fripp trip 2013 | our attempt at beach photos

If you've followed my blog long enough, you know that we've taken family beach pics every year since we started going to the beach with Chad's family in 2008, the year we wed.

So of course, we attempted family pics again this year.

Attempted being the key word. 

Here's the clan last year...

and here we are this year 2013! 

1. holy hair flying. the wind was insane

2. Apparently the men (and boys) forgot to SMILE. Hilarious!

2. we did not mean to pose the same as last year. How crazy is this? I can't believe it. Same. exact. stance. That's why I love looking back to compare.

When we get out on the beach to take the pics, "chaos" is an understatement. 

Just picture letting four wild bulls out of a cage. I'm not even joking. All four boys run separate ways (Cade straight to the water) so everyone runs after them and we have about five seconds to round them all up and take the pic. Bribery may or may not be involved as well.

Here's the four cousins.

Maddox | Cade | Jackson | Carter

I have no idea what Jackson was so interested in looking at!

then we attempted to add baby Hayden to the pic so we could give Grandma McClain a pic of all five great grandsons and THIS is what we got...

Boys will be boys!

Can you tell they keep us laughing?

Regardless of the non-smiles, Cade not wanting to sit down at all, and most looking off into the wild blue yonder...at least I captured this next pic.

For years I dreamt of taking this exact photo of sweet cousins on the beach. I know between the three of us (Monica, Holly, and I) there were a lot of tearful prayers begging God to bless us with children. 

Years later, we've got five wild, vivacious, healthy, handsome boys and we could not be more grateful! 

GOD IS GOOD!

love these precious babies so much...

As for pics of just me, Chad and Cade. Again, this is the best we got! 

This year was full on "pics with a toddler"...

a very strong-willed toddler, dare I say.

Here's the Isbells, party of five...

I literally laughed out loud when I saw this one. I have no idea what Maddox was attempting to do, but look at this pose mid air. Dying! 

Jackson (almost 6 1/2)

Maddox (almost 6 1/2)

Carter ( 2 1/2)

and sweet baby Hay-Hay is 9 months! His little "duck face" cracks me up...

seriously!? This. is. perfection.

and I can not get over these absolutely gorgeous baby blues...

Simpson family pics...

my favorite...

I also did photoshoots for friends Beth and Wendy and their families since we took pics on the beach in front of their beach house and again, they were so sweet to let us park at their house everyday!

I LOVE this precious pic of Emerson, Blakely, and Elyn. These three + another pretty baby girl Ella Drake + Cade + Hayden = Mrs. Kim's crew. They all stay together at Mrs. Kim's and over the Summer Jackson, Maddox, and Carter came some days too when some of the girls weren't there. What a gang! They have the best time. Can't you tell they love each other?

Have to share just a few of my gawgeous friends, so here's one of the Riddle gang...

and the Hanna crew...

Also, there were even more friends at Fripp that same week and I was able to do the sweetest photoshoot for two precious cousins. For some reason it won't let me post the edited pics, so this is completely un-edited but ohhhh my word, how precious...

 Maybe I can share more later once I finish editing them all and Blogger starts working. For now, I'll get back to dreaming about sandy toes, salty kisses, and good times at the beach!

Hey, I am going to order Lilly Pulitzer SPRING (omg!) today
so I might as well stay in that "beachy, Summer-lovin'" mood right? 

[I'll try to post a sneak peek later!]