Attempts at Fall pictures

Since this morning was on the first in the last week that it was not raining and I was not at work, I thought we could try to get some cute Fall pictures. Wes's grandparents front yard is like a manicured park and all of the trees have started to change...it is beautiful. So, I put the girls in some cute Fall attire and we walked through the still standing water to a really good spot. I was smart and took Caroline in the stroller so she could not go splashing through the water while I got some of just Alyssa Kate. Alyssa Kate is really into posing these days for pictures. I do not have to ask her to do anything in particular she just strikes a pose. Her pictures turned out pretty good. Then it was Caroline's turn and that was a whole different story. After the first pictures some big neighborhood dogs barked and she started to cry and that was the end of her photo shoot. I took the last few of them going back to out house. I know the one with them running is slightly blurry but it was really cute at the time! Since it is supposed to rain for the next three days I am hoping to try again next week.

Pumpkin Patch

What Awana's has taught us :)

Alyssa Kate has been in Awana's for two weeks now and is loving it! Each week she is to memorize a verse then say it the next week during her listening time.

Last week her verse was

"all have sinned"

this week the verse is
"God is love"

tonight while telling Wes her verse she said:

"God has sinned"

I know it is wrong to think it is funny but she said it with such a straight face and I just thought about how hard she was trying to keep things straight. After a little review she has it down now but not without making a memory that we will not soon forget :)

Alyssa Kate started ballet last week and if I may say so myself...she was adorable. She really enjoyed and has spent all week talking about it and asking when she could go back. She tried to do all of the movements they did and I have to admit that during one such routine tears did flow on my part because of how big she is. I don't know where all the time has gone but my baby is a little girl now...it needs to slow down!

Big Jake has been hanging out with us a few days a week now that Ashley is back in the classroom and we are loving it! The girls think he is their personal playmate and get very excited when he comes over!

I came into the living room and found Alyssa Kate watching TV in big Jake's car seat...it doesn't look to comfy to me but they were very intrigued by it.

Caroline also thought Jake's car seat made a great seat to read in.

Caroline loves Tigger and Scooter and thankfully they are usually pretty patient with her. Here she is "snuggling" Tigger who looks thrilled!

The girls amazes me!

Friday we went to a great new park with Alyssa Kate's buddy Noah. The kids had a blast and Alyssa Kate decided to try the monkey bars and after a few falls she started flying through them. I know that I am biased but the girl amazes me everyday! I wish I could say that I could do this at 3 years old :)

Alyssa Kate, Caroline and Greyson playing at Rock Creek

Caroline and Alyssa Kate the pig tail twins

Caroline actually left the pig tails in all day!

I walked into their room and Alyssa Kate was reading Caroline a book

Then Caroline wanted in one the action

Caroline used a spoon for the first time last night...it went pretty well

Jake came over to play this morning...he looks thrilled doesn't he :)

Cute Cousins

Poking the baby :)

Hot Springs II

Thursday

-I bought white cotton dresses at the end of the last summer with the idyllic vision that we would take the girls to the beach this summer. Well, we decided to stay in Arkansas to save money and wait on the beach until the girls were a little older. I brought the dresses with us this week and attempted to get some pictures on the deck under our condo. It was not too successful but with girls that cute you are bound to get something good.

-After the hot photo shoot we changed clothes and went to Hot Springs Tower. It was fun and pretty cheap...both girls got in free. It was pretty windy and cool so it was a nice excursion.

-Wes was told by a coworker about a good restaurant in Mount Ida and a neat spring in the Ouachita National Forrest. After the tower we headed that way. It was supposed to take only about 30 minutes to get there but the whole trip took almost 4 hours round trip because of the gravel roads and things we had to take. The restaurant was great and had a lot of different homemade pies to enjoy after lunch. Then we went the spring which is in Collier Springs. It comes out of a mountain and there is a gazebo built over it and it comes out the other side. The water was ice cold and there was a small pool at the bottom of some little waterfalls. While it took a long time it was neat and Alyssa Kate like the water.

Friday-
- We were told that there was a beach area at Brady Mountain on Lake Ouachita, so we attempted to get the "beach" pictures I wanted with the white dresses. It was quite bright and Caroline was much too interested in eating the sand and rocks but there are a few good ones. After the pictures we changed into swim suits and Alyssa Kate and Wes built sand castles. She really liked it and said that we have to go to a beach with "more" sand soon :)

-When we got back from Brady Mountain Wes took Alyssa Kate to the dock under our condo to fish. While they didn't catch anything she was very proud of her Dora fishing pole.

-Mimi and Pop came up while they were fishing to swim and spend the day. We swam for a few hours then Pop and Wes grilled some burgers for lunch. When the girls went down for a nap Pop and Wes dozed on the couches and Mom and I were able to go shopping which was great. The girls then went home with them so Wes and I could have some fun with friends on the lake.

-Wes and I went to dinner at Fisherman's Wharf that night and had a great time. It was very nice to have dinner just the two of us. Then we went and played miniature golf...it was like a real date :)

Saturday

- We rented a boat with some friends and played on the lake all day. It was lots of fun and I was going to put some pictures up but really it was just a bunch of old guys sking :)

Hope you enjoy!