Vanessa and Alan are getting married this June on their 3 year anniversary!  They are getting married at the Anaheim Hills Golf Course, which is a beautiful place to get married!  I grew up going to the Anaheim Hills Golf Course for cotillion and it will be fun to shoot a wedding there!  Vanessa and Alan are so much fun and so in love!  I can’t wait to be a part of their very special day!  Here’s the slideshow!

It’s been such a blessing to have my “Mommy friends”.  Our kids are so close in age that they are going through the same things.  I know I can call them when I have any problems and they will have great advice or can totally relate to what I’m going through.  We’ve shared countless play dates and good times together.  And while we no longer go to Gymboree together anymore, we are lucky enough to get together once and sometimes twice a week to let the kids run wild.  Brayden called Dakota “Cod”, which I just think is so cute!

Dakota has also recently become my new best friend.  In the kids pre preschool class she will come and make room on my lap and leave Heather sitting by herself.  I don’t think Heather likes it, but I do!  She loves to give me hugs and hold my hand and it just melts my heart.  I know if I never have a daughter I will forever have Dakota to take dress and makeup shopping and to spoil!

Heather, thank you for your friendship!  Honestly, I don’t know what I would do without you and Kathy.  You both have given me so much support and I really, really appreciate that.  I’m so glad Gymboree brought us together!  Here’s your slideshow!

We tried to schedule a family shoot last year, but unfortunately we couldn’t get a date that worked for both of us.  I’m glad we waited because I love seeing Kirra’s personality unfold.  She’s such a beautiful little girl with an infectious smile.  Erin and Jenner are doing a great job raising one happy little girl!  And maybe they will be adding to their family soon to make Kirra a big sister!  Exciting!

Thanks Erin and Jenner!  It was great getting to see you both!  Here’s your slideshow!

I’m looking for a couple to model for an upcoming mentoring session on Friday, March 26.  The session will take place at 5pm in Fullerton, California.

Here’s what I’m looking for:

1)  A fun couple who is very much in love.  You don’t have to be married, but if you have wedding day attire that is a huge plus!

2)  A very RELIABLE couple who will be on time and dependable.

3)  A couple that I have not worked with before.  I love all of my clients, but I like to show my mentorees how I interact with clients I have never met before.

If you are a family with children please do not email.  I will post again when I’m looking for families.

The couple that is chosen will get a session with me free of charge and 10 high resolution images on a disc.  If you’re interested and available please email me at drew@drewbphotography.com.  Your email must include a current picture, ages, and please tell me a little bit about you.  Thanks!

Then, I read Julie’s blog about her friend Kristen.  Kristen was in Haiti visiting their son, Kembe, who they had been trying to adopt for nearly 3 years when the earthquake hit.  Not only that, but she was there with her 9 month old baby girl.  I was so scared for her and her kids.  Totally scared for this perfect stranger.  I checked her blog and twitter for regular updates until I saw that she and her daughter made it safely home later that week.  But, they had to leave Kembe there.  Can you imagine?  I’m sure it was hard enough to leave him there every time they visited.  But, to leave him in a country that was in ruins?  I’m sure that was the hardest thing Kristen has ever had to do.

But, this story has a very happy ending.  Because of the earthquake Kembe’s adoption was rushed and he was able to join their family in the US on January 23.  Amazing that it had to take such a huge disaster to get this kid home to his family where he belongs.

I don’t think I will be able to articulate how amazing I think Kristen and Mark are.  I only spent a little over an hour with them, but I feel like I know Kristen after reading so much of her blog (Which is amazing by the way.  Get ready to spend several hours going back through all of the archives).  What I admire so much about them is that they didn’t choose to take the easy road.  They have fought hard for all of their children, whether they were “homegrown” or adopted.  But, they don’t see what they are doing as anything out of the ordinary.  They merely believe that what every child deserves is a parent who loves them.  They don’t see black and they don’t see white.  They see their children.  Don’t you wish the rest of the world could be like that?

Thank you Howerton family for spending your afternoon with me and letting me capture this very special time in your lives!  Here’s your slideshow!

PS  A HUGE thank you to Julie who made these signs for the shoot.  She saved me from making horrible and ugly signs and came up with these in less than 24 hours.  Julie, you are amazing!

Jafta is 5 and he loves The Beatles!  I think he is very happy to have his brother home so he has someone to play with!

