Growing up anytime we were sick my Dad would make us a "nest" and cover us with the "hunting bears blanket," his blanket that lived in his hunting truck and had that special dad smell.  There was something about it that always made us feel a little better.

Today Kimber is feeling a little puny so I made her a nest on the couch and covered her with her dad's blanket.  She snuggled right in and is dozing off as I type this.

These shoes arrived in the same package today.  Kimber didn't have to wait to open these ones though.  I felt like a bad mother yesterday when she wore her size 7 black ballet flats and her feet were obviously squished. 

 I always try to have my Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving, which means I have already been busy.  Last week when I saw these little shoes for Kimber on 6pm.com for $18 I just couldn't pass them up.  When it comes to shoes for my girls I always buy name brand because I like to get money's worth.  If they can't withstand the washer and some major wear and tear, I always pass them up.  Can't wait for Christmas!

I love having girls.

My friend brought over her Bumbo chair for Lucy to try out.  I can't say she's in love, but sometimes it frees my hands up for a few minutes when I need them the very most.

You gotta love the Sunday comics.

I'm learning that if you need a patient subject for accomplishing your photography assignments, use an adult.  She was willing to wait around me while I adjusted this and that and repositioned her over and over again.  Thank you Alyssa!

I love bathing my babies in the sink but today I let Lucy take her first bath in the tub.  Can you tell she enjoyed it?

 

You know the two things I don't like about this picture?  The angle and the fact that I sent her to school wearing her big coat.  It's cold today.

Are you ever surprised by the things your kids can remember?  Around here we play a lot of "the remember game" {as Kimber calls it}.  The stack on the right is Kimber's.  The stack on the left is mine.  I always play fair and square and I always lose to her good memory.

One of the things I love about Kimber is her willingness to try new foods.  She rarely turns her nose up at anything before giving it a fair shake.  Last night I couldn't dish out the brussel sprouts fast enough for her.

A little too cautious for a Barbie Jeep, wouldn't you say?

With four girls in the house emotions can often run high.  This little gal got offended at something yesterday and stomped off to have some time alone.  Jared swears he's moving out when they start hitting the teenage years.

Pictures, pictures, pictures

Since starting my photography class I have taken hundreds of practice shots.  I'll take of picture of anything, anytime, anywhere.  And since I have a huge stockpile of pictures, I decided to share a few with you.  It's sort of like a daily log of our life.  Not necessarily posted daily, but frequently.  I hope.

I started to upload to Flickr but the only way to share my photos would be to share everything publicly.  I'm just not comfortable with the entire world seeing my girls.  So instead I started {another} private blog dedicated to random, unedited, straight out of camera pictures. My least favorite solution, but the most practical one I could come up with.

If you would like to have access to it, just leave a comment.

 She's cute even when she cries.

Chores have never been so fun!

Piping hot whole wheat pancakes.  Give me a pile of these and glass of milk and I'm a happy girl.

I love this little laugh.

It's becoming a daily routine.  Stand at the wall and wait until Aunt Jeanie sees them. 

They wait ever so patiently.

I was sure these glasses were just a phase.  Four months later she has proven me wrong.

THREE peas in a pod.

There's nothing like a good belly laugh.

Making every moment outside count. The warmth is coming to an end.

My sister-in-law's dad teaches his kids that when you can reach your arm over your head and touch your ear you can go to Kindergarten. Looks like we've got a ways to go.

Chores

What started out as a boring job-

Turned out to be pretty fun after all!

When you're Lucy

Endurance is your middle name. 

Halloween Rundown

 Let me preface this post by telling you how painful it was for me to turn on my flash.  For the last 7 or so weeks I have been taking a photography class and have been shooting in manual since the start of it.  I haven't shot much at night and so in order to soot quickly I took a lot of pictures of my flash.  You probably don't care but I do.  The picture of my Mom is shot in manual and the rest with the flash.  What a difference.

This year we had a princess, cat and zebra.  The girls loved every minute of being dressed up and enjoyed the fun that comes with Halloween.

Friday night we attended the annual Richardson Family Halloween Party.  It was a blast!  The food was yummy, the costumes were creative and the laughs were endless.

Here are a few of the costumes.  I wish I would have been able to get pictures of everyone but I was too busy enjoying the evening.

Carrie and Annie made the cutest little fairies

  Coach Richardson

 Jordan and Nichole as each other.  Jordan had the chest and all.

 Cooper made the cutest little mummy.

 My Mom's Tooth Fairy Costume was great!

I wish I had snapped a picture of Taylor in his Whoopee Cushion costume.  It was great!

Travis once again came through on the pinata.  It endured endless beatings and stayed true to a real Grandma Richardson Pinata.

I love this picture of my crazy brothers.  They are insane.

Last night I took the girls trick or treating to their aunts and uncles.  Our first stop was Uncle Kenny and Aunt Jeanie. 

 The girls made out like bandits.  Aunt Jeanie even sent them home with cookies.  What a weekend!