JUNE RECAP, SAN FRANCISCO EAST BAY PHOTOGRAPHER
Summer is officially here in the San Francisco Bay Area and the weather is taking its time to catch up, but I am not complaining. I am savoring these overcast mornings and mild afternoons with zeal. It feels like coastal weather and I am all about it. It makes me want to channel my inner coastal grandma aesthetic, which by the way is total #retirementgoals. Aside from planning my retirement aesthetic June was a busy month for us.
PLEASANTON CA SENIOR PHOTOS
DUBLIN CA SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
THE KIDS ARE MOVING ON UP
My youngest little bird has promoted from eighth grade and will be officially entering high school in the fall. Gulp, I am not sure I am ready! I have done it before with our daughter, but now I am vividly aware at how fleeting the next four years will be and that tears at my mama heart deeply. Watching your kids grow is such a mixed bag of emotions, isn't it? On the one hand I am thrilled for him with this new chapter, but I am also left with whiplash wondering how we got here so fast. Those Facebook memories that pop up are not helping! I am also starting to wonder if we should begin stock-piling snacks now? We live down the street from the high school and I anticipate lots of boys and their bottomless appetites these next four years. Should I invest in a cow so we have milk on hand at all times?
LIVERMORE CA HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
WE HAVE FAMILY IN TOWN!
Another exciting turn of events is that we have my cousin in town. I have not seen him in over two decades. He is here on a job for the next three to six months and it has been an absolute joy reconnecting. My cousin is from the midwest and in many ways we are completely opposite as I am quintessentially Californian (with my car full of reusable bags, I am never without my Hydroflask, and I have a stash of metal straws) while he calls himself my “hillbilly cousin” (he's got his big truck and nothing quenches his thirst like a Coke), but we are both passionate about family and his humor leaves me stitches. He also full of loyalty and integrity, which are both qualities I value deeply. This time with him has been so good and I know it would make my grandma happy to see us reunited.
SAN RAMON CA SENIOR PHOTOS
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF '23!
Another class of seniors that have generously let me into their lives for their senior portrait sessions has graduated. I am thrilled for them as they embark on the exhilarating next phase of life. My mama heart also aches for their parents because it is never easy leaving your child at college. It is an emotional knife to the heart to have that final embrace and leave your baby behind. Home is achingly quiet when your kids are gone. I value all these new relationships I have made with them and shared a part of themselves with me. I would also be lying if I said I didn’t get attached. I always get attached to my senior clients after all our time together and I will miss seeing their faces in our community.
WALNUT CREEK CA SENIOR PHOTOS
THE JOYS OF BOOK CLUB
I had a couple book club meetings this month. No bibliophile’s life is complete without at least one book club, right?! Currently I am in two that have been an added highlight to my month. One is a small and intimate group of local friends while the other is hosted by Sharon McMahon of Instagram’s @SharonSaysSo. The delightful community of Sharon’s followers of are affectionately called governerds. This book club not only spans the US, but is also global with around 14,000 members. Several of us live in the San Francisco East Bay and meet up one to two times per month. What a treasure it has been to meet new women from all walks of life. Ages range from 20s to 70s and we gather together to discuss the book we are reading for our governerds’ book club, what we are reading for pleasure, politics, current events, and the nuances of everyday life from rescue dogs to travels. Reading has enriched my life in a variety of ways that I never anticipated.
DANVILLE CA HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PORTRAITS
MAY & JUNE READING LIST
Speaking of reading, my June reading list feels short due to the hustle and bustle of our lives. I am including my May list as well as I didn’t end up writing my May recap. My May and June read list is:
May:
- #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
- Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know by Adam Grant
- The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks
- Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
- Homegoing by Yah Gayasi
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
- It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover
June:
- Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance by Alvin Hall
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
- The National Road by Tim Zoellner
My favorites were The Big Leap (solid advice for life and career), Homegoing (heavy, well written, and achingly beautiful), The Very Secret Society of Witches (brimming with delightful whimsy and a sweet story that focuses on what it means to be a family), and Driving the Green Book (a solid history lesson that was equal parts enlightening and heartbreaking, but celebrates the strength and perseverance of the Black community). Honorable mention for Animal Farm (it was brilliant!) and Think Again (not to be punny, but it really did make me think).
