Dashing through the snow. Woops. Meant street.
I’ve been really busy (yay!) lately taking pictures of the sweetest families, funniest kids, and most amazing families. So busy that only in this last week have I been able to take pictures of our own funniest kids! And deciding on which pictures made the holiday card this year was hard. If I could please have a card that’s about 8 1/2 x 11″, that would help. It’s like sticking about eight passport photos on a credit card.
Oy.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to head out into a vast field strewn with rusty things and chase a Kindergartner and toddler around, keep reading. Especially when there’s exactly 45 minutes between the last bell of school and sundown, and you’re the solo parent on the mission.
I’ve found a treasure. It turns out, in fact, that this little slice of peaceful is THE history of Erie, Colorado. One hundred and forty plus years of history. You can read about The Wise Homestead here. And you can see some of its charm in our photos, but not nearly enough to do justice.
As Holden and I prepared the night before for our shoot, we thought it would be pretty cool if he could take his guitar and belt out a few Christmas tunes. Ewan came in with the harmonica, and there you have it, folks. We’re taking it to the streets with Jingle Bells, Los Pantiers style.
Holden did not completely trust me that it was ok to be in the street. After all, we’ve only spoken of the dangers of it for the last 5 1/2 years or so… But that little Ewan, he throws caution into a headwind and knocks it around like it’s a feather. We did eventually move over onto the gravel driveway, which made Holden comfortable enough to even sing the “Batman smells” verse. Ewan just kept on keeping on with his accompaniment duties. He was diggin’ it.
I love these boys. Whatever kind of crazy I can dream of, they go along with me. LOVE, I tell you.
After a quick outfit change, I pulled out the amazingly huge bag of leaves I had swindled away from a landscaper (who knew I’d find a treasure trove of deciduous trees around here?!), and we added ours to the piles lying around.
Didn’t take long to entice them.
Nor did it take long to find a tractor or two.
Ahem. Nor did it take long to lose Ewan in the bushes. Finding that one was like looking for Heffalumps.
The leaves and hot chocolate and marshmallows and candy canes were calling, though, so we flushed him out. Nope, I’m not above bribery. I understand fully its power and can wield it mightily.
Let us not forget the always present faces of Holden The Weird. Notice the delicious hot chocolate on his sweater? Forget Photoshop, that’s just how we roll, bebes.
But we always have Holden The Sweet, as well. Okay. Most of the time.
And Ewan the Sumo wrestler guy/Tractor Driver.
Tractors are “dah-dahs” and are talked about daily. Helicopters are dah-dahs, too, so you have to do some investigative work to determine which conversation you’re having.
This place was bliss. No one wanted to leave, even though the air was starting to bite a little with its chill and tummies were starting to rumble. There’s not much better than piles of leaves, an old rickety porch on which to share a cup of hot chocolate and some peppermint sticks, or a rusty tractor that begs little boys to come and sit for a while.
So to all of you out there, Happy Holidays. The happiest of all, in fact. Embrace that little, or big, part of you that yearns to leap and run and hug and hang stuff off of your house or in a tree. Go grab your guitars and harmonicas, my friends, and belt one out to the high Heavens. Heck, even jingle something (nothing naughty, though). Make it merry, make it bright, make this holiday season your best yet.
Loving you.
