Nothing Says "Family" Like A Good Old Fashioned Game of Football

The first picture you see when you walk into our house is our last family portrait.  I love it.  It's black and white, framed in a wide black frame and looks awesome.  However, it only has Bo it it.  The last time we had professional family photos taken was before Sam was born.  That's pathetic.   

 

So we asked Wes' house photographer (and brilliant landscape photographer Ryan Black www.ryanblax.com) if he'd meet us out at Grandma & Grandpa's on Saturday to take some candid shots of us.  We know it is nearly impossible to get the boys to all look at the camera and smile at the same time so we decided to have fun and capture the boys in their true element.   

 

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

*Note - I tried to coordinate our clothes and even bought everyone new shirts that coordinated but 15 mintures before heading out the door Max refused to wear his, Wes did not like his, I didn't really like Sam's and mine didn't fit so everyone is wearing whatever they wanted.  And I love how it all turned out.  We look like us.   

Austin In A Nutshell (with lots & lots of pictures)

I'm a little (well, way) behind in posting about our Austin trip so here it is in a nutshell . . .

One of the first things we did while in town was have a family portrait taken in honor of my parent's 40th wedding anniversary. It was the first time that all, and I mean all of us were in the same place at the same time and to make it even more special, we had the photographer come out to the house. Amazingly, all babies cooperated and we were able to get some decent pics with everyone looking at the camera. (I will share them when we see the proofs)

********
After that, it was all about family and more family. I loved hanging out with my sisters and their kids, and juggling all the chaos that came along with it. It is not easy coordinating 5 kids under the age of 3.5 and 8 adults, let me tell you, but it was well worth it.

Bo and Sam spent about every waking hour playing outside naked in the kiddie pool, sprinker, or hose. It was hotter than hot and neither kid wanted anything to do with clothes but everything to do with the water and Opa & Nana.
********
Then is was on to Reunion where 13 became 300+. It was the first time Wes & I had been in 3 years and holy cow it was different this time having 2 kids. I was ready to pack up and go home after the first day. Bo was a wreck, wouldn't listen, wouldn't eat, wouldn't nap, and wouldn't get in the River. Ugh, it was not fun. But things got better and we all had a great time. On the last night of Reunion, we surprised Mom & Dad with a champagne toast in honor of their 40th wedding anniversary since we could not all be together on the actual day (July 5th).
********
And to make it all complete, we were able to hang out with the Prtichard side of the family on Tuesday before heading back to Fairbanks the next day. We had a great afternoon hanging out and eating fajitas. All in all it was a great trip.

Catching Up (it's a longy)

1. TREASURE - We had our first ever garage sale on Saturday and despite all the crap we still have left, we managed to make over $700. Not too shabby. But it still amazes me the things that sold vs the things that didn't:

Cool snow sled - no, 4 opened cartons of antifreeze - yes

Plastic flower pots - no, ancient dinosaur laptop from college - yes

Columbia parka with removable fleece lining - no, Army issue arctic parka with fake fur - yes

Picture frames and vases - no, old man grabber thing - yes

and the list goes on and on. We even had 2 people offer to buy Chena (weird) and a few people who came by for specific items which when they found out we didn't have any, turned around and left: guns, gardening tools, fishing poles, and big kid toys.

All in all an odd day but I'm just glad that woman from Barrow was able to stock up on so many baby socks.


2. FAMILY - Grandma & Uncle John left this morning. We had a great visit with them but like all family visits, it flew by way too fast.

Every morning they were here, Bo would run downstairs to get Grandma as soon as he woke up. It was super cute until this morning when he popped out of bed to do the same and I had to intervene and tell him that Grandma wasn't here. She left for the airport before he got up. His body slumped. He was crushed. But after we read the note she left about 4 times and he got to talk to her on the phone, he perked right back up. He sure loves his Grandma.

3. SLEEP - We are all still ultra sleep deprived in this house and am running out of ideas for Bo. Sam on the other hand just needs to be broken of milk in the middle of the night (AGAIN) which can be done; I've just been too tired and too paranoid about waking Bo up to even deal with it but tonight is the night. I hereby proclaim this the beginning of sleep (re)training take 3. Ugh, I am so not looking forward to it but it has to be done.

Bo is a whole different story. The Melatonin is making a huge difference in getting him to settle down and fall asleep (takes 20-40 minutes now instead of the 2-3 hours it was) but we are still having terrible problems with night wakings and night terrors. On any given night, Bo is up 2-5 times; each time leaving his room and crying in either the kitchen or living room all while staring at our bedroom door. Then the nights he has a night terror, everything is exaggerated and prolonged with it taking anywhere from 1-2 hours to get him calmed down enough to fall back asleep.

A few nights ago I was at wits end and decided that if neither boy was going to sleep then they could cry all night together. I dragged Bo's bed in to Sam's room and figured, hell, misery loves company, right? Wrong! Misery apparently just loves more misery when doubled and then spills over causing extreme misery on the parents. Let's just say it sucked, was a horrible HORRIBLE idea, totally back fired and I will never do it again. Damn it!

However, after last night's horrendously freaky night terror, Bo is now scared of his own room which, after the Sam room fiasco, leaves only our room to try. (Not cool, but we will do anything at this point) And so, with his mattress on our floor wedged between my night stand and Wes' dresser (where I am sure to trip over it and possibly break my little toe while listening to Sam cry his head off tonight), we once again attempt to break the vicious no-sleep cycle of Bo-Bo & his sidekick Sam.

Sausage Making

On the 28th, the Ohlendorf gang (Opa, Nana, Tracy, Tom, Paula, Kate, Claire, Tommy, Susan, Erin, Bobby, Curtis, Me, Wes, Bo & Sam) met up at The River to make sausage. While most everyone else has made some every year for quite a few years now, this was my first time in about 15 years. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun. I am so glad we got to be a part of it this year. (Thanks, Nana, for being on baby-circus patrol all day. I know it wasn't an easy job.)

Say Cheese (or not)

Cutting Up The Pork

(much easier than the beef)

Opa, Bobby & Tommy Mixing In The Spices
(one batch regular, one batch garlic)

Erin, Wes, Bobby & Curtis Warming Up By The Fire
(and supervising the black eyed peas & mac-n-cheese)

Sam Loving His Aunt Tracy

Opa & Wes

It's A Joint Effort

(Tommy cranking, Wes stuffing, & Erin finding the casing openings)

After all the work was done, we walked over to see the progress on Opa & Nana's house. Bo loved the dirt pile and all the equipment.

I Love The River

Bo Fishing With Opa

We all (Me, Wes, Bo, Sam, Opa, Nana, Paula, Chad, Kate, Claire, Tom and no-Tracy (stomach ache)) spent the day at the River yesterday. It was wonderful. There's just something in the air at The River that is comforting and peaceful. All the stresses of everyday life are forgotten and the simplicities of life are appreciated.

It is and has always been my go-to place. Anytime I am stressed or worried or in need of inner peace, I close my eyes and imagine myself wading in the river with the sounds of the water trickling over the rocks down by the little swing in the background, and the gentle rustle of trees swaying in the wind overhead. It is where I go to get away and the one place I miss the most living in Alaska.

The River to me symbolizes family, love, and childhood; all the things in life I never want to be without. The only difference now is that the childhood is now that of my kids rather than that of myself. I can't wait to share my memories of the River with them and to create new ones along side them in the years to come.

Wes Showing Kate A Worm

Sam & Claire Enjoying The Perfect Nap

Wes On The Little Swing

Bo Being Silly