FALL FUN!

(Oops, just a little late on writing about October fun times, better late than never)

October was packed full of fall fun. We took our annual trip to the Clanton Pumpkin patch, I think it's our 4th year now. I'm all about creating traditions for the kiddos in hopes that they will treasure the memories as much as I do. We missed the Morris family this time around, but we hope we'll catch them at the patch next year.

Houston LOVED the hay ride...hence his total fascination with all things tractor.

Pumpkin Carving Time...

The week of Halloween was a busy power outage week, with the hubs on call we didn't see Daddy boy all week, which meant, momma here had to carve the pumpkins. I had forgotten how time consuming it was to get all the guts out and work your magic on a cute face. Next on the agenda is roasting those pumpkin seeds, yummy.

We had a fall festival at Nana’s school, which has become an annual event for the kids and they always have a blast. Lots of kiddy games and prizes. Colby was a yellow wolverine and Houston was a race car driver— note Colby changed costumes at each event - he's so funny about dressing up - he loves to change it up and does not wear the masks that come with the costumes - I don't blame him really...they do get rather hot.

Saturday, OMES had their first Fall Fun Fest, fund raiser. The boys had a full day of fun, hayrides, petting zoo, bouncy things, ball tosses and BBQ. I worked the bottle people craft table, it was fun to see all the kiddos creations, my boys weren’t really into the crafty stuff so thank goodness daddy boy came along to keep them entertained at the outside festivities. By the time we got home the boys were worn out, but the day didn’t stop there... Next up, Saturday night we went to watch that orange and blue team over at Holley & Steve’s. Never a dull moment with that crew. Garrison has so many toys and older neighborhood buddies that the kiddos entertained themselves most of the night. We did go out for a little trick or treating and their neighborhood did not disappoint, it was packed full of kiddos running around and their bags got heavier and heavier each stop. We even hung out with a few sweethearts from Colby’s old school. Colby was batman, Houston remained a race car driver. The kids had a ball.

Halloween day we went to Mt Brook to hang out with the cowgirl (Sadie) and the Indian (Sydney) at a really cool community Halloween parade - think Marti Gras parade but with a Halloween theme - lots of beads, moon pies, candy being thrown from old timey fire trucks, hurst on wheels, the kids had a ball fetching the loot. Mt Brook knows had to celebrate - the fun didn't end there - next up was a block party, complete with a band and pizza. Very neat to see the neighbors coming together and all the cute kiddos running around in the costumes, not to mention charming homes as the backdrop, very cool. This round, Colby was a blue power range and Houston stuck with the race car driver. We trick or treated with the Sadie & Sydney for a bit but felt like we should head back and be social in our own neighborhood. After 3 trick or treating excursions we are in candy overload at the house. What a non stop fantastic Halloween!

Mirror Transformation

So many projects, so little time. I've always got a project going on, and most of them aren't finished. I can finally cross this one off the list of to-do's. I've been working on this one forever, it's not like the project took a lot of effort but I've been tinkering with this one since July and I have no clue why, it could have taken me one afternoon but instead I let it linger. I kept seeing all these cute chalkboards all over blogland, so I came upon this mirror with really cool lines, probably a little girly for my house full of boys, but I knew she had potential.

Here she is, she's tall, thin and has good lines, she's made of plastic I'm guessing in her previous life she hung above a dresser. I picked her up for $8.00 or so.

I painted her heirloom white and the paint bubbled and bugs got stuck in the wet paint and it was a hot mess so I left her in the dirt and then finally moved her to the back porch for awhile, well maybe even a few months, shame on me.

Finally, when the temperature was a tad bit more pleasant and after a few sips of my husbands Monster drink, I started on her again. I sprayed her with another coat of heirloom white spray paint and a trusty coat of clear poly for protection. I went to Lowe's and found a sheet of galvenized metal, it wasn't the exact size I needed so I cut down a few inches to fit inside the frame - and used my handy kitchen scissors to cut it. Side note: I would have had my handy hubby cut this for me with one of his manly tools, but I was determined to make him proud of me and ask for zero help. After cutting it to size and wearing out my poor kitchen scissors, I then spray painted the piece of metal with some chalkboard paint - got to love this stuff. Took out all the screws from the backside of the mirror, left the mirror intact and placed the galvenized piece on top. And ta da I have a chalkboard/magnet board for all the school paperwork, party invite, doctor appointment paperwork overload chaos. It fits just perfectly on a skinny wall in the kitchen. And that my friend is a project done without the hubby's help! After shot doesn't really do her justice.

Next project to check off the list, kitchen bench for the kiddos...coming soon.

T-Ball

Baseball melts my heart. It's just so darn cute, those boys in their little uniforms, I just can't get enough of it! There's something about being at the ball park that makes you really feel like an official mom of a boy and I'm lovin' it! It's fun meeting new families you start to feel part of the commuity. This is Colby's second sport to try. We've tried soccer for two season and I'll have to admit I liked it too, but t-ball provides more entertainment and of course is a bit comical to watch at this stage. We have a great coach, he's on fire and good with the boys, they have had much improvement in just a few weeks.

