REBELS

We touched back down in Indy at 6:20pm last night.

I stepped off the plane in my flip flops. It was a mere 26 degrees.

I rebelled! Flip flops or bust. Let's also mention that Brennen came home in shorts.

He rebelled as well and I allowed it.

Go ahead...call CPS now. We don't care. We are just kind of crazy like that. Crazy kind of family. And gosh knows we love being crazy. (Hence, the song. A great one at that. Turn up your speaker volume and enjoy it while reading this) Craziness!

Back to point...who cared about who was staring and whispering. We were being rebels together. Mother and Son. Love that!

We woke up to snow this morning. Don't love that! Nope...not so much. In fact, I detest that part. I was almost disgusted when I saw it. In fact, not "almost"...I WAS disgusted! How do you go from 83 degrees with sun, sand, and palm trees to 26 degrees, with snow and sleet in a matter of 2 hours? What is wrong with this picture people?

Either way, I got this in my email inbox earlier and had to share. It's from Kenidi's teacher. You know, Alison? The one I speak about on this blog from time to time? Here is what part of her email read:

I’m including a picture from this morning’s SuperTarget field trip. Miss Kenidi has been super tired today and conked out on the way back. (on the bus) I snapped a quick picture to send you…it was too cute to pass up! Hope you’re having a good first day back home. :)

It appears as though our little Miss Kenidi experienced a bit too much R&R over the past 2.5 weeks while we were away. I'm sure she was dreaming of funyons, blues clues, dances with daddy on the beach, musical chairs on the lanai, etc. right at that very moment. Hysterical! Sleeping on the bus...Does it get any better than that? Well, maybe if you were sleeping on the beach. Thanks for taking the time to send this picture to me Alison. Brent and I cracked up. Too funny!

Either way, back to making orders, shipping them, doing a boat load of laundry, putting away suitcases, waiting for 2.5 weeks worth of "held" mail to show up from the mail lady(oh joy! - Not!), and simply missing the noise. The bickering amongst siblings. The mouth of a 9 year old. The scenes on the beach from a 5 year old with special needs. The ringing of my husbands cell phone(constantly). Yeap, just missing it all. Just when your brain tells you that you've had enough and your ready to kick your family to the curb after 2.5 weeks of being together 24/7, your heart kicks in and reminds you otherwise. Brent sent me an email this morning that read nothing but "I miss you already."

Made. me. cry.

Truth is...he has only been gone at the office for 7 hours but I miss him already too. I miss them. The kids. The monsters. The little hellions. I miss them and they've only been gone a few hours. Like I told Brent when I replied back to his email, "the silence without them here is now almost deafening." I find my heart extremely heavy today for the Travolta's as I sit in this silence. Just me, God, and the silence. Praying for their peace. Praying for their unexpected horrific silence. Just praying!

In him always, Angie

ALL GREAT THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

This is what our last day on the beach looked like yesterday. Blue skies, a hot 83 degrees, white sand, kids playing, etc. I took Brennen and we hung out and did some Mommy/son time alone. See little Miss Kenidi doesn't understand that the ocean is too cold to swim in this time of the year. On numerous occasions this trip, she has dove in the water, clothes, shoes, and all in an effort to swim with the fish. Ha ha! Brent has then had to go in after her in his clothes, shoes, and all. Thus, why Kenidi will be coming home without a brown bean tan this trip. She stayed home most afternoons with Daddy, having lunch with him, watching continual episodes of Blue Clues with him and playing musical chairs outside in the lanai around the pool with him. Brennen got in the ocean up to his knees a few times but for the most part, the water was just too cold. So yesterday, Brennen and Mommy spent 4 hours oceanside just playing in the sand, tanning it up, and closing our eyes as we embraced the last few hours of the waves crashing against the shore before we have to return home.

There was hardly anyone around. Just us and our Beach B/F/F's (the birds). Yeap, they made one last appearance in hopes of getting "Paparazzi'ed" before we go. And boy did they ever. Many of them did fly over stunts for us and everything this time. Too fun to watch. It's amazing to me how close they come to my hands and my lens. I think they are so used to people on the beach that they come right up to you like its nothing. We are sticking with the story that they just enjoy strutting their stuff in front of my cameras and that we are all B/F/F's because of the photo ops I give them in exchange. HA! I mean let's face it...they are celebrities here on this ol' blog. Right?

This shot above was a group of pelicans that continued to fly overhead and in formation all afternoon long. They were so beautiful! And below...I captured a seagull coming in for a landing all while almost taking out another one of his own pals.

The image below is of a single pelican flying right above my head, doing what they do best... Looking stunning!

Although this next shot below was caught on the fly and left me unprepared, I still love it. Look at those wings. You guys know how much I have a love affair with all things "wingy." Hee hee! :) He came in for a landing right at my feet and I snapped the shot right before his little legs hit the ground.

And this little dude below kept bringing around things in his mouth. He tried to eat everything in sight. I caught him with this something or another and thought I'd share it here too.

This seagull below isn't really as close as it looks to my head like some of the previous shots. Thank goodness for telephoto zoom lens. I love my glass. They are so good at capturing images like this one that are impossible in a normal situation.

And there he went...flying right past us. Up in the sky with the planes and all. How fun it must be to know that God blessed you with wings. What a view they must have every second of every day...

