Perfect Ten!

Our family just returned from our big road trip to DC and NYC and I have TONS to share from our fun adventures; however, the photos are going to be a little out of order because the most amazing event happened yesterday that I am so excited to tell you about!....

Our beautiful, sweet, smart, silly, precious and precocious daughter, Summer, turned ten years old!!! We are officially in the double digits now. It's scary how fast that happened. Seriously.

(Just a warning to all of you parents of very young children or parents-to-be...it is true what everyone is telling you...they grow up too quickly. So enjoy every amazing moment!)

So how did we celebrate?? I surprised Summer with an afternoon at the American Girl store on Fifth Avenue in NYC on Saturday. We started off with a show, then had reservations at the cute-as-a-button cafe and ended with some shopping. We walked out with a bag that was so big that Baxter could have fit inside. (I should have snapped a photo!)

Anyway, enjoy the photos from our sweet + cozy little birthday party...


too many choices...


this darling little box was filled with fun little questions we could ask each other during dinner...


who wouldn't love a skewer of fun shaped fruits?
Summer spies the waiters lighting the candles...
she was going to kill me...

luckily she didn't blow them all out on the first try, because I can't afford a pony!
Julie gets some peppermint ice cream too...
it was an extra special day!!!

Citius, Altius, Fortius…

I just learned that the English translation for the above words are...Swifter, Higher, Stronger. If you knew that AND you knew that they were the Olympic motto you are much smarter than I am. I didn’t take Latin and I’m ok with that because I have a smart husband who did, so he can easily translate for me.

So our kids recently participated in the Greek Olympics at their school. The games culminated the students’ ancient culture studies. It has been a tradition in their class for at least twenty years and is held every Olympiad.

I was photographing the event for the Free Press, but I snapped up some photos of our kids as well. I adore school events!!

Our family is off on a road trip to Washington D.C. for the week starting Monday. On Tuesday morning we will be drinking coffee and eating donuts with my hero, Senator Patrick Leahy. I can’t wait!!

We’ll be checking our emails periodically if you need to reach us.

Have a great week!

xo

Baxter's teacher, Miss DeForge, reminds him that as Zeus, he must have a loud and powerful voice.
He made a very fine Zeus!
Kindergartners wait for the games to begin...
The classes enter the stadium, aka the gym...
The school Principal, Mr. Terko, reads the Olympic oath...
The athletes agree to the oath...
Summer (in the center) had a big job during the games to help the kindergartners with their ribbon dance. She was a champion!
Allyson competes in the long jump...
It is difficult to focus when there are little girls to bug...
Brigitte announces the events on her trumpet...
Thumb wrestling is one of the lesser known Olympic sports...
Baxter competes in the marathon...Amazing after all those miles he can still smile...
A musical interlude...
Summer and Jackson compete in the chariot races...
I spied lovely Summer...

The fabulous Mrs. LaFlamme participated in her last Olympic games, as she will be retiring in June after about forty years of teaching. It won't be the same without her amazing spirit!!
Baxter and Summer with Mrs. LaFlamme, the best kindergarten teacher EVER!!

New Skills

I’m happy to be home from a week at the New England Institute of Professional Photograhers. I studied under Hanson Fong, “the king” of classic portrait and wedding photography based out of San Francisco. While my style is very different than his, I learned a ton and I’m excited about the quickly approaching wedding season, so I can practice my new skills in making everyone look fabulous in lightning fast speed.
My class was big, so while we had a couple shooting sessions with local models, I wasn’t really in paparazzi mode to fight for a spot at the front. I hung back, listened and documented a bit.
After classes I had fun with friends and met so many new friends. It was a great week!!

All week long...Hanson preached...
Hanson prayed...
Hanson pulled his hair out...
and eventually we learned a few things about posing...
or did we??? ("dad" is John and "mom" is Sarah)
my class hard at work...
my pal, Roger, poses with the bride. He did a killer Hanson impression the night we honored our teacher.
Hanson was just telling us to use a hood to prevent lens flair from happening. Am I so wrong to like rainbows?
Leah
marvelous Marlene
comic relief
Hanson demonstrates the beauty of window light
everyone was busy practicing with the window light and all I could see was the potential for this...
the pretty bride
John in the background made this shot an award winner.
I met smiley Tom at a NEIPP class several years ago.
impressionism? nope..just daffodills reflecting in the car window.
star shooter Andrea
Andrea and moi
down by the beach
There would be more party pix, but my point-n-shoot battery died after 5 minutes. bummer.
Elise, Amber and Kevin
the remains of an action-packed Corona
me and Mr. Kubota
back to work...
spring is springing
My super pal from class: Judith
The 3 Stoogettes: me, Andrea and Barrie
My sweetheart daughter made this card for me when I returned! xo

School's in session!

Hi all!
I'm hanging here with my pal, Barrie Fisher, in our totally cool pad at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Mass. We're attending the New England Institute of Professional Photograhers aka NEIPP for a week of learning and fun. She's studying with the king of Photoshop actions, Kevin Kubota, and I'm studying with the master of posing, Hanson Fong.
I don't have any photos to post yet because we have been submerged in classroom work, but I'm sure I'll have something to share by the end of the week.
Have a fabulous week!
daria

The Need for Peace

Hi everyone!
I've been insanely busy lately. I'm not complaining, but I just don't have enough time to blog about all the cool things I've been up to. The Free Press has me running around like crazy and I just finished up a couple of Vermont Life photo assignments for the summer issue. On Sunday I am off to a photography workshop in Cape Cod for a week. Too busy, I tell you. And wedding season hasn't even started yet!
So here I am, finally blogging about a war protest in Burlington that I covered on March 22nd...

















Peace!