NoH8

On November 4, 2008 Proposition 8 passed in California, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The defeat provoked a groundswell of initiative within the GLBT community at a grassroots level, with many new political and protest organizations being formed in response. 
 
The NOH8 Campaign is a photographic silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska (http://www.bouska.net) and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek in protest.
 
Nearly one year since its inception, the NOH8 Campaign has grown to over 2,000 faces and continues to grow at an exponential rate. The campaign began with portraits of everyday Californians from all walks of life and soon rose to include politicians, military personnel, newlyweds, law enforcement, artists, celebrities, and many more. 
 
The NOH8 Campaign has received overwhelming support from around the world, appearing on various local and national news programs and publications. The images are currently being used on various social networking sites to spread the message of equality, predominantly Facebook and Twitter. Eventually the images are expected to be compiled for a large-scale media campaign.

Funds raised by the NOH8 Campaign will be used to continue promoting and raising awareness for Marriage Equality and anti-discrimination on a global level through an educational and interactive media campaign.

Our family was proud to be able to take part in this campaign and the fight for equality for our friends, and anyone, in the name of love and family. 

Life, Exploded

Where have the past 3 weeks gone? Running around from place to place, deadlines, new projects, horrific mind-altering events... too much to share. Too much to process.

The daily shoot and I have taken a bit of a break. I WILL get back into it, but my time schedules have been that of one where I don't have any. Plus, I would take a pic of something, post it for fun, and then the next day it would be the topic. Creatively, I was not sure how to work it. So I put it on the back burner for a few.

One project that I'm so honored and excited to be working on is Leucadia Sends Luv. My fave store in the whole wide world is helping raise funds for the children of Haiti with specialty Tshirts and an event next week. It's been wonderful to work on something that is doing amazing things for others. It's a lot of work, but the feeling you get from doing something good for someone else is priceless.

You can find out more about the project on the website: www.LeucadiaSendsLuv.com

On another note, expect an explosion of pictures next week as Jason and I travel across the country to NYC for the international toy fair, eating, shopping and snow!

January Oranges

It's amazing what winter rain does for us in Southern Cali. First it almost wrecks our never properly prepared infrastructure with power outages and floods, leaving us the laughing stock of the rest of the country who has been snowed under now for 3 months. But when the storm moves east to terrorize the mid-west some more, it leaves us with the most amazing, crisp, bright colors... and a renewed appreciation of why we live in one of the most overvalued housing markets in the country. 

Yes, this is our backyard. We have our little "orange tree orchard and more birds of paradise than we know what to do with. With just one week of rain, the yard has come alive with color. The plants were so desperate for a good soak, that they all immediately perked up.

Even the weeds on the side of the house and the old brick incinerator/black widow breeding pit/baby death trap in the back looks like almost quaint...

#DS73

And in very strange way, even the tree bark seemed happy to be out in the sun.

And even stranger... I found a plant that looked oddly familiar growing happily...almost smiling?

I guess everyone was happy to feel the bright sun on their "face".

NoH8

#ds66.

The camera was supposed to be the centerpiece.. but it had to share the spotlight today.

Read all about the NoH8 Campaign here

Read about Cindy McCain supporting the cause here

We are proud to have participated as a family today... teaching our children the valuable lesson of love, tolerance and standing up for your beliefs. 

I'll post the official pictures when we get them!

Escape

Last year we were invited to an overnight event down closer to home. Normally when we want to escape, we drive the kids to LA and go from there, but circumstances as they were, that was not possible. So we broached the subject with one of our babysitters about an overnight. Very surprisingly, she charged a flat fee that was just about $20 more than a really good afternoon-late night date, but with the bonus of a few hours in the morning with no getting apple juice, changing a diaper or breaking up a fight. So yea, we've now jumped on this a few times. 

Like most parents, I love my kids more than I can even try to express in words, but Jason and I also truly love a night away... re-connect, re-charge, think about ourselves for 24 whole hours. For us, and our relationship, the baby sitting fee and cost of the hotel is worth it 1000x over. And, in a fuzzy math kinda way, I can justify the costs every which way - from it's less than a divorce and WAY less than a DUI or even a cab ride back from downtown San Diego. 

Or in this case, Coronado...

It had been a long few months, and we needed a bit of what the Brit's call a "mini-break". I think it's interesting that over there getting away for a night or weekend is common place, while here it's an extravagance. So with the babysitter booked, Jason and I looked at our options. Closeish. Nice. Relaxing. Since I always say the biggest downfall of living in San Diego is not getting to vacation IN San Diego - we decided on Coronado. 

Most of you are familiar with The Hotel Del Coronado. It's been a long-time dream of mine to stay there, but the problem with San Diego is that we never have an "off season" at the beach, so there is never a deal to be found. Not to mention it's supposed to be haunted, so I'm not sure I want to spend $350 to not sleep all night because I'm worried Ms. Kate will want to party. Further down the Silver Strand is the Lowes Coronado Bay Resort, with no beach but a marina, the fantasy boat owners in us won out this time. 

We check in and hit the marina to rent a little motor boat. Yes, its the middle of winter, but it was actually a beautiful day to be on the bay.

unless, of course, you are the owner of this little catamaran.. then, welll.. you were just awaiting for high-tide.

The day and night away were short-lived, and today it's back to reality and while we were in flip-flops on Saturday, today we are singing in the rain...

#DS64