Sue Choi Photography: Blog

A new holiday mini season starts - San Mateo Family Photographer

Tue, 17 Nov 2015 08:22:30 GMT

It was two years ago when I met Bridget's family for the first time. It is such a special feeling to have my clients return to me for multiple photography sessions. I get to know them better each time, plus I get to see the children growing over the years. We headed to one of my favorite spots in the Bay Area, San Mateo Central Park and had a great time exploring and creating beautiful images. Thank you guys & see you next year~!

A Fabulous Frozen Fourth Birthday - Millbrae Children's photographer

Sun, 11 Oct 2015 04:19:19 GMT

I was so lucky to photograph a precious little girl Avva's 4th birthday at Little Gym in Millbrae. She like many girls nowadays loves Frozen, so the whole party was decorated with Frozen characters, balloons, cupcakes, everywhere! Her family and friends had a fabulous time being active in the gym, running, and jumping! Here are some photographs of this fun party. Happy 4th Avva!!

Hi-ya! A Taekwondo birthday - Burlingame Children's Photographer

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:00:00 GMT

We as parents are so lucky to have so, so many choices for children's birthday parties nowadays. It seems like every day there are new play and activities spaces that offer birthday parties as an option. This week I got to check out a really cool Taekwondo birthday party! The birthday child gets to show off his moves and even demonstrate breaking a wooden board! Family and friends get to experience a Taekwondo class during the party, learning the kicks and punches together. Come food time, there is a big surprise as well. You get to cut your cake with a huge sword - whoa! Very impressive! Happy Birthday Peter! Very cool party!

A Playground Birthday - San Jose Family Photographer

Fri, 29 May 2015 14:15:00 GMT

One of the best things about my job is I get to develop relationships with my clients over the years. They become part of the family as I witness children grow & families grow. I first met this little big guy when he was a bright-as-sunshine 6 months old baby. Now he is such a fun, active two year old & soon a big brother to be! Family and friends gathered at a local park and playground for a fun and relaxed second birthday. Happy Birthday!

Hooo's turning one? Arya's First Birthday - Fremont Family Photographer

Fri, 22 May 2015 16:45:00 GMT

I was originally scheduled to shoot Arya's family several months earlier. Unfortunately her big brother got sick & they had to cancel the whole party! Luckily, everyone was feeling better for her birthday celebration this time. Two backyards were totally decked out for the party as their next door neighbor is also a good friend! Arya, family & friends had a special time celebrating her very first birthday together. Happy Birthday Arya!

A Unicorn Birthday - Redwood City Birthday Photographer

Wed, 20 May 2015 08:30:00 GMT

Vivienne is such a lucky girl to get an adorable unicorn birthday. The gorgeous themed and decorated party was packed with her friends and family. And surprise! A real unicorn showed up so everyone can get a ride! Happy Birthday Vivienne!

A Sunny Spring Shoot - Menlo Park Family Photographer

Mon, 18 May 2015 07:25:11 GMT

Spring and fall are by far the best times for family portraits. Spring time in a garden has that special energy which is very unique. I was so happy to meet Nazgol's family at one of my favorite gardens in the bay area, Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. We had fun exploring the beautiful garden. The one year old was such a good walker, he ran around the place and looked gorgeous with his big brown eyes & equally big smiles! Fun times!

Charlotte is One - South San Francisco Family Photographer

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 07:20:30 GMT

Oh wow, I didn't mean to be away from my blog for so long! What better way to start, or re-start my blogs but with a gorgeous pastel party for a princess's first birthday day! Mom did a fabulous job putting together the elegant party room decorations. And lots of family and friends came to celebrate a very special first birthday for Charlotte! A caricature artist, balloon maker & bubble entertainer helped make the party fun for all ages. Birthday girl really enjoyed herself and amazingly was super mellow throughout the huge party. Happy Birthday Charlotte!

Fall is here - Holiday Mini session - Burlingame Family Photographer

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 05:54:56 GMT

Fall is definitely here! I loved kicking off the holiday mini sessions season at Kohl mansion because you can see fall just about every corner here. Actually Kohl mansion looks amazing year round, but it looks quite perfect just about now! We had fun exploring around the property and finding nooks here and there rich with so many shades of green highlighted by fall hues.

Baker Beach Family Portrait - San Francisco family photographer

Thu, 30 Oct 2014 21:11:41 GMT

San Francisco Baker Beach is one of my favorite places in the bay area. The dramatic view of the close-by Golden Gate Bridge truly makes you feel you are in San Francisco! But, another thing that is dramatic about this location is the weather. It can be totally fogged over, raining, sunny, cloudy, you will never know. In our case, just to make things exciting, the weather forecast went through all of those possibilities in the few days prior to our session. So it was that much more awesome to arrive at Baker Beach on a beautiful sunny afternoon! Woohoo & phew! We had lots of fun exploring the beach & the nearby woodsy areas. Baby did so great especially with the cold gusty ocean wind & flashed me many smiles - such a cutie. He was so fascinated by the beach sand and tried to (I think even succeeded!) eat it! Crunchy! Here are some of the photos from that afternoon.

A very happy Happy Hollow Birthday - San Jose Family Photographer

Sun, 05 Oct 2014 21:53:22 GMT

Happy Hollow in San Jose has everything children love - rides, zoo, picnics and birthday parties! I was so excited to photograph Arjun's third birthday celebration there. When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was all of the Thomas the Train themed decorations (a lot of it hand-made!) in their party area! The area was so festive then I met the birthday boy impeccably dressed and unbelievably excited!! Soon, the whole area was packed with friends and family to celebrate Arjun's very special birthday. After lunch, everyone oohed and aahed over his custom Thomas themed cake. Here are the photos to share! Happy birthday Arjun!!

A princess first birthday - Sunnyvale Family Events Photographer

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 04:22:18 GMT

When I first found out I was pregnant with my daughter, my first baby, I started picturing all the fun girly things we would do with her when she arrived. Cute little dresses, flowers in her hair, you know, the girly stuff. When I arrived to meet our birthday girl Anahita, it was exactly that. Even though she was only one, it was her big first birthday and she looked like a princess! She was in a gorgeous dress and yes, flowers in her hair, and an adorable smile flashing two teeny teeth! She did such a great job at her party surrounded by her loved ones! Her parents did an amazing job decorating the park, getting everything prepared and coordinated for her party as well. As I was busily taking photos of everything and everyone, I was thinking, oh yeah, this is so awesome! Congratulations on your very first birthday Anahita~! And many happy princess birthdays to come!!

