Ohh what a night...

We had a great Halloween! The kids were so much fun, and so cute in their little costumes. We went back and forth about what to be right to the day of Halloween. I think they chose the right things. Everyone seemed to choose the right costume for their personality.

Ben was so funny this year. He didn't really care what he was, as long as it had a gun, a sword, a light-saber, anything boyish. Since I am sort of a caucious Mom and don't really let him play with that sort of stuff on a regular basis his eyes were opened to a whole new world when I said he could be anything he wanted to be. He saw all the weapons to choose from, and he could barely contain his excitement. He dragged a scythe complete with blood dripping scull, all through Target. He didn't know any different, to him it was the biggest sword he has ever seen! Hahaha... thats when I knew I was maybe being a little over protective. So we settled on a knight. Just the right size sword, and plus it came with a shield. He could't have been happier.
Gracie originally wanted to be a Ballerina. Jake and I were trying on all sorts of wigs in this costume store, and we were all laughing so hard about how silly we looked. Gracie said she wanted to wear a wig, but none of them really went with a Ballerina. So when we saw the red wig, we knew we had something. She wore it to bed that night. =)

We had to convince Nate to be Lightning Mcqueen. We already had the costume we bought last year but it was to big. He wanted to be baby Mario. Thank goodness they were "out" of those costumes... What kind of message would I be sending at trunk or treat if my 3 year old was Mario.... haha...(wonder what he does all day? ..hey...not ALL day...) =) Just kidding.... we would have let him be Mario, but it wasn't hard to convince him to be McQueen.

Jake and I went to a really fun costume party Friday night. Who would have ever guessed that I would get Jake in TIGHTS! Hahahaha! What a trooper! It was just like him to sport around the house in true Jake style.

Wow, What a hunka burnin love I married.... Need I say more.........

The Farmstead

We took the kidds to this great pumpkin patch and corn maze. We had so much fun picking pumpkins, going on hayrides, and meandering our way through the corn maze that was in the shape of a penny, complete with Abraham Lincoln in the middle as well as the words In God We Trust. It was pretty cool.

Swine Flu Shot??

K... not to get political or anything, but seriously I would LOVE to hear what all you cute moms are doing or thinking about swine flu shots for our kiddos, and ourselves. Having a child that is in the "high risk" category, because of how young, and a child at school I am really torn. Some of the swine flu shots have mercury base in them, but you can get ones that don't. Why aren't they all made without mercury? Is this a governmental strategy to get our money? I wish I new... let me know your thoughts. No judgements will be made I promise! =) I really don't know what I am going to do.

P.S. Just as a little side note, I do vaccinate my kiddos, and we have received the flu shot every year, without any problems. So thats why I am torn on the swine flu one... hmmm

September Happenings

We were privileged to have Jake's parents come visit us last weekend. We spent a few days here in town, and then went up to MCall and rented a cabin for three nights. It was so much fun and so beautiful, the time just went by way to fast. It was one of those vacations were we truly just relaxed. We read books by the fire, soaked in the hot tub under a milky way sky, and four-wheeled all the way up mountians. We were so sad to see them go, we can't wait for another reunion... hopefully soon! =)
Julia started solid foods, and like all the rest of my little chuba chubas, has had NO problems adjusting...
Gracie girl started soccer for the first time, she loves to run, so we thought soccer would be a good fit for her. However, She is about a foot taller than all the rest of the kids, and her coach keeps forgetting to bring her team shirt to the game...(they ran out on the first game, so Gracie opted to wait, and now who knows when she will get it) So I think sometimes she feels a little sheepish, we definitly need to work on aggressiveness....=) she has scored a few goals and as of last game played her best game yet... so only time will tell if she wants to stick with soccer.
Ben and Julia and I went to Texas to visit my grandparents whom I haven't seen for 6 years! Ben was in a little boys paradise. He road big green tractors, swam in the pool everyday, helped on the ranch, and even got to help my aunt Carol collect eggs from her chicken coop! He is still talking about his trip there, it made such an impression on him, I can't wait to take him back.
Ben and my cousin Curtis. Curt plays semi-pro baseball, and is working towards a career to pitch for the Florida Marlins! Curtis was so sweet to Ben, and treated him like a royal. Ben thought that he was pretty stinkin cool.
This is only one of many green tractors Ben road. My uncle Rick took him out on his big ones too, and him and Ben would sing Jason Aldeans "Big green Tractor," song together.

