Happy Halloween!

Happy pumpkin day! From my little artist, Grace.

Titus-9 Months

We do not have pretty leaves in our yard so I went down the street to take these in front of one of our neighbors yards. I am so glad I did. In order to fully appreciate these you have to have the visual. The kids were all loaded up in the van to go to Aldi. I pulled over opened the van door. Sat Titus on the sidewalk covered in leaves and snapped away while the girls sat watching from their car seats. Then I stuck him back in his carseat and on to Aldi we went...

Titus is now wearing mostly 18 month clothes. There are a few 12 month things that still fit, but a majority of them do not. He is still army crawling. He can now push his Leap Frog toy around standing. He is loving finger foods and has tried more table food like soup and pizza.

This month he experienced the emergency room for the first time. He was running a 103 fever so I ended up taking him. We discovered his blood likes to clot (like Mommy) and that he didn't have influenza, RSV, or strep. We came home with antibiotics for a sinus infection.

His third tooth is peeking through on top, and I think it will be joined by others soon. He has been grouchy and has horrible diaper rash. Poor little guy.

I love you Mr. Man (I sometimes call Titus this and now that is what Faith calls Titus)

Cousins Tea Party

This fall my cousin Jamie has been traveling to Europe on a monthly basis for his work. While I know it has been a challenge for their family, it has worked out to be a huge blessing for ours. His wife Kara and I have been organizing monthly play dates. Our girls have definitely enjoyed this! In October my aunt Diana hosted a very fancy tea party for them. It was quite fancy and lots of fun. It was so special we also invited Gramy & my grandmother, Mom-o to join us. Since we would be traveling later on in the day to WIU for the Harvest Banquet Jeremy was able to come and keep Titus in the basement. Faith had fun telling Titus & Daddy, "No boys allowed!" Here are some of my favorite pics from the special event.

Kara made special punch for them with maraschino cherries and flavored water.
I cut cheese into fun shapes for cheese & crackers, made star shaped jello jigglers, and cut zebra cakes into "petit fours." Di Di added fruit snacks, animal crackers, and lots of other yummy finger foods.
Us big girls actually drank tea, but the little girls enjoyed milk in their tiny tea cups.
Kara had taken bread and cut it into hearts. She added strawberry cream cheese & raspberries on top- yummy!
Look how long my princess' hair is getting!
Grace & Lilly
Our girls with Mom-o.
Kara & I decided to dress up too. We both agreed our girls are always asking us to dress up and we decline more often than not, so this was a good chance to participate.

This was such a precious day. I loved spending time with all these special ladies and little ladies in my family. After the girls were done eating they were excited to go downstairs and play with all the toys, which gave us "big' girls the chance to eat lunch and visit.

My Girls

Faith & Me In Our Matching Hats
I'm going to have to get Grace a hat soon...
Love this One (Great picture by Jeremy)

My Million $ Idea?

So, we have had a problem at our house. My family loves tacos. Like we really love them. And my kiddos have been eating them since they were quite little. However, tacos are super messy. And no matter how we seemed to wrap them they came apart and dropped their yummy contents all over. All over my kids clothes, my floor, the table, their plate (wait no it never managed to fall on their plate). Or they would refuse to lay them down and try and eat them as quickly as possible so they could check out their other menu items. Which led to constant reminders to slow down. So I decided we needed a solution. And I think we have found one, "taco clips." I took a magnetic clip that I use for keeping chip bags closed or papers on our refrigerator and it now magically keeps my kids from taco craziness! I think I might just have the next million dollar mom invention on my hands here. So, if taco clips become the new craze just remember you saw them here first folks. And if you have little people at your house you should totally try it out. I usually fold the end up, then fold up the sides to make a pocket and put a clip on the end.

Pumpkin Play Group

God is amazing! Last winter I was literally begging God for a play group for my girls. We were so lonely. I remember hitting a point where I felt like I had tried everything. I had looked into MOPS but the closest group was 45 minutes away. I even tried starting my own. But, after cleaning, planning, baking, and encouraging I had only one mom show up the first time. I didn't try again...I just didn't feel like I had the energy to start from the ground up. I was convinced there just weren't any play groups in Hannibal...

And then God showed up in an amazing way.

We started attending Calvary Baptist Church in May and we discovered a wonderful play group. Over the summer we went on lots of fun trips! And when we got ready for the fall I was able to help plan this semester's activities. We generally take one trip a month, do one week of "free" play, and the other weeks have planned preschool type activities. This pumpkin themed day was my first week to plan preschool activities. I had SO much fun. (those of you who know me well know that kind of thing is right up my early childhood alley)

But, I think the most amazing thing is how every time I see my girls making new friends, or find myself making new friends, or see the delight of discovery as we go on outings, my heart is overflowing with praise for my God. Who heard my cry of distress and answered in a way I couldn't have imagined. Now this play group existed last winter. And I had asked around....so why didn't I find it sooner? While I'm not sure God "hid" this group from me He did know the perfect time for it to come into my life. Because it has lead me to a place of complete gratitude. To some finding a play group may seem like a small thing, but for me it has been huge.

