Picture Perfect ... Almost!

I learned when D was young that Halloween evening is not when you want to be taking photos!  Kids are wired for trick-or-treating and less than willing to stand for photos.  The time between getting home from school/work and dinner and trick-or-treating is rushed to say the least.  So we take time before the big night to put on our costumes and get some pictures taken.  The kids are always thrilled to wear their coveted costumes before Halloween night.  They get a chance to run around and act like their chosen character.   This year we have Rey from "The Force Awakens" and the Avenger's Falcon!   Plus we created our own plot line for a movie ... "The Great Rey Falcon Battle!" Don't worry, it has a happy ending.

I am in the middle of photography class by Songbird and Bear .  The class is about capturing and enjoying the everyday moments of motherhood.   The first week (2 weeks ago) the focus was on photographing the routines of the day.  The challenge was to look for the beauty in these moments.  To do this, I was encouraged to shoot from various angles and perspectives. Here are some of the photos I shot. Homework  Outside Time Morning Hair Brushing Nightly Gratitude Journal

Every Fall I say I want to go apple picking.  Then every Fall somebody is sick, the weather turns nasty, and we don't make it.  This year was different ... WE MADE IT! Today we went to an apple orchard about an hour west of us.  We got to pick apples - some off the trees and some off the ground.  The kids had fun running up and down the rows of trees looking for apples.  They found a lot of them WAY up high in the trees.  Of course they insisted Daddy try to get them but he was mostly unsuccessful, since he isn't 8 feet tall.  We did collect a large group of apples and a whole bunch of fun memories!

Yesterday I went with S on his preschool field trip to Clarke's Farm.  This is a farm in name only!  Instead it is a big field with a maze, slides, bounce houses, animals to look at, and tons of fun to have!   S went 3 years ago when D was in preschool but didn't remember it ... although he insisted he did! This year he's a little bigger but still had a ton of fun!

Today was S's Family Fun Day picnic for preschool.  The preschool classes meet at the park, do some art activities, then go play for as long as you'd like.  It's always a fun day because all 4 of us get to go and play! S did just a couple of activities ... leaf rubbings, spray painting, and searching through straw for plastic eyeballs.  He was too busy wanting to play with D and his friends to be bothered by the other activities. We also had fun playing on the playground.  The pole was a big hit ... especially with Daddy there to help! Of course no trip to this park is complete without examining the river! This is definitely a family day I'll miss when S starts Kindergarten next year!