Today was a very good day.  We decided to take a quick trip up after Mass to the lake for a picnic lunch and hit up the little carousel park nearby.  The last time we were here was two years ago and Luke couldn't remember any of it.  (Side note:  In those old pictures Luke looks exactly like Ben does now.  WE CLONE THE BABIES.)  The park is perfect for the under 52" crowd.  On a whim I decided to have the boys change after Mass into their polos to have an update of those last pictures.  We've got a Ben now, after all.  It works well to coerce them into some pictures before the park opens, using the opening of the gates as hostage for looking at the camera.  It also helps that there are few things boys like to do more than throw rocks into water so they stay relatively happy while I get to pose them.  

So here's my fancy photo shoot.  Some cute, some not as, but I love that my phone now takes pictures pretty much as well as my old camera did.  Or maybe even better, really.  The weather couldn't have been more beautiful. The bright sun did make for some squintyness, glare, and shadows.  But, whatever.  For getting somewhat decent shots of five little boys, I'll take it.  

A few rocks were sampled in the taking of these photos.

Yes, a much needed haircut is forthcoming.

Awful mom forgot to get a pic of baby Ben alone...I should just throw in one of those old ones of Luke.  

John Paul was super sweet teaching his little brother how to skip rocks.