Family Pictures Round 2

So - kicking and screaming - we went to have family pictures done AGAIN.  With three little ones - that is NOT an easy feat.  I kept asking why we needed to do them again since we had JUST had them three weeks before.  I definitely plead my case and let everyone know my feelings.  We did them anyway.

And I loved them....

So there's some major word eating going on in my department - but who cares, when you get nice pictures like that. ;)

My Gorgeous Kids Captured

I wanted to get some really good pictures of my kids.  Whenever we get family pictures - getting ones of just the kids is an afterthought.  And then, it's pretty much impossible to get a decent picture of them. Like - good-luck-even-getting-them-to-look-in-the-general-direction-of-a-camera-let-alone-smile kind of impossible.  

So I trekked them myself up to Draper to a place called Fotofly where they actually take pictures of kids...like all the time.  I figured I was bound to get some good pictures.  And I was not wrong.  That was worth every penny!  And believe me - that photographer worked for her pay that day.  Here they are in all their glory...

 

My favorite

Love the personality in these faces :)

Rowland's go-to concerned face :)

Ruby thought it was a game whenever the photographer would pose her and she would lean back to take the picture, she would unwrap her legs and hands and laugh her head off until she posed her again.

This boy looks so STINKIN' cute in glasses!

LOVE!  Just look at those GORGEOUS BROWN EYES!

He looks WAY too grown up here.  The photographer would say, "Don't call me a chicken!! Don't do it!" And then they would all laugh while calling her a chicken!

Randomly, Ross's ear started hurting to the point of tears for about 5 minutes.  He was a trooper and still smiled for the last few pictures.

I LOVE these cute little feet!

Happy Halloween in Utah!

Saturday was HALLOWEEN!!!  We actually started it off by getting family pictures done (AGAIN).  I was kicking and screaming doing them since we had just done them three weeks before.  Let me tell you - getting your three small children dressed up, and getting them to comply for pictures is no small feat, and pretty stressful.  They wanted formal ones this time though, so we complied in the end, and they turned out quite nicely.  I'll post those in another post as well.

We got back and did some pumpkin carving and visiting with my parents and grandma some more before getting ready in our costumes and going trick-or-treating after the kids took a nap.  

Every grandkid needs to help grandpa mow the lawn. :)

Ross telling dad where to cut.

Dad going to town. ;)

Ross the supervisor

This is serious business, mom...

Mine - some sort of mousey character. ;)

Daddy's

Rowly's

Ross's Baymax! (Easiest carving ever!)

Ruby's Cinderella carriage. :)

Ross and Ruby caught on VERY quickly, and Ruby also learned the tactic of - if you hang out at the door a little longer you might get a second piece of candy.  We left to go to Steve's parents' trunk-or-treat, but missed it!  So we went to my old street where I grew up and had a lot of fun.  Some of the houses STILL give out huge candy bars, and one even had a movie set up outside on a projector with free popcorn - crazy!  

Rowly our pumpkin - every baby MUST dress up as a pumpkin for Halloween in my book. :)

This was trying out part of his costume before - he's the perfect mushroom.

Ready to go - cute mushroom boy!

Luigi Ross 2.0! :)

Princess Peach - Ruby was ALL over getting make-up on (she made a kiss face to the mirror after Grammy put on some lipstick) and loved her princess gloves and crown.

Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Wario, and Toad!

Flower Power!

Headed out Trick or Treating!

We missed out on the trunk or treat so we split for the good houses!

The house I grew up in...they painted it WHITE!  It was SO weird to see...and it's crazy seeing my own kids trick or treating there!

Ross totally sold on popcorn!

This was Ruby ECSTATIC after getting make-up on her face. ;)

I got to see my old house and was SHOCKED to see that they painted it - the red brick - white.  It was ALL white.  We went to trick-or-treat there, but no one was home.  (I totally peeked in the window like a creeper to see what looked different.)  They had hardwood floors, and added some paneling.  It was pretty strange.  

Most of my old neighbors - I had to tell them who I was, because, well, I was dressed up and had a mustache. ;)  It was super fun to have a walk down memory lane though.  I was so happy we did it.

We went back to the White's and had a really fun Halloween Party.  We ate, played Name the Villain, had a costume contest, and played a heated game of Mafia.  It was really a fun night.  I was so glad we stayed for Halloween.

Costume parading to Ghostbusters!

Pirate Family!

Red shirted Star Trekky!

Sid from Toy Story - "Where's that whimpy cowboy doll."

A VERY slow E-Male. ;)

Road Kill...

Bronco Mendenhall - BYU football coach - one of our winners for costume!

Dance Party in the middle ;)

Darla from finding Nemo - another winner!

Ross busting a move...

Claudis the Goddess...

Mary Poppins!

Our Mafia game started..

Greasy mustache faces!

We turned on a movie for the littles so we could play Mafia

Things got a little heated... ;)

Mario and Charlie Brown had it out...

And SOMEONE was into some extra make-up that night before bed...

On Sunday we went to church with Steve's parents, and I got to go sit in with the Young Women since Claudia teaches it.  They did a panel for sister missionaries, and Meghan was on it.  She did a good job.  I keep forgetting it's been 10 years since I left on my mission.  It still feels like it was only a year or two ago I got back.  How did I get this old???

We relaxed back at the White's, watching Prince of Egypt, and then headed back to my parents for a combined birthday dinner with me and Dallas.  It was nice. 

Party time!

A happy cute guest :)

Birthday blowing!  A 32 in the middle for me and two extra sparklers for Dallas!

And then, just like that, it was over again.  It was such a fun trip though and felt like we got to spend a lot of time with family this visit.  My cup was definitely filled.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful families. 

Good-bye my Maple Mountain!

Cornered again - with suckers - and Rowly sat with Daddy.

We had to make a Costco stop before going home - Rowly was a bit tuckered out...and Steve isn't enjoying that AT ALL. ;)