Then lastly, these are my favorite red long beaked birds. I don't know their technical name but I do love them. I call them "Red" when there.

Here are two of my favorite houses shoreside on Bonita Beach. You should see the front of these bad boys. They are stunning homes. The owner of the white house was out on her top balcony while we were there yesterday. She was yelling down and talking to an older couple that they obviously knew on the beach. I wondered if she knew how blessed she was to wake up to a view like that every morning. Gorgeous!

Here is Brennen doing what he does...hanging out with Mom in the sand.

I thought that I might order canvas wrapped prints done in color or possibly even black and white of these next few prints below. I have a large wall in our great room that is craving some large prints. I plan to make it a photo wall with all of my photography pictures captured of the kids, the beach, and so on during our vacation memories thru the years. Beings that our new home is decorated in a beachy/cottage feel, I thought these close ups of hands and feet in the sand will be great for the photo wall collection.

My toes won't be on the wall though. Of course not...no way jose'! I don't mind putting them here though - in small print. :)

For now, I'm off to finish packing. It's 9am and our flight leaves for home at 3:45pm today. I'm sad and heart sick to return back to Indy's winter weather. However, in the end, it is home. Normally I'm ready to come home by the end of each trip. This time however, I'm not. I really hate leaving this trip and bringing it to an end. I just wish I was a beach shell sometimes...able to stay on the beach 24/7, swim with the dolphins, sun bathe in the rays, etc. Beings that I'm not though, I guess the shells will have to remain there along with our Beach B/F/F's until we return again later this year. They are always lonely without us. I'm sure of it...

Thanks for sharing this vacation with us. I've enjoyed being able to share with you all. As always, please pray for safe travels tonight as we fly home. If all is on time, we will touch back down in Indy at 6:30pm on the dot tonight. I'll update tomorrow from the comforts of home.

Happy Monday...Angie

CATCH UP (PART 2)

Hi all. Just dropping in to say hello on this gorgeous Sunday morning. Before we head back to the beach today, I thought I'd post real quick. Here are a few images from several nights ago back when we walked the beach in Naples that evening. Brent happens to be in these with the kiddo's. He and Kenidi were dancing on the beach together part of that time and I managed to capture a couple of images from the moment. Girlie twirls & spins in the sunset with Daddy...

Maybe a little salsa dancin'...shakin' those hips with Daddy...

This shot below was taken on the beach several nights later over on Sanibel Island. She was showing Daddy her shell that she found. Love her stance and his body language in this one. The princess speaks and her prince (her Daddy) listens intently...

Brent was watching the kids play a few feet from me at one point and was allowing me a few minutes to snap some shots. I got this one of him. Loved it. Don't know why...just do.

And this one I got of Brennen with my telephoto lens. I was way far away and captured him looking for shells along the waters edge, carrying "Razzi" in tow.

Brennen and Daddy...(back in Naples again)

And this shot below is of Kenidi, just laying down in the sand. I caught her doing it and it reminded me of how relaxed I get when at the beach. She was just sugaring herself in the sand and truly in her element. I caught her enjoying life to the fullest at that second. When I snapped the legs of the teenage girls in the background too, I at first started to delete the picture and throw it out. However, the more I thought about and the more I looked at it once back at the house, the more I realized that their legs help to tell a story and describe a place. In the end, I felt that their presence, even though just their legs, added more character to the shot with Kenidi. Ultimately, the legs added "unique-ness" and I opted to keep the image rather than discard it.

And lastly, a facing forward shot of Kenidi chasing the birds. What great memories we have of another trip to South Florida. I don't know if we'll be back here before Summer again or not. Our Spring Break destination is undecided but in the works. No matter when we arrive back here, it'll never be soon enough. It's very hard to stomach the fact that we'll be flying back into Indy tomorrow night. (Monday) We'll be stepping off the plane to cold temps, a crazy busy week regarding the calendar and schedules, a Christmas tree that needs taken down and put away, laundry that will be demanding attention as it overflows out of the suitcases, and so on. I guess we call that "REALITY." Right? Life...praising God for it today and all that it breathes into us as well as takes from us.Happy Sunday,Angie PS...To view the Angie Seaman Photography "photo of the day," click HERE.

ESSENTIALS

Just a few of my favorite things that I plan to put to good use this afternoon. My beat up but oh so comfy flip flops, a pair of my favorite shades that won't leave line marks across my face from tan lines, my magazine favorite while down South (A Gulfshore Life) and a good read about photography. All while listening to my favorite tunes on this...

A small, beat up, lil' radio that Brennen got as a gift from someone several years ago. It has now become one of my best friends while at the beach whenever we are here. It's tattered, scratched, chipped, and has no battery cover anymore. However, like the energizer bunny...it just keeps on going and going and going. LOVE THAT! And for such a small thing, it can sure pump out the tunes for us. I like this better than using my Ipod at the beach because I can still hear what the kids are saying and doing around me. With ear buds from the Iphone in my ears, it makes it more tough to listen and listen closely.

