pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns

Mikey and Mabin entered a contest for what design would be carved into a pumpkin at the Keizer library Halloween Festival. 

Their Harry Potter design won. 

I've never been so proud. 

(I believe I was busy getting (probably eating) some delicious cookies while they were drawing their sketch.) 

One Family Home Evening was spent at the pumpkin patch. 

This little piggy was so friendly. She came right up and promptly fell asleep to me scratching her ears. 

Mabin's favorite pumpkins were the ones with long stems. 

"Where did Daddy go?"

Another Family Home Evening spent carving the pumpkin into a Jack-o'-Lantern. 

Mikey's cannibal. 

Mabin loved the candle inside and kept asking where it went when we blew it out. 

Watching the candle the second night we lit it for him.  

More catch up...

(Love Mikey's morning hair.) 

Grandma and Granpa brought Mabes some really cool IKEA mask/hat type things when they came to visit. 

Playing with dinosaurs while Daddy gets ready for work. 

Daddy made breakfast in bed and Mabes ate an adult size portion (not in bed!). 

For some reason Mikey thinks Circus Peanuts are the funniest things since Seinfeld. 

He bought some that we were going to use at a White Elephant party we went to but Mabes was such a fan we left them for him. 

Resting in Mom and Dad's bed.

(Notice the huge bruise on the left side of his forehead. Got that while under Daddy's care during church. Mom was helping with the Primary Program. Don't fret, it was an accident, Mikey is not abusive :) 

Just another Sunday afternoon. 

Building forts, jumping off couches. 

I can't come close to describing how much I love these boys. 

They are my life. 

Where does the time go?!

Enjoying his jawbreaker at the fair. 

My boy jumped out of the bath, ran and grabbed Spray n' Wash, and began to get the laundry ready for washing, all while buck naked. 

Daddy and Mabin make the coolest forts. 

This one literally kept them cool on a very hot Sunday. 

An entire afternoon was spent dressing and undressing Daddy's old teddy bear. 

A balcony fort. 

A box fort. 

Eating olives the correct way. 

Making love notes for Daddy. 

He watched a 20 minute show in his shopping cart while I prepared dinner. 

My legs were sore after witnessing this. 

Sporting Momma's beanie while eating an Otter Pop. 

finders keepers

We got this toy car/scooter thing from a friend. 

Mabin loves it.

Mikey is the only one that cares it's pink. He wants to spray paint it.

Good thing we are having a girl, we'll just pretend it's her toy that Mabin is borrowing until she it here. 

Mabin discovered that the lid opens and we are frequently finding hidden treasures in it. 

This time it was the TV remote and Daddy's cellphone. 

Hint hint...down with technology! 

my boy

just a few photos i found. 

that's his blankie that he must sleep with and drags around everywhere. 

he likes to wear it like a shawl. 

desperately wanting to go outside. 

he woke up about two seconds before this. 

it's obviously his first thought. 

helping on part of the drive during our move to oregon. 

sometimes mabin gets to watch a little tv (he really likes the wild kratts) while daddy gets ready for work and mommy catches a little more sleep. 

he has his spot on the couch and sets it up all nice and comfy.

daddy even lets him eat in the living room. 

what a lucky little boy. 

beating the heat

I'm just not a fan of being hot. 

Summers used to be my favorite when I was younger but the older I get the more crotchety I get about being sweaty and sticky. 

I've been counting down the days until fall weather starts to make an appearance pretty much since summer began. 

I do love summer activities such as swimming, BBQs, eating ice cold treats, warm (not hot!) evenings...but I pretty much only need a couple weeks of that until I'm ready to move on to cooler times.

And it's been pretty darn hot here in western Oregon. 

The other day Mabes and I found a gem. 

A free splash park that has no pools of water, which means I'm not having a panic attack the entire time Mabin is playing in it.  

It is impossible for him to drown! 

It's about two minutes from our house. 

Right by the public library, where we spend a lot of time too because it's air conditioned, oh and we love to read books, of course. 

And it's free. 

I love free. 

Free hours of entertainment for my very active little boy means a very happy Momma. 

I'm so glad Mabin likes it too. 

The water is pretty cold be he doesn't mind a bit. 

I take my lawn chair and umbrella, plop myself down and watch him wear himself out as I sip my ice cold beverage. 

If I get a little toasty I go play with Mabes in the water for a few minutes. 

Even if I'm not toasty I love to go play with him. 

He is so much fun and seeing him so happy is the best thing in the world to me.