Aspen's Newborn Pictures

So I have finally finished making Aspen's newborn photo book but I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures here. These were all taken by my friend/photographer Jamie of Making Memories, LLC. She is awesome, obviously. I wanted to have a much more simple theme with these pictures and so these were all taken at her home with simple backgrounds when Aspen was 8 days old. I love how they turned out! Jamie was so patient with both Aspen and Everly and I am so grateful for her. Aspen peed and pooped everywhere including on Justin's shirt but you can't tell in the pictures. We were really exhausted after this photoshoot but already looking back at these pictures after a month, I am still so in love with them.

Salt River Fields Balloon Spooktacular

Last Friday night we headed to Scottsdale for the Salt River Fields Ballon Spooktacular. My sisters had gone to it last year and so we decided to join this year. It was also an early opportunity to practice wearing costumes and trick or treating so that was nice. For the most part the festival has lots of food vendors and tents and then a bunch of hot air balloons blown up in the middle of a field. The kids can go trick or treating by walking up to the balloon baskets and there are also some balloons that are tethered if you want to pay for a ride (we did not, although I have ridden on a hot air balloon before when I was like 10). It is CRAZY busy at this place. Like, I am kind of embarrassed how long we waited in line for ice cream. Everly loved trick or treating and loved the balloons and there were some good food vendors (I had the most amazing garlic fries, ever) but I don't think we will be going back. We got there early, but Justin arrived later and it took him forever to park because they have a crappy parking situation. We also walked up to a couple of balloons that had no candy and there was still a couple hours left. The admission didn't really get you much...everything inside cost extra. I don't regret going and my sister's bought our tickets on a groupon so they were cheap, but I just don't think it is worth the effort. Maybe we will try the zoo halloween festival next year. At least the kids had fun and Everly got some practice for tomorrow! 

Everly as a ballerina and Aspen in her skeleton jammies that were Everly's and barely fit Aspen.

Everly and Uncle Tony

My mom and sister handmade these little UPS man costumes. 

Cornhole

My niece Hailey with her son Remi as Donald Duck. 

Teddy was scared. 

The tethered balloons. 

Craft Day #2

So painting seems like it is going to be a trend with us for craft day...and fall themes (my craft this week is painting again and a fall theme too). Last week my sister set up some painting of bats. She used clothespins holding cotton balls to dip in the paint and then had some bats taped on to construction paper. The kids sponged the paint all over the construction paper in a few different colors. When they were all dry we ripped off the bats and it left the shape of the bat which kind of looks like a shadow. It is actually really cute and the kids love painting. It can be messy but of course it is all washable and my sister has smocks so that helps too. Normally I am like what do I do with all of this handmade art, but it actually works as really good decoration for halloween so I am loving it! Hopefully this week goes well again!

This is the 30 seconds that they weren't fighting over the same plate of paint. 

the finished product

Desert Botanical Gardens Pumpkin Patch

Last week we went to the Pumpkin Patch at the Desert Botanical Gardens thanks to Sharing Down Syndrome for the 4th year in a row. I posted about it here 2 years ago and here 3 years ago. As in past years it was unfortunately still a little warm out but it was still fun. Justin and Kim both went this year as well. The first year it was just me and Kim, the second year, my niece came with me and then last year Justin and I went so it was nice for us to all be able to go this year. All 4 kids did pretty good. Cameron loved the hayride and maze (although he didn't really want to leave it). Teddy loved the petting zoo, decorating his pumpkin and getting his face painted. Everly also liked getting her face painted and picking out a pumpkin. They also got to see the butterfly exhibit in the garden but I missed it because I was nursing Aspen. This is kind of an event geared towards younger kids so I know that we won't be able to go for that much longer and I am grateful for each year we get invited. It is definitely not easy doing anything with 4 kids but it was fun and still worth it!

A pic of her outfit before we left.

 

   

 

This little pumpkin looked like a butt so we just had to...

She sure loves her auntie Kim. 

Everly's 3 Year Pictures

During Aspen's newborn pictures we also planned to get some pictures of Everly by herself as she was about to turn 3. It actually worked out great because our photographer took pics of Everly while I was nursing Aspen. She is a toddler for sure and didn't always want to cooperate but my friend is good and has little girls also so she was still able to get some good shots. We got some of both of the girls together and some of all 4 of us, but these are my favorites of just Everly. Love her cheesy gap-toothed smile!