A Day

This morning the Farmer has the kids.  It is a rare day that he actually has them for an extended time period, as it is usually just an hour or two during one of my photo sessions or 15 minutes while I run to the store in peace...And then it is usually only after I wrestle myself out of their clinging arms and listen to the whaling reasons why I should not leave...
But today the Farmer has the kids.  He took them to Iowa to look at some new-fangled tractor thingy that I will never fully understand the purpose for - but that is not my job, to know the purpose of all this random equipment around the farm.  I do manage to put on a good front when asked though.  The scecret it to always sound like you know what you are talking about - even if you are making it up on the spot...My Dad taught me that.
So this morning the Farmer asked me "What are you going to do with all your free time this morning?"  Huh.  I wonder...
So please allow me to vent...
In my "free time" this morning, I:
Drove to and executed a fabulous family shoot for a cute little family from town.
Went to the grocery and bought way too much food for the simple fact that I could actually LOOK at the products on the shelf and not run blindly through the store with two children hoping they did not see the stuffed animals by the register, the bubble gum machines, the Hog Wash display or the candy isle.
Came home - downloaded the family session and put groceries away (in that order.)
Cleaned up kitchen from husband's "I will handle breakfast" proclamation.
Vacuumed up the lovely mess in our bedroom that the plumbers left behind when they ripped out the radiant heat yesterday.
Washed said floor.
Vacuumed living room, dining room, hall and bedrooms.
Steamed kitchen floor
Made a sandwich
Cleaned the bathroom from children's morning toothbrushing (HOW do they get toothpaste on the door handles and the shower faucet???)
Gathered children's P.J.s from random places throughout the house and put in laundry
Started laundry
Loaded and started dishwasher
Remembered sandwich which is now covered in flies from having new windows installed all week
Swished flies from sandwich - will come back to that
Texted my friend Lynn
Laughed
Thought of my infinitely wise friend, Shannon, who takes her housework in stride and seems a much happier person for it....with 4 kids!
Blogged - just cause.
Now I am going to eat my sandwich - with Doritos (that I usually have to hide and sneak one chip at a time because I am a big hypocrite that does not let her children eat junk food - but partakes herself, in hiding of course....) out in the open, without interruption, alone.  While editing this morning's shoot...
And that is my "free time".

Confessions of a Dance Class Drop Out

Ok, well technically I did not drop out, but rather allowed my daughter to drop out.  For months now we had been dragging ourselves to a 4:30 dance class every Tuesday afternoon.  Logstically speaking - this was never a small feat.  Sarah did not get home on the bus until sometimes close to 4:15 and we had to change her clothes, shove a food item in her mouth and hit the door.  Of course, we did all this with a reluctant toddler in tow as well.  I won't get into the struggle it was to get his gear on, smash his feet into shoes as he was striving to get away from me, and somehow corral him near the garage door long enough to open the car door and plop him inside.  The tantrums could be heard for miles.
Never mind the fit he had to throw once again when we got to the studio and only she was allowed into the dace room....uhg.
From Dance we immediately shot home, ate some weak representation of a meal (during which Aiden would make it his only goal to coat himself and everyone in his vicinity with whatever it was he was served) and were off the Girl Scouts by 5:45 every other week.
So why did we do this, you ask?  Well, Sarah wanted to dance.  I wanted her to dance.  I had (have) angelic visions of her gracing the stage with such elegance and beauty that any audience would be beside themselves.  This was not the case.  Sarah has my grand lack of rhythm and talent and the was Hip Hop.  It was painful.  But alas, she still wanted to participate, so we went.  Every Tuesday.
A coule of weeks ago Sarah had a confession of her own.  "I don't want to go to dance, Mama."  I wanted to scream, "Thank Heavens!  Either do I!!!", but I didn't.  I contained myself.  I had to figure out if this was just a ploy to stay home on this particular 70 degree day, or if she really meant it.
You see, we had a recital coming up in less then four weeks and, of course, had already purchased a very expensive dance costume.  If she was not serious there was no going back.  Well, needless to say, she was serious.  And it is fabulous.
This evening I stand here cooking supper on a Friday night a new woman.  I am not exhausted from shuttling my child feverishly around all week.  I can breathe.  I fully give this credit to the fact that we no longer have dance.  It is one less night that I have to fight the battle against time and toddler will.  It is one less night that life is rushed by us in a whirlwind of activity.
This does not mean that in a few short weeks we will not be signed up for every program the park district offers, or that this fall Sarah might pursue five of her latest passions while Aiden is enrolled in tumbling (don't tell his Dad) and mini football camp - but that is ok and we will deal with it when it comes.  They should have every opportunity.  But, for now, I will bask in the glow of this new relaxed week and not think about the days ahead.

Sledding!

Beautiful weather and plenty of sunshine allowed for a great day out on the sledding hill over at our local state park.  Here are some pics from our fun day yesterday!

Mitten trouble

 My thighs ache today from going up and down this hill so many times - SO worth it though!!












 Aiden sure looks like he is having fun, doesn't he?  Ok - so maybe I kidnapped him and flew down the hill....In my defense, he did have fun!

Half the fun is falling down, right?







Aiden found a snowmobile trail and tried to make a break for it.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to the Farmer. 

The Farmer Sr.

The other day I had the opportunity to shoot the Farmer Sr. in his element - checking calves.

Random Pics

This is what mean people do to their children for fun.

6 Already!?

Happy Birthday Grandma and Happy 6th Birthday Sarah Anne!! We celebrated with cake and ice cream on Sunday night at home. Sarah and Grandma share the same birthday, so we always have a joint party. Unfortunately Sarah was feeling a bit under the weather, as is evident in the photos. She looks a bit like a droopy flower...

Fall Festival

I am a little behind on my posting here, but I thought I would share some pictures from our little town's Fall Festival a couple weeks ago. We were only able to attend the festivities one night, this was the same weekend that we went up north for our cousin's wedding. Trust me though, one night is plenty. After running people over with our stroller, holding on to a screaming, squirming, slithering Aiden, and dishing out enough money for a mortgage payment so the kids could ride on the rides, I was done. As always, Sarah had a blast. Oblivious to any discomfort on my part - as it should be. She got to "hang out" with all her friends and even took her little brother on some rides with her. I have a feeling, this will not be the last time we see this motley group in a car together....I am just hoping it is always this innocent...

More Wedding Pics

High Hopes

He looks innocent enough, doesn't he?



The Farmer and I were asked to attend a wedding this past weekend up in Milwaukee. I was so excited to be able to go hoping I would be able to do some behind the scenes shooting of the bride and groom while I was there. I did not, however, calculate into that equation the 16 month old that I would be taking with me. I did not have much time to shoot between chasing him around the church and force feeding him crackers to keep him from screaming.
I did manage to get off a couple shots, which I am sharing with you here....

Camping at Jellystone