My little Gracie girl turned 6!! I can't believe it! (More pictures to come on that event... =)
Cute Gracie got her ears pierced. She wanted to do it so bad, so we decided to let her do it before she started school. She was super brave and didn't cry. To be honest though she had no idea what she was getting into. We didn't let her watch the little girl that went before her (who walked out bawling with only a hole in one ear ...and her mom yelling at her, cause she didn't finish what she started). Gracie didn't know exactly that they put an actual hole through you, so when it came time to do it, and the gun was to her ear, she was to embarrassed to ask, so she just did it. And needless to say she LOVES her ears pierced!

We became avid boaters this summer! Jake joined a club called Redline, and we are able to pay a monthly due, and in a nut shell use there recreational toys. Our favorite past time became boating and jet skiing. I don't think a week went by that we didn't go. Our kids LOVED it, they had so much fun learning to wake surf, and of course tube! Us adults took up wake boarding for the first time and had so fun bettering ourselves every time we went out.(Never mind Jake and Nate became semi-pro within one summer...haha we all still had a great time.) Wake surfing is also a blast, it is something to do that is low key and super chill after a hard day of wake boarding. Can't wait till next summer!!




Our Newest member of the family. Bella the Bunny! Gracie finally convinced her Dad that she needed a rabbit SO bad, and she would love her and care for her. She is the best pet I have to say, and Gracie does a wonderful job of caring for her. Gracie does all the work, and Jake helps her clean the cage. I didn't know this about rabbits, but they are a very clean animal. They can litteraly be trained just like a cat to poop in the same place every time. So they are really easy to house train, if you wanted it to run around your house. My kind of animal!

First Day of School

So I have been dreading this moment since the day Gracie was born. I knew that the day would come that I would be sending her off into the world, and she would no longer be under my 24/7 protective hand. In contrast Gracie, has been anticipating this day for SO long. She is more than ready for Kindergarten. It has been so much fun watching her grow up this summer, she has blossomed so much. Her teacher said Gracie was her tallest student, and would be one of her oldest as well. When we went in for registration everyone thought that Ben was the Kindergartner and Gracie was the first grader. (Ben loved that). All in all I did make it through the day, I actually did not cry, only because Jake wanted to take Gracie to school, and we agreed that would probably be in mine and Gracie's both interest. (I didn't want to embarrass her by any means.) I know if I dropped her off at school I would have not been okay. =) Then I am wondering if I missed out on a certain "Mom" right of passage? Ohh well I am sure it will be the same for the other 3 or 4 or 5.... (ahh.. the thoughts of having to do this again and again. I don't see it getting any easier). Anyways Gracie has had the "best" week of school so far. According to her, she has the best teacher in the world and she apparently is "the Bomb!" (its starting already) Gracie also aced her first homework assignment which was writing her name 4 times perfectly, and received her very first "Great job" sticker, and a prize from the prize box for knowing her birthday. She is loving Kindergarten and could not be happier. I am so excited for her this year, I know there are going to be many more posts about all the things she accomplishing.

Funny Julia

I needed to get some pictures of Jules on my blog, she is so much fun, and really growing up fast. Last night I just did some quick pics, nothing fancy. So you can see my progression as I am trying to get her to smile for me.

At first she was so happy and cooing and cawing.

Such a chubby chub!

Things are going well, so I bring out the back drop and the Bumbo chair. She starts to get these really serious looks, like she knows this is not going be over anytime soon if she continues to smile.

I think the last picture speaks for itself...

New Technique..

I received this awesome book on photo editing for my birthday from my mother-in law, and I have been having so much fun with it! I am going to be posting my pictures as I learn more and more. Today was black and whites.. this was a really fun technique to learn! Thanks Mom!