Family Portraits

I have a little confession... we've only had one family portrait done and it was when Brady was about 2 months old. Every other family photo has been taken with a self-timer.

Then last year my m-i-l asked for us to get a family portrait, she'd even pay for it. Still didn't go.

Finally my friend Brooke sent me this e-mail inviting us to meet her at Hovander for a photo session. Now, I really want to support my friend and it just happened to be a good excuse to do what we have neglected for all these years (you know, like 6).

Of course I don't have the photos to share with you (one because she is editing them and two she owns them), but Brady begged to stop at Tennant lake on our way out so he could race up the viewing tower with Larry. Natalie meandered through the fragrance garden taking in the last of summers beauty. I grabbed my camera and did a little impromptu shoot with the little miss, but she insisted that Angelina Ballerina join her. My daughter had a rough reality check yesterday when I told her that only 3 of her babies could come to California with us. It's been a real struggle for her trying to narrow it down (please keep her in your thought during this difficult time for her).

And I need to publicly thank GAGE (Brooke's oldest son and Brady's idol) for being the child wrangler today. Larry said (though I was thinking it) "Thank God Gage was there, I don't think we would have gotten any pictures today without him". Seriously. That kid is a ham, as well as good-natured and silly. I hope he had fun chasing squirrels with my family. I hope he went to bed easily for Brooke tonight after that too! He definitely earned his dollar with our family.