we watched a meteor shower at 3:00am.

jo and sara played basketball. (jo typically dribbled down the court while sara felt compelled to skip.)

i have started taking strange photos of my kids.
here are the first 3. jedi | rapunzel | the jump
my kids are taking more photos of me.

have i mentioned my wife is super easy on the eyes.
eli likes the chill with iPhones and sara just got her ears pierced.
just another day at the breakfast table.
sara hurt her finger, luke likes to swing and danielle made a 54 scoop ice cream bowl.

that pretty much sums it up.

So, in honor of Snake Attack Day, scare someone, use a chopper, or eat a gummy worm. Enjoy.

If you can stomach even more of our little vacation you might enjoy this video from our time at the Magic Kingdom.  :)

Sara having her “Spring Spa Day at Elizabeth Arden”.

One of my most favorite shots of Luke ever.

There is nothing better than walking into a room and seeing your oldest reading to the younger three.

Sometimes the kids squish their faces onto the window.

Sometimes the kids play with the water hose.

Sometimes Danielle & I prove we are cool parents.

And… the most exciting photo of all.  Our “Saving for DisneyWorld” chart is almost full.  :)

Thanks for sticking with me while I bored you with photos of my people.  We’ll return to our regularly scheduled wedding goodness later this week.

A few days ago, we were all outside playing and we had an impromptu “family shoot.”  I set up my camera and let the kids go nuts with a water hose.  They had fun. I had fun. We had fun.  AND, awesome pictures came of it.

If you are anything like me, sometimes it seems like life is moving at like 4,391 miles per hour.  Regardless of how much you try to slow down, things just keep piling up;  that is part of the reason that our family practices a Sabbath once a week. But even then it’s like we don’t get enough breaks.  More and more we are realizing that we have to be intentional about stopping.  We have to “plan” to do nothing.  Maybe it’s just us, or maybe you struggle with this too.  If you find yourself seeming to never have time to “play,” you may need to just schedule it.  Put it on the calendar.  Make it the most important part of your week.  The cool thing is, the more we have time to rest and refuel, the more ready we are to get back to work or let our creative juices flow.   I LOVE some of the images we got and can’t wait to work this idea into an engagement session.  You know you want to be cool like my kids.  Email me if you are brave and want your engagement session to be H2O-wsome!!!

Try not to be too impressed.  Enjoy.

Huge shout out to La Tee Da Flowers for hooking me up with the fabric for curtains.
(They just launched their new website today so go check it out.)

Then I was like… wait…. you totally need to draw my whole family.  How awesome is this??!!??!!

Then I was like… wait… I have an idea.  Draw these people.

And she was like.  Bada bing, bada boom.

How great is that?  You can get anything done, I had her do a wedding portrait, but how fun would it be to have a drawing of where you became engaged?  You can use these everywhere, Facebook profile pics, a print to frame and hang in your new home, wallpaper for your iPhone.  How about as custom stamps for your invitations?!?!

So here is the deal.  You need to give her a call, she is hooking you up with a discount for being a blog stalker.  She normally charges $50 for a couple but is giving you 20% off so it’s only $40.  (That’s like what you’ll spend on 1 person to eat at your wedding.

Email her here and mention my site.
(eightyniner89@gmail.com)

Ready…. GO!

Side note: I’m totally looking forward to being a kick butt grandparent by around 2032.
(I’m also looking forward to finally getting that flying car.)

So, back in the day I used to do a bit of video work.  My company was cleverly called. The Video Guy.  Like any new business I had t-shirts made and one day I took Jo, our only son at the time, out and did few photos.  For some reason we also worked an iPod into the shoot.  Partly because it was cool, partly because listening to music was one way he would stay still while I photographed him.  The video business is long gone but the t-shirt and tradition have stuck around.  A few weeks ago it was Eli’s turn to rock the shirt & iPad 2.

And, because I KNOW you want to see more photos of my kids, here are some of their TVG shoots along with links to the latest and greatest Apple gadget at the time.

Jo | iPod

Sara | iPod (w/video) (I can’t begin to explain how much easier the tiny tiny video screen made road trips.)

Luke | iPhone 3GS (Luke never had to “suffer” watching a 2 inch video screen like Sara & Jo did.)

Yes, I realize it’s just a drill and most 5 year olds could run it.  Thank you.  Anyway, by the end of the project I had promoted myself up to full manhood and rented and operated one of these bad boys.  Check it.  I’m a man.

Not bad eh.  I started with a smaller auger.  Rental places know you are a manly man when you hook something up to the back of your minivan.

Each of the 50 fence posts had to be set in concrete. So you buy a bunch of bags of concrete and carry them over to each post.

