Destin Photo Shoot

 Tropical Storm Cindy is drenching us, so as good a time as any to post these pictures from last month.  Mitzi and Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and we had a glorious beach vacation.  Naturally, we took the opportunity to snap some pictures on the sandy beaches.  Luckily, I just happened to pack perfect outfits for everyone.  #winning

 So, I have discovered the best pictures I get are taken from behind.  I love this picture of our eldest contemplating the sea.

 By the way, staged pictures never work well for our family.  I have passed on my inability to pose to my children...well, except maybe Molly.  She can strike a pose with the best of them.

 Except when she doesn't look at the camera...or John.  And Dom's smile is a bit forced.  But, a comment about Will.  He has worked really hard over the last year to have a great picture smile and when you look at outtakes, his is the most consistent.  10 points to Ravenclaw!

 If I haven't mentioned it before, I learned about 10 years ago that my best smiles come when I think about my children. So, there you go.  Or when I am excited about math or the Jayhawks.  Those work, too.  But, most consistently about my children. Granted, hugging Eric helps.

 A few years ago, we took pictures on the beach. Eric was trying the impossible, which was to get the kids to all look at the camera at the same time with nice smiles.  Something about breaking out cameras makes even Dominic act up.  You know what helps? Running.  A lot.  Hence the multitude of pictures of the kids running.  Weird I know, because running definitely does not make me smile!

 I love this picture of Grandma with her grandsons.  Note the small hand on her left arm...Molly is in there, too.  Hiding.  Because that is what Mollys do best.

 Our little beach baby.  Not so much a beach baby anymore, but he loves the sand and the water. 

 Luckily, there are several people always keeping an eye on him. 

 The story behind this picture of Dominic is that I was trying to capture him running solo on the beach.  None of the shots came out well, but I got this one just as he ran in front of me.  Could be a future political poster. You never know!

 So more back pics.  If you have noticed, when everyone is 'looking' at the camera, it is  really hit or miss on smiles/expressions/eyes actually open.  Back pictures take out all of those variables. 

 I needed an updated version of the first time we ever looked at the Gulf as a family a few weeks before we moved.  It was a beautiful sunny day and the water was so clear.  I do not think I needed to 'enhance' the coloring in that photo at all.  I believe this picture is when I discovered my talent of taking pictures from the back.

 And more running. 

 Dom was having a particularly hard time taking nice pictures.  So I told him to think about going to basketball camp at KU in a few weeks...he immediately flashed this grin:

 Pretty good picture of the Buschelmen:

 And the Buschelwomen (AND MITZI!! I will post about Mitzi's visit separately...but, too good of a picture not to include here)

 I always think there is something special about pictures of Grandfathers and their Grandsons.  I kept trying to capture pictures of Grandpa with his grandsons around him.  There could have been a classic as we left the baseball game, but I just couldn't get my camera out in time.  Ah well, Next Time!

All in all, pretty good shoot.  Hopefully I can get some of these printed and framed before these kids change too much.