Family Portraits 2008

I decided to try to do our family portraits myself this year, with some help from Chip, of course. Here are a few of my favorites:

This black and white one is my favorite one of Miles:

That's all for now, but I'll try to post some more later.

October

While October was a very busy month for us, it was also very wonderful! So much happened!

We found the best pumpkin patch ever in Celina:

Miles loved feeding the goats and cows!

This was my favorite of all the pumpkin patches we've been to because it didn't have all the bounce houses, etc., but instead focused on old-fashioned fun. It was an actual pumpkin farm, with a real pumpkin patch. The hay ride was a really nice one, going through and around the farm. It was fun getting to feed and pet the animals too.

Amanda and Steven delighted us with a visit to north Texas. We met at my sister's house and we all went on a train ride.

That same weekend we gathered after church to witness the baptism of my niece.

We celebrated Chip's 35th birthday with a cake and presents. Miles and I made the cake together. Not the best looking one, but by far the best tasting one I've ever had! We made it with Hershey's Special Dark cocoa--I highly recommend it!

Miles and I discovered a new playground last month. It's a little different than the other ones in town. Miles loved it!

Chip, Miles and I have started taking walks once or twice a week at a beautiful local park. When we're done with our walk, we usually let Miles play for a little while on the playground.

I took a few fall portraits of Miles. Here are a couple of my favorites:

A couple of days before Halloween we carved our Jack 'o Lantern.

Our very proud pumpkin-carving assistant!

Halloween was a blast! Since my nephew's birthday is the day after Halloween, we celebrated on Halloween before trick-or-treating. He got his own little Superman cake and once he figured out it was something to eat, he dug in! Then the kids took turn hitting the pinata and filled their Halloween buckets half-way already with candy from it!

Virginia and Paul were adorable as Lara-El and Jor-El, Kal-El's (Superman's) parents!

Taking the kids trick-or-treating brought back so many good childhood memories to me. Seeing all the kids out in their costumes and seeing Miles do outdoor trick-or-treating (as opposed to at the mall) for the first time was one of those times that gave me that feeling of "these are the times that matter" and "this is what life is all about." Those times when you get to be there to experience the fun of childhood with children are priceless and I thank God for every one of them.

Adorably scary!