On the Run iPhone Fun – Fistpumps for Fam

Hump day.  This morning, while trying to snag time for a break to lunch with good folks, Jesse said something to the effect of

“Hump days are generally good for people…you’re caught up from the weekend… but still have the rest of the week ahead of you.”

Sage advice.  Made it to the middle of the week and I’m so very very looking forward to the long weekend.  Last weekend seems so long ago already, and as I think back to it, it definitely had a theme:  Family.

We started Saturday with a birthday BBQ for Mama Wang.  The scrumpdiddlyumptious meal was prepared by her brother, local chinese chef extraordinaire Uncle 2.  Uncle 2 and Auntie 2 came to the US years ago, but like many immigrant families they had to leave behind a son in China, and are eagerly awaiting for the man to open the country’s front door for him.

I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to so severely be separated from your family without the ability to easily see them in person.  Thankfully though, we live in the fewchar, where cars fly, pills substitute for food, and we can see whoever we want via fancy moving pictures.  Almost.

Uncle 2 and Auntie 2 have a webcam, but haven’t been able to get it to work.  I took a stab at trying to get it going, and after navigating many many menus displayed only in chinese, I blindly pointed and clicked my way to success!

The picture doesn’t fully capture the erupting excitement, but I think it can succinctly be summed up in the words of Pop Wang:

“All this… IS FREE!”

After the BBQ, we headed to Bremerton to visit Mama Jocson.  About 2 years ago, I lost my dad suddenly, and around the anniversary of his passing the fam gets together to pray.  And I have a big fam.  This year had a little splash of extra special thrown in for good measure…

About 22 years ago, the last of my dad’s siblings moved to the US, and moved in with us.  He brought with him his wife and 3 kids, and they moved in with us into a tiny nondescript Bremerton rambler.  Legit right?  Only one problem.  He has 4 kids.

Like Uncle 2 and Auntie 2 above, they had to leave behind a son.  And a daughter in law.   And what eventually was 4 grandkids.  This past weekend, thanks to the great folks up north, we were finally able to reconvene this side of the fam.

we celebrate reunions with fire

my niece is beast on the guitar. put my ukelele playing to damn shame.

Couples Slideshow – Ali+Tyler

Things have been crazy busy recently — as in unusually busier than usual.  But, the wifey and I are starting to find a good rhythm amidst the new developments.. AND it’s been unusually sunny here in the upper left.  You know what that means…

MOAR PICCHURRZZ

Let’s continue with Ali+Tyler…

As usual, hit play to peek, or hit the Vimeo for 21st Century HD.  Damn, it feels good to live in the future.

Engagement – Shannon+Kevin

Our weather in the upper left has been bipolar this year.  Like every other year, it seems for every glamfabsunny day we have, we have 5 more torrential downpours; but this year the moderate not-so-offensive gray days spanning the middle of the spectrum have been notably absent.  Either it’s nice, or it’s most decidedly not.

That’s meant rescheduled shoot after rescheduled shoot after rescheduled ice cream cake (you may recall, i loff cake) for us this year, and so all last week we were obsessive-compulsively watching the weather forecasts from 53 different sources to see if we might actually get a chance to hang in the sun for a change.  All the way up to Saturday morning, all sources called for rain…

…so of course, it was one of the nicest Saturdays we’ve had in a looonnnggg while.

Meet Shannon+Kevin.  They’re a great example of why we love to shoot love.  Calm, easy, and sure in each other’s presence.  They’re your friends you see frequently, and the ones that bring a smile to your face when you think of them together.  We had so much fun with them (and you don’t have to take my word for it — the wifey will be posting her own take once blogger’s done with its system maintenance), and with couples like these, who needs too many nice days?  Love — it’s like your summer’s day in May.

And what set would be complete without a slideshow?  More pictures!  Video below, or click over to our Vimeo page for some HD Shannon+Kevin action!

Cheers! — Shannon+Kevin, we can’t wait for your big day!

On the Run iPhone Fun – Happy Mothers’ Day!

It’s been one crazybusypacked weekend, but refreshingly, about half the crazybusy that packed this weekend was celebration-oriented.  Part of the reason for festivities, of course, is Mother’s Day here in the US.

This year though, I get to celebrate Mothers’ Day.  Yes, this year I have two mothers for this day.

name: mama wang; style: chángquán wushu kungfu; special move: closed fist overhead thunderburst thrifty skullsmack

This is Mama Wang.  The wifey and I only recently married last year, but Mama Wang never once failed to treat me like anything less than her own over the past few years since moment zero.  She doesn’t speak English, and I don’t speak Mandarin, but it doesn’t get in the way of her constant knowing smiles, the way she never lets a glass or plate go empty the way a mother wouldn’t, or the care with which she tries to anticipate wants (and address them before they become needs).

name: mama jocson; style: balisong-bolo-karambit arnis; special move: spinning thousand slice lightning discipline shank

Meet Mama Jocson.  I was born at a very very young age due to many many hours and this lady.  Officially her profession was registered nurse, but she’s a mom through and through.  She’s just the type that knows how to take care of others better than she does of herself.  Talk to most people about their childhood, and they’ll tell you about the countless hours they spent with their best friend, the adventures they have, and the fun they had playing for ever and ever.  Me? — The time I spent with my mom is rivaled only by the amount of hours I spent absorbing the TV’s warm radiation.  I couldn’t ask for a better mom (though I’ve been known to often and frequently ask for a better TV).

Curious for more fun facts about the moms?  Last year for our wedding reception, the wifey and I put together a video we shared with our guest to honor our parents.  Thanks to Al Gore and the power of the internets, I can now share things like that as easy as one could whip out photo albums years ago that relived their their special day.

Engagement Slideshow – Wai+Tatsumi

Over the weekend we celebrated the end of my vacation by revisiting the Wai+Tats set.  These kids are so delicious, we just had to serve them with dinner music.

Enjoy Wats!