2008 is going to be GREAT!!

Happy New YEAR!!!!....See you there!!

Love,
Damion, Julie, Miranda, & Olivia!

Adios to 2007!

We hope that your 2007 has brought you many blessings this year! For us, we're so grateful that we've been blessed with a new daughter, healthy family, a new project (www.wellsoflife.com), and the joy of meeting many more clients and friends. May 2008 bring you more moments of joy and laughter, much satisfaction, and many new beginnings! Happy and Prosperous New Year to you!!!

Here are the remaining photos from our countdown of Damion's favorites of 2007. Be sure to check our blog soon as we're starting 2008 with a rockin' wedding on Jan 1, done by one of the best wedding coordinators we know--who coordinated ours 10 years ago--Marianne Aguilar. (Think New Year's Eve Party!)

Merry Christmas to all!!!

We hope that you had a beautiful Christmas filled with the love of your friends and family! This year, we were keenly aware and very grateful for the love and acceptance that our family offers, not only to us, but to all. We ended up having a long lost friend who showed up on Christmas Eve with no place to go, no family to be with..... We found ourselves feeling so blessed because we knew that even this last minute surprise guest would be welcomed with open arms, encouraged and loved by our family and friends, even if it did mean squeezing in an extra chair at the table....It's just nice to know that there are places where acceptance is unconditional and that we know so many people who make that a reality. Thank you to all of our family and friends who make us feel so loved, supported, encouraged, and accepted simply for being who we are, faults and all!!!

Over the weekend, we also had a chance to capture a beautiful Christmas/engagement party with the Matlock family. We met Tom and Judi Matlock as a result of planning to photograph their son Jeremy's wedding to Krista Mullins on June 7, 08! We are really looking forward to that event, but in the meantime, it has been so fun to get to know the whole family! They are really a beautiful family with four sons, their wives, and the grandchildren. While arranging their family portrait, I took one step back to look at what we had set up...and paused. I'm sure they wondered why I was just standing there with a weird look on my face, but I couldn't help it--the truth just hit me-what a beautiful family I was looking at, not only on the outside, but the reflection of outstanding character in every single family member that I have met is so uncommon these days and a rare treasure to be cherished. That is true beauty. See what I mean?

Thank you Judi, Tom and family for making us feel so welcome in your home and as a part of your lives! We feel privileged to know your family!













Oh! And, see the park-like background in the outdoor photos with greenery that extends to Never-Never-Land? That's their backyard!!!

Here' a few photos for you to enjoy!

















































Matlock Family #1: Mark, Jade, and kiddos



















Matlock Family #2: Joshua, Christy, and little squirts













Matlock Family #3: Bride and Groom-to-be, Krista and Jeremy (be sure to look for their engagement photos in two weeks!)



















Matlock Family #4: Jonathan and Kelly



















It's nice to have sisters!



























Boys will be boys......

Damion's cont...

Since Christmas is all about love, let's catch up with some of Damion's family favorites...

Damion's Top Picks (Hijacked!!!)

O.K., yes, this was supposed to be Damion's favorite images of 2007, but I came across some photos that SHOULD have been in our lists, but weren't, so I have to share them with you for today! We'll get back to his favorites tomorrow! Hope all is well with your Christmas preparations and that you are able to spend a long weekend with your family!

Damion's Top Picks cont

My hats off to all of you who've gotten their Christmas cards addressed and mailed off! I've always admired people who can get that done before Christmas. Unfortunately, we haven't sent out Christmas cards for THREE years...terrible...and before that we always sent New Year's cards to give everyone an unexpected surprise and make sure that the holiday spirit continued, even after Christmas day..well, really a clever way to define being late...On that note, may I share with you that I just finished addressing, sealing, and stamping most of our cards. (OK Miranda stuffed and Damion put on the address labels and stamps too!) Of course, they won't get there before Christmas, but I'm happy to at least have them done this year! Whew!

Continuing on with more of Damion's favorites from some sizzling couples....




































