I know, I know, I’m blogging on my family vacation!  But I HAD to!  I was so excited about my Yosemite photos.  I actually brought my trusty old film camera along with some really fun films to use so we won’t see the exciting photos until I get those developed!  Wow, in this digital age, waiting is almost impossible!  So, because of that I’ve decided to instantly gratify myself (and hopefully you too) with my digital photos!  Here are some of my favorites from yesterday in the Yosemite Valley, California!  Enjoy!My Sister-in-law Stephanie and my brother Chris came along for the trip.  The girls are having a wonderful time harassing them!  California is such a big state (second to Texas, right?) they drove from Los Angeles, where they live, up here to Yosemite Park and it took them around 6 hours!

We pulled off at one of the last stops before you hit the Valley floor for this magnificent view!  You can just see the tip of Half Dome in the background.

El Capitan!  This purple/blue tone is where they get the expression “purple mountain majesty!”

There were waterfalls everywhere!!

See the beautiful deer in the middle? I didn’t bring my telephoto lens b/c I thought it’d be too much to pack…too bad!  But this is still a fun shot.  He was munching on the brush in the midst of lots of tourists!  You gotta do what you gotta do!

Afternoon sun on one of the many magnificent mountains in the park.

We just had to stop on one of the turnouts to photograph the fading sun.  WOW.

I love this one.  I think I’ll give it to my grandmother to paint for me.  She’s an excellent watercolorist.  More to come!!

I had such a good time hanging out with Cara and Zach yesterday!  They were so flexible and forgiving with me when I actually forgot my memory cards at home!!!  And as most of you know I live on a farm (the World Hunger Relief Farm, Inc., in fact!)  So we traveled up IH35 to my casa and really, honestly, I think it was meant to be, because I love the photos we got on the swing, with the sunflowers and especially on the bicycle!!  SUPER CUTE!  Of course downtown was fun too!  Loved the outfits they wore…made for the fun and crazy, not to mention sassy, mood for the photos.  Notice the group of 3 images where they look surprised, sad, and happy…Totally makes me laugh.  Loved it guys!  Let’s do it again…maybe when its not so hot

This is the 4th Mason Family Reunion that I have shot and they happen every other year!  So I have seen this family GROW!!!  I think they’re somewhere in the ball park of 75 now!  EXCITING!  I love to see families grow!  They are such a sweet bunch.  They spend their reunion time together at the Summer’s Mill Retreat Center in Salado, TX.  A great place for a retreat!  It used to be an Emu farm and has lots of lovely shady property to shoot on.  I so enjoyed seeing you all again!  Can’t wait till next time!

I was so glad that Laura called to ask me to come out to her mother’s home to take some photos of her very big family!  5 boys and 2 girls…Man! and I barely make it with two little girls!!  The 3 little ladies were super cute and couldn’t help but bust a few modeling moves for me.  Cheers to the blue hammock!  I love it.  Thanks for letting me be a part of this Hampton Family!

Rachel and Robert married at Moon River Ranch this June.  They decided on a “first sight” and I’m so glad that they did.  We had the perfect amount of time to meander through the beautiful country setting…not to mention the corn  Your day was beautiful guys, thanks for sharing it with us!