Holy Batman!

We had our playgroup friends over this afternoon for a Halloween party. Fun to see the kids together again, since they have known each other since they were about 6 months old. Check out Batman. Isn't that an awesome costume?! The kids had a blast, the house was trashed, the weather was perfect for some running around the front yard. I have never been in the company of so many beautiful princesses!

Addie's new family!

Doesn't Addie look rather cozy tucked in between this family??? These are friends we knew in Boston - we met at the dog park - they had a black lab the same age as Ruby and they were fast friends. While in Boston last weekend, we took a trip out to their lovely home in the 'burbs for a playdate and some pictures. Truly a very nice family... and it was fun to visit.

Beantown

I love Boston! We just got back in town from a fun weekend in Boston where we got to visit a couple of old friends, do a little shopping (Addie's stamina for shopping is starting to increase!), visit the ducklings in the Public Gardens and eat, eat, eat! The kids were so good and we wore them out so much that they fell asleep in the car within minutes of starting back home. They slept for 2 hours in the car - unheard of on any other trip!

Another highlight for the kids was riding the T. Here's Jack's first reaction - he was so excited (really, he was!), yet so nervous/cautious.

His sister, on the other hand, maneuvered the T station like she owned the place. Purse (full of the all important nail polish) in one hand, and T pass in the other.

Anticipation:

The orange line, too.

I find that when I have a lot to do I sometimes shut-down. I procrastinate. I find other things to do instead. That is the story today. I accomplished ONE thing that I really wanted to do... now it's almost midnight (way too late, btw).
Going through some of Anna's pictures again and we really loved this one:
One cool thing about having your cousin take your senior pictures is that you can have as many outfit changes as you want! Here is the blue outfit:

oh, it's so hard to be so glamorous! I did have fun being the paparazzi for a few shots!

so busy

I have been so busy this week - and will remain busy until noon tomorrow when we'll head out of town for the weekend. HOWEVER... I still find time to post cute pictures! Here are two more of my faves from last weekend.

more of Anna

Not a traditional Senior Picture but how cute is Anna jumping in the sand???? Love it!
On our second day of shooting Anna opted for straight hair.

Mama knows best....

My friend Debbie and her lovely, lovely family. So many more pictures to go through... but I liked how Mama was the only one looking at me... Mama ALWAYS knows what is going on!!! Lovely family. Sarah is going to be a bride for Halloween and now Addie wants to be a bride (rather than Cinderella).

Almost two and so much to say!

I met my little friend Taylor yesterday for the second time this year. She is cuter than ever - her little red hair matched the fall colors of the leaves and her outfit was just oh, so stylin'.


The rain stopped right before our session so we were able to be outside this time. We had fun collecting leaves, playing in puddles and talking about Dora and Diego. This little girl is not even two yet and she says "anaconda!" What a cutie!

My beautiful cousin Anna

is here for Senior picture day!!!
Check this out:!More to come soon!

Green.

So much to talk about tonight...

First, let me start with a story about the class I attended last night with my friend, Anne.

I went to a class about Green Cleaners and Herbal Soaps. A woman I know from Garden Club taught the class. Ginny is a very special gal... she is an avid and excellent gardener, and also has some Martha Stewart in her- she is really a neat lady. Green cleaners are essentially homemade cleaning agents that don't use chemicals. Good for the Earth, good for your home, good for you. Think baking soda, vinegar, orange oil, etc... it was very interesting. She provided many recipes for cleaners and we even made 4 different types as samples to take home. Lovely... I am SO excited to clean my house with these sample and I'm even more excited to make batches of it. The kids can even help make the cleaners since there isn't anything toxic in them! I'm so excited!

One of the cleaners we made is called Earth Scrub.

Here is the recipe:
1 2/3 c baking soda
1/2 c liquid soap (we used Dr. Bronner's - pure castille soap - peppermint)
1/2 c water (distilled is best)
2 tbsp vinegar
10-15 drops essential oil (I think we used peppermint)

Mix baking soda with liquid soap in bowl. Dilute with 1/2 c water. Add vinegar last and stir until the lumps are gone. This is an excellent substitute for Soft Scrub as a sink, tub, tile, floor, and garbage can, you name it cleaner. This needs to be put in a flip top squeeze bottle that won't clog.

I got home from the class last night and cleaned my kitchen sink with the Earth Scrub.... loved it... smelled soooo good!!!

