A Beautiful Fall

It has been a beautiful Fall here in Lawrence.  I can't remember a fall that has stayed so nice and yet it is halfway through November already. I guess I should clarify what is "nice."  Next week's Thanksgiving weather has us in the low to mid 60's.  We can still go the park with the boys!

I have had a lot of fun lately with Patrick and Payden and the leaves.  They love to run through them and hear them crunch, and run and jump in piles!

Here are a few videos and pictures of them playing and enjoying the leaves.

Patrick found a hole in the golf course and it was filled with leaves. He was having the time of his life jumping and landing in the leaves. It was kind of like a trampoline! 

This next one is also on the Golf Course, we found a massive pile and both boys were have the time of their lives running through it. 

Today, after playing at the park across the street, I started sweeping up the leaves in front of our house.  I got the trash to put them in and both Patrick and Payden were so happy to help! 

And lastly, here are some pictures from today...

Halloween 2012

Here are some pictures and how we spent our Halloween. 

Christian's mom bought the boys Pirate costumes for Halloween. Overall they tolerated their costumes very well,  They were dressed in some pants, and boot coverings for their shoes and a vest.  Neither would wear the hat or eye patch though. We had 3 different events surrounding Halloween:  Ward Trunk or Treat, Christian's work Halloween Trick or Treat, and also Halloween day Trick or Treat.  The Ward Trunk or treat was first and was fun but very cold and it was dark outside.  Payden had a hard time with it as he couldn't understand why we weren't going in the church and kept saying toys (from nursery). Patrick finally got it and was excited to help hand out candy and get candy in return.  When we got home, he was quite protective of his little bucketful, and would proudly go through each piece.  We are very grateful, he hasn't learned how to open any.. he just comes to us and asks. "open" 

The last thing we did was on the actual day of Halloween.  Instead of taking them door-to-door, we went to Hyvee. Hyvee is the grocery store just a couple blocks away.  Both Patrick and Payden have been there numerous times and we thought it was the ideal place to go since they were offering trick or treating for kids!  When we got there, they had a map of all the departments and where to do to get candy!  Much to my surprise (and Christian's dismay) they mostly handed out Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, and Reeses Pieces.  I was in heaven!  Payden loved this one the best as he would run like crazy to the next department.  In the produce department, they had small apples that were perfect for kids and Patrick had his half eaten before even driving home. What a perfect treat! 

 Payden posing after we came home. 

 Patrick going through his candy.. with Maddie's help. 

 Patrick showing me his candy... he was obsessed with it.. that night but then promptly forgot about it until he saw it again.  We just hid it.. 

 Boys waiting in the car to start Trunk or Treating - in their big blue coats cause it's freezing! 

First sucker, at lunch time (since then, he loves them) 

 Christian demonstrating what the hat and patch are supposed to look like. :)

My little Picaso

Patrick is our little artistic one.. He loves to draw whether with crayon, marker, and on anything too.  We have found marks on the walls, our tile floor and also the couches. He can spend so long sitting at the table coloring and drawing picture after picture.

Yesterday I remembered I had some watercolor paints upstairs.  I bought them a few years ago when we were in Washington and my nephews were coming over.  I didn't have any paint brushes but thought Cotton swabs would work.  He loved them and got all excited!! I guess I need to buy some Tempura Paints and maybe some sponges.

Here are pictures:

See that tongue sticking out... yep he's my son.  (I did a lot when I was little too)

 Finished Product:

Schaake's Pumpkin Patch

Around the beginning of October we took the boys to the Pumpkin Patch on the far side of Lawrence.  It is called Schaake's.  They have a huge pumpkin patch, some animals to see, and two very fun playgrounds or "parks."  We wanted to get pumpkins but funds were tight so we held off. We tried to show them the animals and and do more, but all they wanted was the play ground. 

My boys getting ready to go on the Hay Ride

Here is Patrick going down the slide. The first time he went down, he went so fast he face planted into the sand and laughed.  Each time after that, he would just fall into the sand and laugh and laugh.

