SnapShots by Rg Hixson

A Day at the Park { Disneyland that is! }

2012-01-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday, Brian and I went to Disneyland! ( A Christmas gift from Emily and Rachel.) The day was perfect- sunny, warm and short lines! We had a great time walking around, riding the rides, eating beignets and collecting pennies. Here are a few snaps.

Here we are at the front gate.

Buzz Lightyear- Space Mt. - Caption EO - Tea Cups

Spinning in the cup.

CW, Rachel, me and Brian.

above and below: with Mickey and Minnie

above: Front of Star Tours. below: Matterhorn under construction.

above: Sleeping Beauty's Castle below: Lights along walk outside the main gate.

above: Jungle Cruise elephant below: Mark Twain riverboat

The end of our day. :)

Angie & Chris { love my nieces to pieces }

2012-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

My nieces, Angie and Chris, asked if I would take their snaps and of course I had to say YES! I took Angie's snapshoot in December and Chris' in January. Here are a few of my faves.

Angie's snaps were taken in their backyard.

Chris' snaps were taken a few blocks from their house.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Happy New Year!

2012-01-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

Brian and I had a wonderful start for 2012. We spent New Year's Eve at home with friends then off to Vegas in the morning! After Vegas, we drove to Yuma, AZ to visit our friends, Katie and Jim. Here are a few snaps from my G6 and Zi8!

Jan 1, 2012 12:00a.m.
We stayed at Bill's Gambling Hall and had breakfast at Paris. Yummy waffles!

Main Street looking south.

On U.S.-95 south toward Yuma.

Katie and Jim took us to the Yuma Territorial Prison.

A reflection shot at the Yuma Proving Ground.

Ocean to Ocean Bridge- the link in joining the

Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans in 1915.

Along the Colorado River.

At Katie and Jim's winter home. They are snowbirds from IN and WV.

Here I am with my best bud, Katie Ayers.

Jim and Katie

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Stephen Scsavnicki { senior snapshoot }

2011-12-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

My very handsome nephew, Stephen, will be graduating from Options for Youth in January. Yay! So, it was time to get some senior portraits done! I had a great time taking his snaps and if I may say so myself, they came out GREAT! :) Here are a few of my favorites.

Sneak peek: My beautiful niece, Angie, asked to take a few snaps of her. Here is my favorite. :)

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time with our families over Christmas weekend. On Christmas Eve, we had all of Brian's family over. What a houseful! On Christmas day, we spent the morning with the girls opening loads of gifts and then off we go to Grandma's house to be with my family. Oh what fun!!

Our gift from Emily and Rachel! A day at Disneyland! Yay! Now, when we were
kids, an eTicket meant something totally different!

Mission Inn { with two of my favorite people }

2011-12-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

Last night, my niece Angie, my mom and I went to see the lights at the Mission Inn in Riverside. This was the first time my mom has seen them! We had such a nice time walking around looking at all the decorations and the lights! And I'm talking about a billion lights! Here are a few of my favorite snaps.

Angie, my mom and me. Love this snap!

above: Mom and Angie. below: My mom is soo cute!

Thanks Angie, for this snap. :)

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Thanksgiving 2011 { fun family snaps }

2011-11-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time with Brian's family for Thanksgiving lunch. We all met up at Karen and Richard's in Rialto. The food was de.li.cious!! The only bad thing about eating turkey dinner at someone else's house is that, you do NOT have leftovers!! Boooo. ;) Right after lunch, I took my family outside for some snaps. (Karen and Richard's backyard is LOVELY.) Setting my camera on a tripod and setting the timer, I took the following snaps.

above: I do love this snap!

above: Emily with Billy below: Rachel with Andrew CW
(didn't use my tripod for these)

As you can tell, there was a lot of silliness happening!!
And I still got the 'hurry up mom' look!

above and below: Love Love Love how these came out. :)

I also took a snap of the 'Hixson kids'.

l to r: Richard, Brian, me and Bob. sitting: Karen and Melissa (Brian's sisters)

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name.

Leaves { I love fall colors }

2011-11-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the cool weather and the sound of football on the t.v. But most of all, I love when the leaves turn colors. Here are a few snaps taken this week.

above and below: Liquid Amber (Taken at Karen's)
below: Crepe Myrtle. (My favorite snap-also taken at Karen's.)

The snaps below were taken in my backyard. All Liquid Ambers.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Halloween 2011 { + fun }

2011-11-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

I love passing out Halloween candy! Love to see the kids all dressed up and having fun. I decided to take a few snaps of the neighbor kids and made a collage.

Above are my lovelys, Emily and Rachel, in this year's costumes.
Travis, Owen and Shannon visit and started the trick or treating.

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

A couple of fun pics. Above: Spinning Chucks

Below: Shadow fun with my mom.

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave a message! :)

A Beautiful Day for a Ride { Jeep trip }

2011-10-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Brian and I had a great time Jeeping with the Mlakars and Andersons. It's been awhile since we did some Jeeping and it was a be-u-ti-ful day for one! We started our trip on Hwy 38 and at Angeles Oaks, we headed north toward Big Bear riding along Clark's grade (1N54). Oh my goodness! What views! Taking along my point and shoot, here are a few snaps.

Just off Hwy 38, we came across this waterfall.

I zoomed in to show you that we could see Lake Perris.

above and below: at Clark's Summit

above and below: at Grand View Point

l to r: Marty & Patty Mlakar, Sue & Rick Anderson, me and Brian

Big Bear Lake

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Jakob Ortega { baby shoot }

2011-10-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, I was so happy to take snaps of 6 week old Jakob. He is just a beautiful baby! And wiggly too! :) Jakob is the son of my friends, Manny and Veronica. Here are a few of my favorite snaps.

Leave a comment of you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Photo Contest { a good try }

2011-10-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

In September, I entered the Daily Press' Photo Contest. I entered the following three snaps which I thought were pretty good. I have to say, this is the first contest that I've entered and not won anything. What is up with that!? :) Oh well, next time!

"Thistle"

"Skylines"

"Wall of Lights"

Leave a comment of you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Malibu Creek State Park { camping/hiking }

2011-09-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Brian and I went camping with Pete and Becky at Malibu Creek State Park. As you may remember, Pete is an awesome cook. For dinner one night, we had bbq shrimp and on another night, we had lamb chops. Yummmm. :) We always enjoy camping with them! Here are a few snaps from that weekend.

above: Here's Brian, Becky and Pete.

above: country birdhouse meets urban decor.

above and below: We hiked to the t.v. show M.A.S.H.'s filming site.

above: Here's Becky in the waves at Malibu.

above: beautiful sunset. After taking this snap, I looked up and saw this.

below: It's like Zorro made his mark with fire.

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Che' { 9 month baby shoot }

2011-08-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning, I drove to Redlands and met up with the LOVELY Che' Davies. When I arrived, she was wearing one fancy party dress.. a.dor.a.ble! I have to say, keeping up with her was a workout! ;) Here are a few of my favorite snaps.

above: favorite :)

family pic: Che's mommy, Tiff, and daddy, Dan.

