As I mentioned in the post yesterday I’ll be sharing some pictures from some family events with my in laws over the next couple days.  They aren’t all going to be award winning pics but I think it’s sometimes fun to peek behind the curtain of the ‘pro’ and see how they shoot when no one is paying for the image and there’s no awards to be won.

Last August we all gathered at my brother in law Dale’s house for my mother in law’s 70th birthday.  It was a rare day in which every member of the family was there at some point – usually there’s always at least one or two that can’t make it due to scheduling conflicts as everyone works crazy schedules and only a few are on a “normal” 9-5 M-F type work week.  As usual, there was some acting up but it was one of the few times I didn’t get in trouble for something!  I am in my 30’s but I still dread family events because I inevitably do something in which I get in trouble for.  I may have avoided it at this party by staying far away from most people and enjoying a margarita or two… *cough*  LOL.

I have been trying for *years* to get an image with my mother in law and all of the grandkids. She’s requested the image several times but it never fails that they are NEVER all in the same place at the same time.  I took an image like this at Drew’s (nephew) graduation party but Loren was missing (girl in the towel) and she ended up TAPING a cut out image of her from another picture into it.  We still giggle at that.  Here James is missing as he was working on the movie set for the soap box derby movie in Akron.

I also find it highly amusing that Elaine, my mother in law, is not looking at the camera.

 

Every Balazowich (but James) in one picture.  As you can tell… they never look at the same camera or smile like most people would. LOL

(L to R) Gabby, Catherine, Denise, Dale (hidden behind), Drew, Elaine, Chris, Erica, Loren, Nicole, Dawn, Evan and Megan.

 

All the kids and their Mom.

 

After checking my screen for the last image (my husband and Dale are notorious for making faces) I made a smart remark about their lack of expression and ended up with this.  MUCH better.

 

Drew and his Mom Dawn.  I love this image of the two of them!

Remember Drew’s face… he’s going to be on Broadway someday!

 

This was Gabby’s first experience in a pool.  At first she wasn’t quite sure what she thought of it.

 

She quickly learned to like it and went back to her usual posing self.  I have her trained to smile at the camera.  LOL.

 

I really love this image of Elaine and Gabby.  I wish I had an image of me with my grandparents like that.

 

See what I mean?  She smiles on cue – or did.  I fear now she’s going through a “I cry when I see Aunt Corey” phase which is sad.  Hopefully I’ll see those smiles again!

 

I simply love this image of Cathy & Dallas with Gabby.  You don’t always need faces to show emotion.

 

It’s inevitable the kids will do something rotten.  This is when I run to a corner with a margarita because somehow this is the point when I get in trouble.