halloween...finally

It's hard to believe that a week has passed since the boys were anxiously waiting to go trick-or-treating. Our city had trick-or-treating on the 30th rather than the 31st which was so nice since that fell on a Saturday. The boys had a great time and so did Darren and I.

We started our evening at GramPat and Papa's house (which is in our neighborhood...isn't that convenient?) for dinner and a little bit of T-or-T'ing with 1 year old cousin Braden before we headed out to do some damage on our own. Here are some shots from Halloween 2010...

It was a fun night and I'm sad it's already over. I love Halloween! I guess it's time to take down my Halloween decor. It's probably past time, but I just wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to it until today....and that is only because Connor just informed me that it is time to put it up. What would I do without him!?!

hoedown and another trip to the pumpkin patch

Last Wednesday was Hoedown Day in Pre-K. Cale was a farmer or a cowboy. I'm not really sure which!?! He looked cute though whatever he was. I didn't get to go to Hoedown Day since the second grade field trip fell on the same day. So I just snapped a quick pic before we headed off to school.

On Wednesday mornings we drop Connor off at 7:30 for Honors Chorus so the boys and I just park and hang out until it's closer to the time school starts. I don't know why but I thought I would get a pic of the boys while we were hanging out.

I also snapped this one of D while he was getting the GPS ready for the field trip. Have I ever mentioned that he hates having his picture taken?

Now, onto Coby's field trip...

What a difference a year makes. Wow. I can't believe how

much he's changed!

It was a lot of fun and I am so glad that this field trip fell on Darren's days off. That rarely happens. Coby loved having us both there and we loved the one on one time we got to share with him. We don't get those moments very often so they are very special to us.

Now I just need to figure out how to make pumpkin bread out of Coby's pumpkin. Every year he wants me to make pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread with his pumpkin. Coby gives me way too much credit as I haven't the slightest clue how to do that. And why would I? Isn't that why they make canned pumpkin? Maybe one day I'll make the effort to learn as I know it would make Coby so happy. Maybe next year....

last of the "first" field trips

October 14th marked the first field trip that Cale has ever been on. I have to admit, I was emotional about this. I was not emotional about the first day of school, but there was just something about seeing my youngest on a school bus that got to me. I wasn't expecting that at all! I remember thinking as the bus drove off that at some point we're going to run out of firsts...and that is what makes me sad. Don't get me wrong, I am completely content with the fact that my kids are 4, 7 and 10. I love that they are no longer "babies" and that they are old enough to take care of many of their own needs. Still, the emotions of this day caught me off-guard as I accompanied my baby on his first field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. Thankfully by the time we arrived at the PP I had myself under control and we had ourselves a great time! Here are some pics from our day...

Cale and I had this sweet little boy in our group for the day

I had to laugh as we got onto the train and this little girl jumped on next to Cale before I had a chance to sit next to him. Her mother said her name and I said, "so that's Kate! I've heard so much about her, I am so glad the feeling is mutual!" Her mother went on to tell me that Kate has been telling her since the second day of school that she is going to marry Cale! I know that Cale likes Kate as like he likes all of his friends and speaks about her often, but so far he tells me he is never going to have a girlfriend or get married because he "does not want to stick his tongue in someone else's mouth"! heehee Kate however REALLY likes Cale! She had her arm around him the entire train ride and kept trying to hold his hand the entire day. Cale didn't want apart of any of it and poor Kate's mom was mortified. It was pretty cute though!

I knew Cale was my child for sure when he didn't want to go into the cages with the animals! I completely understood!!!! I've always been skittish of animals...like mother like son!

We had a great day!

to Camp Classen they go

Both Darren and Connor headed to Camp Classen this morning with most of Connor's fifth grade class. For three days the fifth graders will hike up Mt. Warren, learn archery, fish, canoe, shoot rifles (bb guns), have astronomy lessons, plan skits, make s'mores by bonfire and on and on. It's an outdoor school of sorts...isn't that every boys dream come true!? I am so glad that our school does this every year for the fifth graders. What a special time this is for them. I just can't wait to hear every detail when they get back. Until then, I just have these....a few pics taken this morning. (They're not great. I left my good camera in the car as both D and Connor do not like having their pics taken so if I just take my little old camera I can sometimes sneak a few pics more quickly without them noticing...that didn't go so well though...they were both annoyed fairly quickly! Oh well.)