Beautiful Place to Photograph 15. SF Ferry Building & Bay Front

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 01:10:04 GMT

San Francisco has many iconic landmarks that look amazing in photographs. But when a SF realtor Michael had to choose one location for his headshot, he chose the Bay Front spot at the Rincon Park with the bow & arrow sculpture. I learned that the official name for this is "Cupid's Span" by the way. From there, you get the powerful and colorful sculpture and beautiful view of the Ferry building and the Bay Bridge all at the same time! Are you due for a new set of headshot photographs for your website or business cards?

Beautiful Places to Photograph 14. Ryan Park - Foster City Family Photographer

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 00:53:49 GMT

I'm often asked what makes a good place for photos. For me the place has to have beauty that puts you at ease. Because it is really the people that shine on a portrait photograph. But more importantly it has to provide some variety, meaning it offers several different "looks". That way we can make the most of our time. Foster City's Ryan park has always delivers and remains one of my most popular locations. And even when I have two sessions, I am able to shoot them to give two individual looks. Here are two sessions at Ryan Park shot over one weekend! Can you see your family there?

Now here is another shoot, the day after!

A golden anniversary - San Mateo Family Photographer

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 03:38:33 GMT

The 50th wedding anniversary is also called the golden anniversary probably because it is so precious. Recently I had an amazing time visiting with Loli and Drew's 50th anniversary party filled with their children and grandchildren. Amazingly they have also lived in their house for 40 years as well! It was such a special gathering of everyone flown in from all over the country to that house. I was so honored to be a part of their celebration. Congratulations & here is to many more years together!!!

Beautiful Places to photograph 13. Palace of Fine Arts- SF Engagement photographer

Sat, 26 Jul 2014 08:10:02 GMT

Weather in San Francisco can be quite tricky in July. So when we arrived at the Palace of Fine Arts I was so excited to to see the blue sky and white puffy clouds for Joey & Lydia's engagement photo shoot! The couple had just gotten engaged & were bubbling with love and excitement for their wedding coming up in November! Ahhh, I remember those days! After we enjoyed the gorgeous walk through the Palace, we headed over to Sausalito to get a few shots with the Golden Gate Bridge as well. I loved working with the beautiful couple in beautiful San Francisco. Congratulations!!!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 12. Scribble Me Happy - San Mateo Event Photographer

Fri, 11 Jul 2014 21:04:26 GMT

Children LOVE to draw, doodle, mix, glue, and paint. But sometimes they do need a little direction to put it all together in a cohesive project. Scribble me happy is an awesome place for such creative art projects any time but especially for a birthday celebration! The clean airy space gets decorated to match your theme as well. For Savannah's second birthday, the children had a blast making a mixed-media project using paint, crayon, glue and photographs. At the beginning of the party, staff took pictures of everyone and printed them out. Then they transformed themselves into a cowboy or a cowgirl riding a horse!

A very Korean First Birthday - San Francisco Bay Area Family Photographer

Thu, 08 May 2014 01:22:09 GMT

I grew up in Korea so I get excited when I get to celebrate Korean culture. So I was really psyched when I was asked to photograph a Korean-American first birthday for baby Nolan! This is by far the most important and celebrated birthday in Korean person's life, filled with colorful traditional silk outfits, rice cakes, treats, and decorations. Another fun element of a Korean first birthday is when several objects are laid out for the baby to grab. Each one symbolizes a different future for the baby (for example, a stethoscope might foretell a future in medicine!). Of course there were lots of yummy food and cakes, magician/balloon artist to make the day extra special! Nolan is so lucky to have so many family and friends to celebrate his special day! Happy birthday~!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 11. Lemo's Farm - Half Moon Bay Photographer

Fri, 25 Apr 2014 21:47:15 GMT

First thing that comes to mind when I think of Lemo's farm in Half Moon Bay is autumn and pumpkins. But it really is a fun place to play & party all year round! I had the privilege to photograph a sweet little boy's very first birthday party at Lemo's farm. There are so many things going on at Lemo's - train ride, pony ride, balloon lady, your own jumpy house and petting zoo filled with goats! Your birthday child, friends and family are bound to have an awesome time here!

Bernice's family portrait - Burlingame Family Photographer

Tue, 22 Apr 2014 08:35:34 GMT

Bernice & Michael own a fun and cozy play space called "Diddalidoo" in San Bruno. My children love it there so I was so excited to shoot a family portrait for them. We chose the beautiful Kohl Mansion in Burlingame for our fun photography session. The entire family looked great, especially the boys with the matching t-shirts with ties(!) and were so easy to work with! We had a great time making gorgeous pictures while exploring the property!

Vivienne is three!

Fri, 21 Mar 2014 18:43:47 GMT

First I saw all the balloons and the jumpy house. Then I walked into the perfectly themed and decorated home to find our birthday girl! Bright orange and hot pink were so vibrant! I was sure they had hired a professional decorator! But it turns out mommy is super artistic and party planning and decorating are her passion, especially for her little girl! Happy Birds provided entertainment & everyone got to hold and feed the birds from the show. Beautiful birthday girl had an amazing time with all her loved ones on this gorgeous day!

Happy Birthday Vivienne!

The attention to detail in all the decorations, snacks, treats, and even little labels for the pizza and mac-n-cheese were amazing!

Hello Kitty on the piggies! Love it!

Happy birds trains rescued cockatoos & macaws (I hope I'm getting the birds right here!). It's amazing she said some of the birds she's had for over 20-25 years! They did all kinds of tricks like singing "Oh my Clementine", riding a skateboard, counting "one, two, three, etc"! Just amazing!

Beautiful family & such a brilliant party! Happy Birthday Vivienne!

