Happy "Harvest"

Mother Nature's Farm

I swear Mark is making this face because I always want to take pictures . . . he had a really good time!

I don't really like Halloween.  Not because I don't think it is "okay" to enjoy it or anything (Mark actually really likes Halloween), but it's just not a holiday that I really enjoy.  I do, however, love pumpkins and harvest-type stuff so we took the boys to a pumpkin patch tonight to spend some quality family time together.  We went to Mother Nature's Farm.  This is Davis decorating his pumpkin. 

The boys loved the animals.  They had goats, sheep, a cow, and a ton of pigs.

Parker sees a lot of sheep around our house and he always asks, "where is the cow (or the "moo").  He was very excited to see this cow.  I also had to drag him away from the pigs.  They were throwing pumpkins into the pig pen and the pigs were going crazy, snorting.  Parker was standing there copying them.  Very funny.

The boys are getting ready to go on the hayride.  

The boys had a great time.  I asked each of them what they liked the best.  Davis said his favorite was the hayride - a tractor AND a "tray-LAIR" - it doesn't get much better than that for Davis.  Parker said his favorite was the "crips" (chips).   Mark wasn't really feeling the barn food so we ate at Someburros and Parker loves himself some chips.  I will speak for him and say that the animals were definitely his favorite part.  Grayson slept through most of the experience.  

Go Lumberjacks

Grammie and Granddad brought home some fun t-shirts from NAU when they were up there last weekend.  Even though you would think my husband attended UofA by the way he talks about Tucson and pledges such great support for all UofA sports (thus placing himself in opposition to my love for ASU), he actually attended and graduated from NAU.  Little shout-out to his alma mater . . . Go Lumberjacks :) 

21st Century Kid

This is probably more amazing to me than it should be because I almost never use my IPod because I feel like I can not figure out that thing.  The other evening (I know evening - you thought it was morning because he was eating oatmeal - it was "breakfast night") while I was making Parker's cereal Davis got Mark's IPod out of the bedroom, turned it on and was jamming out.  When I turned around and saw him listening to music on his own it caught me off guard.  He looked like a teenager, sitting there listening to his IPod trying to be in his own world.  He was looking at me like "what mom - this is totally normal".  I guess technology will just be second nature to them.  

Thanks to my Husband

My husband recently mentioned that he never gets any "blog time" so I thought this could serve two purposes.  One - to thank my kind husband for some of the prettiest flowers I have ever seen.  They were "picture perfect" and it was very thoughtful.  I felt very appreciated.  Two - to give them a slightly longer life but putting them on the blog - real flowers die so fast - it always seems so sad to me.  Thanks babe!

Does he look pale to you?

This story started last Saturday when Davis came upstairs and asked me if he could have some water - trying to (not so conspicuously) hide his arms that were WHITE from the elbow down.  One look at that kid and I knew a massive baby powder explosion was waiting for me downstairs.  Davis had taken a large bottle of powder to his room and filled a backpack, a dump truck, some mega blocks and some other random things with a substantial amount of powder.  Needless to say, you could hardly breathe in there without fear of talc poison.  I thought I had it completely cleaned up but two days later we are all downstairs together and Parker walks out looking like Casper the friendly ghost.  His head was covered in powder.  Apparently Davis had also filled the seat of a ride-on car with powder and they found that stash and decided to put it all over Parker's head.  He was almost glowing white - the picture doesn't do it justice.  It was hysterical.  The other picture is Davis showing us why they were doing that in his bedroom - "look . . we were giving Parker 'hair smoke'".  Well of course, what was I thinking? :)

Getting To Know You . . . .

So I know I have never even completed my "tag you are it" thing but I loved reading everyone elses . . . so in the spirit of that . . . I read this on someone else's blog and figured we could all pass this one around. Come on - at least since my main hobby is reading blogs this gives you all something to write for me to read :)

