After the 2012 WPPI convention in Vegas two weeks ago, I made a detour to southern California before heading back to Seattle.  I caught up with old friends, met up with new ones and also visited relatives, but the main purpose of my trip was to attend my good friends’ baby shower.  Thyda and Sam visited WA back in December.  We had originally scheduled a maternity session then, but the good old northwest only had wet and rainy weather to offer.  Of course I could not pass up on the chance of shooting in the California sun.  This shoot was a long time in the planning (well, ever since I found out about the news) and I’m so glad I got to do it in California instead.  Thanks to our friend Mikal of Lok In the Moment (also my wedding photographer!) for suggesting the Jeffrey Open Space Trail in Irvine, CA as one of our shoot locations.  All the sun made me crave for ice cream so we headed over to Laguna Beach.  It was a special place for Thyda and Sam because it was where Sam proposed to Thyda almost four years ago.  Well, we ended up having such a great time that we forgot about getting ice cream.  I’m extremely happy for Thyda and Sam and how far they’ve come and grown in their relationship.  I’m also very proud of Thyda.  She’s such a gorgeous preggo!  I can’t believe in just a couple weeks, someone who I consider more than a good friend but like my little sister, is going to be a mommy!  Baby Brayden… you lucky boy… see you soon!

Our  first engagement session of the year and we got blessed with a rare sunny February day.  Chakrya and Rob chose a small park in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood to start the day.  When we arrived we discovered that the neighborhood kids were also out enjoying the bright light that was beaming from the sky.  Yes, we had to wait our turns to get on the swings!  There was an amazing view of downtown Seattle from the park, but we wanted to get closer so later on we made our way to Queen Anne to one of my favorite little places to shoot.  I couldn’t ask for a more fun and adventurous pair to work with to start off the year.  I’m so excited and can’t wait for their farm wedding this summer!