Suzy's Family Photos - San Mateo Family Photographer

Thu, 13 Mar 2014 01:47:55 GMT

We were finally getting some rain we badly needed when Suzy first contacted me about getting her family portrait session. Luckily the day of the session turned out to be a gorgeous, warm, mostly cloudy day (I think I've mentioned this before, photographers LOVE cloudy days for even soft lighting!). I got to meet the proud mommy, daddy and the gorgeous little one with baby curls for a little walk around the San Mateo Central Park for our session. Suzy's family came so well prepared with their props, blankie, favorite hand puppet, and most importantly their big smiles!

This baby photo is my absolute favorite of the whole session. I know she is not flashing her adorable smile. But I just love her gorgeous thoughtful face wrapped around by her parents! Such a moment is what I strive to capture each time I am out with my clients.

Mommy and daddy always deserves a moment to themselves, even if the stroller is just a few feet away!

An all grown-up birthday @ Waterbar SF

Wed, 12 Feb 2014 15:36:33 GMT

A gorgeous view of the lit Bay Bridge - check!

An adorable custom made fly-fishing themed cake - check!

Two giant aquarium tanks right in the middle of the restaurant - check!

A cozy upstairs space packed with friends & family - check!

A surprise entertainer - check!

These made Jim's 50th birthday so special and I was so excited to photograph the night! The Waterbar restaurant is right at the base of the lit-up Bay Bridge. So everyone got a great view of the new light show on the bridge throughout the party. We had the whole upstairs including a full bar, private room with the view & a balcony. Soon after the celebration began, the entire space was packed (I mean, really PACKED!) with loved ones who joined Jim to celebrate his special birthday. Here are some photos from the night! Happy Birthday Jim!!

Peter is Four @ Bay Club Redwood Shores

Wed, 05 Feb 2014 04:23:33 GMT

"Creature report! Creature report!" Any Octonaut fans our there? Peter's family hosted his 4th birthday at their gym, Bay Club in Redwood shores with his fave Octonaut theme. It was great to have a separate party room for food & face painting plus a huge gym space for kids to run around, play games with the helpers, bounce on the jumpy house. If you are looking for a birthday venue that keeps your kids active, check your gym if they host parties! Here are some photos from Peter's celebration~!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 10. The Reading Bug - San Carlos Party Photographer

Sat, 30 Nov 2013 06:07:48 GMT

Every year I say - I can't believe my little girl is ....... This year is no different! I can NOT believe she is already 5! This year's birthday party was special because she wanted a girls only party! Really! I don't know why but I was kind of proud that she decided that. :-)

We were happy to host our party at The Reading Bug, an adorable children's bookstore in San Carlos. They have a beautifully painted party room in the back of the store. We chose the Pinkalicious theme and the folks there not only do all the decorating & several themed art project prep/help, but also they include beautifully wrapped book favors for all the guests. We had 3 helpers throughout the party as well. Awesome! Thank you everyone for celebrating my girl's birthday with us!

Bridget Mini Session - Mountain View Family Photographer

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 07:30:00 GMT

Sometimes I find great photo shoot locations just by chance. Last week, I was in Mountain View running an errand and happened to drive by Cuesta park. What a sight! First, the fall colors were so bright. And it was huge with two separate parking lots on either ends. I literally stopped, U-turned, and came back to it to take photos. And then I emailed my client Bridget if we could please change our mini session location to Cuesta park! Luckily she was willing to give it a try despite the distance. Bridget, her adorable 6 year old ballerina (she is going to be in The Nutcracker!) & daddy were just great to work with because they were so natural. They picked up ginko leaves, walked across wet grass to find the next nice tree, gave each other kisses (regular & Eskimo!) and even jumped down from a bench!

Kyung Mini Session - Atherton Family Photographer

Sun, 17 Nov 2013 06:18:54 GMT

I love working with children. I love their initial hesitation. I love how they can't hide their curiosity, asking who I am, what we are doing, all with their eyes. Then it happens when they finally let their true personality pop out! This is exactly what happened during Kyung's family photo shoot with her 2 year old. I just LOVE IT! We were strolling around Holbrook Palmer park, pausing at different beautiful spots (and there were many!), and off went the little boy, busting out his moves, posing at the bench, running around the rest of the family, giving his 6 week old baby sister kisses on the forehead. So cute! Kyung's family was so beautiful & easy to work with! Here are the photos from our mini session.

Felynn Mini Session - San Mateo Family Photographer

Sun, 17 Nov 2013 05:28:15 GMT

I was so excited to finally meet Felynn for her family photo session! The reason is because she had first contacted me about doing a holiday session with me in JUNE! She really wanted to make sure I could photograph her family! Wow, that is so amazing! So fast forward to last weekend, I finally got to meet her lovely family. Mini sessions go by so fast, but with a beautiful family like hers with smiles on their faces the whole time, it was so easy to shoot away. We met at the San Mateo Central Park, explored & had lots of fun! The only downside.... I forgot my blanket there. Doh! When I went back that evening, it was nowhere to be found. Oh, well...

Here is her beautiful family...

Geni's Family Portrait - San Mateo Family Photographer

Thu, 31 Oct 2013 21:18:07 GMT

I was quite excited to have an overcast day for Geni's family portrait session. We photographers LOVE cloudy sky for the soft even lighting the clouds give us and call it "the giant softbox in the sky"! But it was getting darker & darker so I was beginning to worry just a little bit when Geni's family found me at the San Mateo Central Park. Unlike the weather, Geni's family was so beautiful, bright and cheerful! We "climbed" on trees (well as much as one can climb a tree with a six month old!), enjoyed the fully bloomed rose garden, and strolled the rest of the park. Even though Geni told me this was their first family portrait session ever, the family made it so easy for me to take beautiful photos by being such amazing models! Here are some of the photos from our fun session- enjoy!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 9. Daddalidoo - San Bruno Birthday Photographer

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 01:30:49 GMT

Eli is such an amazing boy. He can walk, he can talk, he knows his colors, he's got some mean dance moves - and he is only ONE! He's blue (his favorite color) & giraffe (his fave animal) themed birthday celebration was held at Diddalidoo in San Bruno packed with family and friends. Eli was so excited to celebrate his first birthday & looked so cute in all of his three outfits! Mommy's attention to detail was just fabulous throughout the party - everything from Eli's photos from every month birthdays, cute framed board all about Eli's life, adorable custom ordered M&M candies and matching family sneakers! The children loved all the toys and play structures in Diddalidoo & the grown ups loved the amazing food and catching up with each other. Such a warm celebration! Happy first birthday Eli!

