Making our Jack-O-Lantern

Saturday night we let the kids help us scoop out the seeds from our pumpkin and play in the gooey stuff. They both were unsure about touching it. It took Leah a good 5-10 minutes before she would touch it. (which is crazy because she LOVES getting her hands slimy and messy)

We also let the kids draw on their little pumpkins with marker. They both loved doing that as well.

This year, I decided I wanted to make a new tradition of carving our pumpkin and making/eating pumpkin pie. Why not if you make cookies, etc. when putting up Christmas Decor.

This pie was not homemade though. I tried it in the past and it didn't turn out so well/tasty! So, we will just stick to canned pumpkin. Evan and Leah loved helping me stir in the last of the ingredients. They love pumpkin pie just like their mommy!

2 Little Pumpkins

Saturday, we took the kids to the Rombach Pumpkin Patch along with our friends Kyle and Rachel and their twin boys and Jackie and Greg and thier daughter. We went last year with the same friends and hope to make this an annual event for many years to come!

Evan and Leah had a blast this year. They could run everywhere and play on more things at the farm. Evan surprised Greg and I when he said he wanted to go on a pony ride. He loved it! Leah was a little too scared. Maybe next year. They both rode on this little choo-choo train through a cornfield/pumpkin patch and had a great time on it.

The adults can't believe how much the kids have changed in a year's time. Last year, Evan and Leah were only 11 months old and the Laramie twins and Peyton were only about 6-7 months old.

It's POTTY Time

I bought the kids potty chairs about a month ago and have been letting them "use the potty" when they want to. No pressure. At first, we only bought one and let me tell you with two little people wanting to sit on the little potty at the same time, I learned quickly that they needed their own. So, for the past month we have sat on the potty, made faces and some noises on the potty, but nothing has emptied into the potty, until today. Leah went #1 on the potty two times today. She told me she had to go potty, so I let her and went in her room to get some clothes and a new diaper, thinking, "she's not going to go. I won't miss the first "pee pee on the potty experience." Well, I did. She came running in her bedroom telling me she "pee peed." She was so excited and I could tell after I jumped up and down, clapped, etc. that Evan was bummed that he had nothing in his potty. That poor little boy sat their grunting till his face was bright red trying to make something come out. It told him his time will come and I will be just as excited for him. Leah ran to tell Greg and then proceeded to tell him, "Pee pee...Bubby (which is what she sometimes calls Evan) Bubby noooooo." Like she was rubbing it in. :)
Anyway, if I could transition just one out of diapers within the next couple of months, I will be a happy mommy!
This picture was when we first got the potty chairs- so they have not been dirtied at this point when I took the picture!

Curious George

Greg's cousin got us tickets to Curious George Live. She works backstage for the Curious George production and scored us 2nd row seats right in the center! The kids have watched the tv show a couple of times so I think they kind of recognized the theme song and got very excited when George came out on the stage. The kids did fairly well watching the first half until Evan wanted his blankie and wasn't going to stop whining about it until I went to get it out of the car. Normally there is no re-entry at the arena, but I told them, "We are going to have a big meltdown if we don't go get his blankie." We came back in only to sit down, watch five more minutes and then it was intermission. The second half was more visually stimulating than the first, but you could see all of the kids in the arena getting antsy and tired. Evan watned to walk around, so I took him out by the concession stand where we walked around and he played with the large curtain for about 15 minutes. Evan and Leah enjoyed picking up confetti after the show was over. We visited with Greg's cousin for a couple of minutes and headed home.

Thanks again Jessie! Evan and Leah enjoyed their first experience with a live theater production.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Look Ma, No Hands!

Evan sees his new bed! I like this new bed.Papa and Evan finishing Leah's

Leah not sure about new bed

Leah REALLY not liking her new bed

Nana tries to calm Leah down
I got my old railing back up!
Evan ready for night-night!

