While on our beach vacation we scheduled a beach photo shoot for the whole family.  It seemed like such a good idea in my house far away from the beach.  Sunsets are lovely over the gulf and I had enviously viewed my friends' pictures from their beach vacations.  It will be perfect, I thought.

You probably know me well enough to know by now that if there is a way to make something more complicated or annoying, we manage to find it.  First of all, I booked a photographer that wasn't actually in the area where we were staying.  She was lovely and very friendly, but  it was an hour drive to meet her half-way.  And the traffic in Destin is famously horrible.  And there was a car accident that slowed both directions down.  Our side was slow because people are stupid about checking out an accident.  I hate that.  I don't get the fascination at all.  So the hour drive took an hour and a half.  But we did get there.

We met the photographer and walked out onto the beach where no less than 5 other photographers were taking pictures.  It was a beautiful evening, and that was almost a miracle right there, so I could understand the crowd a bit, but it is hard to make it look like you are on some deserted stretch of beach when 50 other people are trying to do the same thing.

And then there was the timing.  It isn't like you can choose the time of your sunset.  It sets when it sets.  But to get there on time, we had to leave at a time we would usually be eating.  Eating before would have put it at about early afternoon and we weren't hungry then.  So imagine 4 hungry kids, two grumpy grandparents, and two frustrated parents.  Not optimal photo-taking behavior.  

The kids were unbelievably inattentive and obedient.  I mean, way beyond our normal orneriness into clinically disobedient.  No amount of threats or bribes were going to get them to walk or stand or sit correctly for those dreamed of shots of perfect children. 

But it turns out, after all that, and the late late dinner we had after (because every restaurant was as busy as the road had been and we didn't sit down to food until 10pm!) the photographer posted a sneak peek to the photo session and the pictures are FABULOUS!!  No kidding, AMAZING!  We are so going to be purchasing more than a CD of these pictures!

Whew!

Update:  For some reason, these posts are out of order on my blog.  Sorry about that.  I will stop fiddling with the font despite continuity issues.  My OCD can relax.