Silly Saturday

We are having a wonderful fall day!  Hope you are too.

!HAPPY SATURDAY!

Just what this Momma needed

This past weekend my wonderful sister and I sat out for a weekend of no runny noses or cries for help, no poopy diapers or "what's for dinner". It was just a weekend for the girls!

Our wonderful Uncle Brent and his wife, Jackie were gracious enough to open their home to us so we would have a warm cozy bed, and even treated us to not one, but two wonderful dinners filled with peace and quiet as we ate our scrumptious food and drank our wine.

We headed to Kansas City on Thursday night after leaving the boys with Nannie B that night and Friday.  It was pretty funny when Abby and I pulled in to her driveway after picking up all the boys and were  expecting to get a snack ready for each of them, when we noticed Nannie B's car in the driveway 30 minutes earlier than expected - we both just looked at each other as if stunned and then yelled out "Nannie's here!" It seems Nannie B knew just how excited we were and that we were ready to get away!

As we often do since we are so much alike, we had a plan as to what time we needed to be where and how long it would take us to get there (not to mention lists of things we wanted to purchase).  Neither of us sat an alarm, but were wide awake at 6:30, filled with anticipation for our day of shopping!

We started the morning at the Junior League of Kansas City 2011 Holiday Mart and it did not disappoint!! We were in line at 9:30 for the doors to open at 10.  Jackie joined us for our day of shopping and came home with just as many treasures as we did!  Let's just say there was a lot of shopping and very little eating or resting between 10 am and 4:15 pm.  Holiday Mart has tons and tons of cute boutique shops, food, decorations and more all in one place so it makes for a great day of shopping.  Who knew you could stay at one place for 6 hours and not get tired of shopping?! 

 After our day at Holiday Mart we made a few more stops and then Uncle Brent and Jackie took us to a nice dinner at the club at Staley Farms. 

We knew we had a lot more shopping to do on Saturday morning, so again we planned our departure time for when the stores would open.  We were lucky enough to make a side trip to see our cousin, Tyler's new house.  Let's just say it's a fixer upper - anyone want a red jacuzzi from the 1970's or a parquet dance floor for your basement?

We made so many more stops that I don't think I could even count, but we will sum it up by saying we started at about 10 am and got home from Kansas City at 10:45 pm.

We did squeeze in a trip to our favorite grocery store, Trader Joe's.  After spending over an hour in the store we left with two grocery carts full (it was for 3 families, okay) and loaded up the car.  I don't have the pictures to prove it, but the only space there was in the car was about a foot and a half across the top so we could see out the back! 

Abby and I love our children more than anything, but a little refresher is needed every now and then.  And it is an extra plus to get hit on not once but twice while away! 

I can honestly say that for the first time ever, I have over 50% of my Christmas shopping done after spending a wonderful weekend with my sister!

Thank you, Abby, for a wonderful weekend!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

A few weeks ago Ms. Sue and Mr. Pete (Matney’s sitter) invited all of her kiddos to Gunter Farms to enjoy the pumpkin patch, a hay ride, and dinner.  There was a great turn out of kids and parents and the weather could not have been better.  I will admit I was getting a bit frustrated as Matney wasn’t really in to the pumpkin patch or the games and was very clingy.  I should have known something was up when she wouldn't touch her Capr* S*n or her cupcake.  By the time we left I could tell she had a fever and by the time we got home she had a temperature of 101.8.  Hopefully next year she will feel much better and want to have her picture taken and find enjoyment in the experience as this momma loves a yearly trip to the pumpkin patch.   

 Our cousins Martha, Kelby, and Risdon were there as well and Risdon was much more cooperative during the photo shoot!

Thanks Mr. Pete, Ms. Sue and the girls for inviting us to enjoy a wondeful fall evening.

*I have tons of pictures but all had the others kids in the photo and I didn't want to upset any parents by posting their childrens picture*

She's our money maker

This October has seemed likee no other October on  record.  We haven't had much if any rain and it has been in the 70's or higher all month.  Since we have had nice weather, we decided to get out and enjoy it before it turns cold and gloomy for 3 or 4 months. 

We didn't realize when we bought our house, just how many walnut trees were on it.  Brandon counted 29 one day and finally stopped counting.  With so many trees comes a gazillion walnuts, so we headed out a couple of nights a few weeks ago and started picking them up.  We want to teach Matney about responsibility and that money isn't always easy to come by without a little hard work.  4 adults and 1 toddler later, we made $33.00 for Matney to put in her college account.

