Fall Fun

Some pictures of the kids playing in the backyard. One of the last days for a "Fall" picture because between the frost and wind all the leaves are falling off quickly. It was a bit cold out today but we ran around for 1/2 an hour playing in the treehouse and romping around the yard. Lettie is able to climb the ladder to the treehouse but it drives me crazy with worry that she is going to fall through the rungs and clip her chin -- she is a brave girl and wants to do everything herself!

Being silly in the "tree house"

Crunching through the leaves

Clear skys with the sun helped us to not be quite so cold

I blew this picture up and framed it in the living room - what a face!

Bennett still loves his construction trucks - everywhere we drive when he sees a machine he yells (literally YELLS) from the back of the van, "TRACTOR TRAILER!" or "EXCAVATOR!" He also shouts, "AMBULANCE!" every time he sees any type of van - including plumbers, contractors, midwestern families....I've tried to explain that ambulances are larger and more square with lights but he still asks "Is that an ambulance mom?" and I say, "nope. See the ladders on the top...or...nope, see how it says 'pool cleaning' on the side" He gets so excited to hear sirens and equally disappointed if he can't see the truck/police car.

B also loves his music and lately we've been teaching him the lyrics to his favorite songs (including Tears for Fears, Tangled, and Pink Floyd). I love listening to him sing and mumble/glaze over words he doesn't know, or hum to skip to the parts he does know. I hope with all my hope that he continues to have a love for music and instruments.

The last big update for B is that he can read all of the "sight words" that are presented in kindergarten. He is such an avid reader and it is really exciting to watch him begin to sound out words he's never seen.

Lettie is now 21 months. Holy Moly. Her ability to communicate with us is improving everyday. Yesterday while eating lunch she held out her milk cup and said:

L: "mo" (more)

Me: "would you like some more milk Lettie?'

L: "Pees" (please)

(I filled her cup and gave it to her)

L: "ank oo" (thank you).

She also tells you when she's done eating by saying "done" and handing you her plate. But before you take her plate away completely she likes to pick up all the crumbs off her tray and put them on her plate - so particular.

A month ago she might have just banged her cup on her tray wanting more milk and I might have just taken her cup away to stop the racket not understanding she was trying to get more milk. It is awesome to be able to understand most of her needs!

She loves to read books (animals, flap books, cars) LOVES movies (Tangled, Cars and reading videos) and stacking blocks. Words she can read: Banana, apple, car, eyes, ears, hair, red, blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, brown, black, white, sit, play, flower, sun, baby, ball, book, house, horse, cow, dog, cat, turtle, tractor... She is beginning to recognize letters and numbers as well.

Just recently her hair is long enough to put in two small pigtails on the top of her head - so darn cute!

Both kids are loving - we are always getting/giving hugs and kisses, bedtime rituals and reading at night - things I want to hold on to as long as possible because all too soon they won't need me to help go to sleep or get them dressed. I just adore my children as I'm sure mother's across the world do - I would and will do anything to help guide to be the best they can be. I love you B and L!

Picking Apples in the Front Yard

A beautiful day to pick apples in the front yard. Both Bennett and Lettie enjoyed picking and eating the apples - Lettie especially liked to taste one bite from each apple - a true sampler! I have yet to figure out what variety we have but we definitely have two distinct types of apples: smaller red apples that are sweet and larger green apples that are much more tart but turn red as the weather cools and become sweeter. Also an interesting note, the smaller apples maintain the white color of the flesh when peeled and sliced where the green apples brown almost immediately upon removing the skin. We were able to collect one paper bag full and peeled/sliced the apples for the freezer. Later, we will make apple sauce and apple bread. The tree in the front lawn was so heavy with apples a main branch snapped and crashed down by the trampoline. We will probably have to trim the apple trees next year so that all the branches don't break. I'd also like to try growing other fruit trees: plum, cherry and pear. Speaking of growing....

My garden was a total loser this year (except the grape tomatoes which I bought as a plant and put in the garden) and I can only blame myself. I didn't spend as much time as I needed to keep the weeds at bay and they completely took over. I take that back....the radishes grew but also bloomed flowers before I harvested them and by that time the root was dehydrated. Also, the peas and beans flowered and started to grow but I think the deer/rabbits ate them all because I didn't spray my "Deer Fence" often enough. I just stunk at gardening this year. Next year I need to move the garden closer to the house. This way I can be weeding while Lettie and Bennett play in the sandbox/tree house and I can keep an eye on them. I originally put the garden at the front of the property on the other side of the pine trees thinking this would keep it from being an eyesore during the off months. Which is true...I can't see all the weeds growing/decaying....but, 'out of sight out of mind' is the truest phrase in town! I never went out there! All that time/energy/money and I am doing it a dishonor. I pledge to do better next year.

