These are my wonderful neighbors.  And I really mean WONDERFUL!  Like last weekend while I was gone for a session and bad traffic meant I was gone much longer than expected, they saved the day multiple times.  Did you ever watch I Love Lucy and think who really has a neighbor like that?  I can count on Stephannie to be my Ethel when I decide to bake cake before realizing I’m out of sugar or needing a Chewbacca costume part and of course she has some custom creation on hand.

Andrew wanted to plan a family session for Stephannie’s big milestone birthdate.  That husbands is a very thoughtful birthday gift ;).  In addition to Stephannie having a big birthday, she had gone through a very emotionally hard year with the loss of her mother and then her brother.  I watched my friend endure a very trying, emotionally exhausting, physically exhausting, mentally exhausting and draining period of life.  Through it all she managed to still be a rock star mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, artist,  and I could go on and on.  She is pretty amazing and one of the strongest people I know.  At the end of a difficult year but also a milestone birthday year, I was so happy to have been able to capture a little momento for her to remember this time of what life was like at this stage for the five of them.

Francesca Marchese Photography – Long Beach Family Photographer

Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County

Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Irvine, Long Beach