Corn Creek Retreat

A couple of weeks ago, Veterans' day weekend to be exact, Emma was sick. ALL WEEKEND LONG! Poor girl, fever stuffy nose, cough. A perfect excuse to stay home from church, but of course Allen and I were asked to speak in church, so we HAD to go! I went home after the first meeting of the day. Monday she was still feeling yucky, and not too good on Tuesday either, but I decided we needed to go something. Everyone was getting a little cabin fever from being stuck at home for so long.

We went out to Corn Creek. It was so beautiful, and we dragged my mom with us! Everyone had such a nice time being out away from the city. They have made some more improvements since I was there last.

 The new visitors center is really neat. Ephram got spooked by the big cat over his head!

Having Grandma around is wonderful! 

Peek a boo!

 Beka sat down next to Emma and said "Let's do nose to nose!" Sisters are so cute!

 Ephram wanted in on the action! I couldn't get the girls to turn, but Ephram's face is PRICELESS!

 I'd like to call this picture: "Little mama!" She loves helping with her younger siblings and they adore her!

Monkey see monkey do!

I put the boys in this nice tall grass and magic happened! I love these pictures. They are my favorite from this day! Riley loves having a little brother, most of the time, and Ephram wants to be just like Riley. 

 This face, yeah, this one right here.... This is a face I see ALL THE TIME! He must be two. He wanted me to take a picture of just him!

King/queen of the hill

 Checking out the fish. 

Riley was really photogenic this day!

 Deep in thought....

 Can't resist climbing!

 She asked if she could do a fishy face for this You can tell Emma hadn't been feeling well. Her face says it all!

 Ephram LOVES Grandma. Almost as much a Riley!

 Some kids really don't like having their pictures taken... Beka is my nonphoto kid. Got her anyway!

Ephram in a cage!

 

Beka wanted her picture in front of this door...

  

So Ephram had to have his picture taken in front of the same door!

 

Such a pretty day! Love being out in nature and seeing beautiful things!

  

 Grandma had a last surprise for the kids! Matching, glow in the dark tee-shirts! They were so excited...

 

They did the Congo line out to  the car!

So glad we didn't waste the day off! It was a blast.

Costume Time

It's that time of year for the traditional Halloween costumes. Every year I try and get nice pictures of the kids in their costumes. I figure, if I'm going to go to the trouble of getting/making cute costumes I want a record of it!

This year has been kind of warm, and the leaves near us haven't really changed color. So, we went to the mountains. It was a little cold, but the kids looked way cute!

My beautiful Greek Goddess. She's such a girly girl! She love all things fancy and wants to look pretty all the time. She was being a little strange up on the mountain, but when we got back to the house, she really hammed it up for me!

 Riley went with the ninja theme this year. He told us he's a bad guy, but with that cute smile I'm not so sure!

 My little fairy! She was SO cold. So I took her off the icy cold pavement and over to this super cool tree stump.

 She was a lot happier! I love the colors in these pictures. And her dancing with her tongue hanging out is just the best!

Of all the pictures I took that day, I think my favorite is the one below. I just LOVE her eyes and the smile. She looks like a little fairy peeking out of the grass.

  

 I have come to an important conclusion about getting these 4 to all look at the camera. I am just NEVER going to get Ephram to smile when everyone else is!

My cute little monkey. He LOVES Curious George. He likes the books and the show and the movies. I thought would have been really cute if Allen went as the man with the yellow hat. We just haven't found the right outfit, and Allen in yellow might not be so nice!

 

Epham would wear this costume all day every day if I would let him. He says "I monkey, I wear monkey!" It's quite the melt down when it has to come off.

And finally, the costume Beka has been wearing all month:

 

Rocking costumes is such fun. Halloween is a BLAST!