There are so many of you that I don’t have addresses for! So I thought I’d not only post the Christmas photo that beat the others, but I’d also share our 2006 letter with you! The spacing is a bit weird from I copied and pasted it. And since Christmas is here and gone, I’m just going to leave it that way. 🙂 Enjoy!

The inside of the card says, “Some friends say we’re a high energy family. Don’t know why?” 🙂

Living the Dream in a Tausend, High Energy, Very Rough Around the!

“Momma,” said Pascaline. “I think it’s time you start looking for a new place to live.” Her statement is so point-blank I have to pause from making breakfast because I can tell she’s got more to add. “Dad and I are getting married sooner than we thought. So you’ll have to start looking this week even.”

“Don’t you think you might miss me if I moved?”

Without skipping a beat, she looks right at me, “Don’t worry mom. You’ll find another husband that makes you laugh. And then me and dad can have you, your new husband, and Blaze over for dinner!”

Once again I’m in this (almost too) familiar place where I have no idea what to say. Would you?

Blaze, on the other hand, has been referring to me as his “Hot Girl.” You’d think I had a school girl crush on my 2 ½ year old son. But then Pascaline was kind enough to point out how Blaze is really saying, “Hawk Girl.” She is a fellow superhero and has a hawk’s face and wings. The more sissy explains the more excited Blaze gets. In Blaze’s world this is still a big compliment. He himself is Superman, and Hawk Girl often flies around with Superman. The crush is still going for me. J

With daily dialogues evolving around flying capabilities of Superman and Hawk Girl, Choo-Choo’s, Cosette and Fantine’s turmoil in Les Miserables (yes, Pascaline is still addicted to the soundtrack J), Pascaline’s constant weighing of the pros and cons between a destination wedding vs. a church wedding (we know we’re in trouble!), and Brian and I having fun brainstorming new ideas for our business over all the chatter; I’m thinking we’re living the dream in a Tausend, High Energy, Very Rough Around the Edges Way.

In the last year, Me Ra Koh Photography has done weddings, photo shoots and speaking engagements in Maui, San Francisco, the Hamptons, LA, Las Vegas, Sonoma Wine Country, back to NY and then back to LA two more times. Phew!

Brian and I have dreamed of shooting in beautiful places where we could go as a family, teaching our children about different places and cultures.

Well, when airport security in Maui asked Brian to unpack, for the THIRD time, our four large suitcases, four camera bags, 2 laptop briefcases, the portable crib, the stroller and two car seats…he sort of flipped out. I held the kids close as we watched dad literally hurl the suitcases onto the conveyor belt while yelling four letter words, sweating through his shirt and being surrounded by more and more security. It’s in moment like this that I remember we are living our dream, we just didn’t realize it came with so much damn luggage! Needless to say, we did a few trips in 2006 without the kids, crib, stroller and car seats. J

But for those of you, like my husband, who enjoy the list more then the anecdotes, here they are!

Our 2006 Highlights:

1. Pascaline starting kindergarten at a wonderful Waldorf school.

2. Blaze speaking full sentences!

3. Seeing our family in Vegas over Thanksgiving, and being literally mesmerized by their performances in Le Reve at the Wynn.

4. My little brother getting married to an incredible woman!

5. My other little brother selling his first screenplay to

!

6. New “cup of sugar” neighbors! (hands down we’ve got the BEST!)

7. Filming several times with VH1 for their Fabulous Weddings show (check the blog for airing updates)

8. Speaking nationwide, launching our new website, and having our articles and images published in a handful of magazines.

9. Awesome new friends through our PUG group and Pictage!

10. Bleu and Ginger (our wedding photography associates) shooting over 25 weddings their first year with us. Bleu recently being invited to join the Nordstrom corporate photo studios. (Our associates are awesome!!)

11. Just this week, a small write up on our studio in New York Magazine! Check it out!

Top Ten Upcoming Highlights for 2007!

1. Pascaline turning 6, and Blaze turning 3!!!

2. Seeing Bill Cosby live in February!

3. 10 year anniversary trip to

!

4. Brian launching Blue Steel Archives, LLC!

5. Nine Speaking Engagements and Weddings booked in LA, NY, CO, ID and Seattle!

6. Workshops for Moms and Photographers!

7. Production of a new DVD series for moms!!! (super excited about this!)

8. Book in the works! And blogging daily! Check it out!!

9. 2^nd year with our associates, Bleu and Ginger and Gina Sook!

10. 2^nd year of being invited as one of fourteen worldwide photographers in Grace Ormonde’s Wedding Style magazine!

Things that have stayed the same and constant;

1. Prince Phillip, our very LARGE cat, sleeping 17 plus hours a day.

2. Brian’s 2am cravings for sweets and things that crunch.

3. Blazey’s chubby cheeks.

4. Pascaline’s confidence. J

5. Me Ra’s juggling routine!

Where did we start last year? In January 2006, I wrote a lot about fear. The doctors had found a 3^rd growth on one of my ovaries. It required a 3^rd surgery (in less than 2 ½ years). Five days prior to surgery, we did another MRI and the doctors found no evidence of a growth. It was documented as a miracle. You can imagine the stress and mixed relief of it all.

When you’ve been forced to face deep loss and such uncertainties multiple times, I find myself not being able to do any thing but “go for it.” Whether it’s “going for it” or high energy, one thing is for sure…your love and constant support inspires us!

We wish you many laughs and crazy stories in 2007!

Brian, Me Ra, Pascaline and Blazey