Pumpkin Carving 2012

Monday night was reserved for pumpkin carving at our house. We had a great time. I mean honestly what is better than digging out slime and sticky seeds all night long. It's a great tradition and we just had a blast. In fact I've been thinking about FHE and how we can make it more enjoyable. So I totally branched out and turned on some festive Halloween music (thanks to Pandora). Well once the night was over Alayna expressed how much fun this FHE was. Once again, I'm realizing to loosen up and Enjoy the Journey!

I love this picture because this was BEFORE Caleb learned what was required of carving pumpkins....

Jake enjoyed every minute of it.

Seriously, what a dramatic kid! He was MISERABLE. He kept saying, "I won't put my hand in there! I won't!!!"

 

And then he helped himself to his favorite utensil lately...Butter Knifes...Yes, this child has something for them. I can't tell you how many times in a day I have to say, "Caleb, take the (butter) knives out of your pants, pockets...go put them back in the drawer!" AHHH Seriously this kid is unbelievable. Anyways, once he was using those knives he was back to having an enjoyable time.

Happy Halloween Pumpkin Carver

The knives...or "My Swords!" As he calls them.

 

The slime...

More slime...

Jared doing some awesome faces for the kids.

Caleb is rocking out to some Family Halloween Pandora...

 

Finished products...Calebs pumpkin. He insisted his pumpkin had a smile on it...He said that way he won't have bad dreams anymore.

 

It was pretty fun taking some ghost looking pictures with the kids.

Caleb 2012 - funny thing is that Caleb kept whacking at his pumpkin with the butter knives on the outside. I kept telling him to stop because it would ruin his pumpkin...well, note to self it made for the greatest overall glowing pumpkin ever. It really was super cool. I mean look at the difference of his pumpkin and the other kids. It was awesome! (The above picture shows it the very best)

Jacob

Alayna
Happy Halloween...we are ready for some treats!

Dear Santa...

So this is on Jake's Christmas list this year....A "real" skateboard. Yeah, last year he asked for a skateboard and Santa decided that a miniature skateboard is what he really meant. I mean that way he couldn't actually get hurt or injured.

Well, this year our "older" neighbor who's 12 has been teaching Jake how to ride his "real" skateboard.

So NOW Jake thinks he must have it! I've been breaking it to him slightly that skateboards are only SEMI-DANGEROUS!!! (To say the least) and that he might have to be around 10 or 12 or 20 to actually own one. Not to mention Head to Toe gear to protect him while riding...Not really sure how this is going to go over in a few weeks...Surprisingly he does pretty well while riding on it, but still...I don't think it's going to be delivered this year.

Happy Birthday Ben!

It's official according to Jake he told me I know longer have a "baby!" My "baby" has turned one! We are on to the next most blissful 8 months of life...NOT! But who's complaining, because honestly this kid is the sweetest. We just love him so very much.

Pancakes for his birthday breakfast..

He learned to clap on his very first real birthday! I was totally excited and so was he!

His cute little face he always makes...

Then the screaming face he always makes...

Here he is showing off how happy it makes him when we clap with him and yell, "Yeah!!"

Clapping all the day long now...

Here's to birthday cake #2. Because tradition at our house is that the first birthday cake MUST represent something funny or quirky about the child. So with the obvious feature that just is noticed by one and all...his lovely mop of hair! So of coarse it HAD to go on the pumpkin cake.

Which he LOVED.

 

He's going in for the kill...

YUM!

 

So good...his second time around he totally figured out what to do with it...EAT IT ALL AT ONCE!

I'm one blessed Mommy to have such a darling sweet little boy. I couldn't be happier with my little one year old baby. I love every ounce of him.

He's done being sticky and no longer wanting to be eating cake or taking pictures! Lucky for him it was off to a bath and bed. We had a great day celebrating with our family. Happy birthday my little baby!!! Oh, before I forget to mention he has started walking. Funny enough he's been cruising around from appliance to couch to railing, to where ever. It's ADORABLE. He's my very first baby to learn to take multiple steps before his actual first birthday! Good job Benny!

Random Happenings

So, a regular occurrence at our house is having a LOUD thud hit our window. I used to think it was the boys tossing balls or toys up and accidentally hitting the window. Until I'd look around and realize the boys are with me. So we have learned that when that thud hits the window it's a bird or two. It's honestly SAD. Not once, not twice but multiple times each week we have birds hit our windows. We've had some land and die (sadly) on our table out on the patio. Or we've had some lay there for several minutes then get up and fly away. It always gives me the shiver...ahhh

Well, this morning Uncle Riley (The Wildlife Biologist) happened to be there when two birds hit the window. So out he went to the patio and he swooped up the bird lying there and brought it in to show the kids. My boys ended up becoming brave enough to pet the little birdie.

Then there is Krista's daughter brave enough to hold the little chipper bird until it took a little snip at her finger and off she let it fly!

 

Once silly morning my kids had found all their babies...

I  love their imagination and how well they play together. I hope as cheesy as it sounds that they will remember how good of friends they were as kids.

Four kids on Ben's first birthday.

My favorite chubby clean baby. I realized an entire year went by and I haven't taken a chubby bath picture. Sad!

I love him!

We had our first snow storm of the year! The boys were in HEAVEN! Let's just say Jake was THRILLED he got to play in the snow when Alayna had to run off to the school bus. Look how cute Caleb is waving to me! I love this happy child.

They played all morning long.

Bring on the winter...baking, sewing and playing inside doing puzzles, games, reading. Oh, I really do like how life slows down. Love it! (But don't get me wrong I do want blue skies and sunshine!)