There you have it. My beach essentials. (with the exception of my tanning oil concoctions and my "Angie" towel). It is set to be another sunny and gorgeous 83 degree day today here in Sunny Florida. Same predictions for tomorrow. We plan to hit the beach both days. Maybe I'll get a few more shots while there. Either way, we'll be home late Monday evening and I dread stepping off that plane back in Indy. I hear the temps have held steady in the 30's the past few days. Let's see 83 degrees down to 30 degrees. Hummmmmm...it just doesn't sound fun to me. Is it time for Spring yet? :)

xoxoxo, Angie

PS...I had no idea that all of you were such "Facebookers." I can't thank each of you enough for all of the emails and notes on my new facebook page yesterday. I am also extremely appreciative of the thirty or so blog lurkers that read my blog faithfully who came out of the closest and introduced themselves for the first time to me on facebook yesterday. LOVED THAT! Brent and I layed on the bed together last night for like two hours searching, looking, and finding all of our old friends from the past whom we hadn't seen in years. We also enjoyed reading all about your families on your own pages. So fun! Brent teased me and said that gaining 62 friends on facebook in a couple of hours was pretty promising. Ha ha! I just love you guys!

PSS...For the Angie Seaman Photography "photo of the day," click HERE.

I'M PHYSICALLY ILL

I'm sick to my stomach. I feel like the life was just sucked out of me when I read this moments ago. It's heart breaking. Gutt wrenching. One that ROCKED me to the core and not in a good way this time. As a Mother of a child who suffers from seizures, I'm weak at my knees. Please keep them in your prayers. Celebrity or not, they are just like us. They love their children. What a horrific tragedy! May God lift them up and hold them in his hands during this life shattering time. Click HERE for the article.

In his grip...always....

Angie

FACEBOOK

OK...I did it. I took the leap. I left my comfy world of "myspace" and ventured over to open a new page on FACEBOOK. After (too numerous to count requests) from friends and business clients to open a page on facebook, I finally have. I can't believe all of you - literally in the masses - that are switching over to Facebook from myspace right now. It has been like a mad and oh so wild forest fire amongst my friends and customers. Everyone has started a new page there. I figured I had better jump on the bandwagon while I had the time to devote to it. Yes, I'll admit...thus, the blog slacking. Ha ha!

I just can't get over all of the new people on there that I went to school with and such that aren't on myspace. The amount of people on facebook is triple those on myspace. Not only that but facebook is clean without all of the nasty garb you have to filter thru your page on myspace. It's definitely more bland, but in a good way. More clean and so not "risk-ay"! Awkward to get used to at first (after being a myspacer initially) but better once you get your bearings about you and know how to maneuver around your page.

So...if you have a facebook page, friend request me. I'm listed under "Angie DeNease Seaman." No, DeNease isn't my middle name. It was actually my maiden name. I added it to my name so that others I went to school with can find me easier. If you don't have a facebook page yet, get one. It's loads of fun reconnecting with old and current friends over there. I will still have my myspace page open and active but I suspect, like all the others, I'll be devoting more time to facebook now instead. And yes, I'll be posting more vacation pictures very soon. I'm just having way too much fun enjoying my family and our time here while on vacation. The break has been so nice. Big hugs, Angie

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing each of you PEACE...

LOVE...

HOPE...

JOY...

And unwavering, undying, FAITH in the new year.

No sappy stories, no reflections or regret in 08.' Nope none of that here. See...I am one who firmly believes in "no regrets." Without the past, today is not possible. You cannot be who you are today without those moments that define our past. To have regret would mean you'd have to want to change something in the past. I do not. Good or bad, it shapes and molds the individual who stands here before us and within us. I'm thankful for the roads God had me travel in 2008 and I'm just as thankful for those he allowed to me leave in my dust. Moments, certain individuals, etc. He had a plan and I hope I followed it to the best of his envisions - in a way that makes him proud - in a Christian, Christ follower, way. In those times, months, or years when we don't follow that plan as we should, I pray the life lesson along the way is an incredible one that leaves us always remembering and never forgetting.

Here is to 2009. To new roller coaster rides, to new friends and old friends alike, to new journeys, new travels, new challenges, new wins and even some new losses. When all is said and done, we'll be packing another profitable year within us and each of the life lessons that shaped that year to make it and us - who and what we are. Here are to the ups and downs, the good and the bad, and the won and the lost yet to come for 2009. I pray your faith is unwavering and withstands each minute with hope and love along the way.

And for us Moms, (who are the majority sex reading this blog)...here is to good women. May we know them. May we raise them. May we be them.

Big hugs, lots of love, and many thanks for the love and friendship shared here on this blog. Also, huge thanks to all of my clients/customers who have supported my business in 2008. I look forward to working with you in the new year to create those "must have" custom designs. Stay tuned in the next week or two, I have a couple of new AGD designs to list as soon as I return home from vacation next week.
xoxoxo, Angie & the AGD family

PS...To view the Angie Seaman Photography "photo of the day," click HERE.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

To view the "Angie Seaman Photography photo of the day," click HERE.

PLAYING CATCH UP...

Just trying to catch up and post a few of the shots I got from the Naples Zoo and the beach this past Saturday while here in Florida. I have ones of Brent with the kids as well that still need uploaded too. More too follow. I can't believe I'm like 2 days - maybe three - behind in editing and posting the shots. I guess I've really been enjoying the R&R a bit too much while here this time, eh? :) Just nick name me the "The Slacker!"

Sibling love...

Just hanging out at the zoo...

