The Great Nor'Easter, Part III

We had big plans for our last full day in New England. All week we looked forward to the wedding, of course, but also a chance to walk around Salem, Massachusetts, which we had never done before. We knew everything would still be decorated for Halloween and we had several hours to walk around, take lots of pictures and enjoy a leisurely lunch at a local staple. As usual with us Webbs, things didn't quite work out the way we planned. Those plans sounded fabulous at the beginning of our trip, before the long days and late nights. So, instead of anything being leisurely, we got a quick bite at a deli I doubt is the pride of the town (although not half bad) and quickly drove around town while the kids talked about all the Halloween decorations hanging from every lightpost, store sign and red light.

The groom. The cousin. The reason for our visit! Thanks JP for giving us a fantastic excuse to have an amazing vacation!!
The Maciel crew. A wild, scary bunch, I dare say.
I would love to see the photographer's version of this. I've never seen my kid dance like he danced at this wedding. I'm ready to start shielding calls from the local breakdance association about scholarship offers.

Kendall on the steps of the Custom House in Salem. She looks pretty sure she's going to pass.

Salem, Massachusetts, without the witches.

We walked along the outside of the House of Seven Gables. We didn't allow enough time for a real tour of course!

Maybe we should have gotten her a coat?

Pirates are big in Salem, too. Shocker, we didn't leave any time to actually tour the pirate museum but, like all good parents, we gave the kids a good teaser by walking through the gift shop.

That's the end of the New England vacation trip pictures. Well, not the pictures, but the blogs. I'm thinking that perhaps in the spirit of not doing anything anyone expects of me, I might post Halloween pictures next. Perhaps I'll post Thanksgiving and birthday photos before Christmas, but don't count on it. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and you're working off all that pumpkin pie getting Christmas decorations out of the attic!

The Great Nor'easter Getaway, Part II

After our wonderful trip to Bristol and Newport on Wednesday, Thursday found us visiting family, eating a scrumptious lunch with homemade lemonade (that's impressive to me, clearly), and darting in and out of the pouring rain. Oh! Yes. And sitting in Boston traffic for the better part of several hours. It was a GREAT day, don't get me wrong. Just not one for getting the camera out. For obvious reasons, we don't have a blog about that day. Day 3 in the great northeast is labeled "McRell Friday" in my photo folder on my computer. We met all the "other" girls from "that" side of the family at the Boston Children's Museum. If you are EVER in the area and have any children under the age of 12, you must, must, must stop by there. But only if you have about 6 hours. We got there and stood in line for them to open, so we were among the first to enter. Approximately 6 1/2 minutes after our arrival, no less than 400 people showed up. It didn't seem to matter to the kids and there was more than plenty for them all to do without it seeming crowded. The only time the crowd really appeared to be an issue was when, well, when we lost one of the kids. Let me put this in perspective for you.
First, envision 4 cousins (3 sisters, 1 visiting cousin) who see each other less than once a year, way less. Add 1 aunt we see a couple of times a year. Add 1 man (Chip) and 1 boy (Cooper) and 4 little girls. Then, consider the ages... they are, get this, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years old. Remember we're talking women here, not men. So, we had a few things to chat about. We needed to catch up and discuss family drama (not really, don't panic) and about a million other things. My favorite story from the day was when we loaded up all 11 of us and the 2 strollers onto the elevator when we realized Cooper wasn't on there with us. So, Alyssa and I run off in search of our eldest. We round the corner and who do we see?? Alyssa's oldest, Lilly! Oops! We totally meant to be looking for her, too! Cooper was quickly behind as the sweat began to literally drip from our foreheads. I would tell you stories about lunchtime, but it's still too fresh. I can't talk about it. It was too hard.

We had a few hours to create a birthday gift for Papa. We walked the perimeter of Fenway Park and snapped a *few* pictures along the way.
The House of Blues was roped off and important-looking buses lined the back entrance. We wanted to eat dinner there but I'm not sure the big bouncers in their black sunglasses and thick, crossed arms were too keen on our idea.

3 of Papa's favorite things in life. Great-grandkids and the sox.

The pictures are soooo out of order, but it doesn't change how hard goodbye's are in this family.

I KNOW I promised not to have expectations and I truly didn't. I didn't really think that over 5 days along the atlantic ocean, visiting family, a major historic US city and a wedding was having an actual expectation. I thought it was a SHOE-IN for a Christmas card picture. Alas, THIS picture is the story of my life. I love the lighting, the backdrop isn't half-bad, but that husband of mine just doesn't want cooperate.

The Girls. We honestly would have included Cooper -- had he not been having a MAJOR meltdown during any and all picture-taking with the McRells. He seriously loved the museum and even though we promised to go back in after the other girls left, it wasn't enough to stop the tears.

Above-mentioned tears and meltdown.

Third Cousins. Minus Cooper. Of course.

The Great Nor'Easter (Getaway That Is), Part I

We prepared for our trip up north just like every other trip we usually take. It went a little something like this: Summer starts making lists exactly 27 seconds after our plane reservations are officially made. Summer's list consists of what lists she needs to make in order to fit every single thing we need into 2 large suitcases, 2 small backpacks and one carry-on. We make car rental reservations and hotel reservations for 5 nights and 3 different hotels. Before making said reservations we triple-check that each of these hotels has an indoor pool for any and all potential phases of boredom that happens with children that don't appreciate long-lost family, culture or 50 degree weather outside that is anything but the norm. Throughout all the list-making, packing that began 2 weeks before the trip, downloading new music, and adding weather.com as my new homepage, set to Boston, MA there was one thing I forgot to do.

