Mother's Day-Rhododendron Gardens

This may not be super original or anything but for the last couple of years on Mother's Day we've tried to spend the evening as a family in a beautiful location where I am guaranteed to be in at least one photo for the year. (Instead of behind the camera) We've been meaning to explore the Rhododendron gardens for years so we finally made it happen. (even if it was likely to be the busiest day of the year) My own mother also informed me that I had been there many many times as a kid. haha, it all seemed new to me though. But I really don't have much to say except we wandered and explored and it was the perfect evening. 

 ...and there was a bunch of twirling....I may be an old lady now, but I still can enjoy a good twirly dress.

 Edwin....unamused

He saves his smiles for daddy. Funny story...when Edwin says dada...he says it all loving and endearing, when he says mom...he grunts it like an impatient New Yorker...  That is 100% true. Happy Mother's day to me!

 A kind woman gave my boys some bird seed and Charlie took it upon himself to keep it all to himself and ration tiny portions to his brothers.

More photos of Charlie's back...for the video I made of the hundreds of photos of Charlie running away from me. I really did make it at his last birthday but I think I forgot to post it on his birthday blog post....

"These are cookie flowers!" -Miles

  

And more of them being sweet...well, Edwin is trying really hard to get away!

 Bahahaha...we tried a round of Ring around the Rosie....they always fall down as soon as you start singing.

Charlie's photos... he only has a split second to take them until Edwin runs out of sight.

 I was going to leave this one captionless, to keep it more of a mystery....but the truth is, Miles was sitting really still trying to hold his poop in.

We realized Edwin would be still for a second if he was sitting on a bench next to his brother. 

The purpose of benches....

He's staying pretty calm for just having touched a spider web. 

 We finally met back up with Max and Miles after a bathroom break and we found a beautiful spot to let the big boys take some photos. Charlie went first while Miles and Edwin sat on the bench.

 Then they switched, as I was setting Miles up with the camera, a man walked by and asked if we wanted him to take a photo. I told him no thanks and that Miles was really excited to take photos. I'm so glad we let our kids do it. I know it is a gamble if anything will turn out but more and more often they are turning out great. I didn't crop or align any of the images and only lightened them and sharpened them a tiny bit.

Charlie was bummed he didn't get to do a kissing picture. haha! I plan on giving him lots more chances. Oh wait...I did crop the one below. ha! 

All day I was treated like a queen. Max made a wonderful breakfast of Paleo Pancakes. He stayed home with Edwin who had a fever while I went to church with the big boys. Diet Coke and candy bars were passed out at church as mother's day gifts! Max gathered a beautiful bouquet of flowers from our yard and folded the mountain of laundry while we were at church and we had a restful afternoon together. 

Anyway, this motherhood stuff is rough but wow these children are amazing and pure and wonderful. Just this evening as I was putting the big boys to bed I was talking to my children about how we make good choices to please our Heavenly Father and to prepare to live with Him again. Miles responded with "Mom, you're always like Heavenly Father and Jesus!" Oh how I wish that were true, but sadly it isn't. I do try hard everyday and it joys me that my boys can see that in me, and will hopefully make the same efforts. And if that's the one thing they get from my mothering, I think they may turn out alright! 

And if you are a faithful reader of our family blog here are our previous Mother's Day photos.
2017

2016 

2015