Jessica Jacob Photography Blog

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2011-04-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Please excuse our mess while we make some adjustments to our blog. Thank you!

LAKE TAHOE

2010-10-28T15:41:00.002-07:00

I visited Lake Tahoe for the first time. It was even more amazing than I could have ever imagined. I am so in LOVE!

FROM COAST TO COAST

2010-10-02T23:12:00.004-07:00

We are excited to announce that we now call the gorgeous Bay Area of California home. We are so excited!

WELL HELLO SUN

2010-03-05T11:00:00.005-08:00

The ice and snow has subsided... for now. The sun finally broke through the clouds, and it warmed up just enough for Kayden to play outside. He discovered his shadow.

Much to my dismay, he discovered the dirt as well. He is fascinated by it. He puts it in his hair, down his shirt, and pretty much anywhere else he can get it.

Happy Friday!
Have a wonderful weekend!

ICY

2010-02-01T06:06:00.003-08:00

The snow storm came and went. The sun began to shine. I was beginning to think that all the snow would melt away, but then... It all changed. The weather changed yet again, and this time it brought subzero temperatures with it. Their is now a very nice layer of ice over all of the snow, all of the trees, and specifically all of the roads. YIKES!

There is a positive in all this though. It makes for great pictures! I captured this yesterday morning, and I had to get rather ICY to get it. It is on the bottom of a bush, so I was ground bound, and it was quite frigid.

Happy Monday Folks!

SNOW BABY

2010-01-30T13:55:00.005-08:00

A huge snow storm rolled into our area through the night, leaving a thick layer of snow behind. As Kayden peaked out the window this morning, I could see the excitement in his eyes. It was snow! It was something new! Something Kayden had never encountered before, and he was elated.

This is the first year that Kayden was old enough to really notice the snow. Last year we had a snow storm, but he was too small to head outdoors and explore. Things were different this year. He had so much fun exploring exactly what snow is; what snow taste like; and what snow feels like on your face. Yes ladies and gentlemen, he put his face directly in the snow and then proceeded to lick it. :)

Here a few shots from the day. Enjoy our Snow Baby...
Also known as the puffier version of Kayden. ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

NO BOYS ALLOWED

2010-01-12T10:43:00.002-08:00

WOW! 2010 is here, and I cannot believe it. Life has been a whirlwind for us over the past few months. Blogging has fallen by the wayside. I have been focusing on my family, and on all of the big changes that are coming our way. I will post more on that later.

Our little family had a wonderful Christmas in Northern California. Our time went by way too fast, but we enjoyed every second of it. Spending time with our family and friends is so wonderful. With us being a military family, it just doesn't seem that we get enough of that.

Myself and the girls had the pleasure of enjoying a day in San Francisco. We rode the Cable Cars and hit Fisherman's Warf. The city is filled with so many things to see and do. It was a blast!

I fell in love with the buildings in the city. They are just gorgeous. I snapped this church with my P&S while riding on the Cable Car.

The following image was also taken with my P&S. I just love all the details of the building, and the lighting was scrumptious!

I hope everyone had a great holiday season. I am excited for all the changes coming our way in 2010! I hope that 2010 is filled with joy, laughter, and many blessings for you and yours!

RAD HAIR

2009-09-24T06:48:00.003-07:00

Things have been hectic in our household over the past few weeks. My hubby had surgery on his shoulder. He had 2 tears in his Rotator Cuff that needed to be repaired. The surgery went well, and he is recovering nicely. I apologize for falling behind on my blog!

I wanted to share a picture of Kayden that makes me smile. We took him to a place called Jumping Time awhile ago, and we all had a blast. It is basically a huge warehouse filled with jumping houses. He got a little sweaty, and the result was a really RAD hairdo. It was sticking straight up in every direction, and I couldn't help but snap a picture.

Happy Thursday!

BEACH DAY

2009-08-11T05:20:00.008-07:00

My hubby and I took Kayden to Kure Beach on Sunday. The water was fabulous, and Kayden had so much fun. He played in the waves, and explored through the sand for hours. I have so many wonderful pictures from our day. I wanted to share just a few of my favorites.

Happy Tuesday!

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE

2009-08-05T12:23:00.006-07:00

I am VERY excited to say that I am the WINNER of the latest blog giveaway from The Beautiful Mess Blog. Candice and Daniel are an amazing husband and wife photography team. Their work is edgy and modern, like something you might find in a magazine. They are a HUGE inspiration to me. They are also super sweet, so go check them out.
GO! GO! GO!

I am thrilled to be able to choose between 3 gorgeous headpieces from Lindsey of Blackbird Blue. She can be found on Etsy, so you know she's good. I have to give Candice and Daniel mad props for this prize. It is pretty amazing to win a prize in general. The fact that I have a choice between these 3 beauties is just too much. I am in Heaven!

