Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts

Christmas in the forest

























Oakland, CA | Redwood Park

This gorgeous couple got married in Sundance, UT on a snowy winters day a few years ago. I can only imagine how beautiful everything looked all frosted with snow. When I suggested we find a location that had meaning to their family they decided that they wanted to bring a little bit of that magical wedding day vibe into their family session. Although we may not have snow in the bay area, we do have redwoods! So off to Oakland we went. I love the moody light and dramatic feel that was captured in these images. For being soo cold (the kids were troopers), I was a sick mess (I'm so glad they weren't to be around me) and our light leaving too quickly (those darn hills!), we still managed to make do and hopefully capture a little bit of that 'Sundance at christmas time' vibe. Aren't they a BEAUTIFUL family!?

Generations of Mothers...

4 Generations of Mothers.
4 Questions about Motherhood.

These strong beautiful women are my Mother, my Grandmother and my Great Grandmother. If it weren't for them being the great mothers that they are, I wouldn't be the mother I am today. So for this Mother's Day I wanted to pay tribute to them and also learn a little bit more about them and their role as a mother. I am so happy to have a daughter of my own who I will get to watch grow up and become a mother one day.

Mother: Doris 
1st born Daughter: Alberta Rose 

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have as a mother.
A: I remember Rose taking her first steps at 9 months old. It was a very special moment for me.

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have with your mother.
A: I'd say taking my mother and 3 granddaughters to Disneyland for the first time. I thought I could do it and I did! We all had such a wonderful time together. Disneyland is such a magical place and I could see how happy my mother was being there.

Q: What is something you have learned being a mother?
A: PATIENCE!

Q: In what ways do you think your OWN mother shaped you as a mother?
A: She taught me to be hard working and honest. I made sure I taught my daughter the same things.

Mother: Rose "Rosie" 
1st born Daughter: Sheri Lea 

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have as a mother.
A: Since I cannot swim it was important to me that my girls learn at an early age. I remember how proud their dad was of each of them since he was their teacher of course! I remember how proud and excited they were to show me everything they had accomplished. It was a great feeling.

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have with your mother.
A: I didn't live close to my mom, so our trips to Bakersfield where she lived were always a great adventure. I remember running out of baby "formula" for Sheri and going Woolworth after buying Carnations canned milk and asking the waitress to fill the bottle with warm water and the canned milk. Those days were the best because we would just laugh the whole day together.

Q: What is something you have learned being a mother?
A: You have to treat all your children as the individuals that they are. Don't even try to treat them all the same! That thought needs to go right out the window from the beginning!

Q: In what ways do you think your OWN mother shaped you as a mother?
A: I thought I could do ANYTHING and she did too. She always encouraged me to try anything that I wanted to do. I tried to instill that in my own girls.


Mother: Sheri Lea 
1st born Daughter: Jacqueline Elizabeth 

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have as a mother.
A: Delivering each one of my kids and seeing their faces for the first time was the most special to me!

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have with your mother.
A: It was the day I went to get my cosmetology license. She and I had a hard time not laughing and almost got kicked out of the test! We laughed our butts off afterwards just thinking about it.

Q: What is something you have learned being a mother?
A: To give each one of my kids as much love as I can even if it feels like its not enough. Even though they know I love them more than life itself, its funny because they all think I love one more than they other or that I have a favorite and I don't.

Q: In what ways do you think your OWN mother shaped you as a mother?
A: I always thought she was the BEST example of a mom. I tried and strove to be just like her. I've always felt that she is the best mom ever.


Mother: Jacqueline "Jackie" Elizabeth 
1st born Daughter: Penelope "Penny" Rose 


Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have as a mother.
A: I would have to say each birth- day of my kids has to rank as my favorite memories. Seeing the face of the child that you've carried for the past 9 months for the first time is a feeling like nothing else. It is just as special and just as amazing with each one. Birth-days are tough days but they are my favorite days.

Q: Tell me a favorite memory you have with your mother.
A: I don't know if I have a specific memory thats my favorite but I have lots of memories of all the cool parties she threw for me, all the field trips she attended with me, all the proms she chaperoned for me, and all the births she's been present for since I've become a mother.

Q: What is something you have learned being a mother?
A: I've learned the true meaning of love. I don't think you can fully understand what it is to love someone until you become a mother. The amount of love you have for your children is unmeasurable and the best most scariest love in the world.
Also, pick your battles and it is what it is, try not to stress!

Q: In what ways do you think your OWN mother shaped you as a mother?
A: My mom has taught me to be a selfless mother. To put the needs of my children above my own. To be a fun mom who makes memories with her children through crafts, holiday celebrations and traditions. To be involved in all aspects of my children's lives: be it at school, sports, with their friends, church etc.

5 Generations of women

happy mothers day.

Merry Christmas 2014

Wishing a MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!













My Christmas Card Outtakes: 2009-2014

I posted an article I had read by the Huffington Post on my Facebook page yesterday entitled: 30 Perfectly Imperfect Holiday Card Outtakes and I couldn't help but laugh at and yet totally relate to these poor people! I know taking our Christmas Card photos hasn't always been the most pleasant of experiences but I will do it every year, no matter what, because I love Christmas cards that much. After reading the article, it got me thinking back to each year we've sent out a card and got me wondering what some of our outtakes may have looked like and I have to say, some years didn't disappoint! 2012 holds my favorite outtake to date but I think 2013 sums up the whole experience pretty well. ha ha ha. So with out further delay, for your enjoyment, here are our best outtakes of christmas card photos past and present. 

2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2014

merry christmas!

My A.B.C Life :: October Edition

My Awesome Beautiful Crazy Life
OCTOBER EDITION

We are a week out from Halloween folks... can you believe it?! Do you love Halloween?! My boys LOVE this holiday. They love all the spooky decorations they find in the stores, they enjoy all the houses that get festive and decorate their houses, they want to buy more candy then we could ever consume and they want to play dress up more than EVER! I was never a big fan of the holiday growing up because I am BIG SCARDY CAT! One thing my husband knows about me is that I don't watch scary movies and NEVER SCARE ME for fun. I will make you regret it. So the fact that my children enjoy the holiday so much at such a young age baffles me. But I do love an excuse to decorate so I play along and they love it. We watch "spooky" movies and shows, make gross food to eat like worms in blood (spaghetti) and print endless halloween color pages off google. So the fact that the big day is a week away is a big deal over here. 
So I have been a BIG slacker with my camera since we found out I was great with child number 4. But I did manage to take a few pics this month and I thought I would share. California is still hanging on to summer which has us playing in the streets with friends while the light lingers in the evenings. But luckily we've had some nice 70 degree weather this past week which helps it feel more like fall. We got the chance to have a family outting to a local pumpkin patch and we had so much fun. We had  fun singing barn yard songs, petting farm animals, finding our way threw a corn maze and most importantly, picked out our pumpkins! Fox was fascinated by it all. He LOVED the pumpkin patch. I love traditions and I love the holidays. This is such a great time of the year. Do you have a favorite halloween tradition?! I'd love to hear in the comments! So in the spirit of the holiday, here are 13 of my favorite picks so far this month.













Jack.E Photography (JEP). All rights reserved. © Maira Gall.