Wasn't that a Party?

The month of October is my "birthday month" and I always like to celebrate a lot, but this year, turning 50, made it a celebration bigger than most! The celebration started on October 1st, and is still continuing now on the 20th of October! Now wasn't that a party?

All 130 party photos can be viewed by clicking on THIS LINK!


50th birthdays are a great time to reflect on our blessings, our friends and families, and an opportunity to make some change for the coming years! So the big day itself, Thursday, October 8th, I started out with a great yoga class led by MaryPat Cropper. Another friend shares the same birthday, so we were did yoga with tiaras and our ages plastered across our chests! I am PROUD to be 50! Then we had a "yoga coffee" celebration at Borders & made some noise in there! The evening was a ladies happy hour at my house led by the theme song Ladies Night by Kool & the Gang! And I remembered that I really do like disco!

I feel so blessed to have so many friends that were able to come & celebrate with me and I even sent out a little email to friends across the country to gather wishes for a "virtual birthday party" and I LOVED some of the thoughts and wishes shared! They made me laugh and cry and spend some time in between!

Wishes came from France, Australia, Canada, Vermont, California, Florida, and almost every other state!

Deb, a friend that I met in junior high sent her wishes signed, Deb, "Your friend from 1971"

Karen, my RA in college, reminded me that when bored of homework, we used to "fall off chairs" in our dorm room for fun. We thought it was so funny, we would be in stitches laughing... for HOURS!

Linda Ann Smith, one of the infamous Green Ladies, sent several wonderful quotes that make me smile:

"I have enjoyed greatly the second blooming.... suddenly you find - at the age of 50, say - that a whole new life has opened before you" - Agatha Cristie

"By the time we hit 50, we have learned our hardest lessons. We have found out that only a few things are really important. We have learned to take life seriously, but never ourselves" - Marie Dresser

I think all these photos and celebrating the great age of 50 (with the great state of Alaska born in 1959 also)... show that I'm not taking myself too seriously - can you tell? And I'm thrilled about what the next few years (50?) have to offer! I will try to live in the moment and enjoy every moment!















Some of these last photos were all taken in a makeshift "photobooth" in my home studio where the camera is on a timer..... Diana Sabreen, a fellow photographer and friend, helped capture some of the best images of the night... and what a great party it was!

Donovan and Eli Turn TWO!

Two year old birthday parties can be great fun or great stress, but two of my local friends decided to team up and have the birthdays together at Walter Byron Park two weeks ago! It was perfect - they borrowed a bounce house from a friend, bought the boys these great No. 2 T-shirts, and it was a great time for everyone! And the mess was all outside, not at anyone's house!

Both Donovan and Eli have been great portrait clients the last two years, but this party was really a great opportunity to catch everyone in action! As you can see.

View the full slideshow here....

Thanks for the opportunity to get so many fun candid shots!

Happy 60th Pete Grogan!

I had the pleasure of flying to Seattle last weekend for the birthday party of my friend, Pete Grogan. Before becoming a professional photographer 10 years ago, I worked in the recycling industry with Pete and lots of other great friends. About 120 people attended the party, but it was hard to count! And folks had come from all across the country to celebrate with him! Gives me some ideas for celebrating my own upcoming birthdays!

The full slideshow is here.....






AND, I used this opportunity to set up my first Photobooth! I had a few technical issues (like it shot 4 images, not one when the timer went off)...but you can see it was a hit & I got some candid photos that folks would never have done normally!




And the bed and breakfast that I stayed at in the suburb of Des Moines, was the most beautiful remodeled 1920's home on the water. It was absolutely gorgeous and a relaxing beautiful place for R&R! And there were folks walking up and down the boardwalk all day long and catching salmon right off the dock!







What a great getaway in a most beautiful city! No wonder so many people put up with all that rain! And the last few images are from the Pike Place Market - what a photographer's delight! But why did we go on a Saturday at noon - the crowds were unbelievable and parking almost impossible!

Jacob Turns One!

Jacob turned one last week & most of the neighborhood came to his birthday party! We tried for one photo with his whole family including two cats and a dog, and this is the best we could get! But Jacob himself is pretty good at smiling at the camera! Especially with some helpers behind me! Thanks Cait & Heather!

View Jacob's Birthday Slideshow Here!

Happy Birthday Jacob!











"Thanks for helping me celebrate my party," says Jacob (if he could say more than mama, dada, dog, cat, etc.!)

And the Winner Is....WADE!

Thanks for all the votes on the Birthday Bribe last week! The winner hands down was WADE....he improved a lot from his original photo:



And he had LOTS of supporters from all over the country that pushed him ahead in the polls at the last minute on Monday! The details of the contest are HERE!



Congratulations Wade!

Amazing what $5 can buy at a 9 year old birthday party! VOTE for your favorite photo!

Yes, I did it - I bribed the kids at my son, Tyler's, 9th birthday party yesterday with a $5 reward. Sorry parents, I know it's not a good habit, and they frown on it in the parenting books........but it WORKED! In a BIG way!

As the party started they were all acting wild and making faces for the camera! I got a lot of bad photos, and then my son climbed under the table to hide from the camera and the whole party seemed to be trying to join him in mutiny!

So I quickly remembered another photographer's trick of paying her teenager nephew to smile for the photos at a family Bar Mitzvah. So I offered a $5 reward for the best photos and BOY did I get the smiles and the charm after that!

And I said it would be the "people's vote" to chose between the 8 photos below! So vote and have your friends, your grandma, your aunt, anyone you want to vote on their favorite! All is fair in birthday party bribes and the last day to vote is the first day of school August 25th! One vote per person please! And we cannot accept anonymous votes.

You can view the whole BIRTHDAY PARTY SLIDESHOW here.


Photo #1 - Tyler the Birthday Boy!


Photo #2 - Brian



Photo #3 - Weston



Photo #4 - Sam



Photo #5 - Tio



Photo #6 - Wade




Photo #7 - Heather



Photo #8 - Marley



I also had to share the BEFORE photos of what I was getting BEFORE the reward system was implemented. AND, I even used it as leverage to behave at the bowling party and said if I had to discipline any of the boys at the bowling alley, they would not be eligible for the $5 reward. (Only one unnamed boy has been disqualified)








And I really have to thank fellow photographer Julie Ph, a fellow Pictage photographer for the suggestion!