Spontaneity.

A few weeks ago I got a hankering for deviled eggs. Not just any deviled eggs, mind you. My mom's deviled eggs, which are the best deviled eggs on earth. So, I made some for dinner. And then I looked around my house and thought — you can't eat deviled eggs inside. Deviled eggs are an outside food.

So we packed up our dinner and went to the park. 

 

 

 

Good decision.

Short but sweet.

During our weekend jaunt to Detroit (can you call a 700 mile drive a jaunt? I doubt it.), we were fortunate enough to stay with my parents one night on either end of our trip. It was a poor replacement for the long weekend we'd planned to spend there in July (unfortunately that weekend was spent saying goodbye to Grandma Adele), but it was still so good to be home.

Calvin found a stick...and a playmate.

Audra got some snuggles from Auntie Jill, who celebrated the completion of her masters degree that weekend (hooray for my studious little sis...she is so much more motivated than I am)!

G-Pop took Calvin fishing for the first time, at the little lake in their subdivision. He loved it!

And both kids got some love (and plenty of treats) from their Nana. 

 

It wasn't the long weekend we had planned, but even short is sweet when you're with people you love.

Driven to insanity.

We are insane, you guys.

INSANE.

Our dear, lovely friend April got married in Detroit the weekend before last, and we decided to drive.

To Detroit.

With our children.

To Detroit.

With our children.

Like I said, insane.

It was a whirlwind 1,400 mile, four and a half day adventure, but we survived. (Barely, at times.) And it was totally worth it. My children got to experience some memorable road trip moments, like eating sandwiches and Cheetos out of the back of the car on a dirt road. April got her happily ever after. And I got to spend time with my best friends, whom I miss every day.

Jeggings and tiny toes in the backseat.

The dirt road where we had lunch in Michigan.
As far as eating on dirt roads goes, I think we could have done much worse.

My cuties.

Roughing it.

Pre-wedding, post hair and makeup.

Baby Hutch attempting his escape.

My sisters (from other mothers).

With the beautiful bride...and the Hutchster.

Snackin' it up at the kids table.

Checking out her leg bows. Or maybe her gold sparkly jelly shoes?

Fun mama.

Ben and Jackson kept tackling each other.
Cal didn't know what to do, so he just ran around them.

Mama and her Bub. I forget how freckly I am sometimes.

Hooter Hiding.

Powow.

Cal making a very Cal face.

My kids opted-out because one was difficult and one was asleep.
I'll let you guess who's who in that scenario.

Beautiful bride and sleepy baby.

This nice, normal moment quickly turned into

...something a little less nice and normal.
We might be old and toting around babies, but we can still bust a move, yo.

April and those sweet DeKorne girls. They are the cutest.

Gang's all here. A miracle, for sure.

Tired mamas in formal earrings with night owl babies.

11 kids, ages 5 months to 7 years. Two moms, ages ??

I loved every minute of being with my friends and I wouldn't have missed April's wedding for the world. It was so much fun.

But, oh, was I ever glad to get home. Next time we are definitely flying.