Halloween Fun!

Whoa, last week was a busy week. The girls are at a great age and loved every minute of it. I am not sure what Levi thought of the weekend as he seemed to be trying to soak in all of the craziness...so many new things to him.

I have lots of pictures to share of our Halloween weekend.








Jaidyn, Addy, and Levi were completely freaked out by their Nana & Papa in these masks. I have to admit those masks are pretty creapy!


Ugh oh, they are loose, roaming the streets! Good thing they are a friendly ladybug and kitty cat.






Addy saw one of her little preschool friends in the neighborhood.

We had one tired little dinosaur who fell asleep in the stroller while trick-or-treating so we left him with Papa and Nana while we took the girls to a church Halloween festival.

Face Painting!



Digging for treasures and more candy!





Earlier on Halloween morning, Wes and my sister (different teams)participated in an Adventure Race...trail running, canoeing, wood splitting (mystery event), and biking. They had a great time and I think enjoyed most of the race with the exception of crossing the river chest deep. Brrrr! And I just love doing all of his muddy laundry afterwards.
















And it is a sprint to the finish line!!

On Friday we attended 2 library Halloween parties. Here they are parading around the library and trick-or-treating for candy.




I keep having to whisper to Levi, "Yes, Levi, you want these treats...mommy really wants these treats, mommy loves chocolate".






Isn't he the cutest little Dinosaur?












Trying to get a spoonful of Smarties candy in to the Cauldron. Jaidyn is such a cheater...she kept using 2 hands, anything to get to go pick out a prize!



Friday night our friends were able to join us for dinner and some time over at the park "Spooktacular Walking Trail". This is the 3rd year in a row to do this together so it has kind of become a tradition.

Halloween Festivities Phlog Post

Yes, it is time for another Photo-Blog post.

Last weekend both of the girls were invited to a Fancy Nancy tea party birthday. They had so much fun digging through their dress-up box to find things to make them "fancy". This picture was taken right before I found Addy rolling around in the leaf pile. Picking leaves out of a boa scarf is always so much fun.



Levi took off running as he didn't want any part of the "fancy" picture.


Addy is a little frustrated with her foam stickers as she is having trouble peeling of the backing.


Well aren't these sunglasses fancy?


All dressed up!!!

The girls love baking cookies with their Nana. I think they liked using the Halloween themed sprinkles the best. My mom (the health nut) used wheat flour to make them...that is probably why we still have some left in the container this week. Levi is actually the only one eating them.






Papa let the girls help scoop out the pumpkin brains and separate the seeds. I am not sure what is scarier, the size of the jagged knife he is using to cut the pumpkin or the face he is creating.






The girls both had their preschool Fall Flings on Wednesday morning. We are so thankful for the one day break in the rain and the overall nice weather.


Exploring the hay stacks.


Most of the other kids were satisfied with a festive pumpkin on their face, but not Jaidyn who requested a blue cat.


Silly face pumpkin decorating!


Making a bag of trail mix to take along on their hay ride. I finished her bag off on the drive home after the party. MMmm, a perfect mix of sweet and salty.




The hayride was a big hit with all of the kids.


Addy is searching for large plastic spiders amongst the hay bales. I think we need to also be searching for our missing red hair bow.


Addy is getting ready to leave on the hayride. Oh great, she is already sitting herself between two boys.


Hunting the corn pit for treasures to put in her treat bag. If it wasn't candy, she pretty much put it back. She definitely went for the good stuff.


Watch out, she's a serious sack racer!



Here's Addy with one of her good little preschool friends.

The best part of the Fall Fling was getting to spend time and enjoy the morning outdoors with my two favorite girls.





Jaidyn received a sidewalk chalk kit at her Fall Fling party as one of the party favors, so yesterday we took advantage of having a nice afternoon and drew all over the entire driveway.




We have a very busy next two days planned and after I told Jaidyn our plans for the next two days she said, "whoa, we have a couple of exhausted days coming up". :)

I Love Fall!

Grandma Penny came to our house for a visit and the kids have been looking forward to it all week. Last night we carved our pumpkins and it was definitely a group effort. I hope they last until next weekend, but at least we will be able to enjoy the Jack-o-Lanterns all through the week.


