Hey Look, My Real Camera!

 After several weeks away, the boys and I decided it would be a good weekend to visit The Farm. It was the first weekend of crisp, cool weather and there is no better place than there to enjoy it. 

we have a full time walker now!

We left Friday afternoon after to school for the trip and first thing Saturday morning, the boys got to work doing all the things they do. 

 Bennett found these ovies in Wells' closet (he refused to wear them last year) and didn't take them off all weekend. 

It was actually a lot cooler out than I packed for, but luckily Marme was already knitting some winter hats.

Lately, I have succumbed to the convenience of my iphone over using my DSLR, but this weekend I was definitely re-inspired to capture those little moments in a big way 

(and please excuse the watermark situation, I didn't change the preset in lightroom and I am too lazy to go re-export the pictures with my normal watermark). 

 My Oma was out there this weekend too and by Saturday afternoon, we had Wells looking at her and saying "Ohhhhhhhhh-MA" which of course had her completely tickled. 

 Joan had just enough pumpkins to make a patch for 3 boys (and an Uncle Tommy and a Chelsie), and Fritz of course had to make his own version of a hayride. 

I wish I knew what the secret was...

 Uncle Tommy and Bennett matched all day. B loved it.

Great-Grandpa Ray and Zigfried keeping a careful watch over everyone.

 And later that night, we spent some time in the rocks and playing baseball before having dinner and watching the Auburn game.

Sunday morning, I left early to head back to DC for a photoshoot while Tommy and Chelsie were going to bring the kids back in for me a few hours later when they came back in. Apparently, my boys convinced them that 'Lunchtime' was actually 5pm Sunday night. So not only did I get  my shoot done and half the pictures edited already, but I went to the commissary alone, cleaned the whole house and made a big pot of chili for everyone (and some friends!) for dinner.  We wrapped up a great weekend with our friend Shawn, her baby girl and 3 boys, Tommy, Chelsie, me and the boys for dinner and basement sports. 

And then all my boys slept for 12 hours last night. 

Can you blame them?

Thanks for a wonderful weekend Marme, Papa, Oma, Grandma, G-pa Ray, Tommy and Chelsie!

Rent A Family

While most people were excited about the 3 day weekend, I went into it with a little bit of dread. The weekends are tough with Kev deployed because I feel bad asking people hang out with us when they are enjoying time with their own families, so a long weekend really just means 3 more days of the same with the little humans and me. Luckily, this weekend was a little different since we had college football to look forward to, and after a photoshoot on Friday for a friend of her 3 boys and new baby girl, we were fired up for football on Saturday.

Auburn didn't disappoint (although held it a too little close for the first half) and after a fun afternoon hanging out with brother Tommy and Ms. Chelsie, we were off to a party for my brother Joey and almost sister in law Caitlin (also known as Fifi) as they prepare for the wedding in 3 weeks. 

Then, Sunday morning, Joey and Fifi did the most amazing thing EVER and took the little humans out to The Farm for the day.They were hilarious as they arrived, announcing that they were 'renting a family' for the day. 

Earlier that week, I had planned on going too, but then I booked another photography job and was just going to take the boys with me and that is when Fifi offered for them to take the kids with just them instead. 

So as of Sunday morning at 9:30am, I was kidless for the day, as they were off practice-parenting.

Then, I went for a run...

and came home and took a really long uninterrupted shower, cleaned the house, did 3 loads of laundry and went shopping down in Old Town Alexandria. 

I did have a little moment of loneliness, not for the children, but for my handsome husband who I miss so much (that's the other thing about long weekends, Old Town is full of couples brunching).

A recent photo of my stud of a husband

Then I was off to photoshoot #2 for the weekend, and afterwards picked up dinner from my favorite Thai Restaurant and came home to wait for my boys' return.

 I had a feeling they weren't missing me too much when I saw these pics:

In the meantime, Jojo and Fifi were convinced by the ever articulate Bennett that they should definitely spend the night at The Farm and just like that, I was free for the rest of the evening.

