~Fall Photo Shoot~.

We had originally planned on having our pictures taken professionally last week, but once again the wet weather prevailed! Since the guy we were going to have our pictures taken didn't have any make-up dates, I thought I would set out with my tri~pod and capture a few myself. By looking at these pictures you wouldn't suspect that on November 8th, we experienced almost 80 degree weather. Needless to say, the boys cooperated 100% and I really think I captured some great ones...and ones I can possibly use for my 2009 Christmas card. Hard to believe next year we will be adding another one to our family...just another one to get use the camera being in their face! I think our fall leaves have finally come to an end and we are entering the dreaded Midwest winter. So on with the pics! I couldn't narrow it down so get your scrolling finger ready!

Fabulous Fall Day.

Before cabin fever sets in, I thought we really need to go take advantage of this gorgeous autumn weather before it disappears! This morning we loaded up and started to head out to the lake to go to the play area at Spalding Beach, only to be disappointed that is was closed for the season. So luckily we headed down the road to Ray Behrens campground and took advantage of the play area there. They absolutely loved running off some much needed energy and it gave me a break from chasing Quin from his daily routine of mess to mess in the house!

Quin loved just running and being outside! He would live outside if we let him!

Conner is not into taking picture for me these days, so this is good as it gets!

Not only is today going to be beautiful but the entire weekend! I have asked Heath to go ahead and start hanging the Christmas lights this weekend...but he kind of growled at the idea...we shall see if he changes his mind!

This is my absolute favorite shot! Just an update, we have been 5 days successfully without his "Wa-Wa," {pacifier}. He has asked for it only a couple of times, but we just tell him he is a big boy now!

Pointing to Conner who was hanging like a monkey!

Once again this is good as it get for a posed shot!

Proud of himself that he went down the slide all by himself!

Since our family pictures got rained out a couple of weeks ago, I am going to attempt to capture them Sunday while the weather is nice with my tri~pod. I'm hoping to get a good one for our Christmas card! Hopefully I can post the outtakes! Hope everyone enjoys this beautiful fall weather and Go TIGERS...BEAT BAYLOR!

Too Good To Be True???

Well if you ever have heard this expression than it is probably right!!! Anyway, I have heard from 2 of my fellow blogger friends that this actually works! What are you asking...Advertising with Google AdSense on my blog? I have given Google permission to place advertising websites on my blog with the incentive that for lots of "clicks" on them I will get paid! I know it really seems to good to be true. I am going to try it for a month to see if it really pans out. All I'm asking you my blog friends/stalkers is to click on the ads that will be placed under my posts. There is no set amount that I will receive, it is just by seeing how many clicks the advertisement is clicked on. Even if it is too good to be true...it has cost me NOTHING! See if it works...it will be a great way for my other friends to do the same on their blog! So please start clicking so I can update you if it is too good to be true!!!

Boys 1st Deer Hunting Experience.

First off thanks to my niece, Gina, for letting me steal her pictures off of her blog! She was very gracious enough to take some great pictures for me! Anyway, the boys have been begging Heath to take them deer hunting for the past year. Since Heath is not an avid hunter, we kindly asked our nephew, Jason, if he would be able to tackle the request! So of course he said yes and the boys were thrilled! Youth season started early on Saturday morning, but Heath and the boys got a head start on Friday night! Not by choice! Heath was on his way to take the older boys to his brother's house to have them spend the night, so they could get up early and start their first hunt. Well Mr. Buck decided to run out in front of Heath on the way and shattered the passenger door window and damaged both passenger doors, causing $2400 worth of damage! The glass actually shattered on Corby's face, and he even had a few minor cuts on him and some lovely deer hair as some evidence left behind. Luckily everyone was fine and we are thankful my parents have a third vehicle we can borrow!

I was told they were actually up early and set out before 6am! I can tell from Corby's slanted eyelids!

Jason and the 2 excited first time hunters!

It's shocking to me that they last 3 1/2 hours because I didn't know Preston could be quiet for that long!

I was also told they didn't go hungry and had an abundant supply of snacks! Their first hunt was not very successful but they are hoping to go back in January and hopefully they will have something to show then! Thanks Jason for being so gracious to put up with these 2 and interrupt your own hunting! {Although from the looks of Gina's blog, you had a great hunt!}.