I have no idea why they picked me to draw the face on the pumpkins. Drawing skills are not one of my finer qualities. It will be obvious when you see the pumpkin faces.




The tops are cut off and they are scooping out the Pumpkin brains. The girls worked hard to pick out all of seeds so we could have roasted pumpkin seeds, but I messed them up when I was cooking them up in the skillet. I guess I didn't cook them long enough as they were soggy and too oily to eat. Bummer!




Squishy, Ooey, Gooey!






I think they turned out really cute! Grandma Penny and Wes made up for my lack of drawing ability with their carving skills. :)

We have so many beautiful fall colors in our yard right now. We have reds, oranges, and yellows. The bushes and trees are gorgeous! If it would stop raining and the yard would dry up some we could actually go out rake a pile and play in them.








Early in the week we had a day in the lower 70's so my mom joined the kids and I on a hiking (more of a walking and stroller pushing) adventure to Ha Ha Tonka State Park. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day.


The girls are peering through the bars at what is left of the castle ruins. Jaidyn wanted to know where the dungeon was.








The girls with the Nana on an acorn hunt.

We have a busy upcoming week with the Halloween activities in full force. Halloween is my favorite holiday so we have been reading lots of Halloween/fall themed books all week. We watched the 1st Harry Potter movie this afternoon and I have Twilight to watch tonight after I get the kids in bed. Wes is working tonight, but I am looking forward to a nice relaxing evening!

What next...Mt. Everst??

Levi has found that he can climb about anything to get what he wants. He either pushes his little yellow chair, my rolling desk chair or turns my post office box or laundry basket upside down to climb up on something. Tonight, I secretly watched him climb up on the dining room table.

Wow! This is a little higher than the usual chairs that I climb up.







My mom took the 3 kids to eat and play at McDonald's earlier this week and she said that Levi just couldn't get his 2nd leg up on the first stair to go up in the tunnels and slides and she said she wasn't about to help him out in his efforts either for fear that he might get stuck up there. She definitely didn't want to have any part in that sort of rescue mission. :)

Finally, after being cooped up inside for several days because of cold rainy weather we had a chance to get outside today for a stroller walk and sit outside on our deck while dinner was cooking.

Levi is thinking he is pretty studly in his new Cardinal's Baseball beanie. It's a bummer the Cardinals choked in the playoffs.




These pictures were taken shortly after we had to hold him down and pull a huge splinter out of his hand from climbing down the deck stairs. Notice the snot from his nose and tears on his sweatshirt. Poor little guy!


He put the sunglasses on all by himself (upside down).


Cool dude!

On Saturday we spent the good part of the morning waiting in line at the doctor's office to get our seasonal flu shot. They had a Flu Shot clinic and we showed up only an hour after they started and yet our kids were the last young ones to receive the child based shot as they were then out. I am not sure what we would have done if they weren't able to get one as I know that the health department was out of them also. The bad part is they could only give Addy and Levi a half dose because of their age, so they have to return in a month to get the 2nd portion. Grrr, as if the 1st one isn't bad enough for a little one.

Tomorrow, after preschool, my mom and I are going to take the kids to Ha Ha Tonka state park. With the leaves turning and a day in the upper 60's it should be a perfect day for trail walking. I am looking forward to it.

Crazy Busy

So yes, I have been missing in action as far as the blog is concerned. We have been so busy and at times I almost feel like a duck on the water...calm & collected from the outside, but paddling like hell to stay afloat. Everything is going well, so no complaints, but it just never seems that there is never enough time in a day and my house would definitely show that. A tornado hasn't hit it, but it sure looks like it sometimes.

Last weekend the kids and I took a trip to visit my sister. On the way, we stopped to let both sets of my grandparents (Levi's great-grandparents) meet Levi.

Hmmm, Levi looks busy with his nose. We also got to meet Steel another new addition to our family. He was born the day before Levi's gotcha day.


I think Grandma enjoyed parading around the nursing home with her great-grandchildren. They also found her Butterfinger candy bar stash. Levi kept going back to the pumpkin basket for more.

After visiting for several hours we went to my sister's volleyball game. While we enjoyed watching them play we were glad they won in 2 games and it didn't go 3 as we were all starving and Levi was tired of being confined to the bleachers.


