My Mom

My Mom came to visit us while Pete was away.  I love when my mom and I get to hang out by ourselves  (well, besides the 5 little ones with us).  It is different when my dad and Pete are not here.  We miss them...but we love the time together.  It does not happen often so this week I am especially grateful for these special moments.

I could list the million ways I adore her.  I could go on about what a great mom she is, an incredible grandmother, fun friend, pure sweet soul.  The list would be endless.

I could also talk about the great hope I have for my future by having the slim possibility of looking as great as she does.

But today,  I have to say the best thing about my mom is the way she loves my kids.  It is pure, intense and simple.  And  another thing...I think she was the ONLY person in the state of Alabama wearing a sweater today.  That makes me love her too!!

She Smiles

If I...

Take Out....

My Camera....

She Smiles!!!

Me, Kids, And The Beach

I am still recovering from my 3 days at Pensacola Beach with my 5 little shadows.  I am still finding sand in and around Priscilla.  All in all, I had a very fun time.  Being in public with any more than 2 children in considered a spectacle...add Lucy in and you have exactly that...A SPECTACLE!!

What was really fun was it was just me and the kids.  Even though we all missed Pete...it was kinda fun having the kids all to myself.  I got to be silly with them and I got to do whatever I wanted to do with them.  I did not have to consider any other person...just US!!  On the first night after we left Flounders, just outside there was a little spot playing some fun music..so we just stood there and danced.  Silly and fun!!  I think I need to be silly with them more often.  I think they really remember moments like this.  I know I will.

I then took them to do what any self respecting mother who bails out of town because she is afraid of being hot would do...we got ice cream!!  And this very brave lady asked if she could take our picture.

I think she wanted to get the camera out of my hand so I would clean this babies face.

There Are No Favorites

...It's just that watching Lucy is really funny. She is constantly moving...never predictable and usually 1 step away from a disaster.

I don't mean to take more pictures of her...it's just that I am usually having to keep her from doing something completely crazy and I can usually catch it early if I am aiming my lens at her.

She does NOTHING normal...or peacefully!!!

Even when I look at these several days later..I laugh because this captures her 100%!!!

Miss You!!

I Love You Kimberly Powers

I love getting comments on my blog. I look forward to checking comments every morning. A few short mornings ago I got the BEST comment EVER from Kimberly....a long time Coastie Friend from San Diego and Alaska. She asked me a photography question. I was so excited that I beamed for several hours (maybe days??). I wanted to answer some of her questions....just in case any of you get as excited when reading my comments.

#1 The back of all my kids heads is what I am usually able to capture.

#2 Priscilla is THE BEST at not letting me get a picture of her.

#3 I take 1 million shots that you will NEVER see because LOVE the delete feature.
#4 Molly is the most agreeable when it comes to letting me practice. But even she gets bored with it.

#5 So...what you mostly DON'T see on my blog is the 500,000 pictures I take of silly things, like my flip flops on the sand. I practice fooling with my settings on objects that:
#1 Don't get hungry
#2 Won't move or hit the person next to them
#3 Does not need to see every picture the SECOND I am done shooting it.

I have to admit that I am having a lot of fun watching my kids grow up in the pictures that I take. I want to get better and in a few years I hope to achieve that. Until then I will chase the backs of sandy haired babies and coax small boys to smile.

Guess Where I Went This Week?

On Tuesday afternoon the AC stopped working at our little white house.  With Pete still being gone there is only so much I can take...

I told the kids....pack your bags we are going to the beach!!!

I was actually the one packing all the bags.... but it was fun to shout it out anyway.

So the 6 of us headed to P'cola....I took about 600 pictures.  I had to delete about 590 of them because I am such a ROOKIE when it comes to getting good shots.  Who can blame me?  I was so distracted by this small person who left the cottage in a  thong....
Where is this girls mother???
(behind her Nikon)
More to come later...right now I am sitting in my somewhat cool house listening to NOTHING....because it has been exactly 48hrs since I heard this sweet sound!!!