While it certainly seems hip to “go green,” that wasn’t what inspired our recent post about plastic bags.To be honest, I just got really frustrated one day when I tried to grab something I needed from underneath the kitchen sink and couldn’t because I had to fish through a sea of plastic bags.

I’ve always felt too guilty just throwing them out after emptying the contents I bring home from the supermarket. So, I stuff them under the sink and we reuse them when we can. Lately, though it’s not just the bags under our sink that drives us crazy. Driving down the highway or walking through the city it’s hard not to notice those little polluters covering the ground like a rustling plastic blanket or snagging like forlorn ghosts on bare tree branches.

One day at the beach last summer, we noticed a few bags stuck in the tall beach grass, and even one in the water, floating like a drunken jellyfish. So, we took a few photos. And then we thought, hey, let’s post these on our blog, thinking to ourselves, “I wonder if these bug anyone else as much as they bug us?” And then, when it seemed we weren’t the only ones annoyed by plastic bags popping up in places they shouldn’t be, we decided to hold a “Down With Plastic Bags.”

We asked you, our faithful blog readers, to submit photos of plastic bags you saw in places where they shouldn’t be. We admit, we didn’t get quite the response we had hoped for, but a few of you did submit some images and we wanted to give you props for your efforts, so, we thought we’d post the photos we received.

Here’s where we need your help again…

We’re asking you to take a minute to vote on your favorite photo using the comments section below. The entry that receives the most unique votes will receive a complimentary Bello portrait session here on the Cape. Don’t worry, we won’t make the winner pose with plastic bags!

So, please let us know what you think. Voting will end on Saturday, May 24th and we’ll announce the winner on Memorial Day. Only one vote per computer will be counted, so no cheekiness please!

Reusable bags rock! They hold way more stuff! Check out these cool sites: Reusable Bags and One Bag At A Time.

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Sadie made here way home on Thursday. My sister, Kim, and her family couldn’t be more excited, and simultaneously scared silly! Here’s an e-mail Kim sent around after settling in:

“The day has finally come! Our sweet tiny Sadie Abigail was finally released from the hospital 10 weeks, 5 days, 12 hours and a few minutes after she came into this world. She is now 6lbs 12oz and is just utterly divine. Her big brother Cal came around after he declared that he, “Needed to be alone for a while,” and headed upstairs quietly to absorb all that was upon him. It’s almost surreal to have her here now but we are so ready to enter this new exciting phase of our lives.

We will be laying low for a while due to her weakened immune system but when she’s ready we hope to reconnect with each of you. We say this with all sincerity, we could not have gotten through this without all the love and support you’ve provided.

With much love,

Kim, Eric, Cal and sweet Sadie

Xo”

Here’s a little collage we put together using photos Kim & Eric sent us from Sadie’s trip home. Pretty great photos, don’t you think! I’m not sure we could have done any better!! Enjoy! And thank you all for your love and support! I am convinced that all of that love being spread really helped get her home early, and most importantly, safely! So, thank you!

Okay, so I don’t have a photo to post with this, but I just got a call from my sister and the hospital has released little Miss Sadie Abigail! She is on her way home as we speak! I’m just so excited I’m beside myself! I’ve asked Kim to take a photo and e-mail it to me…her first moments of freedom. I’ll post it as soon as I have it!

YEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you to everyone for your loving well wishes…I’m sure they’ve helped get her home so quickly! And for those of you new to the blog, Sadie is my niece, who was born Feb 22, 3 months early at just 2.5 pounds. She has had a bumpy road, filled with weeks in intensive care, being hooked up to oxygen & feeding machines, several blood transfusions, a spinal tap and painful eye exams to check for retinopathy. But, today, she is 6 pounds 12 ounces. She is free of all machines. She is heading home in the loving arms of her family. And all is right with the world!

Ashely & Patrick are the kind of people who you just want to be around. And be around often! Aside from being really sweet individuals, they are also an incredible couple…kind, loving, funny and with a gentle easiness about them that instantly makes those around them feel completely comfortable.

We recently had the pleasure of spending the day with Ashely & Patrick in Boston’s North End. Patrick is a huge Red Sox fan, and we had initially planned to shoot our engagement session around Fenway Park, but with it being Marathon weekend, we decided to hit the other side of the city and started out at Christopher Columbus Park. These two claimed to be a little nervous, but in no time at all they were looking like pros in front of the camera, letting down their guard and really having some fun with it!

Here are some of our favorites from our time together:

Walking through the narrow streets of the North End…If there had been laundry hanging between the buildings and an orange, white and green flag instead of the ol’ red, white & blue, I would have sworn we were in Italy!

This is my favorite shot from the session. We saw this sweet little old man, who reminded me of my grandfather…tennis balls on his walker and everything, and I had to get this shot of them walking past with the old boy watching them as they went by. Seriously, check out the Members Only jacket…that’s only going to mean something if you were old enough to remember the 80s! Classic!

Dancing in the streets…awwww, are they cute or what? Okay, okay, I admit it…we asked them to do that. But, tell me they don’t look like they’re loving it!

We found this killer blue garage door to use as a backdrop. It surprised us a couple of times and opened…which actually helped get some great reactions…

You don’t find many cobblestone streets here on the Cape, so we had to take advantage while in Boston…

A great big thank you to Ashely & Patrick for being so much fun and for being open to try anything. You guys ROCK and we can’t wait to be there with you on your special day. We have a feeling there is going to be a lot of love circling around you both and you can’t find a more perfect backdrop than than for great photos! xo Chris & Andy