Our stud man, Brennen, at the zoo this past Saturday. He's just getting way too big, too quick. And below, Brennen with my "Razzi" again - putting her to good use while shooting the alligators at the zoo.

Brennen on the beach above...And a few funky shots of Kenidi below... And one reflecting the feel of a little sand in the mouth. She's not happy about it either. Can't say that I blame her... For now, we are off to dinner. Enjoy your Tuesday evening. Big New Years Eve tomorrow night. Fun ahead...Naples 5th avenue puts on a heck of a "get down" for New Years. We went last year and loved it. We plan to attend again this year. Pictures to come, I'm sure.xoxoxo, Angie

SLACKIN' (AGAIN)...

An update is coming...I'm just behind on posts and getting images uploaded. Bad Angie. This is what happens when you are having way too much fun.More are on the way. I pinky swear.xoxoxo, Angie PS...To view the "Angie Seaman Photography photo of the day", click HERE.

THE MONEY SHOT

We had a fun, fun, day today. We hit the Naples Zoo, the Naples Art Fair downtown on 5th Avenue, and then followed it all up with a family visit to Vanderbilt Beach to watch the sunset. (and for Mommy to attempt a better sunset shoot) In turn, God gave me my money shot. Ha ha! (shown above) I plan to enlarge this one and place it in our home somewhere once back in Indy. Here is another one, shown below, that I "grunged" up a bit for ya. It was my attempt at making it postcard-esque. :)

And to top it all off, I got approached by a very large family (actual a grouping of multiple related families) on my way back to the car about doing a family photo shoot for them while I'm in town. I guess they saw me with "Big Papa" and my tripod while capturing images of the sunset and of Brent with the kids on the beach and thought I might know what I was doing. Ha ha! They want me to do a shoot for them this coming week. The irony to it all is that there was another photographer on the beach shooting an entire family while we were all there. I told Brent that I was surprised that she didn't approach him instead. When this gal pulled me aside, she said she had noticed that particular gentleman and the shoot he was doing but that she was looking for someone creative. She told me that "I looked creative" to her. HA! I don't know if that is a good compliment or a bad one in disguise. Creative. That one word could be used to describe many different things and many different individuals in many different ways. Hee hee! The only thing I had going for me that could be physically described as "creative" was the way in which I kept attempting to hide my heiney as I bent over and continued to feel "air" on my backside when leaning and laying down to shoot the kids and Brent. Yes, my jeans were driving me crazy and I was bent over like a crazy person all over that beach. Who knows what all of those innocent bystanders had to endure seeing during my un-intentional escapade there tonight. As Brent always says..."Just say NO to crack." ;)

Stay tuned for more images from our day today (zoo, art fair, beach, etc.) tomorrow. Brent and I are off to watch "Castaway" together for now. It's one of our favorite shows. Great way to end a great day. Hugs, Angie

MOMENTS FROM AFAR...

Just wanted to share a few moments on the beach with Brent and the kids the other night. Yes, this was the evening that Kenidi had the "melt down" on the beach. However, these were taken before that all took place. (thank goodness) I put my 70-300mm telephoto lens on big papa and then went to work. I was so far away that Kenidi had no quams with me snapping shots. She never even realized I was taking them. It's always amazing to me how much that lens can capture without people even realizing I'm there. Because of its power, I was able to catch these snippets of "real life" fun between Kenidi, her Daddy, and her big brother. These are those memories I love the most.

Hope you are all having a "fantabulous" Sunday. The high today here in sunny Florida is supposed to be another 82 degrees. It's killing us, but we are making the best of it. HA HA! Wink Wink! ;)xoxoxo, The Seaman Clan

JUMPING ON TO SAY HEY...

Just jumping on to say hello. We are headed out the door and I wanted to post a couple of quick pictures of Brennen at the beach - "jumping the waves." This is why I love a camera with a fast shutter and why I detest point and shoot cameras which have delays when trying to capture moments like these. Thank goodness for "Big Papa!"

We are having a fabulous time. Christmas dinner at the Dolce Vita restaurant was incredible - as always. Brent loves tradition and he was adamant that we keep that tradition going this year by having Christmas surf and turf on Sanibel Island at the Dolce Vita restaurant again. So we did. I missed my parents and my in laws tremendously on Christmas day but it was also great to be here in this 80 degree weather for the holiday too. There is nothing like trading snowy, rainy, 18 degree Indiana weather, for Florida's palm trees with Christmas lights adorned around them, sun, and sand. I have to admit that my Dad called me yesterday though and told me that we are never allowed to be away on Christmas day ever again. HA HA! He informed me that Christmas has been horrible without us there in Indiana the past two years and that this year was the worst. He told one of his best friends that it just hasn't been the same since we have begun vacationing over the holiday. He informed me to tell Brent that we wouldn't be booking any vacations next year until at least the day after Christmas. :) When I told Brent that, he said..."Well, it looks like your Dad better be buying a plane ticket and joining us here beach side come next year then." Keep in mind that my Dad and Brent get along very well so when you hear the two of them giving one another a hard time, it's hysterical.

