Grandpa's Weekend

My father-in-law flew in last weekend for a visit with us and Mike's sister, Carol, who lives on the opposite side of DC metro. After he spent a few days in MD with Carol's family, we all met at the Gaylord Hotel at the National Harbor to eat some lunch and grab Grandpa to come back to VA with us.

The kids were FIRED UP! {But, really, when are kids not fired up?} They were running all over the atrium of the Gaylord until we decided to release them to the great outdoors!





It was a gorgeous day with lots of sunshine and warm-ish temps. The Gaylord has a giant hill over looking the Potomac. At first, my hubby was all "don't go on the hill, kids. It's probably muddy" and then I was all "who cares if it's muddy? I'll wash their clothes while they're passed out from running up and down that hill 17 times. Go, kids! Go!"

I think it's really funny how BLONDE 3 out of 4 of these kids are. I mean, I pretty much understand that my niece and nephew are blondes. Their parents are blonde-ish. I just don't know where mine came from.




Charlie's baby cousin, Carson, had some pretty cool shades. Charlie couldn't resist putting them on and telling us that he was CIA - you know, "Charlie Is Awesome". Omg. He's such a nut!




I had my camera handy because I had just had a shoot in Arlington right before our lunch so I thought I'd snap a few family pics. Actually, I was just going to take the one or two of all the men but then we thought we'd get lots of family combination shots since we aren't always together.

I'm trying really hard not to let the empty fountain background and the full sun shadows drive me crazy, but let's face it, they are. #photographerproblems



On Sunday morning, I had mentioned in passing that I had had a photoshoot in Clifton earlier in the week. I think I said "train tracks" and "caboose" and Charlie's little ears perked up. The next thing I knew, he was saying "can we go there?" on repeat. So... we went there!

Clifton, like so many places in Northern Virginia, has an adorable historic quality. I am kind of obsessed with it right now. They have a great cafe and an ice cream shop and cute antique stores and of course, train tracks and an old caboose where the train station used to be back in the 1800s. And best of all, Charlie was in heaven.




I am OBSESSED with this super sunny shot I got of Charlie. He was in such a good mood that he stayed still until I could get my settings just right and position the flare where I wanted it. Such a good photog kiddo!! I cannot wait to print it super-sized and hang it in the playroom! Squee!

Is shooting on train tracks dangerous? We couldn't decide. It seemed like we had lots of visual range to see a train coming long before it'd hit a kid... but, still. I was nervous. When I had shot in Clifton on a weekday, trains were coming one after another, but we didn't see any come by at all on the weekend. Eventually, I let go of my mama-worry and let Charlie walk the tracks for a bit. But not Henry. And he was NOT happy about that.



Just past "downtown" Clifton, there is Paradise Springs Winery buried in the hilly, remote woods of the very posh neighborhoods of Clifton. It was so lovely out that we sat in the sun with a bottle of Meritage while the boys flew a kite and played on the hill. It kind of doesn't get better than that.