Since I know everyone has been on the edge of their seat just *WAITING* for me to post pictures of my kids… thought I’d make good on my promise. Here’s a few snapshots of the kiddos enjoying the beach!

Just in case any of you are looking for a super cool condo in Orange Beach, I highly recommend Phoenix West! It’s right on the beach… PLUS has a super cool water slide, lazy river & zero entry pool! The units are UBER nice too…. around 2000SF so everyone isn’t right on top of each other. We’ll definitely be going back!

So. My husband gets the bright idea to head to Six Flags even though we already had SOOOO much fun (note my sarcasm) at the zoo on Thursday. “They’re only open all day on Friday, Saturday, & Sunday” I remember him saying. Since I’m booked with shoots, & he was working Saturday, Friday was pretty much the only option. We couldn’t pass it up, really - we were getting free admission, free parking, and free meal tickets… almost too good to be true.

It was.

So we invite Tucker’s best friend Joshua & his dad (Greg). Forecast calls for rain, but we’re optimistic people, so we headed toward Atlanta, even though it was drizzling a bit…

and it kept raining.

and raining.

and… you guessed it…. raining.

About 30 minutes into the trip, I *mentioned* something along the lines of “Hey, it’s still raining - pretty hard…” Hubby & Greg are laughing away, talking politics, football, random stuff. Just not the weather.

So. We arrive at Six Flags. And it’s STILL raining…. and they… well, they look closed? (weird, huh? Seeing as they are OPEN ALL DAY on Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, right?) So we decide we’ll just take a trip to the Georgia Aquarium (which, by the way, is the largest aquarium in the WORLD). We hop back on the interstate, and I look back at the Six Flags sign that says, in bright, flashing lights “OPEN TODAY 6-11″…

Boy, was hubby glad it was raining. I heard Greg mention something about the Griswald’s….

Anyhoo, we made the best of it - it was a really beautiful aquarium. It was SO incredibly packed (guess everyone else had the same idea on a rainy day!) that it was hard to take pics, but here’s a few…

I P.R.O.M.I.S.E. that I try to get this kid NOT to point with his bird finger. I’ve gotta break this habit before he starts kindergarten & gets expelled… *sigh*

HAPPY FALL Y’ALL! =) Back to work for me tomorrow. BOOOOOO!

Ahhh, fall break. Nate’s spending the week with his Mawmaw & cousins, the boys are going camping with Dad… so I took the entire week off with the intention of relaxing, getting some of my photog “stuff” done - and absolutely NOTHING else - no cleaning (okay I can never escape this…), no cooking (I got bored & whipped up a feast fit for Thanksgiving by Tuesday), and definitely NO public outings with the kids. Camping lasted all of one day, because Eric simply couldn’t take it any more. We actually got date night on Wednesday - dinner & a movie! By Thursday, we decided to go to the zoo. Naturally. Because boredom makes the brain mushy.

BUUUUUUT, I’m thinking - perfect photo opp, right? Wrong. I didn’t charge my battery & my camera died about 30 minutes into our little trip. My husband thought it was quite funny. (I did not. Hmph.)

I decided to snap some shots of Cassidy on the way there while I had her all strapped down…
this is what you call a severe case of P.C.S. (Photographer’s Child Syndrome)

Heh. Revenge is sweet….

Ohhhh, I’m kidding, totally kidding. I don’t torture my kids with 20 foot snakes. Pinky swear. I did giggle. Quietly, though. PROMISE!

I thought these stinkers would quit fighting long enough for me to get a PERFECT PARROT shot, but noone really felt like cooperating. *sigh* Nice bokeh, though. =)

This little guy was cute (and STILL)… hey, it’s not easy being green. (snicker)

The Lorakeet exhibit - the kids LOOOOOVED this!


Tucker was really mad because this one little guy just stayed with him even when his nectar cup was empty. Then - Jackson to the rescue - he yelled & ran him off. Tucker kept insisting that it was his new “pet bird” and he would have stayed with him forever if Jackson wouldn’t have run him off. What are little brothers for?