Concrete bags that weigh 80lbs each.

I am not that strong.

This is how we ended up moving them.

Some of the ground was too hard to the little auger so I ended up having to rent the little tractor looking thing.  Here is photographic proof that I can operate heavy machinery.

And finally, here are a few before and after photos of the backyard.  I’m basically a mix between Bob Vila & Ty Pennington.  (A builder who is old AND good looking.)

HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to Danielle who not only encouraged me to do the project, but carried every single fence picket to the backyard while I nailed gunned those bad boys up.

Side note:  Working like a real person made me love my fake job that much more.  Thank you all for paying me to take photographs.

Side note: I’ve realized that girls birthday parties are like practice weddings.
You spend more money than you should.
You invite people you feel “obligated” to invite.
No one is as impressed as you think they will be at your “event”.
Kids and parents argue over the details of the day.
Once everyone leaves you still have to clean up.

Here are a few shots from Sara’s 6th practice wedding.

This photo proves 2 things.  Danielle is awesome at cakes.  Sara is mediocre at smiling.

If there is one thing weddings have taught me, it’s that when you present forks like this, everyone KNOWS it’s a fancy event.

We then painted on the walls.  Rapunzel style.

Each year I am given the task of designing the invitations to all 4 birthday parties.  This year Danielle told me that Sara had done her own.  She drew each of these invitations and made sure everyone got a unique one.  (I’d like to see one of you super brides out there try that!)

“Take a blast to the past! If your memory serves you well, and it should relive your first date. Where did you meet, what restaurant did you go to (is it still around?), what did you do afterwards?
Remap this special moment, and do your best to make it the same way it was when it first happened. Is this romantic? ABSOLUTELY, it also shows that you care, and most of all, you remembered your first date!!! Also have your favorite DJ make you a cd to play in the car on the way of your favorite songs during that time 
Happy 9th Anniversary Alex & Danielle!!!!!!” – Andrea Brown

This date idea fits us perfectly and we are really looking forward to it.  Also, bonus points for Andrea working her husband Casy Brown’s kick butt DJ skills into the idea.  Apparently CMB Music not only does wedding, but also 9 year mix tapes.  Congrats Andrea.

Next up is our little Mini-Cation we took as a family this past weekend.  I had a wedding in Galveston as well as a day after session and an engagement session in Houston so I figured we should all load up and head that way.  Here 9 photos and 1 run on sentence describing our weekend.  Sometimes we jump on the hotel beds when mom is not around, astronaut ice cream is fun, feeding sea gulls is more fun, Eli can stay awake for desert but not space ships, Jo found a big stick and Sara conquered her fear of the ocean, but above all brochures in hotels lobbies are the coolest.

AND FINALLY…. I got this little question from a bride and thought I’d toss it out to all you blog-stalkers out there.

Dear Mr Wedding Expert,

Do u have any suggestions for sleeping through the night the week b4 ur wedding? Wedding nightmares & wide awake @ 3 am…

Thanks,
Sleepy but Sleepless

So what of it ladies?  What did you do to combat the Wedding Week Sleepless Night Syndrome? (WWSNS) Leave your solutions and remedies for WWSNS in the comments and help this girl out.  She needs her sleep.

OK, so here is the deal.  This June is our 9th wedding anniversary.  Everyone makes a big deal about the 10th and we already have a few things planned for that one, but what about this year?  I mean, it should count for something right?  So, why not make a contest out of it.

I’m looking for the most creative/fun/memorable evening that cost me no more than $100 bucks.  It must be within a 4 hour driving distance of Palestine and you do NOT have to factor in gas or hotel expense.  Ideally, the date would happen in June.  If your idea is date specific it can NOT occur on a Saturday.  (I tend to be at weddings on Saturday.)

Here’s how the contest is gonna work.  Leave your date idea in the comments.  You have till Monday at 10:00 AM to post your idea. The sooner you post, the more time I have to start liking your idea.   I’ll then go through them all and pick my favorite and the winner will revise a 16×20 canvas gallery wrap of any image I have shot of them.  (Those bad boys cost $300 bucks so you know you wanna win one.)

Here is where it gets AWESOME.  Other people are allowed to submit date ideas on your behalf.  If their idea wins they get a $25 Target gift card & you get the 16×20  canvas gallery wrap.  So… the more people you have submitting date ideas, the better your chance of winning.  The best way to do that is to jump on Facebook and point your friends towards this blog post.  I also know many of you follow this blog but don’t know anyone I have shot.  If you win I’ll let you pick your favorite couple and I’ll surprise them with the 16×20 gallery wrapped canvas and I’ll hook you up with a $25 Target gift card.  Cool?

