The Moore Family is now four!

My super photo assistant, Cece, recently had her baby girl! Congrats!!! Baby Emily is so petite and beautiful, just like her mama. I have known Cece since high school and ever since she joined the Eastbrook team, we have gotten closer and closer. Cece is more than my assistant, she has become one of my closest friends. In fact, she is one of the closest friends I have ever had in my life. She teaches me how to be a better person and for that I am forever grateful.

Introducing sweet baby Emily!


There is something so amazing about tiny little toes.

And how baby feet can fit so perfectly in your hands.


Beautiful.

Sweet gal!
So relaxed her her parents arms...


I LOVE this image of Jacob with his baby sister.


The Moore Family is complete!

Cece,

You are amazing and look SO fantastic!!!! Thank you for everything that you are.

Love, Sarah

Giving is AWESOME.

You know someone. You know someone who's experienced a tragedy, is struggling to stay afloat, is raising kids while holding down more than one job, or is volunteering selflessly despite extenuating personal circumstances. You know someone who can't afford custom photography, but who would cherish it this holiday season. You know someone who deserves a year-round reminder of their family's spirit, love, and beauty.

You know someone. I guarantee it.

I want to know who they are, and I want to give them the chance to experience complimentary custom photography, Eastbrook Studios style, valued at $650. Whether it's canvas or albums, prints for Grandma, or a slideshow to watch over and over, it's in your power to give them the artwork they deserve this holiday season.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a prize valued at $350. What better reason to show some love could there possibly be, people?!?

The rules:
* You cannot nominate yourself, and the person nominated must sincerely be incapable of purchasing my services. (Being unable to make mortgage payments for a two-million-dollar-vacation-home in Paris does not qualify as sincere financial need.)
* The nominee must reside in New Mexico. Tell me who you know, what they're experiencing, and why they deserve my artwork. Please include a way to contact both your nominee and yourself as well.
* You must e-mail me the full story : sarah@eastbrookstudios.com

The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve -- get nominating!
I can't wait to read all of your entries!

Open your heart to someone this holiday season
and thanks for giving me the opportunity to open mine.

With love,
Sarah...... aka 'fotobug'

Sara P. My friend.

dear sara p,

i just wanted you to know
that this evening
on your wedded day
you looked beautiful
(as you always do)
from your pink sparkly toes
that peeked through your high heels
to your soft waves of curls that
bounced as you walked
from room to room
smiling
as mrs. trujillo

i adore you and
your classy way of thanking your
loved ones for traveling so far
and looking at your husband
and saying out loud and smiling
'We are happy.'

i just wanted you to know
that after all these years
I still look at you and see
the little gal
in my 7th grade english class
that is so pretty
and full of grace

in many ways you
have not
changed at all
and the things that have
are just simply more
amazing than they
already were

i am happy for you
proud of you and
i love you!

xox,
sarah e

Goodbye Canada-ish. Helllllllo Hawai'i!

Time flies.

Two months ago I was counting down the days until we met in California to meet Jaxon for his fourth birthday Disneyland present. I imagined that when we were reunited again we would run towards each other in slow motion, each step getting closer and closer until meeting at arms length at which point we would collide and fold into one another. Embraced. It wasn't like that at all. It was better. Much, much better.

Jaxon walked towards me and then diverted his path when he spotted Lincoln. They had their 'Kodak moment' embrace (way to steal my moment Lincoln!) but really, just watching their happiness made my heart feel warm and fuzzy. Then Jaxon looked in my direction, looked away and then did a double take. (I knew I should have pulled my new bangs back!) Jaxon realized who I was and his face lit up so brightly with a smile that is forever burned into my memory. 'Hi auntie.' He casually walked over to me as I squatted down to hug him. 'Hi Jaxon.' We continued to stare at each other smiling. Then he sweetly said, 'I reaaaalllly missed you.' His eyes welled up with tears and he admitted, 'I thought I was never going to see you again.' My heart melted and my moment was much much better than I imagined it to be.

Time flew.

Before I knew it I was giving Jaxon an Eskimo kiss at the airport. No tears were shed as we signed (ASL) 'I love you' in the air. Then I assured Jaxon (and myself) that we will see each other again soon. I will start counting those days, starting now.


This one makes me laugh out loud!
Sweet boy.
The other sweet boy.
Snow white ride with 'mona' and 'grandpa'.
Lincoln used to hold my pocket this very same way. Love this.
After we arrived in Oregon Jaxon said, 'Remember when I went to Goofy's house?!'
I love LOVE LOVE this one SO MUCH!!!
Two of my brothers, Britttany and little Jaxon.
Waiting for the Halloween fireworks to start.
Oregon. aka Canada-ish.

Jaxon with his case of trains. Update: We have Edward now!! Thanks to his Nana!!!
Handsome boy.
About to scare his dad!
One of my favorites.
In love with this.
Silly boy.
This tree already had 'D + B' (for Daniel and Brittany) carved into it!!! Meant to be? I'd say so!
Makes me smile.
Fun with his dad.


I think they need a huge canvas of this one!
I laugh at Jaxon in this one because when he throws a fit he hides his face.
Cutest boy. Ever.
'Auntie, Can I go with you to Hawai'i?'
Eskimo kiss.

Now, back to Albuquerque via Hawai'i! Another journey that is so dream-like.... I look forward to sharing those pictures with you all soon!

Trains, trains, trains.... and the one named Edward.

