Picture Day!

I am fairly certain that Kelly and I have been plotting and planning a family picture since Grace was born 5 1/2 years ago! I remember my interest peaking in the idea again when I was pregnant with Jack. Next thing you know, Josh had twins on the way. Then something random happened. I ran into an old friend on Facebook and discovered that she and her husband were brilliant photographers! Beverly Williams, an old colleague from Scholastic, and actually her whole family are a part of Chuck Williams Photography. You can check out their work here. Before I knew it, we had ourselves a family circus, uh-hem...I mean, picture day planned!


The day was really centered around Jack's second birthday pictures and a session for my niece Grace. Much to Beverly's dismay (just kidding, she was a really good sport about it), it quickly morphed into a session for my two month old twin nieces and an extended family session.
Have you ever tried to take a picture of a two year old? Add a 5 year old and two 2 month old babies into the picture(no pun intended) and my little dream photo session was starting to look like a recipe for disaster.
Well, you would never know by looking at all of the beautiful shots that Beverly and Chuck got for us! Even though the day was long, hot, and filled with cranky kids (and parents) it was a HUGE success!
All of the pictures are absolutely gorgeous! Well, all of the ones that I have seen so far. We are anxiously awaiting our gallery to be posted on the website, but so far the favorites have been to die for!
For instance, the shot you see of Jack above was taken in the midst of the shoot of the twins. He was running around being a typical fussy two year old and Beverly scooped him up and tossed him on my bed and he just giggled and smiled- perfect!




Jack at Acworth Beach.
I had never even been here. It is really nice. I look forward to taking advantage of it in the future. Chuck was brilliant on this one...Somehow he managed to catch Jack in a moment when he was not tangled up completely in the balloons! Or as jack would say "boons".
I love that it is by the lake. Jack loves the water and was actually saying repeatedly "lake, lake", "swimming, swimming". Thank goodness Beverly and Chuck brought balloons. Not only are they gorgeous in the pictures, they were a great distraction from the prospect of swimming!


Love this one! It is pure happy Jack! I think he was scooting up and down the stairs and someone caught him in a good mood!




This picture was taken at Frana Brown Park in Downtown Acworth. This was the beginning of the day and we were just warming up to the idea of the camera!

I adore this one! He looks so handsome..the only part I do NOT like about this one is how it shows me without a doubt what a big boy he is becoming. Oh whoah is me...little baby's all grow up!

This is happiness in a picture!

The sun, the water, the child running happily to a bundle of colorful balloons with the wind in his hair and the sand between his toes!

Speaking of sand between toes...I should mention, poor, poor Grace. There are no beach shots of her because it was all that she could do to tolerate Jack's pictures. She hates the sand and she was reminding us this (constantly) during our time at Acworth Beach! Thank you cousin Grace for sticking it out with us- it was worth it don't ya think?

We did some photos with Jack and Grace in downtown Acworth at the Red Caboose beside the train tracks. Jack was not really into cooperating. It was getting close to lunch time and nap time and it was WAAAAY hot! Luckily Chuck snapped a couple of quick ones with me in them and I am so glad!

A train went by and it really scared Jack. Luckily, KK was nearby and was able to calm him down so he could relax and see it up close and personal- I really like this one- it is so candid and sweet! Not long after this, we headed home for some lunch and a nap for Jack...he is starting to look like he needs it!

Unlike Jack, Grace was more than happy to accommodate Chuck's direction at the Caboose. After a bite to eat, we were all refreshed and ready to start round two! All of these clothes came from Chuck and Beverly's stash of props. They are SO Grace...She dresses a lot like this normally, just without the tutu!

Our little Diva..she has the whole picture day thing down. I think she really knows how to work it! She told Chuck that he was so smart and he knew everything! Word on the street is that she even got some ice cream out of the deal!

This is art...I mean- what an eye...MY GOODNESS!

The colors, the composition, the subject, the props...it is PERFECT!

Our Grace. This captures her sweetness and her adorable curls!

What I would give to have Jack in this picture, too. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A JOKE! He was so wound up at that point in the day. As much as I wanted it, I knew it would never work, and it works out kind of nice to get "just the girls".

This picture is great because Grace just met the twins for the first time a few hours before this was taken.

How adorable are those hats? Great job on the props, Beverly!

Our little bunnies! This is one of my favorites...

The twins fell right to sleep as soon as Beverly laid them on the blanket and they didn't wake up until she was done. It could not have been more perfect. Beverly says they are the best babies she has ever photographed. That was a big player in making the day go as smoothly as it did! If we had been having to feed, burp, change and soothe two babies, it could have been a mess!

Precious angels! I could just lean into the screen and kiss their sweet little faces.

Ahhhh...what a good looking family! It is hard to believe that my baby brother has two babies. I am so glad that we were able to capture this special time for them.

What can I say? I am a big fan of Chuck Williams Photography. They made a potentially stressful day fun!

So now I want to change gears...this is heavy, but my heart is heavy and I want to share this with anyone who might be reading.

