Mango

Here she is. Mango.
So cute and so much trouble just like my toddler. It is such a good thing puppies and toddlers are so cute or else you might not put up with their shenanigans. Their cuteness does make them pretty irresistible.

And here is Jackie with Grayson at 10 weeks. I love this quite moment between them.

my garden

Deciding what is for dinner is a bit easier with veggie garden in my backyard. Twenty feet from my back deck, we have planted spinach, cucumbers, rhubarb, herbs, raspberries, delicata squash, etc... There is so much satisfaction to watch the spinach grow and then saute it with olive oil and garlic. I am also in love with our poppies right now too. Could not resist capturing them in full bloom.

Family vacation

Before the economy took a huge dive, we planned a trip to Todos Santos in Baja with two other families. Six adults and four toddlers loaded up and ventured south for some time at the beach. Vacations are a little different with kids. Not as much time at the beach reading, but I was able to finish one book.

Happy New Year

Reflecting on the past 365 days, I am amazed at all that happened. My daughter, Maddie, was just walking at the start of 2008 and now she runs circles around me while singing happy birthday to her babies. After living in Colorado for five years, I finally made it to a Red Rocks concert to see My Morning Jacket. I traveled to Costa Rica, Santa Fe, Alaska, New Hampshire, Ohio, and West Virginia. On my birthday, I had knee surgery which was really the worse birthday present ever. And I am still recovering from it. Spent Thanksgiving with my husband and Maddie skiing at Wolf Creek. I had hoped to get her on skis but she was content doing puzzles and eating dried blueberries in the lodge. Not even the promise of a lollipop could entice this two year old onto the slopes. Christmas was celebrated with my mom and brother who are so loved by Maddie. Uncle Jamie is always a favorite due to his willingness to be transformed in a horse at any given moment. New Year's Eve was quiet at our house but the food, lobster risotto with beef tenderloin and an avocado tomato salad, was delicious. Rang in the New Year with our neighbors playing Wii.

Hope everyone had an amazing 2008. Happy New Year.

the last few days of summer

its time to pack up my summer whites and start shopping for fall sweaters. this weekend marks the end of summer. no more lazy Sunday afternoons at the pool watching my daughter become a water warrior. she also discovered watermelon, a messy event, but she could eat slice after slice. i think she might have loved eating it because we almost always went swimming afterwards to clean up.

GAS • Saturday July 26th

GAS stands for Garden Art Show. It is one the best things to do in the summer and should not be missed. This will be my fourth year donating and my photo is from a recent trip back to Vermont on an early foggy morning. Usually, I walk home with too much art which is not a bad thing. However, I still need to hang what I bought last summer.

vermont 2008

Founded in 2002, The Garden Art Show is an annual silent auction benefiting local charities in Boulder County, Colorado. Thanks to generous donations by brilliant local artists (from full-time professionals to inspired amateurs and undiscovered newcomers), all proceeds from sales of the art go to children's art and nature causes. In its first five years, the GAS has raised over $9,000, entertained hundreds of good people, put lots of great art in worthy homes, and decimated local supplies for jambalaya and mojitos.

my youngest fan

thanks to everyone who reads my blog and special big thanks to my youngest nyc fan.

happy mother's day!

happy mother's day! the saying is true about how quickly time goes by as a parent. new words and new skills like climbing or jumping off the couch happen every day. i am looking forward to next mother's day when madeleine will say "happy mother's day." that will be an amazing gift.

three days old • boulder, colorado

15 months • costa rica

{for all those parents out there}

a dear friend emailed this to me and it made me cry.

By Anna Quindlen, Pulitzer prize-winning columnist and Author

All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow, but in disbelief.

I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like.

Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves.

Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.

Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now.

Penelope Leach, T. Berry Brazelton, Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education - all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations - what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all.

Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay.

No one knows anything. One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2.

When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent, this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing.

Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow. I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr. Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Last year he

went to China . Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.

Every part of raising children is humbling. Believe me, mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the 'Remember-When-Mom-Did' Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language - mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed.

The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, "What did you get wrong?" (She insisted I include that here.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?

But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked

when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.

Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how

it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the

world, who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts.

It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were.

colors of costa rica

last week we took our first international family vacation to costa rica. along with two other families, we rented a house in ojochal just south of dominical. six adults and four kids toured around the beaches and jungles in and around ojochal. as the sun was setting margaritas were drank. there was plenty of fresh fish and the tastiest avocados ever were eaten daily.

we already have our next trip planned. can't wait to return.

here are a few photos from the week as well as a slide show click HERE.





this is a little slide show from my point and shoot.

{firsts}

i just returned to the lower 48 after a six day trip in alaska, and i had a lot of firsts on my trip.

first time on a snowmobile and rode 205 miles in three days.
first time eating moose sausage.
first time shooting a run.
first time hitting a target.
first time to alaska.
first time seeing a moose.
first time seeing caraboo.
first time wearing bunny boots.
first time wearing three layers of puffies out of fear of being too cold.

here are a few snap shots from my time up there.

self portrait, alaska
taking a break from our 75 mile trip back to the trailhead. standing in front of the alaskan range.
fishing cabin


talkeetna range
talkeetna range, alaska
hunting cabin on swiss lake, alaska

{location lighting}

i thought i would share some of my photos from the location lighting class. we photographed at four locations - the scottish rite temple, the new mexico state penitentiary, los luceros, and a location of my choice, blake's lotaburger.

each portrait was created using a one or two light setup keeping it easy to travel to a location without an assistant. i used a mix of extra small and medium size soft boxes, strip lights, hard lights with grids, cinafoil, and bare bulb depending. choosing the type of light was dependent on the feeling and style i wanted evoke in the portrait. if you have any lighting questions, i would be happy to try and answer them. just email me a comment and i will respond.

