B&W

Just wanted to share the black and white images Abby sent me.  Some of them are repeats, but I think the b&w is just gorgeous!  My favorite image is actually a black and white, but I'm keeping it a secret because it's Christmas card material. ;)

Froberg's Farm

We've had the sickies in our house the past week.  I'm hoping we're done with it and not just on a short reprieve, but either way we took advantage of all five of us being healthy on the same day and got out and had some fun this morning.  We went to a nearby pick-your-own farm that had a pumpkin patch going on.  The pumpkin "patch" was sadly just pumpkins moved from their store building out to the grass (with the price tags intact!) but they had some other fun activities and the best brisket sandwich I've probably ever had.

We were the only ones there at first so the boys had the duck races all to themselves.

On the "hay" ride.  We had this exchange with the driver as we loaded up.
C:  What?  How can this even be called a hay ride when there's not even hay?
Driver:  Well, we used to do it that way.  You know why we stopped?  People kept complaining about hay poking their bottoms.
Me:  What did they except to sit on for a hay ride?
Driver:  Pshhh, feather pillows I guess.
Ha!  Well, we enjoyed our hayless hay ride.  And of course lil' peanut loved that a real tractor was pulling the trailer.

Getting ready to tackle the corn maze.  There was a scavenger hunt and 10 birdhouses to find, each with a different hole punch for their cards.  C really wanted to find them all, but my goodness it was hard!  And hot!  We gave it our best try but after over an hour everyone but C and the baby had about had enough.  We told him that if we come back next year we won't leave until we conquer the corn maze!

My little men!

The prize he picked after the basketball game.  Lol!

Watering his new strawberry plant.

C with his prizes. :)

What a great way to spend the morning!  

Family Pictures

I've slowly been letting go of the idea that our family pictures need to be perfect.  For a long time I let family picture day turn me into a crazy person.  Sad, but true.  Stressing about everything from what we will wear to whether or not my kids will have "normal" smiles.  (You know what I'm talking about!) ;)  When I'm older and the memories of this time in my life become fuzzy around the edges, I'll have our pictures.  In perfect pictures I'll probably see a slick hairdo I forced some one into that morning, a fancy pair of loafers that were never played in because we only got them for picture day, and the kind of smile plastered on a face that says "my mom just threatened me."  Is that really what I want to remember?  Or do I want to remember them as they truly were?  I can imagine my heart being warmed as I notice that unruly patch of hair that just couldn't be tamed so we never bothered...the collared shirts paired with crocs because what else would they grab when we tell them to put on their shoes...glimpses of their personalities that shine through in a signature smirk or a thumbs up.  That's them.  That's what I want to remember.

I've been doing better the past year or so, and my crazy has been showing less and less come picture day.  But this was the first time I feel like I really got it right.  Now, in all honesty, I was totally at Kohl's two days before trying to pull together coordinating outfits.  But, I wasn't stressed!  It was actually fun (I was alone so that contributed heavily to the no-stress factor) :)  Anyway, Abby is not only an amazing photographer, but I'd also count her as a friend.  I'm sure that comfort factor had something to do with things going as well as they did. She just let my boys be boys and I think they actually had fun on family picture day!  Gasp!!  She captured some fantastic shots.  I'm in love with all of them. :)  My sister's response to the one I posted on fb?  "This is SO your family!"  Nailed it.