Tuesday, August 31, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 10

A handful of beautiful flowers....and a doggy looking for a snack!

Saturday, August 28, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 9

The storm wasn't nearly as impressive as the clouds were...

Friday, August 27, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 8

Dirty fingernails, frogs, and silly family pictures.....all the elements of a good vacation day on the farm!




Wednesday, August 25, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 7

This North Dakota series is going to drag out forever if I don't start posting more than a couple pictures at a time!  

There was no shortage of flowers on my mother's farm.  Luckily, flowers are very photogenic.




























  I'm starting to think the "accidental" shots are far better than the cutesy, posed ones.  I was sitting on my mother's deck...camera on my lap...and Rachel was standing next to me.  Her little fingers still have a babyish quality that I love and I wanted an UN-posed picture of her hand at that very moment.  While she and I were still chatting, I moved my hand to the camera and snapped this shot.

Perfection.





























This pup, named Boston, renewed our desire to adopt another pup of our own.  Yes, it will be hard to move past the loss of our Page....but 2 years have passed and I think we're ready to be doggie parents again.


Alert the media!  It's a rare shot of Yours Truly!  I put my camera down long enough to give this little girl some Auntie love...my son asked if he could take a picture.  He certainly has been paying attention to my "don't take just one" chant.  I think he took 10!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 6

Grandma.....with her grandchildren, grandchildren-in-law, and great-grandchildren.

Friday, August 20, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 5

Any man who is willing to play Barbies in the grass with my daughter AND knows how to braid Barbie's hair is a keeper!  Welcome to the family, A.B.!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 4

A reunion on the farm = cars, campers, dogs, and family as far as the eye can see!



















Most of my favorite shots were of Rachel...including these two.



















Sweet, patient, beautiful Bristol.  If given the chance, my kids would have smuggled her back to NY with us.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 3

If you want him to smile for a picture, hand him his grandbaby...it works every time.



Monday, August 9, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 2

Our first day in ND was rainy, chilly, and less-than-pleasant.  I began to worry that I hadn't packed enough cool-weather clothes!  The kids, however, didn't seem to care.  They jumped right in and immediately found something to love about this farm vacation...

Nicholas found the go-cart...and the mud found Nicholas.



























Alexa got her first manicure, thanks to Auntie Terri.



















Benjamin snuggled with Grandma and took many rides with her on the golf cart.



















Rachel made a new best friend named Boston.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

My beautiful North Dakota...Part 1

The last week of July found us in North Dakota for a family reunion...my mother lives there and it's where I spent the first 18 years of my life.  We hadn't been back in 4 years, so it was fun to watch my kids getting to know their family.

Our flight left NY at 6:30am, so we had to be awake by 2:30.  Then there was the flight.  Then a mad dash across the Minneapolis airport to make our connecting flight.  Then the 45 minute drive to my mother's farm (in the rain).  I had some sleepy kids by that point.