Happy Halloween

We had fun out at Aunt Paige and Uncle Rich's house for Trick-or-treating. Jaxson was a Ninja warrior, Addi was Hannah Montanna, Bennett was a Zoo Keeper and Lettie was a (fat) cat. They all looked great! B followed his cousins around the neighborhood and they were much faster than last year - they scored some major candy!!



I painted a mustache and eyebrows - very safari/back-country.


He looks continually surprised.


Addi had tons of sparkles that reflected everywhere in the sunlight


Lettie the Kitty


B got to take Leopard along.






This outfit was so fluffy - it made her look so pleasantly plump!


All the cousins together


Taking off down the street - their neighborhood is great because the adults are everywhere and there is no traffic.


He was ready to take off!


Lettie filled in as the Zookeeper and monitored Leopard while Bennett gathered the goods.


B: "Happy trick-or-treating!"


Next!


What a difference a year makes - last year he would hardly walk to the door with me beside him!


He had to contemplate this house for a minute before deciding if it was worth a candy bar.


Anything is worth a candy bar! Then he played with the giant bugs that had been placed along the sidewalk.




All that candy!


Looking for more


Holy moly! Look at all the loot!! B got to choose two pieces to eat - he picked the biggest pieces - a Snickers and a MilkyWay bar. (That's what I would have chosen too).


Thanks for the pumpkins Nana - we scooped the guts and baked the seeds!

Thank you for my sweatshirt Mimi! I loved the note and picture of you with Roxie too!

Sibling Anti-rivalry

For all it's worth, these two get along uncommonly well. Bennett has his moments of possessiveness with toys but mostly loves close physical contact with his sister. His favorite thing (and she delights in it as well) is to roll her around the room using his head - he only stops when she is finally pushed up against the furniture. He also loves to tickle her although he mostly just grabs her shirt and tugs it around saying "tickle, tickle, tickle!" Her are some great shots of the two of them enjoying each other and our beautiful weather.


I like how it looks like Lettie is about to turn a page when in reality she is probably trying to figure out how to get the book into her mouth! Lately B has been choosing to read a book about manners - "that's not nice manners," "that is rude," "she has nice manners." It is actually a little advanced in some of the context but he likes it anyway and we talk about overall concepts of being "nice."
Currently he needs constant reminders not to interrupt our conversations.


L and B having lunch


"Cheese!"


Lettie beginning to lose her battle with a mid-morning nap


Trying to hold on....


Doh! I'm done for!


These pictures are from today, taken in the front yard. I love how Lettie's outfit is so bright against all the colors of the leaves.


To anybody who ever has kids -- make sure you get them rubber boots - they are the best, easiest and cutest things ever!


Can't you just hear the crinkle/crunch of the leaves?


One of the last dandelions found its way to Lettie's ear.


She loves to clap her hands together. "smack, slap, smack!"


I hope they stay close as siblings. Time will tell. I went through different periods with my brother but now I feel we are as close as ever (funny, being that we live far apart).


Melt my heart!!!


"Smell the flower Lettie!" I'm sure she got a good whiff of it!


I asked Bennett if he wanted me to cut his hair. He said "no" so we will see how long it is until the next trimming. I love his long hair and sometimes when he wakes in the middle of the night ("I have to pee!") I lay down with him after and play with his hair until he falls back asleep. This is obviously more for me than for him but I feel this somehow fills all the lost one-on-one time we used to get together.


I love how Lettie is looking right into the camera but Bennett is laughing and not paying any attention to me.


A rare, both kids looking in the same direction, picture.


I will definitely have to enlarge some of these pics.



They both looked up as a strong gust of wind made the branches sway and the leaves fall.


What more could parents ask for than two beautiful children on a glorious fall day?


Love that B is laying down - such a random capture of the moment. No posing, just fun!


"Peek!"


I don't know what kind of tree this is but it had low enough branches that I could lift B into them.


He sat up there for ten minutes and waited until Mike came home from work. B was so excited - "Look at me dad! Look at me! I'm up high! Look at me dad, I'm way up here!!!"


Such a long day, and no nap, he fell asleep to music while I was feeding Lettie dinner and Mike was grilling chicken. He hardly moved when we asked if he wanted dinner and I eventually moved him to his bed, still in jeans and a t-shirt. Also still in underwear (yikes!, he usually wears a diaper/pull-up to bed, but lately he has been waking up dry or getting us up in the night to use the potty). No dinner, the poor exhausted boy. We'll have to have a big scrambled-egg breakfast tomorrow.

I so love the fall - the crisp air, the warm sun, the smell of wet leaves, the crunch of dry leaves. It has always been my favorite season and I love sharing it with Mike and the kids.


Lettie loves to chew now that she has six - almost eight - teeth!


These pictures are from last week when the leaves really began to fall. I like her hair in this shot - floating up from the wind.






Bennett helped gather sticks in the yard


Lettie was ready for a nap and so was quite serious in these pictures.