natural bridges

natural bridges, our once-a-year trip to the pacific ocean with this great group of families. little miss is my favorite sea princess super hero, complete with cape. time is fleeting and limited with these growing teens and i am so thankful for the time we still have together. followed up with ice cream in santa cruz, at a shop with the unforgettable flavor, "heaven". :)

fluffy

yes, that is it. my world has been quite fluffy. little girls, colorful tutus, ballet slippers and pink and white tights...round cheeks, wide eyes. fresh backdrop, 4 dozen roses, a child sized chair and sofa, a repurposed frame, books, pillows. i could just kiss them all. the other side of that coin...an 11 hour day. here is a little peek into the first half of that day with my little fluffy sweeties...

acro

acro is new to me, a risk i chose to take because of its beautiful potentiality. to date, the most daunting set up i have undertaken. ever. set up: 9:30 a.m. home: 9:00 p.m. yes, long day, but it was still the set up that left me sleepless the night before.

husband hung our 140" seamless paper backdrop 18' off the ground. (it was so large it had to be trucked in.) we have never gone that high before. have you see the ladders that accommodate that kind of height?! what would i do without him?? between him and marie, the coach, they managed to tack in to place where husband then finished the taping with 4" gaffer's tape. he left to help another friend and so from there, i went at it alone. once set in place, and with four lights at the ready, the session was able to begin. a few shots in i knew i had chosen wisely. there are times in the world of art when vision meets application and something magical happens...which is a tricky dance considering it involves more than the visionary. and so it begins my love affair with acro, the sport where gymnastics meets dance...

a most gala event

what was once an agricultural meeting building set the stage for the unrolling of the hollywood red carpet and the arrival of 80 teens for our tve 2012 prom. these homeschoolers entered past the paparazzi, then danced the night away under twinkling candlelight, accompanied by djB and m.c. Beloved Son. two friends danced the footloose choreography which provided some very fun entertainment. at least 3 months in the planning of many many details, hours of set up, and many many hands and hearts made this event magical and oh so memorable. it turned into a tall order, a big job, and positively grand. i adore these kids, all of them. oh yes, we have (even bigger) plans for next year!

 how track stars and ballet dancers square off?

remember this?

 

here it is, upcycled along with another...can you see them? bronze spray paint and baby food jar lids glued for candle holders...

 

chaperones get to have fun too :) thank you sarah for this shot