Leave a comment if you like! You don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

California Plaza { concert under the stars... in L.A.}

2011-08-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Last Friday night, Brian and I, along with Rachel and CW, drove to L.A. to see a mariachi band play Beatle songs. Yes, that's right, a mariachi band playing Beatle music! And I have to say, they were great! Grand Performances presented "Mariachi Mystery Tour". They played several Beatle songs including 'our' song- And I Love Her. The opening band that night was another mariachi band called "Mariachi Rock-O". They played several top 40 songs including an interesting cover of "No Woman, No Cry". lol Anyway, here is a collage of snaps from that night.

below: a view from our seats. Andrew and Racheabove: me and Brian. Mariachi Mystery Tour.

July Happenings { slow month for snaps }

2011-08-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

July was a busy month for me... busy with hanging out with friends and family but, slow in the snap taking department. To catch you up with some of what we've been up to, here are a few snaps.

On July 8th, Brian and I along with Rachel and the Crosswhites (Andrew and his folks, Stephanie and Rick) went to see Steely Dan at the Greek. AWESOME concert. We all had a great time.
above and below: On July 11th, I met up with Kim, Adam and Andrew. Here we are at the RAFFMA (Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art) at Cal State San Bernardino.

above: On July 16th, our local Hallmark store had some characters hanging around and I had my pic taken with them. below: If you want to look short and thin, stand next to a Wookiee. :)

above and below: Brian and I went camping for a couple of nights at Dogwood. We had a good time just taking it easy. The weather was great. A couple of snaps on a hike we took.

above: On July 31st, we met up with Brian's cousin Marcia (she lives in Texas and was out for a few days on business). In snap l to r: Brian, Marcia, Melissa and Karen.

below: the cousins with spouces: Wayne, Marcia, Bob, Melissa, Richard, Karen, me, and Brian.

You don't have to be a member to leave a message! Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Snaps of Carpinteria { using 3 different cameras }

2011-06-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

As you may have read, Brian and I camped in Carpinteria for a few days last week. I took along 3 cameras. Yes, 3. Let me explain.

The following 5 snaps were taken with my Kodak Zi8 (pocket video with a 5.3 mp) camera. I love the 3072 x 1728 dimensions. It's f/2.8, fix focus, auto exposure & ISO make it a simple point and shoot. (The HD 1080p video is great.) I always carry this camera in my purse because it's small and light weight ( 4 oz). Snaps from this camera are well, just snaps BUT, when I edit them in Picasa + picnik, they become SNAPS.

The next 6 snaps were taken with my Canon G6. I usually use this camera when I don't want to carry around my 'bigger' one. The G6 (7.1 mp) is an awesome point and shoot with full auto to full manual options. (In 2008, I won Best of Show Amateur at the San Bernardino Co. Fair using this camera.) This camera is easy to use and gets the job done.

The next 8 snaps were taken with my Canon 40 D. I LOVE this camera. It does everything I need to get the snaps I want. Recently, I've enjoyed taking close-ups of flowers. As we hiked along the cliffs, I snapped these.

You don't have to be a member to leave a message! Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Camping at Carpinteria { relaxing break }

2011-06-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

On June 6th - 10th, Brian and I went camping with my sister and her family at Carpinteria State Beach. And when I say camping, I mean TENT camping. Semi-roughing it. (Semi because there were hot showers and flush toilets.) We really like camping with Becky and Pete because Pete is an awesome cook! and of course we enjoy their company. ;) Here are a few campsite snaps.

Our campsite view from the park. See the dunes on the right, the beach is on the other side.
Pete is an awesome cook. Here he is showing off his camp pizza. See the green tent behind him? That is our new 10 x 10 dome.

' The Girls '

l t0 r: Kandice with my nieces, Angie and Chris.

On June 6th, Becky and Pete celebrated their 24th anniversary. Here they are cutting a delicious red velvet cake.

32nd Wedding Anniversary { + I became a senior citizen! }

2011-06-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

On June 9th, Brian and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary while camping with Becky and Pete in Carpinteria. (Snaps of that to follow.) On our day, Brian and I drove to Santa Barbara and walked around the mission. Then we drove to Summerland and had lunch at Cafe Luna. Back at camp, Pete made us a delicious dinner! At sunset, Brian and I walked along the beach. Was a LOVELY day. Happy Anniversary, Brian! I love you!

above: Friar Brian and Lil Bro Me (taken at Mission Santa Barbara)

above: at camp toasting to our anniversary

above: Brian and me (taken by a nice person on the beach)

We left Carpinteria on June 10th (my birthday) and came home to a wonderful dinner and dessert put together by Emily and Rachel. I'm now 55! :)

You don't have to be a member to leave a message! Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Jeeping in Cajon Pass { let's get outta the house trip }

2011-06-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

On Thursday morning, I told Brian let's go somewhere in the Jeep! So, we drove to the end of Mariposa Rd., followed a forest road to hwy 138, then onto another forest road driving under I-15 and then up to west Oak Hills area. Here are a few snaps from our fun morning ride.

North bound I-15 almost to Oak Hill Rd.

Desert Sage

I want to say that this is a Utah Firecracker. :)

Tunnel under north bound I-15. Bottom part of snap is a reflection off the Jeep.

above and below: a Western Thistle

Desert Rock Pea

Looking south.

Copper's Goldenbush

Leave a comment of you like! You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Claire Marie Balders { new arrival }

2011-05-29T10:23:00.000-07:00

She's lovely, she looks like her big sister, Katelynn and she arrived two weeks early! My friends Erin and Robert welcomed their new bundle of joy, Claire Marie on May 14th. Just over a week old, I stopped by and took a few snaps. Here are few of my faves.

The Balders: Erin, Robert, 2 yr old Katelynn and 10 day old Claire.

You don't have to be a member to leave a comment! Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Rail Trip to Dodger Game { Think Blue! }

2011-05-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Brian and I took advantage of a Metrolink and Dodgers' game ticket package. We drove to Rancho Cucamonga and caught the Metro to Union Station. We had a good time walking around Union Station, Chinatown, and Olvera Street before catching the bus to Dodger Stadium. I packed light (since there was a lot of walking involved) and took only my Kodak Zi8. Here are a few snaps from our fun trip.

Cucamonga Station
Crossing over the San Gabriel River.

Taken as we were approaching Union Station.

Union Station

U.S. Post Office terminal annex.

above: For lunch, Brian and I ate at the famous Philippe restaurant.

below: telephone booths inside Philippe's.

above: time to catch the shuttle

below: view of the game from our seats

above and below: Union Station

You don't have to be a member to leave a comment. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Katie and Jim { today's their day }

2011-05-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Today, Katie and Jim are getting married in North Carolina. Oh how I wish I could be there with them.

