Stacey Haslem » Portraiture & Fine Art Photography

We were lucky enough to have a four days off of work and school over Labor Day weekend. We took a little road trip to Monterey. We have lived in Modesto now for nine years and have yet to go to Monterey! I know its crazy. We had so much fun!!! Of course our first stop was to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Our boys have been asking to go for the last two years. Summer seems to always be over before we get a chance to go. Not this year. We also visited this amazing reserve park, Point Lobos, that was recommended by friends. When I say amazing, I mean AMAZING! We found more sea life in these tide pools than the touch pools at the aquarium. We all held crabs, starfish, anemones, urchins, and more. In fact, we spent over eight hours the first day and then visited it again a second day. I’m pretty sure you will find us in Monterey every Labor Day weekend from here on out!

**If you were wondering, that’s Leah eating a rock in the top right picture. In my defense… There were tons of little rocks. She was grabbing them by the handful trying to put them in her mouth. I gave her a safe, non-chokable rock

Remember those school pictures I don’t care for? My second son also started school this year. He is in kindergarten. Yes, I am holding back the tears. Actually he started school almost a month ago. These are pictures I have been meaning to post. The first round are his replacement pictures for the school ones. Picture day at school has already come and gone. Did I order any pictures? Ummm… yes! I just couldn’t help myself. BUT they were small packages, a couple of 5×7’s and the class picture. Even though they are never the best pictures, they are fun to line up and look at as an adult

I also captured Collin’s first day of school. He was so excited! You can see that didn’t last long. Not to mention, instead of consoling him I was snapping away. Actually, I was giving him hugs and talking him through his first day, but I couldn’t help but snap a couple. He cried the first two days, but then said on the third day that he wasn’t going to cry when we leave because he just quits crying after we’re gone anyway. So cute! My little sweet Collin loves school and is a big boy now!

Aaah, I am already getting behind on my posts! I have been taking quite a few pictures these last few weeks and can’t wait to share them. At the moment though I am so busy with everyday life. However, I want to share my new favorite picture-at least it is for now. Its like she is sitting in a little ray of sunshine!

see more beach pictures at iheartfacees.com

Sadly, summer is almost at an end for my boys. In a few days Austin will be starting second grade. Then will come the dreaded school pictures. I am always disappointed when these come home. They never say anything about my kid. It is always the same ‘cheesy’ grin. Yet, every year I buy some. Not this year! Okay, I will at least buy the class photo. The generic school pictures that I normally order will be replaced with the ones below. I think these represent him and his personality just a tad more than the ‘say cheese’ smile. I can look at these and see the sweet boy who is growing way too fast!

Most of you already know I am participating in the 2010 “Rock Your Camera” scavenger hunt at http://clickinmoms.com. It is my favorite photography website! I thought my family might get a little tired of finding things. There has to be well over two hundred items to find. But they LOVE it. The kids run around in the evening saying, ‘scavenger hunt, scavenger hunt!’ Even Josh has yelled out ‘horse and buggy’ and circled around in the car to get a snapshot of it. Here is a share of a few things we have found along the way. To those of you who helped out, THANK YOU!

P.S. Its all about quantity versus quality. (From top left to right: polaroid picture, child wearing sunglasses, child with face paint, adult on a big wheel, child and his shadow, funny face, polka dot bikini (my other two boys wouldn’t touch it!), someone doing a tripod (Josh is being a good sport), two people eating spaghetti Lady and the Tramp style, triple scoop of ice cream, pyramid, house of cards, rusted roof, sun flare, capitol building (we were already in Sacramento :), constellation)