This was meant to be a love story.

My grandparents were married 49 happy years.  When they were originally wed they had a small little ceremony - if you can call it that - and lived the rest of their lives relentlessly caring for one another. My pap was the backbone of our family, my nana the heart. 

Nana was excited to have a 50th year anniversary and her ideas were slowly turning into a vow renewal. She wanted a party and flowers and pictures - that was my job. I knew they deserved something special and as a Disney lover I knew their story reminded me of another - the story of the married couple from Up!

If you haven't seen the movie, to sum it up, two young children meet at the beginning of the movie and become friends over their love for adventure. They make plans to travel to South America like their adventurer idol. As they get older, they get married, buy a house, ultimately try for a child but cannot have any, and live out their days still happily in love, doing everything together (this is the part that rings most like my grandparents) and setting their sights on their original adventure of traveling to Paradise Falls. The theme was perfect. I wanted to do an Up! Photoshoot with my grandparents for their anniversary - balloons, antique camera, suit cases, Adventure Book, and all.

This was meant to be a love story.

Unfortunately, the pictures never happened and neither did my grandparents' anniversary. My pap, our family's backbone, passed away unexpectedly before their 50th anniversary was able to arrive and we have all been left heartbroken. And I couldn't help but be disappointed that we missed the chance to have their special photoshoot.

But as my sons' birthdays (both born in August) crept up, I couldn't stop thinking about the Up! theme.  I was still pulled to the idea and I decided we would do it with my sons instead. (Shout out to another wonderful photographer, Amanda Naylor who did this theme with a little guy years ago - that's what inspired me to keep this idea alive!)  Although it wasn't the love story I had originally imagined, it would still be a tribute to a man we love and miss greatly.

Greyson and Paxton LOVED doing this photoshoot. Paxton loved "being like pap" by walking with his mini walker and Greyson was excited to wear Pap's hat and look through their Adventure Book that held pictures of them with their great grand parents. My boys laughed and played and had a wonderful time. And honestly, can you handle how cute they are as little men?! My husband and I couldn't stop laughing!

Although I edited these images awhile ago it's taken some time to actually write about it. My heart aches every day for my nana who is trying to relearn how to live her life. My heart breaks often missing my pap when I need his advice or hugs or even someone to make fun of my love for Leonardo DiCaprio and the holes in my jeans. They never tell you when someone dies, that everyone who loved them dies a little, too. But in seeing these pictures, I see a legacy that a wonderful man left behind - including 2 beautiful great grandsons that were ecstatic to honor his memory. 

So although this wasn't quite the love story I had in my mind with this photoshoot - it's still a love story.  The love the boys have for each other during this photoshoot (and always) was a love that has been taugt and passed down for generations. It's proof that love never dies, it lives on in all of us. This one - and everything - is for you, Pap.

"Thanks for the adventure - now go have a new one!" - Up!

Greyson is 5!

Today Greyson is 5 years old!  It’s been 5 years of excitement, sleepless nights, adventures, time outs, big kisses, and happiness I never knew possible.  Ever since his little brother has been born, I’ve been awful at keeping up with these personal posts of my boys. The time just somehow slips out of my hands. But Greyson was the whole reason I started this little adventure called Jessica Snider Photography 5 1/2 years ago so it only makes sense that he gets to be a blog post :)

I wanted to do portraits of Greyson that truly showed who he is as a person - fun-loving, adventurous, theatrical, sweet. And I wanted to incorporate some of his favorite things - catching fireflies, art, (of course) Superheroes, his brother, and Rakestraws ice cream! We even recreated a session I did of him when he was 2 years old.

(Here are the shots we recreated above from when he was 2 years old! I miss that fro!)

The things I love most about Grey is his constant happiness (I swear this kid is always smiling no matter what the circumstance), his determination, his big imagination, his love for people and life, and his intelligence (this kid is way too smart for me.)  He also loves playing with his little brother and grandpa, playing with his super hero action figures, helping me bake brownies, pretending to be Hulk (especially when we’re checking out at stores - not embarrassing at all), Chikfila, playing Go Fish, his best friends Riley and Luca, swimming, running, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and art (especially painting).  He wants to be a police officer when he grows up and is starting Kindergarten in a few short weeks.

Greyson is the light of our family. I say every year on his birthday that when he came around, he changed my life forever.  And every year as he grows he teaches me brand new ways of being a better mom + person.  My only hopes for the rest of his life is that he does what makes him happy, works hard, and always knows how incredibly loved he is. I have no doubt that he will do great things someday.  Happy birthday, Greyson Ryder!

Here are some oldies but goodies of little Grey!  He had surgery on his tummy a few hours after birth and had a 3 week NICU stay - you would never know now, would you?!