Updated Iowa Photo Ops

While in Iowa the kids came in from being outside and showed me some pictures they'd taken together.  I realized I had wanted to get some updated pictures of everyone so I asked them to head back outside.  Pat and Missy have a big backyard with tons of greenery and lots of shade!

There are actually six cousins, but two were MIA.  Steven is working almost full time and attending school as well.  We saw him maybe five minutes while we were there and I think that was just a fluke.

Aaron wasn't into the whole picture taking thing so he was inside at first.

The rest though were all for posing!

Amanda is going to be senior this coming year!  Man!  Are her parents getting old!

Amanda can be fairly quiet.  However, there are times where she says one sentence and it might be sarcastic or it might be a quick comment on the situation, but it makes me just laugh.  I guess because she is on the quieter side I still don't expect these little quips to come out of her mouth.

She loves to read; I think she should go into library studies.  When she asks me my opinion, I'll let her know that.  Until then, I'll keep it to myself.

There is also Samantha:

She loves to play softball.  She'll be a junior in high school coming up.  This is a fairly typical expression from her: a lot of smiling.

I believe Samantha is planning to pursue photography in college.  I will then be out of a job in this family.

There is also this yahoo...

She's alright.  I guess we'll keep her.

Together they form what we have offered referred to in the Murphy family as "The Giggle Girls".

Someone is always laughing.  Which starts someone else laughing, which leads to a third laughing.  Often times I don't even think they know what they are laughing about.

Aaron did finally decide to head outdoors.  He informed me he just hadn't really been "in the mood for pictures".  I can appreciate that - but I was definitely glad he came outside!

I didn't get a picture of each boy separately.  Sorry, Aaron!  Time was running out and I wasn't on my game.

Jake and Aaron are six months apart in age with Aaron being the older and wiser one.  I think they share a mutual love of Legos and anything stamped with "NERF".

We did round everyone up for a couple group shots.

I have to say - I normally don't like these shots.  I think it's hard to see the upside-down people.  I'm kicking myself for not using my camera's flip-screen feature to get a better angle.  Live and learn.

But the thing that stood out for me in the picture above was their eye color....can you tell they are all related?

Maybe we'll be able to clone in Steven someday.  It's a good-lookin' group of kids!