This morning we woke up and headed straight out to the beach. Jared and I wanted to find a spot next the sweet, kissing old man and his family – but they weren’t out there yet. The lifegaurd told us that the region of the beach we were sitting is was SURF BEACH for the day – so we moved down a titch so we could wade  in the ocean if wanted. I was hoping to get some awesome surfing pictures – but it is only Maryland and not Hawaii. I think I got a few of one of the surfers – we will see. We settled in for our day of reading and relaxing when we were approached by the SCOPES guy to take our pictures. This particular guy – Brandon – has been after us all week. Turns out that a couple in our church was down here a few weeks ago and had prayed for a SCOPES guy named Brandon. He came back to them the next day and felt tons better after the prayers. They had told us to keep an eye out for a blond SCOPES guy named Brandon. So when we ran into him the first day – we asked his name – and sure enough it is THE Brandon that the people from our church ran into. So we told him that he could get our pictures but not till later when I looked like a human and not a lobster. I look much better today – with the exception of my hip still – so we thought – WHY NOT? Now – Jared’s dad LOVES the beach – he hates the sand and the ocean but loves the beach. So this Brandon makes us get down in the sand and has mom B and I lie on the backs of our guys. It was great – cus dad B would never do that. We thought – we don’t have to get them – so why not. I very rarely get good pictures of me and am always behind the camera anyway.

We spent the day reading, relaxing, and visiting. We ran into the family that we were trying to sit next to and chatted with them a little. The older guy – the kisser – said something that made me think. I said something about family values and how it seems they aren’t like they used to be. He said – well I think more people care than you might think. You have to give people a chance. He said – it is like the people who need help with some things. When people are in need you help them – when you can – sometimes those people appreciate it and return the favor at some point and some people never say a word – but you do it anyway. It was a God appointment for me – for sure.

For dinner we went to mom and dad B’s favorite place – Seacret’s – and then to check out the pictures from earlier. If I had known about stuff like this in college – SIGN ME UP! This is what I know that I am meant to do – making moments into memories. Anyway – the pictures were good – one was GREAT. We got an 8 x 10 and then a keychain for Jared of the two of us. Now we are spending a night in watching Hoodwinked.

I am looking forward to my next jaw appointment on Tuesday – this week has been tough finding food to eat and with sleeping in different places. I needed this week to relax – we get back this Saturday – then on each weekend I have the following – a wedding in Athens – a wedding in Canton and church picnic – KT’s grad party and PK sleepover – wedding in Athens – visiting Trudence in VA – wedding in Wellsboro – OFF WEEK – Ren Faire with the family – wedding in Lawrenceville – Sara’s wedding – WHEW – that takes us all the way into October!

I appreciate all the prayers for my jaw and related “pains” GREATLY! With Jesus ALL things are possible!

Today was beach day – all day – or so we thought. The morning started with a stranger walking into our room exclaiming – sorry sorry – turns our he thought our room was the office. Jared’s mom had been sitting out on the porch with breakfast and didn’t make the connection that he was coming INTO our room. What a way to start the day! We went out the beach and settled in for a morning of reading and relaxing. I took a little walk and snapped some pictures and read more of my book – which is another blog topic I could go on and on about. Jared and I came back in and brought out lunch today for everyone. After lunch – mom and dad B went in for a rest stop – but we determined that nothing needed to be taken back in yet. About ten minutes after they went inside – the wind and dark coulds started rolling in – we thought we would just wait it out. It started to pick up pretty good so Jared and I got up to pick up the sheet when the umbrella BLEW UP and OUT OF THE GROUND – heading for the ocean. After a few giant leaps – I caught it – ony to have our chairs start to blow over and away – about the time we righted the chairs to get them put away – the other umbrella caught the urge to head for a swim too. After a hectic few minutes we managed to pack up everything – with no sign of mom and dad B. We had four chairs – two umbrellas – two coolers – and two giant beach bags – all for Jared and I to lug back. We thought about leaving some things behind but couldn’t pick anything so we piled them up on our shoulders and managed to start lugging everything back when mom and dad B came RUNNING across the sand to help – JUST IN TIME – the lightning was starting and the clouds were funneling over the ocean – i ALMOST stopped to dig for my camera – but i am terrified of the wind and funky looking clouds. Give me thunder and lightning any day – not wind.

So we decided to go to the outlets and the Outback for the afternoon – Jared found a few polo shirts at the Gap and I found two pairs of nice chinos – near black and khaki – which will work great when photographing weddings – OH and FLIP FLOPS for TWO BUCKS. I got a really cute denim skirt from BASS – and an ADORABLE outfit for sweet Macy – even though it won’t fit her till next winter.

We ate and came back to chill on the beach – and saw lots of dolphins – till about an hour ago – day four is nearly over and it makes us sad. My sunburn is nearly healed – the only bad spot that still hurts is on my right hip. I am so excited to post pictures of our second “annual” Barden family vacation.

I wish I had a way to DL my pictures from my camera. I haven’t been as burnt as I am right now in a LONG LONG time. Like I said earlier – we arrived Saturday afternoon – day one – and after unpacking went right out the beach. We hung out for a while – took a few walks – snapped pictures left and right – then came in to change for dinner. We went to dinner at a pizza spot where you eat on the roof of the restaurant overlooking the boardwalk. The pizza was good – it was a little too tough for my jaw – but good.