Payden and Patrick on the tire swing. 

Payden's favorite by far:  The tire swing. 

Cute little boys!

Here are some cute things about Patrick and Payden...

Payden:

• He loves his Mickey Mouse Rhyme Sing a long so much and gets his arms flapping with such excitement.  His favorite is by far, "Do your Ears Hang Low" and I sing it multiple times a day.  Also in there is Old Duck Donald (Instead of McDonald) had a farm... and as you sing the end... E I E I .. Payden chimes in with the "O."  
• Tonight he pointed at the Tractor Mickey was sitting on and said Tractor and then proceeded to say Mickey, Daisy and Goofy.  I knew he could say Mickey but certainly not Daisy and Goofy. 
• We read also The Very Hungry caterpillar and he loves it so much he can fill in so many words:  He will do... pop, apple, pear, plum, and tonight he surprised me with Strawberry (sounded like staw-bare) and also Orange. He has about 6 favorite books and is learning words in them as we read them over and over again! 
• he was all love loves after his bath... offering hugs and kisses. it was super adorable... although he started something new and refuses to sit down in the water now.  He used to love and play and splash. 

Patrick - 

• His talking amazes me and has remembered phrases that we've used in past days.
• Like:  Mama Off Please
• Like  I want on (he wanted the mini piano on) - I was trying to get him to say Mama On Please.. I heard that and was like... Ok, I'll take that too :
• Yesterday.. we had tacos for dinner and he could see me stirring food.  He loves to stir... and started proclaiming... "stir stir stir". I told him to get a chair and he brought it over and he stirred the refried beans.  It cracked me up since I caught his fingers in it more than once and him saying... "Mmmmm"   Then he had to help me stir the ground turkey too.. It was fun to have a helper. 

Patrick and Payden : 2 1/2 years -

Patrick and Payden are growing up!  They are a few months past 2 1/2 years and almost 3, I can barely believe it myself.

We took the boys to their wellness exam at the doctor -

Here are their stats and some tidbits about each of them.

Patrick: 
Height - 37 inches (65%)
Weight - 30 lbs (46%)
Head Circ - 20 inches (82%)

• LOVES to play outside - his favorite phrase which is says multiple times a day..  "Me go outside"
• Has started jumping off of things - couch, chairs, anything he can climb on - he is still a bit hesitant so it's good that he'll usually ask for help first 
• LOVES, LOVES, LOVES parks - and asks 2 or 3 times if we can go - "Bye bye, park?
• Unhealthy obsession of french fries - Usually around dinner time I hear, "bye bye french fries." and he is also screaming and pointing at Mcdonalds saying "french fries?"  
• Starting to really like the Alphabet - I have a chart on the wall that he'll point to and start singing and then we all sing the Alphabet song.  Lately he has been filling in letters when we stop and wait for him! He can point and say:  B, F, O, Q and Z  - It is super cute! 
• Common phrases at dinner he uses: 
• More cheese
• More chicken
• More Dip dip (ketchup or Ranch)
• More cookie
• More Grapes
• Favorite Books:  
• Curious George takes the train 
• Curious George and the Dump truck
• Mickey Books - Mickey Sing along / The Three Musketeers (Mickey Version)

Payden:
Height - 35.75 inches (33%)
Weight - 29 lbs (34%)
Head Cir - 20.75 inches (99%)

•  LOVES to walk places - Hyvee, park across street where there are lots of stairs - but has to hold our hand. - Walking seems to calm him down
• Very routine oriented and he knows what comes next - throughout the day- whether it is walking to the park, juice, snack or playing downstairs. 
• Bedtime is really a difficult - we've noticed that he needs pressure (ie.. extra hard hugs) before bedtime and rocking.  It has been a real challenge for us, helping him to calm down to sleep. 
• Recently has been gaining some two word phrases
• Brown Bear
• Light on / Light off
• Ring on / Ring off (on his stacker)
• Go Car (going anywhere)
• Row Row
• Mama Off
• Mama Row Row
• Favorite Books - all of which are more tape than book - he LOVES his books! 
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear
• Mr Brown can Moo, can You
• Good Night Moon
• I'll See you in the Morning 
• Mickey Sing a long - Nursery Rhymes

Playing in the Rain

On Friday, we had a rainy morning and it was so much fun.  After breakfast, Patrick and Payden wanted to play on the Patio and it was just lightly sprinkling but they loved it!

