The Pumpkin Patch

We could just buy our pumpkins at the store. We usually do. But last year we went to a cool pumpkin patch. So I figured this year let's find another.

Manning was determined to push himself.

Mason found his pumpkin. A flat round one.

This was the one Manning eventually had to have. But he was convinced his pumpkin is a ball.

He found this one but when he couldn't comfortably lift it he went back for the other "ball."

All these pumpkins, I just had to pose them.So cute!

Mattix loved this BIG one.

Another posing moment.

Cheese! (Manning is upset he can't see his ball.)

We took a hayride around the pumpkin patch.

Matt really wasn't feeling good. But I did catch a smile.

Mason is becoming quite the photographer. He brought his camera along too.

Our cute family on the hay ride.

Matt really didn't feel good. And the hay ride didn't make his stomach feel to pretty either.

There were lots of tractors to climb on.

My boys loved every one of them.

The boys were sooo excited to get to go through their first corn maze.

They were afraid to get lost. So they stuck together. Little did they know, that was the shortest corn maze ever and it was not the least bit scary. But it was a REAL corn maze to them. And they loved it. It was awesome!

Such a fun day!

He Loves His Daddy!

Mason brought home this picture the other day from school. He was very proud of it. He made it for Dad. I looked at it. I guessed it was him playing ball with him. He laughed when I told him my guess. He said "mom can't you see? It's daddy picking me up from school. He's driving his car and I am in the back, in my seat, with my seat belt on." How sweet! So on Friday when daddy didn't have school, Guess who got to pick up his Mason Man from school? There's something about the idea of Daddy doing things like that. Mason was so proud to have him come pick him up.

Farewell to Summer

We climbed lots of trees this summer. We've gotten braver and braver.

Shared a drink/splash or two at the drinking fountain.

After much practice.... Mason learned to hit the soccer ball off his head.

We took our last camping trip for the summer.

Played in plenty of dirt and found a few sticks along the way.

Went for a hike.

Roasted a pack of hotdogs very slowly over hot coals because it started to rain just a bit.

Sat with friends around a campfire. Stuffed our faces with the yummiest smores ever.

Spent extra time with our favorite Daddy.

And mommy.

Got plenty dirty.

Enjoyed an afternoon with our buddies.

Just plain soaked up the sun.

So until next year. Good summer. We had a very fun time this year. Hopefully Fall will stick around for a while before winter comes rolling in.

Deja Vu

I took this picture the other day. It made me smile. But than I was looking through pictures and found this.....

Oh my goodness. Do you remember this? The day we came home from the hospital with Manning. Look how much they've all changed in almost two years. Manning is now wearing the shoes that Mattix has on. Look how tiny he was. We need another one. Don't we? I miss the tiny baby stage. One day.

Naughty in training

Manning has a new student in the naughty department.

Dani has become very interested in everything Manning does. Now she's started following his lead. And let's just say they are really good at making a mess.

I am not sure who started this mess, but they both had fun playing in it.

It wasn't me.

Wipes are more fun when you can throw them all over. For some reason pulling them out of the package is so fun.

I was taking random pictures of the kids the other day. And it was so funny I caught the naughty training on camera. Hey Dani, come here. I got the cupboard door open. Mom don't look at me.

Look at all this stuff.

See I told you.

Here hold this. It's fun. Let's see what else I can find.

I'm in for it... Dani is catching on fast.

I needed to hear that.

I heard this talk from Sis. Virgina Hinkley Pearce. She compared our hearts to an apple. Sometimes things come along for the apple ( it could be a bird or a bug) and pick at the apple (our heart). Causing hurt to the apple.
I don't mean to be a whiner or a big cry baby but, for me personally lately I feel very picked at. Whether it be someone's actions or even their words we tend to get picked at a lot in this world. Even our own afflictions can cause hurt. Sometimes I feel like being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints puts a target on my back for people (sometimes family) to pick away and hurt what we value and respect most in our life. All my life I've heard the phrase "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I'm afraid that is one big lie. And who ever made this phrase up was probably lying to themself to hide their own pain.

But Sis. Pearce went on to explain that the apple had so much potential to be a beautiful delicious apple. But because it was hurt it sucked in at that picked spot and let itself become hard. No longer a beautiful delicious apple. I'm afraid sometimes in our lives we take those harsh words people say to us and turn our hearts in and that bitterness eventually starts to harden our hearts. There's still hope for that hurt picked at apple, if it's picked before it does turn hard. It can still be delicious and beautiful. So I guess I am adding my words to her words. I need to take my hurt heart and do something with it. Sometimes it's not going to immediately heal and feel better. But I've got to look at it with a heart like Christ.

Sis. Pearce wrote a book Called A Heart Like His. I haven't read it but she related a lot of her talk to it. I will look for this book and will be reading it soon. Hopefully I can do a post about what I learn. I am excited. I don't like feeling bitter about anyone. Bitterness makes it easier for the heart to turn hard and I know it may be obvious but I don't like the feeling my heart feels when I've been hurt. Hopefully through this journey I can get closer to having my heart to into a heart like His.

Princess Olivia for the night.

Last month Matt's niece Oliva got to stay the night with Me and the boys. We decided to help her feel better about her mom leaving her. (she seemed pretty nervous) I thought maybe we could have a movie night and paint her toenails. We went to the store and they all picked out a few treats and we got icecream. She talked the boys into getting Barbie Fairy Secret at the Redbox. (I think the boys were more excited she was actually sleeping over to care about what movie). But just a side note there is something about "Barbie" that just does not appeal to my boys. Mason can get sucked into the TV by almost anything. But barbie was a challenge for him.

The plan was to paint her nails. Mattix really wanted her to soak her feet like a real pedicure. And use all the stuff I use on my feet. Even the foot mask. I think Olivia loved it.

She loved that her feet turned white like a zombie. Mattix and Manning really wanted to do it too. So they got zombie feet too. It was fun.

Olivia acted so grown up. It was cute.

The boys had their turn soaking their feet. Mason was to afraid of his ego to do anything like that. "Boys don't get pedicures mom."

Mattix's zombie feet.

He loved it. He said the mask felt like sand at the lake. He was so funny.

Mason finally wanted to help when we started filing her toenails and using the file. It was so neat to see my boys want to take care of the Princess and pamper her. It made me proud.

I had some cute nail stickers. Olivia doesn't like pink so we did blue.

I think they turned out so cute.

The next day Olivia asked me if she could have a "pedicure for her hands." And because I don't usually get the opportunity to pamper and play pretty I said YES! Than when her's were done she and the boys painted my nails and put stickers on them. I even showed off my beautiful mani the next day church.

I loved our princess night. It was awesome. I don't have any girls yet. So for now I think I will take advantage of the girls I do have in my life. It's nice to have that girl time once in a while.