What didn't happen during those 2 weeks was taking the time to forge expectations. It was the smartest move we could have made. Because of that stupid 50lb weight limit on luggage, we were ill-prepared for toys and games, but we were happy to find out that the 1 lb of toys each they were allowed didn't even make their way out of the trunk of the rental car for 3 days.

The other thing that never happened during the planning stages was taking the time to remember where we were going. I knew we'd see family and I was beyond thrilled with that knowledge. Sometime between week 1 and our day of arrival, I seemed to forget we were going to a place that was once home to my parents and grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. A place that I've spent many holidays, summer vacations, birthdays and random, wonderful, perfect days. So, you can imagine my surprise when I almost cried with giddy happiness when we arrived at my grandparents' and smelled that New England air, a house that is mere steps from the saltwater that I spent countless childhood days swimming in, collecting massive seashells and creating memories that are stuck like bubblegum in my once long, blond, un-highlighted hair. Brenton Pointe, Newport, RI. Quite Easily in my Top 5 Favorite Places on Earth. I have so many memories of walking along the rocky beaches, eating homemade egg salad and watching no less than a hundred kites fly through the air. The picnic area and beaches weren't nearly as crowded as they were in my youth in July, but I was still amazingly happy to share this special place with my children.

Not much nostalgia here, I can see seagulls (for whatever, unexplained reason) in the parking lot of the movie theatre in Maryville, but I like the shot anyway.
The kids enjoyed the small pools that gather amongst the gigantic rocks. There was lots of sealife to watch that we don't get in Destin!

You just never know what you'll catch in one of the million lobster traps you'll see in New England.

I can't even begin to imagine how many pictures we have on this block of concrete of various family members dating back to when my dad and uncles were kids and beyond. This is just across the street from my grandparents house where the Maciel crew has spent many a days swimming and walking and enjoying eachother's company!

It was lowtide when we first got to Rhode Island. This grass sort-of made me cringe just a little bit. I always hated swimming with this grass beneath my feet and brushing across my legs. I never trusted that it was just grass! But it always seemed worth it.

Sailboat. One of many and this picture could have been taken in 2010 or 1910. Same spot. Same Sky. Same rocks. Same wonderful.

The steps from Platt Street to the water. Oh how fun it would be to know how many times my feet have made those very same leaps and skips towards the water.

Surviving Semester #2

I survived my second semester of photography classes at UT. Over the 2, I've made some amazing friends and maybe, possibly, potentially have learned a thing or two about my camera and what I should be doing with it. Below are some photos we took at a photo shoot/field trip at the UT Gardens. Basically, anyone that wanted to come and get free "professional" photos could do so and receive about a million cd's with potentially half-decent photos on them. I enjoyed the day shooting families, couples, teenagers and one of the sweetest little diva's I've met in quite a while.

On my computer, I labeled this little girl "Little Ham" because she was, well, quite the little ham.
"Blue Boots" (she had boots on, I promise)

"Cute Young Couple" I had to doublecheck with them that they were indeed a couple and not siblings before I put them inside the stone heart!

Playing Peek-A-Boo with Miss Lex.

Lexi sees a flower she likes.

"The Green Family" This was my favorite of this family because they're all doing something different, but adorable.

Now, the true test will be if these "clients" actually like any of the pictures!

The Great Painted Pumpkin Event

It's officially a tradition. I'd have to do some photo research to be sure, but I think we are on year #4 for the Painting Pumpkins event at our house. It's always accompanied with a trip to a local pumpkin "patch" (a church selling pumpkins sitting on their front lawn. The kids get to run around choosing their favorites without getting muddy or riding on a hayride) and then home again to get down our fall decorations and start painting. It's an all-day event that normally takes place while Daddy is at work, seeing as how he isn't the biggest fan of painting in general. This year was no different. The day was still messy, the pumpkins were still just as colorful as ever, and the fun was overflowing.

We added in a shopping trip for a few new Halloween decorations and the witch made it into the cart.
The kids demanded that they get their pictures taken with the new witch. I can't bribe them with a family-size Hershey bar to do this TOGETHER, but by-golly they can smile with an ugly witch!

Is this where the term "choke-hold" came from, by chance?

The mess that Daddy likes to see in pictures, not in person!

Taking his artwork seriously!

The Other Time the Camera Came Out

Well, that title is misleading. My camera came out more than one more time. Not much more, but more nonetheless. It came out exactly 3 times the entire trip.

The pool was a little chilly the week we were in Orange Beach so thank goodness for the gigantic lazy river!
Cooper spent approximately 68% of our time in OB in the lazy river. And, as sarcastic as that sounds, I don't think I'm really kidding.

The girls cross the "bridge," in their own unique way.

While the Webb children were a little freaked out by the absolutely gigantic size and number of the dragonflies, Kori was not.

I'm trying to let go the fact that Cooper wouldn't sit next to his sister out of pure stubborness. At least they're both smiling, which is more than I get with most, more-proportioned photos.

No real comment here, other than I just love, love, love these two people.

Anyone else hearing the Baywatch theme music playing right now?

Catching fish is still our favorite pasttime while at the beach. Luckily, Daddy is pretty darn good at it.

I think that's it for beach posts! Now...on to fall!