And baby makes 4- East Bay Newborn Family Photographer

This sweet baby in this photo is a year old now. Yes! Time really flies. It has been such a pleasure to watch this beautiful family grow over the years. The boys are just so sweet, and their parents are even sweeter. You can tell the boys are going to grow to be best friends. But for now, enjoy some adorable newborn goodness!

Cooking with the Baileys- Super Easy Raw Cookie Dough Balls- Oakland Family Documentary Photography

I will be 40 years old in a few short months, and I love dessert. I am come to understand the hard way that those two facts do not agree with one another.  As my metabolism has slowed and my doctor's warnings have grown louder, I'm come to realize that I can no longer partake in after dinner delights of cookies or chocolate. And rather than completely go cold turkey, I have been on a quest to find "healthy" treats that will satisfy my sweet tooth while also staying on course with my health goals. Easier said than done, for sure. 

My kids and I recently discovered a recipe for Raw Cookie Dough Balls, I've we've made a bath of them just about each week for the last few months. We make them so often that my four year old now knows the recipe by heart, and I'm convinced he could make them all by himself if only I'd let him use the food processor. They are delicious, don't require cooking hence the term "raw" in the title- duh Rhea!), and are gluten/dairy/soy free! Oh and they are SUPER easy to make.

We made them AGAIN tonight, so I thought I'd document the process and share the recipe. I even make a cameo in the photos below. Huge shoutout to Veganela.com for the recipe. Here it is:

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats (use gluten free if your diet requires)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup grated dry unsweetened coconut
• 3 tbsp maple syrup 
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a food processor, add the oats and pulse for 20 seconds in order to break the oats down slightly. 
2. Add the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT the chocolate chips) and pulse until fully combined. 
3. Stir-in the chocolate chips.
4. If the dough is too sticky/soft, refrigerate for ten minutes to harden it slightly, then roll in to 12 balls and refrigerate for 1 hour. 
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

And there you have it! Yummy goodness! Try them and leave a comment below to let me know how you like them.

The Jones Family is Growing Up! - Oakland Family Photographer

I had the extreme pleasure of photographing this beautiful family the day after their second child was born. I met them for a Fresh 48 hospital session. What made it particularly special was that this was the very first hospital session I'd photographed. And it couldn't have been a sweeter family. They we so at east, so welcoming, so sweet to each other and to each other.  Check-out their hospital newborn session here. 

So when they asked me to come to their home the following November to photograph their family in time for the holidays. They welcomed me in to their adorable home with the same smiles  I remember from their last session. This time, the baby boy was now deliciously round and alert and as happy as could be. And their sweet little girl was eager to show me her room and toys. As you can see in the photos, they really enjoy each other.  You can almost hear the laughter coming through the images. This is definitely my kind of family.