All mine! :)

Every year, we always look forward to our fall trip to Taylor Reservoir. We stay in a cabin, visit Tincup (a little ghost town nearby), and go into Crested Butte for their annual Vinotok festival. It always marks the beginning of fall for us, and that is by far our favorite season! This year was particularly special, since it was our first trip with Drew (we missed last year's trip). It is usually timed perfectly so that we are able to enjoy the fall colors at their peak up there, but I think we were about a week early this year. Fall colors or not, I truly believe this is one of the most beautiful places on the planet -- being up there is just good for our souls. 

I always like to get some pictures while we are in Tincup (the views from the old cemetery there are especially spectacular), and this year was no exception. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't really cooperating with us! It got super cold and started raining about 20 minutes after we got there, so we didn't get too many shots. I did, however, manage to get a cute one with both boys and both dogs, which I was pretty sure would be impossible! It turned out to be one of my favorites...I'm thinking it'll end up as a canvas on one of our walls. :)

Happy fall, everyone!

Once the weather turned cold and wet, Drew's mood quickly soured.

But a powdered sugar donut (and a warm car) can make ANYTHING better!

Enjoying the campfire on the last night...a perfect ending to a wonderful weekend!

The Younger Family

Wow...it is really amazing how quickly time flies when kids are involved! Back in February I was fortunate enough to take the newborn pictures for the Younger twins, and now they are already seven months old! They are sitting up on their own, smiling at EVERYTHING, and just the most content little babies I think I've ever met. Jacob has had a big year, too -- he has become an awesome big brother and he started preschool a few weeks ago. When we were taking pictures in front of the barn I was looking at him in his little tie and oxford shirt and it hit me that I was looking at a little man now! 

We met EARLY for this session -- we were all there by 7:30 ready to get started, and the kids were such troopers the entire time. Even when we thought they were done we changed them one more time to get the porch pictures, and I am so glad we did -- the one of the three of them on the porch is one of my favorites from the whole session! 

Thanks for letting me take pictures for you, Bridget and Shannon -- I hope you like your sneak peak!

Avery -- The BIG 1-2!

I first met Avery when she was 5 years old, which is hard to believe since she just turned 12. I have loved getting to watch her grow up, and she is turning into such an amazing young woman. I have said on many occasions that if we were to have a girl someday I would like her to be just like Avery. She is kind to everyone, responsible beyond her years, and just plain fun to be around. So, when her mom contacted me about doing a photo shoot for her twelfth birthday party I was thrilled!

On the night of the shoot we weren't sure what to expect. There was a thunderstorm in the area and no real light to speak of. Luckily for us, the rain stopped and we even got a little sunshine (and a beautiful double rainbow) at the end of the shoot! Despite all that, it was an absolute blast. Avery had five of her closest friends over on the day of the party. They met first at an Italian restaurant and then headed over to the park for the photo shoot. We walked around and had fun taking pictures, then did the birthday cake in the field (complete with a cake fight!) It was such a fun experience for me, and I just hope the girls had as much fun as I did!

Thanks, Hayley and Gabby for letting me be part of Avery's special day!

Our Day of Kindness, April 1, 2013

I feel like I live a very charmed life. I have an amazingly supportive partner and two wonderful little boys. I have the best job in the world being able to be home with Benjamin and Drew, and even though our days may be chaotic at times, there isn't anything I'd rather be doing. So when my birthday approached this year, I felt like I wanted to find some way to share that happiness with others. A few months ago, I found the blog post of a woman who dubbed her birthday as a "Day of Kindness." She and her kids spent the whole day going around doing really nice things for people, and as soon as I read that I knew I wanted to do that exact thing for my birthday. I had to modify it a bit since my kiddos are younger than hers, but we kept a lot of the ideas the same. In the weeks leading up to our own "Day of Kindness," Benjamin and I brainstormed ideas that we wanted to do and prepared the things we needed to have done in advance (making cards, putting dollar bills in bags, creating diaper bags, etc.). Aimee surprised me by taking the day off, so she was able to go around with us, too! I know we wouldn't have been able to get it all done if she hadn't been with us, as she kept Drew entertained the whole time. If anyone is looking for an amazing way to spend your birthday, I highly recommend this. It was such an incredible experience for all of us!

Stuffing dollar bills into bags to hide around the Dollar Tree

Flowers for patients at the hospital

Our first stop was at our local fire station. We baked a variety of muffins that morning and bagged them up with a card that Benjamin created for them. When we dropped them off, the firefighters talked with Benjamin and I for a few minutes and and asked Benjamin if he would like to sit in the fire truck. He got to man the driver's seat!

Our next stop was the hospital. We put together six vases of flowers to drop off with the volunteer desk so that they could hand them out to patients that might need a little cheering up. We also had 8 "get well soon" cards that Benjamin had painted to be handed out, as well. After dropping the flowers and cards off, we walked around finding vending machines so that we could leave bags with enough change for a drink on each of them. Then we left a bag with diapers and wipes on top of a diaper changing station. Benjamin also had picked out one of his coloring books that he hadn't colored in yet and a box of crayons that he left on the kids' table in the surgery waiting room.

Drew was such a good sport being in his stroller for so much of the morning. He was happy the whole time! I'm looking forward to doing this again in the coming years so that he can really participate with us.

Taking a break to look out the window of a waiting room in the hospital...

When we got back down to the main level, the director of volunteer services was waiting for us. She wanted to take a picture of Benjamin with the flowers for their hospital newsletter and was going to write a little article about what he had done. He was so proud!

And he left with a couple toy ambulances "to remember the day by."

After we left the hospital, we headed to our local food pantry to donate some food and paper products. Once we went in and weighed the donation on the big scale, the coordinator asked if we would like a tour, so she took us around and answered any questions we had. They really have a fantastic facility set up!

I think the Dollar Tree might have been Benjamin's favorite stop. We went in with a set of bags to hide throughout the store. Benjamin picked several spots to hide them. He put some in the toy section, one in the medicine section, one in the flowers, and a couple in the freezers.  

Then it was off to the police station. We had a batch of muffins and a card for our local police officers, too.

Our last stop was at a local retirement home. We had 8 cards that Benjamin had painted and filled out for some of the residents there, so we dropped them off and sat for a bit in the rockers out front. It was fun to talk over the day and imagine the faces of people as they found the random acts of kindness. I love the conversations that we have had about our experiences since that day. A week or so ago Benjamin asked if we could do this every year for my birthday. I told him I can't imagine it any other way. :)