Just one teeny tiny little problem: I cannot decide which one to choose. I need your help! Below are photos of my 3 choices, courtesy of Lindsey of Blackbird Blue. Keep in mind that I have long blond locks; and then please help me decide which you think would work best for me. You can cast your vote in the comments section, and add any thoughts that you may have as well.

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

Happy Wednesday!

PLAYLAND

2009-08-02T06:39:00.004-07:00

The screams that rang through my ears sounded terrifying. The piercing noise sounded like something out of a horror film. They were, in fact, screams of excitement that ripped from Kayden's lungs at steady intervals. He was surrounded by over a dozen children playing, and their own excitement seeped through him, creating an excitement that was all his own.

It was Kayden's first time at McDonald's, and he was in awe. The children running through the Playland consumed him. He could not tear his eyes away. Not even for the french fry that his Daddy replaced his apple dipper with, when he thought I was not looking. There were children running in every direction, and he was fascinated.

He had a blast, and it was such a joy to watch him learn and explore.

Happy Sunday!

FIRE IN THE SKY

2009-07-19T18:29:00.004-07:00

If you have not figured it out yet, I LOVE sunsets. The beautiful colors make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It is like a fire in the sky without all the damage to the surrounding areas. Pretty spectacular, if you ask me. I was able to capture some pretty amazing shots of the setting sun while we were in Texas, and I wanted to share a few.

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

CELEBRATING INDEPENDENCE DAY

2009-07-18T15:06:00.005-07:00

The vast Fields in Texas provide the perfect stage for a great fireworks display. Several people strayed off to set up there own display, and the end result was stunning. There were fireworks everywhere, in every direction. Here are some of my favorite.

Sweet little Katherine was fascinated by all the beautiful colors of the fireworks. She is the cutie above.

Have a fabulous weekend!

LIFE IN TEXAS

2009-07-16T21:12:00.004-07:00

Life in Texas is is very different than what we are accustom to. Everything seems to move just a bit slower. It is calming. It is peaceful. It is serene. It is the perfect place to get away, and that is just what we did.

Our trip to Texas for our family reunion was amazing. We had a fabulous firework display to celebrate Independence Day. Kayden had another Birthday party. I know... I know... But I wanted him to be able to celebrate his 1st birthday with his grandparents that live on the West coast. ;)

We had a wonderful time visiting with family, and just taking in the scenery. I loved the small town feel, and the wide open spaces were the perfect canvas for the setting sun. Just breathtaking!

I am leaving a bit of a teaser as to what is to come. I took this picture of the flag pole for Independence Day, just as the sun started to go down in the schoolyard.

Have a fabulous weekend, and don't forget to check back in a day or so. I will have more pictures from out trip posted soon.

ARE WOMEN BORN THIS WAY

2009-06-28T04:25:00.001-07:00

I came across this video titled Are Women Born This Way, and I could not help but laugh. I know that women are talkers for the most part, and I thought the title was perfect. She is just so adorable too!

We are off to Texas for a family reunion, so I will not be blogging for a bit. I hope to have lots of beautiful pictures to share when we get back.

Happy Sunday!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2009-06-21T08:39:00.001-07:00

Dearest Daddy,

Thank you for always taking me to the park.
Thank you for taking me on all the slides and through all the tubes.
I have lots and lots of fun!

Thank you for letting me go down the big slide at the park,
even when Mommy is afraid I will get hurt.
It is so much fun!
Don't tell Mommy, but you were right.
I didn't get hurt one bit.

Thank you for being on the sidelines so I don't fall
when Mommy is snapping my pictures.
Thank you for keeping me entertained through it all,
because sometimes Mommy takes too long with that flashy thing.

Thank you for buying me my very first car.
I love it so much!
I hope my first real car is this nice. :)

Most of all, thank you for loving me so much.
Thank you for always being here for me.
Happy Daddy's Day Daddy.
I LOVE YOU!

KAYDEN IS ONE

2009-06-15T07:44:00.005-07:00

Kayden is one today! We did a birthday cake smash, and he had a blast. He did not really eat very much of the cake, but he had so much fun destroying it. He laid on his cake and even sat on top of it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY! WE LOVE YOU!

FUN IN THE SUN

2009-06-11T08:06:00.003-07:00

A week ago Jake and I invested a whole $8 in a baby pool, and it is by far the best investment we have ever made. :) Kayden absolutely loves it! He has a blast playing in it each and everyday, and watching him brings us so much joy.

Happy Thursday!

