Ahhh... Florida. St. Petersburg, to be exact. I think it's where I will always feel the most comfortable. While our family of four has now lived in beautiful West Newbury, Mass., for the past three years, Florida will always have my heart. It's where I met my husband, it's where we bought our first house and it's where I gave birth to our two boys. It's where the roads are labeled in a grid pattern rather than where the horses used to roam. (Three years later and I still use my GPS to go almost anywhere!) It's where my parents, as well as some of my best (and lifelong) friends still live. For lack of a better word -- it's home!
In the three years we've been away, we have traveled back home at least twice per year. I feel so fortunate to get to visit my friends and family this often, but it always feels like such a quick trip. We're typically running around trying to make sure we see each and every person, visit our (still) home church at least once and work in some time on the beach. It often leaves us feeling exhausted. This time, however, was a bit different. Rather than run myself ragged, the boys and I (D had to stay behind to work, but joined us on the last few days) bunked with my parents, enjoyed the beach, our friends' pools and boats and just soaked up the sun! Oh, and I worked -- a LOT!
Because our trips had always been on the shorter side, I felt like I was slighting my own family if I stole away to shoot sessions with my friends' families. But this time, I made it a priority. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
In the three years we've been away, we have traveled back home at least twice per year. I feel so fortunate to get to visit my friends and family this often, but it always feels like such a quick trip. We're typically running around trying to make sure we see each and every person, visit our (still) home church at least once and work in some time on the beach. It often leaves us feeling exhausted. This time, however, was a bit different. Rather than run myself ragged, the boys and I (D had to stay behind to work, but joined us on the last few days) bunked with my parents, enjoyed the beach, our friends' pools and boats and just soaked up the sun! Oh, and I worked -- a LOT!
Because our trips had always been on the shorter side, I felt like I was slighting my own family if I stole away to shoot sessions with my friends' families. But this time, I made it a priority. And I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Pincus Family
I started with the Pincus family on Saturday morning. I have known Loren (dad) since middle school and we have remained the greatest of friends since. It also helps that he married an amazing girl who I love just as much. Ali has definitely played a part in helping me get acclimated to New England, as she lived in CT and Boston before moving to FL.
Love how long S was all about posing for the camera, but there was no question as to when she was over it!!
So... we focused on E for a little while!
The Tinley Family
Billy (dad -- again) is my husband's very best friend. To put the two side-by-side, you would never think they're a match. Billy is a practical-thinking engineer, where my husband is a never-stops-talking mutual fund salesman. But they both love music and love to laugh (and have beautiful brunette wives - hehe!). For the five years post-marriage and pre-move to Mass., we lived on the same street as the Tinleys, shared a church family and supported each other through the breaking up of a band (yep, that was me), the births of our children and eventually a very tough good-bye.
Is S seriously not one of the most gorgeous little girls ever?!
Just as beautiful, but a little harder to crack, V had her daddy (literally) running in circles to get her to smile!
The Stock Family
Alison (mom) is one of my very best girlfriends. There are five of us who have known each other since we were about 10 and stayed best friends ever since. The awkwardness of middle school, the awesomeness of high school, the challenges of college, finding jobs and husbands and the sheer joy of becoming moms. We've been through it all and I know I speak for all of us when I say how blessed we feel to have each other in our lives 20+ years later. So, needless to say, I was so happy to finally get to photograph Alison's family. I have known her husband -- who built that wacky crooked house in their backyard -- since high school too!
The perfect FL backyard for photos!
The Higman Family
Another one of the Fabulous Five, Sara (mom) is another one of my very best friends. She and Alison are lucky enough to live five minutes down the road from each other... Maybe one of these days, the five of us will take up an entire cul-de-sac with our families! Probably not going to happen, but a girl can dream, right?! I love this girl to pieces, along with her wonderful (very-similar-to-mine) husband and their two super-cute kiddos!
Sara has always had one of the best smiles of anyone I know and E is the spunky little girl I can only imagine Sara once was.
And since no FL post would be complete without my two FL boys...
Until next time, St. Petersburg... (Go Rays!!)
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