So, it looks like we might have a small family feud on our hands come December next year. Hee hee! I feel bad for my Dad. They even tried to kill time and go see a movie on Christmas day only to be cut in line by a woman who then tried to offer up a coupon of $3.50 in return for her cutting in line and then they got into the show only to have their tickets canceled once they were inside the theater due to a malfunction with the movie itself. Needless to say, he called me and let me know that it was not a good day. Ha ha! I'm his only child and thus, my kids are his only grand kids. I feel bad that he and my Step-Mom and well as my own Mom aren't able to be with us in person on Christmas day because we are gone. Brent loves being away for these 2.5 weeks at this time of the year though because it is the one vacation each year when he can be gone and truly not have to worry about what is going on back at the office. He can get away right now and not really have to work much from afar while he is here. This time of the year is more relaxing for him. Therefore, it ought to get comical next year when we try to narrow down our Christmas plans. Hopefully, you'll all still be around to see what ends up playing out. :)

Lastly, Brennen has begun a collection of these little conch shells that now stink to high heaven outside. Thank goodness they are outside and not inside. They have the live animals still inside them and they decided to rear their ugly heads last night. YUCK! They look like snails. How people eat the mollusk inside these conch shells is beyond me. Brennen wanted me to share what one of them looked like - while inside their shell. This was the best I could do.

For now, we are off. Maybe to the Naples Zoo, maybe back to beach, maybe to the everglade boat tours, we don't know for sure just yet. Therefore, we are off to decide. I'll be back to post more soon. Thanks to each of you who posted a comment about Kenidi's melt down yesterday and to those of you who emailed me personally about it. I loved all of your notes and your kind, kind, words. I put them all into a folder on my computer to save for Kenidi so she can read them someday. Your support means more to us than we can ever begin to describe. And a big thanks to those of you who don't normally post but did yesterday and to those couple of you who were lurkers that came out of the closest to post. I love that and truly appreciate each of you.

Much love, Angie

PS...Still adding one new photo a day over on my photography web site blog. Click HERE to view them if interested.

ANATOMY OF A BEACH MELT DOWN

I'm dedicating this post to Kenidi's life skills teacher back home. Mrs. Alison (who does read this here ol' blog which makes me so thankful to have her as a visitor). If there is any other person on the face of this earth that knows what these looks and these step by step movements look like with Kenidi, it's her. So Alison, we thought of you when on the beach the other day. Let me explain...

The first photo above is the look on Kenidi's face when Daddy told her it was time to leave the beach and go home. The image below is of her "Yeah, whatever...I'm 5.5 years old and way bigger than you - so you be my guest and just try to get me out of here" look.

The next step is when Kenidi decides that she isn't leaving somewhere, we eventually have to walk over and get her, attempting to pick her up and carry her out of said location. Daddy does so below. Notice her way of placing one leg over the other as though she is just going to sit down in a pretend chair and wait it out. May the best man/girl win, right Kenidi...?

Once Daddy grabs her arms and tries to lift her up and out of said place, she does what we call the stop, drop, and roll. Exhibit A shown below. Arms go limp and straight up, then she shifts her body all to the lower half and her weight drops her entire body to the ground. Thus resulting in no way for us to pick her up. Nice try Daddy...

Daddy eventually lets go - as does Mommy when this happens to her - and we let her have her moment on the floor for a few seconds. Exhibit B shown below...
This is where it begins to get tough because others in the area (onlookers, strangers, passer by's) start to stare, start to comment, make claims about how out of control our child is, etc. With a typical and healthy 5 year old who was acting like this, you might be at the point here where you'd like to hang them by their toe nails. However, with Kenidi and her inability to speak or voice her frustrations (i.e., "Forgot you guys, I ain't leavin' this beach. Go home without me."), we are always more patient with her than a normal situation because of what she must go through during ordeals such as this when she is trying to get her point across but can't. Well she can - but in order to do it, she resorts to the melt downs and uses visual word pictures such as all of these I've captured for you.

At some point, you realize...it's all a game. She is way smarter than most people give her credit for. Including us at times. Although Kenidi has severe developmental delays due to her hypotonia condition, she is no dummy. This child is actually extremely smart. She cognitively, understands basically everything you and I say given her actual age. (5.5 years) Although she can't communicate sentences to us, she has one word statements that help alert us to what she wants or needs. Or in this case...is demanding at that particular moment.

Now, as her parents...sometimes you can get through these episodes and laugh it all off. Other times though...it is way more trying on your patience. After the tornado event of trying to secretly get out of a restaurant or wherever we are as she is conveniently flailing around, kicking you, smacking you, screaming, etc. (unfortunately she has recently begun picking up some pinching and smacking techniques from another special needs child in her class) just as though you are trying to kidnap her or something, in the end you are just glad to reach the car without being hauled off to jail. Either because of the child herself and her actions that were wearing on your patience or because of the family at the table beside you that you almost had to deck in the nose and knock flat out for making very loud and unfair comments about how your child behaves due to your lack of parenting skills. Note to each of you out there who ever experience a situation where a toddler/child is totally out of control...zip your mouth and make sure you keep your opinions and comments to yourself. It's so unfair and so hurtful to judge. You never know what that child or that family is going thru. For example Kenidi...who cannot talk. Comments toward special needs parents make the parents life that much harder and even more trying. And trust me...if you run across a parent with an attitude like the one I carry in defense of my child (special needs or not), you might not make it out of that restaurant or store alive once you get all puffy and elect to voice your opinion out loud. Therefore, if you value the rest of your days on earth...you must learn to stay quiet and parent your own children...not others. I say that with the most gentle of tones. HA!