~ Love you Katie! Wishing you loads of love on your special day. ~

Balders Family { snapshoot }

2011-05-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, I meet up with friends Erin, Robert, Katelynn and Baby C. for a family snapshoot in the park. I had such a great time! Here are some of my favorite snaps.

above: Erin is 37 weeks in this picture. She's due on May 26th.

below: My favorite snap of the day.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and dont' forget to leave your name. :)

Brian and Me { backyard snaps }

2011-05-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

On the 5th, the light looked pretty good so Brian and I went outside to take a few snaps. I think Brian would make a handsome model, dontcha think? ;)

A good snap of us. Thanks Emily! ;)

above: People pay a lot of money for a Lensbaby to make snaps look like this.

I can create the same without even trying!

below: a backyard beauty

Erin and Michael { a wedding }

2011-05-11T22:58:00.000-07:00

I was excited to attend the lovely wedding of Erin and Michael Suarez on April 22nd at The Hacienda in Santa Ana. Erin looked beautiful! Here are a few snaps from my point and shoot.

Back in September, I was lucky to have taken Erin and Michael's engagement snaps. To see them, go to my archive and click on 2010/Sept/Erin+Michael.

Here's Cynthia, Sue (mom of the bride) and me.

You don't have to be a member to leave a comment! Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Katie and Jim Visit { out of state guests }

2011-05-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

My bff Katie and her finance, Jim, snowbirded in Yuma this past winter. They were able to drive up and visit with us for a weekend in April. We had a wonderful time. On the first day, we drove them out to Rainbow Canyon and then to Inscription Canyon. It was a great day to drive in an open Jeep. Here are a some snaps from their visit.

above and below: taken in Rainbow Basin

above : a Joshua Tree bloom above and below: along Copper City Road

above: interesting intersection

above: Jim giving us a petroglyph lesson.

below: Looking at this petroglyph, I see a lady holding a camera! ;)

above: cool white flowering weed

below: a collared lizard- can't find it's real name

On their second day, we drove to San Berdoo and checked out an old steam locomotive and then drove along Route 66 for a bit.

above: inside view of an old bus

Indian pointing the way to the WigWam Hotel on Route 66.

above and below: the hotel's old signs hanging out back

above: the grounds of the hotel were very nice

below: Katie being dipped by Jim

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Finally a New Post! { Let's catch up }

2011-05-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last posted. I've been, well, lazy. ;) So, let's catch up with a few snaps.

Brian's 55th birthday! Whoot! I'm married to a senior citizen!! ;)

I snapped this a.w.e.s.o.m.e shot of Katelynn Balders on April 9th.

Palm trees in Long Beach on April 2nd.

A January sunset in Victorville.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Joshua Tree NP { Spring Break Camping }

2011-04-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

Over my spring break, Brian and I went camping at Joshua Tree. (A couple of weeks before, we went to check out some campsites and picked a real nice one in Black Rock.) We knew the weather was going to be a bit cold but we didn't expect to set up camp while it was snowing! Our first night, we froze. I have never been so cold! I think the wind chill brought the temperature to 20 degrees! Well, it felt like it! The next day was warm and beautiful. We road along the Geology Tour Road, Desert Queen Mine and Queen Valley Roads. We also hiked to Barker Dam. We had a great time! Here are a few snaps.

above: Brian setting up camp while it snows.

below: Our campsite. The view was nice.

above: Headed back on Geology Tour Road.

below: Views along the road.

above: Along the hike to Barker Dam.

below: Barker Dam pond(?).

below: View along the hiking trail.

above and below: a couple of snaps with a 60's feel.

Leave a comment of you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Anna Sanchez { Mom-to-Be }

2011-03-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

My friend, Cynthia, invited me to be her god-daughter's 'shower photographer' - well that is what it said on my name tag ;) Anna's shower was lovely! Lots of family and friends and let's not forget, lots of gifts! Here are a few snaps.

Cynthia made delicious cupcakes. She also came up with a few

CUTE ideas using baby food jars. Above: jars filled with treats

Below: jars made into vases.

above: Here's Anna.

below: Anna with her mom, Maria. Here's Anna with her god-mother, Cynthia.

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Old Town Pasadena { Melting Pot Tour }

2011-03-26T21:36:00.000-07:00

On the 19th, Brian and I met up with our friends Joanna and Tony in Pasadena. We had a fabulous time taking the Melting Pot Tour in Old Town. Following our guide, Kendall, we walked around for 3.5 hours stopping at various places tasting yummy food. Here are some snaps.

First stop: Tortas Mexico to sample ... well, a torta.

above: Stop 2- Father Nature to sample falafel. Here's Tony and Joanna.

below: Stop 3- Equator to sample 3 different entrees. Here's one... above: here's two of three. Tony, Brian and Joanna at the table.

below: Stop 4- Aux Delices Bakery & Cafe to taste Opera cake. YUM!

above: Stop 5- Beyond the Olive. We sampled 2 different extra virgin olive oils and

2 balsomic vinegars. Every oil in the store is California made.

below: Stop 6- Choza Mama. We sampled three different entrees. Here's one.

above: As we walked around, Kendall gave us some interesting Pasadena history.

below: Stop 7 - Bird Pick Tea & Herb sampling 3 different teas.

above: Here's tea brewing. Love the tea pots in the window.

below: There were 10 of us following Kendell.

above: Stop 8- Tutti Gelati. Tony and Joanna sampling a YUMMY gelato-sorbet

below: Stop 9- The Soap Kitchen. This was a 'sensory tasting'.

In the kitchen with Kendall telling us how soap is made.

above: Last stop- Mignon Chocolate Boutique. Another yummy sample!

Tour info can be found here: http://www.meltingpottours.com/

After the tour, we walked around and did some shopping.

I took the snap above in a cute card place - Lula Mae.

below: a snap from the Apple store.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Joshua Tree { Day Trip }

2011-03-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday the 13th, Brian and I took a day trip to Joshua Tree National Park. We went to check out their campgrounds. We were thinking of camping over my spring break and thought that this would be a great place. Here are a few snaps from that day.

above: Driving through the park was nice. Here's a snap with a '60ish feel.

below: a snap taken in Indian Cove campground.

below: taken in Hidden Valley campground. Don't you think the face
in this rock formation looks like Gru in Despicable Me?

Ya know, I should get a field-note book. My memory is slipping.

All the campgrounds are around rocks except for one: Black Rock Canyon. That is where we will camp.

Leave a message if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name!

Get-Away Weekend { Phoenix area }

2011-03-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Brian and I had a wonderful get-away weekend. Brian did all the planning. All I had to do was pack our bags and get in the Jeep. On Friday the 4th, we drove to the Phoenix area and stayed two nights at the very nice Talking Stick Hotel and Casino in Scottsdale. That night, we went to see the Dodgers lose against the Giants in a spring training game in Glendale. On Saturday, we headed out to the Apache Trail but first, we stopped in Goldfield- an old mining town. Then off we go to drive along the beautiful Apache Trail. Here are several snaps taken that weekend.

Camelback Stadium was nice and the Dodger dogs were good.

We sat at the end of the left field seating area. Look closely, you can

see Brian in the bottom photo.

A few Goldfield snaps.

I think Brian broke the scale.

The Apache Trial is a National Forest Scenic Byway.

A road view of Canyon Lake above and Apache Lake below.

