Hawk at the college....

As we were wandering the college looking for good spots for Easter pics, Kara spotted this hawk in the distance.  As often as I've been to Richland, I have NEVER seen a hawk.  What a beauty.  Kara and I tried to walk around behind him to get a show from a different angle and he swiveled his head around to watch us (almost like an owl).  Amazing...and a little scary.  He even took off in flight for a minute, but circled back around to stand guard in the same stairwell.  Beautiful creature!

Sweetness...

After mini-golf and planting their gardens, we headed to the college to take a few shots in their Easter dresses.  So sweet. 

For the sake of art...

Yep...had to try for some artsy shots again.  We had another party behind us for most of the course, but we skipped a few holes to find an isolated green so I wouldn't embarrass myself or annoy anyone by laying down for some shots.  Ha ha!

Just because...

And just for fun...I had to lie down on the green for at least a few shots with different perspective and focus. 

Pure luck!

It was pure luck, but the littlest one actually got a hole in one!  lol

Putt...Putt...I said Putt...

We took time to show both girls how to hold the club and putt, but neither of them really got the hang of it and preferred to use their own "technique".  But they had fun anyway.  My favorite moment was when H got stuck in a "sand trap" and was frustrated....she was saying, "Putt.....Putt.....I SAID....PUTT!!!!" 

Mini golf...

It was fun to have both littles with us for Good Friday, so we took them to mini-golf.  It was their very first time and a regular laugh riot.  What a fun morning!

"He is not here, He is risen..."

Instead of coloring Easter eggs on Good Friday, we decided to make resurrection gardens.  The girls had a good time.  H read to us from their Jesus Storybook Bible about the crucifixion and resurrection and then we headed outdoors to plant our gardens.  The grass seed over the "tomb" just sprouted yesterday and I can imagine how pretty the gardens will look in about  a week.  I'll post a pic then.  This was a great activity to celebrate new life and the empty tomb!

Duck Creek...

We decided to take an impromptu drive to Duck Creek on our last Grammy Day.  There were surprisingly few ducks and we saw no geese, which was unusual.  We did have fun feeding the animals we saw.  Cherishing these last few months of Grammy Day before A goes to kindergarten.

Ready, set, woosh...

They love to slide in tandem...

Trio...

Auntie Kara asked for a shot with the girls and they were happy to pose with her.  Love this. 

High flyers...

And every year I have to try at least once to lay down in the gravel on my back and get a shot of them swinging from that perspective.  I'm always so proud of myself if I can get one in focus.  And even prouder when I can still get up off the ground.  lol. 

School Surprise Visit cont.

Then H showed us some of her tricks.  She's a lot more confident than she was a year ago. 

Surprise School Visit...

During our spring break, Kara and I decided to surprise H with a visit to her school for lunch.  Later in the day, we surprised H again by meeting her to walk home from school  First A had so show me all her new tricks on the school playground.  Getting brave...

Final reflection...

And one for the road....Love our littles so much!

Narcisssim...

 A has a hard time not giving me cheesy smiles.  But we caught a funny moment when she first noticed her reflection in the glass.  Yep, narcissism runs deep.  Who doesn't love a good reflection?

Decisions, decisions...

We've been down to the college a hundred times, but I've never really noticed how cool these reflective windows are on the music building.  My original thought was that I could do something cool with leading lines, which I tried to accomplish above.  I think it would have been more effective if I could have stepped further away to capture her feet in the photo...(wrong lens with me).  Overall, I still like it.  But later, it dawned on me that a horizontal crop might be even more effective.  Wish I'd shot it that way to begin with instead of cropping..but oh well.  Which orientation do YOU prefer?

I love how we get two views of that cute little dimple.  lol.

Spring has sprung...

Spring came early this year.  This tree was absolutely gorgeous.  Not exactly sure what kind it was....maybe a Bradford Pear?  At any rate....love it as an out of focus backdrop.

Still posing...

Yep....we've seen these poses before too.  Cuties.

Posers...

We were fortunate to have both girls with us for Grammy Day while H was on spring break.  We didn't do anything fancy, but did take a walk to the college.  The girls are so funny, because they remember every spot that I've taken their picture and like to pose there again.   So yep...you've seen them sitting on this rock before. 

My Little Valentine...

H was busy at school for this Grammy Day, but A got to make cookies with me.  She enjoyed decorating them with their powdered sugar hearts.

We are Family - Miss A...

With this one, we usually get cheesy smiles.  She TRIES...she really does!  But I don't always get what I want.  I'm happy if I can get her looking halfway natural.  The bottom pic is Jenny's new favorite picture of her. 

We are Family - Miss H

She is really growing up in her ability to cooperate for pictures. Love how every time I take a picture now her teeth are different.  New missing teeth and new teeth growing in!

We are Family - Take THREE...

Ha Ha....Yes, we went back to the college a third day that week, because the littles were tired and done with pictures on the first day so I didn't get any of them alone.  Love these. 

We are Family - Take Two...

One of these years, I will remember that it is nearly impossible to shoot the whole family (in all the different combinations and groupings of people) in one session during golden hour.  I am usually losing my light.  So Kara and I headed back to the college the next day for a few shots of her. 

We are Family (Pt. 6)

These are some of my absolute favorites!!