It's beginning to feel like fall!

The leaves are finally starting to change colors...

We took a trip to the pumpkin patch...

took a hayride...

picked out pumpkins...

put out some decorations...

and now, I am off to bake some pumpkin bread while it pours outside!
Happy Fall!

Guess who found the chocolate blueberries?

Let me preface this little story with the the fact that this all happened in a matter of minutes.  I was in the family room and Ruby was in there babbling away.  Then she toddled off, like she always does (she is VERY busy).  I heard from the other room the rustling of plastic and things hitting the floor and rolling.  At first I didn't give it much thought until I realized it was in the kitchen and it was Ruby.  So I went strolling in there and this is what I found....


uh oh, busted!

And of course, like any good mother I ran and grabbed my camera first.  But trust me, it gets worse.


Maybe if I look sad I won't get in trouble.



I'm gonna make a run for it!

At this point I had to put the camera down and grab her, she was on the move. I could hear this slurping sound and discovered she was sucking the chocolate off of the gummy centers and letting them fall out of her mouth.  There was chocolate and sticky gummy things everywhere.  Chocolate was smeared all over the floor, the bottom of her feet were covered in chocolate.  This picture she at least looks somewhat clean, right after chocolate was pouring down her front, then she starting spitting out huge chunks of chocolate gummies.  I have no idea how many she had stuffed in her mouth.  Of course this all happened right after I had given her a bath and it was only 8:30 in the morning.

I knew there was a reason we had put a lock on the pantry door, now I just need to use it!  Hope you are having a chocolate filled morning as well.
 


Two birds, one stone!

This year Isaac and Marien were willing to have a joint birthday party.  Since they still have the majority of same friends it made for a very fun and easy party.  The shindig was held at Jump-n-Bounce.  What a great spot!  They had the whole place to themselves and those kids did not stop running for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Which made it very hard to get many pictures so there are many of Ruby since she was not moving around much.  I think it was a tad overwhelming.
The kids scored on presents, the cupcakes were edible though not pretty to look at and the company was great.  I hope they remember this birthday and I am so thankful they still like each other and wanted to share this party together. 

Of course we had to incorporate both of their favorite themes, Star Wars and Tangled.  So this was my attempt at being creative.


the big slide is always a hit



uh oh, someone likes speed!





Uncle Marc was in town for hunting and came out of the woods to join in the fun!





<>

The Whole Gang!



Peanut turns 5!!!!

Marien, aka Peanut, turned five at the end of this month.  It is hard to believe!  She is so funny and started her countdown about two weeks before the big day.  She also had her outfit planned out several days in advance.  Now that she is five she was able to wear the "I am five and I am a big kid now!" shirt.

Marien is about as sweet as they come except if you don't feed her.  This kid is so affected by blood sugar levels.  If we don't feed her within 15 mins of her getting up she melts.  Then it is a fight to get food in her.  She is loving and things roll right off her back.  She does not hold a grudge, I definitely could take a lesson from her.  Marien is shy to begin with but once she is comfortable that girl can talk.  She LOVES music and her favorite thing to do is retreat to her room and listen to her cd's.  Marien has always been petite, weighing in at only 6 lbs at birth.  She may be tiny but she can hold her own and will give her older brother a run for his money.



Marien at birth



age 1

age 2



3 years old



4 years old and has discovered she loves dance



5 years old!
{Rapunzel could use a deep conditioning treatment on that nasty mane}

This was a big birthday this year, as the kids got a joint party (more to come) and pretty much the whole month of September they were receiving gifts.  She was at school on her actual birthday so she got to be not only "the kid of the day" but was also the birthday kid.  Which meant holding the flag, using the pointer, being line leader and getting two stickers plus blowing out the candles while her class sang happy birthday.  Needless to say she felt pretty special.

Happy Birthday Marien...we love you!

1st Days of Schools

I am lumping Isaac's and Marien's first day of school.  Isaac started 1st grade last Wednesday and loved it.  He loves his teacher, recess and of course lunch.  He was pretty emotional by Friday night and I figure this could be a rough week as we settle into a new routine. 
Marien started morning preschool this am.  She is at Ms. Jenny's three days a week and could hardly stand that Isaac had started but not her.  So needless to say, today was very excited.  I got a couple of hours to myself with Ruby.  I am loving that I get some one-on-one time with her.  Plus errands are so much easier with just one!


Can you tell he loves Star Wars?



A desk that opens!



Walking home from school!



Marien's turn!





My lil' darlings!



I was told this was the last picture!

And did you notice?  Someone has ponies in her hair!  Maybe I will have one girl who will let me braid, barrette and pony her hair.  I hope so!



7 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe my little boy is seven.  Seriously, where did the time go?  He seems so much older to me this year or maybe I feel that way every year and just don't remember.  Isaac loves Star Wars.  He eats, breathes, and sleeps Star Wars.  At least once every day I will hear something like, "Mom, did you know General Grievous....or Mom, remember in Star Wars, The Clone Wars 1, Obe Wan did this...? (I have a feeling I didn't spell those correctly but I don't really care.)  I usually just shake me head in agreement as I have yet to sit through all of the movies.  I know, horrible parenting that I don't what my child is fully watching but I just can't make it happen.  He is a loving and caring older brother, a definite rule lover and believes in justice, maybe a career as a lawyer.  He loves school and hanging out with Dad.
Here is a brief recap of the last seven years...
 

1 day old!



1 year old!

 

2nd birthday



3rd birthday




1st day of preschool (4)

 

Mr. Incredible infatuation (5)



the love begins (6)



7 years old!!!!

Happy Birthday Isaac

We love you!

Bookshelves

Well I got some work done on the fireplace.  I painted the backs of the shelves and spray painted the brass.  I have decided that I will paint the backs a darker blue.  Probably the same color as the table.  I really like the fireplace cover now.  It seems to disappear whereas before it screamed brass at you, at least that is how I felt when I looked at it. 

It's funny that it one of the features we loved when we looked at the house, the fireplace cover.  In fact the lady that we bought the house from wanted to keep it since it had been a gift.  We told her no, maybe we should have let her keep it and then it would have saved me a few hours of work ten years later.

so long bright brass

So it's getting better.  I think I will paint the darker blue later this fall.  It will be a good rainy day project.  I want to enjoy the last few days of summer. 

Have a great Labor Day weekend.  We will be celebrating this not-so-little boy's 7th birthday. 

Where did the time go? (sigh)