Above and below: views from a camp ground across from Tortilla Flat.

above: End of trail-Roosevelt Lake. We make a right.

below: Roosevelt Bridge from the back window.

Along highway 88 heading toward Superior for dinner.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a memeber. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name!

Calico {Day Trip}

2011-02-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

Over President's Day weekend, Brian and I headed over to Calico Ghost Town to see a Civil War Reenactment. Abe was there along with Union and Confederate troops. Here are a few favs of the day.

Here's Abe inspecting the troops.

The battle of Calico begins.

After the battle, I walked around Calico taking snapshots.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Erin's Shower {Love is Sweet}

2011-02-16T19:33:00.000-08:00

A couple of weekends ago, I attended Erin's "Love is Sweet" bridal shower. Everything was beautiful... the cake... the treats...the bride to be! Here are a few snaps taken on that lovely afternoon.

The beautiful bride-to-be, Erin.

Here she is with her mom, my friend, Sue.

Erin's sister, Sarah with Sue.

Erin with her 'maids.

To see more snapshots of Erin, go to my archive and click on Erin and Michael's engagement shoot in September 2010.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Joshua Sunset

2011-01-23T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday and today, I took the Jeep out to the gully and took several snapshots of Joshua trees at sunset. Here are a few of my favorites.

Leave a comment of you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Snow! { A fun way to start the new year!}

2011-01-16T23:01:00.000-08:00

Late in the day on Sunday the 2nd, it started snowing and continued throughout the next day! It was just lovely. All together, we got about 2 1/2 - 3 inches. I took several shots around the yard then Brian, Rachel and I hopped into the Jeep and drove to the 'gully' (Ore Grande Wash). We had a fun time driving around and I was able to take several great shots of Joshuas in the snow. Here are a few of my favorites of the day.

^A Buckhorn Cholla in my backyard.

Leave a comment if you like. You don't have to be a member. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Art and Jena {Just for Fun}

2011-01-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

Just after Christmas, I posted a couple of snapshots of my nephew, Arthur and is girlfriend, Jena. (They were down from South Lake Tahoe visiting family.) I thought I'd post a few more snaps just for fun. Art and Jena- thanks for being such great models. ;)

Happy New Year!

2011-01-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's a new year already?? Oh, how time flies! Brian and I had a nice New Year's Eve. We stayed home, had a fabulous dinner, watched a movie and played Qwirkle. At midnight, we kissed and toasted the new year and of course, I took several snapshots. This one is my favorite. Wishing everyone a wonderful new year that's filled with laughter and love!

December Snapshots

2010-12-28T20:43:00.001-08:00

This was a busy month. So busy in fact that I didn't even get around to taking a family snapshot for our Christmas card! We thought about it- even had a day picked out. I was 'down the hill' at my folks when I got a text message from Brian asking if we were still on for our family snapshoot. Yikes! Oh well. With the girls' busy work schedule, we were not able to find another day to do it. ( I did manage to have our picture taken on Christmas Day at my folks which I posted on the 26th. See below.) Anyway, here are a few snapshots I took this month. First up, Emily and Billy...

Emily and Billy wanted a snapshot to give to grandparents. Here's the one they picked.

Top: Here's Shannon and Owen. Owen had his first birthday and Emily and I attended his party. He is the cutest kid!
Bottom: Here's a family snapshot. Shannon, Travis and Owen.

The Crosswhite Brothers: Tim, Andrew, Jon and Chris. Rachel asked if I would take some snapshots of Andrew and his brothers for a Christmas gift for Andrew's parents. I had a lot of fun doing it! The boys were great to work with.

Cousins: Emily, Desi, Christina, Rachel and Angie taken on Christmas Day at Grandma's house. Whenever the girl cousins are together, I always try to take their picture.

Top and bottom: Jana Martin and my nephew, Arthur. Jana and Arthur were down from So. Lake Tahoe visiting family. They agreed to do some modeling for me. Two of my favorites snaps.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T22:32:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Hixsons: Emily, Brian, me and Rachel

Che' Davies { baby snapshoot }

2010-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

This past week, I was finally able to meet the bea-u-ti-ful Che' Davies (pronounced Shea). She's the daughter of my friend, Tiffany. I was amazed that at three weeks, Che' was able to hold her head up! Wow! I had a wonderful time taking snapshots. Here are a few of my favorites.

^ Such a cutie!

^ Love this shot!

I have come full circle photographing the Davies'. Engagement, wedding, pregnancy and newborn. I feel soooo lucky. :) Go to my archive and click on Sept. 25th to see Tiff's pregnancy shots.

Leave a comment! If you're not a memeber, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :) Thanks!

Thanksgiving Day {Hixson Gathering}

2010-12-02T18:02:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day was beautiful. Brian and I drove down to his sister's were all the Hixsons were gathering. It's been a few years since we all met at Karen's and I found it sorta special. Being at Karen's reminded me of (Brian's) Mom and Dad and that felt nice. I could picture Mom playing the piano and Dad relaxing on a chair in the den. Good times. Good times. After dinner, we went to the backyard where I took a few snapshots.

Group shot l t0 r top: Rachel, Andrew, Bob, Richard, Brian and me.

Bottom row: Melissa and Karen

Setting the timer on the camera, I ran to be in the picture. Didn't quite make in this shot but I like it anyways. :)

Here's Andrew and Rachel. I like this snapshot.

Emily and Billy were able to stop by for a bit but had to leave before the group shot was taken. Here's a favorite shot of them.

City Center {Las Vega$}

2010-12-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Over Thanksgiving week, Brian and I went to Vega$. We had a fun and relaxing time! One day, we walked around City Center. Here are a few snapshots.

^ Planet Hollywood is across the street from City Center.
^This and the next three shots were taken at Crystals.

^ Aria

Before heading home, we went to find Chumlee at the pawn shop. Sadly, none of the boys were there. Here's a snapshot of me standing next to the shop. :)

Downtown Los Angeles { walking 2 }

2010-11-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I rode the Metrolink to L.A. and met up with my friend Antonio. What a gorgeous day it was! Blue, clear skies- perfect for walking around and taking snapshots. Here are a few of my favorites.

Of course we started at Union Station. :)
Antonio at the end of a tunnel.

Then we hopped the Red Line, got off and walked and walked and walked...

On my blog, I like to post my favorites. If you would like to see the other pictures that didn't make the cut, visit my Picasa Web album at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/RgHixson/LosAngeles2?feat=directlink

Don't forget to leave a comment :) If you're not a member, click on anonymous and remember to leave your name. Thanks!

Brynnen Gets Married! {The Kid Next Door}

2010-11-09T18:06:00.000-08:00

How wonderful it was to see the kid next door get married. Now, at 23 (almost 24) and 6'+, Brynnen is not a kid but, a wonderful, handsome man. We meet the Stutsmans when both of our families moved in next door to each other 23 years ago. Through the years, we have watched him and his sister, Lauren, grow up despite the fact THEY moved away several years ago. We were together for each milestone all the way to high school graduations. And now, there was a wedding. He picked a lovely bride, Lian Higgins, and on October 2nd under a HUGE, beautiful tree in Tujunga, they were wed. Armed only with my point and shoot, I took some snapshots. Here are a few of my favorites. To Brynnen and Lian: May you both feel the joy of this day forever. I love you both.

