Fulfillment

As we head into a new weekend, I figured I should take the time out of recovering from last weekend and do a little sharing on it :).  Our little family returned to the land of our college days on the pretense of a wedding and five other photo shoots... all in just 3 days.  Whew.  It was busy, exhausting and fulfilling.  Not only was it professionally fulfilling (I am so proud of some of the images I shot, I really felt like I'm taking some new knowledge to the next level), but on a personal, social level I totally got my love tank filled.  We were blessed to have a friend offer her basement at the last minute so that we didn't have to stay at a hotel.  It was a double blessing of extra time with a former college roomie (and her beautiful family!) as well as a little place to call our own for a few days.  Anni's nap schedule was eternally grateful.  

My formerly stranger-terrified little girl was thrilled with the opportunity to crawl to the dance floor and all over the other little ones rolling around on the floor.  Did I mention my family was invited to the wedding, too?  I LOVE when they are at weddings I'm working. 

 In addition, the wedding was the wedding of a college friend, so a lot of my college friends (and one of my own bridesmaids!) were there... meaning, as soon as I was on vacation Sunday evening, we did a little celebrating!

Flyer's on the river will always bring me back to college days.  We had that place filled and loud!  We were able to celebrate Jessie's birthday and eat some favorite Atchison food.   I can't even tell you how much I've missed some of my college friends, so this was a good time for everyone (plus, I can't resist all the loving Nugget got, girl has got to know by now how adorable and loved she is).
 

And then we moseyed on over to two more of my former roomies' new apartment.  It. is. beautiful.  Seriously, I want to live there.  They are going to decorate it up all cute... I can't wait to see! 

 

And Anni is a huge fan of the big spaces to crawl around in... Lellen kept an eye on her tricky ways.

And don't worry, there was more.  About an hour or two after her bedtime, we took advantage of our one hotel night to let Anni try swimming out.  As she and I walked in, I thought she wouldn't like it, because it was cold.  Lo and behold, this girl is a natural!  She didn't stop grinning, splashing or giggling the entire time.  I'm so glad my friend, Alicia, was there to take a few pictures so I could be in the water with her. 

And, since we were planning on driving out on Monday, you'd think the story ends there... but you'd be wrong.  The next morning we met up with Jess to grab some breakfast and... of course every single place we tried was closed (right, Memorial Day, they should be, but we still didn't plan for it!)  And the little greasy oasis in the desert?  McDonald's!  My friend Amanda is actually a swing manager there, so we managed to torture her a little as more friends randomly showed up.  It was an awesome way to end our trip... and we didn't end up leaving until after noon.

Oh, and Miss Antonia was introduced to the french fry.  She was, erm, a little obsessed.  Good thing we don't eat out very much.  Jess had finished hers and turned them so Anni could get them.  She slowly pulled them out, one by one, and laid them in her own little pile.  Hilarious, a little sneaky, and adorable.

Yep, good weekend.  Fulfilling.