10-22-08 Changes

10-22-08

So not much is really changing and still everything is changing. 

We've had plenty of time to be thinking about this though, we have been pregnant since April. So really we're used to being future parents but that future is fast approaching and then we will be present parents. We're due January 9th. Just 21 days before my birthday and 4 days after my mom's birthday and 14 days after Christmas. Close enough that presents have 2 meanings but too far to still have it off for Christmas break. Steve and I are thinking of having a tradition in our house that everyone in the family gets to have 2 birthdays preferably 6 months or so apart that way for the first time in my life I can have a pool party for my birthday. And my two best girlfriends July 28, and August 1 can have a happy birthday ice skating or skiing. I rather like my birthday and I'm not sure what day I'll pick but we have about 3 years to consider is as out son will get to choose his extra birthday first. And he probably isn't going to be cognizant enough of it until at least then, probably later, I mean he'll likely be brilliant but maybe not that brilliant by then.

Tomorrow, we are going to head to California for our baby's first shower. It will be all of Steve's family and Patty's friends in attendance, Aunt Janet and Cousin Kelsi are throwing the shower at Patty's house. All I know if Kelsi is in charge of games and the shower invite had a rubber duckie on it, so I have no idea what to expect, they throw quite a party so I imagine it's going to be lots of fun. Kelsi is just 21 this year and has an awesome sense of humor so she knows my favorite thing about a shower are the games, I've already heard about one game I am mad for, hopefully it passes Janet's "yuck" test. We'll see on Saturday.

We found out about 9 weeks ago that we are having a boy. Even the technician was a little taken aback about what a boy he is ;) we're so proud.   

Our second shower is coming up the next weekend in Austin November 2nd. To be honest it will be the first shower in my life I was able to wake up in my own house and get dressed at my own house and go from there. I have been such a transient in the past. This shower is being thrown by my my 2 best girlfriends Suzanne and Alyssa. Alyssa is coming from New York to help toss the festivities and I saw the invitation it was so adorable, a hand made number shaped like a tea cup. It's a tea party at Suzanne's house. She is getting recipes for tea sandwiches from Patty who is a foremost authority on the subject. So suspect we'll be having some good eats ;) Plus it's a tea party and I love tea. I love the girly nuances of tea. It's one of my favorite pass times. Thanks to Patty for the introduction.

On November 1 we are going to take our only baby birthing class. This does not pass my my yuck test.  But at least we'll be informed, then the following weekend we are going to visit the hospital for a tour so we know where to go should there be an emergency, fingers crossed that will NOT be the case.

We'll be having yet one more shower coming up at the end of November thrown by my sister Hill in the Dallas area, we still have a number of family friends in the area. Not really sure what her plan is. She never tells me, she picks a theme and runs with it. Steve and I have been a little obsessive about Monkeys these last few months, I imagine our baby is going to be rambunctious he certainly is in my belly ;) so I suspect there will be something to do with Monkeys. She is throwing the shower Thanksgiving weekend. I am so excited about Thanksgiving weekend anyway, it's that much closer to baby and we get to put up the tree and it's her first Thanksgiving in their new house, and she just got dining room furniture so I know she is super excited about breaking it in. 

My plan is to put up a few of my most favorite holiday recipes and shoot them first so you can see what their supposed to look like. Soon. When we get back from California... I hope.

Have a great day, and we'll add some pictures of the shower when we get back. Thanks for looking.

---mel

10-13-08 Erin and Jason wedding

10-13-08

Erin and Jason hired a photographer for their wedding and I was trying hard to stay out of his way. So I was only able to get some ambiance images, plus my seat at their wedding was terrible I was behind all of the tall folks. But i enjoyed shooting what i could.

---mel

10-12-08 Jamie + Shaun engagement

10-12-08 Jamie + Shaun engagement.

My plan was to put pictures up of the entire 3 days of the Erin and Jason wedding festivities but I changed my mind. I shot the most adorable couple ever, ever on Saturday and decided to take a hiatus from the Lake Tahoe wedding coverage to share these images from Saturday.

These 2 are the couple that everyone wishes they were. Completely mad for each other. Their wedding is in March so I am looking forward to that. As, I'm sure, they are.

Thanks for looking.

