Leaves...

You can rake them...

You can blow them around...

You can jump into them like this...

Or this...

Or even this...

Anyway you look at it, they make you smile...

And smile some more...

It's all fun and games...

Until someone gets hurt, turns into a zombie and lives out the rest of his walking-dead existence in the huge pile of leaves!

Punkin' Patch Pics 2011

There is a small local Pumpkin Patch (and farm/farm stand) here in Vancouver called, "Joe's Place Farm" that we visited today. We've gone there before so some of these pictures might look similar to those of the past but the boys, as you can see, are just a little bit taller. I've been noticing lately that it's getting harder and harder for me to keep up with the boys. They are getting bigger, faster and more independent so by the time I have my camera pointed at them and focused they are off and running.

Annual picture with the big witch.

This may be hard for those of you that know Oliver to believe this but he was goofing off and playing with the wheelbarrow. I know, I know, not like him at all!

Noah is getting older and more irritated with my need to photograph him all the time.

So I sneak pictures when he isn't looking...come on boy, that pumpkin isn't that big!

Oliver directing pumpkin laden wheelbarrow traffic.

Noah practicing his brooding in the corner of the hay tent.

Pretty little sunflowers all over around the grounds of the farm.

Dad took off to go pay for and load up the pumpkins so we were just hanging out chatting and waiting for him to return so we could head into the maze.

Boys joined in on the pow-wow in the maze!

They found their way to the fort lookout!

This fascinated me for some reason, it's like the leaves framed themselves.

My Noah

My Oliver

Awww!

That's My Boy...

Noah has been given a "Black & White Photography Project" in his EXCEL class. The idea being that, "photography captures moments in time, and the photographer "frames" these moments. Photography is the creation of a visual language. It is the telling of a story without words." Needless to say, I was very excited about this project and excited that my boy gets to tell a story via photos. We went over my camera, a few of the settings, etc. and then I pretty much set him free. I would offer tips and maybe suggest a different approach every once in a while and when I was taking pictures I would talk to him about what I was doing and what I was trying to capture. It's been tough to just stand back and watch at times but I've really just kind of given up my camera for the time being. Well, Pop & H came into town this weekend for a quick visit and we took them down to a local wildlife refuge for a quick easy walk. We got about ten feet onto the trail and Noah took my camera, not sure what to do with my empty hands, I yelled to Joel that this is why we need to get me the next step up in cameras. Then I watched Noah find, frame and capture those "moments" as we walked. I have to say that when we got home and had a chance to look at the pictures I was proud. Maybe, just maybe, some of me is rubbing off on that kid. I sat here, viewing his work and kept thinking to myself, "That's my boy..."

Had a Great Fall...

Each year at Illahee Elementary, the kindergarten classes set out on a scientific journey of sorts. Their goal is to figure out how to throw an egg off the roof of the school and make it survive! They come up with an idea or a design, place their faith in their results and toss ol' Eggbert off the roof. I don't know if they name their little eggs but in my mind they do and at least one of them is named Eggbert or Megg or Egglebert Humptydink...what would you name your egg?

The parent volunteers that agreed to go up top to scramble the eggs.

There goes Oliver's!!

Kids all sat and watched each egg take the plunge.

After all of the eggs were dropped the kids were released to gather up their project. I was not involved in this project or I would have named it EGGspress - sheesh!

SO hard for me to not reach in there and help things along faster! Come on, Oliver, did your egg survive?!?

Nice work my boy, Humpty has no worries in your hands!