Beautiful Buns

We are sitting at the table after dinner tonight and Janessa looks at me, pats her bottom and tells me "beautiful". I say what, she repeats it and pats her bottom again. Finally it clicks and I ask, "Are you telling me that you have beautiful buns?" She laughs a funny little giggle and says "Yes Mommy". Where on earth did that come from???

It just goes to show you can never underestimate the workings of a 2 yr olds brain. They will say the craziest things at any moment!!

"The third time is the charm"

I received a request for another trip to Heavenly Harvest Farm from our good friends and we have had so much fun in the past we couldn't refuse. I have to say that I think we finally have it out of our system and are ready for Halloween.

Colin and Lilly scooping corn kernels.

The whole gang heading out on our very own pumpkin express ride.

This time we couldn't pass up the little pumpkins. Thank heavens they are too small to carve!

Colin with his baby pumpkin

Colin and Lilly checking out the scenery. They were especially excited about going thru "Shrek's Swamp". Everyone was on the look out for Shrek- no luck though!!

Everyone at the top of the hay bales. I tried for a group shot with everyone looking at the camera but that was an impossibly tall order. So here is the way it really looked!

Janessa and Eric in the hay bale maze. They are just short enough to get stuck inside. I had to go in and lead them out.

Colin and Lilly with their height advantage had no problem finding their way thru- forwards and backwards.

Pumpkin carving with Auntie Kel Kel & Wendy

It's pumpkin time and the kids are really looking forward to Halloween. They get to go to Auntie Kelley's house to help her carve pumpkins and what designs do they choose? A snowman with snowflakes and a flamingo standing under a palm tree. I think they might have been a little "season confused" !!!!

Colin & Wendy (Kelley's roomate) prepare for their pumpkin masterpiece.

Yummy pumpkin guts- take a big bite Colin

Ok, it's your turn Wendy.

Janessa and Kelley have their pumpkin marked for carving.

Take a big bite Janessa!
Kelley said they didn't eat very much for dinner-
must have been all those yummy pumpkin guts!

The pumpkins are done and the kids are dressed for bed. Time to pose!

Team Colin and Wendy with their tribute to winter.



Auntie Kelley's fantastic carving skills accompanied by Janessa's artisitic flare in permenant ink.

Team Janessa and Kelley with their tribute to sunny Florida.

Look Auntie Kel Kel, I see the moon!

Janessa goes to the pumpkin patch too!

Heavenly Harvest Farms..... Again!

We had so much fun on Colin's class field trip that we decided Janessa needed to come with us. We also roped Grandma and Grandpa Dexter into the outing so Mommy had enough hands.

The newest king and queen of the hay bales! Don't they look strong!

Janessa tries out the hay maze.

Looking a little lost :)

She made it out and discovered rows of bush beans.

Hello Mr. Roosters

Deep in thought again.

Janessa's imitation of a rooster. Complete with sound effects.

Look closely at her mouth- she is cock-a-doodle-dooing

Janessa's favorite thing was playing in the corn kernels too.

Time to bury the kiddos!

We could have spent hours playing in those bins. She absolutely loved scooping, swimming, and being buried in those kernels. Even brought some souvenirs home in her diaper- YUCK!

Off for a hayride with Grandpa Dexter.

The girls are coming too!

Pumpkin carving

We decided that tonight was good for pumpkin carving or "gutting" as its more commonly know at our house. Hopefully they will last until Halloween but the choices were limited with Dusty leaving for a long elk hunting trip.

Both kids were apprehensive at first about getting slimy hands but it didn't take long before they dived in.

Colin like using all of the tools for cutting and scraping.

Janessa like pulling the seeds out so we could roast them later.

Mommy's carving skills are limited and a 2 yr old's patience is not the greatest, so we decided to cut out a simple face and she drew all over it with a permanent marker.

Colin chose a spider pattern out of the book which took Papa quite a bit of time to finish. In the end they were both happy with the results of their "spooky tarantula" pumpkin!

What a man!!

So here I am at 32 weeks- getting closer and closer to that due date of Dec 10th!!

Like my lopsided belly and racing stripes? Sexy- I know :)

Little did I know that I had company!!

I think he might have broke something trying to look like me.

The first leaves of fall

I am in the house making dinner tonight and what do I hear; "Mom, Mom, come outside and look at this."
He has made a "huge" pile of leaves from our maple tree and intends on jumping into them.

Jump #1- That was fun! I'm going to do that again. So he scoops them back into a pile.

Jump #2- more like sliding into home base. Serious wet grassy spots on the knees of his jeans.

Jump #3- Aunt Kelley can't resist and joins in the fun.

Their plan is to save this pile of leaves and add to it as more fall from the tree. Until it is a truely large pile. So stay tuned for more leaf jumping pictures!!

A visit to the cousin's house

We do not get to see the cousins nearly enough and with Colin having a day off of school we seized the moment for a quick trip over the mountain.

Here are the boys at the top of a very large mountain of dirt- playing king of the hill.

Hiding out inside the front loader that is on site to move all of that dirt.

Janessa and Austin in the sand pit. Playing with trucks, rocks, and lizards. I have learned not to even bother bringing nice clothes for our visits because both kids can not help but literally roll in the dirt/sand/rocks when we are there. Must be something in the air or water!

Janessa with one of the captured blue-belly lizards.

Watching it from a safe distance. She didn't freak out when it was in her presence but did not want to touch it either- Mommy did though. In a attempt to return it to its home I put it out of the sand boat and kept the kids from harassing it. I think it managed to escape eventually.

See what I mean?!!?!? The weather was beautiful and I guess the sand was warm because I could not convince her to sit up and play.

Playing with Auntie Shell.

The boys decided it was too hot for shirts and stripped. I couldn't resist these "manly" physiques but they did not follow instructions- I said push out your bellies, not suck them in and show me your ribs!!

Janessa playing at Auntie Shell's "park". Over course at this park shoes and socks are strictly prohibited- can't you read the sign Mom!

A cooperative effort to fill the little wagon with pea gravel. Alex was in charge and Janessa scooped the rocks for him to dump inside.

Out hunting in the wilderness with cousin Alex.

Aside from lack of sleep the night before, we had a great visit. Thanks to Auntie Shell for being a wonderful hostess! We love you all very much.