Picture outtakes

Taking pictures of kids takes the right kind of person, and I dont think that I am 'that' kind of person.
Christmas is creeping up and I still have not put together cards. If I cant get a good picture of them both here soon I might just have to use one of these.
Here are the best of the worse pictures over the past week.

 Brotherly love= head lock.

 I just love it that I now have two kids that like to 'cheese it up' for the camera.

Those are my Littles and I love every moment of them!!!

O' Christmas tree

Last night we bundled up the family, packed into the truck and headed off to find the perfect tree.
Normally we just put up our 'fake' one but this year we loaned it to some amazing friends so we could venture out and get a 'real' one.
We headed over to the local fruit stand in hopes that they had just the right one for us.

In years past we have not had the greatest of luck with real trees but this year we were going to put the past behind us and enjoy the experience of a 'real' tree.
We found 'our' tree hiding in the back row where it was very heard to see its beauty. It it a little crocked and not so full but I just knew it was going to look (and smell) amazing.
After a little sawing and trimming the tree finally made it into our house.

The Littles were very excited to start decorating it and both did a great job.

Lets just hope that the fire place does not dry it out too much and it will last til Christmas.

(Only one ornament was broke in the decorating of the tree.)

Paint, puzzles and a whole lot more

The Little Man found these wooden cars the otherday while cleaning up the playroom. We got them almost two years ago for him to paint and we forgot... until now.

I dont think that this kids can forget anything.
So we pulled out some paint and brushes and got to work. He quickly learned how to make orange, purple and his all time favorite green by doing a little mixing.
He has now decided that these three cars will become gifts to give his love ones. I am so glad to see that he is thinking more about what he is going to give as gifts than get as gifts.
But along the line of gifts I think that both of The Littles will be getting a puzzle or two and some more drawing supplies.

The Little Lady is enjoying working on the wooden peg puzzles. She has figured out how to turn the pieces around and get them to fit without getting upset.
The Little Man has been having fun working on 24 piece puzzles.

He has also been showing off his drawing skills.

I dont know if it is my mom side or my creative side but every time he draws a picture it just melts my heart and puts a HUGE smile on my face to no one can wipe off.
Here is his drawing called 'When Mommy and Daddy got married.'

LOVE it!!!

Very thankful

We turned our Thanksgiving into a mini vacation by hooking up the trailer, climbing in the truck and heading out of town.

We had fun spending our time with family and people we just met.

The weather was wet and cold but what can you really expect at the end of November?!
The kids were able to get out and ride bikes or go putt putting most days. But when the rain was coming down and the wind was blowing we were stuck inside. We watched WAY too much TV and now we are on a much needed TV diet.
Some of our time inside was spent playing games and drawing.

If The Little Lady finds a pen she will then be on a mission to find some paper. She just loves to draw. If no paper is found she might just start drawing on her belly.
On Thanksgiving morning The Little Lady even decided to leave a little turkey hand print on the trailer window.

It reminds me of this little hand print from a few years back.

This Moment- Sleeping hero

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. -Soule Mama

A big thank you to all the real heroes out there on this Veterans day.

My two little monkeys

I know that it is a week an a half passed Halloween but I guess I better post about Halloween now or I never will.
The Littles dressed up as monkeys.

They were the two cutest monkeys that I have ever seen.
The costume was so fitting for The Little Lady since she is such a little monkey. She just loves to climb, hang and swing. When you pick her up she wraps her legs around you and hold on tight.

The Little Man liked his monkey costume until he saw his friends at the harvest party wearing cooler costumes like cops, rockstars and super hero's. I tried to tell him that he gets to be those cool things everyday but only on Halloween he gets to be a monkey. It helped a little.
I also told him that next year we can work together and make him whatever costume he wants. He liked that idea and wanted to start right away. So to hold him off a little I made him a t-shirt with the COPS logo on it.

I just cant believe how big my biggest little monkey is getting.

I have really started thinking about him starting Kindergarten a lot lately. I am really up in the air about want I am going to do. Not only with myself but with him. Do I put him in school like most do or do I sigh up for a virtual or online academy? I just dont know. I am just glad that I have a few more months to think about this before I have to make a decision.

Even though the monkey costume was so fitting for The Little Lady she was not all that happy to be wearing it.

Even if you dont want to wear the costume Little lady you are still my littlest little monkey.

I dont know if next year I will be able to get The Littles in matching or 'themed' costumes but either way I just love the amazing memories we are creating together.

Last year they had themed costumes of a cowboy and a horse. Here is The Little Man sporting last years costume this year.

He decided to wear it a month ago to a friends wedding. They got married in a barn so the costume was very appropriate. I just love his creativity.
I wonder what he will choose to be for Halloween next year?

A pumpkin afternoon

On this beautiful fall afternoon our house was filled with three pizzas, one grandpa, one grandma, two great grandmas, an aunt, an uncle, a cousin, our family of four and 3 pumpkins.

This is the first time that the little man has carved a pumpkin. He said that he wanted to carve it into a trailer but than changed his mind and drew a face or three on his pumpkin.

When the pumpkins were carved and the seeds were roasted I tried to take a picture of the littles on the front porch with the pumpkin but tried was the key word.
Take one-

 Take two-

 Take three-

Today was a wonderful day filled full of amazing memories.

Playing in the kitchen

Our kitchen play set is one of the most used toys in our house.
It is used for cooking up felt pancakes, wooden pizza and the littles.

Its good to change things up every once in a while.
I am just having a great time watching the littles. Everyday they are doing something new and amazing.
Thank you littles for being who you were created to be.

Between the rain showers

The littles are missing being able to play outside. Just a few weeks ago we were spending most of our days outside and now our days are spent inside longing for a fire.
So today, in between the rain showers,we got outside and enjoyed some fresh air.

The little man found some wood in the garage and managed to build a ramp to jump his balance bike off of.

When we first got outside I did not bring the camera with me but when the ramp started forming I knew I need some pictures of this.
In the time that it took me to run inside and get the camera and come back the ramp was finished and the little man had his helmet strapped on.

 After the little man went on the ramp for a few times the little land knew it was her turn to try it out.

Life is full of rain showers (especially here in Washington) but they wont slow me down. Sooner or later there will be a break and I will take the opportunity and get out and enjoy it. Maybe I will even put on helmet and take a little bigger leap.

The magic of dirt

I read this post last night and it reminded me of these pictures that of the littles from our last camping trip.

By letting your kids play in the dirt not only will you get these cute pictures of them but you are also exposing them to good bacteria that helps them to be happier and could boost there IQ.

Good bacteria that can boost immune systems and help heal wounds.

So play in the dirt a little.

Then after a long day of playing in the dirt its time to hop in the bath and get cleaned up a little.

Only to go back out and play in the dirt a little more.

When was the last time you got out and played in the dirt?

This moment- They just melt my heart

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.- Amanda Soule

Welcome fall

The signs of fall are all around.

Fall is...

Bike rides in the fallen leaves and making it home before it gets to dark, which comes way to early at 7:30

Homemade treats for teachers

Riding the little yellow school bus to school and being the big man in school

Wearing long sleeves and leg warmers and learning the joys of pockets

Pulling out the almost forgotten needles and starting a fall hat (in an amazing shade of orange)

Finding ways to bring nature in

Hunting for your favorite leaf and having a hard time finding just the right one.

Canning and enjoying your harvest all season long

Welcome fall.. I have missed you.