Baptism - Seattle, Bellvue family event photographer

Sat, 19 Oct 2013 03:59:45 GMT

This was a very special baptism, my own niece and nephew were baptized, together! I was honored to be the godmother (and the photographer!) for the ceremony held at St. Madeleine Sophie Catholic Church in Bellvue, WA. It was a beautiful church with the altar in the center and pews surrounding it all around! Everyone welcomed us into such a tight knit community. We had a special Korean mass to celebrate the children and here are the photographs...

McKinley Elementary School Centennial Celebrations - Burlingame Event Photographer

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 07:19:58 GMT

This was a really special birthday - a 100th birthday! Burlingame's McKinley elementary school turned 100 this year and the centennial celebration committee asked me to photograph this huge party. The school was packed with McKinley families from past and present, a band, a clown, classic cars, the Melt truck & the Bulldog Mascot. I loved capturing the positive energy of McKinley! Happy Birthday McKinley Elementary School! Here is to another 100 years and more!

Alyson's 40th birthday on Freda B - Sausalito Event Photographer

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 00:02:41 GMT

I was so excited when Alyson asked me to photograph her birthday party. Now, I am fortunate to get to photograph lots of really nice birthday parties, but a party on a private 80 foot schooner around the bay? AMAZING! Freda B launched from Sausalito on a glorious sunny afternoon and sailed around the bay while friends and family celebrated Alyson's 40th birthday. Captain Richard and crew were great, Sibby's cupcakes were beautiful, and we all had a great time. Happy Birthday Alyson! And here are some photos to make anyone jealous!

Baby D - Red Egg & Ginger Party - Daly City Event Photographer

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 04:38:16 GMT

Have you heard of "Red egg and ginger" parties? I had but I didn't really know what they were about. I researched it for this event photography session for baby D. It is a Chinese tradition to have a party when baby is one month old to announce it to family, friends & the world~! Red is good luck, egg is for birth (sort of like Easter I thought), and ginger is there to create harmony (yin & yang) with the eggs. It was so amazing to see all of the family and friends that filled the hall to celebrate baby D last weekend. Welcome baby!

Baby C - San Mateo Newborn Photographer

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 05:42:40 GMT

I was so excited to get an opportunity to shoot baby C when he was just one week old for a newborn photo session! I was totally amazed how great he was, no crying or fussing during the whole almost 2 hour session! Not only that, he was a handsome guy at just one week old! Welcome baby C! And here are some photos of him so you can say "awwwwwwwww!" like I was that whole morning.

Christy's family portrait session - Hillsborough Family Photographer

Sun, 25 Aug 2013 23:06:39 GMT

Christy's family recently purchased a beautiful new home. So, we were so excited to do her family portrait session there even before they moved in! The front of the house had a gorgeous flowery archway. Back of the house was a really nice mix of landscaped lawn and deck & lush natural hillside beyond. And we love that there were so many colorful flowers all around the house! The children loved exploring the yard, the deck, the bugs, and well, everything! At the end of the shoot we even picked apples from the huge apple tree right from the deck! Congratulations on your new home & here are some of the photographs from our photo shoot.

Look at all these flowers! You can't help but feel a little romantic around them!

This is the apple tree! Well, you ca't tell how high the deck is from this photo but the tree was huge & filled with apples.

Wishing you many happy years at your new home!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 12. Gamble Garden - Palo Alto family photographer

Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:39:04 GMT

It was just by accident I found the Gamble Garden in Palo Alto. I've been to Palo Alto many many times and always take Hwy 280. For some reason, I happened to go on Hwy 101 that day and drove right by the Gamble Garden. Unfortunately I just saw the big sign that time and didn't get to see the rest of the beautiful place. Of course, I went back as soon as I got a chance & many times since. Here are some photographs from my most recent visit.

This place is easy to find with a big sign @ Embarcadero & Waverly in Palo Alto.

Gamble gardens has flower garden, vegetable garden, house & rose garden. It is much more relaxed than my other favorite garden Filoli in Woodside, which has a much more manicured feel.

Gazebo in the middle of the vegetable garden adds interest and teeny bench seats.

On the other side of the house beyond these gates are rose garden & a sun dial

Here is an old picture with my family to show the house.

Such a lush & relaxed atmosphere here! Can't you just picture yourself here with a glass of lemonade?

Kamran's third birthday - Foster City Family Events Photographer

Sat, 03 Aug 2013 13:42:58 GMT

How fun is a pirate themed birthday party for a little boy? I was fortunate to photograph Kamran's 3rd birthday party filled with family, friends, balloon pirates & treasures this weekend!

Here is the family with Captain Hook himself!

A beautiful cake all decorated with Jake and Neverland Pirates theme, complete with figurines & sails - awesome!

Enjoying the puppet show with grandpa

Happy Birthday Kamran!

Beautiful Place to Photograph 11. Allied Arts Guild - Menlo Park

Fri, 26 Jul 2013 03:34:26 GMT

I think it was more than ten years ago when I first visited the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park on a date. I had completely forgotten about it for some reason, and boom, I remembered it again! Your mind does funny things sometimes. The place was gorgeous. And it was kind of fun to wonder, hm, what is in this corner, turn that corner, then remember, oh, yeah, I remember this part! There were actually two photo shoots going on plus a wedding being set up, so lots of people do know about this beautiful place!

An ornate "AA" mail box right as you enter from the parking lot

The little walls, arches & partitions are what makes this place so intimate even though a lot of people visit here.

I didn't have as much time to linger and check out the artists studios here but I am definitely going back for another visit soon!

Beautiful flowers compliment the architecture

A rustic wood shop all the way in the back

On the other side of the hedge, a small wedding was being set up, rows of chairs lined up. To the right, a photographer (I SO felt for her!) was trying to take a family portrait with a screaming baby!

