlight of the day and maybe even their young lives!

 Viv was amazed. My normally gregarious extrovert was silently awestruck!

 "I have white hair like you!"

Santa Cruz, Ca

In our recent visit to California, we were blessed enough to be able to fly into Northern California to see family in the Bay Area before headed back to LA. It was a much, much too short of a visit... only one evening. But we made the most of it! We got to celebrate my Grandma Ruth's 90th birthday! She is so adorable! I am so thankful to have a beautiful, godly, and graciously sweet grandmother. I wish we could spend more time together! The whole family went to Santa Cruz to celebrate at a fun restaurant right on the shore. Before dinner, the girls explored the ocean. Vivi loved it! She was fearless and was thrilled at the roaring ocean. She let the waves chase her and she was covered in salty ocean water and sand before dinner, but it was well worth it for the giggles. Lulu, however, was content to stay back and be held by my cousin "Princess Julie" haha or play in the sand. I think it was too big and loud for her. The coast was beautiful and the restaurant was delicious. I rarely eat fish because I'm not normally a big fan, but the girls and I LOVED the fish we ordered! They got fish and chips. Yum! And I got some sort of deliciously, garlicky fish and veggies dish. Double yum! And as a special treat, the girls got ice cream on the pier after dinner. It was such a fun evening!