Shooting my sister and her family may have had the highest enjoyment to effort ratio for any organized time with my camera. We were done in 30 minutes and the kids never complained.
Shooting my beautiful nieces this weekend was a treat.
Summer
Weekend Happys
- Watching Nolan gnaw on a green bean from Beth’s parent’s garden
- Eating yummy fish at The Midway like we did when I started dating Beth
- Sitting at the Shumway International Motor Park with my family while tractors and trucks roared beside us
- Sleeping my parent’s cold and dark basement
- Seeing Nolan enjoyed by so many people
- Receiving an exquisite pice of art from Shae she said was “Ty Ty’s nummies” when asked
- Chilaxin’ in my parent’s new pool
- Grilling and eating a very good pork burger
- Making and eating homemade ice cream
- Eating said ice cream on my Grandma Bierman’s delicious blackberry pie
- Eating a slice of my Grandma Neu’s equally delicious coconut cream pie
- Counting money with my family after church. We rock that job so hard.
- My brother kicked my ass in checkers.
- Breakfast at Cracker Barrel
- Yummy lunch and good company with the Hoene’s
- Watching Nolan squeal with Andy’s toy on the way home
Beth & I recently decided to go home Saturday after her family left because we had no plans down here and my family was hosting an Easter party. We hoped to surprise my family but had to give in when my Mom was contacting my mother-in-law and I to figure out how to get Nolan’s Easter basket down to us. I would have felt bad if she shipped it here so we spilled the beans. I don’t regret telling them but now my sister believes that we’ll never be able to pull the wool over her eyes. Some day…
Traveling home with Nolan for a 30ish hours was a good test. We clocked in at 5:45 on both legs of the trip. We’ve made it home in 4 hours before but usually will make it under 5 with a nom stop. We made a few more stops and each stop was longer than usual because someone kept shitting their pants. I’ll give you three guesses who that was.
Sunday was Nolan’s first trip to church. He slept the entire time which was appreciated. Simply being around so many people I know was a great feeling even if I didn’t speak to most.
That afternoon my parent’s hosted my Mom’s family which resulted in the bulk of these photos. Babies were the center of attention of conversation. I can’t help but think what the family was like when my cousin’s and I were young.
We’ll be back home next weekend for four days.
GPOYW
Here is a taste of the general squirminess of the pop tarts.
Surprised Again
In December 2006 my parents and brother planned a visit to Carbondale for my college graduation. Minutes after their arrival, my sister and brother-in-law knocked on the door. They were living in North Carolina at the time and were not coming home for Christmas for days. They came home early for my graduation. That night we went out for wings and beer. That memory is vivid and pleasant in my head.
Hilary & Justin planned on visiting us shortly after Nolan’s birth but they had some lingering sickness and Nolan decided he wanted to hang out at Vandy for a week so that trip was postponed indefinitely. My parents already had a visit planned for this past weekend. I imagined a weekend sitting around our loft while my parents popped in and out. I shopped Saturday morning for my favorite pasta dish I was going to make them. My weekend was planned.
They arrived after Noon on Saturday. Minutes after walking in I got a text message with the following photo attached.
Those guys surprised us again! I gave Dad a look and passed my phone to Beth. She immediately ran down the hallway to greet them.
I haven’t seen my sister and her posse since December. In that time my oldest niece has grown so much and got a new sister. I had my own child. Hilary & I keep in touch but that relationship is nothing like seeing each other. Her appearance felt like awkward meetings I have had with Internet friends I meet for the first time. Suddenly this online world of my nieces collided with my real life. I was just as stunned as Shae who we believed thought Nolan lived in the computer.
Six adults, one toddler, and two infants are a tight fit in our loft but I had ample seating after busting out camping chairs. They said they didn’t want to tell me in advance because I would worry about the weekend. I suppose they are right. I would have tried to plan out as much as possible. Shooting from the hip felt good.
Friday was only our first time out with Nolan so getting out to Ted’s and Mellow Mushroom this weekend was a big step for us. He slept the entire time so I wouldn’t call it a good test for us.
Mom & Hilary bought Nolan and the girls some matching clothes for photos. Shooting three kids went a bit better than I expected but it isn’t easy to coordinate feedings and the attention span of a two year-old.
I’m looking forward to having two bedrooms in the near future for more frequent and easier visits.
Zoey, Beth, Shae, Nolan, & Hilary
Zoey!
Grandma Sandwich
Zoey & Grandpa
Beth & Nolan
Grandkids
Their Brood
The youngest
Shae turned two yesterday and Hilary made a video of her opening our gift. I miss her and others so much.
Heart. Melted.
Beth & I made my sister a photo book of our niece for planning the baby shower that never happened. I feels just as bad for Hilary because she put so much effort into planning and was ready to make it happen for Beth. I think that disappointment is what made us want to do something really nice for her. I had the idea of a book around Christmas but the idea got tabled until now.
I made the book in Aperture and printed it through Apple. It’s a gorgeous, 50+ page hard cover book that I loved browsing through for the 12 hours we had it in our possession. The color is beautiful and pages are thick. I couldn’t have more pleased with how it turned out. I told my sister a gift was coming and promised it would rock her socks off. And after talking to her, I didn’t lie.
The book makes me happy for many reasons. I created something with the 1500+ photos I have of Shae. My sister got a gift that matches her effort and thoughtfulness. It will affect all readers. I think it is rare for a gift to be enjoyed just as much from both sides.
My sister and mother let me know that this book has set a bar that will at least need to be met for my nearly-baked niephew and son. I don’t think all three will get the same kind of attention that Shae got being the center of everything for two years but I’m certain there will be more photo gifts someday.
I knew I had to buy Shae this amusement park when I saw it on the shelf. I would feel a little guilty buying a gift related to my own interests if Mom & Hilary hadn’t planned on buying it for my son when they saw it.
Sometimes I don’t feel like photographing a family event. I’ll usually tell Beth about 10 minutes from arrival, “I think I’m going to leave my camera in my car.” Whatever fold in my brain that enjoys photography doesn’t always click because of the mood I’m in or recent failures. I toted my camera around Friday night and didn’t walk away with anything special so I didn’t feel like trying on Saturday. I don’t regret the decision because I shot a lot with my sister’s camera. Beth had her’s in case my aunts started doing headstands. They didn’t. :-(
On Sunday I celebrated with my Dad’s family, a group I usually don’t get that “click” with because they aren’t outgoing and I feel like a black sheep around most of them. Nevertheless I brought my camera in. Shortly after the meal my cousin relayed word to me that Grandma requested I shoot group photos. I looked around for a suitable backdrop. The tree was in a tight, ugly corner and flanked by a huge pile of presents and noms. But there was a short, cinnamon wall with a chair and empty entertainment center. The hosts approved my request to move the furniture and I had a very pleasing backdrop as well as a clean white ceiling to bounce off.
I easily knocked out family photos but I had a strong desire to get a photo of my grandmother… alone. I have seen family struggle with getting solo photos taken of themselves for all of my life. I know that it isn’t enjoyable to be reminded that you are alone but I believed, at least on Sunday, that any sadness that may be caused by my request would be outweighed by the happiness the photo would bring myself and others. After she stood with her children I asked her if I could take a photo of her alone and she obliged. *snap* *snap* I showed her the LCD screen and she giggled, “That’s me.” I was giddy.
Shortly after the photos I sat across from her with my 70-210mm lens shooting some fun shots. I recorded a video of her opening a digital camera and making faces that I interrupted as “Why in the hell do I need this?”
cheese!