Thankfully, on this beach afternoon, we were one of only a few people out there and we were able to laugh it off on the way back to the car as Kenidi was screaming at the top of her lungs - clearly pretending that we had kidnapped her again so that she could stay back at the beach. As everyday with Kenidi ends, no matter how many melt downs we have experienced on that given day, you look at her and know without a shadow of a doubt that she cannot help it. Yes, it is partially a game. However, these are the cards that God dealt her. These are also the same cards that God dealt us. We are thankful for both hands. Although trying, they make all of us who we are. Those hands of cards have blessed us with more patience, more understanding, more love than we ever thought humanly possible, more care and concern for others, and so forth.

The melt downs, kicks, bites, screams, and all...are "our" life. And we are extremely proud of that life and so very grateful that God chose us to parent that world for Kenidi. We are also very glad that he chose Brennen to be the big brother that he is for Kenidi as well. We couldn't play this hand of cards or do it without him.

The hands on the ears, shown above, are Kenidi's reaction to being told..."OK...we are leaving without ya." We begin to walk away and she does the above. However, she never gets up and comes running to us as planned. If she does, she eventually sits back down and does it again once she sees that we see her finally cooperating.

So Alison, I knew you were one of only a few people on the face of this earth that can appreciate these photographs - our life in frames - and also your life with Kenidi as well, beings that you are her teacher. As I went back thru some of the images from the beach the other night, I thought..."Alison must see these!" Ha Ha!

Imagine friends...Alison and other special education teachers and aides across the country do this for a living on a daily basis. And they CHOSE that job. Well, really we know that God chooses them - to chose that career. HA HA! When all is said and done though, they do this for my child and thousands of others everyday. I'm telling you...you need to go thank your schools special education staff - whether you have a special needs child in their class or not. They are special, special, individuals and deserve affirmation, appreciation, and support - from everyone.

Anyway, now that I'm done with my soapbox, I just thought all of you would enjoy seeing Kenidi at her finest. If you are close friends with us, you've most likely witnessed it first hand out in public somewhere along side us. We thank you for still being our friends and for still venturing out with us time after time - even once you've escaped a restaurant or store with this child and her parents - without being thrown in jail for a knock down drag out fight amongst adults (outspoken by standers) or for alleged attempted kidnapping charges. We thank you for braving those waters each time we are out and about with each of you. Hee hee! That is what friends are for right? If we do down, you go down (to jail) with us. HA!

We love you Kenidi Grace. Swats, smacks, and all. We wouldn't have it any other way sweetheart. You are our gift from God and we are so very thankful for you and all that you've taught us baby girl.

Love you to the moon and back (1000 times),

Daddy, Mommy, and Bubbies

PS...You can't be mad at her for not wanting to leave the beach. She inherited that love for the ocean and the sand honestly. It's in her genes. Literally thru and thru. Like Mommy, like daughter.

OH...WE ALMOST FORGOT...

Jack-ers (ELF ON THE SHELF) sends his love on this Christmas day as well.

He has been sunning it up on the beach with the rest of us, as you can clearly see. He even did some digging in the sand with Brennen yesterday. I think people on the beach thought we were nuts. We are. Remember?...we are "down" with being all crazy. Ha ha!

Needless to say, Jack-ers is making the best of his vacation with us to sunny Naples, Florida. The high here in Bonita Springs today is supposed to be a gorgeous and blaring 84 degrees again today. We couldn't ask for better Christmas weather. I think we've sold Jack-ers that the sun on a beach is better than snow on the North Pole. Santa may be short an Elf in the workshop come next year. :)

We're down with that too.

Merry Christmas...

Brent, Angie, Brennen, Kenidi, & "Jack-ers"

A MOTHER-SON TEAM

First off...MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!What an awesome & beautiful morning it has been thus far. I pray all of you are experiencing joy beyond belief right now. It's now almost 9am and I'm relishing in the moment. I got the honor of being woken up by my 9 year old son at 6am this Christmas morning. No, not to open Christmas gifts. That wasn't the reason for his early morning springing from the bed. He had a special Christmas request. That request was..."Mom, get up. Let's go shoot the sun coming up on the beach."And so we did.

Brennen has taken a real interest in photography lately and I'm all about it. He asked me if he could use "Razzi" to shoot with while I shot images with "Big Papa." At first I was a bit apprehensive. The thought of him with Razzi, in the sand, near the ocean water, made me a nervous wreck. However, he was asking to learn. He was like a sponge, begging to be taught so he could soak it all in. Therefore, I couldn't say no. I have been in his shoes and still am. So...I threw on some clothes, ran a brush thru my hair, put some lip liner and lip gloss on, took one last look at myself in the mirror and prayed to God and the wholly heavens above that no one would see this train wreck (a.k.a. ME) of a mess when I stepped out the door this morning. I was one scary sight. No joke!

Just as we were tip toeing out the front door, I heard a grumble from the master bedroom. Kenidi had been in there sleeping along side Daddy & I up until that moment. She began to wake just as I opened the front door. Brent always jokes that she's like clock work. When she feels me not beside her, or doesn't feel my skin on hers at some point, she wakes up and comes looking for me. I couldn't bare the thought of making Brent get out of bed and sit with her this early in the morning while Brennen and I went out shooting. So...guess who came with us? Yeap. Kenidi Grace and her bag of funyons. The breakfast of champions.

