Funny story. Parker is in love with mustaches so we decided to incorporate them into our Christmas pictures. I had seen some really cute pictures done with balloons so I thought the whimsy of balloons with the goofiness of mustaches would be perfect. But, having the boys pose with balloons would be way too easy. They needed to be flying!
We chose a venue, downtown McKinney, a fun historical area that my mom discovered through some friends. We chose the date, Thanksgiving weekend, because we would be in Dallas anyway. But how to make them fly? My plan was simple. Screw a hook or two into the side of one of the buildings and hook the boys pant loops on it. Eveyone seemed to think that was vandilism. Whatever! A tiny little screw hole in a 100 year old building. Surely no one would notice. My family didn't go for it. So I had to keep thinking.
Bass Pro shop happened to be open on Thanksgiving day so Kevin and I made a trip for 50 lb fishing wire and mountain climbing clips. The employee there was curious about what we were using it for. I just really didn't feel right saying it was to hang my kids over a tree with.
Back at the house, after rigging up a simple pulley system, we took the kids to the front yard. After several attempts, we had lift off! One curious neighbor came out and just said "Happy Thanksgiving" and went back inside, my mom was quite sure she left to call CPS. (Looking back I can see how it had to have been difficult to fully understand what we were doing without the balloons. Now that I think of it, not so whimsical at all without the balloons.) So we had a few beers and the boys were screaming about the up-to-their-armpit wedgies but it's not like they were 30 feet in the air. They were 3 inches off the ground for a few seconds. Although, if I could have gotten them a couple feet, that would have rocked.
Back at the house, after rigging up a simple pulley system, we took the kids to the front yard. After several attempts, we had lift off! One curious neighbor came out and just said "Happy Thanksgiving" and went back inside, my mom was quite sure she left to call CPS. (Looking back I can see how it had to have been difficult to fully understand what we were doing without the balloons. Now that I think of it, not so whimsical at all without the balloons.) So we had a few beers and the boys were screaming about the up-to-their-armpit wedgies but it's not like they were 30 feet in the air. They were 3 inches off the ground for a few seconds. Although, if I could have gotten them a couple feet, that would have rocked.
Anywho, day of pictures, we got so many cute shots that everyone started chickening out on the flying shot. I was not having it. The area was completely empty. No one would catch us. We found the perfect tree and reluctanly, everyone helped get set up. After 10 or so pictures, I thought we would have to give up and then...snap! The perfect picture. I don't know how we all pulled it off. Kevin and I off to the side smooching, 3 year old grumpy Garrett with his hands gasped in awe over his mouth like he couldn't believe Parker was flying, Parkers legs just right in the air with a look of utter amazement, my dad perfectly holding him up where the string was undetected. It was a Christmas miracle! And just the day before everyone thought I was crazy. One of these days they will realize I'm brilliant!
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