My oh so lovely fall pics

I decided to take advantage of the last bit of nice weather here last weekend and take some fall pics of the kids. I spent 2 hours washing and straightening hair, ironing clothes and making sure their shoes were spotless. Why I cared about the shoes god only knows. lol

Matt asks if I want him to go with me and I said this will only take a few minutes so don't worry about it. I mean... how long can it take to line 3 kids up and take a nice picture.

We headed over to the Englewood Dam and I drove around to find the perfect spot for our pics. I go to get Drew out of the carseat only to find he must've swiped a tootsie roll on the way out the door. He's covered in chocolate! But always prepared I wipe him off and am thankful that's he's not wearing white... the chocolate all over his sleeves won't show up much. We head out into this pretty meadow covered in leaves. I brought a blanket for them to sit on because it was still a little damp out. Lay the blanket out and Brooke and Drew proceed to start rolling and jumping all over it. Damn! Now Brooke's hair is a mess. So I trek back to the car to get the hairbrush. Okay no big deal... hair is fixed. I try to pose them in a variety of ways and they're just rolling all over each other, throwing leaves at each other and the blanket is now covereds in mud. Okay plan B. Obviously taking a nice shot sitting down is not going to work so let's find another spot. We walk a little bit and find a big tree. Perfect! I can stand them by the tree and I'll nice shots. I line them up and run back to take the picture. In that split second Brooke has decided to push Hannah into the tree and Drew is flinging mud with his feet! I'm thankful that the park is empty so I can have the opportunity to yell at them for being little shits. I compose myself ( and them) all over again and proceed to take a series of really bad shots with really shitty grins, half opened eyes and kids moving everywhere. Okay plan C now!! I will give up on a group shot and take some nice individual shots. Can't be that hard to take a quick shot of them individually right? I start with Drew because he's quickly losing patience and wants to run everywhere. I stand him next to the tree and he decides he wants to sit instead. Fine! So I now have a shot of him scrunched up next to the tree, covered in mud and chocolate. Oh well... he's 2 and that's how it is with 2 year olds. The girls will be much easier. So onto Brooke. I stand her next to the tree and she proceeds to start climbing the damn thing. Now damnit... just stand still so I can ge a quick shot of you. She's gives me a little smirk and off she goes to play in the mud with Drew. Oh well.... Hannah's next and she'll be easy. I decide to take my time with Hannah ( since the other 2 are quite content at rolling in the mud and leaves anyways). I try getting her to pose in a variety of ways and with each pose she decided to adapt it how she sees fit. I tell her to lean this way... and she tells me that looks stupid. I tell her to turn her head that way... and she tells me that looks stupid. Fine this miss smarty pants... stand there however the hell you please and just smile ( and by the way I can hear what you are calling me under your breath!) I get a couple decent shots of her and then she proceeds to tell me she's done and stomps off to the car. Just lovely! I round up the other 2 hoodlums and we stomp off behind her.

We drive home in complete silence with the exception of them asking me if we can get McDonalds for lunch. I calmly told them that I will not be feeding them today because they are rotten!

Next time I will leave the photography to Bob!