You can check out what my thoughts are on these recent reads on my Goodreads page by clicking HERE. I haven’t reviewed all of them and am trying to catch up between reading, working, and life.
LAFAYETTE CA SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
THE BEST OF FRIENDS & THE BEST OF TIMES
We had many evenings with friends this month and I reveled in it! There is a richness that authentic friendships bring to my life and I value my tribe so much. My friend, Bonnie, and I finally introduced our husbands and there was no shortage of things for those two to talk about. Cars and camping had them talking for literal hours. Let’s be honest, introducing spouses can often be like a first date. Will they have things to talk about? Will their personalities mesh well? Are we going to have to jump in so there is no awkward silence? Just because two women (or men) are good friends does not always meant that that feeling will be reciprocated with their partners. Clearly I had nothing to worry about lol!
Fortunately our friends are often up for an adventure and we were able to try some new places. In the midst of this I found a location for photo sessions. It is magical and especially perfect for high school senior photos! I also had one of the best desserts of my life after a session here. I literally moaned at the table and was not embarrassed about it because it was THAT good. We visited a new local speakeasy themed bar with some of my closest friends after my husband received a work call out. That callout threw a wrench in our plans, but when you get curveballs like this you just have to lean into the plot twist (that leaning in may come after a skosh of pouting, but eventually I leaned lol). Fortunately we were with people who understood the nuances of my husband’s job. You can check out the speakeasy HERE. On a sidetone, one of my daughter's elementary school classmates served us at the bar and I officially feel O-L-D 👵🏼.
AMADOR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PORTRAITS PLEASANTON CA
MY INTERVIEW DEBUT
June brought along a much anticipated interview with Jennifer Murphy of Clear Confident Speech and the group she is part of, Connect to Engage. Jennifer is a speech coach with a masters in speech pathology. We discussed the importance of effective communication and why it is so vital as a business owner. Our interview is part of their video/audio interview series with a panel of professionals. It was an honor to be brought into this group of professionals! To watch our interview and to see the amazing Jennifer in action click HERE. You can also find Jennifer on her Instagram @clearconfidentspeech or at her website by clicking HERE .
FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PORTRAITS PLEASANTON CA
TIME WITH THE COLLEGE KIDDO
Our oldest came home for a short visit and it felt so good to wrap her in my arms. She always has a massive list of people to visit so I savor what time I can with her. I also knew that no matter how limited our time was, we would have her to ourselves for ten whole days during our Pacific Northwest road trip in July. Moments with her remind me why the senior portrait experience is so important. Once your babies graduate and/or go off to college things change. It is the natural progression to have your little bird leave the nest, but that doesn’t make it easy. That time you get with them becomes so precious and having heirloom images to look at capture this. This shift in the family unit requires some adjustment and as we had that final night with her before she moved into the dorm freshman year, I held excitement and dread in my heart. Our girl didn’t move back home this summer. She had a lease we would had to pay irregardless of whether she was there or not, she has a job, and ultimately she has a very exciting, new life up in Oregon. She chose to work full time with the goal of earning a nest egg to studying abroad next year. She is setting goals and conquering them.
GRANADA HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PHOTOS LIVERMORE CA
Cheers to another month in the books dear friends! May your summer be full of magical evenings, warm and lazy days, and a dash of whimsical fun.
~xoxo, Yvette
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA SENIOR PHOTOS
Looking for a senior photographer in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Santa Clara County, or the San Francisco Bay Area? I would love the opportunity to get to know you and work with you to capture this once in a lifetime moment for your child! My clients come from all over the Northern California and the Bay Area - Pleasanton, Fremont, Danville, Dublin, Walnut Creek, Castro Valley, San Ramon, Livermore, Lafayette. Book a consult with the button below so we can get to know one another and start planning your senior's bespoke portrait experience. Want to see what a session with Pixel Pages Photography looks like? You can check them out HERE and HERE
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