Lian and Brynnen reading their vows.
Lian's dad married them.

Mr. and Mrs. Brynnen Stutsman :)

A group snapshot: Emily, Rachel, Brynnen, Lian, me and Brian.

Emily and Rachel with the Bride and Groom.

above: Ah, the 'kids'. Emily, Brynnen, Lauren, and Rachel.

below: Yup, that's me dancing with the Groom.

As kids, Rachel (my daughter) and Brynnen were 'buds'. Here are a few snapshots of them growing up...

Hot wheeling...

Riding their bikes to 'the mini desert'...

They went from bikes to snowboards and braces...

And here they are today. :)

Leave a comment! Don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. :)

Topete Family { snapshoot }

2010-10-20T14:37:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had a fun time taking snapshots of the Topete Family. (Lety and I were once co-workers.) Here are a few of my favorites.

Tiffany + Baby { it's a girl! }

2010-09-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I've known Tiffany since she was 5. I've watched her grow up, get married and last weekend, I attended her baby shower! Holy cow! I'm feeling old here! The shower was great and Tiff was just lovely. After the shower, I took a few snapshots in the backyard. Here are a few of my favorites.

On March 14, 2009, I was Tiff and Dan's wedding snaptographer. Here are a few of my favorites from that beautiful day.

Leave a comment if you want. Don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. Thanks!

San Simeon { Hearst Castle }

2010-09-24T17:10:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Brian and I joined my sister Becky and her family to a fun time camping at San Simeon State Park. The weather was GREAT- a bit on the cooooool side but nice. (Beating the heat in the high desert is always a good thing.) Brian and I enjoyed walking along the beach and cliffs. On Sunday, we all drove up the road a bit and toured the enormous Hearst Castle. Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from that weekend.

above and below: Becky and I walked around a small cemetery in Cambria.

~ My take on Hearst Castle ~

^ ^ ^ Love the cherubs.

Brian and me enjoying the sunset.

Don't forget to leave a comment. Just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. Thanks!

Erin + Michael {engagement}

2010-09-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

My friend Sue and I go way back. WAAAY back to high school. Today, she's my boss! She's the principal at the school I work at. Anyway, she asked if I would take her daughter's engagement snapshots. Of course I said YES! (Can't tell my boss no can I? hehe) Erin liked my dry lake photoshoot so, off to Rabbit Day Lake we go. Erin and Michael were great! They were relaxed which made my job easy! I had an enjoyable time taking their snapshots. Here are a few of my favs. Thanks Erin and Michael! Many blessings to you both!

Like I said, Sue and I go way back. We were both cheerleaders at Fontana High School. Thought I'd post a few pictures of us just for fun. Love ya, Sue!!

^^^My favorite picture. l to r: Cynthia, Diane, Sue, me and Becky.

I remember like it was just last week. lol :)

Diana Visits {my niece}

2010-09-08T17:29:00.000-07:00

My niece, Diana, was down visiting from South Lake Tahoe a couple of weeks ago. Brian and I were able to meet up with her for a late lunch at Chili's. Driving her up to meet us were my sister, Becky and niece Angie. We had a fun time catching up! Love you, Di!

Here's Diana and Angie. Two of my fav nieces.

Brian and me with Becky.

McKee Sisters { Sophie & Sarah }

2010-08-14T20:13:00.000-07:00

When I was taking Sophie's senior snapshoot, I also took snapshots of Sophie and kid sister, Sarah together. I have to admit, they came out great! They are both l.o.v.e.l.y!!

^^ My favorite!

When I finished posting Sophie's senior snapshoot, I noticed a few snapshots missing. Thought I'd post them here.

Please scoll down to see more of Sophie's (and Sarah's) snapshoot.

Sophie McKee { Senior Snapshoot }

2010-08-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Every year our friends, Kevin and Louise McKee, take their annual summer vacation to sunny Southern California to visit family and friends. Through the years, we were able to watch their beautiful daughters grow up. This year, Sophie will be a senior at Timberline High School in Lacey, Washington. Since they live in rainy, green Washington state, how about a senior snapshoot over at Rabbit Day Lake?! Brilliant idea! { I would say so myself ;) } Here are a few of my favorites.

The shoot at the day lake was fun but... windy. I asked Sophie if she would be willing to take some more snapshots a couple of days later at a park. She agreed and I'm so happy we did! Sophie, you.are.gorgeous! Here are a few favorites from the park.

^^Favorite!

Sarah McKee { kid sister }

2010-08-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Kid sister, Sarah, came along to big sister, Sophie's snapshoot. I thought I'd take a few shots of her too. Wow! Sarah was so relaxed, she made it sooo easy to take her snapshots! Sarah, you are b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.! Here are a few of my favorites.

^ ^ My favorite!

Rachel { model }

2010-08-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Rachel must have been bored. On Saturday she said, "Take my picture". I thought: hmmm could use some practice before a senior snapshoot I had coming up the next day so, off to the park we go! We had a fun time! She was such a good sport and I think she enjoyed 'modeling' for me. :) Here are a few of my favorites. (Rachel, you're my lovely baby!)

Stacie Gets Married!! { Stacie + Jonathan }

2010-07-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

She always dreamed of her wedding and this past Saturday was the day. Every detail was perfect. The church was amazing. And Stacie... Stacie was stunning, just stunning. Yes, I cried when I saw her and her dad as they entered the church. The ceremony was lovely and you can just see the joy and love Stacie and Jonathan have for each other. *sigh* I've known her since she was 13 years old. The tall skinny kid with braces grew up and became a gorgeous bride. I've known Jonathan since he was 15. And I have to say, he's just as crazy now as he was then! And handsome too! Here are a few snapshots from that beautiful day.

My daughter, Rachel, and Stacie met in the 8th grade and has been friends ever since. Here is a collage of pictures of the two of them. Can't believe how young they are!

And how beautiful they are now!

Here's a group picture- Rachel, Brian, Stacie, Jonathan, Andrew, and me.

Photographer Get Together { Rabbit Dry Lake }

2010-07-25T23:08:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to attend a photographers get together and I got my chance last Thursday. Through a Facebook friend, I was invited to Edmund Prieto's house for a fun afternoon of egg tossing, volleyball playing and bbq. But, the best part was when we all drove over to Rabbit Dry Lake near Lucerne for a photoshoot. I have to admit, I had a blast! Although I consider myself a landscape snaptographer, I always find it a challenge to photograph people. So, I just gave it my best and here are a few snapshots from that afternoon. :)

Special thanks to:
Edmund for hosting the gathering.
Shootsac give away- http://www.shootsac.com/
[b] school membership give away- http://www.thebschool.com/
Hair and make up by the lovely Kaycee Marie- http://www.kayceemarie.com/
Stylist and props- O C Prop Girl http://www.ocpropgirl.com/
And thanks to the handsome Johnny and beautiful Christine Mortimore for being our models.

