For those of you who are not Big Sisters, especially to little brothers, there are some things I will explain.  First, from the time your younger sibling is born, be very comfortable with the word “share”.  On that note, totally forget about the word “privacy”.  Because for the next 2 decades of your life, nothing is private, and everything is communal property.  Oh and one important thing, little brothers always come with the inevitable best friend.  So instead of one brother always picking on you, fate has granted you two younger brothers who will annoy you, and team up on you for years to come!  From the time my brother was in 6th grade, that partner in crime has been Ryan.

And although he was always teaming up on me with my brother, I have always thought of him as a brother.  I feel very lucky that I have watched him and my brother grow up together, and I am so proud of what they both have accomplished.  Recently, they have both found love to!  Ryan met Jenny a couple years back, and from the time he introduced us, I knew she was THE woman he would spend forever with.  Not only was Jenny very smart, beautiful, and driven, but she also didn’t put up with any of bull!  I knew if anyone could handle our Ryan, it was Jenny!!

Last weekend at a beautiful wedding at the Summerly Golf Course in Lake Elsinore, Ryan and Jenny were married, with their friends and family supporting their commitment.  It was a beautiful sunset ceremony, and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house!  They even got a bunch of macho men to wear hot pink… awesome!  Every aspect of the reception was simply chic, right down to the very cool floating olive candles.  The guests danced the night away, and Ryan and Jenny were right there with them!  I even got to be partly a guest, and hang out with my brother, his lovely girlfriend Holli, and my parents for a night!  That was really neat, cause usually it is just Chris and I working away at a wedding!

I am so happy for my lil’ brother Ryan, he has made such a wonderful choice in choosing Jenny as his partner and wife!  I know they will share many fabulous years of happiness and laughter!  Here are some of my favorite shots from the day…

Alina sat at a bar in Pacific Beach tutoring her male friend on ‘How to Pick Up a Woman’.  As she sent him off into the bar to try out this new addition to his arsenal, Mike and his friend couldn’t help but overhear.  Mike quickly asked if Alina was teaching her boyfriend how to pick up on woman.  Alina clearly stated that the gentleman with her was a friend, and Mike and his friend inched their bar stools closer to her.  The remainder of the evening Mike & Alina chatted away, and something tells me she didn’t teach this new friend how to go and pick up on other women!

A couple years later, Mike and Alina are now happily engaged and planning their wedding!  What a sweet and amazing couple they are!  Totally down to Earth, and SO in LOVE with one another, you can’t help but smile when you are in their presence!!  Alina, Mike, Chris and I, had so much fun exploring the San Diego Mission, and Torrey Pines State Park!  Alina is gorgeous, and Mike is so handsome, I can’t wait to see these two on their big day!  Here are some of my favorite shots of the two of them from our afternoon…

This is Elle.  I have been her proud auntie since she was born, and really, more now then ever before, think she is the MOST perfect child in all the universe!  I am so in love with this lil’ munckin face, and all that she does, learns, says!  That is most likely to do the fact that I love her parents so much, and I can see so much of them in her!  Since I wasn’t able to know Leah from the time we were munchkins, I love watching Elle grow up, because I know she is gonna be just like her mommy!  I remember several months ago carrying Elle around in my arms, rocking, AND bouncing, AND swaying, AND walking.  Although I miss those days (not quite as much as her mommy), I love where she is at now.  Lil’ Elle has learned how to wave, clap, how to crawl, stand up (and let go for a few seconds… she is a daredevil), and eat WHOLE FOOD.  She is VERY talkative, loves to growl at her daddy, “dadadadada” is her favorite word for EVERYTHING (but I still think it’s cause she loves her daddy so)!  When Leah and I are on the phone she is so talkative, and it is so much fun to listen to Leah and Elle have their “conversation.”

Last weekend we met Lil’ Elle and Team Anderson out around Murrieta for some photos.  It was sooo cold that day, that we didn’t get much time to shoot!  I still think they came out so cute!  I can’t wait till our 12 month shoot when Miss Elle will get her own birthday cake!  Wow, I can’t believe she is already almost a year old!  Here are some shots that make my little heart go pitter patter…

This is not the cutest picture in the world, but I love it! (It reminds me of her mommy

the time we watched Dylan’s wife die on 90210 in high school! )