This one was a little spontaneous surprise! Damion was taking individuals of Angie (sitting down) and all of the sudden Rick popped his head in the frame to sneak a kiss! The unexpected angle (and heat of the moment) makes for a beautiful image!

Damion's Top Picks of 2007....

Here, we are just a few days before the end of 2007. I asked Damion to pick out 7 of his favorite images to share with you, but alas....he could only narrow it down to 20!!! There are so many great images, it's hard to choose :) Here we go (in no particular order...)

Love the elegance and the colors in this image and how the purple pops against the contrasting color.



















I actually saw this dress as a SUGGESTED dress on "What not to Wear" Wedding Edition. So it was a great surprise to see it the next week at this wedding as well. Beautiful pale pink is highlighted in the glow of the image.

Talk to Me Baby!

As promised, we are taking you back through 2007 in video, so here is our next video...Talk to Me Baby!...featuring a talkative 4 month old Livy and emcee Miranda!

Talk To Me Baby!

And here are my last two favorite images of the year. Featuring the best 7 year old model that I know, Miranda, in her lastest shoot "Trash the Dress--Kidz Style" You have to watch the slideshow if you haven't yet...it's fantastic!

Need a laugh?

Have to share this very true story that happened to me today and it wasn't very funny at the time. I was at Target today and opened my wallet to find that the $40 I had in cash (very rare..but I was saving it for something specific) was no where to be found. I searched everywhere, racking my brain for where I could have put it or lost it. All of the sudden it dawned on me...every Sunday during the offering time, our children shake down their parents for all their spare change and put it in the "Children of Africa" basket up front. Well, yesterday, I was up in the choir and Damion was home sick so Miranda was sitting by herself WITH MY PURSE. I turned to her and dreading the answer asked her "Miranda, did you get some change out of my purse yesterday for the kid's offering?" "Yep," she smiled. Me..mad face...."How much did you put in the basket?" Miranda..smiling face..a couple of dollar bills.....uhhhhh ooohhhhh...those were twenty dollar bills, weren't they?" Smile fading. So, I suppose the children of Africa will get a very generous donation this Sunday! Luckily, I was with my friend (who was laughing) so I couldn't help but laugh too but......this will definitely go down in the history books and the lesson books!!!

Might as well share an image or two while I'm here! I love, love, love this portrait of Janae and her mom! The background is beautiful, the tone serious, and I like how the baby is the only one looking at the camera:)


















This shoot with Stacey and Jacob was so fun!! I admired their bravery in getting soaked to the bone in that cold water!! The beginnings of the sunset gave us just the right light for creating beautiful images :)

Julie's Top Pick 07 cont

Here are two of my other wedding favorites for different reasons:

This image should be titled "Innocence." I think the natural beauty of these three flowergirls, Danielle, Kelsie, and Miranda, captured the very element of innocence, even down to the pink painted fingernails and the sweet hug between these three friends!













Though I wasn't there when Damion took this image, I thought it was so classic! Can we ever get the dress cinched tight enough?? I love the bride's laughter, the foot on her behind, and the mother's deep concern for the dress :)

Julie's Top Picks, cont

I know, I know, when are Damion's Top Picks going to be up? They're coming soon. I asked him to pick 7, but he couldn't narrow it down to less than 20 so be ready!

I love this very romantic picture taken at a wedding at the famous and fabulous Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. I don't think there's a square inch there where you couldn't take a beautiful picture! In this image, Damion was actually laying down on his stomach in his cream colored pants (!!!!) but I love how the lines of floor lead your eye right to Chris and Carrie. So romantic and great perspective!


















This is another one of my favorites, just for the FUN factor! We were outside getting ready to start taking pictures and the DJ was blasting some fun songs to test out his system, and everybody started dancing side to side! I don't remember the song, but I do remember laughing a lot!!

