Maria & Laura's Birthday {Gifts} April 2017

These two girls are the best of friends and love doing everything together; the also share a birthday and love getting to celebrate together. :) 

Dinner at the Gardens

We took Monique's portraits (see here) one evening around dinner time; if we had dinner first and then went for photos it would be too dark, but if we got photos first and then came home for dinner it was going to get really late. So I figured some of us could go for the shoot, and the others could pick up dinner and meet us at the gardens, oh and then I was planning to walk afterwards. That was my grand plan for getting everything to happen, and at fairly reasonable times ;) The walk ended up being pretty short, but apart from that I think everything worked out :)

: : I think they were cold : :

: : Somebody didn't get a tan all summer . . . ;P : :
#firstworldproblems #whitepeopleproblems

: : Bryce takes every opportunity to kick a soccer ball around ;) : :

Monique {Portraits} April 2017

So I have a long way to go if I want yearly portraits of the family ;P 

But somebody turned 16 this year, and I wanted a photo for party invitations, so we went out to get a collection :) 

Are They Broken?!

#WordsOfWisdom

"Relationships are never static."

~Gary Chapman

A House on a Truck

We knew the section was being cleared and the house made ready for removal. Updates of its progress were provided fairly regularly by family members who passed by and took note of the happenings. Finally, late one night we were notified that the day of the house's departure had arrived! In no great style we arrived at the location, camera in hand, to witness the occasion and learn more about this kind of work, what actually happens, how it all works.

: : The main part of the house was taken away on one truck (as shown) : :
And a smaller piece had been cut off and was transported separately on another truck (side)

It was interesting to see it moved--the trucks pulled away rather slowly, with workmen running back and forth checking that the house was okay and wasn't going to hit anything. It was the entire width of the road, so the house had to be raised to pass over the top of cars parked along the side.

Danielle's Birthday {Gifts}

What shall I say? Presenting Danielle with gifts for her birthday was the usual family affair, and below is the usual visual recap.