In 2008, after exploring a variety of careers, Jennifer Mannion took the plunge and opened her own photography studio. In our regular feature, "Moms Who Are
Making It,' we asked Mannion about her inspiration for the name of her business, Pixie Posie, and when she first became interested in photography.
She has been infatuated with photography since childhood. When Mannion was 9, her mother received a new camera as a gift. “It was beautiful. The camera spoke to me,” Mannion gushed. When her mother couldn’t figure out to load the film, Mannion took matters into her own hands. She read the manual, loaded the film and proceeded to snap away.
When her parents realized the photos they were looking at came from their young daughter, they didn’t scold her. Instead they encouraged her gift by buying her more film and photography books. Withe Pixie Posie, Mannion specializes in lifestyle photography shot in natural light. While she shoots all kinds of subjects − people and pets, pregnancy portraits, fashion and product shots − her main focus is on children.
“My personality seems to be most fitting with that level of energy,” Mannion explained.
To find out how Mannion's daughter inspired the Pixie Posie name and read our full story, click here.
It's the Not-So-Haunted House that is oh-so-fun, where storybook characters come alive! Kids are invited to dress in their most "boo-tiful" Halloween costumes and have a ghoulishly good time going on a spook-tacular scavenger hunt throughout The Magic House to find trick-or-treat locations and seeing their favorite storybook characters.
Get into the Halloween spirit with some spooky fun and celebrate with the animals at Grant's Farm. Enjoy Halloween tram rides featuring Halloween lights, spooky scenes, live actors, scare zones, a Halloween-themed show, monster mash party and more. Costumes are encouraged.
The Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Garden features more than 150 vendors offering handcrafted items, locally produced food, native plants, herbs, live music and local brews, plus a two-acre Kid's Corner with farm animals (like llamas, alpacas and sheep!), circus performers, face painting, crafts, and a pumpkin patch with decorating let by Perennial.
Families can enjoy the Fall Fest Kids Zone and all the fun of the farm at the Grant's Farm Fall Fest. There will be seasonal treats, animal feedings, a petting zoo, themed photo spots, and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales too!
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.