Happy Fall, ya'll!

The weekend before last we took the kids to Chester's Pumpkin Patch in Piedmont. It was our first visit and it was a lot of fun!
The kids were able to ride ponies, pet animals, play games and pick a pumpkin. We all had fun, were filthy and the kids were exhausted when we left!

she's eying the ponies we are about to put her on.

still waiting patiently for the pony ride

she did NOT want to get off the pony.

but was not a fan of the animals in the petting zoo.

skee-ball

This was a karaoke stage but the boys climbed up and began telling jokes. It was hysterical.

puppet time

G had fun too!

Blaine was working on a dialog between 2 puppets. He's got talent.

sand fun

yee-HAW!

my pumpkins!

Tuesday 10

1. I leave for my girls' weekend tomorrow afternoon. I am actually going to my moms and then we leave early Thursday morning and I will be gone til Sunday. I have so much to do before I leave. I have been told to just go and let Ryan handle it, yeah right. I can NOT do that. I need to make lunches for CDO Thursday and lay out pajamas for Blaine's pajama day at school Friday and then of course pray that Ryan remembers to pick them up. I did warn Gracelyn's CDO teachers to not judge her clothes or hair Thursday as Ryan will be in charge. He'll do great and I am taking my computer to Skype with them!!

2. Sunday is our church's Trunk or Treat. I'm hoping to be back in time but with my flight and all it will be close. Ryan is planning on taking the kids and wrangling them so I don't expect many pics, a few is all I need. The kids were told to pick out costumes that we have at home because we have our own costume shop. Britton chose SuperWhy, Blaine is going as a pirate, Brandon is planning on being a baseball player and Gracie is dressing up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Ryan seemed less than thrilled when I told him that Belle wore her hair up with the yellow dress.

3. Brandon spent Fall Break from Wednesday to Saturday with Papa and GranTee, my dad and stepmom. The guys spent Thursday going to the Boy Scout shop to get Brandon a tan shirt (now that he's a Webelo,) Steak and Shake, the OKC Bombing Museum, Real Steel the movie. B1 fished, played WII sports games, tinkered with his remote control helicopter and ate really well!

4. Over Fall Break I cleaned out a HUGE amount of toys from the boys room. We are donating them to the Ronald McDonald House and other places in time for Christmas. The little boys are actually excited about it. Blaine said he wants to help kids with his toys that he doesn't need anymore. I couldn't agree more!

5. In the clearing out of the room Britton found his VeggieTales watch (that was a toy in Taco Bueno kids meal over a year ago) You would have thought he found a million dollars. He hasn't taken it off since and shows it to everyone! He actually talked to his Sunday School teacher, Ms. Nancy, about it. She's been waiting for my boy-of-few-words to talk to her for weeks.

6. I saw a lady who I just love and highly respect at church Sunday. She asked how we all were. I told her after only a week into the 2's with Miss. G I was over them. She laughed and said doesn't expect it to get better for awhile. She gave me encouragement and a huge hug and I actually left grateful for having ran into her.She raised 2 girls and knows exactly what I am talking about.

7. Ryan and I have booked a ski trip to Vail in December for our 10 year wedding anniversary!! I am so so so excited! We will be gone for a week and I honestly cannot wait to hit the slopes.

8. Blaine's first soccer season wrapped up last night! We were all so ready for it to be over, including and especially Blaine himself. He had a good season and enjoyed it but needs to work on stamina. He stood by the coach last night and was yawning and it wasn't halftime yet. The very strong winds were making it difficult.

9. We took the kids to Chester's Pumpkin Patch in Piedmont on Saturday after we picked up Brandon. They had a lot of fun and were so tired (and dirty) when we left.

10. I have been battling serve dry eye for several years now and the condition is getting extremely worse. My eye doc and my dentist have both mentioned Sjogrens Syndrome to me. I take fish oil pills and several drops during the day but my eyes just hurt, burn and itch and are very sensitive to light. I was scheduled for plugs this morning to help produce tears, because right now I honestly cannot even cry with tears. No moisture whatsoever. The doctor this morning said my eyes are so bad, so dry that they are kind of at a last resort stage and the very few tears that I have are very salty so plugs would only increase the salty tears. When I asked if I was going to go blind he was silent and then said we must treat this aggressively. Then repeated the word aggressively 4 more times. When he walked out of the room I told Ryan that I was scared. He said he is too. Now I am on a gel drop that I put in my eyes hourly, a steroid because my eyes are so inflamed and a nighttime drop. I will go back weekly and he even said we may have to resort to a contact lens to protect the surface of my eye because it has been so compromised by the dryness. I go for a Sjogrens Study in December and he said he'd bet his medical license that I have it. It's kind of like my body is attacking itself. He also told Ryan that I really am as miserable as I say. I don't think Ryan ever doubted but it was nice to hear him confirm it.

Gracelyn turns 2!

As of Sunday the 16th of October we have a 2 year old! Gracelyn Paige is so.much.fun! She is a chatterbox and loves to tell long stories but we usually just understand about 1 word here and there. She can say single words: her manners, animal sounds and names, mainly close family, oh and "amen!" Double words she says are "thank you" "love you." and "read me!"

In case I haven't mentioned it before, Gracelyn loves to read. She burnt us out on several of the books we owned so we asked for new books for her birthday to switch out and we can donate those "repeaters." It's one book right after another, especially before bed in order to stall.

