Our Thanksgiving Day Celebration
at the Kessener’s Home

Malachi and his grandmother Jenny

   
Hanging out with his second-cousin Bri, then out on the deck with his mom and dad

Looking south from their home above Capo Beach

  
Jenny always sets a beautiful table with family heirlooms
and fresh, autumn flowers

 
Eating green apple peelings

     
Spence looking good in his new aloha shirt

 
Hanging out

Malachi’s beautiful mommy

  
Dear David was sick and stayed in his room most of the day,
but came out to indulge in apple peels and much needed laughter.

Malachi, Alicia and Nick
 
        
Baker Bob at work on his much anticipated deep-dish apple pie

Getting Malachi to smile at Great Grandmother Mimi’s camera

   
Strategic stacking

Word games

Our hosts Bob and Jenny

   
Cousin Pat arriving with his sister and mom

  
                                                      Sisters

Dinner Time with the cousins

   
Grandpa Jim and Mimi

The experiment with a glutten-free pie crust was not successful structurally
but the pie tasted great!
 
 
Kara bonding with the little one

 
Bri and Pat on dish washing duty with Tammy’s encouragement

 
Watching the entertaining dishwasher act.

Tickle time

    
Turkey Tummies                                                        

Time to say good-night and…

        

That’s All Folks!

 

November Impressions

 
The Smith Clan
Beacon Bay, Newport Beach

    

The Matchniff Family
 Walt Disney Concert Hall

Heather and her daughter Gracelyn

 

Rick and Anne
Married 11/11/11

 
The Williams Family
Alta Laguna Park

  
Coby and Sean

The Kunda Family

    
A head shot for Anne Barkley

The Spowart Family
Wood’s Cove

   
Naya
Winter Fantasy

An Autumn Haiku

  
Our Little Pumpkin

I was so thankful this past November for the many wonderful clients
who came to me for family portraits.
I never know what to expect, each person so unique
and it’s fun to see how they will interact with one another.
I try to start ever session with a prayer,
asking God to help me see them as He does.
It makes all the difference!

The Advent Season has begun!
Here is a wonderful daily devotional
to help you prepare for Christmas:

http://www.d365.org/followingthestar/

October Memories~
and so thankful that I have
these photographs to help to remember them

     

Growers First Celebration Dinner at Villa Rockledge
then a few days later
I photographed the new ambulance they were able to purchase
for the farmer’s community in Oaxaca


http://growersfirstcoffee.com/



End of an Era
Spence waxing our new 2012 Mustang
while waiting for the new owner of his El Camino to arrive

It’s a bittersweet moment…39 years driving
a classic muscle car

all American steel and chrome

a “daily driver” that has served him so well
yet finding parts and mechanics to keep it running
had become more and more expensive.


Michael, 16, worked all summer to save up enough
the money to buy our 72 Chevy. He’s got the time
plus teachers to help him keep it going.





An early winter storm blessed us with rain
and a gorgeous sunset


Fall Color in Southern California…
the Poison Oak turns red!


One of the natural lakes in Laguna Canyon
that our town is named after.

Live Oak Acorns


Telegraph Flower seed puffs




   
Semi-annual church meeting in Fellowship Hall





Hike up to Castle Rock near Big Bear Lake
during a 3 day women’s retreat…
Bri was there too, having returned from Romania
only a couple days before.

   






Date with Spence to the Performing Arts Center
to see the “Kings of Dance” Ballet

 
 
HOME~ new flowers for our shade garden

Silliness from Kelsey and Bri

Lil David still takes good naps








Indian Summer temps, an extreme low tide and the ever growing popularity of SUPs
(Stand Up Paddleboards)



The Tanaka Family at Crystal Cove


The Broggers at Blue Bird Park

   
Trainer Jo Neath


    

   

  
And on the last day of October…
our Little Church by the Sea’s Harvest Festival fun!

