the Bina kids

My cousin Terri has five kids. I guess she felt the need to one-up me.
Anyhoo, I went to their house last week to do family photos of their crazy bunch. They live in the old church parsonage, so they just walk next door to church.

(I'd still be late.)

First, we went across the street to an old playground. Terri wanted some shots of Quinten on the teeter-totter. So fun! The aged look made for some fun editing:

I think this one ended up being one of my all-time favorite photos that I have ever done. It also marks the first time I accomplished something in Photoshop! I took out the light pole in the bottom left corner. I felt so accomplished to have mastered anything in Photoshop. Like I did when I had my first child.

Really, the feeling was quite similar.

So, what you can't really see in this group picture is Kaity holding a make-up brush because she's two and we were out of brilliant ideas that would keep her posed long enough for a fly to land on her. Another thing that I failed to capture was the moment Dad came home, which resulted in soulful, tormented expressions on the older boys' faces.

"Please, have mercy on us, we are victims of painful, photographic torture. Don't the cattle need branding or something?"

Okay, I might be exaggerating a little. They were pretty cooperative.

Especially on this one. They held hands the entire walk down to the cemetery. Which might sound strange, I know, but this is the view from the side of their house. It's beautiful, we thought, and part of their daily lives, so why not?

Five kids. If they're not careful, they're gonna need more trees.

he he

But then, if you have kids this cute, wouldn't it just encourage you to make more?

Terri wanted text on this one, and I gave her a copy without text so she can pick another verse if she wants to, but I love the subtlety of the cross in the background.

I promised Kaity that if she sat still for me just a few more times, I would let her go get her bike out of the shed.

If the wind hadn't been blowing a little, this shot just wouldn't have the same energy to it. Gotta thank that Kansas wind once in a while. Like the one day out of the year that it works in my favor.

Heaven, help me, they have cute kids.