Happy New Year!

We had a great holiday and an even better vacation with the familly.

These first two photos are from Christmas morning... before the birds were even awake. It is so cool, our kids are getting old enough to be totally fired up about Christmas- it brings back all those cool memories about sneaking out of our rooms to try to catch Santa in the act... only to catch Gram wrapping gifts!! This year Caysen came into our bed to wake us up while Bailey was sound asleep.... like most everyone else... I think it was about 5:30. Caysen couldn't wait so we had to wake her up! This is when we first got downstairs- I love the excitement!

This shot is of Caysen and his cousin Jeff playing with his new castle- that's what he asked Santa for.


On the 27th we took a drive up to my Uncle's house outside Sacramento- a little town called El Dorado Hills. The sunset was taken on the 5 fwy heading north. I shot this with my Christmas gift: a Nikon s7c point and shoot- it's so fun. I nearly drove off the road looking at the sunset change and evolve as we drove- it was amazing!






Uncle Jim has some land where the kids can run wild and explore- it's so cool up there. Here's my mom on a walk with her grand-daughters





Here's Mom again with my niece who lives in Oregon- they enjoyed the warm weather










My cousin Trent is learning the guitar- he's pretty dang good too. He sings with a low mellow tone- love it!










Bailey gathering rocks for a little dam they were working on by the well...






The dang kids chucked a brass statue in the pond so they had to go get it in the canoe... it looked like such fun all the kids wanted a ride! The pond was barely wider than the boat was long but they had a blast!!





This is a shot of the whole family:











And a shot of just the four of us!! My brother Jer took it- he was the one who got me into photo in the first place... about 10 years ago. Now he asks me for tips!!









This is Mom and her three boys... she's in heaven! It isn't very often we are all together- I think it's been over a year. From left to right: younger brother Jon who is a reporter of sorts in Portland. He is becoming an amazing photographer too! Jer is next, the surfer of the bunch! Then there's Mom and me.



One night the oldest grandkids got the younger ones to put on a little show. Caysen, my youngest would open the door and yell "Introducing the three princesses" or something.. and they would come out for a song. It was adorable.




One morning the other pond had a thin layer of ice over it so the kids couldn't leave it alone until they broke every little piece with rocks and sticks.






My bro Jon is super excited about photo too, this was the first time all three of us were together making photos... we had a little shoot-out in Old-Town Sacramento one day. Jon doesn't let anything get in his way... 'baby on board'. He is more comfortable shooting on his bike, yes, while riding!



Old Town Sac is so cool, you can totally image cowboys walking on the sidewalks and horses in the streets- it's so cool! What a great place for an engagement shoot- we actually saw one in progress!!









Here's my Jeni with my Bailey- she is the best Mommy!










Another shot from Old Town.







One of my two kids and thier cousin Jeffrey from Mass.
I would totally freak out here on an Eng. shoot! or with a Bride and Groom! So many cool places to shoot. Especially with the low winter sun peeking through windows and between buildings to bounce and play off the walls until landing on great subjects like these.







I was standing on the sidewalk for this shot. There was a cool little courtyard one floor down, wide open to the sky... very cool for a little dinner party. I liked the lights and the old time buildings.





On the other side of Old Town was an old school house, this was inside at one of the desks. They had little mini chalk boards on each desk and a little rag and piece of chalk to be 'learned' to read and write! Yes sir ree!!









This bridge and another nearby had to make way for large ships to travel up the river. This one's whole middle section lifts straight up to the top of those towers to let one by. The other had a mid-section that spun 90 degrees to open up a path.








The next day we went for a mountain bike ride along Folsom lake, just Jon and I. It was amazing flying trough the rolling grassy hills on the roller-coaster type trail passing haunted looking Oak trees. We got dropped off at the trail-head but after riding 20 miles couldn't call without a phone and other guys in the parking lot couldn't get a signal... so we rode another 10 or so back to the house. I was definately tired of cranking my single speed up those dang hills!!


Another shot of Jon. I stopped for this one (I was so far ahead because Jon took a wrong turn!) but tried to pull a 'Jon' earlier by shooting while riding.... well, the smooth flat trail I was on suddenly turned into a rocky road and over the bars I went! I did save my new camera from peril, don't you worry 'bout that!

Here's Uncle Jim with a couple of his great nephews (not sure if that is the right term... his nephew's kids). He built this teeter-totter into the stump of an old tree- so cool.

Of course we had to have a bon-fire to roast marshmallows... this shot makes it look like we had rotisserie kids for dinner!

Here are the three Maus Boys ringing in the new year... yes, those are bags under my eyes.. I'm not such a party animal these days. The balloon hat and a beer was as crazy as I got!!


If you made it this far you must be on No Doz... thanks for hanging in there!

May you have a wonderful 2007!