Travis Dew Photography

I met this sweet family a few different ways……I shot their children (that always sounds so terrible) for their preschool pictures….I have shot their brother and sister-in-law’s family a few times…..and they were up in North Carolina with us at Kanuga.  We had ourselves a good time this morning….the boys were in GREAT moods and we played juusst long enough until little “B”‘s eyes told us we were done.

Big brother “C”…..was full of sweet, overzealous affection… ~wink wink~  Being the mother of rough-housing boys….I think I’ve seen some of those maneuvers before!  Look through this little slideshow….you’ll see an apology in there.

Thanks for having me over…..I enjoyed my morning!

 

 

 

Wow – How often do you see the words “teen” and “delight” together?  I spent the afternoon with two of the most polite, humble and sweet teenagers.  There was hardly a glimpse of self-absorption that is so often hand-in-hand with teens as we know them….

I know it’s hard and I do feel like I torture this age group….but they couldn’t have been more gracious while hanging out with me…..and hopefully you’ll think it was worth it.

A big THANK YOU to Martha at BLUSH and the Magic Cheese Truck for passing my name along.

This is my third Christmas time with this sweet family.  The first one….Mama was preggars and it was an “any day” sit-chee-ation.  Miss “C” was running around excited to go see Santa!  Last year’s was fun because little Miss “A” was almost a year old and able to participate.  This year…..something really cool was on the horizon causing all sorts of excitement…..these fun people are headed to Disney soon and the girls have Cinderella on the brain!

Thanks so much for calling me again……I love getting to see you and it’s fun to watch the girls’ personalities pop out year-to-year.

It’s been a little while since I’ve hung out with these little Crazy Daisies.  They are full of laughter, energy and just plain FUN.  For these sisters…2 years apart…they really do seem to like being with each other …. “A” enjoys trying to give “W” and hug and a squeeze more often than she would like….but it eventually brings out laughter and they get to rolling around trying to recover.  Love it.

Mama, we’ll get to working on a fancy picture later……for now….all holiday fun and games.

 

There’s been a new addition to this sweet family since the last time I shot them.  Sweet baby “S” added one more girl to the mix.  I met “E” and “Q” a couple of years ago and what fun I had catching up with you today.  In fact, I’m sure you guys were about to scream “The door is over there!”…..but I was having a good time with you cool people.

So….let me introduce to you “Smiley”…..nothing but pleasant happiness in a hat and blanket.  How about THESE eyes?

And then there is “Q”….Admires and copies big sister….and full of spunk.

And last….but certainly, not least….Miss “E”.  Let’s just say the camera LOVES her….or is it the other way around?  Mmmm

I loved getting to see you guys again…..and it was fun getting Daddy involved and meeting little Miss “S”!!  Sneak Peek for now but working hard to get others up quickly…..I’ll let you know.

I think based on the bottom of these tights……you can say we had ourselves a pretty good time.

Mama contacted me the morning after the Lowcountry Children’s Museum Gala to schedule a shoot……they had gotten a sitting at the auction the night before.  Fastest. Redemption. Ever.  Good for you!!  Seriously.  (My husband and I got a certificate for a portrait that we were going to have done of our baby boy when he was about 2…..he’s 14.  It ain’t happenin’.)

Well….little Miss Priss was ON this morning and in a GREAT mood…..she knew, even at 16 months, what this morning was all about.  I loved how much eye contact she gave me.  And, I don’t want to brag or anything….but at the end of the shoot…..she came up and gave me a hug.  I think….although we can’t be sure….that she thought maybe I would take her to see a doggie that walked by….but I’ll take the hug no matter what!

How about those eyes?

 

I’m from a big ole family and every Thanksgiving is the one day that we all get together.  I’ve got 2 sisters, 1 brother, 3 step-brothers and a step-sister.  We are all married and everyone has 2 children except my sister and me…..we went the extra mile and had a third.  I am the only one of all 8…..that has more than 1 boy.  So please…..to the rest of you…..I don’t want to hear it.

Tonight’s dinner table consisted of lots of laughter, poking and potty-talk.  Yes, MASSIVE amounts of potty-talk in my house.  Part of me says ‘what’s the big deal…..they think it’s funny.’  And, another part of me had to draw a line tonight.  Enough already……umm, I digress.  I don’t think this is what the title of this post is talking about.  However, I wouldn’t have anyone any other way.  They all bring so much to our family and I love it.

So….back to the big ole family on Thanksgiving…The total being served comes to 36….and that’s not any extras…..and it’s fun.  My children so look forward to the secret cousin gift swap.  This year, Mom and Dad threw in a little twist and had a drawing for a surprise present…..”C” went home with an electric toothbrush.  Cool!  A big THANK YOU to Thayer and Carter for hosting every year.

25 lb bird gets it done….

Sweetest person on Earth.  Period.  I couldn’t have been more blessed with a better step-mother.  And, a little factoid that doesn’t involve drama…..she’s my god-mother too so she ACTUALLY played out her role.

My sister Ansley gets creative every chance she can….

There are 18 grandchildren……we were missing 3 this year.

This is just one of the FOUR tables it takes to seat us all…..(If it’s ever at my house?  You’d be lookin’ at a little Chinette on the table…..I’m just sayin’…accompanied by a little aluminum and Mr. Hefty)

Dennis!…..Get your hand out of the Dressing!

My Daddy.

…and sweet cousin fun.

Mama and Daddy were married here 10 years ago and now live in Texas.  They came on home for Thanksgiving and a little celebration of 10 Years going strong.  My friend, Tara Guerard, was their fabulous wedding planner and was nice enough to pass along my name to this sweet family.  So Monday afternoon, I met them out at Kiawah…and we got to playing right away.  So much fun with Mr. “T” and Miss “A” (who happened to have the same name as my sister!)  What a fun afternoon……thanks for contacting me.  I’ll let you know when the rest go up!

Last Friday morning proved to be a little chillier than we all expected.  Mama called me a couple of weeks ago and the weather was still here, there and yonder.  Well, I left the house to go play with little Miss “MA” and “M” thinking it would be cool but feeling like Fall……and before I knew it….lips were just’ a quiverin’.  Hopefully, through all our running around and playing, things warmed up a little bit.  I sure had fun meeting you guys…..Here’s your Sneak Peek!

I get to see these great people every once in a while.  Mama and Daddy could not be any nicer……and Mama will crack you up when you least expect it.  “C” and “MC” are super fun to be around.  “MC” and my youngest used to be in the same class and she quickly became a favorite of ours.  She is wide open with giggles and happiness.  Little Miss “C” is a little more reserved and spends a lot of her time guarding herself from the joyful flailing of arms and legs of crazy-daisy little sister.