Of meatballs, marshmallows, and a magic house
Magic. That's what happens when two brothers, two incredible women, and a group of cousins get together every year. It's always magic.
This is the third time I have been able to photograph these families together, and each time gets exponentially more fun as the cousins get older and a little more...magical. The energy and excitement the kids feel when they are together extends to the adults, and well, I'm not sure if it's the kids or the grown ups who are having the better time.
Earlier in the day, the brothers put together a brand new swing set, and the kids had a blast breaking it in before roasting (well, burning) some marshmallows. There were all sorts of shenanigans that made the day fun, drinks out of cups with the family crest, plenty of games of chase, flying toy cars, and some good old fashioned wrestling.
The parents decided to have their own fun with a blind meatball contest this year. Tanya's meatball recipe was up against the family recipe. When it was time to eat, the meatballs were judged on categories such as tenderness and taste. I'm not at all surprised that Tanya's recipe won.
I hope we continue to make a tradition out of this. The times I spent with my cousins growing up are some of my favorite memories of my childhood, and I so wish I had more pictures of the times we were together. Plus, it's crazy to see year after year how much these kids have all changed. Not long ago, they looked like this and this. It's pretty hard to believe.
