Pumpkin Patch 2016

We went to the most beautiful pumpkin patch this past weekend. Just look at it:

 When I drive out to Sandy from Corbett, I take country roads all the way there (a seriously beautiful drive if you have never done it) and I had seen a small sign for a pumpkin patch on one of my drives. I decided I would really like to go to that patch this year. While more big/festival type pumpkin patches are fun, I prefer to go and actually pick my pumpkin in a patch with rain boots in all the mud. Also, no one but our family was there. Plus, the scenery was just top notch.

 I took quite a few photos because it was so beautiful, the cutest kids were the subjects and the lighting was pretty good. So, forgive me if I indulge in uploading too many photos.

Just look at little Cedric. 

 In an effort to get the babies to stay in one place to take a photo of them all, Elanor decided to play ring-around-the-rosies, which did keep them all in the same place, but not exactly looking. I actually, really love this photo of the three of them.

We tried to get some pictures in a wheel barrow, but no one ever looked at the same time. I still love the candidness of these photos and there are some great expressions pictured. Also, Cedric really could not keep his eyes off the pumpkins. I did not edit these pictures to be this color, they just came out this way. I really like the fall-like feel it gives the photos.

And the lighting must have changed for this one (and several others, I only added this one.) Weird, right?

A family picture!

There was a mini corn maze, which was mostly just paths through the corn stalks, with some "spooky" signs, but it was still fun! This spot was just so gorgeous and these photos do not do it justice, but it was my favorite pumpkin patch experience yet--and I sure love pumpkin patches.

The Weekly Photo (s)

Yeah, I'm a bit late again and I hardly post actual posts. This blog is starting to be pretty pathetic. Oh, well. I will keep trying.

This should have been posted on September 19th:

We picked a ton of apples at my parents house and turned them into applesauce, apple crisps, apple pies, etc.

This should have been posted on September 26th:

We went camping with Tyler's family (including his parents, brother and girlfriend, and aunt, uncle and cousins). It was a lot of fun and we soaked up that last bit of summer.

Should have been posted yesterday, the 3rd:

 School in the morning--and this might be one of my favorite pictures ever.

The Weekly Photo (s)

Ugh.....

I got behind again! There has been a lot going on and I have started on some posts, but never got around to finishing them. I also cannot get this Syrian refugee crisis/Paris bombings/ISIS stuff out of my head. My heart hurts so much for the refugees and I want to help. I am also so infuriated that U.S. governors (half of them) will not let refugees into their states (even though the immigration process is very thorough and safe). Plus, the U.S. is hardly accepting any refugees and the small amount that Obama wants to bring in, has crazy right-wingers up in arms about it. I just don't understand how people can be so un-feeling and anti-human. It has been troubling me greatly. 

This week is Thanksgiving and I feel very blessed and lucky to be where I am. Running for my life with my husband and little girls, with hardly any food or water, sleeping wherever and having nightmares of the horrors we've seen would be a very grim situation. While I am grateful for what I have here, I am so extremely sorry for these Syrian refugees and I want to help. What can I do?

My brother is on his mission for the LDS church in Sweden. He is right in the midst of it, with refugees streaming into Europe for sanctuary. His missionary letters are wonderful and his pictures beautiful. You should really consider hopping on over there. https://scottboys.wordpress.com

Here are some Weekly Photos and hopefully I will write again soon.

For November 2:

November 16th:

November 23rd:

Halloween 2015

It was really fun to have a new member of the family for Halloween, as it has been the three of us for the last four years. Elanor wanted to dress as a squirrel in her costume from the Willy Wonka play, so we themed our costumes around that. I made Alice a little acorn costume and Tyler and I were trees.

My face paint looked pretty good in person. I tried to make my skin look like bark.

Alice was such an adorable acorn and I love that Tyler humors me and dresses up. Though I suspect he likes it/does not mind and loves how excited Elanor gets when we are all in costume.

 Another one at Mema's (Tyler's mom) house! 

I did not get any good pictures unfortunately! It was too rainy outside and too dark inside to get any decent pictures.

It was raining so much (it had not rained for awhile and then this week, and especially on Halloween, it was torrential!). We had an umbrella, but Elanor was too excited and running from house to house to stay under an umbrella. Plus, her head was covered and she was warm.

A wet, but very successful squirrel with a full bucket of candy.

There is this house in Troutdale (little old people), who go all out and decorate for every holiday. Elanor loved trick-or-treating here!

 Look at that happy baby!

Here is Elanor's pumpkin. She just wanted everything to be very themed this year!

 We were able to see family, visit with friends, trick-or-treat in the rain, eat pizza and eclairs--so it was a good night! 

Pumpkin Patch Fun

I love going to pumpkin patches.  My longtime friend, Kate, invited us to go with her and her daughter, Killian, to a patch near their house. It was super busy, which was not my favorite, but we had a fun time!

 Elanor, Alice and Killian.
 I did not really get a good picture of these three, as there is not a single one where they were looking.

These next few pictures are so very cute!

As I already said, Elanor loves doing these cut-out face pictures, but for some reason looked super bored in most of the pictures. Alice is pretty funny though and seems to be enjoying herself.

One thing I love about being back in Oregon, is seeing so many friends that I grew up with. Kate is one such person and I have known her for so long! We were in school together, did plays and ballet together, have traveled to England together, etc. She is one of my favorites. I hope our daughters can be friends too. We should have taken a picture together at the pumpkin patch!

The Weekly Photo

Elanor loves these cut-out face photo-ops, yet she is the one that looks bored in most of the pictures (she kept asking to take more and go to all of them that they had around this pumpkin patch).  This had to be a the Weekly Photo, because-- just look at Alice!

The Weekly Photo

Doesn't this just brighten your day?

{This was taken with my phone, as I guess I did not get my camera out last week. I need to do that more!}

The Weekly Photo

I had to put a Halloween picture up for my Weekly Photo, of course!