We’ve been making the intention of having friends over for dinner more often!

The boys LOVE having a little sister for the evening!

She is the SQUISHIEST!!

Our goal this year is to open our home to more “new” friends!!

A few years ago – Nate asked me if he could shadow on a few weddings. He was interested in photography and wanted some experience!

He’s been coming to weddings with me for the past 2 years now – I think – and people are starting to REQUEST him as their second shooter!!

BECAUSE HE IS THAT GOOD!!

I asked him to take a few family shots for us at our FAVORITE place!!

THIS IS MY FAVORITE SHOT from our whole session!!

I wondered how the horse head mask and the raptor hands would fare in a family photo session – and they did NOT disappoint!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS KID!? It seems like overnight he has changed!! Where is the giant-headed baby!?

AND THIS GUY!? They have both grown into such AMAZING people – I can’t even believe how fast it’s gone!!

THESE ARE AMAZING!!

THE BEST BROTHERS!!

Our second favorite place!! The property where Jared and I met (kinda) – got engaged – AND got married.

SOMEDAY (when we win the lottery we don’t play) we will build a house here!!

Jared’s mom asked if they could join us for the end of our session – so we got a FAMILY silhouette shot!!

HORSE HEAD MASK FOR THE WIN AGAIN!!

NATE – I love these photos SO VERY MUCH!!! THANK YOU!!!

Every year – my friend Megan Hampton of Megan Hampton Photography photographs us with Mom Mom & Bacca!!

Enoch didn’t have shoes on – because it’s SUMMER and shoes aren’t a thing in summer – SO I had to help him across the rocks! And I LOVE these photos!

I cannot BELIEVE that they are 10 and 8!? WHERE DOES TIME EVEN GO!?

In October of 2022 – we will have been together for TWENTY YEARS!? This man loves me SO VERY WELL!!

Every year might be the last year that I can carry him like this – so I’ll keep doing it until I can’t anymore!

MEGAN – thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to come photograph us! WE LOVE YOU!

 

Enoch graduated KINDERGARTEN this year!

At first we thought that only Jared & I would be able to attend but then we found out that he could bring 10 guests!!

He read a story about a wet goat!

He counted to 100 by 5’s!

He did a report on bees & where they live & how they sleep & what they eat!

He told his teacher a secret – but he doesn’t whisper very well!!

Mom-mom & Bacca came!! Pa & GG came!!

His teachers – they ARE amazing women! And Mara came too!

BARDEN BROTHERS!!

Enoch. Your name means dedicated. And you are VERY dedicated. You are a ball of energy. You ask ALL the questions. You help. You feel all the feelings.

I’ve loved watching you grow and change this year!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

 

This guy – he has short legs like his dad. But he REALLY wanted to climb this.

And then he lost his shoe. And I laughed. And I took pictures. And then I helped him up after he got his shoe.

But. I laughed.

Can you find the Enoch guy!?

I noticed birds building a nest on our light. We have LOTS of great nest spots on the back deck. But NOT here. So I put a snake up. But they didn’t care. The tin foil worked!

Boxes from the FOOD PANTRY!! Imagination!!

Enoch’s favorite snack – dry elbow noodles!! I find them EVERYWHERE!

UNO!! SUDOKU!!!

BANDITS!!

We got LOTS of apples at the FOOD PANTRY so we made apple crisp!!

This guy – his mind RACES!! He’s getting stuck & obsessed again. It’s how his anxiety comes out. So we’re all working together.

And I can honestly tell you that the majority of our time together is joyful!

THAT PICTURE – can you HEAR his laugh!? It’s my new favorite!!

What are YOU doing to spend your days!?

Which one will win!?

He looks VERY nervous!

SNAKES!! Thankfully I’m not afraid of snakes – because we’ve run into LOTS of them!

We lost a car – and the boys tried their hardest to find it – BUT I had to stick my hand in that hole and search for it!

MEAT STORAGE!?

Mom – will you hold my hand!? YES SWEET BOY!! Because one day – you won’t ask me!

Throwing cars off the waterfall – finding the small silly things during this crazy time!

Another snake!!

MORE SNAKES!!!

Enoch said – Mom!! This looks like a tiny little honey bee nest. It’s so cute. Can you press it in a book so I can give it to the girl I’ll marry someday!?

And then my friend Ericka told me about Trypophobia!? Have you ever heard of that!?

ONE MORE POST about our day!!

QUARANTINE 2020.

I wonder if the memory will always be so vivid in my mind. We were at after school care playing with classmates. The breeze was blowing and spring was on the horizon.

The governor called for all PA schools to close for 2 weeks.

We went to my parents that night. I had a wedding reception Saturday. I stocked up on groceries – those that I could – before coming back home Sunday evening.

It’s been a little over a month. A month of distance learning. Almost a month of Jared working from home. A month of virtual playdates.

