The Pumpkin Patch!!

We ventured out to the pumpkin patch last weekend and had a blast!!  The weather was in full fall effect...and I totally underestimated how cold it had turned during naptime.  We just about froze to death out there.  But thankfully, the we still had so much fun.  Here are some pics from the day!!

Pony Rides!!  This is Mason's favorite part of the pumpkin patch.  Eva got to ride this year, too!

Feeding the goats and sheep.  Mason was really into this, too!

Kiddie Train Ride!  They let me ride along with them!

On the train.  The pumpkin patch is also a Christmas Tree Farm - and you can see the trees growing strong in the background.  I just love Eva's smile in this one.

Time to pick out our pumpkins!  Wagon ready.

Sweet, sweet Eva in her spider web pants!

Mike thought this tree looked scary and he wanted a scary pic with the kids.

Checking out a flower in the Christmas tree field.

Playing in the hay!!  The kids had a blast throwing hay everywhere!

We are going to carve our pumpkin up this weekend!!  Halloween is my favorite holiday.  I was so excited to get some cold weather (for those of you who don't know I LOVE the cold HATE the heat).  Needless to say I have been truly bummed that the cool weather didn't stick around.  Today it's back to being 90 degrees.  Sheesh.  Happy Fall!

Koala Food

Cute Story.  Several months ago Mason, Eva and I were shopping at Wal-mart and we came across this puzzle in the toy section.  Mason is REALLY into puzzles - and he is also REALLY into koalas.  I think most of you are familiar with his stuffed koala "baby."  Anyway, Mason saw this puzzle and just couldn't stop talking about it.  I told him to put it on his Christmas list and maybe he would get it for Christmas.  He said ok. 
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago.  Mike was home to keep the kids so I headed out to Wal-mart to do some kid-free grocery shopping.  I picked up this puzzle to hide away for Mason at Christmas.  Mason had also requested a special treat - oreo granola bars - so I picked those up too.  By the time I got home I had completely forgotten that I had purchased the koala puzzle.  Mason helped me carry in the groceries like he always does...and he saw his oreo granola bars in one of the bags.  He asked me to get him one.  I looked down in the bag and saw the box of bars, but apparently I have no eye-hand coordination because I picked up the koala puzzle and pulled that out instead.  As soon as I realized what I had done I tried to shove it back in the bag, hoping Mason hadn't seen it.  HE HAD.  But he didn't say what I thought he would.  He laughed and looked at me and said, "Mommy!  I asked for an oreo bar...that's koala food!!"  He laughed again and told me how silly I was by trying to give him koala food.  Two things are just SO CUTE to me about his reaction.  1.  He thinks you can buy koala food at the grocery store.  2.  His stuffed koala is so real to him that he thought I had actually purchased food for it at the grocery store.  I just LOVE IT!  I was worried he would ask for the koala food to feed his baby later, but thankfully he was so excited about the oreo granola bar that he forgot about the "koala food."  I have it hidden to give him for Christmas...so nobody better mention it to him!!  haha.  That kid just has the most amazing imagination. 

Just Pics!

She loves to climb in drawers!

Fireman Mason

Just plain cute

2 Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed

Juice Break!

Contemplating Walking

This kid loves to Vacuum!

First Day of Preschool!

One Year of Life

My Sweet, Sweet Eva!!
So, I'm way, way behind in getting this blog out.  But I feel like "better late than never" certainly applies in this instant.  Our little girl, your first year of life was such an amazing joy to us!!  We never dreamed how you would impact this family in such a positive way.  You are always cheerful, always smiling, always a bright ray of sunshine!  You have such a precious, bubbly personality and you are constantly lightening the mood around here.  Although you have had to endure a difficult family schedule with Daddy being on recruiting duty and not being around much, you just go with the flow.  I can't wait for the day when you experience life with a little more balance involved.
You love to eat!  Fruits (strawberries, blackberries and blueberries) are your favorites. You also love cheese - but NO milk!!  I still can't get you to drink milk...of any kind, but you do like yogurt.  I guess that will do!  You didn't take your first steps around 12 months like your big brother did.  And as I write this (you are 16 months) you STILL are not walking.  In fact, you get a little irritated with how much I try to motivate you to take a couple of steps.
You are a momma's girl for the most part.  You love to wrap your arms around my neck and just hold on for dear life.  Some of my favorite moments are when you do this and press your little cheek up to mine.  You will stay just like that as long as I will let you.  You have the softest skin and shiniest hair - and you always smell so sweet.
At your 12 month check up you were in the 20th percentile for height and weight.  A little petite flower!  At 12 months you and Mason were pretty good friends...that has changed as of late!  You two spend more time fighting with each other than playing.  Ah, sibling rivalry.  Your daddy assures me this is normal and will eventually get better.  You two do still love playing together.  And that is very fun to watch!  But most play sessions end up with someone in tears, haha.
My dear daughter, I thank God every day for blessing us with your presence.  We love you so much and couldn't be more proud of the wonderful little sweetheart you are!  Happy Birthday! 