Kenidi sat on the wave runner while Brennen and I snapped shots for an hour or so. I looked at Brennen at one point with that camera around his neck and just felt this sense of motherly pride come over me. Especially beings that he had the camera that has my zebra camera strap on it. Ha ha! Call me crazy but it gave me warm fuzzies inside to see that he and I have found something we can be excited about together. Our little hobby made for a great Christmas morning memory on the beach together. At one point, I was shooting him and he was shooting me - shooting him. At that same time, a bird (yeah, one of our beach B/F/F's) flew right in between our two cameras. It was hysterical. I swear those birds crave attention. Well, they are really craving food - Kenidi's funyons no doubt. However, it made for a really funny - kind of "jacked up by accident" shot. See below...

Again the memories...

Life in "frames." The reason why I'm so passionate about photography. The camera is like my third eye. It's truly like an appendage of me. This mornings time on the beach with my two gifts from God was no different.

Thanks buddy...I couldn't have asked for a better wake up call this morning. I love you. Mommy had so much fun sharing this Christmas sunrise with you while our toes were being sugared in the sand. I can't wait to do it again. Your images that you took this morning really ROCKED. Awesome, awesome job!

I love you, Mommy

POPPING ON TO SAY...

Hi friends. Just wanted to pop on and wish each of you a Merry Christmas. It's Christmas Eve so I'm enjoying my family here in Naples tonight. I pray each of you have a beautiful holiday and feel God's love all around you - making this year the best Christmas ever.

In the meantime, I did take 140 something new pictures today with "Big Papa." However, I'm so worn out and so tired from the sun that I just don't feel like going in and messing with all of the images we captured tonight. I'll be back tomorrow with a few shots from our trip to the beach today. For now, I'll leave you with one of my favorites of our little Kenidi Grace. Although she was a "hot mess" by the time this was taken, she looks as beautiful as ever. Daddy said he wants this image framed for his office. Enjoy!

PS...I managed to grab a couple of shots today of Brennen too. I just need to get all of the images uploaded here on my laptop. Stay tuned!

Merry Christmas!

xoxoxo, Angie & Family

DAY 5 - SANIBEL SUNSET

Hi all. I missed the sunset at the beach. We got stuck in traffic and ran out of time. However, we made it to a spot off the causeway bridge as we came down into Sanibel Island this evening. I managed to capture the sun coming down but not in the location I would have preferred. Either way, I made the best of it and snapped what I could from where I was standing. I was hurried, rushed, and felt pressured to capture the shot before I lost the sun period. Therefore, my goal is to attempt this again before we leave. I also have a goal of getting up and capturing the sunrise one morning before the trip is over as well.

Notice the birds in this one above? Look closely, you'll see the little black specks as they fly through the sky.

There is a lot of "noise" in these and I can't tell if it is from me over sharpening them, (which I'm notorious for) or if it is from this daggone blog provider again. Either way, I'm not happy with them. AT ALL!

Again...I will be attempting the sunset shots once more. Maybe a few times actually. Ha ha! I'm bound and determined to walk away with something of worth before vacations end. Either way, just thought these shots could help "warm up" my Indiana sista's for now.

Until the next update, sleep tight...
Much love, Angie

DAYS 4 & 5

I know, I know - I'm slackin' in the photo department today. So sorry. However, in the meantime, I have two new favorite songs I thought I'd share with you this evening. Go down to the bottom of this page and pause my playlist music first. Then, come back up here and push play on these videos. The first one is of Nickelback's latest single. Nickelback happens to be one of my favorite groups when talking about secular music. The lead singers voice is a lot like the sound of someone like David Cook. I love the raspy voice singers. Why, I dunno. I just do. I hope you enjoy this one and go download their new album from Itunes or at least buy it in the store.

Next up, this is a new group to watch for. I don't know much about them other than the fact that this song ROCKS. I have heard it several times now since being here in Naples, FL. It's funny because back home...my stereo in my car is hooked to my Ipod and it downloads those songs into my radio for me. Therefore, I'm always usually just listening to my fav's via Itunes/Ipod and never really listen to the regular stations or even XM anymore. Thus, rarely ever hearing new music or new groups. While here though, I don't have that option. So...I got to hear this new song on the radio and fell head over heels in love with the words. Listen closely. Hope you LOVE it too. Side note: Even though this is a male that is the lead singer of this particular band, when I close my eyes he gives off that Janis Joplin sound. I've always been obsessed with her "raspy" voice too. :)

In the meantime, all of you Hoosiers get out of the ice storm Indy is having as I type and just stay inside where you are safe. Praying for everyone there. Please be careful. And not to rub it in, (ok, maybe just a little) :) but we are off to capture some Sunset pictures over on Sanibel Island for the evening. It was another gorgeous and beautiful 80 degree day here in south Florida. I'm bottling it up and shipping it back to my homies in Indiana as we speak. Seriously though, if you are in Indiana or surrounding states and in the middle of this horrific weather I keep hearing about, getting texts about, emails about, phone calls about, just be careful and stay indoors tonight if you can. I don't want to have to worry about all of you hooligans out on the roads tonight. Love ya guys...
xoxoxo, Angie

DAY THREE (NAPLES, FL)

WOW! What a gorgeous afternoon at the beach. The weather couldn't be anymore beautiful than it is right now. I spent some time just taking images of things at my feet. Like these shells...