After we ate lunch, Patrick wanted to come outside with me to take the diapers to the trash and then we stayed outside while they played outside.  Both had so much fun in the rain and finding puddles to play in.

Here are some memories we made!

First a video:

Then some pictures:

Patrick transfering water from bucket to bucket. These are our neighbors that she puts to collect rain water from the gutter.  The entire time he's doing this he's getting wetter and wetter. 

Like this:

And This: 

He has realized now too to run over and look at the pictures that I take.  It's super cute!  

And here's another:

Pyaden, as you can hear from the video and is making a ton of noise but running back and forth between me and our neighbor's front porch. 

 Really big close-up

Both of them had SO much fun playing in the rain!  I had to remind myself of that very fact when I had to change both of their clothes yet again when we came inside.  I find I change their clothes a lot in the summertime.  It's fun though, my boys LOVE water!

How does your Garden Grow?

I have always wanted a garden and I guess I figured I had to wait until we had a house. Well we don't have one yet but this year I am enjoying my little plot of earth.

My mother in law has gardened in containers for awhile and had some extra planters this year and asked if I wanted them. I was thinking I would get like a few.  It turns out I got six!  I was excited.  All the pots had potting soil in it from last year and they were good sized too! So with my two boys as helpers we turned the soil over and got them ready for planting.   My mother in law took us on a trip where we got some flowers, a tomato plant and also a few seeds that I thought would be fun to grow. We have a huge driveway that we share and there is PLENTY of sunshine.  They have done wonderfully!

I transplanted the tomato plant and flowers about mid April around my birthday.

These two pictures were taking on May 21st.  You can see the tomato thriving and also the flowers looking good but not growing too much.

 A closer look at the Tomato Plant

And now from June 17th - Red tomatoes!  It seemed like awhile but there are a ton of tomatoes growing now and they are getting red from the order of when they started growing!

And now from today!  Here are three more turning red.  I guess I need to use them in some recipes for Salsa and other things.  I'm really don't like them fresh so I'll have to think of something! 

And my lettuce as of today... not sure how long you wait before the first picking though..

And my beautiful flowers have just blossomed in the early heat of June!  

(Plus, in the middle of these beautiful plants, I found tonight I have a volunteer tomato plant!  I didn't know you could have a volunteer tomato plant in a container garden. 

There is something refreshing and energy giving to have a garden to watch things grow and thrive and grow so beautifully.  Patrick loves to help me water them individually in the morning and invariably will pick a few flowers to come show me.

Catching up: In Pictures

Here's a little of what we've been up to:   In Pictures! 

Taking walks!   Obviously this was awhile ago.. since they have sweaters.

Playing outside:  Payden

Playing Outside:  Patrick

Swimming in the $7 pool that has been worth every SINGLE cent!  It got over 90 degrees a couple weeks ago and we put the pool up in the morning and it was as warm as bath water by 4 in the afternoon.  They had a ball splashing and playing for over an hour! Best toy ever!! 

Trip to Walmart to buy flowers, pool and sand box stuff - We stopped in Lawn and Garden for a swing with Grandma!  They must have swung for over 10 min - almost put Payden to sleep too!! 

When seeing a little Turtle Sandbox with cover was $42, we opted for a plastic tub with play sand. 

Trying on a green thumb:  Christian's mom brought me planters and so far I have flowers, and some vegetables.  That's a big tomato in the middle.  My first ever tomato plant!