Pumpkin Pickin' and Halloween Fun

We've had a great time this year with all of the fall activities you experience with a four year old. What a great age this is (unless it's bedtime)!! We SO enjoy doing things as a family, so picking pumpkins and trick-or-treating are right up our alley. Ella has really embraced the fall spirit and has been way more into the festivities this year. It's been a little difficult getting her to understand that the pumpkin we carved can't just stay out until next year, though. Her little mind can't grasp 365 days. She really just lives for the here and now. I'm sure that there's a lesson for her daddy and mama there somewhere :-) Here are a few pics of her at a local pumpkin patch...oh, what fun we had!
For Halloween, Ella dressed up as Snow White. Now, I know I'm probably biased, but I've got to tell you that I'm pretty sure you haven't seen a cuter Snow White than my sweet girl (unless, of course, it was your own child). Let me tell you, she played the role perfectly. Her little neighbor friend told her that she looked just like Snow White. Well, just take a look for yourself:
Seriously, have you ever seen such? Daddy is going to have a big problem when she turns 16 (or 35 if he has his way). She'll have a brother to take care of her, too. She says that Eli is in her heart, by the way; I can't tell you how sweet that is to hear. Both of my children have grown in my heart, and I wouldn't trade that for all of the money in the world, or for anything else for that matter. I read on another blog recently that there's no greater gift from God than giving birth. I'd have to say that there's no greater gift than children...period...regardless of how they get here. Sorry to get off task there, but I'm just so blessed, and I have to shout that out every now and then. Anyway, if you beg to differ about Ella being the cutest Snow White you've ever seen, you can take that up with Papa Bear (aka Brian Mast).