A few more Port Aransas

My sweet Suzy, how I love you so.

Little Man checks out the beach. Hmmmmm.... sand..... Pretty much as expected, we didn't get much of a reaction. I know I keep saying it, but he is sooooo his father! I love it. Suzy and I need a little Sugar with our Spice. :)

We attempted a few family portraits while on vacation this year. It was fun to play. :) Thanks, Judith for helping us take these photos.

Such a typical Suzy expression. Her preschool teacher said today, "My, Suzy was very full of energy today." Ya think?! I just love her zest for life. And, in typical Andy fashion... Mr. Mellow Fellow. I really wonder what his toddler years will be like.

Andy's first day at the beach.

My sister, Laura, was able to join us on this trip. We had a blast hanging out with them and their crazy fun Buffett RV. I always enjoy getting together with Laura and her family. I hope we can continue to take some vacations together as our kids get older.

This is Laura's youngest, Jimmy. When I thought I couldn't have children, we would joke that it was OK, because God just gave my child to Laura. We've teased for years that he is my "Mini Me." So, now that Suzy is here, I guess I have two "Mini Mes".
Here's Jimmy and TJ, Laura's oldest. They are such great friends. I hope my kids play this well as they grow up together.
Poor Jimmy got stung by a jellyfish on their last day.

Port Aransas

We did another vacation to Port Aransas with our friends from church and I think everyone had a great time. I even brought my photo stuff with me and attempted to get some family portraits as well. I am definitely learning something about myself. I really prefer to do the candid shots to the portraits. If I do portraits, I prefer fewer subjects. Maybe it's just my "clientele" at this point. But, it's nearly impossible for a beginner like myself to get two babies and a mommy and daddy to all look good in the same shot. :) I guess that's why I'm studying up on the photoshop techniques as well.


My sister, Laura, actually took these two shots, but I love them. I really didn't get to take nearly as many pictures as I was wanting or planned to. I just didn't have the time with trying to visit with everyone and keep up with a toddler and infant at the same time. Oh well, there are always the years to come! Rob and I have discussed making this an annual event. I hope we do! I think the kids would really look forward to it.



Lane on the beach. I hardly feel like I spent any time at all with the Diana and her family, but I did get to see them briefly.
Sweet Katherine.
I love Adeline's dress. I got several shots of her, but this one was my favorite.
So sweet of Chris and Aravis.
Judith picked this spot out for Elizabeth and it ended up being some of my favorites. I really liked the color contrasts and angles.


The Wallace's were a lot of fun. I wish I would have been able to spend more time with them as well.

I know, I know,... but I just think naked babies are so cute! I actually got a better "nude" (side view only) when his diaper fell off. But, since he's not mine, I didn't think it appropriate to post.


Andy seemed to really enjoy his vacation as well. He did alright. We were all pretty happy to sleep in our own beds when we got home, but for being so out of routine, he really was a great trooper. He just amazes me by how easy going he continues to be. On a side, he literally smiled at me as I put him in his bed for his afternoon nap today. Then proceded to sleep for going on two hours at this posting....What??!!
Andy's second day at the beach.
Another Wallace shot. I just thought this looked fun.
So, what do you think? Are you on board for next year?

Red Barn

We did more pumpkins on Sunday with Suzy's friend, Rebekah. We all had a good time.

There was even a resident kitty on hand for petting pleasures.
I love that Suzy is interacting more with her friends. It's so fun to see her developing socially as well as physically. Here they were playing a mix of hide and go seek with a little tickle tag when discovered.
I just think Rebekah is so beautiful. Suzy really has some pretty little girl friends.




She LOVES to pick the blooms off of flowers.
This, however was what the majority of the pictures of Suzy looked like. A blur running away from me.
I'm sure there will be many more pumpkin pictures to come.... The fall here is just gorgeous.

Nifty Fifty lens

I'm practicing with my new lens for Port Aransas next week. We went to the pumpkin patch at our YMCA last night with our dear friends, the Lenfests. Gwyneth posted some great photos of the girls as well.
Suzy continues to absolutely adore her baby brother.
This lens takes a lot of practice, it's depth of field is really shallow. It's great if you hit the target, but really obvious if you miss!


I had some more fun tonight. I used the new lens and some photoshop as well..

Not a lot of smiles, we got the last of our two month shots today. Poor Baby Brother.
I just love his pudgy little fingers.
Thanks for the overalls, Josh! My mommy loves them!

Wednesday Ramblings

My hubby loves me. :) One of my favorite photo bloggers, Amy-Rose King, recommended a new lens called a "nifty fifty". It basically means that just a very small portion of your picture is in focus. I LOVE what she does with it and wanted to give it a try! My sweet husband surprised me with the lens last night with an incredibly sweet card as well. I know my pictures are way far from Amy's, but you have to start somewhere! These are a few shots "right out of the box." Rob actually took this one. He teases me about my little hobby, but I think he secretly likes photography just as much as I do. Sometimes I think he even gets better shots than I do... grrr. ;)
This was the older lens, but it's still a great shot of little man. My post is a little haphazard here. I'm still working on the ordering of pictures and such in blogger.

I had to include this photo. I just love it. I was trying to catch Andy's new found skill of smiling, and she was begging for me to take her photo as well. Sooo funny.
My first photo with my new lens. Rob is so thoughtful, he even included some flowers for me to practice with.
Not a superbly flattering shot of Suzy, but you get the idea of how her eyes are so crisp, yet her hair is a little softer. I just love this lens and can't wait to use it next week at the coast!

Andy continues to be such a little doll. At bible study this morning, we walked in and the little grandmas were like, "Oh, it's Andy!" Coming from the perspective of Suzy never making it longer than about 20 minutes in any nursery setting, I was like, "What? He's a Smith, right? And you like him?"
My second little cutie pie. Thank you, Amy for encouraging me and being an inspiration.