Happy Halloween

I hope you all had a great and safe Halloween.  

Our best family picture of the five of us yet. None of the boys are looking and our neighbor chopped husbands head off a little but, hey, I'll take it. 

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                                     " A portrait of my boys, once a week, every week, in 2013 "

Bear: pretends to be a lion all day everyday
Wolf: sticks and trains
Hawk: so much more alert this week.

 **linking to Jodi's 52 week challenge**

I can't believe that there are only nine weeks left in the year. This project has really made me realize just how quickly time passes and how fast these boys are growing. I am so happy that I will have these images to remember all these beautiful moments when in my older years my memory may not have them so vividly rendered in my mind. 

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Bear: "ugga mugga" we are big Mr. Roger's and Daniel Tiger fans over here
Wolf: Can have a full conversation with you with just his eyes and facial expression. Especially when he is               being silly.
Hawk: Sometimes bad sunflare in a pictures is something worth keeping when you have a face like this.

an orchard

 We seemed to have missed the "you pick" apple orchards this season which I was a little sad about. So when a friend requested I take her children's  pictures in an orchard I was on a mission to find one.
I ended up finding one that isn't open to the public but has a sweet family that runs it. They were kind enough to not only let me take pictures once but also scout out the location before. So over the weekend that is what the boys and I did. And despite not being able to take a single apple home with us we didn't mind one bIt because we had it all to ourselves for a short time. The boys had so much fun weaving in and out of all the trees.
I am sure loving this season the whole world just seems like God's giant canvas that he has so beautifully painted in vibrant, rich hues. Every tree, plant and field just seems like a work of art. I have never lived in a place where even a simple drive to the grocery store feels like a scenic drive. Wow! I think I am starting to like it here.

inspired

We've all been sick and I've found myself lately, stuck in the rut of the day to day. Diaper changes, feedings, snacks, baths, clean up, repeat. This feeling starts seeping into everything, homeschool has been taking place but sort of lack luster, blogging has felt like a chore (mainly because I had nothing to say, since life has been boring) and even being a mom has felt impossible. 

When I get to that place it usually takes a while to shake myself out of it. (i am really good at feeling sorry for myself HA!) I received a new lens from my parents for my birthday and that sort of forced me to shake this "ick" off (i had to try it out,right?) I pushed away the desire to stay home and hopped in the car with the boys and some props. It was exactly what my soul needed, the sky was golden, the boys were silly (and snotty but they can't help that) and I am loving my new lens. It seemed to do all of us well and it was just enough to inspire me again. Ideas for our new homeschool week and ideas for new locations to shoot are flooding my brain at the moment. It is a fantastically overwhelming feeling. 

I often think of what the Lord desires for my life. Sometimes I wish I could be doing more, helping more, working outside the home etc. But this is exactly where the Lord wants me and He doesn't want me to be bogged down with the responsibilities of motherhood but rather be thankful and full of joy with the ability to be home with my children. The Lord desires us to be happy about what we are called to do and more often than not that is a hard task for me. Being a mother does not mean I am not able to do things that inspire me and bring me joy but rather expanded my horizons of how to express my desire to be creative. It has fueled the fire in areas I never even considered before and have given me three little blessing from which to draw inspiration from. Sometimes we just need to get out there with a new lens to appreciate it.

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 " A portrait of my boys, once a week, every week, in 2013 "

Bear: This little boy has been testing some major boundaries lately. Tender moments like these are being soaked up. 

Wolf: Sweet and Tender Hooligan

Hawk: papa, baby, play time 

 **linking to Jodi's 52 week challenge**

3 months

I cannot even begin to express how much this baby has stolen my heart. His smiles and coos are enough to make me melt. Especially when they are directed at his brothers (especially Bear) when they are near him.
He is starting to sleep more through the night ( or I am at least sleeping through the night feedings) and starting to have a pattern during the day. He is able to lift his head and shoulders off the floor during tummy time and starting to kick his feet too. His Dr. suspects that he might be an early crawler. I am secretly hoping he is mistaken, I want to take in this baby stage as long as possible.

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                           " A portrait of my boys, once a week, every week, in 2013 "

Bear: This is what happens during art when you walk away to change a diaper.
Wolf: Flower arranging
Hawk: Someone is giving us more smiles

{fall}ing in love

Lately, nights have required footie pajamas for the boys, an extra blanket on our bed and the desire to stay in our warm bed just a few minutes longer each morning. I never realized while living in Oregon how much we as a family enjoy the cooler weather. Honestly, it brings comfort and the desire to get out more. (who knew I would miss gloomy Oregon weather so much) The first sign of fall brought about our desire to explore.

We hopped in the car and set out to the Snake River scenic route. We hadn't made it out there yet and were surprised at just how quickly we were out in the county. Rolling hills, and farm land in every direction . It was breathtakingly beautiful. And for the first time in a long time this felt like exactly where we were suppose to be. I am slowly falling in love with Idaho. Probably because it's been showing off a little more.  With its snowy peaks in the distance, an array of colors in each tree and the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen, it has slowly chiseled away at some of my apprehension of living here and helping me look forward to what our life in Idaho may look like in the future.