Pumpkin Patch

We went back to the same pumpkin patch this year - Anderson's Patchwork Pumpkins. Tammy and Craig met us and we picked up Poppy on the way. I love it there. Once again we didn't take the tractor ride to the field because we spent so much time picking out ones set out on the hay bails. Bradley was a little sad about that and I'm thinking next year we'll have to allow enough time to go to the field, not necessarily to get a pumpkin because I definitely like the selection they already have out every time I've been there, but mainly just for the ride :) I love how many different shapes, colors, and sizes they have! They also had a maze set up this year made out of hay bails which was really cool! I tried to go in with the kids in the very beginning but decided to go pick out pumpkins first. Then when we were busy with the pumpkins Kevin took Bradley in and they both thought it was really cool. There were even parts that were pitch black, then you go up and out. I tried to take Gracie later but she was NOT wanting to go into the dark tunnels, so we gave up and turned around :) We got a nice pile again like last year for a GREAT price!!! We got a total of 15 pumpkins and gourds for $25 :)

Our collection of pumpkins :)

Trying to take a family picture... I like how Bradley looks like he's completely ignoring us looking the other way :)

Sammie happy in Poppy's arms :)

Showing off the BABY BUMP! :)

Fun with hats

Last week Bradley came home from Preschool with a fireman's hat. Fireman Joe came and talked to them about fire, which was all very exciting, but not QUITE as exciting as the hats he gave everyone. The first thing Bradley told me was, "He said we were going to go to a fire house, like a house on fire, and I am just so silly because I got really scared, but he was just pretending, silly me" :) So he came home and put the hat on and kept asking me if I was in trouble because he was a fireman and he "retects people" - I ALWAYS need a good fireman to protect me (seeing that I almost started a fire in my kitchen a couple weeks ago boiling pacifiers to sanitize them and forgot about them... oops) so I was in luck!!! Gracie found the closest thing she could find - a construction hat (funny that we would have one of those) and joined in. They even got baskets of tools :) Sammie wasn't so sure about the hats but once she saw that Bradley and Gracie found it HILARIOUS, she gave in to the laughter :)

Painting the house

Several months ago our washing machine finally stopped working. I don't know how long those things usually last but we've had that one since we got married over 10 years ago - AND it was used when we got it. Anyway - we had to get another one, which came in a very BIG exciting BOX!!! We cut out a door and windows and made in into a house for the kids. I had been telling them for over a month that we could paint it and after many many requests I finally got the paints out. Before I let them touch anything I explained (mainly to Gracie) that you keep the brush in the color it came from so we wouldn't mix up the colors, and told them to be careful and try not to get the paint everywhere. Gracie picked up the yellow brush and within - no kidding - 5 seconds had yellow paint in her hair :) She didn't mind at all. By the end she had paint all over her. Bradley half way through got a DROP on his arm that he was very concerned about. He so funny to watch paint - it is a very serious time! He concentrates so hard and is definitely on a mission :) Gracie is a bit more relaxed. They did a great job and used up all the paint I had :)

 

Sweet Boy

Bradley went out to play in the back the other day by himself, Gracie was sleeping and Sammie was rolling around while I did the dishes. He came running in all the sudden, SO excited telling me that he planted a flower just for me and needed water to help it grow. So I gave him a cup of water and he went out and oh-so carefully watered his flower, then came back to get me so I could come see my new flower :)

He picked it himself, then carefully planted it in the sand and was so proud of himself :)

He is such a sweet, thoughtful boy. He is always doing sweet things to surprise me or his sisters. This is the best flower I've ever received :) Kevin will have to step it up :)

Sammie's 8 months!

Time just keeps ticking by, huh? Sammie is getting stronger and more mobile every day. She is SO close to crawling. I hope that she holds off for a little bit because I LOVE the rocking back and forth on the knees - it's one of my absolute favorite things :) She can definitely get where she wants to go, either by crawling, scooting backwards, or flopping herself forward. She is up on her knees all the time now and has stained-kneed outfits to prove it. She is eating 3 meals a day and eats a lot better than her brother and sister do :). She has seemed to go back to waking up about 2 times a night again, which I actually don't mind because this is always the age I get worried about my milk going away since she's eating more solids, so it makes me feel better to feed her more during the night. She is a very happy girl but definitely has her mood swings and has no problem letting you know how she feels or if she's bored :) She just started saying "ma-ma-ma", not meaning "mommy", just babbling, but it sure is cute :) She is such a sweetheart. Good thing she is so easy going. I was just thinking this morning, as I was waking her up from a nap to go get Bradley from preschool, about how she HAS to go with the flow - being the third child and all, but she really is such a trooper. I try the best I can to keep her on a sleeping and feeding schedule, but every day seems different - not because of her but because of EVERYTHING else :) Sweet, sweet baby!

New Playset

We are always so very grateful when Kevin gets wonderful clients - people who are kind, helpful, and appreciative of the great work he does. These latest clients went above and beyond. They have kids that are now grown past the age of toys and playsets and they were so generous to pass those on to our kids to play with and enjoy. They gave us this playset mid-summer and we finally had some time a couple weekends ago to go disassemble it and bring it home. Then the next weekend we put most of it together, the next weekend a little more, and I'm happy to say we only have the sides left to screw on :) It was quite an ordeal getting it together, even for my contractor husband :) The base is an octagon shape and we ended up getting all 7 sides together, fitting nicely then one side was about 2-3 inches from fitting together. I know the other sides must have been off 1/4-1/2 an inch and it just added up, but as much as we adjusted and pushed and pulled, we just could not get it together. Mind you, the set is a decade old and wood warps and curves after a while, but it drove us a little crazy. You'd think if one side was to long, then there should have been a side too short - oh well. It's not perfect now but it's good enough and it's sturdy and safe so that's all I care about :) It's SUCH a nice set! It has a climbing wall, monkey bars, swings, climbing rope, ladder, pole, and even a canopy for the top and a covered sand box at the bottom - I love it, but I don't think anyone loves it more than Bradley and Gracie. I'm a little sad we didn't get it up earlier in the summer so they could have enjoyed it in the warmer weather, but as long as the snow holds off for a little while, we still have plenty of good outside days left this year :)