chillin' with tanja, terry, sophie and evan

you know how when you've been out surfing all day in the middle of january during an epic swell and when you finally get out of the water you're blue, your teeth are tapping out morse code, and you have a huge smile on your face? that's pretty much what it was like when i visited washington last month. IT WAS COLD MAN! and it was beautiful. my trip to the great white north-west was awesome. while i was there i had the pleasure of hanging out with (and photographing) tanja, terry, sophie, and evan.

the first night i was there they graciously treated me with a sweet meal together at The Cheesecake Factory. that was the first time i had ever been there (and far from the last). after throwin' down some choice grub we headed out into the chilly night air to get some shots in.

you can't tell from their warm smiles, but it was about negative 52 degrees out.

ok, maybe that's a wee bit exagerated. not by much though. :) frigid air be darned! these girls looked beautiful and totally toughed it out (without jackets i might add). don't you just love the rosey cheeks?

not to be out-toughed by the ladies, the guys also stepped up with some great smiles. evan's adorable smile and cute faces kept everyone laughing.

after a quick session we called it a night and headed off to recharge. i continued further north to a spot just south of canada for a few days of work and exploration (more on that later).

fast forward a few days. before catching my flight back to san diego i stopped by tanja and terry's to catch a few shots of play time with the kids (in their cozy warm home this time). evan was showing me how to be a daredevil.

sophie and evan were so much fun to hang out with. they were like little atoms bouncing all over the place. i had to keep my head on a swivel to follow all the action. i just love their happy energy. sophie reminds me of her spunky aunt angel that lives in the land of far far away.

a quiet moment between acts.

getting to sit in on a quick story time with tanja, sophie, and evan was so cool. i love watching kids learn & discover new things. story time is the best!

sorry. short break in the photos to share one of my all time favorites.

isn't sophie the cutest backpack you've ever seen? :)

i could easily spend a week taking pictures of these kids. here's just a tiny sample of the many faces of evan.

i noticed a common theme in them all though.

they're all precious.

see what i mean?

thank you tanja, terry, sophie, and evan for allowing me to share a few moments within your family. you have a beautiful ohana and, despite my thin so-cal skin, your warm hearts kept me toasty warm inside. mahalo for your hospitality.

in related news. kim has a demand for angel. COME HOME!