If it takes me another week to finish writing this journal entry, then so be it! I have started this entry in my mind for several days now and tried to open a new journal entry page but every time I try a little boy grabs my attention and says, 'Auntie, do you want to.....? Can we please...? Will you look at this? Oh and by the way auntie, I reallllly love you.'

I can hardly believe that I am with Jaxon.

We talk about trains a lot. Thomas, Henry, Molly, Harold (who is not a train but is Henry's friend), Stanley, Skarlowey, Peter Sam and the list goes on! The latest one he wants is Edward. Right now the obsession is with Edward. And after Edward? He wants Emily. I ask Jaxon, 'Then who do you want after Emily?' He responds frankly, 'Well, actually Auntie, I want them all.' I can understand his need for all of them. You see, Jaxon has memorized the animated Thomas series and I have watched him carefully organize the trains along the track. Then, like a director, he then starts a scene from the show. Word-for-word he recites the scene using phrases such as 'golly fellow' and 'thank you sir, you are so kind' and if one of the characters is not there to say his/her line, it's just not the same.

This is serious business. We must get Edward! Then Emily then Cranky the Crane then....


You would talk about trains all day long if this face looked at you like this!!


Sweet boy.
Jaxon took this one of me.(His composition is quite remarkable, if you ask me!)

Since I am very much a workaholic, it's been a hard task for me to just take time out for myself. I am 'on vacation' but still trying to stay on top of emails and phone calls as much as I can. Then when I look back on the images in this blog my heart cries out with the proof of why sometimes we all simply need to take signs seriously.

I may have missed a lovely moment such as this.

Oregon is gorgeous! The leaves are a kaleidoscope of colors and my late night walk last night provided me with a light fog, a warm pumpkin latte and the feeling of a peaceful love in my heart that words just cannot express.

Look up.

Two years ago today, I was in New Zealand grieving. I was suffering the loss of my husbands father. I cried so much that I developed the worst migraine in the history of migraines. Then my dad called me to tell me that my grandpa passed away. That was the moment that my eyes glazed over and my body went on auto pilot. Numb. Then not numb, then numb again. I couldn't be there for his funeral so, I asked my friend Michelle to do a huge favor for me. She didn't know my grandpa at all but she agreed to my favor, without hesitation. As I cried eight thousand miles away from where I longed to be, my friend cried as she read the following words in my place.

"My name is Michelle Laredo and I am standing in place for Sarah Eastwood who is currently out of the country. Sarah has asked me to read the following words since she could not be here today.

You might remember my grandpa Joe by his ornately covered hats or by the cherry hill scented smoke billowing out of his wooden pipe. You might also know him for the strands of rubber bands that he collected around town that somehow found their way around his wrist and up his forearm. What I remember most about my grandpa is a simple conversation, between me and Grandpa Joe, when I was twelve years old. I was having a bad day and I expressed to my grandpa that nothing in my life was going right. Grandpa Joe mentioned something about God and how HE is watching over us at all times. Being the sassy pre-teen I snapped back at my grandpa, questioning him, 'God who?? How do you know if HE even exists?!' Grandpa got so frustrated at me and told me that God did indeed exist; that HE was everywhere. I then snapped back again, ' Where's the proof? Show me then.' My grandpa didn't look defeated like I wished him to be at that moment. In my twelve year old mind- I wanted to win this argument. Instead my grandpa told me ,'Missy... I should spank your bottom!' He hesitated and then continued with words that ended up changing my life. Grandpa said, 'Everyday there is proof! Look around yourself. Everyday the sun rises and the sun sets. God puts color in the skies that surround us.' I stood there stunned as my grandpa walked over, gave me a hug and then walked out of the door.

It's no wonder that sixteen years Iater I still love looking up at cloud formations, I constantly make time to stare at the sun as it is setting, or that on days when I find myself looking down I am quickly reminded of faith. My grandpa taught me to see the proof that God shows us everyday and I simply look up. I love you Grandpa for having faith in God and I thank you for having the courage to share it with me."

Thank you, Michelle....aka Miss Lauriedoo. Really..... expressing this letter for me was so meaningful and if I could show you how much it meant to me, I would. We always pick up right where we left off and I look forward to traveling across the world with you again one day. Afterall, it is the only way I get you all to myself!! Let's knock elbows soon my friend. Love, Sarah

Yadéeh and Justin. Because, that's why.

Dear fellow blog readers,

I know sometimes you probably ask yourself the following questions:

Why are all of Sarah's customers so ridiculously good looking?
Why does she get the most awesome weddings and coolest customers?
Why does her team stay so pumped about what they do?
Why does the fotobug always know where to go?
WHY is she SO lucky?

Okay. So maybe I ask these questions. But really, they all have that annoying answer that we all despised getting while growing up..... 'Because, that's why.'

I would like to introduce to you Yadeeh:

Why is she beautiful from the inside out?

Why is Justin laughing so hard?

Why are they so cute?

Why is my camera attracted to lovely moments?

(By the way Yadeeh, you are stunning!)

Because...

that's why.

Why did I take Yadeeh and Justin's ring shot with the cover of Rock Band? Because one day, I heard awesome music (and what I thought was the radio) while I was cooking dinner in my kitchen. (Yes, we are neighbors.) I then made a comment to Yadeeh about her 'rockin' it out the other night' and that's when Yadeeh said, 'You heard meee???' heehee ..... the rest is history. And lemme tell you-they are GOOD!

Yadeeh and Justin, I had such a fun time with you at your anniversary session! I look forward to more ethnic dinners, board games, the backpacking trip in Peru but most of all, I look forward to seeing you perform rock band LIVE! Just because, Sarah