Kristen Booth posing for us. :)

Mammoth Lakes { Jeep Trip }

2010-07-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

I now understand the appeal of Mammoth. Mammoth IS beautiful. Last weekend, Brian and I, along with the Mlakars and Andersons, drove up to Mammoth for a fun jeep adventure. On Friday, we took a 100 mile off road trip. Starting in Mammoth, we drove through the trees, around Mono Lake, and into Nevada to enter Bodie the back way. The views were amazing. On Saturday, we drove around looking at several points of interest: Obsidian Dome, Hot Creek geothermal area, Minaret Vista and a drive around Lake Mary and Twin Lakes. We had a wonderful time. Looking forward to going back to Mammoth.

An Original ghost town from the late 1800's, Bodie is designated as a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park.

Hot Creek geothermal area.
Minaret Vista.
Our Jeep buddies: Marty & Patti Mlakar and Sue & Rick Anderson (with me and Brian).

Katie and Jim { Yuma, AZ }

2010-07-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

On Monday, June 28th, Brian and I drove down to Yuma to meet up with our friends, Katie and Jim. They were in Yuma checking out their new winter quarters. We helped them clean and paint their 'casita'. We enjoyed our short visit and the best part was eating breakfast at Arizona Donut. Their breakfast burritos were just yummy! Looking forward to visiting them in January. :)

Here are a few snapshots of Katie and Jim.

Group shot.
On our way home from Yuma, we stopped by SMELLY Salton Sea.
A snapshot of the picnic area.

Emily Graduates from VVC { So proud of her! }

2010-06-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

Our lovely daughter, Emily, graduated from Victor Valley College on June 11th with an AA and an AS. We are so very proud of her! Here are a few snapshots from that evening. Congratulations, Emily! We love you so very much!

My favorite snapshot. Here she is waving.
Yeah! She did it!!Emily with Billy.

Very proud parents! Here I am with Brian and Emily.

Wedding Anniversary { 31 years! }

2010-06-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

On June 9th, Brian and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary. We spent the afternoon walking around Victoria Gardens and had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. A real nice day. Thanks for being a loving and patient husband, Brian! I love you.

Our engagement picture taken at the Mission Inn, Riverside.

We were wed at Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Fontana.
Love our silhouette against the stain glass window.

After the reception, we had our formals taken at the Mission Inn.

Our photographer was Brian's brother in law, Richard Burnett (Photography).

Here we are now, 31 years later. :)

Downtown Los Angeles { walking }

2010-06-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

On May 22nd, Brian and I met up with our friend, Antonio, for day of walking around L.A. taking snapshots. The day was beautiful- perfect for walking and we had lunch at the famous Clifton's. We had such a great time walking around, Brian and I plan on going back and doing it again. Here are a few of my favorites.

^ Beautiful 'sun purple glass' on a manhole cover.

^ L.A.P.D. building.

City Hall reflects off the L.A.P.D. building.

Disney Concert Hall

A T & T building

Brian reads while he waits for me.

Ruth Penn Retires { I'll miss her! }

2010-06-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

Ruth and I worked together at Cottonwood School for 14 years! She is the best of the best. When she told me a year ago that she will be retiring at the end of this school year, I thought I would be able to prepare myself. Wrong. Our last month together was hard- for me. I have been blessed working with someone so caring and kind. We made an awesome 'team'. She was the good cop to my bad cop. She was an outstanding mentor, teacher and friend. I will miss her! Happy retirement, Ruth!

Dad turns 87 { Happy Birthday, Pop! }

2010-06-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

On May 13th, my very handsome dad turned 87! We gathered in a restaurant in Fontana to celebrate with dinner and cake. Yum! Lemon- my favorite :) Here's a snapshot of my dad and my beautiful mom. Love you both!!

Christie Orendorff { Senior Snapshoot }

2010-06-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

Here is the lovely Christie Orendorff. Christie is Billy's sister. *Billy is Emily's boyfriend. :) Anyway, we were to take Christie's snapshots in Redlands but a backed-up freeway kept us here in the desert. So we headed to the north end of town and got some fabulous snapshots. Here are my favorites. Congratulations, Christie on your graduation from HHS!

San Bernardino Co. Fair { winners }

2010-06-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It's been a month since I last posted. I've been busy with everyday things and end of the year stuff at work. Sooo, let me start with my San Bernardino County Fair entries. This year, I entered five snapshots and four won ribbons! I'm very happy to say, one even won a judge's award! :) Take a look!

'Escalator Up'

Seattle Public Library

First Place - Best in Class

Judge's Award
'James Family'
Lydia, Christopher, Nicolas and Baby

Third Place

'Golden Tower'

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Third Place

'Lecture Seating'

Seattle Public Library

Honorable Mention

'Campground'

Ricardo Campground, Red Rock Canyon, CA

This is my favorite but, sadly, it didn't place. I'm guessing they didn't see what I saw. :)

Inscription Canyon { Jeep trip }

2010-05-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

Early this month, Brian and I took the Jeep out to Inscription Canyon. We have been there before going through Hinkley. This time, we took Copper City Road. Spring time in the desert is beautiful! The weather was perfect and there where flowers everywhere! We had our lunch at Inscription Canyon and then walked around looking for petroglyphs. We had a great time. Here are a few snapshots.

First, we stopped to see the Desert Tortoise Intaglio located north of Barstow and driving along Copper City Road, we drove past loads of Joshua trees.

We stopped several times to take a few snapshots of the wild flowers.

Flowers were everywhere! Even on the dirt road to the canyon.

Petroglyphs at the canyon.

View of the area around the canyon and a close-up shot of a dry lake near by.

Katelynn's Party { A beautiful and fun day! }

2010-05-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

I had a fun time at Katelynn's party. Lots of family and friends, lots of cake and lots of snapshots. Here are a few of my favs.

Katelynn with her mom, Erin and here they are dancing in the bounce house.

Katelynn had her own cake and a snapshot with her mom and dad.

Katelynn B. { a cutie! }

2010-04-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I meet up with the lovely Katelynn. Her mom, Erin, is a friend of mine. I took a few snapshots of Katelynn modeling a cute birthday top and hat. Katelynn's first birthday party is tomorrow. Can't wait to have some cake! ;) More snapshots to come.

A Walk in the Backyard { just for fun }

2010-04-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

Last week, I took a walk around the backyard. This is what I found.

Brian { Happy Birthday! }

2010-04-25T21:28:00.000-07:00

Brian, my wonderful and handsome husband, turned 54 on the 16th. The girls and I, plus Billy, celebrated by making dinner and baking a cake. We had a HILARIOUS good time. A birthday to remember. The girls wanted Brian to 're-enact' his first birthday picture and without whining, he did! I love you, Brian!

