Eat your candy and then go shopping

Two nights ago, after we put the girls to bed, I did what every parent does....I ate some of their Halloween candy.  It was all the chocolaty good stuff too!  Yum!  However, I think the chocolate had just enough caffeine it in to keep me awake.  We went to bed and I was not really super tired.  I laid in bed and tossed and turned disturbing Joey.  I decided I needed to go out to the couch so Joey could rest and I would eventually fall asleep. 

 

Fall asleep I did, only to be woken up to my cat running to the basement.  She wears a collar that has a bell on it so when she ran it jingled like crazy waking me up.  Moments later I hear the door handle of our back door, off our second story deck, get jiggled.  Very distinctly, not loudly and I JUMPED immediately off of couch.  My heart was racing and not sure what to do I just stood there for a little while.  I didn't have my phone next me or anything in the living room for protection and I couldn't go get Joey cause to get him  I would have to pass in front of the door where they could see me.  I froze.  I was literally thinking what I will do if they get in.  Not knowing if they were still there or trying to get into the house I popped JUST my head around to see and didn't see anything.  So I thought I was ok to get Joey, and I emerged from the living room and when I did that I had FULL view of the deck and didn't see anyone on the deck.   I walked to the door and looked out the backyard to see if I could see anyone and I did on the left side of our property where the tree line starts, I saw someone walking away with a dark hooded sweatshirt, hood up.  I then ran and woke up joey and got my cell phone, heart still racing.   It was about 1215am and Joey gets up and we both go thru the house to just be sure no one was inside.

 

The cops got called and pretty darn quickly about 3 squad cars come and scour the neighborhood, but didn't find anything.  The cops come talk to us after and were told the person had also been to the basement to try to get in.  I hope "the perp" saw the cops and is surprised that anyone knew he was out.  As you can imagine I didn't sleep well the rest of the night.

 

 

Now I want to refresh some memories about the conceal and carry class I took that lets me buy a hand gun and carry it.  I never bought a gun.

 

 

The moral of my story....eat your candy (I never would have been on the couch) and go shopping (for my gun)!

 

Glad we are all safe and that every door/window was locked!

Anderson family

I had the pleasure of photographing the Anderson family. The day was gloomy and cloudy but I think we got some good ones! 

 

Herschleb Family

I have "tried" on many occasions to do the Herschleb family.  I love that she lets me do their pictures and lets me keep trying, but lets be honest....I suck!  I don't think I am meant to be a childrens photographer.  I'm not sure I have EVER gotten a decent family photo of them or one of my kids either.  KIDS.  ARE.  HARD!

 

So on that note... here is the Herschleb family

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I love Grants expression here (looks EXACTLY like Russ too)

 

 

 

 

Mike and Christy

I was asked by our friend, Mike to take pictures of him and his girlfriend Christy, who is also our friend. Apparently they don't have a nice picture of the two them and with her birthday coming up Mike thought this would be a good gift!  I agreed and we scheduled the pictures before a dinner we all had together.  Christy was totally suprised and really want sure what was going on, but I hope she is happy with the results!  Here a few I played around with black and white with!  Happy birthday Christy

Bishop Family

I had planned way ahead of time to take the Bishops photos because it is hard to get a family of 6 all together when they all have their own schedules.  They were able to find time they could get family photos done and here are a few of them.  Hope you like them!  Love the colors too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall

 

We have been having wonderful fall weather and here are just a few of things we have been doing.

 

Playing in puddles

 

 

Picking out our pumpkins

 

Tea parties on the few rainy days

 

Eating dinner on the front porch

Playing at the park

And playing in the leaves

 

And going to Autumn Acres.  This is a place for kids to run around and see goats, play in the corn fields and on bales of hay and other things.  The girls loved it!!  They needed a little convincing on some things but had a great time.

My little minion Ella

 

 

The giant slide

 

The barrel train ride

 

 

As usual, Ella loved the animals!

 

First hayride success

 

Even got to pick corn

Corn box

How tall this fall?

 

Swanstrom-Maternity

I recently rented a lens because I just wanted to try a different lens and renting it lets me "try it, before I buy it."  I doubt I buy the lens I rented mostly because it's a $2000 lens.  I did have some fun with it and got a few photo shoots in to use it.  One of the shoots I did was a friends maternity pictures.  I think we got few good ones and Heather is just too cute pregnant.  I can't WAIT to meet their baby girl at the end of January.  I haven't known Heather very long, but I feel I captured her and Alex's story.  Hope you like them and thanks for letting me practice with you! :)

 

First came love 



 

 

Then came marriage

 

 

Then comes baby

 

No matter how they are feeling

 

 

They will have each other

 

 

and Bruce

 

 

 

happily ever after

 

 

 

 

 

Octoberfest

The Annual Octoberfest parade was this weekend and although cold, it was fun.  We left and it was only 37* and so very windy.  The girls loved it and it take them long to figure out they were throwing "ummies" out.  They each had a piece of candy at the beginning and that is what they focused on for most of the parade.  We were collecting our candy in the wagon, so that is where they were hanging out.  We hid the candy and they eventually got into it. 

 

 

 

Waiting in the cold for the parade to start

 

Josie dancing to the band music

 

Ella LOVED the humane society dogs when they walked by.  She just LIT up.

 

Watching the floats go by

Me and my girl!

 

The walk back to the car

 

 

We also got a few of our Halloween decorations up including the ghost!  We stopped by the dollar tree and picked this up and have been enjoying him.  Last night the girls kept running to the door and back into the living room and sayin "dada gooo" (ghost) and pointing at the ghost.  What's a ghost say?  "BOOO!"  and lots of giggles.  It's cute! and I'm not biased at all!