Allied Arts Guild - a beautiful place to visit & to photograph

Kathleen's family portrait session - San Mateo Family Photographer

Fri, 28 Jun 2013 10:10:52 GMT

Busy parents, two adorable boys & a big dog with endless energy welcomed me on this unseasonably cool day. I had been worrying about the weather being too sunny for no reason! No matter, we decide to brave the chill and start the shoot in the lush backyard with a beautiful lawn, quaint play house, and what else, a trampoline! I could not believe how great the baby boy was. No complaints, just lots of giggles!

Baby boy was super curious about the lawn, reaching for a handful & finally succeeding in taste testing. Hmm, does it count as solids?

Cue the big brother. Such a sweet boy and a big Ninjago fan. Five going on sixteen with that handsome smile!

In front of the family home with the furry friend, who surprised everyone by going for a run around the block before joining us back at the house!

We finished the fun session snuggling in mommy & daddy's bed. Thank you for letting me spend an exciting morning with you guys!

Yuka's family portrait session - Millbrae Family photographer

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 19:34:56 GMT

I found a bright cheery yellow house and purple jacaranda flowers when I went to meet Yuka and her family. Immediately I thought we needed some shots from the front of the beautiful house. But once I met the family and got a tour of the house and the backyard, I found many beautiful nooks perfect for mommy, daddy and the little baby girl.

Baby girl was such a sweetie and showed me cute little smiles throughout the session!

Such a beautiful and loving family!

Thank you for sharing your Father's Day morning with me!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 8. Safari Run - San Mateo Family Photographer

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:36:12 GMT

To celebrate Stefan's 4th birthday, his mom chose Safari Run in San Mateo so Stefan and his friends can get wild and monkey around!

First half of the party was at the main play space with the party leader Katie. Kids explored the jungle structure & raced up and down the "track". Everyone moved upstairs to the party room to enjoy pizza, snack, and jungle themed decorations! Such a fun party and Stefan was ear to ear smiles the entire time! Happy Birthday Stefan!!

Let's get this party started!

A cute jungle birthday cake to match the party theme!

Kids, look at the camera! No, way, we want the cute animals on the cake!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 10. Fitzerald Marine Reserve - Half Moon Bay Family Photographer

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:43:53 GMT

As the weather warms up, more clients are thinking about doing their photo session outdoors, especially on a beach. Although any beach can be a beautiful backdrop for a family photo, I always try to find something special in addition to the ocean & the sand. When I arrived at the Fitzerald Marine Reserve, I fell in love with a gorgeous pathway with flowers and rustic fence even before I got down to the water!

Fitzerald Marine Reserve is on Hwy 1, just north of Half Moon Bay Airport. Easy to get to, easy to find, and importantly, easy to park as there is a big parking lot very close by.

There's such an energy about this place!

Once I made it down to the water, it was quite something to see all the rocks exposed during the low tide.

I didn't see any cool creatures in the water between the rocks. And when I looked up, I saw the seals! That was amazing! I switched to a longer zoom lens and was able to see there were a good number of harbor seals hanging out on the rocks. Later a lady told me that the seals just had their pups in the last month or two.

After checking out the beach, I headed up the bluff trail on the other side of the parking lot to find a dense forest of trees. The trees almost looked dead (hope I'm wrong!) and gave such an other-worldly feeling up here compared to down by the water.

But it was gorgeous looking back down on the ocean!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 9. Rengstorff House - Mountain View Family Photographer

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

I am always on the lookout for photo shoot locations. When I heard about the Rengstorff House and its lush setting and photogenic bridges, I had to go check it out. I found it was a little tricky to get there (it's right by Google, off of Shoreline Blvd.) but it is such a gem I will be sure to return with my kids, eh hem, models soon. It was quite windy when I visited, so I am hoping that was a fluke and not always so crazy! I had to go to my next appointment so I literally only had 10 minutes to get a quick look around!

It was really windy! But now that I look at the photos, I kind of like the wind swept look of the trees and the long grass...

Gosh, I didn't realize you can go inside the house! Next time.....

One side of the house

The other side of the house with beautiful climbing roses

Teeny tiny but gorgeous roses

And here is the bridge I've seen from photos. Or, actually I should say here is one bridge. I could see at least on on either side of this one, so three total.

Looking towards the house from the bridge I was on.

Fun Places for Birthday Party 7. Bumble & Area 151 - Los Altos Family Photographer

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:00:00 GMT

A little while ago, I had the pleasure of stopping by a darling play space called "Play!" in Los Altos. But it was not until today I got to see the other two in the trio owned by the same folks - Bumble & Area 151. Bumble is a quaint little house/restaurant in downtown Los Altos that emphasizes farm to table cuisine. It's homey yet modern and airy with screened in porch areas and a tree growing through the roof! What's unique about Bumble is their children's playroom. Mommy and daddy want to linger over brunch? No problem, children can be excused! A fish tank wall separates the dining area and the playroom so a family can keep an eye out for each other while doing their own thing. Ditto if you have an event going on at Bumble. Little ones can be entertained in the playroom whereas the tweens can be walked over to Area 151 next door (more about this below). You can have the whole event planned out by the event specialist Betsy Allen, who oversees events at all three venues - Play!, Bumble, and Area 151.

Here it is, Bumble!

Back of the dining area, fish tank wall beneath the bookshelf & door to the playroom.

This is what the fish tank wall looks like from inside the playroom, which is a little lower than the dining room. They even put in bubble windows so children can peak in the fish tank & the dining room.

Playroom is spacious and also has a wrap around covered deck outside

Craft supplies? Check.

5-in-1 rotary bike? Check.

Apple juice in a funky cup? Check!

Area 151 is a pretty cool concept arcade geared towards tweens & it's the right next door to Bumble. It is an arcade and has games. But across an out-of-this-planet courtyard, they have a homework room. So you get your work done & you get to play afterwards! Genius! I fell in love with their alien theme and you will see why!

This is their door handle! LOVE IT!

