Family Pictures

This memorial day weekend has definately been an eventful one for me and my kiddos!   Although there were no sports games this weekend, we still found plenty of things to occupy our time!

Last night, we attended my neice, Vanessa's 3rd Birthday Party.  My sister successfully pulled off a nice cookout/birthday party for family and friends.  Vanessa got lots of really cute gifts and seemed to have a really great time.

This morning, we woke up about 9 a.m., ate some waffles and got dressed for the day.  I quickly realized tht Bekah and my outfits matched so I got the big idea that today would be the perfect day for me and my kids to get BEHIND the camera!

I had to think quickly though, because it was looking like rain and I needed to get Chaston a shirt to match, so I headed to Old Navy to pick him up a brown shirt to match and then we'd get this little photo shoot all worked out.  In the meantime, I had to think of who was out of bed, awake and able to get be quickly trained on my camera. 

JAYCEY!!!  She's been in front of my camera several times and had taken some good photos before, so I though maybe she'd be interested in riding along for a little photo shoot with my kids.  And luckily... she was!!

All she had to do was take the pictures that had me in them.  Other than that, I could get it all done.  My mom came along with us so she could be in some pictures with her grand babies (and myself)... it was a lot of fun!

We got off to a rough start at first, because as we know, my son Chaston is NOT fond of pictures.  But we got it taken care of and by our second destination, he was cooperating quite well.  I was so happy to get some pictures of my mom with me and my kids too, simply because - the reality is tomorrow isn't promised to anyone, so I want to be able to capture this time in the lives of not only my children, but also my mother ... as well as her relationship with my kids. 

I think Jaycey did a wonderful job taking pictures and I was SO EXCITED to have some pictures with my kiddos!  I haven't had a "family picture" done since Christmas '06... so it was time! 

When we got started, as i said before - Chaston wasn't really cooperative.  So, you really have to enjoy the crappy smile that he's displaying here.  Also, disregard the left over rash around his mouth and nose from his "issues" last week...

 

Me and My Little Man...

 

Me and My Girl...

 

 

Me, Chaston, Bekah and My Mom

 

 

I am so blessed....

 

 

 

My Mom and I.    ...the one that I'm most thankful for.    No matter the struggle, we've always persevered.  The woman that taught me to work hard for everything you have, do for others and expect nothing in return. 

"All that I am, all that I have, I owe to my angel mother" - Abe Lincoln

 

 

 

Grandma Becky with Chaston and Bekah

 

 

THANK YOU Jaycey for taking the time out of your morning to hang out with us, take our pictures and have patience for my little man.  Thank you for always letting me practice photography on you, back when i lived in the "ghetto" and put your legs in a trashbag in the snow to get "the perfect picture".  Your selflessness and willingness to help others will take you so much farther than you realize.  No matter what your mom tells you, your real name is Jacinda Baboonda.  LOVE2U!!!

 

~G  

 

 

Vanessa is 3 Years Old!

My neice, Vanessa will turn 3 on May 26th, so in honor of her birthday - I took she and her little sister Brianna out for a couple of hours this evening for some pictures!  I haven't been able to hang out with the girls for quite a while, so it was nice to grab them and go take some pictures!

The goal was to get pictures of Vanessa, since it's her birthday.  If we could get a decent one of Brianna with her or Brianna alone, then great!  If not, then oh well.

Usually, when I take Vanessa's pictures, she's not the most willing to give a cheesy-toothy-grin.  But today... was great!!  I was so proud of her.  She was a little apprehensive at first ... about leaving without her mommy - but soon after we left and got started on pictures, she commented, "we don't need mommy to have fun!"  I was so happy that she had a good time.

If you haven't met her before... meet my three year old neice Vanessa...

 

 

 

Vanessa has never been a fan of getting her hair brushed...  when I was babysitting her on the weekends back in the fall, she mentioned cutting her hair to me and I told her mommy if she wanted me to cut it, I would.  Mommy and Daddy weren't ready to part with her hair just yet so I didn't touch anything but the bangs.

Low and behold... just a few months ago, Vanessa finally decided to cut her own hair!  (Hence the short haircut!).  So, I'm going to venture to say that Vanessa is going to be quite the determined one!

Vanessa's little sister Brianna is 10 1/2 months old and has a smile that melts your heart.

 

Vanessa is such a good big sister...

 

Vanessa was dying to see "the cows" at our second destination.  Somewhere between our first stop and our second stop... Brianna fell asleep - so it was just Vanessa and I on our next stop : The Farm.

The minute we arrived, Vanessa wanted to find the cows.  So i let her look for a few minutes before we jumped into more pics!

 

 

 

Finally!  Some cows came to talk to her, and she was SO excited!!!

 

 

 

 

Thanks girls for hanging out with me for a little bit tonight!! I had a great time and am SOOOO proud, excited and happy that you both smiled so pretttty!  xoxoxxo  See you tomorrow at your party!

And Happy Birthday to YOU Miss Vanessa!

~Aunt Ginny

Cathy+Holly+Heidi+3 Little Girls

Here's the long and short of it....

(the numbered outline is for you, Lindsey...  ...oh, and me!)

1.) I posted this blog early this morning but apparently it never registered.  That makes me angry.

2.) I am reposting the blog because these ladies are entirely too beautiful to not post.

3.) Holly and I have been trying to take pictures of the ladies of the McClurg family for quite a few weeks now and finally got a free moment with good weather and matching schedules yesterday evening.  Hoorah!

4.) Please enjoy.  Sorry for the lack of normalcy to this blog.  I'm still mad that it didn't post the first time.  I wrote a good one too!  GRRR.

 

Meet Cathy, Holly, Heidi, Carli, Cambri, Calee

 

Heidi + Calee

 

Holly + Carli + Cambri

 

SISTERS!!!

 

 

 

 

Grandma with her Granddaughters.  Do they get any cuter?

 

 

And a few fun ones!

 

 

 

Thanks to all of you for hanging out, having a good time and capturing some of the little things that make you a wonderful family.  A very special thanks to Pappaw Randy for entertaining my daughter throughout the shoot.  (... at one point, i looked behind me and holly's dad was literally upside down, feet flying through the air teaching Bekah how to do a cartwheel....)  Can it be any more AWESOME?!?!

Much love!

~G

 

 

Amanda + Prom!

I got the opportunity this afternoon to photograph a group of Juniors who were going to prom, and it was such a flashback to my own high school days!

It's one of the biggest nights for many high school upper classmen of their entire school career, the long awaited and much anticipated PROM.

Amanda is the beautiful daughter of a lady that i used to work with when I worked at Med One in when I was pregnant with Chaston.  Then, as fate would have it, Holly started working with her at the pediatrician's office that our kids go to, so long story short... she called and asked me to take her only daughter's prom pictures.

...and of course... I said yes.

She told me to meet her at Shadyside Park in Anderson and we'd get some pics of her daughter and the nthe group she was going with.  No problem.

I show up at Shadyside at 4:45 and BAM!  4,000,000 teenagers and their parents all doing the exact same thing.... Photographing Prom-goers.  HELLOOOOOOOO?!!?!?!  Did everyone have this idea?!

Anyway - we ended up making the best of it, and i was so thankful for Amanda+her boyfriend+everyone's family for their patience in getting these pictures completed.

So fun!!

 

 

Gorgeous!!!!!

 

 

Just before I took this shot, i whispered to them if we were allowed to kiss in front of the parents and they were like "SURE!".  So we kept it at a high school level  

 

The girlies...

 

 

Hooorah for one of the most memorable nights of high school! 

~G