We walked down the wooden stairs together. He held my hand and took each large step in stride. Then we arrived on the beach below the cabins. Stay out of the water, Ephram. We’re not swimming right now. But I should have known the lake and Ephram had other plans. And two seconds later I was running to grab Ephram, now ankle deep in water, out of the lake, spilling a bit of wine on my shoe in the midst, and carefully lifting a fully clothed boy onto the shore while carefully attempting to stay dry in the process.

Oh the joys of toddlers.  Just when you think they’re starting to listen and obey and be all good, they prove you wrong.  Being at the cabin is definitely different than it was pre-Ephram days, but I enjoy it just the same.

We’re headed up for yet another long weekend of coffee on the pontoon, yummy food, relaxing campfires…and chasing a little boy around.  Despite the autumn temperatures, I have a feeling a certain blonde haired boy will be stepping foot in the lake a few times. Perhaps we’ll bring the swimsuit this time.

Happy Weekend!

Last Saturday, Beau and I brought Ephram to the woods. We finally had a day off together with no afternoon plans in place, so the minute Ephram woke up from his nap, we set out for a hike. No time to wake up buddy, because in Minnesota, we have to take advantage of the nice weather days when we get them!

So often, the times I spend taking photos of Ephram happen to be when Beau is at work or, occasionally, when Ephram is playing with Beau. When Beau and I are home together, we’re usually busy-busy. This is probably why I have very few photos of Ephram and I together.

It really comes down to selfishness. I want to be in control of the camera, use the lighting to my advantage, I want to practice, capture Ephram the way I want to capture him. It’s down right selfish. So Saturday, I handed the camera over to my husband and tried to let go. Yes, I may have asked him what aperture he was using a few too many times, and reminded him to overexpose because the sun was at our backs, but I did my best to let him be in control of the camera.

And I’m sure glad I did.

1. It’s Tuesday?  That’s what my brain tried to wrap its head around for a good 3 minutes and 30 seconds after my alarm went off this morning.  How did it get to be Tuesday so fast?  Well, I’m dedicating this post to the past week, to catch myself up on just how it got to be Tuesday in lightning speed.

2. Last Wednesday was one of those rare days that I had to stay up after working an overnight shift, which wasn’t all that bad since as we all know, you can sleep when you are dead, right?!  Well I took a nice nap with Ephram from 1-3pm and then stayed up until 9pm with Beau.  I was feeling pretty good until Ephram started stirring Thursday morning at 6am… why does 6am have to seem so much earlier when the sun isn’t up? I miss summer.

3. Thursday, being as sleep deprived as I (still) was, we hung out in our pajamas for far too long, drank the whole pot of coffee Beau left for me, and edited through what has become one of my favorite family sessions to date.

4. I was back to work at 6am on Friday, just 48 hours after getting off an overnight shift at 6am, which was totally my fault, trying to move my schedule around to better spread out the daycare, but that 4:30am alarm hit me like a ton of bricks.  Luckily the coffee is free at work.  I’m not sure how I would work without it.

5. Friday was topped off with something we rarely ever get to do; have dinner and a movie.  Beau and I, together, after Ephram was fast asleep in bed.  Dinner was this fabulous Beef Stir Fry – I had to simplify a lot of it (orange blossom honey? ya right), but it was so good.  Beau loved it, which made me even happier.  The movie was Love and Other Drugs and it was exceptionally good (thank you Redbox).

6. Saturday was devoted to running errands, but we headed out for a hike after Ephram’s nap.  (more on that later)

7.  Football Sunday… let’s just say, I’ve had better.  I think we should have anticipated a loss, but let’s just say I don’t think I’m the only one that was put into a funk after yet another Vikings loss (to the Lions no less!).

8. After a walk downtown with my boys, a latte in hand, and even an enticing offer by Beau for retail-therapy-ing at Target (seriously, I think it was more than just a Vikings loss that was putting me in a weird funk and Beau could tell), I finally decided Sunday evening was the day I put my month long running break to an end.  Man, am I glad I did that.  I knocked off 20 seconds from my mile average!

9. Yesterday was my day off with Ephram. And again we enjoyed our pajamas longer than intended, like all day.  But I finally started the project I’ve been talking about doing for over 3 years.  Yes, I finally put the first coat of white paint on the trim of our bathroom, and so far am loving it, and hope to move on to our bedroom the next time I have nothing on my to do list during an Ephram nap. White trimmed house, here I come.

10. So enough about me.  What have you been up to?  How was your weekend?

Yesterday at roughly 4:55 pm:

Ephram wants a snack. of course. he always seems to get hungry the minute I start cooking dinner. hmm…

I give him ham. assuming that if he’s actually hungry, he’ll eat something he doesn’t normally like.

He refuses to eat it.  ya… not surprised

Even after I tell him how good it is and eat it myself.  come on bud, i wouldn’t lie to you

I give him a fork.  oh ya, he’s a toddler and I should be teaching him to use utensils!

He stabs the ham with the fork and hesitantly brings the ham to his mouth.

Loves the ham.

Signs ‘please’ for more ham.

I guess sometimes taking a new approach at something is all you need to change your attitude about it.