Pumpkin Patch

We went out to Maple Lanes today. We met some friends from church and we had a lot of fun. The only thing was it was HOT!!!! Last year when we went last year it was cold and windy. Today the kids were sweating by the end of the hay ride and playing.

"Found one but it is a little heavy."

E found more then a pumpkin.

Just my size.
Found one
"My punkin bra bra" Easton the proud owner of a pumpkin

The hayride was so cool. We got to see all these cows and a few new calves. So cute. M kept trying to say cow, she would wave at them and got so happy to see them. The tractor drove literally right up to them we probably could touch them.
"Look mama a butterfly."
Monkey corn maze
Found a monkey
On the way home this is what I found. The kids love to hold hands like this.

Too cute! What was funny was on the way out to the pumpkin patch E feel asleep and M kept trying to hold his hand and she was yelling, "Bra Bra"

Western Night

We went to a western family night Friday night. The kids played and saw some of their friends. We made smore's and had a grand ol time.

She had fun playing the games.

Strike a pose!
Finding candy in the haystack

The lil cowgirl and the mama
Daddy and cowboy Easton. Easton told Daddy to wear that hat for the picture.

Rob Bell - Nooma

SCroll down to the bottom of the blog to turn off the musiC.

Don't mind the Spanish sub titles. But this is the whole video. We love Rob Bell and his Nooma videos. They are so awesome and very thought provoking.

The US is going through rough times. I get that. We are experiencing it first hand here in our home specifically. But after watching this it makes me thankful for what we have instead of what we don't.

But one thing that frustrates me is this is America not some third world country. We are the richest country. Come on. It is sick how so many people are losing their homes, can't eat b/c they don't have money, gas prices are outrageous. I am not saying that we are all exempt from suffering but what so many of us are going through is unexplainable and scary.

Goofball

The kids were playing ele-fun and Jon found this when he walked by E's room. He is such a goofy boy. Nice hat. HUH!

PJ Day at school

All ready for school

Then sissie had to have her picture taken. She kept saying "cheese"

Easton's preschool has a pj party once a month. Last month he missed since we are on vacation. So he was happy to wear his favorite Pj's today. Guess what ones? Pirates! But after I picked him up I needed to run a couple errands but I forgot he was in his PJ's until we are standing in line at the post office and people start looking at him kinda funny. I say, "Oh, today was PJ day at his school and then I forgot that he was in PJ's until we started running errands." Everyone then kinda went oh, wish I was in my jammies.

Babies R Us

Has anyone been to BRUS lately? There is some great/cute stuff there now. I normally have not been a fan of their prints of blankets, bedding, car seats, etc. Since it has always been ooey gooey baby and I am just not that. Thus the reason my kids had their bedding, blankets made that were modern and stylish then, teddy bears, dancing sheep and pastel rainbows. HA! But anyway. There were the cutest blankets I saw today with very modern looking prints and fun stuff. Also the gadgets and new things they have for mom's and babies these days. I wonder how I survived 3 1/2 yrs ago when I had E w/o all these must haves. J/K! It made me feel old just thinking of when I was a baby and obviously did not have 3/4 of the toys, gadgets, etc. that my kids had. But I almost think some of the stuff is so overstimulating that simple toys are good too. I remember just liking a toy for the simple fact it did not make noise. I have seen a bouncer w/ a place to play your ipod. Is that silly? I sorta think so. Why does a baby need to listen to an ipod?

Learning to slow down..

God has been doing a lot in my heart in regard to my time, my marriage, my kids. I have a son who will be 4 yrs old in 3 months and a daughter who will be 1 1/2 next month. My kids are growing up too quick in my opinion and there are times that I am present, in the moment just relishing the time and loving every minute. Then there are times life just flies by and I wonder how we got here. Life these days is just busy. I like it at times but then there are times I want some downtime.

This last week I watched Oprah. I sometimes watch it if it is a good topic. Well, the 2 I watched this week were good. The first show I watched was about a mother who accidentally left her daughter in the car the entire day while she was at work. Her husband normally was the one who took the kids to daycare but that day he had an appt so she had to do it. It was first day back to work for her (she was a vice-principal) she said her mind was just full of all things to do and the daycare was not open yet so she stopped to get some donuts then she got back on the road she always drove and went to work. Her daughter had fallen asleep in the back. She had forgotten to take her b/c it was out of her routine. She even talked about her daughters throughout her day, but never remembered that she had left her baby in the car.

After 8 hours it was discovered that the child was in the car by a co-worker who walked by her car and saw the child. So sad!!!! Her little girl baked to death as it was a hot August day. I heard the 911 tape that is what made me ball. I will not even say what the eye witnesses said as the visual is deplorable. Something you will never forget hearing.

