Favorite Photo Friday...

It's not the most technically amazing photo I've ever taken.

It's not even her best smile.

One of her eyes is all squinty from her hat.

And the focus is off.

I'm having lens issues, mostly of the busted variety.

This photo was taken in a snap second as I turned the camera and saw her walking toward me.

But something about it grabbed me.

Her silly sweet nature that makes me smile on a rainy day.

And every day.

Today's post is inspired by one of my favorite bloggy photographer friends, Lisa. In addition to our love of photography, we share a heart for adoption and have daughters adopted from China. She's featuring a new link on her blog, and what I love about it is that it's just about the easiest thing to participate in that you could ask for.

And I need easy these days.

I have roughly 7,462 photos that have never seen the light of day.

Maybe more.

That's what happens when you give me a digital camera and an 8G card.

So there's plenty more where this came from.

I know, you can hardly wait.

In the meantime, go check out some of the links on her blog, and post your favorite photo of the week.

Wordless Wednesday...

How hot is it, you ask?

Well, you probably didn't ask. It's hot everywhere, it seems. But it's blog-worthy, so I'll tell you anyway.

Cooler temps and lower humidity in today's forecast panned out to 90 degrees in the shade...and I was still dripping sweat at a photo shoot this afternoon. But it was considerably better than last week. Thursday topped out in the triple digits, which was news 'round these parts...hottest day in 23 years.

So how hot is it?

So hot that I had a hard time talking the kids into going to the pool.

I, myself, had absolutely no interest in going.

The ten minutes it took to take these pictures left me in a pool of sweat.

But I was sick of Hannah Montana episodes on Netflix, so I shoved them all out the door.

It's so nice they can take themselves to the pool now.

Then I can stay home and do the laundry watch Netflix.

Four words...

...wish I were here.

Wordless Wednesday...

Catching some rays...

Our first day at the beach, my behind was in a chair for, literally, five minutes when I spied my brother-in-law, John, throwing a net just a few feet from shore.

In another 42 seconds, he turned around and headed in to show the kids his catch.

And the subsequent crowd that gathered.

Might I add that this isn't the first time he's caught a stingray in extremely shallow waters.

In as much time.

Makes you kinda think twice about that boogie boarding, eh?

After show-and-tell, Mr. Ray was delivered safely back to his home.

I've said it once, or maybe a bazillion times, and I'll say it again. Uncle John would probably take home the prize on Survivor. Born and bred in South Carolina, his quiet unassuming southern manner and his wicked way with a fishing net would take him far.

Baby girl, you need to be bigger than your catch.

On the runway...

...this year's beach ensemble features a three-piece brown and pink tankini-style suit with matching board shorts. The look is topped off with coordinating shades and a fetching floppy-brimmed beach hat from Tarjay. And those little toes are peeking out of a comfy, yet practical jelly flip-flop with a sweet princess design on the sole.

Armed with two sizes of Piggly Wiggly beach shovels, this beach babe is ready for some serious sand action.

Too bad she ditched the entire get-up after day one...the hat just annoyed her, and the bottoms of the suit were kind of gappy on her tiny little hiney. No amount of convincing to keep the board shorts on over the bottoms would do. Guess that 4T can go back in the drawer till next year.

p.s. We're rather fond of that new runway that the Disney Beach House installed this year. Makes slogging through the soft, hot sand between the dunes a LOT easier.

Back to the beach...

It's about 20 miles from 1-95 to the bridge over the intracoastal that leads to Hilton Head Island. And Caroline asked approximately every quarter mile when exactly we could go to the beach. So as soon as we unpacked the van and hugged our gathered extended family, we made a detour on the way to dinner.

I made them stop for a perfunctory group photo...so perfunctory that we'll just skip to the real story...the absolute second I freed them, they were off to the surf.

Of course, we were ready to collapse on the sofa after a long drive and a late dinner at Fuddrucker's, but word spread that Uncle John was leading a nighttime beach expedition with a few of the cousins. No one under the age of 21 was going to miss out on that, so I grabbed a camera and off we went.

Ankle-deep was about as deep as it got in the pitch dark.

And it was DARK. The day's overcast skies kept the moon hidden.

The boys had fun scouring the tide for schools of minnows.

Oh, the giggles from a soggy sandcastle built by flashlight!

And, yes, the shorts...and the shirt...were soaked by the time we were done.

It's a tradition.

We were busted by the beach police shortly after these photos were taken for having our flashlights on after 10 pm during loggerhead turtle nesting season. The beach at Hilton Head is wide and full of tide pools at low tide, so no lights meant calling it a night.

And what a great first night it was.

Caroline's self-portrait...

Caroline took a photo of herself with Abi's camera in between asking me 4,372 if we were there yet. There, by the way, is the beach...and we're there.

And it's awesome.

As always.

And I'm not coming home.

Ever.

It was nice knowing you.

She sparkles...