bentley brooke and the pink chair

Bentley and I found a bit of sun this morning during this typically unpredictable weather day in tacoma. I carted our pink wing back chair into the backyard. This is the same pink chair I bought when I was single with the intention of recovering one day, but how with every year, has made it's pink fabric more attractive to me.



Enjoy the rest of the photos from our shoot here: Bentley Brooke

"Merly Merly Merly Merly..."

Enjoy Bentley's rendition of "Row Row Row Your Boat"

spring arrived...

...on my doorstep.


thank you sondra.

flour power

Bentley enjoys when I put bowls in front of her during cookie-making to pour the ingredients into. I plop her on our portable dishwasher and wheel her around to the countertop where I'm working. First to measure was the sugar. In goes her little finger just wet enough to attract a few sugar crystals up to her mouth. Next, came the flour, instead of just a little finger going in for a taste, she grabs a handful and stuffs it in her mouth. I looked at her wide-eyed waited for a reaction. She goes in for seconds. And thirds if I would let her. Instead of making a big deal about it, I simply asked if she would like some water. "yesh" she says with a nod and little flour cloud puffs coming from her mouth.


p.s. Notice the crooked pigtails. Drew once told me her pigtails were crooked. I told him he is more than welcome to try to get them straight. Instead of trying over and over again to get them just right, I go with it.

a little dogwood joy

was feeling down tonight...
...then in walks my husband from a prayer evening with the guys with a little piece of joy.

George, the sock monkey.

The desire to at least attempt making a sock monkey has intensified recently. When a couple of baby shower invitations showed up in my mailbox, I knew it was sock monkey time. Here is my first attempt. I have yet to name him. I think he is a boy. He is for a baby boy anyway, let's call him "George" for now.


I had a hard time finding just the right buttons for his eyes. I don't recommend white (super creepy). And black, well, that didn't look right either. I ended up finding the turquoise buttons and thought they needed a little something else, so I doubled them up. I highly suggest this if you want to tone down the creepy-factor.


If you would like to make a sock monkey creation of your own, I recommend this sock monkey-making-website.

a "Be-Like-Mommy" moment

the artist and her work

Bentley and Aya @ the Tacoma Children's Museum (Drew's cousin, Jill's daughter - just 5 weeks older than Bentley)

Bentley's first painting ever.

Bentley's painting with her friend, Nora

Bentley's painting with Aya (see first photo)

20 months old

Bentley Brooke turned 20 months old yesterday, but if you ask her how old she is, she will attempt to hold up two fingers and say "teuuu" (two). Where she learned this, I have no idea, but I am not going to correct her until she turns 3.

Photography Blog

I learned it is standard now for photographers to have blogs. It not only showcases work, but gives potential clients insights into the photographer themselves to help them decide to meet with/hire them or not. I think I have finally saturated the online market for my photography ha; a blog, a website and a facebook page - oh my!

Preparing for Easter

Easter eggs, plus my love of typography equals an attempt at a Martha Stewart idea: using vinyl letters to create typographically beautiful easter eggs!


When I truly think about preparing for Easter, I know it goes beyond the trail of chocolate eggs to Bentley's Easter basket full of $-store finds (zebra-striped purse, socks and bunny ears), and goes beyond the little pots with spanish moss ready to hold the lettered eggs I made our families to adorn their plates to mark their place for Brunch.

The truth is, Easter is a celebration! Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose on the third day. I want the meaning of this to be written on my heart and mean more to me than just a phrase on a bookmark at the check-out counter at a Christian bookstore. I want the joy to be real. So when I actually prepare for Easter, I want my heart prepared to embrace the truth of the Joy.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4