But after watching this episode I felt more sorry and empathetic to this poor lady then anything. I was not outraged or mad. I just hurt for her. I felt the grief and pain she carried and still carries to this day. I did not cast judgement as it could have been anyone. Literally I say that b/c as Moms we are stressed out. Our brains are just overloaded. We are overwhelmed.

My take from the interview was this women is a loving mother. She was just busy. She made a mistake and it was deadly.

I have had moments of forgetting to buckle my kids in their car seats, forgetting to turn the oven off and leaving the house, have had the urge to run to grab something while the kids play in the tub. These are all things I am not proud of. But it is all b/c we all live a busy life and we get so overloaded.


What I take away from watching this show was there is always a cost to our busyness. We may not all make such a deadly mistake but may come close if we don't slow down. We are a society that is frantic and frazzled. We always have to be doing something and when we are not we wonder what is wrong. I know for me it is hard for me to just sit and not do anything. I sometimes can't even watch TV or a movie (when I can) w/o reading something or typing away at the computer at times.

But my new outlook is to slow down, be present and not be in a rush. It will be hard transition b/c life is not slowing down but it is so worth it. My babies are worth it.

Silly shots!

Some silly shots over the last week

Makenlee is obsessed w/ shoes. I wonder where she gets it from. HMMM!! So she wears them around with nothing else but a diaper sometimes.

She is also learned how to undress. This is what I found the other day on the floor. Her shirt.

Then this came running out of her bedroom. A topless girl. Again w/ shoes. At least she kept her pants on. She has yet to take those off. Thank God!

This is what I found one night. It made Jon a proud Daddy.

My chunky monkey. He tries to stuff as many as he can in. So silly!

There all in Mom.

Lining up the farm animals.

My OCD

I like tidiness in my home. It is not always w/ 2 kids but I still like it. Toys, books, etc. in it's place or put away. So tonight as I am putting E to bed his room was little messy. So I said you need to clean up before bed and when you are done call for me. He says, "But I am tired and I want to go to sleep." First I thought this was funny. So a few minutes go by and he says he is ready for bed. I go to see and there were a few things he did not put away and I say you have to put that game away before bed. He does and then off to dreamland he goes. So I think. Well, 5 min later we hear him whimpering and I go up and ask what is up. He says, "But Mommy my room is still messy. I still need to clean it." I said well then finish cleaning up. Too funny! I have rubbed off on the kid.

2 years...

We have officially been Tennesseans for 2 years. 2 years ago we moved x-country. We packed up the moving truck and started this crazy adventure. I will say it is nothing like we thought it would be. The struggles we thought we would have were not even an issue and the things we thought would be easy, well that is not the case. But we still truck along and trust and hope in the Lord for our every need. We have learned a lot since we have been here and for that we are thankful. We take nothing for granted anymore and we have really found out what it means to be a family and have a marriage that takes a lot of team work. I am so thankful for Jon and his solid faith and trust. I am so proud of him and it is awesome to see God in him. He loves and serves us with so much love.

Do you ever?

Do you ever look through pictures of your kids and wonder where has the time gone, or say to yourself man they have grown so much? Well, I just had that moment. (I experience it a lot but sometimes it makes me emotional, like now) I realized my baby girl is growing into a little girl. She will always be my baby though. I look at how much she has changed over the last year. Man there are days I miss her as a snugly baby. Then I look at Easton's pictures or recently just dress him and think those pants are so short. You must be growing. My boy is growing into a young boy. So curious and so interested in the world around him. A giant sponge just taking it in and spouting out all he knows. I am so blessed by these 2 precious kids. I am so thankful that God gave them to us.

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

Hillarious Video

Music Mania video

To watch this scroll down to the bottom of the blog and pause the music. Then you can watch it and not have random music playing.

Music Mania

There is thing at the mall. Called Kidgits. It is events/activites that the kids can participate in. This one was music mania and the kids got free instruments. Just what I need more plastic. HA! But the kids had lots of fun as they love to sing and dance.

Bunch of random shots of the last few days

Makenlee loves to push this stroller around

I need to find one for her.

Crazy hat day at Awanas
My dishwasher helper. She helps unload.

I honestly do not know if this is wise. But when I need to contain both kids. I have been putting them together in M's crib. This was after her nap today. So her hair was hagger. I tell Easton if he jumps he is out. He has not. But everytime he gets in there w/ her. He starts singing the monkey in the bed song.

Do you want a little honesty?

Check out these drinks. They are super healthy and yummy too. Ever check out the ingredients of your kids drinks? Scary! My 2 love water and that is pretty much all they drink. But when I want something else this is what I will get.