The next day my sister treated the kids and I to an afternoon at the pumpkin patch. I love these types of places and look forward to the fall season for this reason. Levi enjoyed it, but it was right during his nap time and I think he was just trying to stay awake through it all.







Snow Angel in the corn pit










The "special" ingredient's for a witch's brew.


Peeking through.


Train ride




I also went to a Cardinal's game with the guys (My dad, brother & uncle). My mom, sister, aunts and cousins all came to my sister's house for a night of Mexican food and margaritas, but sent me with the guys so that they would have the kids all to themselves. Levi is great with others, but if I am around, I am his 1st choice. So they all plotted against me to get rid of me for the evening. :)

Everyone hanging out at Jill's house.








On Saturday before heading home we went to Grant's Farm. After getting attacked by the baby goats last year, they knew what they were up against this year. Small and cute, but vicious when it comes to a bottle of milk. After a few minutes of being surrounded by goats they decided to stay outside the fence and feed them. I made a big mistake by handing Levi the bottle and it went straight to his mouth. He spit it out immediately...I am not sure if it is a powdered formula milk or if it was actual goat milk. Disgusting!



Tram ride through Grant's Farm
















We teased my Aunt Charlene about wearing sandals when it was sub artic temperatures outside, so I had to include a picture of her wearing her sandals. She was a good sport despite all of our teasing. :)


An author was on site reading books to the kids as they excited the farm. We have 3 copies of his "I don't want to kiss a Llama" book, one for each kid. It is a really cute book.

Sunday evening Papa J.R. and Mama Lala treated us to dinner at Applebee's and gave the kids each these darling Halloween shirts. Aren't they cute?



Heading out the door to preschool.


Poor guy! Levi had to get 5 separate shots. I felt so bad for him as I held him down while the nurse administered each one. He fell asleep immediately when I put him in the car seat. Hopefully, the tylenol that I gave him kicked in. He is now caught up on his immunizations, but still needs a flu shot which I will probably schedule for all the kids along with Wes and I this week.

We also had family pictures taken this past week and I think we captured some great shots. I can't wait to get the proofs back and then order a new family picture for fireplace mantel. The family of 4 that we currently have in the frame is definitely going to be replaced.

Wes has been busy as he started working in a new county. He is also working the MU football games on an off day, so he has been busy working a lot. Thankfully, he hasn't had to work until 8:00am this past week, and has been wonderful help in getting the kids around so that we can leave for preschool by 7:30.

I have actually started running a little again. I really need to make a little time for myself as I feel so much better when I get a little exercise in each week. Since we have brought Levi home, my workouts have been non-existant. Hopefully, I will continue to get some runs in each week, but as the weather gets colder it gets harder. I really hate cold weather.

Monday we have our first post-placement visit and honestly I am excited about our social worker coming for a visit. I can't wait to show off Levi. He is doing very well. I still need to finish our questionaire packet (hand got cramped from writing last night) and get a few more pictures developed for the meeting.



Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend.

~ Flood ~

It saddens me greatly to see that so many people suffering from the flooding in the Philippines. Media reports are saying this may be one of the worst flooding incidents for the Philippines. The metro Manila provinces are currently deeply effected. We were in so many of these areas less than two months ago. I just can't imagine these people who have nothing to begin with survive these horrific conditions. I imagine that the aftermath of the flooding will also be equally devastating. I am hugging Levi extra tight tonight as his orphanage (Malabon City) is in one of the areas hit by this storm outside of Manila. Please pray for the people of the Philippines.

Philippines Flooding YouTube Video

Gulf News Article and Pictures

~ Up, Up, & Away! ~

It doesn't take much to entertain us! The kids took turns letting Wes toss them up in the air during commercials of Dancing with Stars...ooh, I love that show! Levi would laugh hysterically when it was his turn and couldn't get enough of it. It was so fun to hear him laugh so hard. Jaidyn is getting to the age that she is a little harder to launch. However, Addy and Levi still weighing under 30 lbs were easily launched. They are 2 years apart, but only a difference of 4 lbs. in weight.














My turn! I didn't feel the need to share my "launch" photo as I will leave that to your imagination.


Levi's favorite toy is my postal shipping box. He will push it around the living room, crawl in, crawl out, & play in it.