Day two – yesterday – we got up and out on the beach by 9 AM – picking a great spot right on the water. The spot was also a witness to irresponsible parenting galore. First I have to say that Jared and I think that we tan well – but we don’t – after learning the hard way. I am burnt from head to literally the end of each toe. My stomach, hips, ankles, and feet are the worst. I will have pictures DL’ed once we get back home. I think that my pain tolerance has gotten pretty high in the past two years – but this HURTS – and it is my own stupidity. So – while I was baking myself to a lobster red yesterday – we witnessed the following — a mom who was talking on her cell phone for about 2 hours while paying no attention to her children – aged five and three – IF THAT – the little girl was the older with a cute little brother tailing behind. She would play in the ocean – run around the large expanse of beach – including our sheet – while her mom sat in the surf chatting away. The little boy would get in other people’s stuff – play with the big kites at the back of the beach – wander all over creation without the concern of his mom. At one point she went to change his diaper but decided to just let him wander all over the surf totally naked. Later I found a little girl wandering around our spot looking lost and scared. I asked her if she needed her mom – she shook her head yes and nearly started crying. Luckily Jared said they were on the other side of our little spot and that was indeed where she needed to be. Later I watched the father of this little girl shove his son in the sand after yelling at him and asking him if he understood him – turns out that the little boy – no more than 9 – was supposed to be with his sister (the same one who wandered off before without her parents missing her) and came back from the shore without her. So Jared saw the dad punch his son in the arm for daring to lose his sister. I have NEVER in my life witnessed such irresponsibility on behalf of parents. It makes me realize that Jared and I really can do it and will make it. I understand that parenting isn’t perfect and noone is – but COME ON people – these are you children – LOVE THEM and watch them. So the day yesterday ended with the first little boy walking down the street to their car without any diaper or anything on again – yards behind his mother – who is too busy with her friends and/or cell phone to notice or care. In case you cannot tell – this really disturbs me. We came back to the room and changed for dinner – at the small restaurant in the hotel we stayed at last year while we were here. Then we checked out the options for the Olde Tyme Photographs – which we will do later on in the week when I don’t look like a fresh lobster.

Day three – today – we spent all day on the beaach again – this time under the protection of sunscreen – a cover dress – and an umbrella. I read most of my book and took a few more pictures. Jared and I went out in the ocean to cool off every once in a while – where we met an older gentleman who saw me kissing Jared and asked why he had missed out on the kissing – so he promptly planted one on my cheek and I returned the favor. I went over the his wife and found out that they have been married 55 years! I told them we had just hit 4 – they said keep it up and work at it – it is worth it. Turns out that they will be our beach neighbors for the week since they have stayed in the same place for the past 46 years for 2 weeks. I think I might try and talk with them about how things have changed so much over the years on the boardwalk here in OC. OH – and speaking of OC – DID YOU KNOW that the vibrant glow of 80’s neon prints are back in style? Along with the sunglassed with the neon rims? The only thing that should be coming back from the 80’s is the music.

So here we are in the evening of day three – nursing our sunburns and trying out the couch bed for a better night’s sleep.

My Uncle Bob – married to Aunt L – lives right down the road from my parents. They share a plot of land – so to speak – across the road from Bob’s house – where he keeps his 2 goats, 2 horses, and a donkey – I think she is a donkey. Rosie – the donkey – is VERY jealous of any attention given to any other animal – which is why she just about plowed us over several times.

We decided that this goat resembles a Klingon.

Hands – one of my favorite things to take pictures of – especially hands that can tell a story. These are my Uncle Bob’s hands – they have been through it all. Those rebellious teenage years, Vietnam, placing a ring on his bride’s finger, cradling his newborn sons, delivering mail, worshipping God, building, hugging, loving, helping to tell MANY a story – and most anticipated of all – cradling his newborn GRANDSON come September. I love ya Uncle Bob.

Friday night we went to my parents for a bonfire. We brought PM with us for the funtivities. My dear aunt, uncle, and cousin have a puppy that likes to pose.

My second cousin – pictured with my Gramma below – had this COOL Darth Vader toy that I just had to pose in front of the bonfire pit.

Me and the above mentioned cute cousin cheesing it up for Aunt L.

Matt and *N* having fun looking up at the stars.

I have said it before – but I will say it again – I LOVE my family and am so blessed to have them so near and dear.

This past fall, I had the great opportunity to capture two families – friends from high school.

Such beautiful families …

Derek emailed me today with a photography option he thought I should check out.

Here is the original photo – one you might recognize …

And here is upgraded version …

THANKS little brother – you’re the best.

I am going to have SO much fun with this …

Queen Anne’s Lace reminds of my Gramma Trout – I am pretty sure they were the flowers in her wedding. Everytime I see them I think of Gramma Trout. Gramma Trout is a very strong woman – an intense prayer warrior – a lover of souls – a woman I am proud to call my grandmother.

This week is the week of Mega Sports Camp at CNC. I invited my cousins Vanessa and Zach to come stay with us for the week. Yesterday I had the afternoon off – so we played mini-golf and went swimming – they went swimming. It’s been pretty chilly here this week – not to mention rainy.

Vanessa made friends with a few of the girls from church already – in fact she went to a sleepover last night with a bunch of them.

Yea – it looks cold – it was.

Happy Father’s Day.

My dad was 18 when I was born. I was a month old at his high school graduation. He went right to work at a cheese factory in town – where he worked for 20 years. My dad is one of the smartest people I know – and he gave up what could have been – for us. Thank you for believing in me, trusting me, and loving me. I love you.

At the rehearsal dinner for our wedding Jared’s dad said something that I will never forget. He said that they had been praying for me since before their son was born. He is one of the strongest people I know. Thank you for accepting me into your family and being a strong pillar for Jared and I. I love you.

Heavenly Father – thank You for Your love, Your guidance, Your sacrifice, Your forgiveness. Thank You for always loving me and for Your promises You have given me. Thank You for sacrificing Your son so that I may live eternally with You. Thank You for loving me through my imperfections and struggles and doubts. I love You.