Family Photos 2014

I'm sure you are quite aware, by now dear reader, that I'm an avid proponent of pictures.  Any and all.  The candid, the first year pictures, the family pictures, you name it.  My husband is convinced it's because all of my baby pictures were destroyed in a family fire when I was two years old.  I'm not entirely sure that is the reason but whatever it is - I just like pictures.  However, please know that I do NOT enjoy the process of taking said pictures.  It's hard, it's miserable, it's usually hot OR cold, the kids never cooperate, everyone is whining, everyone blames me for making them do it, yadda yadda.  It's NOT fun.  Not even for me.  But I push through the pain and whalah, after we've all recovered and settled back into our normal lives, our wonderful pictures are edited, finished, and given to us.  And we all sit around and oooh and ahhh at them.  Okay, maybe I do most of the gawking but I do know everyone is grateful for all that they endured to get them.  And if they aren't....I am.  And that is what keeps me going when it's time to take them again the next year.  So worth it my friends.  And I am pretty lucky to have such great photographers whom I also consider close friends, in my midst.  I'm a lucky lady.  

I did make a world-changing realization this year though.  Usually, each kid gets their own photo-shoot around their birthday.  Yes, this just drags the picture taking misery on longer than necessary.  This year I decided.....lets do it ALL in one fell swoop!  So much less painful for everyone involved....and cheaper too!  This was our first time doing it this way and I'm already a fan.  Since we all have birthdays in the summer, we just pick a date in the middle and go for it.  Yes, it always seems to be too hot for our own good but when you get such cute pictures back you never remember all the sweat you shed to get them.

Here are a few of our family photo shoot from this year!  Enjoy!  I know I do every time I look at them.

Brooklyn - 1 Year Old

Jonas - 2 1/2 Years Old

Addison - 5 Years Old