The sibs.

Now that Christmas is passed any photo cards are out, I can share some photos!

One of the things I most love about being a photographer is getting to take pictures of the people I love most!  Of course I love when my family asks me to take their pictures!  We did a quick just-before-dark photoshoot after Thanksgiving dinner in Tennessee.  Matter of fact, Mr. Lahmeyer stayed behind to do the dishes and keep an eye on a napper while we popped out.  So we got out of dishes AND got to get our photoshoot done!  Win-win.  :) 

This is Matt's sister, Megan, and her husband, Matt.  They are the ones we visited in Germany.  Now they live in Tennessee.  We got to visit them for Thanksgiving this year. 

Matt was in a silly mood during the session, so we definitely have more candid photos than posed.  But that's my preference anyway.  :)

 

 

  

 

And this is the whole Fam--
Wayne the dog (such a sweetie!), Liam the puppy, and April-girl. 
And Megan and Matt, of course!

We have so much fun getting to be with Megan and Matt.  They are game for going/eating anywhere (and MattSutton will eat anything.  I am serious.  Anything.  The nastier the better).  They love trying a good, quirky restaurant or an obscure tourists' locale.  They are great hosts and have been so hospitable to us on our long visits.  And they are good cooks, too, which works out well for us!  They are the best kind of family to hang out with--the whole time we are with them it's so easy to be relaxed and just enjoy ourselves.  I do wish they lived a little closer, but after Germany, I can't complain about Tennessee.  At least we can drive there!  And we have really just gotten the chance to get to know MattSutton well in this past year and a half, and I do say that we will keep him in the family!  We all have grown to love that guy!  Even Quinn, who tried hard not to like Uncle Matt (she's crazy like that ) ended up cuddled up with him on the couch before we were halfway into our visit.  ;)

Visiting Grandbob and Grandsue

Saturday we spent the afternoon/evening at Grandbob and Grandsue's house with Daniel, Crystan and Evan.  We got to meet baby Evan, but I forgot to take any pictures of that.  He is the kids' newest human cousin!

My kids were super-excited for outside time at the country house. 
The tire swing is a big hit:

There was some pretty nature to collect.  Grandbob was picking up sticks to put in the fire.  One had lichens all over it.  Quinn rushed over to take it away from him.  "No, Grandbob, don't burn that.  Show it to Daicia, she's going to LOVE it!"  That's my girl!

A good time climbing the big, big ladder up to the top of the shop.  Many times.

Picking persimmons.

 

 

 

 

And a fire!

 

Daddy built a ramp out of a log and a board.  That occupied the Littles for about 30 minutes.

 

 

But best of all was that "Grandbob shared his microphone with ME!" if you ask Beck.  He has been talking about Grandbob's microphone for weeks now, so he was pumped to sing into it.  That boy LOVES microphones and can sing "Bless the Lord Oh My Soul" at full tilt into them!  He kept going back to the microphone all night to give it another round. 

There was some pretty awesome food, too, but I didn't get a picture of that because I was too busy eating.  ;)

Outside.

Quinn, pointing out Hook on the dead tree where he hangs out.  And yes, the best view is OF COURSE achieved by climbing the fence.

Quinn loves pine beetles.  She had one in the house for a few days.  She cried when it was "almost dead."  Later that night I found another very alive one in the house and gave it to her.  She had a 5 minute melt down when it bit her, complete with tears, shrieking and throwing herself on the ground.  Until she realized she was mistaken and it HADN'T bitten her.  Then she was perfectly fine.  THAT is life with Quinn.

We still have monarch caterpillars.  And butterflies.

And gulf fritilaries on our passionvine.

And one day a couple weeks ago we were invaded by ladybugs!  Hundreds of them in our backyard!  It was awesome.

Still some lingering lizards around to catch.

 

And this guy has learned to pedal finally.

That is the news in the Lahmeyer backyard!

Festivity

Remember, I do these mostly for me....next year I know I will like looking back and seeing how I decorated.  :)

Here's the top of the entertainment center.  Traded out pumpkins for some natural-ey balls and some red berries. 

And my mantle.  I just love how it turned out this year!  Makes me happy every time I look at it.
We took a late night (well, 8pm, but late night for the Littles) run to grab some pallets from a trash heap.  Matt destructed them with an audience--turns out pallet breakdown is very interesting for little people to watch.  Then he glued me up a canvas.  This one was much greener pine than the hardwood one I'd had before, so it was fun for it to look different up there!  I painted it one night when Matt was "camping" with the guys.  The tree on the hearth is one we made earlier in the season out of dried sunflower stalks.  It looks so pretty in the dark.  I'll have to get a photo of that. 

 

Cranberries in my lantern.  Wooden heart from Germany.

Found this vase for a steal at Target a few years ago.  Still love it.  Filled with fresh pine.  Dried flowers from Tennessee on the mantle next to vase. 

Found this bark on a nature walk.  I use it every year in my decorating.  Vintage glass ornaments inside.  My parents bought me these crazy-cool mercury glass candleholders, and they are another decorating item I pretty much use all the time. 

Mom gave me this mosaic bowl that I filled with pine. 

Jerre bought me this lantern (below) when we moved into our house and started decorating my built-ins.  I still love it and use it every season in different ways, too.  Pinecones for winter, of course!

I wanted my mantle to be "wintery" and not "Christmas" so I could leave it up a long while. 

Orange garland I made for the tree.  Want to do more next year....Love how they look on the tree.
And Beck's beloved acorn ornament. 

And yes, my living room looked like this for far too long.  Until I finially forced myself to get it together and put all the boxes and unused items away a couple days before Christmas.  If I must confess.....

 

A Beck kind-a day!

Earlier in December Beck and I enjoyed a day together while Quinn was at school.  We did some of his favorite things.  We got gas and I let him help (which earns me some really strange looks from other people always).

And then to a little park we recently discovered near Quinn's school.  We've always had it to ourselves and Beck loves the big slide and the ride-upon rocket!