You know what I love about living here – in this part of the country? We get to experience each of the 4 seasons.

Especially in the spring and fall – you might experience all 4 seasons over the course of ONE WEEK!

This was one of those weeks – in February if I remember right!

This guy! He is such a joyful soul! We were kinda concerned about that tooth – his left front tooth was lost with the right – but took MONTHS to come in!

I absolutely LOVE watching the relationship between brothers! Enoch said – Hey Fitzy – you’re my brother. We are buddies!

Every year – Jared’s mom LOVES to hide eggs for the boys – and I mean REALLY HIDE EGGS!

Fitzy is NOT a fan of the whole – running in a field with eggs OUT IN THE OPEN!

I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now – but we live next door to my in-laws – and the boys LOVE it! I do too!

I am SO VERY THANKFUL for this little family of ours!

Fitzy and Enoch took the Easter season quite seriously! Fitzy had Good Friday off school – and after Jared left for work – he said – SO MOM. Today is the day Jesus died. Right? And we don’t go to church today? Dad just goes to work like it’s ANOTHER ORDINARY DAY? WHAT ON EARTH!

Certainly a convicting moment!

I HAVE to get my camera out more often – and take pictures of my own kiddos!

OH MY WORD! I LOVE THAT LAST SHOT! E adores my dad – and I hope he cherishes this picture as he grows up!

Patiently – maybe not so patiently – waiting to go see the COWS!

We only live about 45 minutes from my parents – AND I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY! Except for maybe closer – but my parents would be thoroughly EXHAUSTED all the time from keeping up with these kiddos!

My sister and her family came home in March!

We … well – SHE – held an open house for her LuLaRoe! It was SO FUN!

We have an AMAZING group of people that love us and support us! I am SO grateful for the people in our lives!

I didn’t bring my camera to the event – but I did capture the boys. The cousins. The family!

LOOK AT THAT ADORABLE FACE!

THAT SWEET FACE!

You can’t keep that farmer guy out of the barn – not even in the FRIGID wind!!

Enoch knows that GG will give him ALL the candies! So we made a trip next-door!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that shot!

You might not know this – but my sister and I love cheesy – super ugly clothes for our kids. My mom picks out the silliest things at yard sales – THANKFULLY we can share them – because Jack gets them after Enoch – but I’m not sure how long that will happen since these boys are getting SO BIG AND TALL AND STRONG!

Fitzy and Jack have a super special bond! Fitzy actually tells people that he’s my first-born and Samm’s first-born – he doesn’t know how it works – it just does. And he knows that he loves her just as much as he loves me. He makes wishes that he could live with Sammy forever – and he’s done it ever since he was a little guy!

And this guy – CAN ALMOST REACH THE LOCK! WHAT ON EARTH!

OH MY HEART!

Xavier cooks with Jack on his shoulders! That’s some talent!

I’m so happy that I was able to capture these photos for my sister!

OH MY WORD! THOSE CHEEKS!

OH MY HEART! THOSE PHOTOS!

These little boys will be big before we know it! I never imagined that my sister and I would raise our kids in different states – in my imagination – we were ALWAYS together! But – thanks to FACETIME – we spend time together daily!

My cousin Matt is a HUGE part of our lives – he’s basically the older brother I never had! For the past 20 years he has lived right down the road from my parents! The boys LOVE him!

The boys were “patiently” waiting his arrival!

I LOVE MY MOM! She’s SO FUN!

And then Matt showed up and ALL WAS RIGHT IN THE WORLD!

Matt – make us a restaurant! Carry me around! Play robbers! Let me play drums on your head! Make me into a sandwich! You name it – he plays it!

OH MY WORD! I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

My parents are laid-back. Relaxed. Chill. And I spent YEARS of my life obsessing over neatness. Tidiness. Order. Perfection.

I love this picture – this scene of their cozy kitchen!

This next shot – my FAVORITE! Exactly how I want to remember that moment. And all the moments at my parents house actually!

This is my new favorite way to document life – completely just a day in your life – no matching outfits – no agenda. No posing and making sure everyone is smiling and looking! JUST BEING!

Matt – we LOVE you! G & Pa – we LOVE YOU GUYS!

If you’re interested in complete lifestyle sessions – message me! I’m so thankful I decided to get my camera out and document the day!

I take a ridiculous amount of pictures on my phone of our daily lives – but in terms of actually picking up my camera – I haven’t. In a LONG time!

My mom had some health issues going on since Christmas – it was scary and hard to adjust to! We hadn’t been able to visit them as much as we normally would – and the boys were certainly bummed! My mom was having a good day and we drove over to spend the day with them! I kept my camera out and took pictures throughout the day – AND I LOVE THEM! I took a ridiculous amount – so this is only part ONE of the day!

I found GUESS WHO at Aldi’s! It’s been a HUGE hit! I need to look for my original GUESS WHO!

Enoch missed his Pa!

Why yes – those ARE matching mommy-and-me leggings on my little boy! My dad’s eyebrows were QUITE raised!

I went to visit my cousin Vanessa and her new baby for a little bit – and came home to DIFFERENT PANTS on Enoch!

I said – Pa REALLY didn’t like those leggings HUH! Turns out – his diaper was just a little too full!

LOOK AT THOSE CURLS!

I MEAN – SERIOUSLY!

He is such a little sweet thing!

Focus is TOTALLY over-rated!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!

THAT SWEET FACE!

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THAT SHOT!

FEE FI FO FUM –

Tomorrow – the rest of the evening!

The summer of 2016 was AMAZING! We swam and played. And swam. And ate ice cream. And swam.

Ashley & Max came over one day in August for some swimming and ice cream. And she said – we should go to Disney! I said. Yes. Sure. Disney.