10 TEETH AND COUNTING

2009-05-21T07:38:00.002-07:00

Poor little Kayden has been cutting teeth like crazy. He was cutting 6, but soon another decided to join in on the fun. This was followed by another the next morning. He was cutting 8 teeth at the same time. Needless to say, my days were filled with a lot of rocking and singing. It was all I could do to comfort him. :(

He now has 10 teeth, and he is back to being Mr. Happy. I am so glad that he is back to being our cheerful baby boy! I have been trying to get him to show off his teeth for days now, but I had no luck. Fortunately, I was able to snap a picture of him showing of his new pearly whites during our evening stroll last night. It was very dark outside, and the photos were taken with our old point and shoot. They are not great, but I don't care. It shows his teeth, and that is all I was going for.

It is still a bit strange to see him with all his teeth. He looks like a totally different baby to me. I'm not sure he knows what to do with all of his new teeth either. He has turned to biting me a lot! :( Any suggestions?

I hope everyone has a fabulous Memorial Day weekend!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2009-05-09T10:35:00.003-07:00

I wasn't sure that I would have time to post tomorrow, so HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you wonderful Mom's out there. I hope you have a spectacular day!

And because post without photos are boring, here is a sunset I captured in Illinois. It was gorgeous!

KAYDEN IN MOTION

2009-04-25T18:27:00.006-07:00

Just a short time ago, I thought that Kayden would never crawl. He just couldn't seem to get the hang of it. He knew how to move his arms, but he didn't seem to understand that he needed to move his legs too. That has all changed now. As soon as he figured out the whole leg part, he took off. He is all over place, and he moves VERY, VERY fast! He is even taking tiny steps now. YAY!

I captured a few images of him in motion below.

And you have to love baby feet. Especially super chubby ones!

Have a fabulous Saturday!

SHARING THE WEALTH

2009-04-03T11:01:00.004-07:00

As a new blogger, trying to customize the look of my blog was a frightening concept.
The phrases CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and XHTML were gibberish to me. Through A LOT of trial and error, I have learned to customize the look of my blog.

There is an amazing blog that I turned to time and time again, while designing my new look. It can be found here. This blog is packed full of useful information. With a little patience and some time, you can create your own custom design. Check it out!

If you want a new look without all the work, you can find great blog designs here. They offer free pre-designed backgrounds and headers. The selection is fabulous! They offer custom designs for very little money as well.

Everyone loves a post with a picture that much more, so here is a picture of Kayden I came across the other day. He was just 3 months old. He has changed and grown so much since then.

Happy Friday!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

2009-03-17T11:21:00.009-07:00

Kayden and I will be trying our hand at these shamrock sugar cookies today. For some reason, I don't think ours will turn out quite like these though. ;)

If you would like to try these as well, the recipe can be found here from McCormick. ENJOY!

SPLISH SPLASH

2009-03-06T04:47:00.005-08:00

Kayden thoroughly enjoys every second of bath time. As soon as he hears the bath water turn on, he starts smiling and kicking his little feet. He gets so excited! If babies can have a happy place, this is definitely his.

It's Friday! Have a fabulous weekend.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

2009-02-27T14:14:00.014-08:00

This past week our little family headed up North to visit my family. Kayden has now flown on 12 airplanes. He is a wonderful little traveler. Once the jets start, and we begin to taxi down the runway, he slips into a deep slumber. He generally wakes as the plane sets it's wheels on the runway to land. Needless to say, traveling with him is pure bliss.

We had a fantastic time visiting with family, and enjoying the change in weather. As much as we enjoyed our trip, I have to say that it feels great to be home. There is nothing that can compare to a good nights sleep in your own bed. There really is no place like home.

I finally got around to editing the rest of the photos we took of Kayden at the park. Here are some of my favorites.

Have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND everyone!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

2009-02-14T08:53:00.006-08:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's day today! And because a post with a photo is just that much better, I am including a sneak peak of the photo shoot my husband and I did with Kayden yesterday.

FABULOUS

2009-02-13T10:58:00.004-08:00

Yesterday I discovered something fabulous. Drew B is an amazing Orange County California photographer. She has just launched Momtog. It's a blog for Mommies who love photography. In her new blog she will be sharing photography tips with the non professional photographer Mommies. In fact, she has already posted about what she uses for affordable backdrops. It is a great place for regular Mommies to learn how to take great pictures of their children. Check it out!

YUMMY

2009-02-06T13:41:00.010-08:00

I am absolutely thrilled about Valentine's Day this year. My husband and I have never been able to spend a single Valentine's Day together... EVER! In the past, our obligations to the military had us in different states or different parts of the world. Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate love, and I am elated to be celebrating with my love for the very first time.