Here are the pictures from our pumpkin/leaf themed day:

"Painting" pumpkins with washable makers. This was SO easy. Let the kids draw as much as they like then simply wipe off with a damp cloth.
Pumpkin Playdough was by far the biggest hit. You can find the recipe here. It would be a super fun activity for little ones on Thanksgiving day. It smells just like pumpkin pie.
Faith didn't do any of the other activities. She played with the play dough the entire time!
Making leaf artwork. (another mom planned the leaf activities)
Pumpkin matching/memory game. We also had a pumpkin with a velcro face they could change the pieces and a basket of open/close items (purses, boxes, etc.) they had to find the pumpkin in.

So if you live near Hannibal, MO and are looking for a play group come check it out. We meet on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church. This play group is open to anyone, all the moms do not attend CBC.

Faith turns 3!

Happy Birthday Faith!

I can't believe my little girl is three. We have a game we like to play. I will say, "Who is my favorite __(age) old?" And the kids have fun raising their hand and saying, "Me!" On Faith's birthday we were driving to the library and Grace said, "Who is Mama's favorite 2 year old?" And I corrected her that today Faith is three. Grace replied, "Faith, you are Mama's favorite two year and her favorite three year old. That is a big job." And I realized that I had said, "Who is Mama's favorite two year old?" for the last time... (At least until Titus turns 2)

For Faith's birthday we had a family picnic down by the river. It was a bit chillier than we expected, but it was fun anyway. Although, getting her candle to light in the wind was a bit tricky!!

Grace got to go shop with Daddy and pick out her very own gift for Faith. A Tinker Belle baton with a ribbon for twirling. Faith loved it.

From us Faith got a photo book of her 2 year old year and Beauty & The Beast. The girls and I had fun skipping rest time one afternoon to snuggle and watch it together.

We also installed her big girl car seat, another birthday gift. Pink of course!

This is the girls in their coordinating outfits. Faith got the entire outfit for her birthday. The hat from Gramy/Papa and outfit from Aunt Erin/Uncle Cody. Grace just inherited this outfit. Don't they look adorable?
Pictures from her Cowgirl birthday party coming soon...

Faith,

Mama loves you so much. You are such a joy. Even though people call it the terrible two's I have loved this past year. I love when you snuggle your head up to mine when I pray for you at night. I love how you kiss pink (your blanket) before you leave her in the van (since she can't always come with you). I love when you say "Danks" (thanks). I love when you do a little naked dance every morning before you will let me help you get dressed. I love how you always whisper when you pray. I love you, my favorite 3 year old!

Mama

Faith's 3 Year Old Interview:

1. Name? Faith

2. How old are you? 3

3. Favorite Color? Pink

4. Favorite Food? Grapes, Applesauce, and I think yogurt

5. What do you love to do? Play with play dough & sleep

6. What is your favorite place to visit? Nana's

7. Who are your friends? Gracie....not sure after that

8. Where do you live? You (mommy's) House then Hannibal

9. What do you want to be when you grow up? teacher

10. Do you love God? Yes! Why? He isn't the baddest, and he gives us princess food to eat.

Mama's "Doughnuts"

We had some leftover hot dog buns from Faith's party. So, one morning for breakfast I toasted them and then put peanut butter on them. For extra fun I added sprinkles. The girls loved it and called them doughnuts (they are similar shaped). I think I might buy a package of whole wheat buns to keep in the freezer and pull one out every once in awhile for a breakfast treat. Definitely healthier than real doughnuts!

Cowgirl Birthday Party

Faith had a very special birthday party. It had a cowgirl theme. We did a campfire and roasted hot dogs. The biggest excitement were the horses!! The girls both got to ride a horse for the first time. Thanks to Mike McClelland a family friend and client of my dads for bringing the horses! Here is the party in pictures, this is only a small fraction of how many were taken!!

Grandma & Faith ride their "horses."
Titus checks out the horse.
The table scape- this cowboy boot was Jeremy's Papas.
My gang.
The birthday girl- she looks SO grown up!
The beautiful big sister, who was working hard to learn to enjoy her sisters birthday. After a pep talk from mom she still concluded, "No, I like to be the birthday girl."
Waiting for the horses to unload.
Grace was very brave, she wanted Papa to let go of the rope so she could go further than this square (my parent's lot).
Faith's horse was a bit more excitable.
Grace shares her horse with Jo Jo.
My little cow man.
Faith rewarding her horse with a treat.
Uncle Cody checks out Grace's boots.
The girls at their own little table.
Nana helps feed Titus. I'm guessing he was getting to flip his plate on the ground.
Faith unwraps her big girl car seat, wrapped like a horse.

Thank you Nana, I love my computer!

Making smores.
The pink vase was what the flowers Jeremy sent to me when Faith was born were in.Yummy!
The big 3.
Our girls are SO blessed-look at all those gifts!
My two men.
Faith's cake-my first attempt at fondant.
Roasting hot dogs. (Don't buy the bun length ones they are too long- learn from my mistakes! Many hot dogs ended up in the fire. Opps!)
Faith's favorite gift her pink lap top.
Papa decorated the tree with balloons and lights- so cute!