Disney is CRAZY expensive. I’ve never been.

Flying. HA. Flying. NOPE!

So we looked – just to look. And found out that we could actually share a room if we went before Enoch’s birthday – November 19th.

AND Enoch wouldn’t need a ticket for the parks. And if we drove – all 7 of us in our van – we could maybe swing it. Maybe.

But we wanted it to be a surprise if we did it. From the boys AND our husbands! WHAT!

We called work and got the time off. WE BOOKED THE TRIP! WHAT!

I don’t do things like this. I mean – NEVER!

NEVER. And yet – I did! WHAT!

Ashley informed me that we would get receipts in the mail – I said – don’t worry! I’ll make sure to get the mail before he comes home!

And then I got a text from Jared – while I was at my parents – we got mail from Disney? I said – yes – it’s just junk mail! He said – it has all our names on it and confirmation of a payment received? SHOOT!!

So – it wasn’t a surprise anymore. And Ashley spilled the beans to Matt once Jared knew.

AND we decided driving would be CRAZY! And we might not stay friends after DRIVING to Disney with three children and packed like sardines!

I found some good deals on tickets and we figured out transportation and hotels for the days that we couldn’t get lodging at Disney!

BUT – we kept it a surprise from the kiddos! And almost everyone else!

I packed the bags while Fitzy was at school – loaded the car – picked him up and we headed to the AIRPORT!

We stopped and picked up Ashley and her boys – Fitzy asked what was in the luggage – just clothes that Ashley was giving me. And we were just headed to the movies! Even when we got to the airport – NOTHING! I got our little sign that we made out – and read it to the boys – and they were excited – but didn’t FREAK OUT like we thought they would!

We spent the few days before Disney at a WATERPARK HOTEL!

I don’t have all the photos from our trip to put in this blog – but if you follow me on INSTAGRAM – I’m sure you saw them!

And then! DISNEY! All the photos here are from the DISNEY photographers – which is TOTALLY WORTH IT by the way!

Max – he was NOT feeling good – and spent the rest of Animal Kingdom day at the hotel. Poor guy!

Tuesday – HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS!

Enoch did NOT like Chewbacca without me being RIGHT THERE!

Kylo Ren was TERRIFYING!

Thankfully Max felt better for STAR WARS!

And our last day at the parks! MAGIC KINGDOM!

We were FIRST in line for Tinkerbell AND Mickey! SCORE!

So – this was my first trip to Disney – Enoch & Fitzgerald had never been either!

Jared & Ashley said – we MUST do Haunted Mansion! It’s great! SO FUN!

TERRIFYING! NOT FUN AT ALL!

You might notice that I am not in these pictures – it’s not because I don’t like Merida – it’s because I was waiting in line FOR 90 MINUTES to see Winnie the Pooh!

OH MY WORD! ADORABLE!

Matt & Ashley stayed at Magic Kingdom quite late! But we called it a night a night a little earlier!

While I LOVED Hollywood Studios – my FAVORITE part of Disney was breakfast at Beast’s Castle!

We had tried and tried and TRIED to get a reservation – but alas. No luck.

Tuesday night – we were lying in bed and Ashley said – THERE’S AN OPENING FOR BREAKFAST TOMORROW!

LET’S DO IT! So we got up early – and made it in to the park! Even got FIRST IN LINE for Mickey & Tinkerbell!

We made it to the Castle JUST IN TIME! And Ashley FOUND THE BEST TABLE IN THE WHOLE CASTLE! RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE WILTING ROSE! IN THE WEST WING! Fitzy did not enjoy the West Wing – it was dark and thundering and flashing with lightning!

We spent our last day at Disney Springs! Eating and a little shopping and EATING and building legos and EATING!

We had a GREAT time on our friendcation! And the BEST part – we STILL LOVE EACH OTHER after spending a week together!

We spent Christmas morning here at our house!

The boys surprised daddy with a STAR WARS t-shirt!

Fitzy asked for TWO things – Rogue One and a Maui hook! He didn’t get the Maui hook and he was very very sad!

So he thought!

How many times has he actually played with that Maui hook? Let’s not talk about that.

My parents came over to Jared’s parents house for Christmas dinner – I love that our families can spend holidays TOGETHER!

As much as I really really LOVE the warmer weather – Christmas is certainly a WONDERFUL time!

Almost makes winter worthwhile! ONLY ALMOST!

We spent Christmas Eve Eve with Jared’s parents – which was LOVELY!

We had a VERY relaxing Chrismtas Eve with our family!

My dear friend Megan Hampton stopped by one evening and took some photos for us!

It’s a LONG post – because I have a problem picking favorites!

Lifestyle photography is my FAVORITE and it fits our family so well!

About a year ago – at this point – our friend Jose came over and “helped” us build this fire pit. I say “help” because he basically built it!

My goal this year is to spend MORE time outside and around this fire pit!

We joke that there was a time when he was a tiny baby – that he wasn’t really that cute. But. My word. He’s a gorgeous child!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that shot on the left – it might be my favorite!

YUM!

Can I just talk about this guy for a minute. I’m kind of intense. A little bit. OKAY – A LOT BIT! And this guy. He saw something in me. And we are complete opposites. On a personality test – almost exactly polar opposites. But oh my word. How we need each other. And fit together as perfectly as we can for two non-perfect people. He’s my calm. He’s my rationale. He’s my logic. He’s my cheerleader. He’s my dearest. I don’t believe that any other man on this Earth could love me like he does.

We found a little tiny froggy – he attached himself right to me!

And a wooly-bear!

Megan – thank you SO MUCH for giving us this gift! I am so thankful for your friendship and your gift!

THANK YOU!!