Family Weekend with a NEW CAMERA
A couple weeks ago Jordan made a very silly bet. He bet me that I couldn't identify more than 41 states on a map of the US. Quickly I agreed to play, as long as the stakes included the new camera and lens I've been coveting for more than a year.
After a quick internet refresher, (shhhh), I printed off a map and quickly scribbled in 42 states. Fast forward two weeks and a large, very carefully wrapped package arrived in the mail. I ripped open the box and started getting to know my new best friends - a Canon 5D Mark III, and a 16-35mm f/2.8 lens.
I spent the rest of the day going through the processes and functions of my new camera. While my old camera was at the very bottom of the pack, this one is certainly not. Needless to say, the capabilities are much more plentiful - which just means there was SO much more for me to learn.
It's safe to say, Holden didn't enjoy being woken up by a lens thrust in his sleepy face…
I could barely put the camera down for movie night with Jordan on Friday. But, I knew that the weekend would provide plenty of opportunities for practice.
I was really excited to have gotten the camera right before a certified "Family Weekend". After weekends filled with babysitters, we were excited to be spending some quality time together as our family of four.
Blessington Farms - (Saturday)
First up was Strawberry Picking. The growing season was almost over, and we wanted to make sure we didn't miss out. So we packed the car up and headed 10 miles down the road to Blessington Farms.
Even though we weren't going with any of her friends, Isla had been looking forward to this trip all week long.
Holden? Not so much. He was much happier playing in the dirt, and eating rocks - and seemed appalled that we didn't condone his behavior.
Holden's mood told us that the rest of the farm activities were probably not a good idea that day, so we skipped the Chicken coop and tractor rides, promising Isla that we would be back during blackberry picking season.
Besides, we had friends coming over later that day, and needed to get home and get ready for a swimming pool cook-out.
Remember when I told you I took my camera everywhere that day?
Brazos Bend - (Sunday)
The next day the weather was once again perfect. We packed a lunch and headed out to
This was another park that we've visited before, but it's been a couple years, and we decided, time to go back.
As soon as we got out of the car, Isla found a picnic table that she proclaimed was the perfect spot to eat our lunch.
It wasn't long before she started complaining that her knees hurt, and she couldn't walk anymore. I am not joking - this was before we even got from the car to the picnic table… which you could SEE from the car.
Luckily, she was able to make it to the table, and fuel up for our nature hike.
Once on the trail, the whining and apparently broken knees continued, and we alternated holding the kids. However, at one point, Daddy was holding both kids while I tried to snap a couple pictures of our adventure.
And then came the gators…
The last time we visited, we didn't go into the Nature Center. Isla was not even two, and Holden was still in my belly. We also visited at the end of Summer on a very hot day, and by the end of our nature walk, all we wanted to do was get home and shower.
This time we decided to take a trip over to the Nature Center on the way out.
There, our brave girl pet both a baby alligator, and a snake. The Park workers explained that these were very special alligators and snakes, and that she should never do this in the wild.
It was a great day. Even the ride home was pretty.
When we got home the kids went for a swim while Jordan and I relaxed by the pool. And Later on that afternoon we made jam from the bounty of strawberries we had picked on Saturday.
It was just what we needed // a relaxing family weekend. With the remainder of May already totally booked up, and a trip to Italy for Isla and myself beginning in early June, we savored every minute of these two-and-a-half very low-key days.