Vermont

We went to Vermont a few weeks ago for the annual trip with a bunch of my mom's side of the family.  This has become quite possibly my favorite weekend of the year and an important tradition.  My grandpa grew up in Vermont and my mom and her siblings grew up going in the summer.  We have made some new traditions in the last 5 years with these extended family trips but it also a chance for them to revisit sites and activities that speak to their older family traditions.  And the locations, apple picking, hikes, chicken pie suppers and gorgeous views have become important to me and Nicholas and increasingly to Joe and Lizzie.

My favorite pictures from the trip actually for once don't even have the kids in them.  My favorites are actually ones of my mom.

Those picture just make me so happy.  And this one of my mom with her dad and three of her siblings makes me smile as well:

We picked apples at the orchard my grandparents always picked apples at each fall (that Grandma then turned into the applesauce that was our super-special treat when we visited, applesauce the kids and Joe and I now try to recreate after each trip) and my kids got to climb on their grandparents' shoulders (and occasionally heads) to do it.

Vermont Macs!  Yum!

We played cornhole in the backyard of "the Vermont house," the house we have rented for this trip for 4 of the last 5 years.

And, in case you are wondering, the last of those is Lizzie literally doing a victory dance after getting one in.

We had to scrap our planned hike on Mt. Mansfield (the traditional spot for the family) because of a windchill in the teens, but went on other hikes and saw a waterfall.

And, most importantly, we got time with family who lives far and wide.  It was great to see my aunts and uncles and I love that because of these trips my kids know them.  And bonus time with my parents and grandpa makes every member of our family happy.  And boy does Lizzie adore her (great) Aunt Mary!

Playground

I'm back!  I know, that resolve to post regularly didn't last long.  Joe and I have both been travelling a lot (as in there has not been a single weekend day when we were both home since I last posted) and I've had a bunch of extra work-related presentations that have been sucking away any otherwise free time.  But I have been taking pictures!

I took the kids to the playground yesterday for a perfect compromise--they got to play outside and I got to play with my camera.  I know you aren't supposed to say it, but after the first 3 times I have absolutely no interest in watching Nicholas do the monkey bars or watching Lizzie climb up the slide.  But if I have my camera I have a job and a challenge and so I am happy as well.  And I love playing with the late afternoon fall light, especially when it is just random pictures rather than something important and so I can appreciate the cool pictures where the light works well without being upset about the really shadowy ones.

My favorite shots in terms of light are the ones where Lizzie was on the teeter-totter.

Climbing things also makes for fun shots, as long as I can get the kids to look up at me instead of just down at their feet.

Then there are all the great framing spots that naturally exist on a playground.  Note to self for the future: make it a game of peekaboo and you're much more likely to get a smile.

And then there is just the good old-fashioned fun of going down the slide:

Busy Saturdays

Our Saturdays have become pretty busy.  I am coaching Nicholas' soccer team so we both have to be at the games early and Lizzie-free.  Joe usually takes Lizzie to gymnastics and then they go to Wegmans. 

Clearly I need to work on my action shots.  I'm not as happy with any of these as I am with the more portrait-style pictures.  I may need a soccer game where I'm not trying to coach simultaneously and also a longer lens.  (Christmas present anyone?) 

But while these stink in terms of photographic quality, they do capture a slice of the kids' activities and the great joy they are having with their fall activities.  I love how much more Nicholas has gotten into soccer and how willing he is to listen to my coaching suggestions.  And Lizzie has been doing so well that they are promoting her out of the parent and me class to the 3-year-old class, even though she is a month shy of the birthday cutoff.  They said she is so good at following directions that there is no need for her to have a parent and she is ready for the challenges the older kids do.  We agree wholeheartedly!

Sunday Photoshoot

Last Sunday I bribed the kids with Five Guys to let me do a mini photo shoot after church.  Overall I like a bunch of these, although note to self: when you turn the camera back on after a few days go into the menus to double-check what you have the ISO set on rather than assuming it is on auto.  So these might be too grainy to print and frame as an 11x13, but they are fine on the computer screen and probably for small prints.  I also need to figure out how to reduce glare on Lizzie's glasses.