 

“Indescribable”

   
From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

 
Creation’s revealing Your majesty

 
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring

  
Every creature unique in the song that it sings

 
Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go

 
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow

 
Who imagined the sun and gives source to it’s light

 
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom


 
  Indescribable, uncontainable,

 
  You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

 
You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,

 
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God

Song by Chris Tomlin
Photos taken during a Woman’s Retreat up in Big Bear during October

November is almost here,
I better blog a few
September Highlights
 now!

A Just-for-Fun photo session at the beach.
Our Bri is an excellent model…23 years of being photographed
 has made her very comfortable in front of the camera

She instinctively knows what I’m trying to capture

Surf and Ballgowns!

Shakira and Dakota had a blast in their $5 thrift store gowns

   
Brody’s Senior Portrait

      
Lindsay’s Senior Portrait

Two grown daughters and their mom

 
The Brummon Family…this was their daughter’s suggested pose

Found in Patty’s garden

 
Little David is growing up!
He still visits one day a week and while Bri was in Romania
I took care of him for his mom.

I’ve been hired by LOCA
Laguna Oureach for Community Arts
to photograph their monthly events
and run their Facebook page.

West St. Sunset Reflection
seen on a beach walk with my husband.

 
 
Brianna’s Mission to Romania
For years Bri has wanted to go on a mission trip for the Lord.
The timing has never been right, but now she is done with school
her work is flexible and all the door flew open…
the Lord was saying “Go.”

She is serving a German Missionary family in western Romania,
they live in a small village of 300 in the foothills of a large valley.

  
What she didn’t expect was staying in this large, beautiful home!
The family has their own separate area in the house. Upstairs there are 6 guest rooms,
and downstairs has a kitchen with a large communal meeting and dinning area.

Here is Bri’s lovely bedroom with a welcome sign.

 She bonded quickly with Hanna and Lukas,
the missionaries two children.

The next door neighbor’s pig, who just had piglets.
The village is very rural and quiet.

The home is back in the foothills of this photo.
The city is about 15 minutes away and since Bri goes into
 to help with the after school program…

Angelika taught her to drive a stick shift
so Bri can drive herself!

This is the apartment in the town that has been turned into a kid’s club
and place for occasional bible studies

 
The children are from apartments in the area that have no electricity
or running water. The satellite dishes are for battery operated TVs
which are valued more than food for their families.

Here are the youngest children working on an art project related to the lesson Bri
taught with the help of a translator. She taught them they are God’s children,
and because of that, royalty. So of course they need crowns!

        

Bri says the children don’t get much affection at home,
so they want hugs more than anything.

They are so precious.

       
Just down the street from the apartments is the church.

Sunday service.

Bri said after church the first Sunday, everyone gathered outside to talk and eat grapes off this vine.
(sounds like a bible story)

One of Bri’s new friends

Last Sunday, they had a midday potluck and ate out in the church courtyard

Two of the guys…
fortunately many of young people know a little English and like talking with her.

Later that same day, Angelic thought her husband Mattias should teach Bri how to ride a motorcycle~
So he did!

Brianna has been there for 2 weeks, with two more to go.
She’s been cooking, cleaning, caring for the childen and ironing sheets…
serving the family anyway she can. Meeting with others and sharing her faith.

We look forward to hearing all she has experienced and learned when she returns.
May the Lord keep her under His wing.

Photos by Bri of course!

 

“Sea-Fever”

    
I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

 
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

    
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

 

    

 
I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

 
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Poem by John Masefield (1878-1967
Photographs taken during the Dana Point
Tall Ship Festival’s Canon Battle
9/11/2011

It’s Her Time Now

Just received this quick note via Facebook.
Brianna has arrived safely in western Romania
where she will be serving a German Missionary family for a month.

She left here yesterday morning at 4 am
and didn’t land in Romania till 7 am our time today…
that’s a long time traveling by herself!

She has had a heart for missions since she was 16
(Bri is now 23)
and she finally had the time and resources and calling to go.
This was also her first time traveling internationally.
(You better believe I was praying!)