With all of her "funess" we do have the 2 year old fits and drama. Gracie can "no" very well.very well. She puts herself in timeout before we have a chance to most of the time,

her first slush, on her birthday.

a little "Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see" before bed. Her favorite book!

the night before she turned 2 I was sad about it and she was dressed as SuperWhy and sitting in a box acting like she was flying...

Gracelyn's 2 year well-check was yesterday and in her pediatrician's words, "she is happy, healthy and perfect." I concur. She weighs 31lb,12ozs and is 36" tall. She's in the 95th% for both!

In her birthday nighttime prayer we thanked God for Gracelyn and her first 2 years and asked for a blessed year in the 2's. Gracie replied loudly "UH HUH AMEN!" Amen!

Ladybug Fun!

Gracelyn turned 2 on Sunday, October 16 and began celebrating days before.

Thursday she brought donuts to school to share with her friends.

They sang "Happy Birthday" to her!

Saturday was her party and it was a blast!

all of the girls took turns on the swing.

"lady" Taryn and her mom Sarah

G about to slide.

Gracelyn and cousin Kenzee

4 little ladybugs!

she's ready to dig in.

blowing out her candle

yum!

she was very ladylike opening presents, tearing 1 piece off at a time.

our little bookworm got lots of books!

pinata time!

Britton

Blaine

Brandon

G and her BFF Taryn. They crack me up!

Saturday afternoon was the SWOSU Homecoming parade. Gracelyn must think I lined all the people for her. She rode on Ryan's back and just cheesed and waved to all the people.

mean mom

Having just finished our nightly hilarious game of go-fish before tucking kids into bed with bedtime prayers, I am not looking so mean (hopefully) in their eyes but this week I have certainly been called "mean" and "unfair." And immediately following it, I replied "yep!"

* Brandon approached me asking if he could have a Facebook account to which I instantaneously said "NO." He attempted the whole "so-and-so has one." To which I asked him when has that ever worked in our house.(referring to when he asked for a cell phone in FIRST grade) He said "never." yep!

* The little boys were told to pick up their toys today. They didn't move so I told them if they didn't pick up I would bag up their toys. I asked if they believed me and they said, in unison, "no." So since they still didn't budge and I have lost my bluff that I have over them I bagged up the toys and they are out in the garage. They bawled their eyes out and were telling each other how mean I was. 5 minutes later they were in my lap and we were reading. yep!

* I served pork chops for supper (not liver of anything) and Blaine refused to eat them. I had given him 1/3 of a chop. I told my gang that everyone who ate would get ice cream. Blaine, after many reminders about the treat, finally put the pork in his mouth. We left and went to Braums and everyone got ice cream. We came home to eat (luckily) and after sitting everyone down I went to the bathroom to get a tissue and in the sink was the pork from Blaine's mouth. I simply walked in, took his ice cream and put it in the freezer. When I asked him why I took it he said because he spit his food out. I told him to go clean out the sink. He proceeded to tell me it just wasn't fair. yep, it is!

I am certainly not a perfect mom. I am a mean mom, and proud of it.

Tuesday 10, an attempt

A quick attempt at a Tuesday 10. It's more like clearing my mind of all things jumbling it up.

1. Gracelyn's 2nd birthday is less than 2 weeks away and it has started to hit me hard that she is getting older. She's talking more and more and wants to be held and rocked less and less. We are pretty much ready for the party though!

2. Speaking of parties, Britton's 4th birthday is 3 weeks after Gracelyn's. His birthday isn't until the 27th of November but he wants it at the corn maze/farm where he had it last year and November 5th is the latest they are open for the winter. AND he finally decided on a theme, dinosaurs! Roarrrrrrrr!

3. So with 2 birthday parties 3 weeks apart plus a little mom-cation in the middle, I am stressing a tad.

4. I had my hair cut/colored last week and when scheduling my next appointment I noticed it's right around Thanksgiving time. I mentioned to the girl that my 10th wedding anniversary is on Thanksgiving. She was impressed. as I am. I cannot think of a more perfect day. 11 years together and 10 years being married.WOW.

5. Ryan and I went to see the movie Courageous this weekend. It was a very powerful movie with an phenomenal message for both of us. The only warning I have is take tissues but know that you can be cracking up laughing one minute then crying the next. Great movie.

6. Blaine's class went to a farm Friday for a hayride to the pumpkin patch, a train ride and an opportunity to feed the animals. Ryan and Gracelyn met them out there since I had a haircut.

7. The boys went to the dentist last week. They were so well behaved in the lobby, I was proud.

Britton got green glasses from the treasure box. Those who know him, I know you aren't surprised.

Gracelyn got a toothbrush as well just for tagging along (and looking cute, I say!)

8. With all the craziness going on (mostly in my head) I had a mom's night out with my very good friend Sarah last night. It was much needed. We basically closed the mexican food place down just sitting and laughing and talking. I'm sure people around us thought I was crazy because at some points my arms were flailing, for my story's sake of course. Sarah has started her own business Sarah Found Sarah Made and she's on facebook. Look her up, she so creative!

9. I think I've mentioned before that Blaine loves I Love Lucy. Now, in addition to Lucy, he is a fan of The Brady Bunch. Our DVR is filled with shows of the 50's and 60's. It's pretty funny.

10. Have a great week!