pumpkin patch

Saturday we hit up the local pumpkin patch with the kids and some friends. Thank you, Jason, for taking pictures! :) It was HOT, people...not my idea of pumpking patch weather....but it is what it is at this point :) Anyway, the kids had fun and we got to spend time with some awesome friends ;)

First off, how much do you want to snuggle her???

Baby fever intensifies 10-fold everytime I am around her...

 ...don't get too excited, family....I'm h*** bent on waiting another year.... ;)

 The kiddos loved the hayride. Major flip-outs occured when we got to the horses.

Matt and Nick walked along side the train...so thrilling :)

We don't get family pictures very often, so thank you!

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day trip

This weekend we took a daytrip to the mountains. In my opinion, we don't get out here nearly enough :)

It was so much fun, and I LOVED the cool, crisp air!

{view on the drive up}

{pit stop at Hospital Rock for lunch and some exploring}

We usually go to the General Sherman trail and just walk that to the General Sherman Sequoia, but we shook things up this time and tried a new path....Crescent Meadow. It's our new favorite :)

{Crescent Meadow}

It's a few hundred feet above General Sherman. It loops around a meadow that is surrounded by giant Sequoias. So amazing.

We did find a fallen Sequoia that stretched across the meadow, and we may or may not have--but definitely did--cut across the meadow on this beast of a tree. I mean, how many people can say they have used a giant Sequoia as a bridge?? :)

With the short cut :), it took us about an hour and 15 minutes to make the Crescent Meadow loop.

The bears were out eating acorns from the trees...we did see one walking on the road while we were driving up :) Adelyn was pretty pumped about that and wanted to bear hunt the rest of the day :)

We had so much fun! I cannot wait to get back :)

{Addy was out....Mason was chatting on and on about Daddy's hat}

 

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gateway women's retreat::september 2012

In September, I got to getaway for a weekend. It was wonderful ;)

I went to the women's retreat through our church. It was at a camp. In the mountains.

I didn't get nearly enough pictures :)

I made new friends. Deepened friendships I already had. I am so thankful to have such amazing women placed in my life :)

On another note....Meghan and I drove together. I drove in the mountains. For the first time. I usually make Nick do it because I'm just chicken. I always have visions of us careening off the side. Yup.

...but we didn't go off the edge...it was fun, actually...poor Meghan :)

some of the wonderful ladies :)

this picture shows that I am no longer able to stay up until the wee hours chatting...then get up a few hours later! ;)

I roomed with Meghan and Monique.

Aren't they beautiful??

 Meghan, Jacynda and I with our awesome magnet boards :)

such a cute idea!

 okay, this picture will forever cheer me up....one of the ladies freaked out Jacynda the first night with this fake tarantuala thing...

my group of ladies :)

view from the lodge

What a blast the weekend was! I'm already excited for next year! ;)

 

 

 

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the parent rap

have you seen this??

it's awesome.

I wish I was this cool and creative ;)

You will not regret taking 3 minutes to watch this, I promise.

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decorating for fall

I love decorating...season, holidays, just because...

I had our fall stuff out on August 31...I couldn't wait :)

I try and get every section of the house....

even the bathrooms need a little love, right? :)

p.s....that soap is vanilla chai scent....so yummy :)

this little guy now lives at the built-in desk in our hallway....he has a pumpkin spice scentsy cube in his head :)

 

I've added and rearranged a few things since taking these pictures :)

someone gave me some amazing little owl candles (aiding my owl problem) and I got some cute little pumpkin candle from Target (BEFORE I went on my "no Target in October" fast) :)

how do you decorate for fall? Or do you not even bother (which used to be me!)?

 

 

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quick post

I have loads of pictures hanging out on my camera....but I don't feel like uploading them. I'll get to it eventually.
It's October. It's 97 degrees outside. Ridiculous. I'm not a heat fan if you haven't figured that one out. Give me cool, crisp temperatures. I do like that winter here is like fall in Iowa....but I'd be okay, if it started in September instead of December-ish.
The kids are great.
Adelyn is loving preschool. Everyone in her class is her "best friend". Including the teachers. She is an ultimate girly girl. Always in dresses and skirts. It's like pulling teeth to even get her to consider shorts/pants/leggings at this point. She's discovered nail painting....she's always sporting a pink or a glitter polish....she has started insisting on a necklace when we leave the house.....definitely Miss Thang.
Mason is moving out of his toddler stage and is more a little boy. I can't believe he'll be TWO in November!
He has a few trucks and tractors that are big enough for him to push...he zips around the house and crashes into everything. On purpose. Watch your shins and feet. I have a bruise to prove it.
He flips out whenever he sees a bus, truck, or tractor while driving. He adores anything CARS and Toy Story. He is all boy.
It's been so crazy to watch them grow into their own little personalities and decide their likes and dislikes. I can't believe how amazing they are :)
My husband is awesome. He works so hard. He is the best dad....the kids ADORE him. :) I love him. Need I say more??
I am so thankful for the incredible friendships we have been blessed with! I feel like over the summer we really got close with some people, and since our Small Group started, we have gotten to know even more amazing people. I love our friends. Out here, they get to be our family too...lucky them ;)
I get homesick about every week still :) I don't think that will ever stop.
We had MOPS this morning. What a blessing that has been! I have met so many amazing women and made some great friends. I've gotten more involved with that this year too.....loving it :)
The mentor mom for my table is Judy. She's from Iowa (!!) she's been in California for over 20 years now, but she grew up in Newton and taught school there for a while. She moved out here in her 20's...she was actually the mentor mom for the table I was at when I first started going to MOPS....and we were assigned together this year! I'm pretty stoked...she's fantastic!
Mason is napping.
Adelyn is going down next....then I'm going to skip the housework and read a book outside. Maybe in my swimsuit....because I can ;)

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