2007 Review--Olivia's Birth

One of the most beautiful occasions of 2007 was the birth of our 2nd daughter Olivia Joy, on January 18th. We are eternally grateful to our friend Erin Palos with Sweet Baby Photo for helping us preserve such a special memory forever. We cannot express how much it means to us to have these images (with Damion in them--proof that he was actually there!!! :)

This is a very beautiful and tasteful slideshow, but a warning for you: It's 11 minutes of beautiful, tear jerking photos, so you either need broadband/fast connection or lots of patience AND a lot of tissue. Either way, we hope you like it! On that note, for January we are excited that we have been called to photograph two other births as well...so if you're having a baby and you need someone to be there (to take pictures, not to deliver!) ..give us a call! Please click HERE or on the picture for Olivia's slideshow!
















Speaking of daughters, here's another of my favorite photos from this year! We should send this in to Mazda, bet they would sell a ton of Miata's if they promised a cute little girl inside!

Julie's Top Picks of 2007 cont.

Still continuing the countdown of our favorite images from 2007.

This is one of my favorite images because Damion used a technique to add a "spin" on an old classic. The landmark is recognizable enough that you know what it is, but yet the movement makes it appear new and fresh to me :)



















This is another one of my fav black and white's. I love how Damion captured the ease of the release of the ball against the weathered backboard and the gloomy, moody skies. Great contrast of textures and feel in this photo!

Jesh de Rox Prize and 2007 in Review

Once again, our friends at Flosites are having a great design contest! This time the prize is a complete set of Fine Arts Textures from Jesh de Rox, which will bring depth and a unique richness to your photos. Be sure to check out his before and after photos using the textures too! So break out those awesome design skills and win something for free :) It's rare these days! To find out more about it, click HERE!

As we're leaving 2007, we thought we'd bring you a quick review of our year in video as well as count down our top favorite images from 2007! In our family, video is SUPER important as all of the grandparents and most of the family lives far away. We use videos for memories of course, but mostly to send to family so that they can see our lives and our kids :)

Here is the first video of 2007. You will see things are quite different....it was 10 days before Livy was born :) When you see the round ball with the red shirt on, that's me (Julie)! Both of my sisters were pregnant in this video too, although you won't be able to tell yet. Anna and Kyle came out to visit and we got together with Cindy and the nephews for a quick stroll (more like waddle) through Victoria Gardens.
Click here to see us Out With the Family.

Here's the first of Julie's Top Picks for 2007. (in no particular order)
It's one of my favorites, mostly because I took it :) The design of this dress was so beautiful, and elegant and extremely unique with the sheer pleats over the skirt . I like this image because it shows that you can capture an "essence" of someone without composing to include the face.

Not just any Christmas Tree

For the past 5+ years, our friend Mike Wilson has worked for Childrens Hope, an organization that provides a home for abused and neglected boys in Upland. Mike is a youth pastor as well and just really has this calling to be in this place with these boys. Heck...if you ever met Mike....you'd want him as a big brother in a matter of seconds. We have known Mike and his family for over 12 years now and has a beautiful wife Cassie!

Each year Mike volunteers his time along with many other outstanding men and women to run the annual Childrens hope Christmas Tree lot. The lot is also worked by the incredible young men at the boys home. These days a Christmas tree can run you anywhere from $40 and up. All proceeds from their Christmas Tree sales go directly to Children's hope. So why just buy any Christmas tree, when you can buy one of their's and encourage and bless a young man this year!

They are located at the New YMCA Building in Rancho Cucamonga (The old Wayne Gretsky Roller rink) between Grove and Hospital on E. Foothill Blvd...right at Memorial Park. Click here to see the location on Google maps.

They can deliver, flock, fireproof and have all sizes of Douglas, Noble and Grand Firs!!

This is Mike Wilson, ask for him or Mike or Chris Sudyka when you arrive!!

Julie's 33rd B-day

I just have to say "Thank You" to all my family and friends that I got to share my birthday with today. My family makes me feel so special as they all called to wish a happy birthday, even got an email from my dad :) We feasted at Chick-Fil-A for lunch and had a special treat as my sister Cindy, and nephews Luke and Elias made some beautiful cupcakes (great job decorating boys)!














