Gretchen Fawn Photo - part of the Snoqualmie Moms Support Collective

When you say vacation do you imagine endless hours of rest, fun and delicious food? I do too, but that's not always the reality. Traveling with kids makes it a whole different experience. We learn to sacrifice more. To be more patient when we are tired. To be willing to make the baby comfortable by giving him his own room so he can sleep. To tie our schedules even more closely to going to bed early. I guess it's a whole new definition of vacation.  Sometimes I have to ask myself if it's worth it? Why did we come all this way just to do what we do at home? Sometimes it's overwhelmingly hard really. Well, now that two of our kids are in school full time, it's more precious to have this time away with them. It takes us out of our normal routines that are often really separate from them because their schedules are more full of school and work. It brings my husband home to just "be" in our daily world. It gives me time to notice things in t

My son and his happy go lucky, usual smile!  As he grabbed a little garden stick, something came alive inside him. His inner warrior came to life right before my eyes. He went around slaying all the dragons and saving all the princesses on our walk. It was nice to have brought my camera now that I am doing a 365 photo challenge!  We have had our walks rained out the last few days after a particularly hot and dry summer, it's been a huge shift. The energy that my boy has now is a little overwhelming at times. How am I going to help him use it up when it's raining every day? I don't mind at all walking when it's wet out and we have pretty good rain gear. But when it's torrential downpour and windy blowing the rain in your face the whole time, I know my son won't be much for running around.  And mamas, I have been meaning to ask some of you how do you keep the rain out of the boots? Both of our regular pair of rubber boots and our bogs have gotten rai

My kids got me up at the er, ungodly? hour, or is it Godly hour?, of 6am today. Really guys, no one needs to be up at that time of day. Why can't we all snuggle in until 8? That would be perfect in my book.  Alas, since little munchkins, Daddy and both sisters had to be up for work and school, I dragged my tired self into the kitchen to make them all a wonderful, healthy breakfast. But really, the truth is, I dragged my tired self in for a french press of coffee and I also made them eggs which the girls won't eat. Me and the boys, including Daddy, gobbled up our eggs and enjoyed the semi-silence while teradactyl baby, who only screams at the top of his lungs as a way of communicating something that we cannot figure out, shoved eggs into his precious little mouth. It was great. All 5 minutes of it!  At 7:10 I had completed everything in my morning routine and had nothing but time and more coffee to urge me on.  Everyone headed off to their places and I had about 12 hours left.

Let's be honest here for a minute. The days are sometimes long with kids at home aren't they? I'm trying to think of a few things to keep the kids occupied sometimes so I can get to the things I need to do! My yard needed a bunch of pruning, my pots needed watering and so much more. I had these sticks sitting on the porch all summer and this day, I thought of making a quick teepee! I grabbed something to hold the top together and some clamps and my son was delighted! I was too since it gave me a few minutes to do some stuff! You know what I mean!   I'm hoping some summer comes back around. It's been such an abrupt switch this year. I feel so cold! My bones are cold. I was saying I was ready for some rain, after all it had been over 60 days without rain here. Must have been some kind of record. Now I am cold and whiney. Rain, rain go away, come again another day......  I made the best of the rain today and took my 3 year old puddle jumping! Stay tuned, those images

  We packed up the kids and the car to it's maximum capacity and headed a few hours out of our way to see the Tree of Life at Kalaloch Campground in the northern part of Washington State. After being in said car with two teens and two littles, I wasn't entirely sure this was a brilliant idea, but we were in it for the long haul and made a day of it. As I am writing I remember my husband Joe climbing on top of the car to find the sweaters we needed and I took a picture. I will post that on my FB page(https://www.facebook.com/Gretchenfawnphoto/?hc_ref=ARTetT4UihadwmnU5eDZV8ivaujnHSeEBsHh3wSRFX2715O8GlTkc7KxOAyBv2nLQDQ) for you to see. Sometimes getting to the place takes it out of me and my energy is all drained, but I purposed myself to get some pictures of our family and try to enjoy the time we had at this amazing place. My 3 year old jumped in with vigor. Isn't that like a three year old? They may have a hard time, get in trouble, whine and complain, but then be totally

Grandpa and Gramma stopped over for some of their stuff they left here when they were in the process of moving last week. As soon as Daddy came home little man remembered the geode he had been waiting to smash with him that Grandpa and Gramma had sent home last weekend. I said, "Go for it!" knowing I wanted little man out from under foot for ten minutes so I could finish up making the dinner.  I am glad I went out to see and grab my camera, I get shy or lazy sometimes, even after being a photographer for over 20 years, but I never regret taking the pictures. As always, today was no exception. Little mans sweet excitement with Grandpa and Daddy was fun to see.  Actually, my favorite part was when little man insisted he get to swing the hammer and Daddy gave a very, very hesitant ok while nervously giggling. And also as soon as it cracked open after 10-15 minutes of smashing, little man wanted to crack it again! Nothing like that excitement. Makes you want to do it again and