The weather is FINALLY beginning to cool off here in North Texas and that makes my Kentucky heart skip a beat. One of my favorite things about fall is actually the anticipation of Thanksgiving, Advent and Christmas – but I’ll be sharing more on those in future posts. Today, I want to share some of the photos I took in my church’s pumpkin patch. This is the second year I’ve volunteered as a “Portraits in the Patch” photographer with proceeds going towards missions outreach.
In addition to Portraits in the Patch, I also volunteered to take pictures of every J.U.M.P.S. student in the pumpkin patch. I set my camera on a tripod and used a wireless shutter remote to capture their smiley (and sometimes frowny) faces as quickly as possible. You can definitely tell the children who have been in front of a camera and the ones who have not. Kamden falls into the first category. He also got a haircut to match Daddy’s recently – I miss the curls but he looks so handsome. Yes, I’m biased and smitten.
And one last shot from Trunk-or-Treat on Halloween because these two make my heart so happy it might burst.
Kamden’s not the only one who’s been enjoying the cooler weather and local pumpkin patch. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of taking family portraits for the Peacocks and I think they turned out really well. The two boys seemed to enjoy the session more when I encouraged them to make silly faces or give their Mom and Dad bunny ears. If you need portraits and you live in the Fort Worth area, please keep me in mind.
Happy Fall, Y’all … and Happy Halloween too!!!!! Are you dressing up in costume or, like me, going au-natural in yoga pants and a t-shirt? 🙂
Last Monday, Kamden and I visited the church’s pumpkin patch. As a mom, it was a rash decision but, as a blogger in desperate need of a fall-themed portrait for his monthly update post, it was an opportunity I couldn’t resist. Kamden took his normal two-hour nap but the moment he opened his eyes, I scooped him out of bed, changed his diaper and clothes, and we went to the church for a quick portrait session during the glorious “golden hour” of the afternoon. I’m pleased with the outcome.
He was such a trooper through this portrait mini-session though, bless his little heart, and there was plenty to keep him distracted and prevent him from looking at Mommy’s camera.
This “candy corn cutie” was infatuated with the tiny pumpkins. Kamden made a friend with the scarecrow by pulling his hair!
I love the expression on Kamden’s face and would love to know what he’s thinking, like he wants to touch the scarecrow but the pumpkin is less intimidating! And let’s not forget the chubby cheeks, double chin, and those shoes. Oh my cute stars!
Kamden’s standing up really well, with assistance, but he’s not a fan of shoes. Thankfully, he was distracted by the pumpkins (he even tried picking up some of the larger ones!) and his shoes stayed on while we were in the patch. As soon as we got in the car though, he kicked off both shoes before we got home … and we live about a mile from the church!
When all else fails, sit a little boy on the ground and let him play in the hay. Then take his picture when he’s not looking for the most natural pose.
Going to a pumpkin patch and taking pictures was on our fall bucket list, so we can mark this one complete. We still need to get Kamden his own pumpkin and decorate or carve it before Halloween.
Do you have any fall or Halloween-themed traditions?
Let me begin with the following disclaimer: I am NOT an interior decorator. I think our home is decorated in a traditional sense but on a simple scale. Husband hates to see useless “day-core” sitting on a shelf or table and I don’t like trying to arrange them in a semi-intelligent manner. Thus, our home is fairly scarce compared to others. We’ve lived in this house six years and I can count on one hand the number of pictures on the walls, though I intend to remedy this once Kamden is born and we have his photographs adorning our walls. My mom is en route to Texas from Kentucky as I type this post and Husband’s family will arrive Saturday to attend the third and final baby shower. I decided a while back Christmas decorations were staying in the attic this year with Kamden’s anticipated birth day on or around December 22. Since it actually FEELS like fall outside and family members are visiting, I scoured Pinterest for inspiration to decorate the mantel between the living room and kitchen/dining areas.
1. Mantel Clock – This clock is an heirloom I received from my maternal grandmother, Nana. Growing up, I remember this clock sitting on the mantel or high shelf in the family room. Sometimes, as is the case now, I don’t add fresh batteries. Call me weird, but I don’t use this clock as a dependable time-piece (though it certainly is) but rather a reminder of days gone by.
2. Olive Wood Sculpture of Jesus, The Great Shepherd – This wood sculpture of Jesus was hand-carved at an olive wood factory in Bethlehem and I purchased it while visiting the Holy Land. I have always heard of Jesus being called The Great Shepherd, but it wasn’t until I was in Jerusalem, amongst the actual shepherds and flocks of sheep that the mental image became a reality. Our tour guide, Sam, told us how shepherds would manage an over-zealous sheep — known for either running away or separating from the flock — by breaking one of its legs. Then, the shepherd, the sheep’s master and caregiver, would bandage the injured leg and carry the animal everywhere it needed to go. In every aspect, the sheep was completely helpless and depended entirely on the shepherd for food, water, and shelter. When the bone healed and the sheep could walk again, it never strayed more than a few feet from the shepherd, keeping it safe. There’s a sermon in this story whether you realize it or not.