Mrs. Stewart { 80th Birthday }

2010-04-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Stewart is a hoot. Sassy, quick, smart and lovable. She is the mom of my dearest, oldest friend, Laurie. (Laurie and I met when I was in 5th grade and she was in 4th.) I was raised to call our elders Mr. or Mrs. so it's hard to call Mrs. Stewart by her first name - Maxine. Anyways, Laurie and her sisters threw Maxine an 80th birthday party where everyone in their family attended. It was great! There was laughter and crying as they all recalled stories. I feel lucky to have been a part of the celebration. Here are a few snapshots.

Maxine at 80.
Here's my friend, Laurie with her mom.
Maxine with all her daughters: Carrie, Shanna, Laurie and Tracy.

Shannon + Travis { Wedding }

2010-04-17T21:40:00.001-07:00

On March 27 th, Brian, Emily and I attended the LOVELY wedding of our friend Shannon. Shannon married the handsome Travis Ornellas on the 'Celebration' (boat) by Steamboat Weddings in Laughlin, NV. Talk about short and sweet! It was perfect- wedding, toast, cake and family pictures all done in one hour! This made snapshots of the event easy. :) Many years of love and happiness, Shannon and Travis! Here are a few snapshots.

Death Valley { Jeep Trip }

2010-04-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

On March 20 - 21st, Brian and I took a Jeep trip to Death Valley. Along with the Mlakars and Andersons, we had a wonderful tour of the valley. On our first day, we drove through Goler Wash, stopped at Barker Ranch, climb to Mengal Pass, drove past Stripped Butte, stopped at Warm Springs Mine, stood 282 ft below sea level at Badwater Basin, then spent the night in Beatty, NV. On our second day, we visited Rhyolite, NV, drove on the scenic road to Titus Canyon, stopped at Stovepipe Wells and stood under the Sea Level sign at Furnace Creek. We had a great time. Here are a few of hundreds of snapshots of our trip.

Here we are entering the park the hard way.

We stopped at Barker Ranch and walked around.

From Barker Ranch, we drove to Mengal Pass. Here's our Jeep overlooking the valley below.

Driving along, we drove past Stripped Butte.
We stopped at Warm Spring Mine and I took a few close-ups of the old mining equipment.

From the mine, we made it down to Badwater Road.
My favorite picture of the trip- Brian and me at Badwater Basin.
On the second day, we drove to Titus Canyon and the views were amazing.
Driving through the canyon was awesome. Before leaving the park, we took our picture at the sea level sign.

Vanessa James { baby snapshoot }

2010-04-07T19:39:00.000-07:00

Meet the beautiful Vanessa James. She is the granddaughter of my good friend, Cynthia. I met up with them on March 17th for a snapshoot. Here are a few of my favorites.

Of course I had to take a few shoots of 'big brother' Nicholas. He's as handsome as his sister is beautiful. Don't you just love the red chair? Brian did a great job in painting it!

Back in November, I took some snapshots of the James family. To see them, go to my Blog Archive under 2009- November- James Family.

Friends { Debbie Jo and Bonnie}

2010-04-06T18:40:00.001-07:00

My wonderful friend, Debbie Jo, turned 50 on February 28th. On the day before, her daughters, Tiff and Chris, threw her a surprise party! It was somewhat of a surprise- she knew something was up but was not sure. She was surprise, though, of the blue birthday cake! Here is a snapshot of Brian and me with the birthday girl. I love you, Debbie! :) Bonnie is my 'college' friend. We met while we were both going to Chaffey and have remained friends through the years. Bonnie was in town to be with her family after her dad died. We were able to met up for a few hours on March 6th. We had a wonderful time catching up on everything! I'm blessed to have a friend like her. :)

Here is a picture of us taken in 1990 and again when she was here. I honestly think we look the same! The years have been good to us. :)

Happy Easter! {Rejoice and be glad!}

2010-04-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone :) Hope you had a wonderful day, earthquakes and all! Boy have we been busy! It's been several weeks since I've posted anything. Let's see, what have I been up to... My friend Debbie Jo turned 50 and she had a fun birthday party. Bonnie, my college friend, was in town and we were able to get together. I met up with beautiful Vanessa James for a snapshoot. Brian and I had an awesome Jeep trip to Death Valley. I had a fun day antiquing with my friend, Mary Ann. And we attended the wedding of our friend, Shannon, who got married in Laughlin to Travis. Whew! Like I said, we have been busy. In the next few days, I'll be posting some snapshots of all the things we did. Wishing you all a beautiful Easter season. On Easter, Brian and I made a delicious ham dinner. The 'boys' joined us and we had a very nice time. After dessert, I took this snapshot.
At 3:40 p.m. we felt an earthquake. Although it was approx. 250 miles from us, we felt the wave and it was a pretty good size one- 7.2! Took a snapshot of the USGS's activity map of all the action.
Leave a comment if you want. Don't have to be a member, just click on anonymous and don't forget to leave your name. Thanks!

Red Rock Canyon & Burro Schmidt's Tunnel {Jeep Trip}

2010-02-26T21:50:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, Brian and I, along with Patti and Marty Mlakar, took a jeep trip. Our first stop was Red Rock Canyon area. We drove along some dirt roads and drove through Ricardo Campground. Then we headed to the tunnel. After trying to drive up sandy and rocky Last Chance Canyon, we had to turn around and got to the tunnel using another dirt road. The tunnel was hand dug by Schmidt which it took him 30 years. I'm guessing he had nothing else better to do. :) After visiting the tunnel, we drove to Randsburg and had cold drinks. Here are a few snapshots.

Following Marty and Patti.

The water was coming from a spring.

This is my favorite shot of the day.

Here we are making our way out of Last Chance Canyon.

Here is the entrance to the tunnel... and Brian, Marty and Patti at the other end.

Here is Patti and Marty in the tunnel and Brian as he is leaving the tunnel.

The clouds all day were just amazing.

Not sure if this is Randsburg's current Post Office.

The Joshua DiVicenzo 4tet {Andrew CW}

2010-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Andrew, a drummer and Rachel's boyfriend, asked if I would be able to take a few snapshots of the band he is in. They have been together for several months and needed a picture to submit to the city for a function that they will be playing at. Told him I'd do the best I can. ( I dislike taking pictures in dark and small rooms!) Here's what I came up with:

Brian and I enjoyed the evening drinking wine and listening to them play.

Trona Pinnacles {Jeep Trip}

2010-02-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

I had Friday the 12th off so, Brian took me on a Jeep trip. I love looking at Google Earth. I'm always looking for places to go and that is how I found the Trona Pinnacles. We left late morning, drove to Ridgecrest and had lunch. Then we drove out hwy 178 to the pinnacles. The road to the pinnacles was easy. We had a fun afternoon driving around and taking snapshots. Here are a few:

Walking around the pinnacles, the ground was spongy. Was weird. We can see why several Sci-Fi movies where made here.

Owen { Second Shoot }

2010-02-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

On Monday, February 8th, I returned to Owen's house to finish his 'snapshot shoot'. He was in a great mood and I was able to take several snapshots. Here are a few favs. Isn't he a cutie?!