 I finished editing a few pictures, had a glass of wine, and at 10 decided to turn in for the night.

 And guess what? 

I slept for ELEVEN HOURS straight. 

11! 

I haven't done that since like 2004.

 I seriously felt like a super human when I woke up.

Ultimately, that 3rd day of the 3 day weekend was not so painful since my boys returned to me at 10:30 and we had a great day hanging out. 

***

Thanks to Jojo and Fifi for playing Rent a Family and giving me some much needed time off! I am pretty sure the boys were disappointed to be back with ol Mom. 

I couldn't be more grateful for the support our families have given us during this difficult time and am so glad we have flipped the calendar to another month. 

Hope your long weekend was great as well!

We Ate All the Fried Chicken

Over the weekend, my high school friends (and my parents, and my brothers, and my kids, and my Grandma, and Grandpa Ray, and my Oma) and I had our Annual Retreat out at my parents' Farm. We did a whole lot of lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails, riding dirtbikes, sitting by the bonfire and eating every last crumb of the buckets of fried chicken my mom graciously prepared on Saturday evening.

Everyone loves a good comparison photo, so here, look how we've grown since 2011- mostly note that we graduated from solo cups to real wine glasses. 

It was such a relaxing and fun filled day, one that can only come with the ease of being around old friends.

 Loaf lives in NYC was but totally in her element at The Farm. I don't think she ever stopped running and possibly her finest moment was when she tried to catch a chicken. 

 The boys (my three brothers, Ant and John) spent most of their day at "Man Camp" which included hours of a game that involved drinking beer and throwing a hammer. I never did get the rest of the rules. 

 Grandma, Oma and Fritz had a little fun on the golf cart. 

 Tommy and Bennett manned the kids' table. 

 Marme is at her happiest when people are eating and drinking around her kitchen table. Lucky for her, we all excel at that. 

 Wells judged us all a little bit.

 The boys' bonfire/the adults' bonfire

 Ant and John got tired of our requests for pics and started taking their own selfies.

Thanks guys and girls for being awesome (and Mom and Dad for putting up with us all). 

Can't wait for Retreat 2015. 

Cross Country Friends

One of the fun things about being in the military is that where ever we go, friends will be nearby and it is always easy to pick up right where we left off. This week, my friend Tina and her kids came to stay with us for a few days while her family in en route to Rhode Island from Tennesse (by way of a few months in Virginia). I have never seen such a busy bunch of kids. Seriously, they were going from sun up to sun down, only breaking for snacks. 

We went up into DC on Wednesday morning and did the Natural History Museum. It was really hot out so after lunch, we called it a day...

 Well, we called it a day- the kids never came back inside after getting out of the cars until we called them in for dinner. 

 Since The Farm is halfway famous on the internet, we opted to bring our friends out here to see it in person.

 it was pouring down rain, so the Summer of Freedom continued as the kids did sprints off the front porch and into the windy storm.

 As if last week's snake incident wasn't bad enough, Kaylee went to run around the house and came *this close* to stepping on another giant lady eating amazon python. Luckily, since Fritz the Snake Slayer wasn't here, Grandpa Ray took over ans saved the day.

 Oh, did Cullen leave the dry house to go in the downpour to pee outside? Yep.

 And then, except for 30 minutes to scarf down some homemade fried chicken, this is how they spent the rest of the day until 8:30pm when we finally made them go to bed.

 (I did have the most terrifying few seconds of my life when they kids were ready to go in the pool and I was still closing the gate into the pool area..all the sudden Cullen was yelling that we had a 'sinker' and sure enough, Bennett had jumped right in after Kaylee (who is 10 and can swim) and couldn't get back out. They normally wait for us and wear floaties but in all the excitement, he had followed Kaylee without thinking. Then, in the farthest 4 steps ever, I jumped in pool fully clothed and pulled him out. He was fine and couldn't have been under for more than a second, but I am pretty sure I am still not recovered from it. There will be some serious pool paranoia for the rest of summer...)

 Meanwhile, this is what Tina and I did

Always fun to have friends visiting!