my favorite time of year

I wish summer could be all year long. I love having the kids home; I love wearing my pajamas all morning long; I love taking walks to the ice cream shop downtown; I LOVE the smell of suntan lotion; I love everything about summer. We haven't had the warmest summer, but it still has been good and I'm dreading August 24th when the kids go back to school. This year Ella will be gone too, just mornings, but still a big step in her (and my!) life. She is ready and would start tomorrow if she could! Tristan is going to be in 3rd grade- unbelievable. We have about 4 weeks left of summer vacation and I am going to enjoy each day! Here's a little of what's gone on so far.

The Chans were in from R.I. for a visit

John know I've always wanted a cleaning service, so he found the perfect candidate!

Thankyou, Uncle Nathan and Auntie Annie, for the AWESOME Slip-n-Slide!

We went to family camp at Fort Wilderness for a week at the end of June. We had a great time, but weren't totally prepared for 50 degree weather all week! The kids loved building fires, riding horses, shooting .22 rifles (am I nuts?), making crafts, and playing with their friends.

Who's ready for the pool?

We went out to R.I. at the beginning of the summer- a wonderful time spent with dear friends.

new pictures

check out my photo blog - i've added some pics from recent photo shoots

www.contantphotography.blogspot.com

what we've been up to...

camping at the dunes in MI

wow, i never knew that camping with a 13 month

old would be such a chore! i was exhausted! the kids loved

the beach, riding their bikes around camp, having

campfires, and being together as a family.

it was a lot of work, but definitely worth it!

the kids LOVED the sand!

not a happy place for aidan!

our big hike up the dune, better than any stair machine at the gym!

some photo shoots...

this precious little boy belongs to a friend of mine-

he is just a couple of weeks old and is absolutely beautiful

and another subject...

i did a photo shoot at an alpaca farm for my sister's magazine!

this was definitely an experience!

a preschool graduate!

ella is totally excited to be heading off to kindergarten next year.

she told me that i didn't need to worry and that i shouldn't cry!

check out those heels, they have been ella's

signature piece since 4 year old preschool last year!

spring

Spring is finally here, so it seems. We've been able to be outside and not freeze to death! Here are a few pics of what the kids have been up to. If you're wondering about what John and I have been doing, well... he is busy landscaping (which we are very grateful for) and I am "taxi-ing" everybody around during the day. I'm going to be taking a new photo class soon and hope to start scheduling some photo shoots now that the weather is cooperating.

my beautiful little girl

Aidan loves looking at himself in the mirror!

Tristan's greatest delight is to cuddle Aidan at night!

the latest craze- reading Tintin
(a series that John read as a kid!)

Aidan can walk around furniture and he LOVES the piano!

365

hunting for eggs

the boys on easter sunday

mom, where were you?

I have this fear that when the kids are all grown up, they're going to look at all the pictures from their childhood and ask me where I was. I take TONS of pictures, but I think I am in only a handful of them! So, my new resolution is to hand the camera off once in awhile and get in the action so that the kids know I was a part of things! This morning Ella and I went to the theater with her class, so I thought this was a good opportunity to have our picture taken!

black and white