Here is why I love them:

they are certified organic yumminess in the following flavors: Berry Berry Good Lemonade, Goodness Grapeness and Tropical Tango Punch
they have half the sugar of most kids drinks (and have NO high fructose corn syrup)
they come in pouches that are the perfect sizes for lunch boxes, and are made from recycled plastic they can be found at Whole Foods, Target, Sam's Club (Sam Club offers an exclusive 24 count variety pack!!), and Babies R Us here is one of the best things - Honest Teas doesn't just TALK about being an eco-friendly company, they are actually working hard to minimize their impact on the earth. Honest Teas and Honest Kids have partnered with TerraCycle to convert used drink pouches into school supplies .

They are also continually trying to work on their packaging in order to minimize waste. For example, that exclusive pack that you can get at Sam's Club has outer packaging that is reduced by 41 percent compared to other wholesale bundles, holds the pouches in ONE box (versus three separate ones for each flavor), eliminated plastic shrink wrap, and the box and plastic handles are made with post-consumer waste. Good stuff in the world of packaging!

Some of this info was on http://mamamanifesto.blogspot.com/ which is a cool blog.

Take a bow

These are going fast. Check them out!
http://takeabowcreations.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-give-away.html

songs

I added this play list. It kinda reminds me of a ipod. You can add songs, take songs out. Blah blah. I love to listen to music. But sometimes it will be on and I am not really listening to the words. But lately I have. These songs that I specifically choose are songs that have really spoke to me. That have given me encouragement. I hope you enjoy them. Listening to music has also made me stop and be still for a few moments and listen. I love how you can listen to a song and you think that is how I feel or how I think. They put a song to how I feel. How often in this busy world do we stop and be still. It never happens. I know for me my world is busy busy. But I am intentionally trying to stop and be still for moments in my day. Even if it is to just listen to either silence (which is rare in my home) or to a song.

The last 24

It has been a crazy day that started last night at 10pm. Jon and I went to bed and I was feeling itchy on my legs and feet. I kept scratching but it would not let up then it went to my back and arms. Finally after itching and itching I tore through the medicine kit hoping to find some anti-itch cream. Nothing. Well, I woke Jon up and said I gotta go to walmart (open 24 hrs) to get something. I went in my pj's I did not care who would be there was my thought. So headed to w-mart at around 11:30ish. Well, w-mart is a happening place at that hour. No joke. I parked closet to the pharmacy section to get in and out quick. Well, they lock that side. So I walked all the way down to the grocery end. Well, as I am walking I see this couple discover that the door is locked so I sorta have to walk w/ them since we walked up to the door at the same time. I swear they were on date and were going to buy some "protection" I just thought that was so weird. UGH! Well, not weird but I am obviously far removed from the dating scene so that is what I mean. Anyway back to my experience. I get to the aisle with all the anti-itch stuff. I am looking at labels, everything trying to find the best thing to buy. Well, heck why don't I try it out while I am standing there I was so miserable. My legs were raw and red from scratching. So I am spraying my legs, feet and arms. Applying creams. Nothing is taking the stupid itch away. But since I used it I had to buy it. So then I think well I am at w-mart I should pick something up that was already on my shopping list that htey have been out of the last few times I have been there. I am walking to the bak of the store and I run into a group of girls that are clothes shopping at midnight. Who shops for clothes at midnight. Then I run into a Dad and his kid who is probably like 2 yrs old and they are looking at Hot wheels. I wanted to scream get that kid to bed but I thought that might be rude. Well, since it is midnight there is only like 2 cashiers. So the lines were insane. I waited like 10 min. to check out. I was so surprised how many people shop at w-mart that late and how many kids were still out. Crazy!! So I got this topical benedryl stuff that did the trick to allow me to stop itch and sleep. Thank you Jesus!! But then b/c I obviously went to bed way later then I normally do Jon woke me up to say both kids are up and I really need to shower to get ready for work. I was so out of it in the AM and sleep deprived. But the saga is not over. I had this rashy weird thing completely all over me and the itchys were horrible I kept scratching and scratching literally feeling like I was tearing skin and to the point a part of my leg was bleeding. Then I was freaked in case it was something I could pass on to the kids. Of course M wanted mommy and she would not let me put her down so I am all worried she is going to get this all over her. I called the Dr.'s office and found out the time urgent care opened and the kids and I were right down there when it opened. I got in and out pretty quick maybe a random rash bumps you up. Who knows! The Dr.s said she thought I had hives. But she said who knows from what. She said it can be stress related. I was like well, I know nothing of stress so it can't be that. J/K! She gave me shot of steroids in the rear and some histimes and I was on my way. Hives are gone. I should take the 'roids in pill form too but I am a little leary. It is a steroid. So I will see if they come back. I am just thankful they are gone and my skin can recover from me almost tearing it off.

