water slides. trains. jump houses. games. ice cream. snow cones. and an endless supply of blue balloons. these are only a few of the many fun filled activities of today’s tioga town fair. all organized to benefit the Sebastian Ferrero Foundation. a huge crowd showed up and all enjoyed the almost rainless day of festivity.

here are some photos from the day….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

my oldest son, nikhil, turns 8 years old today. E-I-G-H-T!!! how did this day happen? wasn’t it just yesterday he was my first born and small enough to fit in my arms? and now he is a big man with big ideas, big opinions and big dreams.

my heart bursts when i look at him these days. a helpful son. a responsible older brother. a thoughtful friend. an eager student. he is always on the go, go, go and ready to travel, explore and learn. i just want to freeze time and keep him as this happy eight year old boy.

we celebrated with family and friends yesterday. and although the rain came down with moments of thunder, it did not stop the party. niko had an everlasting smile from ear to ear and reported that he felt so, so, so happy. and the harry potter cake from dream day cakes was truly the icing on the cake.  beautifully designed and absolutely delicious, gainesville is lucky to have such talent.

here is my pensive, loving and brilliant birthday boy….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

thank you to all who came out to the casting call at the little shop.  what a busy morning filled with Gainesville’s gorgeous little faces!  i loved meeting all of you.  and don’t worry if you couldn’t make this session.   we will for sure hold another casting call in a few months.  just send the ladies at little shop your email so they know how to contact you.  or better yet, get linked up to my facebook page/blog (see link below) and you will be updated on any upcoming events

here is a small sample of the cuties who stopped by….

have you heard of american heart heroes? or camp boggy creek?

they are two amazing programs here in florida that invite kids with heart disease to enjoy the summer camp experience.  they provide a place for kids to be just kids and make friendships with other children sharing similar obstacles.  there is swimming, horseback riding, sing alongs, fishing and more.  all on 232 acres of tall pines, majestic oaks and nature trails.  and did i mention that paul newman was one of the founders of the camp?  and what is more amazing is that there is no charge to the children or families who attend.

i met many of these young heroes at their send-off this past weekend.  with their luggage packed, the kids were welcomed with face painting, arts and crafts and breakfast.  i saw emotional reunions with doctors, camp counselors, nurses, old buddies and families.  but mostly, i felt their happiness and excitement.

here are some images taken on that fun-filled morning…..

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

big day. big turnout. big success. all for the newly opened little shop. now open in the haile village and offering children’s new and stylish consignment clothing at reasonable prices.  it is a breath of fresh air for gainesville….showcasing style and fashion for our kiddos.  while also creating a community center for children’s activities and parent meetups.  owners, kelly warm and andrea love, are the ultimate multi-taskers as moms, fashionistas and entrepreneurs.  i am proud to have partnered with them for their store’s photography and more projects to come!

here are some highlights of the fun-filled day….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra

do you have a daughter or know a girl in 3rd through 8th grade? if you do, you’ll want to learn more about this wonderful new program called Girls on the Run.

Girls on the Run is a life-changing after school, character development program for pre-teen girls. they use the power of running and exercise to help girls discover the confidence they need in the critical pre-teen years and beyond.

this past saturday, our local chapter of Girls on the Run held their first annual 5K run on U F campus.  two of my good friends, pam hess and jennifer bleiweis, are the directors and asked if i could help document the event.  event photographer i am not, but i did my best to capture the spirit of the day.  i loved watching the young girls get excited to run and seeing their proud faces at the finish line.  and with over 100 people registered, it was a successful first race!

here are some of my snaps from the day….

thanks for reading,
mikifoto by mallika malhotra