Just showing you that I actually *do* attempt to photograph my children. They just don’t cooperate. Grrrrrrr.

And the last shot of my 3 rugrats before the camera battery died (boo!):

By the time we got home, I was so exhausted that I fell into my bed & straight into a coma…. *sigh*

So we planned a 6Flags trip for the next day…. ugh. We never learn.

I’m so excited!!!!!

I got my second finalist at Better Photo with this picture:

Linkage for those who care to see =) I’m such a happy camper!!! =)

It’s all her fault…

She twisted my arm & made me download lightroom & now I can’t stop playing.

YES, it’s 8am- YES, I’m supposed to be at work. BUT I CAN’T STOP. Who cares?! It’s just money, right? But wait, I do need some way to pay for all my toys…

Gotta go.

another beach pic. I’m a WOman of my word. This is kinda different for me but I liked it =)

I finally downloaded lightroom to try… it’s actually pretty cool. I used Renee’s presets & it makes everything SO much easier =)

Another lightroom edit:

So just in case anyone missed me, I’ve been at the beach! My mailbox was FULL FULL FULL, but I’ll have everyone answered by tomorrow… so if you don’t hear from me… I DIDN’T GET YOUR EMAIL. For some reason I’ve been having some issues with godaddy’s email - a couple clients didn’t get my emails - & now I’m a bit nervous about the whole issue, so if I don’t answer you, don’t think I’m ignoring, I just didn’t get the email - or you didn’t get mine

Sharing a couple from my trip. Promise there will be more… you’ll be sick of beach pics in the fall in a few days, I’m sure!

Notice the different bathing suits. I think I packed ooooh about 3, then I bought 3 more. EEEEK! Is it wrong? I just thought the green would be cute for pics. LOL! It was on sale… Well, heck, you have to admit I was right… I mean, look at that! She’s so flippin’ cute I can’t stand it. That’s Eric & the boys she’s looking at And YES I put sunscreen on her but she did get a bit pink!

This is definitely one of my new faves…. I LOVED shooting on this day… the sunset was absolutely FANTASTIC.

I’ve heard of putting your foot in your mouth, but someone elses? GROSS. At least it’s plastic, LOL! We were shopping, this is what happens when boys get bored…

that it’s August. YES, I went to New Orleans/Cozumel/Costa Maya in June. YES, I posted like 1 picture, HAHA! I really did forget to post more after I’d gone through a bit. I went a little bonkers with bw, but I’m finding I really, really like it lately. =)

I loved all the clocks - I really like this “old-timey” black & white (does anyone say that if you don’t live in the south?)

Cool jazz statue in the casino-

That’s all for now! =)

Still going through the files from vacation… I came across this tonight. It was terribly noisy originally, but I LOVED it. So I just added to it using the RealGrain software… watcha think? Looks like an old film shot to me

I’m such a bad, bad blogger. I’ve been so busy since we got back from vacation…. I’m behind on my proofing, trying to keep up with Wendy’s class, trying to get this house in decent order, CHASING three kids…. wow! I’ve not had a lot of sleep the past week, but I can’t really blame that on anyone but myself Well, I guess I could, but I won’t. HA!

I did get the absolutely, positively fantastic news that I got a finalist at Better Photo! I was SOOOOOOOO proud of this - it was the first time that I had ever entered a contest. And considering the FREAKING AWESOME competition, I felt really really honored to have the judges pick this photo as a finalist. It’s Madison - isn’t she a knockout?! This was taken waaaay back in October, when I got my first decent lens, but it’s still one of my favorites.

Here’s the link. My finalist! Look, a little silver badge. How cool is THAT? I feel like such a bragger. HA! I SOOOOOOOOOO am. And I don’t care.

Here’s a couple more from vacation.
Cozumel, Mexico - via porthole.

Pirate in Costa Maya - LOVED this guy - he was a hoot - such a poser!