Pre-Halloween Pictures

The holidays always get so busy so I like to take the kids for pictures before the actual holiday. This year we went to Gardner Village for Halloween pictures. The shopping center was decorated so cute and made for terrific backdrops for our photo shoot. And today was an amazing autumn day.

Once again, I adore my little models. They were each so good! Love these kiddos!

Another day of football

Wedding Bells

Chris's cousin Scott got married tonight to his lovely lady Daysha. Here are some pictures from the wedding that I "stole" from Donette. (Thanks!)

Funny boys!

Pretty girls!

Grandpa and the beautiful baby girl. (great picture)

Grandma and the baby doll.

This is the first time I have seen a photo "booth" at a wedding, but they had things for dressing up and I thought it was the greatest idea. Daysha loves Halloween and with the wedding being in October this is a very clever way of incorporating it without being literal and being classy. The guests got a copy as a souvenir and another copy was placed on a page of a book then the guests signed next to their picture. Brilliant!

(Richard refused to be in the picture which made me sad but Hannah, Ella, and I had some fun. But I am realizing that since I typically wear heavy, dark framed glasses that I don't look too different in these funky ones. Oh well.)

Garbage Girl

So I gave her a cracker and went to the computer for literally 30 seconds to add something to my calendar. I came back to find that she had gotten out bacon, wrappers, and paper towels from the garbage. I really need to get one with a lid!

Scout Cake Auction

Our scouts are having a cake auction for their fundraiser. Chris whipped up these puppies last night. We need to add a few details tonight, but I think they look really great! I am so impressed with his talent and thankful that he took on this project for Richard.

(Don't worry, the toothpicks are to keep the plastic wrap off the frosting!)

Leader in Me

The kids' school offers a Leader in Me program teaches kids how to develop good habits in life and to become great leaders. This month the focus has been on being proactive. Richard was selected by his teacher with three others from his class to receive this award. He was selected because he demonstrates a positive attitude, helps out at home without being asked, and getting things done. I am so proud of him with how he has grown and the maturity he has developed in the last year.

And of course I get there and realize I forgot to charge my camera battery so these are the only pictures I got. But he is so cute!

Big girl

Ella has been pulling herself up on things all around the house. Her crib is no different. I heard he playing with the blinds while she was supposed to be napping. Of course, I had to grab the camera. Look at my little deer caught in the headlights.

Then she was just happy to see me.

And finally decided to go back to her new found toy. So the mattress was lowered today.

Richard's reflections and other kids' videos

This is the movie Richard filmed and edited for reflections this year. He is very creative.

The kids have also been working on other videos throughout the year. I don't think that I have posted them so here they are...

Hannah's 2013 Reflections

We were thrilled to find out that there is a choreography division for reflections. Hannah spent all summer preparing a ballet and decided last minute last night (it is due today) to change her song, costume, and dance to lyrical.

The first dance she was not pleased with since she did a couple of hip hop moves so the second videos is the one she turned in today. She is so funny and will be a great dancer one day.

Fall festivities

With Chris gone hunting for the second weekend in a row and having had a sick baby for a couple of weeks and being sick myself I really needed to get out of the house with the kids to do something fun. I surprised them by taking them to the corn maze near our home and told them that if they were good then we would have another surprise after we finished the maze.

I have the BEST models! I am so happy with this picture!

They were really good and we had a lot of fun so we drove to a pumpkin patch. There are about a dozen pumpkin patches within a few miles of our house so I chose the largest and most fun looking. They were thrilled about this surprise.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture even with all of it's flaws.

Sweet baby