Miranda surprised me with a special handmade b-day card that was so cute and Damion, well he's getting to be a pro at this sort of thing.....boys, get your notepads out...I woke up this morning to a beautiful new watch (just what I needed) and a very sweet card,















was the blessed recipient of a dozen colorful roses,


















and to top all of that off...he came home with dinner from Olive Garden and a cake with my name on it (and candles too!) Scored major points. (Note to Damion: you can stop making up now...that was 10 years ago. I forgive you :)















Actually today just made me very grateful to be around the people that I love the most...my family. When you're younger, I think you appreciate the items more, when you're older, I think it's the love that you cherish the most. Love you all, thanks for loving me too :) Julie

2008 Family Portraits

Can you believe that we haven't had a family portrait taken by someone else since 2001 (self timers are invaluable!) AND to make matters worse, we couldn't even find a picture of the 4 of us together from this year!! I guess it's the old story of the shoemaker's children, right? Well, thanks to Julie Weaver, our problem is solved now!

It actually felt very odd to be on the other end of things. For once, it was I who was feeling the stress of trying to make sure that everything looked exactly right, that of all the clothes matched, that everyone stayed clean and ensuring that naps were properly executed so that everyone was in a good mood, babies who won't smile, kids who are little wiggleworms, etc. But Julie was so patient with our family and took SOOO many shots! Big thank you to Julie for doing such a great job on our photos. There are lots of great images, but here are just a few of our favorites :)

Thanksgiving in Napa

Well, as we said we would...we've put together a slideshow of our wonderful trip back home to Napa, CA for all our friends and family. Thanksgiving day was held at my Aunt & Uncle's home, Jackie & Richard in the City of Napa. Wonderful Turkey from Jackie and my dad, home made Cranberry sauce and the famous Hamilton ham rolls from my sister Erika & husband Will (its a secret and I cannot tell...you'll have to request them next time you come to our home!) were some of the delectable delights we enjoyed. We stayed with my father and he even re-arranged his bedrooms (He even gave us his room just to accommodate the over taking of his house by my family!) just for us. He was quite the host!

This year has had a combination of many joys and sorrows. As many of you know the joy of my 2nd daughter being born on January 18th was very precious and such a blessing to us. The one sorrow to follow was the passing of my mother just 3 days later that has brought many challenges to me personally. She was able to see a picture of Olivia Joy through the incredible technology of email just before her passing. Needless to say with the arrival of new life and the loss of another, this Thanksgiving was the first time for all my family, with exception of my father, to meet our newest addition 10 months after her birth, and the first without mom. I will admit...upon walking into my aunty's house, the ring of laughter and the many voices of those I love and miss so dearly filled the home, I was instantly in tears within the first five minutes. In fact I'm having a pretty difficult time even getting past this paragraph....

...Family is so amazing. My father has been yet another amazing example to me even this year with the whole hearted example of Thankfulness he has shown. He is Thankful for the years he had with mom and he CONTINUES because of that thankfulness. I am so pround of him. I wish you all could meet him....he is truly amazing and has been a strong pillar in our house my whole life. He's enjoying life and pressing into new things that have been set aside, on stand-by, all these years and its so fulfilling to see him pull them off the table one by one to pursue.

We have alot to be thankful for, and many of those seem to come into a deeper perspective the older we get. I am deeply thankful for the time I get to spend with my family, which sadly enough is only 1 to 2 times per year, but a time I cherish dearly. We really hope your Thanksgiving and time with your family was as much of a blessing to you as our time with ours was to us. We are greatly thankful for the dear friends, clients, family and peers who read our blog frequently. We are honored to share our life with you and appreciate all that you have given us!

We hope you enjoy our slideshow. Its filled with the events of our whole trip including a short 5 hour run to San Francisco which was such a blast!

Many blessings to you all!

Damion.