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not my first name . . but my middle name (Marie) is the same as my Grandma's.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?Watching t.v. actually . . this is embarrassing but the Biggest Loser made me cry last week.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?no it is pretty bad - especially if I am not really making an effort. Mark jokes that it looks like a third grader wrote it (which he also says about my sister's handwriting :)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?I'm a lunch meat snob actually. I can only eat Boar's Head deli meat - my o.r. is maple glazed turkey.
DO YOU HAVE KIDS?yes, 3, all boys, all cute. (I left Carrie's exact answer for this one)
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?I can honestly say probably not - as my friends know - I am not a very good friend. ( I guess that might make me a good friend for myself though?)
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?probably too much.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes.
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?nope.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?This changes fairly regularly, but right now I love Fiber One Maple Flavor and Quaker Oats Squares (so good without milk)
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? do flip flops ever come with laces ?
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?of course, I can hold 3 boys if I have to :-) (I left Carrie's answer for this one too - sadly I DO hold three boys sometimes)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?Don't like ice cream - its not a healthy choice or anything - trust me I eat more than my share of baked goods.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I'm actually horrible about "noticing" anything about people. I could never tell you what someone's hair looked like or what they had on.
RED OR PINK? red I guess, I hate pink - maybe that is why God saw fit to only give me boys
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?I'm choosing not to bore you with a long list and lead myself into sin.
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My grandpa - I wish my boys could have known him. My grandma Kronwald - same reason.
WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?none
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?an apple with apple dip - delicious!
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?Parker crying to get out of his crib - I just wanted to finish this first. - good mommy!
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?I hate questions like this.
FAVORITE SMELLS? baking bread, my boys on my lap before bed
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?my sister.
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? FOOTBALL - love it :)
HAIR COLOR? brown
EYE COLOR?brown
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?yep
FAVORITE FOOD? Basically I love to eat yummy things - but if I had to choose - I would say Mexican food. Other random favorites - English muffins from La Grande Orange in Phx, my sister's apple cake, plum jam from my mother-in-law, I could go on and on
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?happy endings, for sure - don't do scarry movies!
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Sadly, I watched "Down To You" in the middle of the night last night nursing.
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?navy
SUMMER OR WINTER? in between (Spring or Fall) I hate to be REALLY hot but I also hate to be cold.
HUGS OR KISSES? I'd take either.
FAVORITE DESSERT?I like fruit things - my sister makes a great apple cake - I also love bread pudding.
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?the Bible, specifically Exodus with my BSF study and Peacemakers. I also read a certain Dora book about 15 x/day and a myriad of truck books.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?I'm a lap top girl.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?I actually crashed after my boys fell asleep last night - but I did turn on Fox News when I was up to nurse the first time and then a cheesy high school movie when I was up later.
FAVORITE SOUND?sometimes music or boys playing - sometimes just quietness if lovely
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?My dad did everything in his power to instill a love for both but I would definitely choose Beatles if I had to listen to one or the other.
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME???Is Italy or Hawaii further from AZ?
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can bathe, dress, bottle feed/nurse (respectively) and put to sleep three boys in about an hour. It feels like a marathon and always feels like an accomplishment - does that count?
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?Phoenix, AZ

Okay, so now everyone else has to copy this to their blog and put a link to it in the comments section…

I'm In

So I am going to follow Amy and enter this contest (though I am the most unlucky "contest" winner ever). Go to the website www.handbagplantet.com or http://www.handbagplanet.com and enter to win . . . good luck!

Funny Faces and Lots of Style

Aunt Amy's favorite funny face

Parker loves to make his funny face.  Last night Davis asked for a mirror to see his hair while he was in the tub (he is very proud of his new haircut).  Of course Parker is quick to chime in "I turn, I turn" to look in the mirror.  He then sat there making his funny faces in the mirror - laughing at himself.  He cracks me up.  He was still willing to make his faces for the camera after he got out of the tub :)

Before the haircut - quite shaggy

The new-do

I am sure most of my friends and family would admit that they have noticed that Davis has needed a haircut for several weeks, but the thought of all three of them at the salon was making me drag my feet.  I have been telling him, "We HAVE to get your haircut."  He would always respond, "I know, I want it short like Eli".  One day he also said, "You never let me cut my hair short like Eli."  I think it is a glimpse into my future of a little boy who is very opinionated about how he should look - hair, clothes, ect.  

Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is one of the boys favorite games right now.  They love to play and lately they will even play with just one another instead of needing Mark or me to "facilitate".  Davis will count very accurately to ten before searching for Parker but Parker will stand there with his hands over his eyes and shout "three, three, three . . . coming Day-day".  It is very cute.  I followed them around the other day to catch them in their favorite spots - Davis in his closet and Parker behind the chair in his room.  I love the "sneaky" look on Parker's face.

Daddy's Day

The weekend of Sept 20th Mark kept the boys on Saturday so that I could spend the day at a Women's Retreat for our church. The day was a wonderful time of teaching and fellowship with the women of our chuch. I was very thankful that Mark made it possible for me to attend. It was also a special day for Davis and Parker because they got to spend the entire day with Daddy. I asked Davis what was his favorite part of the day and he said, "Daddy let me cut paper with your big scissors in the basement and make a big, paper mess!". It is the little things for Davis. I know that they also had fun at the Williams' for dinner. Davis said they "broke a lot of stuff" at Trey's so thank you to Kenny and Amy for hosting the chaos of all those kids. The picture is actually from Sunday morning (the day after) but it is always sweet to me to see the lasting "affects" for Davis of alone time with Daddy. I think when they are this little it can take just one day of quality time to really grow their relationship. Very sweet.