Happy Memories

Vacations are a classic and great time for memory making. I have some of the favorite childhood memories from our summer vacations to Nantucket, New Hampshire, and Florida. What I think helps me remember them so well is that we have photos to accompany the memories. Who knows, perhaps I don’t actually remember some of the trips and it’s the photos that make me think I do. But regardless they make me happy!

We made so many great memories on our recent trip to Orlando! We traveled with my parents and my brother, his wife, and their 8 month old daughter. It was certainly a trip more than a vacation, gone are the stress free vacations when you can just lay by the pool without a worry in the world, but it was great. Among the top memorable moments: was auntie Leslie’s little shadow, he did the doggy paddle for the first time, we went to Mickey’s castle (aka Magic Kingdom) and Sea World and discovered a love for roller coasters.

In addition to the countless candid photos we snapped with our phones, we decide to capture this time in one of our favorite places with a family portrait session. I didn’t want to wait for the weather to change here (!!) to do them and I wanted to be reminded of one of our favorite places every time I looked at the images on the wall.

Finding a Photographer

I did what a lot of people do when looking for a family photographer; I Googled! After looking over a handful of photographers’ sites, their images, and their About me pages, I decided on a fabulous one – Rebecca Jill Photography – who came to the resort. Our little guy (he’ll tell you “I’m a big boy!”) has changed SO much since the last family photo we took and I didn’t want to wait any longer. Thankfully and naturally, when it’s not Momma behind the camera, he was a charmer!!! He even did the hands in his pocket thing all on his own.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

I do have to confess something though… While I love the images overall because they truly capture us and the love, sweet, and silly of our almost 3 year old, I don’t love how I look in all of them. My husband commented that he didn’t like a few of himself, and that’s when it occurred to me: it doesn’t matter if we don’t like how we look in all of them, that our son will cherish them! In 10, 20 or even 50 years, they will bring us back to this time in our life and remind us of all the warm and fuzzies of this time. Wow, I feel so grown up to have finally had this realization! I hope you’ll give some thought to this if you’re on the fence about having family portraits taken; and then trust a professional. You will NOT regret it!