Colby had a great hit off of a hand pitched ball his first game. Here' his first hit, see the ball in the air? proud moment!

He seems to really enjoy it and that's what it's all about, gaining confidence while having fun. He did have a total melt down when it came time for a team picture. He's the one on the right looking the other way, oh well, maybe next time.

Houston enjoys bringing his scooter and hanging at the ball park too!

August Birthdays

(Oops I forgot to blog about mommy & daddy's milestones, so I'll back date this one to August) We're getting older....into our 30's for sure now.

32!

And of course I share this wonderful day in August with my dearest friend Emily, my leo gal with the same birthday, birthyear and birthroom number! A fun night and a great place with a great view... Handsome hubby turned 34 just 10 days later! We celebrated Danny's big day at one of his favorite spots PF Changs. We also had dual celbration with the family over a pot of Gumbo by Chef Big Danny a good time was had by all!

FiRsT dAy oF SCHOOL!

So long expensive day care that we love! (but will appreciate the mortgage payment that we will hopefully save)

Yep, the time has come to throw my firstborn to the wolves, I mean to start a new adventure. So long day care...hello real school. School buses and all. There are mixed emotions with this new adventure. Different routines, earlier rising, a new world out there...but here we come...scared, excited, hopeful.

Ready or not kindergarten, here we come!

POOL PARTY

Colby and Garrison had their joint 5th birthday party this past weekend. They are about 11 days apart and met when they were about 11 months old and have been best buddies ever since. They had about 30 classmates, friends and cousins join them at the pool to celebrate. Just after a few games in the pool and cake, thunder and sprinkles came, so the party ended a little earlier than planned, but a good time was had and memories were made.

The boys insisted on a Transformer cake, so a Transformer cake it was...

We did the invites on the cheap and I thought they turned out cute. This is the first party where I didn't get caught up in decorations and matchy theme, and I'm okay with that, it kept it less stressful and really less work. I'm so proud the Colby's swimming lessons have paid off, he LOVES going to the pool and we are so thankful to be able to tag along with his buddies family from time to time. He loves to fetch his super heros from the bottom of the pool and he's getting more confident about going in the deep end, whoo hoo!

FIVE

Well it's here, I still can’t believe it. It just can’t be. It happened too fast, my firstborn just can’t be FIVE. It hits me hard like a slap in the face of how time really does go by way to fast. It’s such a milestone, it’s the mark of a new adventure…real school – BIG school. He’s no longer a baby or a toddler – he’s moved on to a big kid – one with real deep thoughts and soon to learn about responsibility. A boy who will soon catch the bus and wave good bye to me from the bus window, a boy who will pick out what he wants to eat at the cafeteria and carry his tray like a big boy to his seat, no more sippy cups, no more naps, it’s the end and the beginning of such a new chapter of his life. I’m savoring every moment with this little fella. Even our morning car ride routine will be different, it’s going to be a whole new world out there.

Pre K Graduation

My Spunky fella...

Colby, you:

• Have the best memory, you don’t forget anything (and it’s a good thing b/c mommy lost her memory somewhere around the time you were born)
• Crack me up, you are so silly – and just this past week you and your buddies at school said that your new teacher was “hot”, I asked you what that meant and you said it’s that she’s cute, then rumor has it you asked her if she was married— LOL!
• Tell very good stories and tend to stretch the truth to make the story sound even better
• Love your little brother “hoots”, even though you hit him and take toys from him, he looks up to you
• Very caring
• Are a great helper
• Love to help cook
• Love to be outside
• Love to kill bugs
• Love to spike your hair in a mohawk
• Love to eat at Moe’s, Chick Fil A, Wings and of course McD’s for the happy meal toy
• Are extremely into shoes and sometimes clothes (this gives mommy a taste of what it’s like to have a girl)
• Love to play at your Nana & Pa Paw’s and especially like Nana to pick you up from school
• Love to walk in the woods with Nana
• Love to watch Special Agent OSO, Power Rangers, Transformers, Mickey Mouse
• Have a wonderful imagination
• Love to help me water the flowers and then water yourself and brother
• Love to go to Mimi and Kiki’s house and lake house
• Love to go to “that place with the green sign” (Dollar Tree) when you’ve been a good boy and gotten an Ollie Orange at school.
• Love to sleep in the bed w/ mommy & daddy
• Have had swimming lessons and are really get good at swimming and fetching stuff from the bottom of the pool
• Get very embarrassed if I ask you about girls in your class, you don’t want to tell me anything about them, you especially get embarrassed when I ask you about Audrey.
• Love to dance, I often wonder if you are going to be some type of performer, you like the attention after the shyness has worn off
• Did really well at soccer this spring, you scored lots of goals
• Graduated from pre-K in May, you were a little giggly and wiggly at the ceremony and at the very end when you were suppose to go sit down with your family, you decided to go back on stage by yourself and stand and giggle, I’m afraid you may just be the class clown.
• Sometimes you like to pose for the camera like you are a model, other times you hide
• Enjoy going to your Sunday school class, which makes us so happy!
• Enjoy going to Sam's to shop and must carry the receipt to the door lady/man for them to draw two :) faces for you and your brother -it's the little things that make your day
• Enjoy riding your bike and your Gator
• Love apples and it's a good thing b/c you eat way to much candy
• Are very handsome, those dark eye lashes and eyes are going to melt lots of hearts
• Skin tans golden brown with 50SPF, I'm thinking it's the Australian genes :)
• So smart, you know how to write all of your upper case letters, you know all of their sounds, you can almost read, you know how to spell Houston, you can add numbers really well, you color inside the lines so nice and neat.
• Ask if certain foods will make you fat, it's kind of funny cause you are super thin
• Really like going to the dentist
• Wow this list is getting really long and I could go on and on…you’re a shining star and mommy and daddy are so proud of all that you are and all of the qualities that make you so special!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LITTLE BUDDY!

