Draggin' Dragons

I had a really fun afternoon planned for the boys and I....Downtown trick or treating!   I won't be able to go trick or treating with them on Halloween as I will be in class that night, so I left work on Friday to suit up some cuties in costume.  Some things you just have to recognize are priority compared to work--and THIS was one of them!   :-)  

Little did I expect that the boys would be super dooper exhausted--I had been 'pumping them up' all week (I think I was more excited to see them in their costumes than anything).   So we get home, have a snack and layer up the clothes.  It was close to 'booger-freezing' weather out there and both boys REFUSED to wear their mittens.  Regardless.... we had a good time.

Happy Halloween!

Look Who's Two!

A very special little boy turned two recently and I thought I would post pictures of his important day!

Carson William Turns TWO!

 

He was gifted with a Cars Themed Party (as he is currently OBSESSED with "Queen" -Lightening McQueen).  I will never forget his face when he came home from daycare the day I had decorated the house.... I'm sure glad he had a diaper- fairly certain he DID pee his pants. 

Each year I try to give my boys the best birthday --better than the year before.  I do this as 1) Birthdays are a great way to celebrate the life you are living. 2) I want my boys to feel incredibly important and honored around their birthday-- as they are the greatest gifts I have ever received!  3) When I was a little girl, my mom took it upon herself to make sure I had a great party EVERY year and that my birthday was special for me.  I look back and realize how many wonderful memories I made at all of those parties.  Friends, games, food, cakes, laughs, music and happiness!  Gifts given in more ways than the physical sense. 



Carson had a lot of friends at his party and was blessed to play for about a good 45 minutes with each of them before the tots got a little restless.   Nathaniel was adamant about 'helping' Carson unwrap his gifts-- and during some of the gift opening we had to settle him down as he wanted it to be "My Pwez-ant."  Carson is a pretty laid back little man so thankfully he didn't mind the assistance.

 

We (mom and dad) both created a couple cardboard cars for the kids to play with and race with.  The original goal was to have his birthday party in the garage and race the cars in the yard with the kids--but a full day of steady rain prevented that from occurring on party day.  Regardless, kids are incredibly adaptable and they thought the props to be quite fun. 



I had a lot of satisfaction when the cake I made turned out as well as it did.   I always plan a few days in advance and bake the cake a couple days ahead.  Then when time permits and I get an hour of 'free' time (HA!  What's that?) I will make the frosting.  And THEN once I have all that prepped and I'm able to squeeze in a couple hours I get busy on frosting and decorating.  Cake making is one of the small pleasures in my life.  They aren't gorgeous cakes but I get relaxation from the concentration of focusing on one thing for more than 2 seconds at a time and I get enjoyment in seeing the reactions for the people I make them for and the yumminess inside the cake.    M & M's were bordering the edge of this "2" cake and some of the Cars from the movie, made it on-bringing extra smiles for My Boy.   This was a fun one to make!



Little Pumpkins

This past weekend the boys and I made our way to visit their cousins for E's Birthday! The boys were extremely excited to pick out the gift at the store and Nathaniel could not WAIT to give it to her!

I was so thankful to have some time with our family as it has been quite a few months since we have been able to all see each other together.  Nathaniel and Carson LOVE playing with their cousins and are always super tuckered out when we get home on Sunday afternoon.  The Packers were playing during the ride home and it was quite the WIN for them and came down to the last few minutes before the outcome was determined.   Glad the boys were sleeping through that.... there MAY have been a few choice words slipping out of Papa Bill's/my mouth near the end. 

Fall is here and it is MARVELOUS!    Call me crazy, but I am thinking that the colors of the leaves are much more bright and vibrant and beautiful this year!   I can't get enough of the beauty each day when traveling about. I am beginning to switch my favorite season from Summer to Fall.  However, I love every single season and in about 14 weeks I will be saying the same thing about Winter.  But in the meantime, I am going to cherish the last few weeks of NOT raking.  HA!



Papa and Nana have become SUPER HEROS to N and C!  Almost each night Nathaniel will ask questions about papa and when he can go fishing with him again and when we can go to the cabin.  Once Nathaniel gets a little older he will be totally in heaven when Papa asks him to go on bass tournaments with him all the time.  Carson's been rather rambunctious at daycare (and at home lately).   Over the past two weeks we have had a couple injury reports needing to be signed when we pick him up.  We both have had him in time-out many times at home because he was hitting or shoving his brother.   It is starting to become embarrassing getting talked to by the teacher each night for him being rough with his friends.   I hope this stage soon passes.   I don't like that he is behaving this way.  He has always been a HUGE snuggler his whole life; this is hard to accept.

Life is good.   I am anticipating a busy few weeks coming up as two classes are starting.  One course I have to do book work and clinicals for and then I am also enrolled in an online psychology course which is something new for me--online coursework.  We shall see.    Have to start it up.  

Less than a week and my baby boy Carson will be two years old.   Unbelievable!