Saint Andrew's Abby {Retreat}

2010-02-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today, I went on a retreat to Saint Andrew's Abby with the R.C.I.A. group from church. In the pouring rain, we all drove just over an hour to Valyermo and it was well worth it. Brother Cassian DiRocco was our host. He told us about the Abby, talk about the Eucharist and answered any questions we had. Before noon Mass, I had a wonderful time walking the grounds and taking snapshots. Mass was beautiful. (There's something about hearing singing monks.) After Mass, we all ate a delicious lunch served by the monks. Here are a few snapshots.

This full rainbow appeared an hour after we arrived.
Part of the stain glass window in the chapel.

The Abby's lake in the winter.
This was taken on the way home.

Shannon + Baby Owen

2010-02-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Owen is just b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. I was soooo excited to finally meet him on Thursday. I made dinner for Shannon and Travis and while the chicken enchiladas were baking and the Spanish rice was cooking, I was able to take a few snapshots. I'll start with my favorite. :)

Owen was fussy. Well, maybe we shouldn't have woke him up. I'll be going back next week to take a few more. Here are a couple of shots of Shannon I took in mid November.

Morning Sunrise { Week of Rain}

2010-02-06T20:07:00.001-08:00

On my way to work on January 19th, I was able to take a snapshot of this beautiful sunrise. ( Yes, Brian, I pulled over to the side of the road!) We had a week of rain, rain, rain! Nothing like getting your years worth of rain in three days! Thank goodness we have the Jeep.

Las Vegas {Road Trip}

2010-01-21T20:59:00.001-08:00

On January 8th, Brian and I drove to Las Vega$ to meet up with friends. Katie, Rachael and Kiel from Indiana, Jim from West Virgina, and Theresa and Max from Arizona. Three of them had never been! We also took a quick trip to Red Rock Canyon and took a few snapshots.

Here we all are in Downtown. l to r: Brian, me, Katie, Jim, Kiel, Rachael, Theresa and Max.

On the way home, we saw the sun flanked by two sundogs. I'm happy that I was able to take a snapshot of it. Taken just west of Stateline.

I took this snapshot as we were approaching Baker.

Christmas 2009 { Happy New Year! }

2010-01-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! It has been a busy holiday season. With getting all the things done that needed done before Christmas, I haven't had time to post. My family and I had a wonderful Christmas holiday. We were able to visit family and friends and I was able to get a few snapshots of our gatherings. Wishing everyone Love and Joy in 2010!

Brian and me- New Year's Eve '09 (cellphone pic)

A few days after Christmas, I was able to visit the Stutsmans in Fullerton. Nadine and I enjoyed a good lunch at the mall and back at the house, I had a good visit with Mike and Linda.

Me, Nadine, Mike and Linda

On Christmas Day, we all went to visit my folks in Fontana. We had a fun visit with my family. Here are a few snapshots of those who where there.

Top pic- Mom and Dad with: Brian and me; Pete and Becky; Donna and Robert; Roberta and Manuel.

Bottom pic- Angie and Sas; Stephen and Chris; Billy and Emily; Andrew and Rachel.

Top pic -Group picture of the grandkids; Billy and Emily; Becky,Sas, me; Sas and Angie.

Bottom pic- Our Christmas morning family picture.

On Christmas Eve, The Hixson Family gathering was at Melissa and Bob's this year in San Bernardino. The food was great and we all had a good time.

Top pic: Richard and Karen; Darla, Haley and Darrick; Ab and Kim; Adam and Andrew.

Bottom pic: My family photo; Melissa and Bob; Andrew and Rachel; Emily and Melissa.

A few days before Christmas, Brian and I went to have dinner at the Cooks in Apple Valley. We always have a fun time when we visit.

Don, Andrew and Mary Ann.

San Francisco {Golden Gate Bridge}

2009-12-20T15:38:00.000-08:00

Our quick trip to San Francisco meant a quick trip over the Golden Gate Bridge. With Brian driving and Uncle Egbert riding shotgun, I took these snapshots with my G6 from the back seat.

These snapshots were taken along side Conzelman Road.

San Francisco { Aunt Xiu-Lian }

2009-12-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

On Friday after Thanksgiving, Brian, Rachel and I took a quick trip to San Francisco. Brian's maternal Aunt, Xiu-Lian, died the week before and we drove up to attend her funeral. Aunt Xiu-Lian was our 'Chinese' aunt and she has an amazing story...

In China's Gansu province 1929, Xiu-Lian's parents were killed during war and was left orphaned along with two other siblings. Brian's maternal grandparents, who were missionaries, found them huddled along the side of the road, took them home and soon adopted them. In 1939, Xiu-Lian married Ji-Ming and they had three children. In 1940, missionaries were forced out and Grandpa and Grandma, with broken hearts, had to leave Xiu-Lian behind. For 42 years, Xiu-Lian and Ji-Ming endured hard times under the communist regime in China. Then in 1981, Xiu-Lian was able to send a letter to the U.S. looking for her American parents. They were reconnected with Grandma and in 1982 were able to come to the U.S. After arriving, Xiu-Lian and Ji-Ming passionately served the Lord until their deaths- Ji-Ming in 1990 and Xiu-Lian in 2009.

Here they are on their wedding day and shortly after arriving to the U.S.

After the funeral, we all gathered at Tian-en's house. I was able to get some group shots.

Chinese and American families. Uncle Egbert is sitting second from the right.

First cousins with spouses.
Second cousins.

I have a story about Xiu-Lian and it goes like this...

Aunt Xiu-Lian is a kidnapper. Brian and I met Aunt Xiu-Lian for the first time in February 1983 when Emily was only 5 months old. We arrived at the home where she had been staying and as soon as she saw Emily, she took her and left the room. A few minutes later, I went looking for them. I found Xiu-Lian lovingly rocking Emily in her arms. As I stepped closer, I could see that Xiu-Lian was crying and quietly saying "Egbert, Egbert". I found out later that before Brian's grandparents were forced to leave China, it was Xiu-Lian's job to take care of Egbert, Grandma and Grandpa's youngest child. Seeing Emily, Xiu-Lian was overcome with emotion as she remembered caring for Egbert. Four months later, we had a family camping trip where Xiu-Lian and Ji-Ming also attended. Xiu-Lian was an amazing babysitter- she never let Emily out of her sight and surrendered her to me only to nurse. In the years to come, we enjoyed our visits with Xiu-Lian and her family.

Xiu-Lian and Emily, February 1983

Here they are at the Santa Barbara Zoo, June 1983.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T19:45:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving Day was spend with Brian's family at Kim and Abe's house in San Bernardino. Everyone was present... well, minus Emily+Billy (having dinner with his family in O.C.) and Sylvia and Chloe who, of course, live in England! Always fun to see everyone and dinner was great! I am thankful for having great in-laws! Here is the group picture.

Mojave Road Jeep Trip - November 21, 2009

2009-11-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

Brian and I, along with the Mlakars and Andersons, took the Jeep out over part of the Mojave Road. We drove over LOTS of sand, rocks, through dry lakes and through a couple of water crossings over the Mojave River. We had a real good time. Here are a few snapshots.