-balls

how's this for real?

this week was super sucky.

here's the short list:

1. grandma had a heart attack

2. hit the house while pulling into the garage

3. ripped the bumper off while failing to avoid hitting the house

4. this saturday's photo shoot called from the ER because she'd wrecked her car- and face

5. flushed my blackberry down the toilet

6. my first home studio photo shoot was way harder than it should have been

7. my 3 year old told me- as i was getting out of the tub- that my vagina was ugly

and you know when you start to notice the bad things, the list grows faster than usual.

so i'm going to find a silver lining in all of this week's grossness:

1. grandma's home from the hospital, my mom and dad live close enough to be there for her and grandpa and i get to go give her love in less than a week!

2. the damage to the house was minimal. not much more than some touch up paint.

3. the damage to the car was minimal. not much more than some how bending the bumper into place, touching up the paint and hopefully driving it off a cliff. i'm ready for a new car anyways.

4. saturday's photo shoot decided she still wanted to go through with it because she has crazy confidence in my photoshopping skills. she said "i look fine, except for my chin. i have a huge gash on my chin". just writing this makes me laugh. this girl's determined to get engagement pictures done even if it means i make her pose for every picture by peeking over a fence.

5. damn it. i was time for a social purge anyways.

6. the 6 month old sugar baby was wiggly and fussy and acted like a typical 6 month old. however, i did manage to take one picture that melted me. georgia is the cutest little girl and i'd do it all over again for this image:
7. there's really no silver lining to having an ugly vagina. i'd sacrifice it's aesthetics for my 3 roommates any day.

if i don't reply to your texts or phone calls it's because the universe wanted me to learn something about patience, simplifying and prioritizing this week.

the end.

-"cause without you things get hazy"

look who's gearing up for phoenix fashion week:

it's little brother's girlfriend KYM!!

she was chosen the be the face of 2 emerging designers this year and asked me to do her make up for the promotion campaign.

kinda fun to still be involved in a photo shoot but not have to stress about lighting or timelines.

i love this picture of my brother watching his lady:

and after the make up adventure, i walked down the street to meet audrey for dessert:

an extra helping of william fitzsimmons

with a side dish of rosy galon.

it was perfect.

actually the whole day was.

i text audrey the next morning and said i think i had a happiness hangover.

ps- this was kym's 2nd look.

i guess 2011 is all about dallas hair, 2lbs of purple eye shadow and dancing on a table without pants.

cause THAT happened.

-ade. as in lemonade.

i've been sitting here for 20 minutes trying to think of something to say about this soon to be 2 year old ruling my household.

i've been laughing and sighing and then laughing again.

what was life like before baby ade?

quieter.

cleaner.

easier.

lamer.

i love this nug.

-fancy

this has been a summer of learning.

mostly about myself.

but a lot about photography.

lots of fun scheduled for me, my camera, my green gum and some lovely people.

photo of me by jose de orta- master of the universe

this is courtney.

she's a blossoming actress/person.

when i was 11 i had 6 inches of teased and hair sprayed bangs, a snaggle tooth and a swatch phone.

i wouldn't have looked this cute in any pictures.

but i would've been prank calling you every friday.

things were so much more fun before caller i.d.

i really am going to start photo blogging on my new website.

but this one's still home.

and not so freaking hard to upload pictures on to.

-pinch me

sometimes i feel like i'm dreaming.

when i was growing up, i had the hardest time imagining the future.

my mom says that i've always been upset with the idea of growing up.

i remember that the lessons in church about eternity made me want to vomit.

they still do.

because i've always loved the stage i'm in.

the life i'm living.

the current.

the present.

so much that i dread it ending, moving forward or changing.

take for instance- now.

my babies still want me to hold them until they're asleep.

my husband is young, witty and so handsome.

i'm healthy, i laugh daily and have creative outlets.

but- things are changing so quickly- and without my approval.

brooks is a confident 3.5 year old that break dances in front of people, knows that vegetables make him grow strong and holds his brother's hand when crossing the street.

ade sleeps in a big boy bed, chases imaginary bad guys and when on tippy toes, can reach the water fountain at church.

brandon is still my hardworking entrepreneurial ox but has decided that he wants to work less, breed koi and get a dog so that he can take it on daily walks. he's much more patient with my randomness and tells me i'm pretty before i tell him to tell me i'm pretty.

and then there's me. i hardly recognize this girl staring back at me in the mirror. i've traded in my heels for grass stained and calloused feet, i'd rather go to bed early with a book than do pretty much anything else and i've finally realized that rap is for youngsters.

stop. stop. stop.

i believe there is a beauty that comes with aging and gaining wisdom with time but please stop stop stop.

stop please.

-california lewis

once upon a time there was this little island where people walked to get donuts and tea every morning and spent their days looking down their lounged bodies through sandy toes to a marina filled with sailboats skimming and seals barking in the water. a place where babies never needed shoes, mommies had endless supplies of diet coke and gossip magazines and daddies could teach their children how to jump off a wall into the sand properly. a place where the dogs seemed to smile at you, no one cared if you picked the flowers growing along the sidewalks and the weather alternated between clouded and misty to sunny and breezy.

our trip to balboa was nothing short of magical. the G family showed us an amazing time. so amazing that i dreaded the thought of leaving within the first hour of being there. so amazing that it has now become the place in my head i retreat to when i can't sleep at night and need to find a happy place. i think i left a piece of my heart there.

this picture makes me laugh:

i was so relaxed that something in vogue got the ultimate mccain look of concentrated focus.

i look so much like my siblings here in a way i've never noticed.

"deaners" and brody:

my lew:

the offspring:

brody and his teeth:

"tank" aders:

brooksy:

"benana" brea.

thanks jo for the invite and perfect time.

we love you guys so much.

and when we've shed the 20lbs of pure love we've gained, let's do it again.

-neck braces are the new black

108 degrees?
whatever.
little brother (dave), his friend (jake) and i (old bones jones) decided there are 3 things that make any heat enjoyable:

1.) a boat
2.) the glass waters of saguaro lake &
3.) a bag of funyuns

there was some wake clearing:

rope dropping:

sunflower seeding:

new tricks attempting:

and landing:

even some big sister risk taking:

and major sh*t eating:

all the cool kids have whiplash.