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party

The kids' birthday party was a huge success!!  We decided to have a joint birthday for Mason and Eva since their birthdays are so close together.  I just didn't feel like I had the energy to do 2 parties!  We went with a Hungry Caterpillar Birthday theme - caterpillars for the boys and butterflies for the girls.  It was too cute!
Mason was SO excited and asked me for weeks if it was time for his party yet.  The big day finally came and he had a blast.  I made Mason a Hungry Caterpillar t-shirt, and Eva a Beautiful Butterfly t-shirt.  Of course I forgot to get a picture of them together in their coordinating shirts, but they still fit...so maybe I will snap one and pretend it was from the party.  haha.
We had LOTS of bubbles, a Hungry Caterpillar bean bag toss game (where the kids tossed bean bag fruit - made by yours truly - into the caterpillar's mouth), ring toss, giant frisbees and other fun things.  The bubbles were a big hit!  Kids just love bubbles!  I had an awesome caterpillar/butterfly themed cake planned for the party.  We have a friend who does AMAZING cakes.  However, the order was overlooked, and just as the guests were arriving I received the call that she had forgotten about the cake.  I did cry a little!!  But the party was still great...I just ran to sam's and picked up a sheet cake while everyone was eating.  No one even knew the difference.  Without further ado - the party! Enjoy the pictures!

 

Here is Eva's present - that we FORGOT to give her...just like we did with Mason at his first party!

 

Bean bag toss!

 Eva went nuts over this little Cinderella plush doll.  She grabbed it out of that bag and just bear-hugged it!

 Mason's awesome face when he saw that Mommy and Daddy FINALLY bought him a bike!  He's been asking for one since last Christmas!

3 Years Old

To Mason:
I Love you
I am your parent, you are my child
I am your quiet place, you are my wild

I am your calm face, you are my giggle
I am your wait, you are my wiggle

I am your dinner, you are my chocolate cake
I am your bedtime, you are my wide awake

I am your lullaby, you are my peek-a-boo
I am your good night kiss, you are my I love you

What a blessing it is to be your mom!  My big strong three year old...you are so special.  You are also very smart!  On your third birthday, you can: recognize every letter in the alphabet - and tell me what sound many of them make, count to 20, count to 10 in Spanish, know all your colors and shapes (including hexagon, pentagon, octagon and parallelogram),  recognize and spell your name and a few other words as well, get dressed all by yourself, cook a waffle in the toaster - with close supervision, of course!, work the DVD player and buckle yourself in your car seat.  You can also sing along in Italian to Josh Groban - (which totally surprised your Daddy the first time he heard you do that!)
Your favorite color is orange - and you are always trying to wear the same pair of orange socks...even if they are dirty!  Your favorite drinks are apple juice and milk, and you like to eat crackers, strawberries and blueberries.   You say some of the funniest things.  I wish I could write all of them down - just tonight I asked you if you wanted to sing a certain song.  You replied, "Well, to tell you the truth, mom, I just can't."  hahaha.You have refused to eat carrots because you say they make you sad, and you won't eat chicken pot pie because you think it sounds too "dangerous."  You make life so interesting, son!
You still struggle quite a bit with separation anxiety from mommy, but we are working on it!  You are very observant and do a great job of reenacting different experiences and events.  You have the most incredible memory!  You often tell me of things you remember us doing from over a year ago.  That blows my mind!  You love to sing and dance and play your guitars, piano and toy violin.  You also love "shooting hoops", kicking the soccer ball and playing baseball and football.  You still just tolerate your baby sister, but I think deep down inside you really do love her, because when she is sleeping or not around you are constantly asking about her.  Mason, you are truly one of a kind and I couldn't be happier that you are my son.  You are the greatest!!  Happy Third Birthday.