11.08.2008

They just keep FALLing!!

It looks like winter may arrive in Erie in the next couple days, so I decided that we need to post some of our Fall pictures before they have to give way to the snowy ones that are sure to come. We have been warned by nearly every person we meet in Erie that the winters are horrible, so we are bracing for the worst.

Last Sunday we decided to rake up all the leaves into a big pile and take some pictures of the family. The baby was not at ALL helpful, but in a couple of the pictures; she at least looked at the camera.







































We quit going to a studio several years back to have our family portraits done. This has pros and cons. The major pro is the COST or lack thereof. The major con is that you have to use a timer on the camera. It is very hard and takes a long time to get 4 people and a dog to "like" the way they look in any given picture. We finally gave up after an hour and this is what we have to show for it. If any of the grandparents or family would like paper copies; let us know and we will print some out and send them along! Dad, I'm sure the garage wall of SHAME could use some updates!!





As I'm uploading the pictures it sure looks like a lot of fun playing in the leaves, but I think the amount of time we have spent bagging and raking leaves has left me "bitter and clinging to my guns" (PA joke). I think so far we have spent countless hours and bagged up 30+ bags of leaves. As you can see from the pictures, 2 of our large trees are bare and we only have 1 left to go. Yesterday Liv and I spent about an hour raking and bagging leaves and as soon as we had hauled the last bag away a strong wind came up and leaves were falling like snow from the sky. Liv starting screaming in anger, but soon decided to try to catch as many as the leaves as she could before they hit the ground. This is the yard that keeps on GIVING, as soon as the leaves are finished being bagged; it will probably be time to start shoveling snow from the driveway!




17 comments:

Ang said...

For the record, the Baby always helps! I, on the other hand, have not helped with the leaf situation at all. Nate and Liv have been working to the bone and are quite the team.

Jen said...

Luckily for me my trees really don't make that much of a mess in my yard. Unluckily for me Single Guy's does have a big leaf mess and they are making their way into my yard.

The family pictures look great. I will be printing one of those out for my living room.

Tiff and Trev said...

What a gorgeous family! I'm impressed that you got that good of pictures from just putting the timer on your camera. Very impressive! It certainly wouldn't work for us. Pictures are torture for a 1 yr old and a 2 yr old. I think your pictures are definitely print worthy!

Your yard is beautiful...even if it is a lot of work! I guess that's one of the negatives about having mature trees. I'd definitely love your trees! Even if it did mean leaves!

Ang said...

Single guy really is a jerk in more ways than we can count! And just remember living next door to single guy doesn't build character, it reveals it!

N and J said...

Are you kidding! We definately need updated photos! Nate I tried to figure out how to print a copy of your family photos on my printer. I have a photo printer with photo paper but I don't know how to do it. Can you give me instructions? Or go ahead and send us paper copies, they are great pictures. Liv remember when we raked all those leaves at our house and you layed in them and we took pictures? Leaves are a big pain, but I loves the colors of fall. Love, Us

Grandmajoann said...

Oh the joy of ownership! We raked and then mowed today to get the rest up. The remainder of them will stay on the ground all winter now. I would love a paper copy of the one of all of you by the tree. The one where the dog is looking straight ahead. I tried to get it to come up and then print if off, but I couldn't get it to. What a darling family you are. The girls look so grown up!

Denise said...

1. Alexis looks freaking gorgeous and just like her mom.

2. Liv looks 3 years older than when she left a few months ago.

3. Angela is still my hot sister, but you look different like I have not seen you in years or something.

4. Nate still looks like a rockstar and seems to really be holding the fort down.

5. The baby is tense in her turtleneck....some things never change!!!

I miss you all so much. xoxoxo

Ang said...

Denise, thank you for the complement, I am not feeling to hot with this extra 6 lbs I have been carrying around lately while I watch you get skinny! Nate and I said we were not going to take pictures until we lost the weight but realized that could be 10 years from now.

Hard copies will be made for all!!

Shelly said...

I LOVE the pictures please send me a hard copy as well, we would love one!!

I hate leaves, I figure if we ignore ours long enough they will blow into the neighbors yard or snow will cover then and I won't have to look at them.

Hows school Ang, we haven't had an update in awhile!!

We Miss you guys!!

~Cynthia~ said...

I think your pictures turned out great. I'm going to see if I can get a decent copy to print out.

We are experiencing fall and winter at the same time. I have tons of leaves on the ground and tons still on the trees, but I had 6 inches of snow fall on Thursday and now its just a big mess out there and since I'm in the midst of painting my bathroom, it will probably just stay a mess.

I really like it when all the leaves fall off and then a big wind comes and blows them down my hill BEFORE IT SNOWS!

Nate said...

If anyone has their own printer and wants to print any of the pictures out; let me know. When google uploads the pictures on to the blog they compress them, which means if you print them out from the picture on the blog; they will look very GRAINY.

If you tell me which picture you want; I will email you the original file which will make the pictures look a lot better. We have some school pictures of the girls, so I will try and mail out some of those pictures as well to the grandparents.

Denise said...

Email me the pics Nate!

Unknown said...

thanks denise

love ya

Julie said...

Your family pictures alwats look great! Your girls are beautiful, actually the whole family looks realy good, nice job.
We got lucky and all our trees loose their leaves early and they have all fallen, Katie and Bradley have played in them and Dan has gotten rid of them!

~Cynthia~ said...

You are right Nate, the picture I printed out did look a bit grainy. I would love to have the file emailed to me of the first picture, the one with Lexie on the left. My email is bzmom23@aol.com Thanks bunches!

Sheryl said...

ACK! I have been out of touch for only 4 days and I am 16 comments down.

The pictures are gorgeous and I will be looking at them again and emailing for files. I will definitly want printed pics, but can do them from here.

The trees look fantastically naked! Good job Liv, with the raking. A nice activity to help your dad with.

We will be waiting for pictures of the snow that will eventually get there, but you should be telling all your neighbors that winter has already come to Utah where you used to live, so it will probably be no big deal!

Marc T. said...

LOVE the family photos!

Y'all look very happy!