Needless to say, I don't think the lesson was hard learned!  She spent the nights running around and playing.  Maybe next year she will be better at picking :)

Papa and Nannie B were big helpers and let us use Whitie to haul the walnuts

"Hey, what are all these things?"

Matney was gifted a cute little holstein calf from Nannie B and Papa G back in the spring (I don't have any pictures of him for some reason) and we recently sold him after getting him all grown up big and fat.  He was quite the money maker for Miss Matney when he sold for $750.  Matney has really been adding to her college fund in the last few weeks which makes for a very happy momma!

Silly Saturday

This is for baby dolls - not my baby!

We are being lazy today after a week of colds and a trip to the doctor for Miss Matney.  It is pretty chilly outside this morning so we are watching cartoons and doing laundry while Daddy does a few chores outside since he is off this weekend.



Ornery look as she was attempting to get in the cabinet she is not supposed to be in.



Mini-Vacation

In September I took a week of vacation to enjoy time around home and relax.  Abby and I had a wonderful Girls Day with shopping, lunch, and massages.  Matney and I spent a few days at home together and just played and did small projects.  On Friday of my week of vacation, we took a mini-trip to St. Louis as a family.  It was our first family trip just the three of us and it was wonderful.  The weather started out a little questionable on Friday as we headed to the zoo in STL, but it turned out to be a wonderful day.  We got to see lots of neat animals and Matney loved every minute of it.  She was a very good girl the entire time. 

Friday night we ate at Chee*ecake Factory and it did not disappoint.  Daddy even treated us to yummy cheesecake to take back to the hotel!  We stayed the night and went to a few stores that are only in St. Louis on Saturday before heading home. 

Eating yummy cheesecake!

Silly Saturday

Matney is quite the clown around here and will find anything to play with!  

"Check out my new hat!"



The loves of my life

"Aren't I cute, Mom?" (baths after pizza night are always a must around here)

It is a beautiful October day here and we are headed for the pumpkin patch with Ms. Sue this afternoon!!!  Our Fall bucket list is getting a ton of items checked off this weekend :)

Happy Saturday!  

18 months

Beautiful Matney, you are growing up way too fast.  Yesterday was your 18 month birthday and as I have said before, with each passing day I think I love you more! 

We do not know your stats yet for 18 months, but you have an appointment next week with your doctor so we will update then. 



Checking out Clyde and Calvin at Papa G's

 You love so many things right now and are in to everything these days.  Every night when we get home from Ms. Sue's you go straight to the tupperware cabinet and pull out a bowl, asking for a cracker throughout the process.  You are really too cute to tell no, so Daddy and I try to give you smart choices such as a small piece of cheese or an apple.  (I don't now how you could be hungry since I always pick you up from Ms. Sue's right after snack time.)  You don't really like cookies if we give them to you; you really just really want a cracker.  You play with your dolly and your bears every night.  If you can't find one of them or sometimes me or daddy you start wondering through the house saying "arrre you arre you?" 

You are turning in to a very good helper.  You have started putting a few things away for me when I am emptying the dishwasher or putting your luandry away (even though you usually drag it all back out). You love to help feed Max and Sassy.  Every night after dinner whatever is left on your plate, you pick up and say "Mah, Mah, Mah" and don't stop until I take it from you and give it to Mah (Max).

You have turned in to quite the parrott in the last 2 months so we have to be very careful what we say.  You often answer a question with such a straight answer.  Papa G asked you if you took a good nap one day and you simply replied, "I did"!

You used to be a great sleeper, but in the last month and a half you are sliding down a very steep slope to being a super stinky sleeper at night.  You had been waking up once at night screaming uncontrollably for a couple of weeks and it has now progressed to a few times a night or not wanting to go to bed at all each night.  You always want to go to our bed to rest or lay in there with Momma while I read my book or watch tv.   Daddy has started a routine of rocking you to sleep in the living room since you don't want to fall asleep in your own bed.  If or when you get really upset in the middle of the night, we have created a monster by bringing you to bed with us - we have to sleep too because we have to work all day - and you LOVE it.  You always cuddle up right next to your daddy or turn sideways (most typically with your stinky feet in my face).

For your 1/2 birthday we got you such an extravagant gift - your first panties!  You have been asking to go potty all the time and usually tell us when it is just a little too late.  You are not very happy if you have to stay in your diaper very long and have attempted to remove it and your clothes many times :) (at least we haven't been in public). 

I am so lucky to have been blessed with you in my life and I am cherishing all the memories we are making.  I love you little bug!