TrIcK~or~TrEat

Happy Halloween 2009 from the Eckler's!!! Hope everyone had a great night with their ghosts & goblins trick-or-treating! Although it was a bit nippy, we were just very relieved there wasn't any rain in the forecast!!! The boys got a huge loot...some may start disappearing very soon! As you can tell I got the oldest 2 to cooperate one more year for a somewhat "theme" Halloween! The oldest 2 have informed me that this will probably be their last year, because as Preston put it, "Mom we are growing up" {sniff sniff}. We shall see what next year brings!

And this is a "somewhat" cooperative group shot! I'll take whatever I can get these days!

I thought we were going to be short one less trick-or-treater this year! When I started getting the boys dressed and ready in their costumes, Mr. Quin wanted absolute nothing to do with his. He kicked, screamed, and ran over and begged me to put his jeans on! Luckily he gave in and I got him to even put some paint on his face! Notice the smudge work as every time I put some on he put his hand in it! At that point I was just glad to have a costume on him! As you can tell, he ended up being quite the clown!

Once he figured out the process of running up to the door, ringing the doorbell, and then these people put candy in his basket he though it was a pretty cool concept!

Preston played the vampire part quite well!

Once again the ole' wagon came in handy and saved my arms and back! Heath had the best deal and would just follow me with the car, as I noticed him on his phone checking football scores!

We then made our rounds to my old stomping grounds and visited the grandparents! Here you can tell my grandma loves Halloween and gets right into with the boys! Kind of sad as this was the first year with out Granddad seeing the boys dressed up. That was always one of his favorites!

And last stop, Grandma & Grandy's house. Finally Quin was just happy to start into his bucket! We can say that the boys had a successful 2009 Halloween!

Total Cheeser.

That pretty much sums it up...a total cheeser indeed! If you look back at the pumpkin carving pictures, I captured the same face of Quin. This is his new idea of posing when the camera is shoved in his face. Also Mr. Independent requires no help what-so-ever, so he loves to eat his morning yogurt without absolutely no assistance! I guess it's healthy at least! He has developed quite the personality and has really become a "momma's" boy! He wants me to "hold you" {his wording for hold him}, sit on the counter while I cook, follow me in the laundry room, basically be wherever I am! His world is about to be in for a total shock because starting next Monday, his total security, "the infamous WA-WA~AKA Pacifer" will be leaving him. We have not broke the news to him as of yet, but he really is starting to look a bit ridiculous with it! I said at the age of 2 we were going to part with it, and then it was after summer, and then after this and that...so the doom day is soon upon us! Please pray for my sanity during the day that I survive! I will update on our progress!

{School Picture Day}.

Today was Holy Rosary's annual school picture day so I thought I would capture a quick snapshot myself this morning! I don't know what I would do if I had girls to get ready! I had to spend 10 minutes with Corby because he thought his cowlick was sticking up! Nothing a little gel couldn't take care of! I told him that was what he gets for cutting his hair at the age of 2! So needless to say we will see how they turn out. Preston was showing me his face he was going to portray in his, I was not a fan! Hopefully they will turn out good like the past years!

Ole' PuMpKiN CaRvIn'

I was trying to figure out when the heck we were going to be able to fit in our annual pumpkin carvin' extravaganza in the Eckler household with our busy week! We were suppose to have family pictures taken last night, but like a broken record in our area...it rained once again! So last night was the perfect night to put on a pot of chili and take part in our carvin' of our pumpkins.

Quin pretty much assisted with everyone's pumpkin so we didn't let him have his own! I know bad mom! He pretty much was in the center of it...literally sitting in the middle of the table driving the boys nuts!

Conner was all about carvin' up his own jack this year! He scooped out all the guts by himself and wanted to take part in the cutting, but we told him 4 year olds cannot have a knife!

Quin working on the pumpkin with Conner, although Conner would rather him not!

Grandy even came over for some chili and helped/assist the boys that we didn't make any trips to the ER! We only had one sighting of blood and that was Grandy's thumb! Corby asked him if he could use his blood on his vampire teeth on his jack...Grandy didn't find that too humorous!

As you can tell the tears started to flow! Conner was not happy when he couldn't cut his own face out!

But he cheered up pretty quickly and was proud of his very own jack-o-lantern!

Preston completed his entire masterpiece on his own!

Corby got creative and used the stem as his nose. I tried to look for the creative patterns in Wal-mart but they seem to have sold out pretty fast!

Our finished up carved Jack's!

My favorite time of year seems to be closing in on us! The boys are anxious to go trick-or-treating Saturday..not for sure how much longer Corby will want to do it. I should actually say Preston..he told me on the way to school this morning that this probably would be his last year to go trick-or-treating because he is growing up! I informed him I still went in Jr. High! We shall see how much longer I can keep them little!