Of course, the wonderful candy at See's only adds to the excitement I feel for Valentine's Day. You can purchase their yummy Nuts & Chews all year long, but the heart-shaped box this time of year makes it even more yummy.

Nuts & Chews are my favorite, but they offer a variety of other items in the lovely heart-shaped box as well.

These look extra yummy, and they are perfect for the little ones!

FIRE AND ICE

2009-01-23T06:31:00.007-08:00

Life has been incredibly hectic this past month or more. After 4 flights, a virus that completely destroyed my entire hard-drive (taking Photoshop with it), and a monstrous ice storm I am finally able to blog. Oh my dear blog, how I have missed you!

This past Tuesday we awoke to snow. Yes, I said snow! A record breaking cold front hit the East coast. With us being so close to the beach, we never expected to see any snow here. To our surprise, the skies dropped 7 inches of snow and ice on us that day. It was so beautiful, and the ice looked nothing short of amazing. I was lucky enough to capture the icicles on our house just before sundown, and I LOVE the way it turned out.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season, and Happy New Year! I guess it's better late than never.

MY BROWN EYED BOY

2008-12-12T19:33:00.008-08:00

Kayden seems to be growing and changing so fast. As our newborn bundle of joy, he had the typical blue eyes of a newborn baby. They soon changed to the familiar green of my own eyes, and I was certain that they would remain this color. I could not have been more wrong. Kayden's eyes are now just like his Daddy's big beautiful brown eyes, and I just love them.

KAYDEN SITS UP

2008-11-27T18:37:00.011-08:00

While standing in the kitchen this evening, I stared out the glass window pane to admire the setting sun. I stood there for a moment just taking in the beauty, when it happened. A small stream of light broke through the trees creating the perfect lighting. After loudly announcing this to my husband, I frantically ran to the other room to grab the camera.

Jake was in the midst of cooking, but I soon yanked him out the door with me. I had no clue how long this lighting would last. After dragging Jake away from the stove, and flying out the door with baby and camera in hand, I captured the perfect shot. The timing was dead on. Not only did I capture the amazing light bursting through the trees, I also happened to capture Kayden sitting up on his own for the first time. SCORE!

I hope everyone is having a yummy Thanksgiving surrounded by their loved ones!

MEMORIES OF THE BEACH

2008-11-24T13:21:00.013-08:00

A short time ago, Kayden and I, along with my sister and her family, hopped on an airplane headed for Florida. It was Kayden's first plane ride, and he thoroughly enjoyed every second of it... Napping. At just 6 weeks old, I think that Kayden spent the majority of his first vacation sound asleep.

I miss the sunny Florida beaches, and long for the smell of salt in the air. While the beaches of North Carolina are only an hour or so away, they are drastically different than the sunny beaches of Florida. The frigid waters this time of year are not exactly, "my cup of tea." Since I cannot drop everything to run back to the sunshine state, a few memories of my time there will have to suffice.

That is, until I head for the sunny state of California in just 22 short days!

BABY MODELS EVERYWHERE BEWARE

2008-11-16T20:09:00.007-08:00

My opinion may be a bit biased, but I think my little baby boy could possibly be the cutest baby boy ever! His smile brightens each and everyday of my life, and I could not be more thankful. He is such a blessing, and it doesn't hurt that he shines in front of the camera.

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY... THIS PHOTOGRAPHER WANTS TO PLAY

2008-11-15T22:15:00.006-08:00

Here in North Carolina the trees have slowly been changing into rich, deep, beautiful colors. I love all the hues of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens that come with the changing season. I have been eager to head outdoors and snap some pictures. Unfortunatley for me, it has been raining non-stop.

However, I was not going to let the rain put a damper on my day. I decided to snap some pictures indoors of my sweet little baby boy Kayden. I am still sorting through and editing images, but I thought I would post a little teaser so you know what is to come. Check back in a few days for the rest of the photoshoot.

PRECIOUS

2008-11-06T11:22:00.020-08:00

My beloved Grandma Bette used to say that the simplest things in life are the things that are most precious, and that you should cling to them tightly. I thought of her today as I was sorting through some of Kayden's things. I have boxes of clothes and shoes that he has outgrown, but I still find myself clinging to them. They are simple everyday items, but they are dear to me. They smell of his sweet baby aroma, and they are little memories of him. Simply put, they are precious.

I JUST HAVE TO BE BRAVE

2008-10-15T10:28:00.009-07:00

Since learning more about Photoshop, I have been editing and practicing in CS3 a lot. I MEAN A LOT! I just need to overcome my fears, and I need to post some of my photography for the world to see. Literally, this is the world wide web after all.

So, I just have to be brave...

Meet my Kayden John. I LOVE him so much!