We heart bluebonnets...

It's springtime in Texas... 

the days are longer, the air is warmer and the highways are painted by nature. 

Which means it is time for annual bluebonnet pics!!

I feel that you need the back story to really appreciate these pictures. Stay with me.

We left Waco around 4:30 after an early morning, egg hunts, races, food, movies, dirt digging, swinging, and no naps. We gave the kids a bath and threw them in clothes for the car. We actually forgot something at Gigi and Pops' so we had to turn around and then head back out (which meant the kids were in the car for a full 10 minutes longer than planned). Emmy and Landry were asleep within the first 3.5 minutes of the {second} drive. 

I had mentioned to Ryan that we hadn't taken our annual bluebonnet pics and I wanted to try to stop if we found a "patch" worthy of stopping. Roughly 45 minutes into the drive we found THE patch. If you remember 2011 and 2012 we found sad little patches of blue. So as you can imagine, I slammed on the brakes safely guided the car to a stop in pursuit of these pictures. 

Landry and Emmy were sound asleep. 

Now, Landry is the world's easiest baby - Emmy notsomuch. She's not really a morning person, and doesn't like any changes or transitions to "her" plans. 

She was less than enthused to take pictures. 

We were also not in "picture clothes" meaning that the kids didn't match.  ::dramatic gasp::

I know.

And here are the results... 

(As you will see the pictures reflect their personalities much like their sleeping habits do.)

Radley - the oldest. Determined to please which means he is going to smile ... even if it looks painful, he is doing what he is asked. 

Emmy  - the middle child. She is going to do what she wants when she wants. She is less than impressed with me telling her to smile. With Landry's loving glance saying "see sister, it's easy" or even with Ryan's "pep talk"

Y'all. These faces.

I can't even take it.

She looks miserable. She was literally saying "cheeeese" in every single pic.

Clearly.

The key to getting her to smile?

Bubble gum

Also known as the only gift she will ever receive from me again.

Landry - the baby. Happy to be where ever we put her, lost in the discovery of her surroundings. Just plain adorable. 

As we were driving away, Ryan told the kids that they should thank me... "Why, Daddy?"  to which he replied - "because one day you will understand all your Mommy does to make your life important."

In that one moment I have never loved him more. 

But the truth is - it is THEM that make my life important. It is them that brings me meaning. And it doesn't matter if their hair is fixed or if they have on matching outfits (or even if Radley's shirt is turned backward so pics didn't include a sarcastic slogan from Nike)... what matters that the reason all of this happened... the crazy hair, the grumpy sleepy kids, the unmatching clothes... is because we were coming home from an unforgettable weekend filled with messes, love, and more chocolate than I want to know they consumed. 

What matters is that this is life. Real life. Unstaged - unscripted, imperfect life. 

Here is to capturing the tradition of that more often!