Family Photo Shoot

Every year I try to take new photos of the boys for our family blog and also for my mom's "Grandkids Wall of Fame"  :)  It is always a fun, yet stressful project for me because I am such a perfectionist and I have zero photography training, but I have to say I am pleased with this year's results.  Normally I take the photos at a nearby lake, but this year I took the photos right outside our rental house (yes, we are still in a rental...keep praying for us to find the home God has planned for us soon!).  Sometimes I struggle with being grateful for our rental house because it's waaayyyy out in the valley where the cactus and sage brush thrive, but I was thankful for the Montana-esque backdrop it made for these photos...  Always try to find the silver-lining, right?  :}  It would have been humorous for you to watch me take these photos because I kept having to kick chickens out of the way so that they wouldn't get in the photo.  I'm sure am learning to be quite the pioneer woman living out here!  Actually, I'm learning that I am no Laura Ingalls Wilder...there's no way I would have survived the pioneer days! :)  Anyway, here are the photos...  I was shocked to see how much the boys have grown since last year's photo.  I guess I didn't notice the change from day to day, but I can sure see it from year to year.

I am blessed to be the momma of these five beautiful boys:

I couldn't believe how much Joseph matured this year!  He looks so different from last year...  Even though he is only in the 8th grade, I had the strange feeling that I was taking his senior pictures!  It certainly gave me a twinge of sadness to think of how few years he has left in our home :(

Michael gets more and more handsome each year and more and more freckles too!

He got his braces off this year, so he was finally able to smile showing his teeth--although he just barely showed them off :}  He is the only one in the family with those beautiful brown eyes, and I have a feeling that someday they will melt a young lady's heart--unless, of course, he chooses the priesthood! :)

Dashing Dominic!  What more can I say?  How I love his hazel eyes, his huge hugs, and his sensitive, loving heart!

Natey's photo was perhaps my favorite one of all.  I just love his dimpled chin, his sweet grin, and that sweet sweater to match the blue mountains behind him!

I was grateful to get at least one good picture of Isaiah.  Getting a 2 year old to sit still and smile is like trying to catch a tumbleweed in a tornado!  :)  With the other boys photos, I had plenty of good photos to choose from, but with Isaiah I only had two...this one, and this one:

I'm guessing my mom will want the other one for her wall, but this one sure makes me laugh :)

After taking all the pictures of the boys, I asked my son Michael to take a few of Paul and I.  I thought they turned about pretty sweet  :)  I can't even pick which one I like the best.  Do you have a favorite?  I think my husband looks quite handsome in that hat.  God has abundantly blessed me...beautiful boys, a handsome husband, and Jesus' merciful love...what more could a girl want?  Well, perhaps a new house, but there I go being greedy again.  Truly, I am grateful for what I have and trying not to want more...but it is hard.  Pray for me and I will pray for you...just send me a comment or an email (pmhurlbert@gmail.com) if you have specific prayer intentions.  I would be honored to pray for you specifically.