My lovely niece Elizabeth got married. I have been photographing her since she was born. She made a very beautiful bride. Here are the best of the bridal photos.

Photography has been keeping me busy this month. I shot two wedding, did a bridal session, senior photos, and some head shots all in the last couple weeks. It has been such fun, but we still have a lot of work finishing edits and proof books, etc. I only do weddings for close friends and family now since we are on the road so much. This wedding was great because it was some old neighbors. It was awesome too because Brian and I shot separate cameras, getting two perspectives and many, many photos. I love this one that Brian got. While I was photographing the front of the couple, Brian got around to the back and I love this perspective. I am even in the left corner. It was a beautiful day, here are the highlights.

A very sunny ring ceremony.

I love to photograph laughter.

The end of a long wedding day for this little one.

Jane made me laugh the other morning when she was painting with her beloved bike helmet on, just in case. Colin told me recently he was having a dangerous art time when he was working on the secrets of thunder and lightening. I did not know art could be so full of potential peril.

Is it really the end of August? I can't believe we were still in Tokyo about 2 weeks ago. Here are a handful the final photos.

And to explain this entry's title, Colin's cousin recently asked him what his favorite place is that we have visited. Colin's answer: McDonald's. Forget Jerusalem, London, Paris, Mexico City, Krakow or Tokyo, this boy just need some chocolate milk, a burger, and ideally, a play place. (We have not seen play places at international McDonald's so far.)
Travel is wasted on the young.

Our Tokyo hotel was right next to a huge park with an impressive playground. Slides in Japan were either amazing or slow and not so great. We have taken quite the world tour of playgrounds.

Tokyo seemed a little cooler than Kobe since there was always a nice breeze, but we still got very hot. So glad our kids love water.

I thought this might slow Jane down since the chains on this ladder moved but no problem for our little climber. She likes to make me nervous.

We spent some time with our friends at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Hall, a great 7 story free place for kids to play. I wish every city had a free 7 story building full of toys and kid activities for free!

Our last Saturday in Japan we went to see a fireworks show. The fireworks went off for about an hour and a half and were nothing like we have ever seen in our whole lives, totally amazing! Brian and I went to the fireworks show at Disneyland which we thought was impressive but no, it is not. I was in a bad mood as we headed out (since I had a feeling it would be a very crazy venture and it was) but I am glad we went. Kind of a once in a lifetime thing.

We read that this fireworks show has an estimated crowed of 900,000 people. 900,000 people!!!! It was so, so crazy and there we were with our two kids and double stroller and met our friends with three kids and double stroller. I wish we had gotten some photos of the sea of people but things were a little hectic, not easy for photos. Brian did get these few of the fireworks.

Are we just ruining our kids because every fireworks show after this one will be a let down. Lucky they won't remember well and just Brian and I are ruined.

Here are Brian and some co-workers. Our friends watched our kids so Brian and I could go to the end of the last show of Candide and to the goodbye party. It was amazingly easy to walk around Tokyo without two kids.

Near the theater in Tokyo

And wish we had gotten better photos but we were trying to hurry back to our kids. Some of the guys in Tokyo do some pretty crazy things to their hair. See me in the left corner since Brian was pretending to take a photo of me?

Outside the Shibuya station, just a few people crossing the street.

Thankfully our exit from Japan was pretty easy, just a ride to the airport and a direct flight to Salt Lake. Our kids did great with the very long travel day and within a week were sleeping somewhat normally. So glad our next trip (Victoria BC Canada) has only a 1 hour time change.

On our first day in Tokyo, we headed over to the Asakusa area, where a very popular temple is located. Above is the Thunder Gate with its little lantern. This gate was first constructed in 942, although it has been destroyed many times.

There were fun vendors going into the tourist area. We wanted to explore this area because Brian had read it is more old town Tokyo. We bought some hot chestnut cookies that came in many fun shapes.

Jane wanting to put her own shoes on, of course.

And walk on her own.

And get too close to the burning incense (with Daddy close behind).

We don't have any photos from it, but we also wandered around Kitchen Street, where all the restaurant supplier are (there are MANY!) It was very cool, luckily helped by a well-timed Jane stroller nap so we could look at a few things. We got some lovely miso soup bowls and wanted to buy some good plastic food but it was too spendy for a novelty toy. We loved all the plastic food at nearly every restaurant!

The train/subway system through Tokyo was amazing but not really stroller friendly. We carried the stroller up and down a lot of stairs which is not too bad but not too good either. Tokyo kind of wore us out by the end. We were so lucky to have some friends there that week or we maybe would have gone crazy.

Look what Jane has discovered in the dress ups? She has some serious high heel skills.

And she LOVES how much noise they make on wood floors. It is quite annoying and darling.

I love my stroller so much that sometimes I let it babysit the kids. It is like Good Dog Carl but with a stroller.

I am a serious Phil&Teds head, so much so that from my over-activity on their facebook fan page (I check in there most days like I am checking in on an old friend) that they had me write up a little blog for them. Here is the link. I really, really do love their products and could not do what we do without them. It is a bit of an investment but there are deals out there and good baby gear is worth it! Thanks again phil&teds!!!

We have been back at home for a week but said good bye to Brian this morning as he is off to New York for a gig. It's a very romantic anniversary. Still have to post our last few days in Tokyo. We are just starting to adjust from the 15 hour time change (always seems harder to go west than east to me). We had a very busy week at home and a very lazy one at the same time.

The last seven years of marriage have literally taken me place I never dreamed of. It is a fun, wild adventure and I know I could not do most of what I do without Brian. We look forward to many more anniversaries where we can be in the same state together all day.