On the morning of our scheduled photography session, Beverly was called to duty for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, an organization that provides photography for families who will never be able to take their newborns home from the hospital. When she let me know what was happening, I knew exactly who she was referring to, as I had been following the story of baby Nolen on her blog. I immediately began to cry, so I am not really sure how Beverly actually made it through such an emotionally draining day. I am so appreciative of her professionalism because she must have had a broken heart from the morning she spent at the hospital but she carried on like a trooper. I felt selfish for going through with our sessions while the Chandler's were in the midst of a parents worst nightmare. I have prayed and prayed for this precious baby and his family. Things like this continue to remind me to be thankful for all the things that I have and to strive to be present in each precious moment of this life. If you want to know more about baby Nolen, please go to their Caring Bridge website.

Somehow I never look as skinny in pictures as I really am (in my mind)

So I finally got a picture to prove that I really did see these little ladies! I never look as cute in pictures as I think I will...it must be the camera...HA! I suppose it is a good thing that now that we all have kids, they get to be the stars in the pictures!

Josh, Jarah, and the girls actually stopped over at Meme's house for a night-details to come!

I hope this is the beginning of a very beautiful relationship!

Hydranga Macrophylla 'Balilmer'




Dear Hydranga,

I will admit...you are not the first to put down roots in the Marsh backyard...there have been others before you. Somehow, previous attempts at hydranga love in my home have wilted under the care of my black thumb. Maybe it was the drought, maybe the timing was all wrong, maybe I was just not ready to commit. I am writing to say that I am ready now. I am through with the excuses. I pledge to love and care for you. I promise to do my part to keep you satisfied if you will do one thing.
GROW! Please grow and flourish and do not die on me and I will faithfully bring you refreshment so that you may continue to do so forever and ever- Amen...

Regards,

Melanie

So we got a new pool!

What do you think? You like? Jack sure does and that is what REALLY matters around our house! We had a great weekend. Swimming lessons on Saturday morning, then I was off to Lowe's during naptime to get some much needed landscaping material for the back yard. Saturday afternoon was spent with friends celebrating their sons high school graduation. I am afraid that if I blink, that will be us celebrating Jack's graduation! Then a family trip to Walmart for some food shopping. Dan and I polished off the day catching up on a couple of weeks of Friday Night Lights. I heart Coach Taylor!
Sunday was yard day! I planted some shrubs and perrennials, transplanted and split some hostas, and moved my hydranga. Then I got busy on a new hair bow holder for a sweet little mom to be. Our neighbor is expecting a little girl and her shower is this weekend. I also got a first coat on the War Eagle project I am working on for our sweet friend Judson's room!
Then it was PLAY TIME!


Jack had a ball on the slide. He called the sprinkler "shower", "shower". He did pretty good and never creid when he fell in head first!
We ran around and got wet all afternoon. I tried to mostly lay out in the sun, but that didn't really happen. That is OK, we all had fun!

Jack is so funny about cleaning up. He pulls EVERY SINGLE toy out of the screen porch whenever we play outside. I never worry though. He is going through this phase where he LOVES to clean up. For no reason, he just suddenly started putting the toys back in the screen porch at some point in the afternoon. He is so good! I hope this phase sticks!

I think he looks like his dad in this picture. This is such a Dan face!

This is the happy version of a Dan face! So cute and such fun!

Doing it and doing it well!

These guys are TOTAL pros!
Not to mention all four of them are adorable in every single way!


Meme came to town for a little two on one with her new precious nieces.
Sophie is checking out her music and light toy

We all got a surprise when Sophie was the one who was awake and Aleah pretty much just slept and ate. You see, it is usually ther other way around!

There were of course some moments like this, when both precious angels were in dream land dreaming of passy's and bottles and mommies and daddies! Those moments equaled about two rounds of two hours each that Auntie Meme joined them and dreamt about little boys with chubby cheeks, and sisters, brothers, mothers and cousins who all live in the same town, and boats that are not stuck in gear!

Sophie's tiny toes- I was amazed at how tiny they were!

And after all of the worrying I have done, wouldn't you know, these guys really have it down!

I mean, I am sure that it is not always a bed of roses, but you would never know it by spending time with the little family! Mom and Dad are doing a GREAT job. Even if they are a little sleep deprived (times two babies...two feedings...two burps...two diaper changes...) Think about it- feed , burp, change, sleep, repeat- wow! they are my heros!

The little cuties cooperated PERFECTLY! One would wake, I would feed burp, snuggle, put back to bed, then I would wake the other and repeat. They never even got a chance to crank up a good cry- which is good because I am certain that momma would not have continued to sleep if she had heard them crying! The new parents got a good 9 hours before I woke them and we all went to I-HOP for some well deserved pancakes, and crepes! YUM!


YUCK..seriously people. These babies are one month old and I have THIS picture- THIS picture that makes me look like a scary monster! Please if anyone is listening, please help me remember that I want a picture with them before they get as big as me!

But seriously....kudos to Jarah and Josh..you guys are doing a beautiful job with these girls. I am so proud of you!