India is 3 and is a total girly girl.  What’s crazy is that India and Kembe have the same exact birthday.  They are both 3.  How cool is that?

Kembe loves to run and be a boy!  He has a ton of energy!  And he is so very, very HAPPY!

Karis is 10 months old.  Kristen told me she likes to put things in her mouth.  Yep.  She was right.  Grass.  Sticks.  Leaves.  All in Karis’ mouth

More from this awesome session coming soon!

Dear Brayden,

2 years ago today, after a very long and painful labor, we met at exactly 3:30pm for the first time.  4 days past due and you had no intentions of coming out so the doctor had to force you out.  When the doctor held you up over the curtain for the first time and your Daddy and I saw you we both cried, but later admitted to each other that we thought you were an albino baby.  Your hair was as white as your skin and you had bright blue eyes.  Regardless, we loved you because you were ours.

2 years ago today you were a stranger.  I could only dream of what your voice would sound like when you said, “Mama”.  I could only imagine what you would look like when you took your first steps.  I could never comprehend how proud I would be every time you learn a new word, when you blew out the candles of your 2nd birthday cake, when you said, “Love Mama” for the first time, and all your other little accomplishments.  I would have never guessed how much joy and happiness you could bring to me.

2 years ago today I wasn’t sure I could do it.  I still have days that I’m not sure I can do it.  But, I hope you know how much I try to be the best mom possible.  I love making you laugh so hard that your face turns red.  I love tickling you so hard that you giggle and say, “No, Mama!  No!”.  I love that I’m the only one who can understand your “Branglish”.  I love that I get just as excited as you (okay, maybe more excited) when we get stuck at a train crossing.  I love getting to discover new things with you.

2 years ago today I knew I loved you, but I could have never imagined how much more I could love you today.  Brayden, I love you so much and am so proud of the boy you are.  I can’t wait to see how much you change and grow over the next year.  But, please don’t grow up too fast.  These past two years have flown by.  I’d just like you to stay my baby for a little bit longer.

Love,

Mama

And a very happy 1 year anniversary to Mom*tog!!!

Then when shooting the whole bridal party I found out they were together AND engaged!  I knew that was a wedding I wanted to shoot!  Can I please tell you how sad I was when I found out I was booked for their date (and I was even more upset when I found out they are having the In N Out truck at their wedding!)?  But, I was very happy when they asked me to shoot their engagement session.  I just love these two!  They were actually introduced by Marisa and Jaime.  How cool is that?

Jenn and Byron found a great wedding photographer so I know they are in great hands!  I had so much fun with these two and this is actually my most favorite engagement session I’ve ever shot!  Thank goodness for iphones, though!  I was about to walk Jenn and Byron over to this gorgeous spot when I looked down and saw something that I thought might be poison ivy.  I asked Byron if he had been a boy scout and he said, “No, but I can google it”.  Sure enough.  It was poison ivy!  Poor Jenn would have gotten it all over her legs!  Can you imagine?

Jenn and Byron, thanks for giving me the opportunity to spend the afternoon with you guys!  You two are beyond perfect for each other!  I love how much fun you have together.  Your wedding is going to be amazing!  I can’t wait to see wedding pictures!  For now, here’s your slideshow!

PS  Special thanks to Sandi from Sash Makeup Artistry for doing such an awesome job on Jenn’s makeup!

Over the past year, Julie and I have become friends.  She makes me laugh (a lot!) and she makes me want to become a better mom and friend.  While most of our talking is done via email and twitter I totally value her friendship and I feel so lucky to have her in my life!  I just adore her little girls!  And Jason is my biggest cheerleader on shoots.  I love it!  Although, this family does have one fault.  They are Trojan fans!

While planning this shoot she asked if I had a wish list or places I wanted to shoot.  I jokingly told her that I wanted a canopy bed in the middle of a field.  Note to self, don’t joke with Julie.  Julie went on Craiglist and got a canopy bed.  And she even painted it green.  And then she made bedding for the bed.  And then she sewed the girls outfits.  She is one crazy talented lady!  Jason and Julie’s Dad brought the bed down to the area where we were shooting and set it up.  Poor Julie’s Dad had to stay with the bed for over 30 minutes!  I’m surprised the cops didn’t come down to see what he was up to!

Thank you to Julie and Jason for going all out for this shoot!  You guys rock and have the cutest family I have ever seen!  I hope you know how thankful I am that we found each other!  Here’s your slideshow!