Since, I have no wife and only two sleeping daughters at home tonight, I figured I'd better get caught up on the hundreds of photos, sitting on memory cards, begging to be chosen for blogdom. What did I find for this evening? How about a weekend getaway for our entire family that we took a couple of weeks ago?
We packed up the girls an entire truck full of "stuff" and headed down near Springfield, IL to visit with Meg's uncle Buddy and aunt Carollee, as well as a host of other Murrays, at the Murray Farm. Meg told me about this place when we first REALLY started dating about five years ago, as she had just returned from a trip to celebrate Buddy's 70th birthday. She's always spoken so highly of it. Well, it was just as beautiful as she described. They have about 120 acres, which is plenty of room for a big pond full of fish, three horses, tons of corn, some of the craziest looking chickens I have ever seen, and beautiful sunsets (I actually not posting my favorite one because it's a surprise for someone). Oh yeah, there was also room to build another house for their daughter, her husband, and their family without being even remotely crowded. Add in the fact that they have a pool, too, and we'll probably be going back as often as they'll have us :)
***WARNING*** Large quantities of photos ahead
Let's start with the farm.
No fishing for me this trip, but one day...
Uncle Buddy caught a worm!
Tank, waiting for someone to open the gate to the porch.
Bandit
Recent addition
Pool Time!
On Saturday afternoon, we got the girls dressed up and ready to go swimming. Besides bath time, this was their first time in the water and they did not disappoint! On all accounts, I think they loved it. I sensed a little apprehension at first, but not much, and it disappeared quickly. Even Izzy was having a blast. We just had to make sure to keep the water out of her oxygen tube!
Kathy and Sophie
Meg, Maddy, and Kelly
Meg, Maddy, Sophie (crying), and Kathy
Sophie and Meg (trying to soothe her daughter)
Sophie (calmed down and ready to enjoy the pool) and Meg
Kelly blowing kisses at Maddy
Maddy, kicking her way to the side of the pool
Meg and Maddy
Meg and Maddy
Sophie, still trying to decide if she likes it
Maddy
Maddy, our goofball
Izzy (laughing really hard) and Meg
Izzy (still laughing)
Sophie
All my girls!
Sophie and Keegan
Maddy with an awesome hairdo. The best part was that it dried that way and she still looked cool in the morning!
Sophie
Izzy
The rest of the weekend!
Kiel, BJ, Amy, Jack, and Barbie
Sharon and Carolee
Kris and Kathy
Mary, getting her facebook fix
Buddy
Barbie and Sophie
Charlie
Scott and Sophie
The girls
Kelsie with Izzy and Sophie
They look like baby birds in a nest, waiting for their mom to regurgitate breakfast for them
Meg and Izzy
They've gotta sleep some time
Sophie and Mary
Sharon and Sophie
Breakfast time with mom
The clan, well, some of them at least
Kalie getting some Maddy-time
Izzy, checking out the chickens
Buddy
Kris and Maddy
Sophie
Scott, wrangling the mean rooster
