The Parade

A parade without candy? How can that be?

OK. I am not a kid anymore, but even I was disappointed at the Steam Boat Days Parade this year. It wasn't just the candy...it lacked a whole lot everything.

The weather was perfect...It started off HOT and sunny followed by clouds and a breeze and just as the last float went by the sprinkles started to fall.

My brother, mom and some good friends stopped by for the parade, so at least the company was great. All 30 month, 18 month and 17 month toddlers behaved well and somehow beautiful 1 month old baby Danica (whom I photographed her birth recently) slept contently throughout the 3 hour parade without a fuss. Our home happens to be located a half a block off the parade route, so perfect for parking, bathroom breaks, food, and just plain cooling off.

Between lots of talking (I'm good at that) I did snap a very few shots.

 And look....I am even in a shot courtesy of my brother.

And Happy Father's Day to all you father's out there!

Baseball, Air Show, Carnival

Pause... Where is the pause button?


Here we are in the middle of June already. Where has time gone? I've taken some time off of photography to spend as much time with the two men in my life and our families.

Last weekend we took a trip to Mankato, MN to visit my brother and sister-in-law. My brother, his wife, two boys and my parents all made the trip as well. I don't think we spend nearly enough time together, but with four different family lives finding time can seem impossible.

Friday night we went to a Mankato Moon Dog baseball game. My brother Ben helps behind the scenes coordinating sound/music. Harrison was a little crabby and left just after the 7th inning stretch. It had been a long day of driving and it was already past his bed time.

Moments of the game, moments of family...



We had great seats!

Play ball!

My boys.

My brother and nephews stayed after to run bases.

Saturday we went to the Mankato Air Show. If I had to put the day into one word that word would be AMAZING.

I've been to a few small air shows, but nothing like this. The weather was a steaming 90+ under direct sun. HOT, HOT, HOT! The bonus? I got a great tan.



Check out our views from the ground!

The red smoke in the middle is a sky diver.



Here is the sky diver again---very cool.

I was obsessed with the light, love this photo.

 FIREWORKS!

 The "Blue Angels" were there and performed. Doug was as happy a kid in a candy store.

This weekend the carnival is in town. Here is Harrison on his first ride by himself tonight. We were behind the fence, he did so great.

Sunday is the carnival parade and we happen to live a block from the route. We have invited some playmates over for the parade. Harrison had a blast last year, I can't wait to see his reaction this year. Candy, big trucks, horses, clowns, and music---a perfect 2 year old combination.

Next week I kick back into photography mode followed by another brief vacation from photography as we kick off the 4th of July with an parade and fun in my co-workers small town and the 5th we leave for a trip to Duluth. 

Wow, that puts us nearly half through July. August we are planning a trip to Wisconsin Dells to spend a couple of days at the water parks.

I don't know how we plan to fit in all of our other "wants" before summer is through yet.

I am missing photography/clients like crazy, but I am enjoying this time I have been taking off. Soon our little family will be a family of 4.

Have you noticed I've gone blog crazy in the last few days? Every since Doug/Harrison printed the first year of the blog for me for Mother's Day, it's been like reading our life story and I am even more focused on not missing any of the parts of it because re-reading it, is so powerful. The ups and downs we have ,the happy and the sad, it's all in there.

So from bath time, to messy meal time, owies and smiles be prepared to blogged out. Sometimes it's those moments that you aren't saying cheese right in front of the camera, sometimes it's moments like this.