Arcade

Courtyard

Courtyard detail

Bumble

www.bumblelosaltos.com

145 1st St, Los Altos, CA 94022

650-383-5340

Area 151

www.area151dtla.com

151 1st St, Los Altos, CA 94022

650-397-5265

Beautiful Places to Photograph 8. Coyote Point Park - San Mateo Family Photographer

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:47:13 GMT

I had the pleasure of shooting a family portrait session for Cindy's family at one of my favorite locations in the Bay Area, Coyote Point Park in San Mateo. It was a gorgeous day and the family was just as gorgeous! I was especially impressed by the cute little boy who was so into the photo shoot and had lots of fun exploring the several different settings Coyote Point has to offer. Thanks for letting me spend the afternoon with you guys! Here is the sneak preview of our session.

Tyler's first birthday - San Mateo Family Photographer

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 06:20:26 GMT

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting a darling little gentleman, Tyler, who turned one! Daddy and he wore matching navy blazers to celebrate the milestone birthday at Kingfish restaurant in San Mateo. The theme for the party was The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the decorations and balloon art made the party so festive.

THE Very Hungry Caterpillar joined us for Tyler's party!

Entertainment for the party was Harmony Lyrics, the balloon lady. It was cool how she could get the children participating to make huge balloons - some big enough to hold a child!

Such concentration on Tyler's face!

Happy First Birthday, handsome!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 7. Filoli - Woodside Family Photographer

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:45:00 GMT

Filoli is a historic mansion and garden in Woodside. It is hands down one of my favorite places to visit around the SF Bay Area EVER! I've been a member there for over a decade and visit many times every year. It is amazing to see all the flowers changing with seasons (they re-plant most of their garden three times every year!). The grounds are huge and there is a sunken garden with small ponds, rose garden, vegetable garden, a tree lined pool.....there's always so much to see! I love their "what's blooming this week" section on their website, too!

I brought my models with me (of course!). Gorgeous daffodils were everywhere!

What's amazing about Filoli are the countless flower pots all around the garden in addition to the planted flowers.

Colorful tulips and hyacinths were in full bloom.

Beautiful Places to Photograph 6. Pulgas Water Temple - Woodside Family Photographer

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:03:59 GMT

When I first saw pictures of the Pulgas Water Temple, I thought it was part of a huge complex, maybe something similar to the Palace of Fine Arts in SF. I finally visited in person and found it to be an intimate and tranquil place, tucked away off of Canada Rd in Woodside. It was erected in the 1930s to commemorate building of aqueduct that brings our drinking water all the way from Hetch Hetchy reservoir. First off the architecture and the trees lining the pool can be seen as you enter the parking lot. But as you walk toward it, you start to take in a huge grassy knoll in front of it and woodsy walkway on the side.

Gorgeous symmetry! Did you know people get married here?

View from the woodsy trail as you walk from the parking lot

Beautiful architectural details & beautiful weather, too!

Back on Canada Rd, I spotted some deer so I pulled over. At first I saw these guys roaming about, but when I saw they were headed towards the shade, I realize there were a whole lot more deer! What a treat!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 6. CuriOdyssey

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:07:13 GMT

We are so fortunate to have several wonderful children's museums in the San Francisco Bay Area. I had the pleasure of being a part of Gillian's 3rd birthday party at CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point this weekend. It has just the right mix of fun scientific & interactive displays, a mini zoo, woodsy waterfront outdoor space great for children but really for anyone. The party was inside Redwood hall which can accommodate hundreds but worked quite well with a smaller party as well. And of course, guests can explore the museum after the party!

I loved the wooden details throughout the hall. Went quite nicely with the pink cupcake theme of the party, perfect for a little girl's birthday!

Teacher Michael from Peninsula Music Together provided entertainment. He was great with the kids, and whoa he has an amazing voice and style!

".....

Will you come out?

YES, I will!"

The birthday girl enjoying the party & the cupcake!

I always try and get a mini family session squeezed in during a party. Such a nice family and I loved their pink poodle themed coordinating outfit! Happy Birthday Gilly!

Burlingame Mothers Club Vegas Night!

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 06:56:21 GMT

Last night, I had such a fun time photographing at the Burlingame Mothers Club Vegas Night! This was their sold out annual parents party held at Crystal Springs Golf Course. Moms and dads got a chance to dress up, let loose, and have fun sans kids for the night! There was a DJ, well, actually it was a three-guy team, photo booth with crazy Vegas themed props, yummy food, a magician(!), casino games, and Kara's Cupcakes for desert.

Beautiful flower center pieces (by Sarah Padilla Designs) and a special welcome message from Burlingame Mothers Club on every table

Photo booth!

Enjoying the night

Rockit City DJs in the house!

Rotating menu of small dishes included bacon wrapped scallops, tuna tartar, meatballs, savory pastry cups, cheese platter, veggie platter, etc.

Games, magic, and cupcakes added to the fun night. It was quite something to watch the magician Mike Toy go up to the guests and perform tricks literally inches from their faces!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 5. Hop n Play - San Bruno Birthday Party Photographer

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 23:30:00 GMT

Hop n Play is a play space inside the Tanforan mall (next to Target). What is really cool and unique about this place is that there are moving playthings. They have a marry-go-round type rotating toys that children can climb onto. They have an inflated seesaw that goes by itself. It's really gentle and your toddler can ride it all by themselves and without much coordination at all. There are a 3 story high climbing house, a tunnel, and mini platforms - and yes, they all rotate. There is a small balloon room (my children call it the crazy balloon room!) with fans that move the balloons all around. Definitely a cool place to check out. Also, they have two party rooms for your birthday parties. I didn't have my camera with me (gasp!) so here are a few iPhone pix.

Hop N Play

www.hopnplay.com

1150 El Camino Real, Ste 142, San Bruno, CA 94066

(877) 4-HOPNPLAY

Bright Spot Daycare Photo shoot - Burlingame Family Photographer

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:07:29 GMT

Babies, babies, lots of beautiful babies! That's what I got when I arrived at Bright Spot Daycare in Burlingame. Five babies all dressed up for their photos! Owners Karen and Glenda thought of everything for the babies, including pillows, blankies, and even a pink grand piano! Here is a sneak peak at the gorgeous little ones.

Fun Places for Birthday Party 4. Play! - Los Altos Family Photographer

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:56:59 GMT

Play! is an adorable and cheerful play space in downtown Los Altos. I was searching for a nice kid-friendly restaurant when someone recommended Bumble in Los Altos. They actually have a children's playroom in the restaurant! We have not had a chance to visit Bumble yet (soon!), but I did get a chance to check out their annex play space down the street.

