Family Pictures on a Busy Saturday

Last Saturday was jam packed with things all day long from early to late. Brian was up by 6am to get himself and Ben up and off to a stake service project. They cleaned a ton of cabins for the National Park Service and helped get the campground ready for the season. It was a great success and the park service couldn't believe anyone would volunteer to do something like that and bring 50 people or so to help. I laughed when they got home with t-shirts the park service had printed especially for them. They even had our name printed on them! Seriously, they must have be ecstatic to save weeks of grunt work.

My job while they were gone was to wear Maddie out and get her to take a super early nap so she would be happy for the family pictures late that afternoon. I was successful and when the boys got home at 1pm Maddie and Jacob were both sleeping. We cooked the rolls Brian and I had been making and then scooted out the door for a company party/picnic. Much care was taken to make sure we had party clothes and picture clothes for everyone, plus change of shoes, socks, hair fixing stuff for Maddie and extra diapers for Maddie and Ben. You know, the works.

The party was fun. Brian entertained with magic tricks and had his co-workers mesmerized. Most of them appeared not to know he was a magician. It was fun to watch the entire party stop and watch him. Jacob demanded a snack as it was time to leave, so between him and the magic, we were late to our photography appointment. Ben and I were able to change top shirts on the drive and we got Maddie as soon as our buckles were off and Jacob's shirt was in hand. Brian grabbed his shirt from on top of our bag of stuff and we rushed in with the stroller to meet Stephanie. When we found her and a great spot to start shooting (a very long walk from the car) we realized neither one of us had brought the bag with hair stuff or clean diapers or Maddie's nice shoes.

All mothers of girls know there is no point in doing a little girls hair before pictures if she is just going to mess it up while sitting in her car seat. So, we hadn't done a thing to Maddie's hair and it was pretty messy. We ended up trying to calm it a bit with our fingers and had no real choice but to call it good and leave her in the stinky diaper she had produced on the car ride. Ugh. I have been nervous all week that the pictures would turn out terrible. I was wrong. While Maddie could have looked a bit more tidy, the pictures are great. I can't wait to print the big family one and put it in the living room. The picture hanging there now was taken when Maddie was four weeks old. Way past time for an update. Thanks Stephanie for your great camera work! I know my kids weren't exactly over joyed to be having a photo session. You did great with them and keeping them moving!

Then we rushed back to Fairfax for my youth committee meetings and a rockin' dance with the kiddos while Brian got the kids dinner and to bed. I got to bed just before 2am after finishing putting final details together for a stake fireside the next night and pumping (joys of motherhood). I didn't even realize until the next day at church why I was so hungry. I had skipped dinner and breakfast because I was so busy. At least I had a lot of M&Ms at the dance! I think I had three sandwiches for lunch an apple, an orange, chips, two cookies and probably a few other things. Then I finally felt better.