{great cards}

If you have not discovered somee cards, you need to check it out. It is the best online free card site out there. They are funny, smart, quirky, and sassy.

I discovered them in the NY Time Style section, my favorite, a few months ago. You can read how the company got started HERE.

{the truth about st.valentine}

Listening to NPR on my drive to work, I found out who St.Valentine is so I thought I would share.

This definition is from Wikipedia.

Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. In North America and Europe, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

My favorite part of the day is an excuse to eat a lot of dark chocolate.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

{so sad}

I love Polaroid instant film, and I am so sad to find out the company is going to stop making it. A good friend just informed me of this and you can find out a bit more from Perez Hilton.

Stock up now 'cause it will soon be gone.

{how to caucus!}

Tomorrow is the Colorado caucus and I would encourage all to attend. Here is how you do it.

Honestly, I am not sure how a caucus operates but it will be educational and interesting. I will know more about everything after Tuesday.

A fun political quiz, Answer 10 questions and find out which presidential candidate you should

vote for in 2008! Check it out...very interesting!

VoteChooser.com

General Info
>Both Democratic and Republican party caucus meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, February 5th
>Caucus meetings start at 7pm, but because an expected high turnout, organizers suggest voters to arrive at 6:30pm.
>Only registered voters who have been affiliated with the Republican or Democratic parties since at least Dec. 5 can participate in the caucuses. Colorado does not have an open party system (ie. unaffiliated and independents can not attend)


For Democratic Voters
http://www.bouldercountydems.org/Election2008/Caucus/
>Go to the website linked above and type in your last name and birth year. If you are a registered voter, your name will appear and you can select it to determine your precinct number and location.
>The website will also tell you your state senate and house districts.
>When you go to your caucus, you'll need to remember your precinct's unique identifier, which is the last three digits of the full number.
>For instance, my precinct number is 2-18-10-07-085, and my unique identifier number is 085. My caucus is at Boulder High School on Arapahoe.

All About Democratic Caucuses
* Participants elect a precinct leader to run the meeting.
* Representatives of the presidential candidates may make short speeches.
* A straw poll is taken to determine how much support each candidate has. Candidates must reach a 15 percent threshold. For example, if 100 people show up, a candidate must receive 15 votes to stay in the next round of voting.
* The next round is the actual preference poll itself. Participants who picked candidates who didn't make the cut are allowed to vote for someone still in the running.
* All votes are public. There is no secret ballot at any level in the process.
* The results from each precinct are relayed to a county party official and then to the state party, which announces the results.
* Participants also pick delegates and alternates to county assemblies and other assemblies.


For Republican Voters
http://bouldercountygop.org/caucuses
>Go to the website linked above and type in your full name you used to register to vote. If you are a registered voter, your name will appear and you can select it to determine your precinct number and location. Note: the GOP site will provide info for both registered democrats and republicans.
>When you go to your caucus, you'll need to remember your precinct's unique identifier, which is the last three digits of the full number.
>For instance, John Smith's precinct number is 218-1007-106, and his unique identifier number is 106. His caucus is at the CU Engineering Center, Room 265, 2nd Level.

All About Republican Caucuses
* Participants elect a precinct leader to run the meeting.
* They then elect a committee to tally votes.
* Representatives for some presidential candidates may make short speeches.
* Voting varies from precinct to precinct. Some vote by secret ballot, others by a show of hands.
* Results from each precinct are relayed to a county party official and then to the state party, which announces the results.
* Participants also pick delegates and alternates to county assemblies and other assemblies. (In some counties, this vote may precede the presidential preference poll.)

Race for Colorado's 2nd Congressional District
>U.S. Rep. Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) is running for the open U.S. Senate seat this November, creating a primary race for the 2nd CD that encompasses much of Boulder County.
>Currently there are four democrats:, Joan Fitz-Gerald, Larry Johnson, Will Shafroth, and Jared Polis, running for the nomination. Bill Hammon is running on the Unity Party platform.
>Polis and Fitz-Gerald are seeking caucus delegates to support their candidacies, and so there will be politicking at the caucuses by their campaigns.

{want to be friends}

I will admit I am a bit addicted to Facebook. A great way to reconnect with old friends from high school, college, and past jobs. Feel free to invite me to join your world and join mine.

{quote}

I've chosen to photograph the people I photograph because I care about them, their lives interest me. I decided from the very beginning to by mainly a photographer of the nonfamous and sometimes less fortunate people, beacause I wanted to be a voice for them. Even though they were less advantaged, I thought them to be more worthy, more deserving to be photographed. To me, they needed to be photographed.

- Mary Ellen Mark

{my best friend + abc news}

My best friend, Karen Russo, is living in Mumbai working as a reporter for ABC News. Right now she is in Delhi reporting on an illegal kidney transplant racket which hundreds of India's poor were forced to have their organ removed.

You can read the story HERE.


This is one of my favorite photos of Maddie, Karen, and me in NYC. August 2007

{photography exhibit}

hanger t1 • boulder municipal airport

Comtemporary5 Boulder has brought together four artists in hanger t1 at the Boulder Municipal Airport. Despites 90mph winds on Friday night, the show opened with more than 150 guests and 10% of all proceeds from opening night were donated to BMoCA. The space reminded me of Site Santa Fe and PS 1- two of my favorite places to see art.

My favorite work was by Antti Keitila. His methodology is to first paint a canvas with highly reflective enamel paint and reflects the subject onto his canvas and takes a pictures of the reflection.

The show is only up for four days so tomorrow is your last day. It is definitely worth a visit.



a photo of my daughter, madeleine, at the art show
taken with my iphone