We flew to Washington to in July.
My mom said, “You don’t have to do anything. Seriously, totally going to be about pool time and relaxing.”
“Great, that’s all we want.” I said.
Then she said, “And just one thing, there is photographer coming Thursday night to take pictures.”
It became a bit of a running joke. My sister and I are easy going and willing to do just about anything mom asks, but neither of us are what you’d call at ease in front of a camera. Luckily the photographer that my mom had come over was a genius when it came to making us all but forget she was snapping away. Her name is Jen, if you are ever in WA state call her.
This is us looking happy and just delighted with life. We were and that it’s preserved here almost makes me cry.

“I just want my children and family in one place,” she always says. We were and she beamed.

“Now with Sean, Sean should be in here.” He joined and brought shenanigans.

She said, “Get the girls in the pool.” Done


Papa said, “Ok, girls, come with me. I have an idea.” He blew their minds.

“Amanda and Sean, get Amanda and Sean.”
She took a few different shots of us & said, “Great, got it!” We started to walk toward the deck, he pulled me close. “I love you.”

“Are you? You are aren’t you? Fine, you’re coming too,” I warned as he pulled me toward the pool. He shrieked & started to fall.

We went in.

The girls joined us.

It was the perfect thing! Thanks Jen, mom, Papa, and Ab.
I loooove this so much, Amanda! Especially the last shot. Your smiles are perfect.
Thank you. It was a blast!
Is it bad that I kept thinking, I hope they don’t have their phones in their pockets?
Seriously, though, beautiful REAL pictures of an awesome family.
Ha! Any time either of us was on the concrete around the pool, phones were stowed elsewhere. We know each other too well 😉
OMG. I love, love, love this. So fabulous!
Thank you. I had kind of forgotten we did these and then I got the link and just oohed and ahed! So fun.
These are just gorgeous! You can *feel* the genuine love & joy that radiates from the smiles on your faces. Thank you for sharing your vibrant, seize-the-moment, beautiful family with all of us!
Oh, thank *you*!
Omigosh, I love all the pictures! Perfection.
I love this so much.
What a splash! What fabulous photos! What a beautiful family! So glad you posted them.
Now this is joy. Pure joy. xo
Lovely capture. What a fun photo shoot.
These are amazing! Planned photo shoots with a photographer always make me think of stiffness and forced smiles and endless cajoling, but THESE! Radiant and playful and so so fun.
Exactly! Thank you!
i love those pictures so much.