Carving Pumpkins

Ana right before we dove in to her pumpkin.....



Eli was quite excited to get started.....


Ema really had no idea what was going on....but she was all smiles none the less.....


Surpisingly, both kids were willing get there hands inside the pumpkins and dig the "goods" out.



The finished products!!

Fall Festival...at Bear Country

Last Saturday was probably our last "taste" of summer/fall weather - so we ventured out to Bear Country for the Fall Festival. Since we had a season pass there this past year we got the privilege of riding on an open air bus through the wild-life park vs. driving through with our cars where we are supposed the keep the windows closed up.
After spending 25 minutes in line convincing Eli the bus was nothing to be scared of we carried him onto the bus screaming and within 20 seconds he calmed down and precisely said "this bus isn't scary, I like this bus"........ahhhh!!!


Our "happy" boy - who is still scared of everything!!





Within a few minutes Eli was even convinced to get up from Eric's lap and come sit next to me so he could be right next to the window.








When the bus tour was done, we wandered around "baby land". Ana and Eli spent a little time organizing pumpkins that were randomly placed about to be used as chairs.


Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum!


Funny - they were all willing to smile for me - but I couldn't get them all to look at me!

And finally the baby bears - not such babies anymore.

What to do......

This is how we pretty much spent our weekend....inside keeping warm from the frigid January temperatures (oops I mean October) and snow, watching movies and trying at all costs to not come into contact with anyone that might have or be getting H1N1 - it's spreading like wild fire in RC - I will be surprised if we actually do avoid it....but I am going to keep trying at this point!!

And She's Off.....

Ema is officially walking........

And this is officially Ema's chair....Eli and Ana have learned to not even think about trying to sit in it if she is in the room......

The milkshake.....

THAT ERIC DIDN'T GET!!!

How we get our flowers......

We were recently driving by the cemetery (there is one on the main route from our house) and Ana and I shared a conversation that went something like this....

Ana: Mommy I want to go to the cemetery

Me: Why do you want to go there?

Ana: So we can pick some pretty flowers for our house.....

I guess I didn't go a very good job growing our own flowers this year or at least remembering to water them so they would actually grow....

Potty Training and Eli.....

Eli - regarding potty training.....

Suzie: Who wants a diaper change

Eli: Me!

Suzie: Who wants to wear big boy underwear today

Eli: Me!

Eric: Okay Eli you need to get sit on the potty first and try and go potty.....

Eli: No I don't want to......

ahhh....I think we have a long ways to go!!

In a years time....

We've gone from this......


To this......


It's crazy to think this last weekend marked the 1 year mark that we made the move across Rapid....it's been a busy year...but we are so thankful for this house that we've been blessed with!

Our Ballerina....

Ana is switching things up this year and instead of Gymnastics she is trying out Ballet.....She had the privilege of watching our good friends little girl perform last year at her recital and since then....she was won over to Ballet....



Unfortunately, she was quite disappointed the first day because she thought she was going to be performing on stage......and then explaining the concept of she will be....but not until next spring was a little hard to understand.



Not quite a Ballerina (thank goodness).....but a trooper none the less - he totes along every week to Ballet and spends the 1/2 hour racing his match box cars across the floor.....


And well Ema, she just goes where ever she is taken these days.....and can pretty much find something to make herself content while she is there.....


Warming-up



Following the Leader....Ana's ballet teacher opens the curtains to watch the kids once a month...and today was the day.....it's obvious why she doesn't do it every week......



And this would be why.....Every time Ana passed by the window....she was no longer concentrating on the teacher but rather engaged in watching me and making sure I caught her every move on camera....

My Little Drummers.......

This seems to be the obsession at our house right now...DRUMS....everything is and can be made into a Drum.....

We recently purchased Rock Band - hoping this would satisfy the their desire to drum.....but they just don't seem to make the cut.....something about not being LOUD enough for them.....


So yesterday's Drum set included the empty diaper boxes and the green sticks from the Lincoln Log set.....most days my tolerance for drumming last all of about 32 seconds....but I did grin and bear it yesterday for about 5 minutes!



Truth be known, I am not sure Ana and Eli would even be interested in Drums if it were not for my cousins sons who also have Rock Band and a very large LOUD drum set.....Ana and Eli talk about it ALL the time!! (and yes Mom, any drum set purchased will work very nicely at your house - but there is just no room here!!)

Caught....

Ema Ema - into everything - she sure hears the words "Ema no no.... " a lot these days........