I can hardly even believe this day actually happened! We had a unicorn Sunday in my large family, EVERY single family member was in town, with no plans, and the weather cooperated (it was a little warm and moqsuito-y but hey I will take it!!!) so we rounded up the troops, sent out a color scheme and got my bestie to come over and take some of the pictures so I could actually be in them! Thanks to Old Navy for providing about 905 of the outfits you see here 😉 The last time we did pictures, I was sharing that little Pierson Kane was arriving!

This first picture is SO special to me. I haven’t seen my dad in his uniform since he retired in 2005. It is one of my favorite memories growing up, standing on the pier waiting for my dad to come home. He served in the US Navy for 20 years, it took him to so many incredible places I could only dream about and he has stories you just wouldn’t believe. I look at this picture and laugh to myself. My sisters and I always said we wouldn’t marry someone in service, not because we wouldn’t be proud but because we knew what that life meant. It meant raising kids alone, celebrating holidays as both parents, it meant missed birthdays (my dad missed mine like 6 or 7 years in a row) but look. I married a firefighter and the rest of them claim military service (Navy and Coast Guard) and my baby brother joined the Marines. God is so funny sometimes right? I am SO proud to have these men in my life, they are all incredible partners to my sisters and serve this country and it’s citizens. Okay that’s enough before I start crying.

 

Jeez that picture on the right….my baby with all the babies…..

 

 

I guarantee it won’t take longer than 15 minutes with talking to me before I mention one of my siblings. Yes there are six of us, yes Ben is the youngest, no my parents were not trying for a boy. They honestly wanted six kids and this is the clan they were dealt. There are ten years, six months and one day between Ben and me. In order left tor right: Katrina (5), Me (1), Ben(6), Samantha (2), Alyssa, (4), Kristen (3). I honestly don’t have a lot of friends, let alone BEST friends, that aren’t blood. I was so fortunate to have been born with four best friends and love every moment we get together. Somedays it’s really hard for me to accept we are all in our 20’s and have our own lives that don’t revolve around a daily family dinner and weekends spent at the ball field. I cherish this period in our lives when we can all live within 30 minutes of each other (except Ben but he is in driving distance!). I know the time is coming, way too quickly, when we won’t be that close maybe not ever again. So for now I will just be grateful and relish in this family time that include, Sundays at my parents ending with dinner and coffee and celebrating all the holidays together!

Oh my gosh this picture!!! My heart is in love! I cannot believe these are my tribe.

and then we get to the more typical Carlson kid pictures….

 

 

and I got a few new headshots out of it too!

 

 

Pictures taken by Amanda Manupella and edited by me…thanks bestie!!!