louisville.

we were home for less that 48 hours for my cousin's wedding. i had two photo sessions, a meeting with a cool new gallery, revelry, that's selling my jewelry, steph's wedding dress fitting, brunch with the resch's & jacky's wedding. it was an awesome weekend.

we gambled during our layover in vegas- nana would be so proud.


nana said "i'll get up with him. you can sleep in." when i got up at 7:30 am this is what i found! tehee.

the resch's hosted a brunch complete with phlen's bakery for our cousin's that were in town. we hardly get to see them -so it was exciting. adam served adult beverages...
beth & aaron did some flippin.
grandpa & finn did some eatin.
aaron is a funny kid. i don't remember exactly what happened, but i think finn gently put his hands on his chest & he fell over saying he pushed me... we laughed so hard at his creativity. kids gonna make a heck of an actor or soccer player.

uncle jeff & finn.


missing a few siblings & great grandkids- but a fine looking bunch!
finn needed some disciplining.

adam, aaron & finn. we're missing eric & my brother... the few resch boys. the resch women were making up for all the unfairness auntie had to put up with growing up!! muahhahah.





then we headed home, so we could start to think about getting ready for the wedding. john helped change finn's diaper.
then the wedding! we weren't going to take finn to church, boy doesn't know how to sit still or use his inside voice to save his life. we thought that meant him being at church would be horrible- nana on the other hand said- we're bringing him- again "i'll stay with him." here's bryan letting him run around outside while they say their i do's.
steph looked beautiful.
dancing the night away.
chris, was one of my closest friends in highschool- we've lost touch since i graduated college- but he emailed me asking if i'd be at the wedding! it was so great to see him & catch up a bit.
shuey did jacky look good!
bev did too. foxy ladies.
finn started fading fast & once uncle don had him he was at total peace & conked out, even though it was loud.

dawn shaking it with bryan.
me shakin it with the other don.

these two are too stinken cute.
all the ladies... all the lovely ladies.
& the boys- looking um, strange? is andrew driving a big rig?
erin saying get your booty on the dance floor.
this was pretty late in the night, thus steph's dress is half missing & bryan's doing his drunk face.
my uncle david... god love him is so much fun. looks like it's rubbed off on his only son.

next up- another marathon post from our week long vacation with the paris' in ohio!

flagstaff camping/ultimate weekend

sprawl did their annual summer get-away training weekend in flagstaff. finn, the pups & i joined of course, but this year we werent the only outsiders!!!

finn on the drive down. it was he, myself & kylie in the back. skye got shotgun.



where's your toes?
hanging out after the first day of practice. playing some ridiculous game with dice.
yeah for finn's internal alarm clock!

i love these camping shots- early in the morning, crazy hair, sleepy eyes & peace.

uncle tom.
skye is crazy- she's most comfortable in the strangest positions!
rob & tina headed into town with us. i love flagstaff. i think i could love it as much as asheville, portland or boulder.
they headed home & we stayed to hear some live polka music.
the beautiful drive home.
ah. flagstaff thank you for your still-hot-but-cooler-climate escape.

celebrate

we went out to celebrate our friend michael getting a raise the other night, yummy hamburgers & mojo for dessert!

i call this group my photo friends. we're all from a photojournalism background, even though, 3 of us do weddings & portraits now. one, michael still works for a paper. they are my life line.

they all shot our pregnancy session. jill photographed our birth & our one year session. they've been witnesses to some of the most important moments of my life & i'm/we're so grateful to know them.

jill, finn & michael.
andy & arielle.




friends. are lovely. thanks to jill for coming over today & helping me get through one heck of hard mama day.

the boy with 15 birthday parties.

we threw finn one last birthday party with all of his friends in phoenix. he is spoiled! we said no presents, but they're stubborn and didn't listen. he got books, a xylophone, a red wagon that he LOVES, stuffed animals, cash towards this awesome kitchen set that i lust over! and more. SPOILED. we're going to have to start that donating 5 toys next year :)

some of our friends that came. marnie, kace, melissa & emma.

stoli thought finn needed some broccoli.

yep that's what i thought.

i made finn a mini vegetable cake. no cool drawing this time- just "huck finn" at the request of an ultimate player. which ended up looking like *uck finn- but i didn't take a picture of it so we have no proof. on purpose!!!!

as i was bringing him the cake, it jumped out of my hands & onto his chest. i quickly picked it back up. mmmm. he didn't mind.

nom nom nom.


i have this picture that i cherish of my parents & me on my first birthday. they're both looking at me. i asked my friend jill, our personal documetor!, to try & replicate it. this is what she got.
i love it.

& here's my picture.

feeding skye.

& then he'd try to lick his fingers. so now he's mad at me for stopping him.

marnie & kace.

the rest of the kids stayed in the living room. loving finn's casa.
freinds: sarah, myra, isabelle, nathan.

& some of the adults too. hi hannah! more friends: another sarah, cathi & tyler.



josiah baby stepping it to bigger books. we're so proud of him.
moni & finn.



what a happy, loved little boy. thank you friends for celebrating his first year of life with us!

sad.

tonight we're filling out the forms for skye's surrender. that's what the the weimariner rescue calls it. they've asked for some pictures & so i'm going through the years we've had her. i started to tear up. are we doing the right thing? we've committed to it. but we committed ourselves to her too. she'll be much happier in a home that gives her the attention & discipline she deserves. i keep repeating that. we travel way too much for her to be thrown on other people. kylie is a different matter completely. she's gentle & easy. skye is high maintenance. skye is a pain in my butt. but i kinda like her too. she's funny & sweet & beautiful. you won't find a prettier dog. she's fast & clumsy & that goofy grin of hers will make you laugh even if you're pissed off at the world. but lately- i'm just annoyed with her.


as i was getting all sentimental just now, she barks like a maniac at someone outside walking by the house. i jump up & run over to her & say in a deep voice SKYE. hush. go. get in your cage. the baby's sleeping.

i feel like that's all i ever say or

no... gentle. finn be gentle. don't startle skye- you know what happened last time you did that.

it's sad to say good bye to a member of this family. but we'll all be better off when she's with a more appropriate home or will we?


we'd probably just get through it, like they did in marley- right? but, she's snapped at finn. left a mark, didn't bite him- but snapped. she growls randomly- other times she lets him hug her tightly around the neck, or grab onto the stump of her tail. it's me holding my breath anytime they're near each other- which isn't all that often. i lock the gates & they're on opposite sides. or the dogs are outside or skye's in her crate. but, i just don't want to live life like this anymore. annoyed, timid. finn will get bigger & act more maturely around her, but then we'll have another babe about then & we'll go through it all over again. skye should be the attention of someone's universe. someone without kids- so she can be their baby.

i wonder how long i'll carry the guilt once they've found her the perfect home?
i wonder if i'll sigh a breath of relief & get over it quickly?