Finch with the Kids...

Like I've said before August, September & October were SO packed with photo shoots, that I rarely had a night to spend with my kiddies. One particular day, I had an engagement session scheduled at Finch Arboretum  A beautiful Arboretum on the West side of town. It is just gorgeous in the fall and the perfect picture spot. Kathryn met me right by the park and was going to take the kids to run some errands with her for an hour or so during my session. After I dropped off my kids, but before I got to the park, I got a call from the couple, well, from the girl. Her fiance had been out hunting the night before but promised to be back by the time of the photo shoot. He wasn't back. They had to cancel. I can't say that I was TOO disappointed. :) I quickly called Kathryn, who hadn't gotten too far, and she turned around and dropped the kids back off with me. Instead of going home, I decided to spend the beautiful fall evening taking pictures of my own kids (which I don't do enough of). It was such a fun time with my kids and I was SO grateful for the cancellation. I'd much rather spend a few hours with these two any day!

Tucker had to go, and when ya gotta go, ya gotta go! Luckily he had Taylor to stand watch for him!

And of course, a spontaneous dance party happened...

Then they found the cool old tree (that I always take clients to-really cool textures and angles)

Sliding down the big roots...

I *tried* to get them to sit down for some actual quality shots during the course of the evening. Taylor of course, refused, but I got this one to actually sit down and smile for me, at least! :)

I love his cute laugh:

What a fun evening with my kids! I need to take them out more often and play and take pictures of them like I play and take pictures of the families I photograph!

Cooking with the babes...

Of course, one of my favorite things about the season changing to fall, is the hunkering down at home, cozying up with some warm soup or hot chocolate, and it for some reason turns me into a cook. (which by nature is not one of my specialties!)

Taylor and I made banana bread chocolate chip muffins for Tucker while he was at school, for his after school snack. It's a family favorite.

I had a hankering for some no bake cookies. It took everything I had in me to let the kids spoon out these cookies themselves. :) But they enjoyed themselves, and that's all that matters, right! :) (not the fact that some of the cookies were bigger than my fist and didn't set all the way through...)

I finally had to tell Taylor to start a new cookie! :)

Ben was gone for a weekend at the beginning of November, to Seattle for a Seahawks game, and daddy being gone, means mommy doesn't cook. :) Luckily I had just bought these frozen Little Cesars Pizzas from my nephew for his school fundraiser. We had a great time making our own pizza for dinner one night! And they were actually pretty tasty! I'll for sure order some more next year, Keyton! :)

Now if I could only get that sauce stain out of her pants, I'd be one happy mama! :)

Love me some fall cooking & baking!

Newtown

I just got done snuggling my two babies to bed tonight, and feeling very grateful!

My heart is aching at the loss in Connecticut. I can't stop thinking about it, and crying.

Here is an article that my friend wrote, that totally rang true to me:

http://todaysmama.com/2012/12/the-conversations-we-should-have-about-the-newton-shooting/

Beautiful Fall...

{I know it is already winter up here in our neck of the woods, but I have posts and posts started that I haven't finished yet, and I am determined to finish them!} :)

I love the beautiful fall colors. I have my little point and shoot camera in my purse and I use it like most use their camera phones. I am also known to snap pictures while I am driving if I see something beautiful outside. (shhhhh, don't tell!) Here are a few of my most recent snapshots of the beautiful fall colors:

Oh and the clouds in the fall...don't even get me started!

Kelli & the kids visit...

My sister in law, Kelli and her kids came up for a few days while my mom was here. Allen had to stay in Quincy to work, but I think Kelli was itching to get out of their tiny town for a bit! :)

Keyton stayed with us both of the nights they were here.

Matching Angry Birds Jammies:

We also did a little shopping. Shopping with 6 children is not very much fun! Luckily the mall has fun toy rids to keep the little ones entertained!

I guess shopping wore these two out!!!

Lots more visits to blog about, so stay tuned!!! 'Tis the season!!! :)

Grandma's & GG's visit...

OK, I am getting way behind here. My mom came at the beginning of October to visit my sister and her family while they were here in Spokane. Kayla, Jason & Kenzie were here in Spokane for 3 months this fall and it was so much fun having them here! My mom came up with my grandma also so that my grandma could see a gynecological oncologist about her ovarian cancer. Our little house was a bit crowded with so many guests, but I personally wouldn't have it any other way. I love me a full house! (for a while...) :) Since my grandma slept in Tuckers bed so she wouldn't have to go up and downstairs, that put Tucker out of a place. My mom prefers to sleep on the couch when she visits, rather than our blow up mattress in the basement. So that meant that Tucker, of course, slept out with her on the couch. Good thing we just got those new big couches! :)

G-ma & Tucker's slumber party...

Ranch Viejo is a family tradition. We've been going here maybe almost weekly since I was in high-school. Sometimes more than others, obviously. But we love it. So, of course a trip to Rancho while grandma was here was a must! 

We had to get some photos of  Taylor & Kenzie in their matching outfits...

Although, it was a big difficult with these two...

Grocery shopping...

Man, I love this little girl...

My poor grandmother obviously isn't able to be very mobile. Taylor picked up on this pretty quickly and loved having someone she could corner to play with. She always knew grandma wouldn't get up and leave her. :)

She did my grandma's make-up...

{I guess her hair was getting a little scraggely...} :)

Then she did her own make-up...

Then we decided to take the grandma's and the kids up to Greenbluff. A fun little orchard area just north of Spokane. They have the best pumpkins up there, and the best apples, and peaches, and Christmas trees, and just about every seasonal fruit & veggie; and also good treats! :) Pumpkin doughnuts, YUM!

Kenzie learned what it was like to have older siblings during the three months she was here; the poor girl! My kids babied her, and pestered her, and bothered her, to no end!

Picking some squash for GG. (that's what we call Grandma Glenda or Great Grandma)

I love that my kids know and love my grandma. 

We found out, once there, that this particular farm only does carameled apples and pumpkin doughnuts on the weekends, but we still got to enjoy some delicious ice-cream! We probably could have gone to a different farm, but we were pretty content to just relax for a few minutes, and decided that ice-cream is JUST FINE! :)

4 Generations of Edvalson/Campbell/Croskrey women:

4 Generations of Edvalson/Campbell/Pyper women:

It was a beautiful fall day and I'm so happy I got to spent it with people I love!