This was a really special family portrait for me to be able to take because this is the family from Ensenada that is opening the coffee shop. They came to have a little vacation in California and I has the honor of photographing them while they were here. Pastor Marcos and Leti have been married for 12 years and they have two adorable sons: Marquitos and Haciel. 
I had the opportunity to travel to Ensenada over the holidays and do some artistic photography for a coffee shop that is opening soon. The owners of the cafe are also pastors of a church in Ensenada. They are opening the coffee shop to provide a safe, positive environment for teenagers in their community to hang out. Pastor Marcos and his wife, Leti, wanted photographs that depict the beauty of their city. They told me that many people from their community do not see the beauty of their home. This incredible couple wants to remind the people that frequent their cafe to have hope in God and see the beauty in life. I was honored to be a part of their effort to reach their community with a message of hope through art. I loved the bright colors and warm smiles that I saw in the coastal city of Mexico and I look forward to returning soon!
I spent Christmas with my family and we had a great time together. My brother and sister each have a kitten, and as you can tell, they were not happy to wear their "Christmas ribbons" on their necks. :) We really enjoyed opening our new stockings that my mom made for us this year. On Christmas morning we ate breakfast on the back patio and enjoyed living in Southern California where you can wear short sleeves on December 25th! By the way: Congrats on the engagement, Sean and Melissa!
Carissa and Justin are such an affectionate couple... it's clear that they are crazy about each other! They were so excited when I told them that they could be affectionate and cuddly in their engagement session... and to kiss a lot! Here are a few of my favorites from the day. 
Check out their slideshow
Every Christmas I reunite with some of my dearest & funniest friends from college. We all went to Azusa Pacific University together and graduated in 2002. One couple married and moved back to San Diego, another couple lives in Temecula (with their two babies), one lives in Padadena, another in Northern California, and I live in Glendora. This year we gathered in Temecula the same night Brandon and I arrived in from Georgia. Although the drive and sunset was beautiful, we needed Starbucks to stay awake after the long flight. And what Christmas drive is complete without Sufjan Stevens Christmas Edition CD. I love his music! We tried to take a few group shots on a timer, but as you can see, it was awkward... especially me since I pushed the timer button and had to jump in the picture! But it was yet another reason to laugh really hard with my friends. I love you guys!
I went with Brandon to Georgia to visit his family and friends before Christmas. His parents' backyard had acres of land with cattle and as you can see... donkeys! We went to a cute little downtown area and ate authentic southern food... even fried green tomatoes and sweet tea. The restaurant was a transformed from an old house with a wrap around porch. It even had rocking chairs. One of the last photos is the security line in the Atlanta airport... it was soooo long! The last photo was a beautiful view to return to... I love LA! My visit to Georgia with Brandon to see his family and friends was so fun!