The book that Ginny sited is called, "Clean House, Clean Planet" by Karen Logan.

Now, I'm not going to go off the deep end, but I truly believe that being "green" is so important. I am trying in small ways to make a difference. I started composting this year and feel so good about it everytime I dump more kitchen waste on the pile. I know that there is so much waste that goes on in our family, your family... every family... so I figure I can help in small ways now. I'm learning and I know it's a process, but I am happy to contribute to a better earth in whatever ways I can.

We also learned how to make herbal soaps, which is more complicated than making cleaners! Lye is used and Ginny instructed me NOT to make soap until the kids are older!!! So, I'll continue to enjoy what she makes for the time being! She gave us each two bars of her wonderful soap... I chose a ginger peach bar and a mountain mint. The kids went nuts in their bath tonight with the soap... loved it! Ginny told us that glycerin is a natural by-product of the chemical reaction that occurs when soap is made and that the commercial makers of soap extract the glycerin to sell it to lotion companies.... So... ever wonder why your soap drys your skin out (esp in winter)???? Interesting.

Whew... sick of hearing me talk, yet???

I get to visit an old client tomorrow for photos of 6 mo old baby B. I am excited... I haven't seen a little one for awhile.... I'm sure I'll have an image or two to post tomorrow.

My cousin Anna comes to town on Friday for her Senior pics!!! This will be a lot of fun! I can't wait to see what we come up with for her. I hope the weather cooperates and we get some opportunities for nice lighting, etc.

Put on my old 50mm lens and took some shots of Ruby. Isn't she pretty????

a fun visit

Hugs and kisses and lots of love.
We had fun with Nene and Papa this weekend. Thanks for visiting. We love you.

pumpkin patch

Addie's class made a trip to the pumpkin patch today, so we tagged along. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous fall morning. The kids were treated to horseback rides on Cody, a romp in the goat/calf/potbelly pig pen, and a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch to pick their very own very cute pumpkin.Addie and her new friend, the calf. And here she is taking a break with her best friend, Payton.
Jack found a great pumpkin!

If my kids grow up to be half as polite, well-mannered and nice as these two "tweens" I will be happy! We had fun ---
and we did get some super silly shots just for fun!

a lovely fall day

started out gloomy and gray... now it is sunny and blue! I took the kids and Ruby to a park that I used to go to before they were born... lovely trails, a beautiful waterfall and just all around gorgeous surroundings. We hiked down the see the waterfall, then back up again to play on the swings. Ruby acted as if she died and went to heaven... she LOVES running around at parks.
Here are just a couple of pics... maybe more later.

best mom

my daughter said to me tonight: "you're my favorite mom I've had in this house!" Gee, thanks!!!! Later, I told her that she was my favorite daughter that I've had in this house and she giggled with glee and thought that was the greatest thing ever. I guess it is good to be queen.

Thought this pic was cute of Jack. Addie wasn't into the picture thing today.

Gee, so much to share tonight...

Found a new great band that I like. I heard them on Kevin's car satellite radio the other day and when I got home Kevin told me that he enjoys them, too... Modest Mouse: http://www.modestmousemusic.com/

as I've mentioned before I am amazed at some of the things the kids do. The other day I was putting Jack down for a nap. Addie was downstairs playing quietly. I went downstairs to find this:
a "tea party." Not just any tea party, though. This is a Martha Stewart tea party. Each "guest" got a juice box, a plum or an apple, little teeny tiny placemat (part of a doll game), two or three markers and a bowl of carrots to share. Addie carries the table (which is an outdoor garden table that is usually on our back deck) around from room to room to set up these tea parties. She sets out chairs and by the end of it there are bears, rabbits, doll babies and the like attending her soirée. She is very precise and doesn't leave a detail undone! Interesting.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Jack fell asleep and when I checked on him I saw my sweet, sweet baby boy...He was clutching a stuffed animal (my kids are not stuffed animal freaks... they don't have a favorite or anything like that) and... a hammer! He is obsessed with all things boy - trucks, fixing things, hammering, sawing, more trucks, firetrucks, excavators, dumptrucks, etc.

Finally, two more pictures from tonight. We've been enjoying such beautiful early fall weather. Clean, crisp days with plenty of sunshine and blue, blue skies. We have had some rain so the grass is green, the autumn flowers are flourishing... all is well!