Connor and his daddy/camp counselor

Connor and his friends/cabin mates

Connor and Cameron

The boys were running around when Mr. Haws got out the megaphone to announce it was time to load the bus. Connor's cabin was the first to load one of the three buses.

getting his things together

loading up

It was so funny to see Darren on a school bus! It brought back memories of Jr. High (yes, it was still called Jr. High when we were in school) when he and I would ride the bus together! Awww. ;-)

the boys (I think they named their group the Nacho Ninjas!?!)

At this point I knew Darren would fit right in with the fifth graders. He is right at their maturity level (or maybe a hair below)! ha

I am so glad that Darren was willing and able to go with Connor. I know that they will have memories of this trip for a lifetime. I know they are having fun...Darren has already called me twice! Both times he's said what a great time they're having and I love hearing that. However, I must say that I sure am missing those two tonight. I'm enjoying the time with just Coby and Cale, but dinner sure was quiet without Connor here (Darren too, but Connor is our talker!). I know that they will be back before I know it though, so for now, I am savoring the time I have to myself with my "littlest" boys! Thankfully the "big" boys won't be gone too long.

this boy

• is my first-born
• is already 10 1/2 years old
• is growing like a weed
• has gained 4 pounds in the past 2 months (YAY!)
• has the cutest cluster of freckles spread across his nose that I just adore
• is becoming more and more independent with each passing day
• is finally coming out of his shell when it comes to socializing & making new friends
• is getting very brave and trying out new things on his bike
• loves to read
• is a great baseball player
• is a worrier like his mommy (I wish I could take all of his worries away)
• is very active and loves the outdoors
• his confidence has increased enormously over the past few months (hooray!)
• is pretty serious most of the time, but loves to have fun too
• is a talker!!
• is a detail person just like his mommy (which I completely appreciate!)
• is giving
• is a rule follower (for the most part...thank goodness)
• is not looking at all like my little boy anymore, but more like a young man
• is finally coming out of the hard to deal with attitude that began at around 9.5-10 years
• is (sometimes) wearing clothes from the junior's section of the mall...WHAT!?! When did that happen?
• loves school and is doing great with high A's in all subjects but math, which is a B (he got his daddy's math skills, or lack thereof, and that's alright!)
• thinks he would look so cool if he could get braces (hmmm...I bet by the time he gets them he won't think they're quite so cool!)
• LOVES Jesus with all his being (we were talking about friends the other day and he told me Cameron was his second best friend which surprised me so I asked who his first best friend is. He responded, Jesus! I LOVED hearing it!!!!)
• is going to Camp Classen tomorrow with all his fifth grade class mates for three days and two nights. This is a rite of passage in our school district and I remember thinking not too long ago that Camp Classen seemed "so far off". I can't believe we have a child old enough to be going, but I'm so thankful that we do! I can't wait to hear the stories he comes home with! (Darren is going as a counselor so I will get to hear it all...the good, the bad and the ugly.)
• I love this boy!

show us where you live: master bedroom

I'm so glad it's Friday again! I am joining Kelly from Kelly's Korner again this week for Show Us Where You Live Friday. This week it's master bedrooms. This is my favorite room in our house because it is full of my favorite colors. Please come on in and take a look around....

Please excuse the treadmill!

Thanks for stopping by. I can't wait to hop over to see your master bedroom. I am always looking for new ideas and inspiration! Happy Friday!!

Fall is here again!!!!

I am SO happy that today is the first day of fall. I've said it before and I'll say it again and again, I heart fall! I love the smells of fall, the colors of fall, pumpkins, mums, pansies, wearing hoodies with jeans and trick or treating with my boys. Fall is the best!!! So, to celebrate fall's arrival I made the boys pumpkin bread for breakfast....

Then after I dropped the boys off to school, I put out my autumn flag....

It was placed next to my mums which are in full bloom again!!!

I even allowed myself to get one little Halloween decoration out even though it's still a bit early (I'm holding off another week or so before getting it all out)

And lastly, I can't do a post about my love of fall without showing one of absolute favorite things about the season, the smells....

cinnamon roll candle

fall flavored Wallflowers refills. YUMMY!

I have my fall Scentsy order placed and cannot wait to get those yummy fall scents in my warmers! As you can see, it's the little things in life that make me happy!

Happy Fall!!!