Family Picture Walls

When Eli was a baby, we went to JC Penney and had some cute family photos taken. That was the last time we got a nice family picture and that was five years ago. We've had snapshots taken at various times and even had a few decent ones taken when our families all got together and had a big family photo, but I haven't really liked any of those and never got more than an 8x10 to stick in a little frame.

So this year, I was determined to get some nice family pictures. I didn't want to go to JC Penney because I wanted a nice outdoor setting. I asked around and talked to a couple photographers and was a bit shocked at how much they charged! I have no doubt that we would have had some AMAZING pictures, but it just wasn't in the budget to spend that much. So, since I got a really nice camera last year and really need to learn how to use it, I decided to invest some time into figuring out how I could get some decent pictures myself. I also invested in a new lens for portraits of the kids since it was just a fraction of the cost of what I would have spent on a photographer and I'll be able to use it for years! We were VERY happy with the end result and I'm excited to keep learning and get better. I have a LONG way to go.

I took the boys' pictures just outside our house and I took Anna's when we were in Nauvoo.

The family one was at the park near our house. It's not perfect, but it was free and and everyone's looking! :) The kids are at great ages for a family picture right now too. I don't have a tripod (yet...) so we brought our music stand to set the camera on and Eli, Jeremy, and I took turns running to push the self-timer button. I think Eli pushed the button for this picture! Way to go, buddy!

Thanks to Costco, I ordered some very inexpensive 8x10 prints of the kids (and bought those frames there) along with a nice canvas of our whole family. That was the first time we've ever had a wedding/family picture larger than an 8x10 and I love it! I got an 18x24 but I'm thinking I probably could have gone even bigger. 

 I love looking at these all day!

I also finally put up the rest of the pictures I've had stacked in a closet since we moved here. I wasn't sure where I wanted to put them all, since we hardly have any wall space downstairs, but we do have a big wall right as you get up the stairs, so I made a little picture wall and I love it! It has an assortment of pictures from the last ten years! I hope to add to it eventually (whether in this house or the next).

I had a few other frames leftover, so I printed a few other pics and put them on top of our TV cabinet. It actually looks like a real family lives here now! And isn't Eli's school picture adorable? I love it.

It feels good to put all my frames to use so we can appreciate them. 

Halloween

So I know Halloween was, like, so last month, but here are a few pictures of our festivities. Two weeks before Halloween, we had a Halloween party at the church. They had hot dogs for dinner, a costume parade, a trunk or treat and a few other games. The kids were really excited to dress up and go. Eli was Superman, Connor was Peter Pan, and Anna was a princess. I was grateful for the hand-me-downs I had for Connor and Anna!

 The next week, we carved pumpkins. Eli actually scooped all the stuff out of his pumpkin this year, which was a first. Connor and Anna just watched.

Halloween day was FREEZING. We woke up to snow. Then all day and all night we had 30mph winds. It was howling! I think the temperature was 37 but the wind chill was 19. Brr!! Our friends the Westerns invited us over for dinner and trick-or-treating and we had a great time! It was super fun to spend Halloween with friends. After dinner we bundled everyone up and went trick-or-treating around their neighborhood. The kids were very happy despite the cold and Anna soon discovered the joy of what happens when you stand there and look cute with your bucket. :)

Can you even tell they're dressed up? No, not really. They all looked like they were dressed up as snowboarders or something. But they stayed pretty warm and had fun!

We came inside and thawed out for awhile and let the kids run around crazy on their sugar high before we headed home. It was a fun night!