3. Personalized Mini Pumpkins – This is my DIY project of the year. I simply picked out nine pumpkins at my church’s Pumpkin Patch and used a small squeeze bottle of paint (with a needle-nose tip) to “write” the letters of our last name. It cost less than 10 dollars, including paint, and fits perfectly across the mantel.
4. Indoor Roping Dummy – Everybody has a miniature roping dummy inside their house, right? No? Oh, well, this has been a permanent fixture in our home since day one. Even though Husband hasn’t roped much lately (due to hot weather, busy work schedule, and other hobbies and passions), I don’t know where else to put this thing. If you’re visiting and would like a roping lesson, we’ve got you covered!
5. Re-purposed Pottery Jug – I picked this up at a garage sale several years ago and, despite being really dirty and dusty, it’s in great shape. I don’t have any idea how old it is, but it reminds me of clay jugs used to store Kentucky whiskey. The floral motif is similar to the design on my great-grandmother’s butter churner and milk cans. For all I know, this could be a reproduction made in who-knows-where but it serves two purposes here: a decorative flower-pot and hiding an ugly gas line connector for the fireplace logs we’ve never used and don’t intend to use. There, I just spilled the beans on why the pot is always full of silk flowers and sitting on the right side.
Are you one who decorates simply or do you style
your home with flair for different seasons and holidays?
Here’s another secret for you — the wreath is hung using a large paperclip on one side and dental floss on the other. I couldn’t find Husband’s spool of wire in the garage so I had to improvise. I really love this wreath but it’s hardly ever displayed. I hung it outside on the front door for a week and was afraid the wind or birds would destroy it so I keep it inside. Unfortunately, it’s two inches too narrow to fit on the nails already in the stone wall. Hopefully, the paperclip and floss will keep it secure!
I didn’t have a blog post previously prepared, but I’ve been collecting these links for a couple of days and thought I’d share them with you. Here are five things happening right now:
1. H&M … when did this retailer exist online? I thought H&M was a brick-and-mortar store located in fancy-schmancy cities for fancy-schmancy customers. I was wrong! I also didn’t realize they had clothes and accessories for babies and kids. I’m in love with these side-snap bodysuits.
And this hooded jumpsuit. If it’s really feeling like winter in December, this might be a coming-home-from-the-hospital ensemble for Baby K.
2. Trunk-or-Treat Costume … I haven’t dressed up for Halloween since I was a kid, but I’m thinking of breaking tradition and utilizing my prego-belly for the cause. In the past, I’ve looked more like a hobo than the Cupcake Lady when dressed in jeans and a hoodie at my church’s Trunk-or-Treat while handing out freshly-baked cupcakes. How can I make THIS happen by October 31?
3. Fashion-minded readers … can I transition this dress into fall? If the answer is yes, how would I do that? I’d like to wear it to my baby shower next weekend but it’s much cooler than I anticipated. Also, mine is coral and not teal. And I’m not tan like the model pictured. And I don’t have heels either. There, I just made things more complicated. You’re welcome.
4. Wasabi’s at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN … Before Mom dropped me off at the airport, we stopped here for lunch and enjoyed walking around the opulent hotel. (Note: It’s even more beautiful at Christmas.) Wasabi’s is located inside the Cascades Atrium overlooking waterfalls and koi ponds. Since we were both hungry, we shared four rolls: California, Crazy “Ari”, Snake (minus the cream cheese), and Tempura Shrimp. Every bite was more delicious than the last *AND* Mom tried BBQ’d eel for the first time and liked it. I’ve been to some great sushi restaurants and this was one of the best meals I’ve eaten, not to mention the excellent service and atmosphere. For a peak at their menu, click HERE.
5. Pumpkin Decor … I don’t know if this qualifies as nesting or not, but I want to decorate with pumpkins. It might have something to do with family coming to visit next weekend for baby shower #3. Or that the church has its own Pumpkin Patch and supplies are readily available, plus proceeds benefit local ministry projects. I’m thinking of spelling out our last name with mini pumpkins (similar to this) on the mantel and carving a larger pumpkin into a flower vase (like this) for the dining table. Or, instead of making a mess trying to carve a pumpkin, I’ll paint it like this.
5.1 Window Treatments (gone awry) … I was feeling extra energetic the other day and decided to get a head start on the curtain-hanging project. I found this guide to hanging draperies on Pinterest and created my own. The measuring guide was straight-forward and easy to make, leading me to believe this DIY project was a bright idea. Then I got Husband’s power tools out of the garage and drilled a screw through DRYWALL instead of a STUD. Awesome. I continued because I didn’t want Husband to come home and find an incomplete project. The curtains look great, but I’ll be pissed if those screws give loose — especially in the middle of the night while I’m nursing Kamden. Before moving to the next room, I need to make some adjustments to the guide and (more importantly) use our handy-dandy stud finder before drilling holes in the walls. Husband was more pissed I was standing on a step ladder to conduct this DIY project than he was about the screws in drywall. I assured him that my safety — and that of our unborn child — was never in jeopardy during the completion of this endeavor as I was 12-inches off the ground.
Three 31 