A month of changes. A month of less spending. A month of less income. A month of social distancing.

I decided to carry my camera with me earlier this week to document our day.

Toys that have sat in the corner are being played with.

GAMES. Carcassonne. RAT A TAT CAT. Scattergories. DOMINOES!

Enoch and I were on a team for Scattergories and our letter was L.

Enoch – we need to think of a word that starts with L – something that you are afraid of.

Losing you mom. CUE THE TEARS.

Enoch – we need to think of a word that starts with L – something in this room.

Love mom. CUE MORE TEARS.

I asked the boys what words they wanted to put in our windows. Since everyone coming into town sees our house FIRST.

My mom made us some masks. And Enoch reminds me EVERY SINGLE DAY that he wants to go to Wal*Mart and get a TIME WATCH as soon as we are allowed.

Most days – I wake up and put on my robe. It’s chilly downstairs but our boys run hot. Clothes are optional at this point.

Our kitchen table has been reserved for SCHOOL. Thankfully we have an additional laptop that Fitzy can use while Jared works.

DISHES. SO MANY DISHES. SO MANY TIMES A DAY.

Helpers. Little chefs.

ART CLASS!!

It’s been a hard financial hit for us. I can’t work and Jared is working but not at full salary. BUT LOOK AT OUR FRIDGE. It’s full.

And so is the freezer. Because of food pantries & school lunch programs!!

We brought the basketball hoop to the kitchen since Jared is working in the playroom.

So. We do schoolwork and we play games. And we do dishes. And we listen to music. And we watch TV.

And we go outside. We play in the ravine.

We give accidental crazy haircuts. And keep them. To embrace our weirdness.

We race cars.

We play.

Stay tuned for the rest of our day!!

When the sun starts setting earlier – I need to be with you beautiful people before Jared gets out of work.

Jared’s parents live right next door & while they are still here and not traveling the winter away – they keep the boys for us.

She LOVES the silhouette shots and had been asking to fit them in somewhere – but my late fall schedule was completely packed!!

Unfortunately – someone had to cancel because their son was pretty sick and needed to recuperate.

So I scheduled a silhouette session for them!

She had asked if I would bring the boys along – I had planned to surprise them anyway!!

It’s a BIRD!! It’s a PLANE!!

I LOVE THAT ONE!!

OHHH!! THAT ONE TOO!!

He wasn’t scolding him – but it sure looked like he was!!

I LOVE THAT ONE TOO!!

THAT ONE!!!!

SWOON!!!

They said – can you get a picture of us fighting!?

BROTHERS!!!

THANK YOU for watching those sweet boys while I take photos of beautiful people!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!

I had a wedding last weekend – did you know that I LOVE weddings!?

I was charging batteries and checking over my equipment and Enoch wanted some pictures taken!

And now that I have this BRIGHT kitchen and a WHOLE LOT of space – I didn’t even have to ask him to move to the living room!

He’s lost his two bottom teeth and those two top teeth and just hanging there!

Sometimes I forget that he’s only 5 – closer to 6 than not – and then sometimes he feels so little still!

THERE’S the REAL smile!!

He starts kindergarten soon – THREE WEEKS!!

I remember trying to figure out what grade Fitzy would be in when Enoch went to kindergarten – and HERE IT IS ALREADY!

We’ve had such a fun summer and I plan on doing ALL the fun things with the three weeks we have left!!

HOW WAS YOUR SUMMER!?

Do you have a youngest kiddo at home going off to school this year!? What will you do with your time during the day!?

We showed up a little early for Missy’s session – so I took advantage of having my camera with me!

I LOVE coming to the playground and chasing your kids around – getting them in action – the BEST way to shoot – in my opinion!

We met up with Sierra and her kiddos for ice cream – and I took advantage of having ALL our kids together!!

8 – 3 – 8 – 10 – 6 months – 5 – 7 – 5!!

This mom thing – it’s not easy – and having a tribe – it helps SO MUCH!!!

Missy and I were close and we knew Sierra – but one day about two years ago – Sierra told me she wanted to make an effort to get to know Missy & I better – she needed a few 3 AM friends and she was hoping Missy and I might be those friends. And sometimes it’s hard to bring someone else into a close relationship – and people ask how we manage it.

We try. We make an effort. We are CRAZY busy – we all work – we all have family and other friends we spend time with – we sat down to try and figure out a time we could all have a sleepover for a weekend – and it was OCTOBER 26th before 2 of us said YES – we are FREE!! But the third wasn’t – so we said – let’s come back to this later. But sometimes it’s – hey – wanna do dinner NOW!? What are you doing in an hour!? We help each other. We encourage each other. We love each other and every kid in that picture – I love them. Missy loves them. Sierra loves them.

I love that our kids love each other. That this big group of kids – do they argue!? Yep. But do they love each other!? ABSOLUTELY!!!

I love you guys – SO MUCH!!!