Beach lovin'

There's just something about the sand between your toes, the moist air, the warm breeze. Does it get any better than the beach? Playing in the sand...

Checking out your hot husband...

attempting to take picture of your wiggly children...

gazing at the beautiful sunset...

hanging with family...

and taking a little afternoon nap...

There's nothing better than a quick trip to the beach, bronze your skin, feel a little more alive. Although I'll have to say with 2 kids in tow, the beach is a little more work than it use to be, but it's worth the work just to enjoy the scenery...

Lake Fun

Nothing says summer like an afternoon at the lake. My hubby started the summer off right our first trip to the lake by catching a good one off of the bank, I think it was a bass! 4 or 5 pounder. Don't worry, we threw him back :).

An Indiana Wedding

Just before Houston's second birthday, we took a little trip. Houston's first flight, Colby's second. We flew to my cousin's wedding, what a fun filled weekend it was...

Beautiful wedding, gorgeous bride, handsome groom and a reception to remember!

Little backyard fun at Noni & Pop's...

Pretty land...

The weekend was crammed full of good family time and late nights of having a little too much fun.

Colby thinks planes only fly to Indiana LOL, helium balloons too. It never fails when we have a balloon at the house, he wants to write a note on the balloon to Noni & Pop and send it on its way in sky, he really thinks it will float away and land at their house. Noni & Pop play along well, they wait a day and call and tell him they got his note, it's cute :).

Back to the fun wedding whew, my mom really let loose and cut a rug like I've never seen...she called it shimmying we were entertained, needless to say we made it back to the hotel safe after one heck of a good reception, never a dull moment with the Krininger's, did I mention the reception was a 7 hour par-tay? . Houston even took an 2 hour nap during the wild event. Too much fun!

Note: I can not figure out paragraph spacing and adding pictures in the correct order... learning process.

Sadie's Wonder Pet Party!

My niece Sadie had a fun Wonder Pets Party! It's so neat that her & Houston are just a day apart! (Sweet baby Sydney with her Mimi) Kelli outdid herself with these cute homemade capes for the kids, soooo cute! The boys had lots of fun!

Happy Birthday Sadie!

Two.

I can't believe my baby turned two on Monday! Wow, where did these two years go? Houston, you are:

• my little left handed boy
• a great listener, at the moment you mind so well
• blonde haired, blue eyed & fair skinned
• your little toes cross kind of funny (got to get those checked out at the Dr.)
• quick to apologize with "I sorry" and a hug
• share well with your big brother
• sweet as sugar
• strong willed
• you are putting sentences together and asking lots of questions
• your voice makes me melt
• wherever "Coco" is you want to be also
• whatever "Coco" says you repeat
• you still like a milk bottle to go to sleep (got to work on that one - shame on mommy)
• in many ways are so different than your brother
• light up the room with your smile
• love to ride on daddy's lawn mower
• love to ride on your tractor and you can steer it pretty well
• love your new weed eater from Mimi & Kiki
• love to go to Nana & Papaw's house to eat & play
• love to be outside
• you love tractors, trucks, books & puzzles
• you love to pretend to drive daddy& mommy's cars
• you love to play with the water hose
• you have an over dramatic "cheese" smile
• you have an impeccable memory
• you are a smart little fella
• you are a big boy, won't be long and you'll catching up with your big brother
• you say "no mommy" very well
• you say "s" for yes
• you make mommy & daddy so proud
• we don't know what we would do without you
• you bless us daily
• have filled our hearts with so much joy in just 2 years

Happy Birthday my sweet Houston, I am blessed to be your mommy! I hope God will guide us in raising you and your brother to be strong and kind and above all seeking His kingdom for eternity.