Beyond The Lens Photography

 More of… “The Off Season Chronicles”

A few weekends ago Joe and I had a rare outing without the kiddies.  We went with a few friends to check out the big city!  We ate dinner at this restaurant called Primehouse.  If you are ever in the city and want a serious meal….go here.  The food is amazing.  We then ventured to a Rangers Hockey game  at Madison Square Garden.  I have to say it was a bit different.  I enjoyed the experience, but more than anything else, I had a blast hanging out with great friends, and just being…

Debuting on the blog for the first time…this is Bonnie and Steven (cute right?) I see a family session in their near future!

 And Megan and Brian.  Two of the coolest people on the planet!

 Work it, Work it……

 One of my favorite shots of the day.

 Steven had a tongue issue most of the day…I don’t know why..but…it is what it is!

 Random pictures…but none no more random than taking a picture from the guys that we asked directions from…

 We’re waiting to cross the street, I turn around and say…”Guys look here!” and I get this total 90210 thing…LOL!

 LOST…but I think there’s an app for that.  Um, I didn’t have it!

 The menu at the restaurant.

 In the midst of eating we realize, we left the hockey tickets in the parking garage 12 blocks away.  So we break up into groups.  Brian and Joe go to the car to get the tickets, and Me, Megan, Bonnie, and Steven head to Madison Square Garden.  Only, we get there first and Steven starts to lose his mind.  Not only is he OCD and likes things to be “just so”.  He is also a die hard Rangers fan (notice the jersey) and completely started freaking out!

 I’m just taking pictures…

 Steven called Joe and Brian 14 times in 3 minutes.

 But we finally made it in!

 And obviously had a kick ass time!

 More random pictures with random people….who IS this guy?

How often is it that we all stroll through our lives as if each breath is a given?  As if each moment is owed to us?  As if every person is only exsisting to be part of the world that revolves around us?  Not just today, but every day….

I am thankful for my boys.  My healthy, wonderful, heaven sent, sweet boys!

And Joe….My gravity… who brings out every ounce of me that ever thought about being good…

Sunday was Noah’s 3rd birthday, and as most of you know, I am really selfish with my boys when it comes to their birthdays.  I don’t do parties or really anything else.  I have to be the first one to tell them happy birthday, they get an obnoxious amount of hugs and kisses throughout the day, they get to pick their favorite dinner, I usually make a homemade cake, and the whole day we just spend time together as a family.  Because when it comes down to it….nothing else matters!  I can’t believe Noah is already 3.  I know it sounds cliche’, but it seems like yesterday he was this little bean in my arms!  Noah is an absolute joy and I feel so honored that God thought enough of Joe and I to allow us to be his parents. 

Noah turning 3 eating his birthday cake

I took the opportunity on Sunday to take the kids out in the yard and grab some pictures of them. Here are some of the shots I got…

Noah, Joe, and I play this game called “Who do you love the most”.  I’m sure all of you parents out there are familiar with it, but let me just fill in the blanks.  Joe or I will ask Noah: “Who do you love the most?”, and no matter who is asking the answer is always “You!”.  Here is a sequence of that conversation

Here is Branndon, being sweet as pie…can anyone see his halo?

“The big one” (at least that’s what I call him these days) AKA Christian!

Here they all are together.  I love how different they all are!

These are the shots I took while we were singing happy birthday.

And then he devoured the cake

Thanks for stopping by to see the kiddies.  If you know me at all you know there is nothing more important to me than being a mom to these special guys.  I can hang out and be me, I can be a great wife, and take some cool pictures, but all of those things run a distant second to these little dudes

As most of you know, Joe and I went on a sailing trip back in the beginning of August with some friends.  I have to say I was getting more and more freaked out leading up to this trip, but I was trying to contain myself so I didn’t freak Joe out.  This was all coming on the heels of shark week, which I never ever…EVER…miss…EVER.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see God had decided to see things my way that day, and we only had calm seas.  I was so relaxed I was able to have my camera out the whole time!  No huge waves, no panic attacks, and no woolly buffalo-ing (I know that’s coming up on the spell checker, but I’m ignoring it).  Here are a few of my favorite shots of the day.

I just want to give a big “Thank You” to our fearless captain George for inviting us.  It was an awesome time and I think everyone really enjoyed them selves.  You can go ahead and sign Joe and I up for next year….or next week…whatever! 

And one of his first mates….Joe!

And the other first mate Lincoln.  He’s from St. Lucia and he’s got this whole “island” thing down!

And this is Pam, Lincoln’s wife, and a deck hand on board.

This is Peter, George’s son, and it seems to me that he has done this sort of thing before.  You know, growing up on a sail boat and all

HOT….Seriously…steamy hotness!

Lincoln just has this “Island Boy” look to him…and the light was AWESOME…so I took a lot of pictures of him!

Does Lincoln have a little Captain in him?…Not in this shot, but it looks like he has before…LOL!

 Lincoln is checking the shark situation in the water for me here…thanks man.  I didn’t want to tell you guys then, but I swear I saw a 14 ft Great White off the starboard side (is that a sailing term, or just a boat term?).