every summer has a story ~ cary lifestyle beach photographer

Every summer has a story and this year’s began with one email.

There is very little I love more than planning a birthday celebration, even if the person I am planning it for “doesn’t care about birthdays. It’s just another day blah blah blah”. I immediately call up the best party planner I know pinterest and brainstorm. On Septmeber 26th last year, the day after my husband turned 39, I began planning his 40th. Was it going to be a huge surprise bash? That just isn’t him. So, I put aside the party plans and instead reached out to the wives of his best friends {many of which have big birthdays to be recognized this year too} to plan a week at the beach, families and all.

Fast forward to this July ~ 5 families, 10 adults, 12 kids and a big ol’ house right on the beach. I am so grateful to our amazing friends for pulling this off and coming from California, Nova Scotia, Georgia, and Vermont to have a celebratory week all together for the first time since 2009.

Let’s start with some of my family at the house…

 I know what you’re thinking- yes, that’s my better half, the one with the big birthday. Lookin’ good, honey  🙂  Moving on, here are some shots I took during this AMAZING pink sunset. It was perfect…

It wouldn’t be a week at the beach without taking the littles to get ice cream. And I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a camera strapped around my neck…

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart” ~ Elizabeth Foley

And for those wanting pictures I took on the beach, check out my instagram page!

Contact Kim O’Brien Photography for more information about Cary Fine Art Lifestyle Family Photography. Kim O’Brien is a Natural Light Cary Raleigh Lifestyle Fine Art Family Photographer in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Morrisville, Apex and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.