On your marks…. get set…. GO!

Disclaimer: I’m picking the winning idea based on what I think would be the most fun for Danielle & I.  You may have a terrific idea, but if I don’t like it, it ain’t winning.   By entering the contest you agree that you will not get your feelings hurt or sue me if you don’t win.  Thanks.

A little background: A few years ago I was sitting at my desk working when I heard Danielle let out a scream.  I grabbed my camera and ran towards her.  The following video is what happened.

Here are a few ways we are celebrating this year.

Danielle is making Snake Sticks for breakfast. (Cinnamon sticks.)
An over abundance of gummy worms.
I’m encouraging all the kids to sssspeak with an exssstra long lisssp.

We are thinking of going all out starting next year and giving the kids they day off from school as well as me getting a paid vacation day. What do you think?

3 things I would LOVE from the comments.
1. Be nice to my wife.
2. Snake Attack Day celebration ideas.
3. Tell me your “scariest” encounter with nature.

I love her toothless smile.

This is one of my Top 5 favorite frames I have ever taken of Sara.

Sara sat down and crossed her legs and then we had this conversation:

Me: Is that how you want to sit?
Her: Dad!  This is how ladies sit.  Don’t  you know that?!?

And just like that we had a fantastic 10 minute photo shot and a super great date.

I’ll be honest… I spent WAY too much time on this last one.  (But it was worth it.)  (See original cover here.)

Bonus points to the first person to recognize Jo’s jersey without help form the world wide web.

Happy Snow Day.

We knew form the start thought that this year would be different.  Throughout the year we made sure to get tons of shots with Santa hats so we would have a few options come December.  I couldn’t decide on one though so here they all are.

A few weeks ago Jon Acuff the author of Stuff Christians Like (Fantastic site.  You should visit it everyday.) offered to write out Christmas cards for a certain number of people.  I made the cut.  Enjoy the holidays.

“Dear friends & family,
My name is Jon Acuff and recently on my blog I offered to write Christmas cards for people. I am happy to say that Alex took me up on that offer. Why am I happy? In part because I think he might be my doppelganger.

How so?

Well, let’s review the facts:
He’s been married 9 years. So have I.
His wife is a stay at home mom. So is mine.
He has an artistic job. So do I.
He loves Apple. So do I.
His son Joseph knows more about legos than Jesus. My daughters know more about American Girl Dolls than just about anything else.
Sarah wants a sister. My daughter L.E. would like a brother.
Eli is a wild man, Luke cries in Sunday School. I know that pain all too well.
We’re practically the same person. Except my last name is pretty boring and his kind of sounds like a cool dance move.
And the last thing we have in common?

We both want you to have a Merry Christmas!

This year was extra fun because my favorite wedding videographers Vanessa & Brent McKellar came along and filmed a family video for us. Our kids have already watched it over and over and I know the older they get the more this video will mean to us. I have tons of photos of my kids but there is something extra cool about capturing them on video. You really get a feel for their personality, how they walk, their tiny hands struggling to hold a huge burrito. It’s perfect. (The same is true for getting your wedding filmed. You absolutely MUST do it.)

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the flick.

(This is a service they offer to anyone so hop on it parents!)

]]> http://alexmphotography.com/20101031/hair/feed/ 3 http://alexmphotography.com/20100915/disney-world-yep-we-went-again/ http://alexmphotography.com/20100915/disney-world-yep-we-went-again/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:19:12 +0000 AlexM http://alexmphotography.com/?p=4553 It’s official. I drank the Mickey Kool-Aid. About 2 months ago we were on a little family vacation and Danielle “dared” me to take a pit stop at Disney World. I took her up on the challenge and we went for 1.5 days. I was hooked. When we got home I jumped right to my calendar to find out when we could go back and stay for at least a week. Turns out I had an opening the first week of September. I surprised her and the kids and booked a trip. We were there 9 days and it was flipping amazing. If any of you are thinking of going you absolutely have to. I’m a crazy Disney World person now and will gladly answer any questions you have about planning your trip. The first time we went I only shot photos and video with my iPhone, this last time I gave it the full on AlexM Photography documentary treatment. I came home with 250gigs worth of photos and video. (A typical wedding is 8gigs.) I shot a lot.

A few quick photos.

Double Strollers. The only way to move 4 kids around the parks.

Looking for the big castle.

We got tired of “traditional” poses after a day or so.

Anyway, here is a little video of our trip. If you don’t’ like Disney or my family, you won’t enjoy the video. If you like either, sit back for 5 minutes of fun.