Happy Halloween!

(She is not happy about the cape that goes to this costume.  I had to bribe her to wear it just once for a picture!  See the final photo of this post for a happier witch face)

Here are some preliminary Halloween photos from our house.

Just in case you were wondering, pictured, from left to right: Annabeth Chase (from the Lightning Thief), a bumblebee, a witch, and a nerd.  This nice calm picture does not reflect our crazy morning running around the house from top to bottom (literally) searching for all those last minute costume must-haves.

This year I have a nerd and a bird!  Ha ha.  This bird did not want to be parted from Mom, especially for a silly picture.

What crazy mother schedules a well check on Halloween?  Me, apparently.  After our crazy morning and school parade we hustled on over to the doctor.  I love this picture of my little bird checking out the fishies.

The doctor and his staff were dressed as Smurfs!  My kids are obviously embarrassed and horrified to be in pictures with such silly grown-ups.

He is thinking, I know what you are about to do to me, lady!  Why would I want to smile for a photo as if I don't!

We are trying really hard to maintain our goal of home lunches for an entire year.  Today we had no time to make them, so I picked a little something up on the way.  Not healthier, but I figured it could be a reward for all those healthy lunches every day this year!  The kids were thrilled.

Still trying to "get in the picture!"  My head is cut off a little because I asked this cute girl's friend to snap a photo (still too embarrassed to ask adults sometimes, especially that scary lunch lady).

Love these kiddos and their friends.

Now that's better!

Happy Halloween everyone!  Still praying for you East Coasters!

Gettin' in the Picture

Ok, I promised an update and I'm still working on it! 

But here is something I've been wanting to blog about anyway.  About getting in photos more often with my kids.  I love the heck out my kids!  And I want to capture that on film-- so they can remember just how much I loved them.  Because we have had some great times together.

Only, there are a couple of obstacles.  One is the way I look.  I had braces for 4 years, yes, count 'em, four years.  And I have all these crooked teeth.  Someday I want to get them fixed, but not yet.  Seems like doing my hair/make-up is kind of spotty many days.  And I'm not the most fashionable person-- I care, I really do-- but, lets just say-- baby and/or multiple toddlers with me 24/7 for the last 11 years!  And when it comes right down to it, usually I feel like something else should be a priority.  And no matter what I do with myself these days, I'm starting to look old.  Another one, that I always gain weight right after I have a baby (but I can't lose it because I'm nursing...even though it is hard for me, I figure the baby will be much happier if I have nursed him/her than if I can fit right into my pre-pregnancy clothes).  So I hate seeing myself in pictures with all those pounds to lose-- it reminds me how little control I have over how much I eat, especially sweets. 

Bottom line:  I cringe just about every time I see myself in pictures, for some reason or other. 

(BUT guess what? My kids don't care if my teeth are crooked or I have a few pounds to lose.  They wouldn't trade the most beautiful, most wealthy, most powerful, most charming person in the world right now for their own mother!  Maybe that will change :) in just a few years)



Obstacle number 2: I am so super embarrassed to ask someone to take my picture!  I have really craved some pictures with my last two babies, but these two obstacles get in my way!

Obstacle number 3:  I have learned to love documenting the beauties of childhood, and especially my children's moments, behind the camera lens.  But that also means I have been out of the picture even more.  (and sometimes I have to remember to put it down so I can take part in the activity, and not just be a bystander)

So this blog post on the Power of Moms really resonated with me.  About "getting in the picture."  About getting over whatever it is, so my kids will have pictures of us together!  So they can see how much fun we had together, and how much we loved eachother. 

This blog especially inspires me to "get in the picture."  The love this little family has for eachother just oozes out of their photos.  There is so much joy-- and loving, happy looks.  (it helps that they are gorgeous)

Ok, see that picture below?  I could dissect all the things about myself that... ugggh.  But look how happy we look!

Do you "get in the picture" with your little ones?  What deters you, if you don't?   Take the "get in the picture" challenge with me!