Katy and Curtis' Engagements

I was so excited when Katy called me to tell me she was engaged! She's one of my good friends and old roommates and I'm so happy for her and Curtis to tie the knot. I was also thrilled when she let me talk her into keeping our shoot scheduled even though it was raining. It was so beautiful even if it was really wet. Stay tuned for her bridals and upcoming wedding. Hooray! 

Blue eyed girl!

  Can you believe this little girl's blue eyes!? They are so incredible. My own kids have some gorgeous dark brown, and don't get me wrong I love them, but this little girls eyes are so beautiful! I was so lucky to do her 1 year pictures a few weeks ago when all the blossoms were still blooming. Sorry it's taken me so long to get some sneak peeks up, but things take a lot longer now. Enjoy!

Gigi's Book

So this post is long overdue since I shot these images in October and November, but it was a Christmas present and then got put off again and again. Now you are lucky because I was going to post one image at a time for a few days to keep your attention, but my attention span isn't that long right now so you get them all at once. So for Christmas as a family gift in collaboration with Cory's Grandma we put together a cookbook of Gigi's recipes. Her most famous ones in the family, so that everyone could have them with her changes, and her specifications. It is handy being married to a graphic designer at times like these. Cory did a great job with the layout and text, and I got to try my hand at some food photography again. Not to mention we ate better during the two months I was photographing than I usually cook ;) Haha... Here's the ones that made the book.

 Gigi's CheeseBall

 Taco Soup

 Her famous fudge

 Gigi's Classic Lasagna 

Seven layer cookie bars

Hopefully I can do something cool like this for my side of the family soon ;)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Ok so I know this isn't a recipe blog, and it isn't going to become one. But because of a food project I'm going to post in the coming weeks I figured I might as well post this here instead of the family blog. Mostly I'm posting per request of my friend. I made these this morning and she requested the recipe. So here it is. The reason I love this recipe is because it makes a TON of muffins. We go through muffins fast, like a whole dozen in less than an hour. This recipe makes enough for my munchkins to munch on all day, and still leave me some to squirrel away in the freezer for when I have chocolate craving I pull one out at a time. And on top of all that it has zucchini in it, so I can pretend that they have some healthy benefits for me despite all the chocolate :D I also tend to have a million zucchini in the summer and have taken to freezing it shredded in 2 cup portions during the summer months so I can use it for recipes like this in the winter months ;D

4 C flour
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C oil
1 1/2 C milk
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 C shredded zucchini
1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips

1. Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk. Add the zucchini to the wet ingredients.

2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl with a wooden spoon.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir, just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

4. Line your muffin tin or spray with non-stick spray and fill a bit more than 2/3 of the way full.

5. Bake at 350° for 17 minutes. Makes 3 + dozen muffins.

Beyrich Family

Sorry guys it's been so long since I updated. If you follow my family blog then you know that we are expecting our first girl. We are beyond excited but it definitely has pushed my photography to the back burner. But despite that I did do some fun projects the last few months I just haven't posted them. So now I'll try to catch up a bit. Here's one of my favorite families. We did their pix for their Christmas cards this year. This is one loved little boy, and so handsome too :D Enjoy!

Baby Hamaker

These are so long overdue in needing to be posted. This little beauty is growing up so fast. I was so glad that her wonderful momma asked me to shoot them. We shot these almost a month ago when it was much warmer, and she slept like a champ through the whole thing. Enjoy!

Live Passionately

I recently found out that one of my music teachers from high school passed away unexpectedly . He was 59. It has been a tragic loss to the community and his family. It has been amazing to see the outpouring of love for this man, and all of the funny antics shared about his life. It has brought two things to my consideration. One person pointed out, how sad it is that it is after a life has passed that we gather together and share these stories about how deeply a person effects our lives. Why can we not tell these people how much they mean to us in the moment? Why can we not live in a way that everyone unabashedly knows how important they are to us? A small answer may be that we ourselves don't know until years later as we see our own character formed what role they played. But the point remains people should get words of encouragement and appreciation more often during their lives.

The second thought that has arisen recently in my own heart, and more impact-fully since hearing of his death is am I living a passionate life? I have had multiple teachers in my life that have lived passionately. Mr. B was one of those. He taught what he loved. Music. He taught it with passion and excitement. He knew back stories, and history about each piece. He teased relentlessly but taught perfection. He shared his passions willingly through music, through the outdoors, through easy and welcoming invitations to go with him: from band trips to river rafting he lived passionately. So again I ask myself. Am I living passionately? Am I doing what makes me happy everyday?

I admit I am not. And I admit that doing so, at least as a mother of young children, takes a lot of extra energy. Don't get me wrong I love being a Mom, but somedays it is just blah. But am I instilling what makes me excited in my children? Do they know what makes me tick? Do they know what gives me a thrill? These are questions I am asking myself, and trying to change the current answers to.

Thankfully this morning I took the challenge, and when awoken long before sunrise by my munchkins I instead of cursing packed them up along with a wonderfully supportive husband, and drove up the canyon chasing the sunrise. And I'm so glad we did.