Vegas, (without) baby!

Oh yes it's true! I was able to get away for FIVE days of baby-free life to shoot a wedding and attend a convention with the uber talented and wonder sister, Jules Bianchi (check her blog at www.julesbianchi.com/blog for more fun vegas stuff). We started in Los Angeles shooting a wedding and ended up at the enormous WPPI Photography Convention in Vegas. I had a great time, and I am grateful to all the friends and family who put time in to care for my sweet girls! They had a blast, but it was great to be home with them again.

Here's some fun and baby free time in Vegas, baby, Vegas!

Jules and me in a Robert Evans Bianchi sandwich. Rob shot Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' wedding as well as Brad and Jennifer.... so he's a great photographer, but just an all-around great guy. He's about to have his 3rd child and they are considering naming her Penelope! He loved tugging on my lpig-tails...

Here is cute little Jules getting interviewed by LiveBooks at the convention. She is so talented and saavy. I wish I could be just like her!!

Another Famous Bianchi Sandwich! This time with the uber-talented Becker from Orange County. Becker is highly regarded in the photography industry, and is again, just a great down-to-earth guy. He had a huge party at his Mandalay Bay Suite and I was able to put my fun party dress to use (thank you Kate Perry!! It fit just fine!).

I love Vegas! Love the vibe, love the glow. We stayed at the Aladdin (soon to be Planet Hollywood) thanks to Brett's awesome connections in the hotel industry. Usually a $200-plus room cost us $69 a night!! Yea, baby!

Yet another interview. They even let me get in on this one for a moment. Woo hoo! I know, twins are so cute. ugh.

Well, we ARE cute. :)


You know the saying, "my mom went to Vegas and all I got was this t-shirt??" Well, ALL the little girls whose mommies helped out this week got one!! ha ha! They are so cute, Penelope and Millie loved theirs, and we all looked like little matchies today, makin' a splash on the playground. So there. They also got chocolate bars. So that made them happy.

Sweet P.


Super Sassy M.

The girls showed off their shirts...

Babcia and Uncle came by to say hello!

Millie loved her shirt!

But she loves Mr. Jack more!!


If you've read this far, leave a comment, please!! I'd love to hear from you.

Nonno and Noni come to dinner!

The girls were sooo excited to have their Nonno and Noni (which is grandpa and grandma in Italian) come over for a BBQ. Ever since the time change we've been taking advantage of the nice weather with BBQs!! Nonno and Noni spoiled the girls with attention, dancing and playing with them. We had so much fun! Thank you for ruining my diet with the YUM ice cream cake!
Nonno and Millie take in some Teletubbies...

Noni spoiles Penelope with a new activity book

Gotta work off that cake somehow, why not with a little round and round dancing??

Reading to the girls

Handsome Nonno...

Hot Mammas at the Valhalla Auction!!

Pot o'Gold Valhalla Auction!!
We had a blast, and the company wasn't too bad either--get them drinking and they'll bid on anything!!

Penelope's hot mamma Joy, Julia (and Jordan's) hot mamma, Jill, Gabbie's hot momma Sandra, and Dax's hot momma, Mia!

Mia and Steve...

Joy and Brett

Sandra and Shawn...



Our hot daddys!

Penelope's New Look and our March Cherry Tree

When Penelope was two years old, I took her to have her hair cut. It seemed ridiculously expensive for them to snip a few hairs from her head, so I never took her again. Occassionally I would give her a trim, but her hair has never been cut! So today she told me that she wanted to look like her friend Jessica and cut her hair short! Her hair was a tangled mess as it was, so I agreed, although I'm a little traumatized by it, since I loved her long beautiful hair. But it was certainly easy to brush it out.




Every year, only once a year, our little cherry tree will bloom full of gorgeous flowers that make it look as white as snow. Last year I had the idea that it would be fun to take a picture of the girls every year in front of the tree in bloom. We've been waiting in excited anticipation as we watched the little blooms budding and growing. Today we took our picture! I think we jumped the gun a little bit, as you can see there are still little buds on the tree, and the pictures from last year show the tree in much snowyer form. Maybe we'll take another one in a day or two. Click on any picture for a larger view.



The next day...


Here is the official March Cherry Tree shot for this year. Taken a few days later than the first ones.. the tree was a little more full, and you can see Penelope's new haircut!



Here are last years photos.... The girls are just getting taller and taller...

Science Fair!

Penelope insisted that we participate in the Valhalla Science Fair, and what did she want to do her project on? Dalmations! Oh, of course. That's simple. huh? When I learned we could do a DISPLAY about our subject, I felt a little more at ease. Penelope really took the lead, going with me online and finding out about Dalmations... we discovered that the reason that Dalmations are associated with firemen is that when the coaches were led by horses, the Dalmations would run ahead of the coach to warn people out of the way! Apparently Dalmations are very good with horses... so see, this is an educational blog too!!

Penelope was so excited about her project that she actually finished it an entire week ahead of schedule. Here she was showing it off at home, and we kept it up in the front room all week.


Along with photos of Dalmations, Penelope also illustrated some of it herself. This reads: "This is the horse pulling the buggy with the Dalmation running in front."



Finally the day of the Science Fair arrived! It was CRAZY in the gym... and Millie rode on my back for a better view of all the projects. It was quite an experience trying to navigate my way through the crowds while being beaten over the head by my little rider to get me to go back to the dessert table!!


The kids hold up their medals! They were so proud. Good job everyone!


Penelope's evaluator turned out to be David Hirata! So that was great... someone she knew and liked to tell about her project.


Penelope was proud of her project, and you can see the little dalmation she brought along for show-and-tell.


P shows her best friend Iris her display. Iris was very appreciative.


Here you can see the chaos that is the Valhalla Science Fair. :)

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Millie and the boys. On the playground, she is more popular than her sister with the 5 year old set. Here they go down the slide!


Millie rocks out to The Fray on her ipod. That's my girl.


When Penelope saw Millie in her Dumbo costume, she burst into tears because she realized that SHE no longer fit into it. It was a little unnerving to see Millie in that costume that Penelope nearly wore out. She wore that thing all the time for years... I was stuffing her into it not too long ago...


Another one of Penelope's adorable outfits that now even Millie has outgrown. So sad. I loved these pink overalls...


We exist!! I know this blog is mostly dedicated to the 4 foot and under people, but mom and dad are always lurking around in the background....