May 28, 2012

maybe i could start here....or there


i don't know were to begin
{eight hundred photos}
~
we just got back from an amazing week in seaside, florida. 
it was our first family vacation in five years. 
{college and pesky jobs had gotten in the way until now}



our daughter is engaged. 
we knew the proposal was going to happen while we were beachside, but she had no idea.
we feel so amazingly blessed to be adding this incredible man to our family.


the first sunset of the trip...shot with my lens baby.


our daughter's fiancé is so talented. just look at how he captured the sun for her.


our son on the other hand, decided he would try to eat it.


another lens baby photo


the cottage we rented this trip was perfect. 
four bedrooms. three and a half baths. five huge porches. four screened.
one with a fireplace. it was heavenly.


i couldn't resist sharing this photo. i have no idea what they were talking about, but i love that i caught a candid shot, which is hard to do in a house filled with adults.


here's our son again, with his beautiful girlfriend.
the "four kids" literally played the entire week.


first jumping shot of the week. 


here are two fun loving girls from ohio, who asked, "why the jumping shots" after they saw me taking jumping shots of another family on the beach. i told them it's just what i do. 
they said they would love to jump for me and wow, did they ever.


the first water activity for the kids was yolo boarding, otherwise known as
stand up paddle boarding or you only live once.


our daughter's fiancé was given the "hardest board" to use and he spent just as much time in the water as he did standing up...but he was determined to master it....and he finally did.


the rest of them made it look terribly easy...in a way that i thought "i could do that,"
but unfortunately i don't love the ocean "way out there." 
instead i like the first two feet of ocean, where the little kids play.



here's my hubby taking a kayak out to see the kids. he's pretty much a kid himself.
and after going into the ocean with his iphone in his pocket {something we had worried one of the kids would do} well, case and point.
~
i hope you can handle a few more beach photos over the next week or so....there's just so many that are dear to me and i really want to share them with all of you.
*

26 comments:

  1. Squeee....congratulations to your beautiful daughter and her fiance!!! Happy times coming for them and for you Beth! Lots and lots of planning fun!!

    Great times at the beach and wonderful photographs...looking forward to more!!! xo

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  2. Beth!!!! I don't know what you used to processed these images, but they are absolutely divine. What a wonderful place to stay - with your beautiful family! Fantastic news about your daughter. This post makes me so happy. More!

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  3. Take me with you to the beach, any beach you want, anytime you want, sigh...

    Congratulation on the addition to your beautiful family. Gorgeous family photographs, Beth. Thank you for sharing xo

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  4. LOVE this, and congratulations!!! And, PS bury the iphone in a bowl of raw rice for a couple of days. My son washed his iphone and this worked, despite it going through all of the wash and rinse cycles!!! Let me kow if you are as successful with this...!

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  5. FOUR screened porches! Heavenly. I can feel all the love in your shots <3 congrats to your daughter! How exciting, that must be such a wonderful feeling to invite someone you enjoy into your family :)))

    More beach shots please.

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  6. love these pictures!! Can't wait to see more! Glad you had the chance to have your whole family down to Seaside!

    Congratulations on your daughter's engagement! Happy times!

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  7. The cottage sounds incredible. I know you enjoyed having the whole family together to play and have time together. I like all the photos.

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  8. oh what fun ... mazel tov ...

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  9. AnonymousMay 28, 2012

    The water looks fabulous and I love the effects you are using on the water shots. Always enjoy stopping by your blog.

    Congratulations to your daughter and her new fiance. What wonderful news!!

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  10. Oh yay!!! Congrats! Everyone is so beautiful!

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  11. How exciting to be adding a special guy to your family. Thanks so much for sharing your family and photos with us here. Loving what that lens baby is doing for you. That first picture is gorgeous! As always love your jump shots too.

    I tried wind surfing once, but no upper body strength to hold the sail. This kind of surfing might just be fun! Love, love the ocean.

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  12. What fabulous photos and wonderful family news! xxx

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  13. oh yay! thanks for sharing!!!

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  14. Beautiful photos already! I'm ready for more! Congratulations to your daughter and her fiance!!

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  15. It looks like such a wonderful time Beth!
    Congratulations to your daughter and her fiance.
    They are a beautiful couple.

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  16. Welcome back! Looks like a wonderful trip! And congrats to your daughter, how fun!

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  17. I think I can handle a few more beach photos. I'll live vicariously through you until I take my vacation. Congrats to your daughter. That is very good news.

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  18. I just love all of these..... It's a beautiful thing.


    And ooh, that lensbaby!!! Jealous, I am.

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  19. AnonymousMay 29, 2012

    Congratulations, Mom!! I'm sure you and your daughter have already started the planning!

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  20. Wow, so much...happiness...on this post! Congrats to the happy couple. You captured some heartfelt moments. Love that first shot of the beach. Looks light and joyous, like there's not a thing amiss in the world. Wonderful, wonderful photos!!

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  21. Congrats to you all with your daughter! (She looks so much like you) Looks like a wonderful way to spend a family vacation.

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  22. that's just the best, all of it! congrats to you all! xo

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  23. soooooo much happiness
    per square yard!!!
    gorgeousness:)
    -Jennifer

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  24. it looks and sounds wonderful! congratulations to your beautiful daughter on her engagement!

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  25. So happy for all of you! What a glorious celebration!

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  26. Beth- thanks so much for including us in your blog-- what an amazing trip for you an what an amazing eye you have! Your photos and style are beautiful...

    Happy to have met you,
    Maria (aka, Jumping Ohio Girl on left)

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**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth