Weekend with the Nichols

We had a busy weekend again. Here goes the happenings.

Friday we all went to the middle school play "Willie Wonka Jr" to see our friend Hannah perform as one of the umpa lumpa's. Everyone did such a wonderful job. Its just amazing how good everyone was and how creative the props and costumes. At the point where Mike TV gets sucked into the TV they shrunk him by using a Ken barbie doll that was dressed in the same outfit.. we all got laughs out of that. They also sold Wonka Chocolate at intermission... but unfortunately ran out before we got to the front of the line. We were so proud of Hannah and her performance.. at times we weren't sure which one she was but we just looked for the tall umpa loompa and hoped it was her! The play made Darin and I a little nostalgic and started encouraging the girls.

Shortly after we got home our weekend entertainment arrived! The Nichols Family! Ben, Tara and their crew. The kids were very excited to see their cousins but after threatening their life (j/k) they finally went to sleep!

Saturday I awoke to giggling, jumping, shouting and playing of the kids.. at 6:30am! Which is really early for me! I've gotten use to having older kids that enjoy their sleep! So after tossing and turning I finally got up. We made some muffins for breakfast.. which seems to be a regular thing these days and everyone enjoys them. After breakfast Tara and I went into Buffalo and shopped at the antique shops. We were in search of new prop ideas. I bought a very neat miniture row boat that will fit 3 kids in it and some wooden fishing poles. When we got it home Alex was all over the fishing idea! Every time I went pass the studio he was sitting in the boat with my wooden fish and the fishing poles.. it was so cute. I kept meaning to get a picture...

As soon as we got home Darin and Ben headed off to a movie at the IMAX in St. Micheal. They went to Ironman which I was more then happy to bow out of seeing! Once they got home Tara and I were off to a photography seminar which was the main reason for the weekend. It was called 'Bellies and Babies' by Sandi Puc. It was a lot of fun for us but it was also a long day. Elijah was a real trouper tho... he went with us everywhere and barely said a peep. He seems like such a good baby for Tara and pretty much sleeps and eats (well and that other thing). But I have yet to hear him cry! You sure get a lot of attention with a cutie like Elijah. The biggest comment was look at all that hair! Tara and I got back home at 12:30am so we were quite tired yet full of new ideas!

Sunday I woke a little bit later around 8am to sounds of the kids complaining they were hungry. We all got dressed and went to a Pancake breakfast put on by the Rockford Fire department. It was a yummy breakfast and the kids loved climbing on the fire trucks.. especially Alex.

Once back home Tara and I had lots of ideas and started setting up the photography studio. I took some family pictures and some pictures of the kids. Before we knew it 3 hours flew by! Tara and I were anxious to try out some new ideas from the seminar. We were trying a new lighting setup that adds more depth and more specifically shadows in the right spots. I think we succeeded! See the pictures. I took a lot more then these of the Nichols family and the cousins.. which I will add later so check back.

Sadly after 3 hours of pictures the Nichols family needed to get started on their long drive back to Glydon. Even Bronson hated to see them go!