Pumpkin Patch Anniv

We decided we'd spend the first half of our anniversary this year at the pumpkin patch with our 2 favorite little people.  We knew we wanted to go on a weekend this time because some of the things are only offered on weekends - so we figured this would be our best bet since we knew Josh was going to be home that day.  Our first stop was Appleberry.  The smell from their bakery just hits you the second you get out of the car.  My nose just dances...it's amazing!

We got some feed so the boys could feed the animals.  Josh did most of the feeding.  Milo got to a horse a little too fast and got his finger chomped down on.  He fussed a second and his finger got a little swollen but all was okay.  Whew!  The bunnies were our favorite thing to feed.  They were HUGE and friendly and loved to eat!  Very social big guys.

After checking out the animals we went to the bakery and got us a goody. We sat out on their patio and enjoyed it.

Our boys...I tell ya what - they are one of a kind!  Haha.  They both wanted to sit in the horse and neither would budge...so, we just stuck them both in the same barrel.  Whatever works!  Josh kept calling me ridiculous because he took them on quite a little ride and a couple times when I couldn't see them I about had a panic attack.  Didn't like that!  They returned with smiles on their faces though.  Yay!

I didn't get a picture of it - but they had an underground tunnel that (to my surprise) the boys LOVED!  Playing in that is where we spent most of our time there.  They also had nice fire pits with seats all around burning in certain areas which we thought was cool too.

Before we left we took a little wagon ride out to see the apple trees and pumpkin patch.  Normally we take a wagon ride and pick a pumpkin at Harvestville but we decided to just take a ride here this year and not pick our own pumpkins (that shit gets expensive!).  As usual, we had his and her kiddos on the wagon ride.  Chase loves me and Milo loves Dad...but on the typical - Chase is Daddy's boy and Milo is Mommy's boy.  : )

When we got to Harvestville there were probably 150 cars there.  This place has gotten super commercial!  We personally like the more small town homey feel to a pumpkin patch - so we were glad we stopped at Appleberry first...because that is exactly the feel that place has!

We couldn't miss out on the corn pit though, so we had to come to Harvestville too.

: )  I even like to get in and walk around in it.  It feels awesome.  I don't think Milo really remembered it from years past - but Chase certainly did.  This year they were both great ages for it.

This was the first year the big bubble has been open while we were there.  It was pretty cool.  Kind of like a trampoline but different.  So, we played a while and enjoyed the beautiful sunny cool weather.  They put in a new little restaurant and so we had thought about eating lunch there - but decided not to because there were a gazillion people there.  Instead we grabbed happy meals on the way home...which, what kid doesn't love a happy meal? They were much more excited about that anyways!  Picture perfect first half of our day!  The boys went to Grandma's to spend the afternoon and have a sleepover when we got back to town.  They were excited to go there, as always.

I keep telling Josh life would be easier with a selfie stick..but he refuses!  Haha.

We went up to Burlington just to fart around and hang out together one on one.  We got ice cream and looked at furniture that we can't afford.  Haha.  Doesn't hurt to dream once in a while!

I kept saying "happy anniv" to Josh and he kept making fun of how cool I thought I was.  Haha.  In our relationship I am super cheesy and Josh is super not cheesy and I typically get picked on for it (with love).  ; )  We like the way WE are!

We ended our date at La Tavola, of course!  Our once a year anniversary dinner.  We love it so much and we keep it special by only going there once a year.  A full uninterupted nights sleep to top everything off.  Ahh!  Great day and night!  No guilty Mommy gut because of leaving the boys overnight either since we spent half the day with them too...which means I enjoyed myself that much more.  : )  Happy 6 years to us!

Mom Guilt

I still think he is just as beautiful now as he was when I watched him sleep 5 years ago.  I love him so much!  I can't believe how fast parenthood goes.  I feel guilty tonight because I was firm with him today.  I know in my heart it is what is best for him sometimes but I just worry about how he takes it all.  I don't want him to think for a second that I don't care about his feelings.  I/we as parents are doing our best though..and that will have to be good enough.  : )

Yours Lips Like Strawberries

I had just put on chap stick before taking Milo to bed.  I was tucking him in.  Comforter on him, his blankey on top of that and then his monkey playing music snuggled in beside him.  (he makes sure I do it the same way every night)  I gave him hugs (he always squeezes back so sweet) and kissed his sweet pucker.  Right after our smooch he looked at me and said "yours lips like strawberries".  : )  What a sweetie!

Preschool Pups

The preschoolers all came out of the classroom wearing puppy dog ear headbands.  While we were waiting for them to come out of the classroom for pick up we heard them all howling.  So, they must have been learning all about dogs that day.  Sounded and looked like they had an fun day!

We have cheetos bone shaped chips right now in our cabinet.  Chase put a tail on himself, put on his puppy dog ears and stuck a bone shaped chip in his mouth.  So, meet my dog Chase.  ; )  Haha - love the imagination!

Trampoline

Josh's Dad kept asking Josh what the boys wanted for their birthdays.  I gave Josh the idea of a trampoline and George was all for it.  He gave Josh money for us to go pick one up for them.  We went that day and set it up the next morning.  Ridiculous or not, we let Chase stay home from school so he could be in on the set up and the first time jumping on it.

Big helpers!  It said on the box that it could be assembled with 2 people in 45 minutes.  Well, that was the trampoline part...but the net took a good hour more.  It took forever and it was windy and chilly outside - so not entirely enjoyable.  But...

ohhh, the SMILES and GIGGLES (from all of us) were soooo worth it!!  The boys call it a bouncy house.  (and still do weeks later)  Too cute!

