Sometimes the laundry is piled up, the to-do list is endless, and life feels a little heavy.  Sometimes you ask God to take a little bit of that burden from you…and He gives you big surf. So you pack up the kids to go watch the surf, because a beach full of onlookers and an ocean spotted with surfers are just the perfect thing to help ignore the laundry, to-do list, and heaviness.

 

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beach 3What a perfect morning! So much joy in chasing the seagulls, kicking sand around, and listening to the waves crash. I love how the beach looks different in the winter. There’s probably something scientific to it with tides and pulls and all that; but the shorter beach, steeper berm, and muted colors are so different than summer, and so perfect in its own way. <3

2014 01 21 Seal Beach kids (9) avabeach 5Photo sessions at the beach aren’t just for summertime! In fact, I highly recommend late winter and springtime sessions at the beach because it’s less crowded and the lighting can be just right!

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beach 11To convince Jake to follow with us back to the car as we were leaving, I promised him we’d come back again this week.  Ooops. Looks like we’ll be finding time later this week to go back to the beach!

Blue. For me, it is a color of serenity. It is peaceful. It is powerful, much like the ocean.

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The Castaway Island resort in Fiji, circa our 2009 honeymoon.

I have always tried to bring the ocean and its sparkling blues and greens into my home. Let’s face it: with three kiddos ages three and under, my house tends to portray 50 shades of cray, so I could use a little help from ocean blue to create some serenity and peace. ;)

I’m a sucker for warm, neutral walls, so I picked a piece of furniture I refinished to bring in the perfect shade of beloved blue.

I refinished this old dresser in Martha Stewart's Hummingbird Blue.

I refinished this old dresser in Martha Stewart’s Hummingbird Blue.

Accessories are like a home’s jewelry, and my home is sprinkled with the ocean’s jewel tones.

glass floatcandlelove your ocean pillow

Still loving my custom wood print I created last year.

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2 slot portrait and landscape side by side

While I was snapping pictures around the house, this guy slept on his favorite blue pillow. (Truly, he refers to it as “where is my booo pillow?”)

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What color colors your world?

2014 feels like a fresh new year full of lots of adventure! I am SO EXCITED to meet new clients, watch returning clients’ families grow, and children reach new milestones. How blessed am I that you all rely on me to capture your sweet, most precious memories?!

 

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I’m looking forward to utilizing this blog as a main feature of my website this year. Get ready for some major cuteness overload from clients, and stay up-to-date on everything happening at HJP. I’d love to use the blog as a better way to connect with you guys, too! I just love when photographers and small business owners post about their own lives, and I think I’d love to give you guys a sneak peek into our crazy little world.

 

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I may be a few days…ok, so a week…late, but Happy New Year, friend! Excited to share this next year with you all.