---mel

10-11-08 The Rehearsal Dinner

Erin and Jason's rehearsal dinner at Wendy and Chuck's house on Lake Tahoe. 

1. Grandma Peggy Roberts in a rarely seen image with her eyes open ;)

2. The Groom Jason wearing his "Passion Beach" t-shirt constucted by their friend and photographer Joe Abreu. 

3. A group of Family and Friends who I just don't know, but they are a lively bunch.

4. Steve-o and his uncle Brian. weird how they kinda look alike wouldn't you say plus they share a birthday and a common sense of humor, there is never a dull moment with these 2 in the room.

5. Erin's aunts on her Chuck's side. I just met them that morning at the baby shower.

See you tomorrow with some shots from the wedding + I just shot an awesome couple I can't wait to show you their engagement portrait.

---mel

10-7-08 Lake Tahoe

10-7-08 Lake Tahoe

2 weeks ago Steve and I went to Lake Tahoe to celebrate the wedding of Steve's cousin Erin and the baby shower of Steve's cousin Eric. We flew into Reno (the biggest little city...something) we got to see the sites there in town and drove an hour to the North side of Lake Tahoe. I would like to tell you how beautiful it was but I was napping most of the way. We rented a house with my in-laws Mom (Patty) Dad (Jim) and Brother (Nolan.) It was on a canal branching from the Lake and only 2 houses down from Patty's sister Wendy's house, she happens to be the new grandma and the mother of the bride. We spent the whole weekend doing family things, starting with Saturday morning we through a baby shower for Stephanie (Steve's cousin's wife) and their son Elias Arlo Olesen. In the early evening there was a BBQ in honor of the upcoming wedding on Sunday. Sunday was the union of Erin and Jason at a resort on the South side of Lake Tahoe. So I am going to send pictures with all of the weekend for the next few days to catch you up.

Thanks for looking.

Baby Shower:

My husband's cousin Eric and his wife had a baby just 6 weeks ago and my mother-in-law wanted to shower them with gifts. Sadly The new momma was still recovering from what I understand to be not a pretty comfortable delivery, so instead she threw a baby shower for Eric complete with all of the family women, cake and games. Eric is not a small, timid guy he is rather large certainly sturdy guy, so watching him open gifts and hold baby things for the room to coo over was definitely a highlight of our weekend. He and his wife live in Idaho so my husband hasn't seen him in quite a while and I hadn't ever met him up until this day. Eric was such a great sport to be there and not make the ladies do it ;) Good job Eric.

1. My mother in law, even with borrowed dishes and several miles from home can create quite a table scape.

2. Barbara and Wendy assumably commiserating about being new grandmothers. Barbara in June and Wendy nearly 6 weeks ago.

3. Patty cutting into her now famous soufflé. Yummo!

4. Eric playing baby Bingo, sadly he did not win, too bad I imagine those Burt's Bees gift bags would have done him well ;)

5. Eric opening baby gifts among the wall of baby gifts.

Congratulations to Eric and Stephanie for your new addition.

---mel

10-4-08 Kim and Pierre's wedding.

10-4-08 This weekend I had the pleasure of working with Jessica Attie of I Do Photography, on a wedding she was shooting. The timing couldn't have been better the light was exquisite.

Thanks for looking, see you tomorrow with something fun.

---mel

10-3-08 Austin City Limits Festival

10-3-08 

Austin City Limits Festival is a giant festival lasting 3 days in Zilker Park Austin Texas. It spans quite a distance with it's 5 or so stages of big name bands playing. It's a claim to fame for Austin the self proclaimed "Music capital of the world." This year we covered it for The New York Times, here is a link to our coverage. As many of you know I am 7 months pregnant and getting more robust by the minute and obviously have to pee ALOT, so I spoke with the promoters, the lovely ladies of fresh and clean media and they gave me full access to the entire park including a shuttle trolly that ushers you from stage to stage. Plus since my bag is such a giant, they also gave me 2 of everything for my husband to join me as my assistant, to carry everything and help me switch lenses and what not. All in all it was glorious experience and I'm glad I got to share it with him. Here are some shots from the show. Enjoy.

In order of appearance on Saturday, Sharon Jones, Man Man, Eryka Badu, a typical "Texas" crowd shot, and Robert Plant of Plant/Krauss formerly of Led Zeppelin.

---mel