We all got on and jumped for a while.  That is a serious work out!  We all have been loving having it already.  It is great when the boys start getting too roudy in the house lately I just send them outside to jump.  I watched Harley one afternoon and Owen came with Tyson to pick him up.  Owen was even excited we had a trampoline and got in with the boys to jump.  He had on Superman socks that day.  Chase saw them and asked him if they were Superman.  Owen said Yes.  Chase said "heck ya, man!" and tackled him.  Haha!  I observed this through the kitchen window.  I love seeing what he does/says when I'm not looking.  I thought that one was pretty adorable!  : )

I have lots of good memories from having a trampoline growing up - so I am thrilled for the boys to have them too.  One of my memories is laying on it at night and looking at the starts.  We did that with them a couple of nights ago.  We all grabbed flashlights and went out there and laid down.  We all picked out our favorite star and Josh and I found shapes in the stars.  Milo was the first to get bored and said "lets get outta this place".  Haha!

Years of fun to come!  And for anyone wondering - no, I did not purposely get one with a green pad on it...it just so happened to be the color that Walmart had and it just so happens to match our swing set.  I won't complain! ; )

Hotel Transylvania 2

As soon as I saw they were making a Hotel Transylvania 2 I knew I wanted to take the boys to it when it came out.  The boys (especially Chase) have always loved the first one.  It is known as "faux uh" at our house because that is what Chase called it when he was smaller.  We squeezed going to see it in while Daddy was home between trips.  This was our first attempt at taking Milo to a real movie with us.

Burlington theater's show times worked better for us - so we went there.  What kid doesn't get excited about their own little box of popcorn, soda and candy?!

His first movie - what a big boy!  We had the theater pretty much to ourselves...only one other person in there.  Which was PERFECT since we didn't know how Milo would do.  AND I could take a few pictures without feeling like I was annoying everyone in there.  ; )

At school pick up I was talking to other Moms about taking the boys to the movie.  We got to talking about how the seats always fold up on Chase because he doesn't weigh enough.  Well, turns out they make booster seats with built in cup holders and everything for the little ones!  I never knew!  So glad I learned that tidbit though because it made the boys and us parents - who didn't have to hold a seat down the whole time - more comfortable.  Chase did great at the movie as always.

Milo was a big boy too!  Yay!  He was very much into his food.  He ate every little bit of everything he had.  Right down to the ice cubes in his drink.  Haha.  He ran out of stuff about 10 minutes before the movie was over and got a tiny bit antsy at that point - but still finished the movie without a peep.  Now that I know how well it went I wouldn't be scared to take them both by myself sometime.

On the way home for a moment my stomach got in knots over the money we spent - but then I told myself to shut up because the memories made are far more valuable anyway.  We had fun and will totally be doing it again!  The boys talked about it for days - telling pretty much every person they were around.  Milo kept calling it the "popcorn house" and saying it was "really fun".  : )  Happy babes makes a happy Momma.

3+1=5

Chase looks over at the couch with Josh, Milo and I on it and says "hey there is 3 of you on there!"  Then he runs over and gets on it with us and says with excitement "now there are 5!"  Haha.  Good clean giggles : )

Fitbit ROCKS!

Josh's fitbit broke.  It got a bubble in it and then started coming apart.  Then it wouldn't even turn on.  So, I called fitbit right away since it was less than 6 months old.  Without question they got him a new one coming.  Didn't have to send the old one in - nothing.  Just super nice people that didn't argue about a thing.  Sold!  Even though his fitbit broke - we got a shiny brand new one in the mail and they have awesome customer service - so I say fitbit rocks!

Bikers

Milo has gotten pretty good at riding his bike now.  I have been taking them on little bike rides up and down our road.  They know they can only do it if I'm with them and have actually been following that rule really well.  : )  This day we went up and down the road probably 6 times.  I would have them stop next to each other and say ready, set, go - and they would race.  Big smiles and sweet giggles!  Love it!  Milo is already outgrowing the little bike so I think he is going to be asking Santa for one this year.  Not going to be able to do hand me down bikes with these 2 I don't think since they are now pretty much the same size.  I don't mind though - I want Milo to have things of his own too.  : )

Cullen's Birthday

Colista put together a last minute birthday party for Cullen at the park.  This was the evening of the day that Chase found the caterpillar at home.  He was super cute carrying around his little jar.  As soon as someone new would show up he had to run up and show it to them.  : )  Even to Jeremy when he got there!  Loved watching him!

The kids played on the playground.

We had pizza and rice krispie treats.

Cullen is 7.  He was the first birth I ever experienced.  Doesn't seem like it has been that long ago.

He opened up some presents, of course!  Isn't he cute?

Chase was drawing with chalk with Eden too until Cullen opened presents.

..and then he was all about playing with Cullen with his new toys!  A couple days later Chase was just randomly talking to me and asked me if he could go to Colista's sometime when he cousins aren't there.  I asked him why and he said so he could play with Cullens new toys.  Haha.

Happy birthday to you, Cullen Michael!

Appreciating My Life

I tried all summer to get Chase to wear this outfit - and he finally did it for me for a church day at school!  I asked if I could take his picture since he looked so cute - and he said yes and he would take mine since I was cute too.  : )

Haha - I'd say he is FAR more cute than me!

Simple things like being able to sit outside on a beautiful day and watch my boys have a snack makes me appreciate my job so much! My biggest supporter makes it all possible.  I am lucky to have that husband of mine!

We were sitting out front at the end of the day (we were outside pretty much all day and I actually chose not to care about the chores I didn't get done) waiting for Daddy to pull in the drive - and out of no where there was a caterpillar on the sidewalk.

Free entertainment courtesy of mother nature!  Happy simple day!