This is the view when you walk in to Play! It is very open and bright with big windows. They managed to fit a lot of toys in here, but still make it look clean.

They also have music class & story time here as well.

Puppet theater with flannel board

A cute reading nook has lots of fun books and futuristic chairs. I thought this was a unique feature as not a lot of other play spaces have books available.

Through here is a classroom for bigger kid stuff. They have science toys, arts & crafts, etc. The door in the back (where the Exit sign is) leads to a beautiful and spacious courtyard (more pictures below).

This is the view as you enter the courtyard from the classroom. It is huge and has high ceilings and sky lights. I really liked the faux(?) roof that added architectural interest to the space. You can rent just the play space with or without the courtyard for private events.

Looking back to the classroom where I came out of. A very interesting space and definitely a fun place for a play date or a birthday party!

Play!

www.playlosaltos.com

170 State Street, Los Altos, CA 94022

(650)559-0960

Fun Places for Birthday Party 3. UME - Menlo Park Children's Photographer

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 08:45:47 GMT

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is ready for 2013!

Indoor play space is golden during the wet and cold winter season in Northern California. My children and I are always up for checking out a new one as each has a different personality. UME is in Menlo Park so it is a little bit of a drive for us but wow, were we glad we found this place! It is spacious and airy not only from the size but also the high loft ceiling. Also the modern, clean, whimsical decor really adds to the open feeling.

<...This structure in the middle of the play space houses a slide.

I LOVE these creature(?) that are shaped like letters "U", "M" and "E" for UME! ...>

Main playroom has a boat you can climb into and drive (handles and buttons make noise), a food market/kitchen area, riding toys, dress up corner, a teepee, etc.

A wall of clouds separate the play space and the cafe. There is a row of tables just other side of the cloud windows. There parents can work on their computers or have a coffee while children play. Or everyone can have a snack or lunch in the cafe.

Pink upside down umbrellas!

A separate room houses a giant trampoline and other gymnastics equipment like balance beam, mats, tunnels, etc.

Even though we were not here for an actual birthday party, my family had a great fun time here at UME!

UME

www.u-meplace.com

3355 Edison Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025

(650)257-7511

Liz's family photo shoot

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Liz's family just moved into a brand new house her father helped build. First, I got a mini tour around the gorgeous house that still smelled of new paint. Then it was a little bit of a waiting game, waiting for a break in the rain, because we wanted the house to be in the family photos. Luckily the weather cooperated just long enough for a quick photo session.

The gray weather was no match for bright smiles from this family.

There were tons of beautiful details on the house, like these columns.

It was a little bit of a balance between trying to get enough of the house, but stay close enough to get the family in the photos.

The children were such troopers, especially the seven month old!

Gorgeous little ones!

Caroline's Family photo shoot

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 03:30:00 GMT

We were in the middle of the storm when we scheduled a Christmas card photo shoot for Caroline's family. But the rain broke just enough for me to get inside, and it was all warm and cozy in their living room with a big Christmas tree.

Here is the happy family, all ready for the holiday season.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The smartest three year old knew all about the planets (and gas giants!) and his way around the globe.

The seven week old was so well behaved during the whole photo shoot. Half the time he was pretty serious, but he showed me plenty of smiles, too.

Here is the big brother doing an impression of me, holding a squeak toy in one hand, a camera right at his eye, and taking his baby brother's picture!

Fun Places for Birthday Party 2. Scribble Me Happy - San Mateo Birthday Photographer

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 03:06:45 GMT

Scribble Me Happy is a charming little art studio in downtown San Mateo. They offer art classes for children and adults, as well as drop-in hours. They also offer birthday and other parties with art projects. So last weekend I went to photograph a cuckoo clock themed birthday party - how cute is that idea, right?

The birthday boy gets his own sign out front.

They provide all the art supplies (and yes they clean up after your party!). And you are welcome to bring your own ideas, inspirations and creations. These adorable birds were made by Callan's mom!

The owners Stacie (in red apron) and Brenda set up the studio beautifully incorporating the cuckoo clock theme. They help running the party themselves! It was amazing to see every single child totally engaged in the cuckoo project.

After the wooden cuckoo clocks were painted and decorated with jewels, they went on the display wall to dry.

Little finishing touches like the bird and teeny ornaments went on as well.

Owner Brenda is helping the birthday boy with his cuckoo clock

Cute little Santas on the cake!

Callan is proud to show off his cuckoo clock. Everyone got to take their creations home. Hands down, this was the most creative birthday party ever!

Scribble Me Happy

www.scribblemehappy.com

411 South B St, San Mateo, CA 94401

(650)343-4199

Beautiful Places to Photograph 5. Eucalyptus Avenue - San Carlos Photographer

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 07:30:18 GMT

So I have lived in the SF Bay Area since 1996 and last year was the first time I had heard of the lights on Eucalyptus Avenue in San Carlos. How could I have missed it all those years? Let me just say I am so glad I found out about it now. It is two blocks of mind boggling holiday decorations on Eucalyptus Avenue between Orange Avenue & Tamarack Avenue, just one street over from Brittan Avenue. Majority of houses in these two blocks have tons of lights, some have music playing, some light figurines move, and all of them are festive. They start turning the lights on around 5pm, so that's when we went on Monday. We parked at Eucalyptus & Orange, and walked the two blocks out and back. It took us (me, my 4 year old and my 20 months old) almost an hour and a half checking out the displays, revisiting a few favorites and taking some photos (of course!). If you have not been, it is definitely worth a visit to get into the holiday spirit. As for us, I think we are going back tomorrow as both my children have been talking about going back non-stop this week!

My boy's mouth was hanging open the whole time we were here!

Kids: Whoa, is this a froggy Santa?

Me: Don't touch that!

This was my kids' favorite house. They went straight for the lit up musical gift that had a moving lid and made themselves at home!

Love it!

This Christmas tree is easily four stories high and completely filled with ornaments.

I believe that gazebo with light curtains had a Santa sitting on a bench last year. I wonder where they are this year...

