uh-oh... I missed on an important event in my life..

...okay i feel really bad, but i forgot to mention that in July my entire family came down for a family reunion of sorts. So of course.. I had to take photos, but do you know how hard it is to be in a photo of 17 people AND take the picture as a photographer. Getting everyone to do the right thing at the right time and trying to notice everything that people are and aren't doing and then getting them to hold that position and then trying to get in the picture right before you take it well.. it's really hard. but i think it turned out pretty good and we all had a great time.

It is the first time in 20 years that we were all together and it will be many more before we are all together again. The only one missing is my big brother who died suddenly about 10 years ago at the age of 42. He was there in spirit though I am sure.

ALOHA

Okay well, I just got back from a trip to hawaii and of course I took an unbelievable amount of photos..most of which I haven't even looked at.

We had a great time.. but the one thing I really wanted to do was swim with the turtles. SOOOOO .... I wanted to share this one quick video clip with you...

So I was swimming with him.. and taking photos and this video and trying to keep up.. (which was very hard) and I was so intent on following him and taking photos (because sometimes I do crazy things for just the right shot) the next thing I knew I was in OPEN water! Can I just tell ya that it freaked me out just a bit. There was no bottom.. there was no left or right only beautiful blue PACIFIC OCEAN and the sky above. Luckily.. I popped my head up and headed back for the beach. But it was unnerving as I looked like a little dot out in a vast vast ocean. And of course I have to admit as much as I would LOVE to get photos face to face of a shark.. The JAWS theme did race through my mind for a slight instant. But it was incredible and as much as I would love to say that my photos will represent the beauty.. they won't. Hawaii, specifically Kauai, was breathtaking in every way imaginable. I even boogie boarded some monstrous waves and lived to tell about it although I did surrender after an hour of all out battling the surf and the sand. Drank a lot of ocean and was hurting the next day (or two) But I DID IT!!!

This is a photo I took of my hubby. Who was great about staying right with me all day as we snorkeled. We really had a blast. If you get the chance .. you have to go. You won't regret it.