A Family Photo Session

debra-19 During our stay in Cambridge this summer, I had the chance to catch up with my photographer friend Kristen of Kristen Joy Emack Photography.  Having always admired her personal style of portrait photography, I asked Kristen to take pictures of our family.  She accepted and invited us to a spot that she chose very carefully.  Her ease with the lens and the people in front of it shows through the realness of her approach to photography.   Here are a few images from our morning session with Kristen.  I'm so pleased with the results. debra-5

 

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debra-9Over the summer, Kristen was named best photographer by Scout Cambridge Magazine.  To see more of Kristen's work check out her website here.

Thank you Kristen for capturing the essence of our family.

 

'Til Monday: A Favorite Day Of The Week

You may think my favorite day of the week is Friday, but it's really not.  It's actually Wednesday.  Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30pm to be exact.   During that time the boys take their brass lessons and Zoe is in a ceramic's class, all three just steps away from each other AND my favorite area restaurant.  For that hour, while our children are doing something they love, I sit alone with a book and the NYT magazine that I never seem to get to on a Sunday.  Depending on my mood I order either coffee or a beer.  Moments like these are rare in our busy lives.  With three very active children pulling us in different directions, having them all close by at any given time is a feat.  I relish being by myself during that hour, but the moment they all walk into the restaurant after their respective lessons, I'm over the moon with joy to see them.  Having just a moment in time to one's self [doing almost nothing] can be quite invigorating...

Here's to everyone having a favorite day/moment of the week.   What's yours?!

Kitchen Renovation: Part 4

After another day of sanding, mending and color mixing we finally came up with the right hue for our concrete kitchen floors!  Now the area we had to refinish is perfectly color toned with the pre-existing concrete flooring.  Originally, our plan was to expose the aggregate in the floor and then apply color to better match the 60+ year old areas, but after much deliberation and stain hiccups we realized that the process of smoothing the floor would be more effective in matching the original color.  So, [for now] the floor in the kitchen area is smooth while the rest of the house is textured.   Someday, if I decide to tackle this again, we'll refinish the rest of the floors.  Or, better yet, the new floor's gradual wear and tear will eventually blend it with the old floor.  Either way,  I'm very pleased with the current results.  Take a look:

Soon after the paint dried, the kitchen project resumed and the floor was covered to protect it.  Once it's uncovered again,  I'll show it to you in its entirety.

MANY thanks to the folks at California Custom Coatings and Prep Concrete for their diligence and determination to ensure our floor turned out just right.

'Til Monday: Weekend Plans

I came across these photos last night and was reminded of the start of the new year.  We spent the first day of 2014 with friends at Pescadero Beach exploring its many coastal wonders with our children.  It's hard to believe that the ides of March are here already.  The first two months of this year have been [beyond] busy with work, the kids' individual schedules and our ongoing home renovation.  In all this, it seems I've lost a bit of  my old "California wanderlust".  My weekend plans are to work in the garden and to reconnect with the landscape that surrounds us.   We all need to regroup and recharge in the most natural way.

Do you have plans for this weekend?  Whether you stay home or decide to head out, here's my wish for a safe and happy one.