Happy Holidays! :-)

Fun Places for Birthday Party 1. Junior Gym - San Mateo Birthday Photographer

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 06:16:17 GMT

My children have been going to Junior Gym in downtown San Mateo for years! And today we celebrated my daughter's fourth birthday there and had a blast. What we love about the place is its nearby location, large space for the kids to explore (especially when it's rainy outside) and the variety of equipment and activities that are available. Birthday party here is great because they provide two helpers (thank you Jolly & Vanessa!) who set up for the party, entertain the children, help serve food, and most importantly clean up after the party.

_F5A3896

Calm before the storm?! In just two hours, this room totally gets trashed! But for now, everything is set up nice and pretty.

Sophia gets to say "I am four years old!"

It was actually pretty hard trying to bump foam blocks off the parachute.

Happy to be four...

Running the obstacle course the "creative" way

Whoa, so many candles!

150708_Facundo_0252

Happy Birthday Sophia!

Junior Gym

www.juniorgym.com

101 South B St, San Mateo, CA 94401

(650)548-9901

Nina's Family Photoshoot - SF Bay Area Family Photographer

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 02:57:17 GMT

I was so excited Nina got in touch with me to do a family photo shoot past Sunday. We were prepared to brave the wet weather but pleasantly surprised when the sun showed up! It ended up being a nice warm sunny day and we had fun exploring the Stanford Shopping Center. Mom, dad, girl, boy and grandpa came looking fabulous and the mall was decorated for the holiday season as well.

We got started by shopping at the fruit stand.

Hmm, so many choices.....

The whole family was excited by the fruit selection here. Everyone helped pick out persimmons, corn, and apples, and we almost lost track of time. Oh, right, let's get back to the photo shoot!

Then out of nowhere Captain America showed up! That was pretty cool! Well, until Captain America's mom and dad told him to put the mask away....oh, shucks!

We found a nice bench to settle down on. I was ecstatic the trees were lit up already in time for holidays. I had to bring out my fisheye lens to get it all in there, in one photo.

My special helpers opened up the bubbles and the whole family got into blowing and popping bubbles together.

Yes, it's right over there! No, over THERE!

Happy Family!

She is six, going on eighteen!

Didn't I tell you, going on eighteen...

Wait, come back! We need one last shot before calling it a day!

No photo shoot is complete without a silly photo, isn't that right? Thank you for letting me be a part of your day today!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 4. Kohl Mansion

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:32:58 GMT

It is already well into autumn and still everything seems so green! So I decided to go on a mini search for fall colors and ended up at the Kohl Mansion in Burlingame, CA on a beautiful Sunday morning. I've heard that Kohl Mansion was a great place for a photo shoot, so I initially I thought it was just the mansion but the property was a huge complex! Mercy high school is here as well.

I was surprised to see the mansion was open with the door ajar. Hmm, I wonder if anybody can just walk in. Then I decided to wander the grounds first before going inside the mansion.

The grounds at Kohl Mansion were lush and serene. Although quite big, there were small nooks of rose garden, prayer circle, etc. that gave such an intimate feeling. Now where is that fall color?

A tiny bit of heaven

Gorgeous maple tree finally found me! Yes, the fall is here.

I walked right into the mansion, and it looked like there were doing some cleaning? I wasn't sure. But it sure was beautiful inside. Definitely from a different era!

It almost felt like a movie set in here, I had to go with black and white!

I looked up to find this ornate lamp high up on the ceiling on my way out. I know they have classical music concerts here, so I will be sure to be back for more of the grand Kohl Mansion and their events!

Beautiful Places to Photograph 3. Foster City Ryan Park

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 06:35:16 GMT

I used to come to Ryan park to do watercolor paintings. That was the good ol' days before kids came along. Today I drove by it on the way from a bookstore and it looked so inviting I had to squeeze in a mini shoot before heading home.

It is always so mellow here an today was no exception! Everything was still and the gentle blue ripples in the water seemed the only thing that moved at all.

I said "inviting", didn't I? How gorgeous is that setting!

Hmmm, I kept feeling like there was just something missing in these shots....what is it....

Ah ha! Where are the people? The park was quite empty and I kept thinking a couple of kids running around here will make some gorgeous photos. Then it dawned on me. I missed my kids! I know, I know. A couple of hours with our awesome sitter is a treat for everyone involved, but it was time for me to go home.

Beautiful Places to photograph 2. San Francisco Ocean Beach

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:20:34 GMT

We celebrated my husband's 40th at the Cliff House Sunday Brunch, one of our favorite brunch places in the bay area. Amazing food, endless Champagne and live harpist? How can you possibly top that, right? Afterwards we walked down to Ocean Beach, expecting the usual, fog, chill and wind. To our surprise, it was quite warm on the beach despite the cloud covered sky.

Before we knew it, everyone's shoes were off, pants were rolled up, and an impromptu beach photo shoot began. Yes, I DO always have my camera with me! We collected a great variety of shells on the beach, including crabs, clams, mussesl, and sand dollars! Good thing mommy always has a couple of ziploc bags in the diaper bag...

Later, the sun almost broke through the clouds and gave us a warm and soft afternoon glow, perfect for finishing up our family beach photo shoot.

Beautiful places to photograph 1. San Mateo central park - rose garden

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:06:15 GMT

First of all, I am so very excited to start my own business! I still can't believe it has come together as well as it has. I am passionate about photography & children, and so I feel incredibly lucky to do what I love. Thank you all my friends and family who have given me so much support and love!

I am also excited to start a blog to share the things that I love. One thing I love more than taking pictures at a beautiful setting is doing it with my kids. Even though we've been to the San Mateo Central Park many times over the years, this was our first time entering the park from the 9th avenue entrance. Once you pass the sign, walkways are lined with colorful hydrangeas. We saw many squirrels playing about, which was fun. A dog statue and bird houses? Yes, more fun!

We found lots of colorful roses were in full bloom. One section had hedges lining the roses, forming a mini maze for the kids to explore. There was a gazebo in the middle of the roses to add a focal point. My daughter literally cried when it was time to leave. She said it was to pretty she wanted to stay forever! She held onto one yellow rose petal she picked up all the way home & for the rest of the day. I promised her we would come back the next day, which we did.