Funny things Easton says

So we are driving this morning and there was a bug flying up by the windshield so I waved it away.
E says,"What are you doing?"
Mommy says, "Getting rid of a bug."
E says, "You were saying hi to the bug?"
I laughed!

Funny shots today

Instead of making separate posts. I decided to put these all together and then explain each picture.

You get what you pay for

This was a pom pom I bought M at the dollar store today. It completely fell apart. She was playing with it for no more then 5 minutes. Bummer!! The expression says it all.

Tan Booties

I could not resist taking a pic of these 2 cute lil butts!! That is the new thing since going to the beach they take a bath like this laying on their tummies splashing away. Which tonight it was an interesting bath. E says, "Mommy, Makenlee does not have a peanut." I said, "What are you talking about?" First of all I knew what he was trying to say and I had never heard him call it that. He normally calls it for what it is. Then he points and starts to reach for my baby girls privates. I said, "NO, E. Makenlee has a vagina." He said, "Oh!!" We have had this convo before about our private parts and what they are called so he knows. Needless to say communal bath might have ended tonight. We will see if it happens again.

"Here comes tinker bell."

First of all you may not see this picture for very long. At least till Jon sees it and says, "Get that picture of my boy off the blog." Anyway I bought these for M at the Dollar store today for dress up. E found the bag tonight and I hear him say, "Here comes tinker bell." As he is dancing across the living room. He loves Peter Pan (b/c of the pirates of course) so I think that is where he saw tinker bell the fairy. Too funny!!!

The back end

Makenlee has turned into Linus.

Lately since she has been attached to her paci's she has also been attached to her silky's too. So she walks around with them or dragging them until I can get a hold of them. Luckily it is only at home or in the car.

Vaca is officially over...

Boo hoo!! We had a great time in Hilton Head and Savannah. It was beautiful weather and we had a great time as a family. Look fwd to the next time we can do it again. But now I am ready for Fall and the festivities that it brings. I can't wait to take the kids to the pumpkin patch and the harvesty fall things that we do every year. Easton can't wait either. He got a pirate Mr. potato head that you decorate the pumpkin with. We told him he had to wait to play with or use it until the pumpkins grew. So almost everyday he asks have they grown? We say, "Not yet, buddy. Soon."

29 years of life

M had her eye on the prize...

Today is my 29th b-day and it will be forever now. I can't go over to the dark side of 30 quite yet. Ha! Jon made my day very special which was glorious. He finally has realized the last couple years (we have been together 7 1/2 yrs) b-days are a BIG deal to me. So he did well. He of course got me a yummy ice cream cake from Brusters. It is our tradition to get each other an ice cream cake. But we realized we did not have candles other then the one from E's b-day that was a 3. And no three was going to be on that cake. So they sang and I pretended to blow out the candles. I know there are some around here but who knows where. Anyway, thanks to all who called to wish me a great b-day. It was fun and relaxing. Yesterday Jon told Easton it was going to be Mommy's b-day tomorrow and I asked, "How old will Mommy be?" E said, "Very old." We had a laugh.

8 teeth and molars

Our darling girl is getting 8 teeth in addition to her 4 molars. So 12 flippin teeth are breaking through or on the verge. WOW!! So how happy do you think she has been lately. Joyful!!! It is just during the day she is a bit cranky and pretty much keeps her paci in her mouth the whole day or she is a screamin mess. By the way anyone with girls. What do you do w/ the high pitch screams and screechyness. It certainly clears out the ears. Easton sometimes just walks around covering his ears b/c she is SOOOO loud. This is not teething related. She just gets really happy or mad and screams or screeches. It may be in the car, out and about, at a restaurant. Pretty much anywhere. And boy it is annoying and nerve racking. AAAHHHH!!!!!

Thursday Pics

The day started with my early b-day present from Jon. Time by myself on the beach...Priceless. The best gift that no money can buy. I love my kids trust me but there is nothing like having a break. I read, laid out and relaxed. Thanks Jon for taking the kids to the pool and giving me a break. It rained later so the kids had to come in. Bummer for them as they love to swim. So we played the wii. Which is still fun. We finished the day off playing bingo with some of the other people at the resort. Between Jon, E and I. We won 4 games. YEAH!

Relaxing...

My view for a few hours

This is what happens when you leave 2 children to play for a few minutes by themselves. Hilarious.
" I am a little cold."
Bathing beauties. They love taking baths in the Jacuzzi tub.

Wed. Pics trip to Savannah, GA

We headed to Savannah and had a lot of fun. We went to this place Oatland Island Wildlife Center first then went downtown. There is a lot of history there and it is really pretty. The buildings are old and cool.

On the way. Makenlee has been doing this lately where she completely covers herself up. She is a silly girl.

Gator

M looking at the cougar