Sea Foam and Summer Storms

With all the beautiful babies and photogenic families Im blessed to work with, these 5 continue to be the favorite focus of my lens.  (….my 6th runs from the camera or is moving too fast to get an in-focus shot:)

We were asked to do another photoshoot for Dayspring Dresses.  I treasure the sweet relationship that has come out of this partnership with this lovely children’s boutique.  Kelly has become precious to me and my girls get all excited when the measuring tape comes out to size up for another sister set.  And when did this happen….how has Abi almost outgrown her sizes?  When did toddlers and tykes turn into teens?

This was actually one of the more challenging shoots Ive done recently (not to mention the fact that Gigi’s nap was interrupted and she was in rare form that day:)

Its monsoon season in Thailand and the beach especially had some crazy storms going on when I tried to do this shoot a couple weeks back.  We gave up holding out for a sunny day and decided to go with the “windblown” look and all the sea foam glory!  Trouble was the salty sea mist that was blowing in our face…..and fogging up the lens.  Foggy lens = grainy images….and a frustrated photographer.  But, how bad can pictures be at the beach, right?  Here are a few of my favorites!

Thats How We Roll

After Evie and I got stranded on this street yesterday during the thick of a monsoon………..

….the sunshine has never looked as beautiful as it did this morning!!

The water receded.  

The storm clouds dissipated.  

And we had a great first day of FALL BREAK filled with sunshine and good friends….

Eleven people crowded in a tiny tuk-tuk….our new personal record!

My friends Jenny and I took our gangs bowling.  

9 kids 11 and under in a bowling alley.

Call me crazy, but we had a blast.

In addition to bumpers on the gutters, they also had this fancy contraption….a ball ramp.  To make sure the ball actually gains enough momentum with little people rolling that it is guaranteed to make it down the lane.  Made the experience awesome for our little people! 

(Ok, Im not gonna lie…the bumpers helped me a time or two too!)

Tristan is claiming his handicap of only one functional arm as his excuse for getting beat by Jenny by one point. 🙂

Excited for 10 days with all my crazy kiddos home.  Instead of campfires and mountain climbing, we’ll be hanging by the pool.  And instead of crockpot meals and apple cider, we have picnics in the park planned.  Loving fall break in a tropical climate!

Thats how we roll!!!

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Normally, my 6 kids, armed with intimidating “high powered” waterguns, loose on the streets with permission to engage fire, is not a force to be reckoned with.

But my posse met their match last week when this typically polite and respectful culture celebrated Thai New Year with Songkran (Water Festival).

It is like NOTHING you’ve ever seen before….

Its an all out war where pedestrians carrying groceries, elderly people, babies and even those “dressed for work” are not exempt from the “water snipers” looking for their next victim. 

“If you plan to go out, prepare to get wet” we were told. (iPhone in ziplock bag – check!)

Basically, there is nowhere you are safe from being doused!  

There is a 546 year difference between our Gregorian calendar and The Thai’s Buddhist calendar.  So…..we just celebrated the New Year 2556 last week 

(Back-To-The-Future time warp!!)

In celebration, the natives “wash” away the sins and bad karma of the old year as they ring in the new year and welcome the onset of Monsoon season.

Bangkok turned into a full-blown whitewater playground for 3 days and my kids loved it.  

There are truck loads people with coolers full of water that they throw on the next car or tuk-tuk.  Children stand on the side of the road pelting motorcyclists with water balloons.  We witnessed grown men, shouldering neon waterguns, picking “fights” with complete strangers.  Buckets of water rain down on passers by from high-rise apartments.  Vats of ice-water line the sidewalks in front of street shops allowing passersby to “fill up” and target their next victim.

Its CRAZY.

And its crazy FUN!

After going out the first day and having a family attack me whilst carrying bags of groceries home, I decided it best NOT to take the expensive Nikon camera out to document the fun on the streets.  But….here is a peek at the mayhem of our neighborhood waterfight (from safely behind a hedge:).