Pictures, Take 2

I tried to love the pictures we took this summer.  I really did.  I desperately wanted pictures with all of my family together (not just a bump, but a baby), and the location and the outfits were just perfect.  I had already used up my husband's patience for sitting and taking pictures for the year.  But no matter how much I tried, I just couldn't settle for pictures where Tyler is looking at the ground the entire time, and the baby is clearly mad and looking to the side.  I needed a human behind the camera to make the kids smile - no way around it.

And I've had friends come and click the shutter for me before.  Luckily I have fantastic friends that volunteer to help out.  But I never seem to get to pay them back for the favor!  I hate feeling guilty about that.  So this time I posted on facebook that I wanted to trade.  I wanted someone to click the shutter, but I wanted to help someone else out in return.  I offered to take pictures for someone, but a older girl in my ward called me and asked for a favor.  Which was awesome, because this girl actually takes pictures all the time!  A free assistant that actually knows a lot about photography?

I was nervous, though.  Something had to go wrong.  Something always does.  Sometimes my helper doesn't show up, sometimes it rains or becomes freezing cold.  But not this time!  This time, I got awesome, free family pictures!

Okay, there was one small mishap that I noticed when I edited the pictures.  I forgot to tell Braadyn that I have my camera set on center focus - that's just my preferred method - and she is used to shooting football games, where you are on auto focus.  So we aren't as crisp and in focus as we could have been.  But I'm not going to complain!  Most of them are perfect, and only a few were slightly off!

These are actually the same outfits I used this summer, because I did love the outfits and just not the pictures we got in them.  But I had to update them for fall weather a bit.  A shirt under there, some leggings here and there, and we are all better!

I LOVE this one!  We actually had to talk the baby into lying on the grass - she likes sitting in it, but laying down was a bit odd for her, I guess.

And this one is my other favorite.  I saw a similar picture online where everyone was facing forward, but I decided I wanted to try it with mom and dad looking at each other.  The best part is, you can't actually tell that Jasmine was slightly furious about the feel of sitting on the cold stone!

Isn't my guy handsome?

Tyler actually brought along his stuffed Ruffy dog to the photo shoot.  Thankfully, he was okay with the photographer holding his friend and laughing at the antics we did with Ruffy while he sat for a minute.

Unfortunately, by this point, this girl was done with real smiles.  No matter what antics I did.  She just kept the fake smile plastered on her face with an occasional "my mom is seriously crazy" look in her eye.  Oh well.

The baby, on the other hand, loves all attention.  Happy girl!

I just can't believe it all worked.  Everyone woke up on time and happy, the sun stayed out of our eyes, the weather wasn't too cold, and my hair even behaved.  (I've had a tough time figuring out my new cut.)
Hallelujah!