Our first family pics as Texans!

Considering how squirmy little boys can be - especially 3 and 4 year old little boys - and then add in the fact that the particular 3 and 4 year old little boys we're talking about here are ETHAN and AIDEN, then I'm really quite pleased to say that we ACTUALLY got some GREAT family photos yesterday.

Frankly, it feels like a miracle because in the moment, when Ethan won't stop picking his nose and Aiden is making a perpetual "silly face" and it's 93 degrees outside and the kids are in jeans and long-sleeve shirts and my makeup is melting off my face and Ricky's dropped 5 pounds in sweat alone and the the kids won't respond to our quick and numerous bribery attempts to "JUST-SIT-STILL-FOR-THE-LOVE-OF..."

Yes, you could say we questioned whether or not we'd have ANY pictures worth editing, much less framing.

Somehow we once again chose a photographer that proved us wrong. Enter Brandie Lynn Photography. She has 3 year old twin girls and two older boys so along with her sharp eye behind the lens, she has also fine-tuned the art of patience when working with children as her subjects. Something we appreciate very much.

We were very excited to get some family pics with an Austin flair, so we chose a few spots downtown and I donned cowboy boots and a belted dress (something I wasn't sure a girl like me from the midwest could pull off).

And then, when all was said and done and the exhausted boys were loaded into the car, Aiden hurled. And the night felt complete - in true Skees family style!

I am SO happy with the few photos she has posted as a sneak peek and I can't wait to see the rest!

If you live in the Austin area, you should definitely check her out!