So far - OK with "Papa." I haven't pulled "Razzi" out even once since being here. Part of me feels bad about that. Another part of me feels "accomplished." I feel progress when it comes to working with this new camera that no longer offers me the "auto" crutch. It is a challenge. A job that my peanut brain needs.

Although each shot set up is taking me a couple rounds of deep thought, I'm getting it. Slowly but surely it is all sinking in. The histogram has become my best friend. Exposure compensation is becoming one of my favorite options too. Thanks to the awesome email that my photo instructor/coach emailed me before I left, I now have a check list in my head for every moment that I go to shoot. I've truly learned more from him and this new camera that lacks auto mode in the past month than I have in all my years of dabbling in photography. Like I've said before, I feel like a constant sponge, soaking it all in. Just like this Sponge below...

I normally don't like trying to snap shots of the ocean in bright, harsh, afternoon sun like it was today. However, I couldn't help but notice the sparkles and the glistening of the waves when I looked out there each time. I finally had to snap one and go against all that I've been taught and all that I believe when it comes to images in harsh light. No matter how harsh, it still took my breath away when I landed on it as I clicked back through my images from the afternoon... And yes...some of our Beach B/F/F's were there too. They brought it and truly worked it for my glass. (lenses) This one below is what I like to call the "Catwalk look." Notice how she sucks in and gives off that "I own the world" look? Classic. Work it sista'!

It was nice to have the beach pretty much to ourselves. It is really dead here right now and I love that. (especially when I'm trying to capture images without people walking in front of what I'm attempting to get a shot of.) A quiet beach is the best. Just us and our toe prints in the sand...

Then the seagulls squeal & squawk over head above us and lead us into song and dance. You know...? That beach sound. Yes, that song and dance. Serenity and paradise at its finest. Close your eyes. Envision the sound. The waves. The birds. The smell. The heat from the beaming electric sun on your face. You feelin' me now? Feelin' that beach song and dance?

After that, we came home and got showers, ordered food from a local hot spot via carry out, came back-opened every single sliding door in the house to the pool, ate lanai side, listening to our favorite Florida based preacher tear it up on the radio station all while blaring it for those outside to hear too. With his intense words regarding his sermon on faith and miracles, the sound of the hot tub waterfall draining into the pool, the feel of the cool Florida breeze blowing throughout the house, the surf and turf we scarfed down, and the laughter from our family, I couldn't have wished for anything more at that moment. Our God is a high-tower. Our God is an awesome God. Caught myself thanking him again for the small things tonight. The small but oh so powerful moments. For the memories in general.In him always, Angie

ODDS & ENDS

Hi all. Just dropping in to say hello this morning. I thought I'd share a couple more images with you here and a new one over on my Angie Seaman Photography blog if you want to check it out. I try to do a "photo a day" type thing over there on the photography blog. These first couple of shots are just of Kenidi inside the house last night. I caught her in a few candid moments right after her bath while her hair was almost dry - yet still drying as she waited on all of us to finish getting ready for dinner out. I love her hair. It's really gorgeous. Naturally wavy - oh so healthy -and falls in just the right places - even when it isn't supposed to. I hadn't fixed it with a blow dryer and a round brush yet so it was just laying and flipping all over the place. So golden - so pretty. I'd give anything for hair like hers.

She had us lauging as she licked the seasoning off her wheat thins last night. Apparently she is trying out for the next Aerosmith video. HA!

My friends began to find me yesterday. I was in the driveway & they began to circle. The word is out. The Seaman clan is back in town and they want their 15 minutes of fame again. We are headed to the beach in a few minutes and I assured them that they'd get their "glass time" (time in front of my lens) when I get there. Demandive in their old age, aren't they? Thats ok - love those wings and all of their beauty!

For those of you who are new to the blog, here is your answer. I've gotten a ton of emails asking where we stay while here in South Florida. This is typical for those who haven't been following the blog very long. Those who have been frequent visitors up to this point know that we stay here...what we like to refer to as "a home away from home..."
And lastly, here is Kenidi in all of her glory - following her upset feelings yesterday. She was mad over something - I can't even remember now. However, I noticed that she looked at me at one point once she had calmed down and still had this one tear streaming down her little check. I grabbed "Papa" and snapped away. My beautiful baby girl. Oh how we love her so...

Until the next update, relax and enjoy your Sunday. We are off to sugar our toes in the sand for the afternoon and lay underneath one of these...

Hugs, Angie

DAY TWO

We traded this...(image shown below taken out of the window at the Indianapolis airport yesterday morning)for this...

Yeap...we traded the rain, ice, dark clouds, and snow in Indiana for blue skies, swaying palm trees, white puffy clouds, and all out sunshine here in South Florida. Yesterday it was 82 degrees in Naples when we arrived at the house. I felt really silly walking off the plane in my silver puffy ski vest, jeans, and boots. You could sooooooo tell that these here Griswald's had just flown in from some place really cold just by the look of our attire. Another happy soul who jumped in our suitcases and tagged along on this vacation to celebrate our Christmas by the Sea with us...

That is right friends, Jack-ers (Elf on the Shelf) is here in sunny F