So, today as I am getting the kids ready for their nap and gathering their blankies etc., and I notice that Leah's blankie is in the kitchen. I told her to wait there and I would be back with it in a second. Evan was already in his crib and was laying down with his "stuff" for his nap. I heard little feet scampering behind me and gave Leah her blankie. HOWEVER, as we make it back down the hallway to her bedroom, I see at the end of the hallway....EVAN! I took a double-take and thought to myself, "Seriously!?! Has it come to the time where he is crawling out of the crib?! I DID put him in the crib didn't I?!" Sure enough, my little man can crawl out of his crib all by himself! Weird thing is, I didn't even hear a thud or anything! How graceful he must have been. :)

I called my mom and asked if we could have the two bedrails she bought and that we needed them before the kids' bedtime tonight! My parents both ended up coming over after work and my dad helped Greg put the bed rails up on the kids' beds. Even though Leah has not successfully made it over and out of her bed yet, I am not taking the chance of her falling, so we decided to change hers as well. Plus, we also thought Leah would maybe be jealous of Evan getting a change.

This is how the changing of the beds and bedtime went:

Rails changed-Evan excited to see his new bed.

Leah comes in the bedroom to see-not so sure of it all.

Both decide to jump on Evan's new bed while Leah's is finishing up. Both kids having a great time.

Leah's bed finished- Leah climbs into the bed- CRIES HYSTERICALLY!

Nana and Mommy take turns calming her down.

Evan then starts to cry.

Both kids calmed down-Leah points to old bed rail (part of crib) and wants it back on.

Papa and Greg put the crib back together for Leah- Leah smiling from ear to ear.

Bedtime wasn't fun and we can't figure out why Leah had a hard time going down tonight. We haven't had problems with her going to sleep on her own for MONTHS! She wanted out of the crib even though we explained her bed was the same as before. Evan did exceptionally well with his new toddler bed. He climbed in and out maybe 6 times after the lights were out and only came out of his bedroom once. I ended up rubbing both of their backs so they would go to sleep.

Hopefully the transition to a toddler bed will only be rough for a couple of days.

23 months

The kids are 23 months and counting! We have almost hit the "Terrible Two's"...wait....I think we hit the "Terrible" awhile ago! ;) My babies are growing up so fast!

Fall Weekend of Fun

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

This past weekend, we drove to my sister and brother-in-law's house in Kansas City, MO for a weekend of Fall Fun! My parents went as well. Friday night we had pizza and enjoyed the company of Mike's (my brother-in-law) family. Evan and Leah had a great time with their niece and nephew. Saturday morning we went to a little town about a half hour away called Weston. My sister, my mom and I have been to the town in the past during their Apple Festival and we thought it was a good time, so we planned our weekend to visit during their Apple Festival this year. It's a cute little town that has shops similar to Old St. Charles. We watched the parade and bought some goodies from some street vendors. Afterwards, we went to a pumpkin farm, had lunch and walked around to see some of the farm animals and pumpkins. The kids LOVED seeing all of the different animals. Saturday night, Mike grilled some awesome ribs for dinner and the adults watched "Gran Torrino". Even though it was a movie I thought I would not enjoy, it was a really good movie!

Over the course of the weekend at my sister's house, we saw a wide variety of wildlife right outside their back door. We saw 6 deer walking at two different times, up to 10 turkey at one point and a couple several other times, two HUGE...I'm talking HUGE spiders, two praying mantis and an adorable FAT groundhog who likes to sunbathe on some big rocks just beyond their backyard. (their house backs to some woods)

After lunch on Sunday, we headed home. The kids did fairly well in the car, all things considering. The last half hour was torture with Evan getting very tired of being in his carseat. Greg and I think the government should tape our kids/any kids for that matter and have that be made into a cd for a torture device!

We can't wait to come visit again Aunt Mandy (as Evan says, "Mammie") and Uncle Mike. Thanks for letting us visit. Our Fall Weekend Getaway was definitely FUN!