Pumpkin Carving

Kate has had a fever for the past couple of days and it's quite challenging to keep one happy when she's sick while the other one is jumping off the walls because she feels fine. Ryan is down in Los Angeles with the cross country team so the girls and I tried to get through the weekend on our own. We headed to the Rancho Murieta Boy Scout pumpkin lot to support our local boy scout and to get a big pumpkin to carve. We ended up with six large pumpkins of all different colors and four more miniature pumpkins to add to the nine that we already have. Our many trips to the pumpkin patch this year has resulted in more pumpkins in the front yard than necessary. But it did make for a good hide and seek game the other day.

After dinner and baths, we set out to carve our pumpkins. Kate's interest held for all of 3 and half seconds. Allison held on for a little longer, but then occupied herself with decorating the little pumpkins. We had fun and I must say, I'm pretty proud of our Jack-O-Lantern

Let the preparations begin


Since the girls each have their own cameras, they are very into solo shots so that they can take pictures of themselves.

On the actual day

Today is the actual day of Kate's 2nd birthday. We had yet another trip to the pumpkin patch with Little Smarties Preschool. Allison was great through the tour even though it gets pretty long the second time around. Kate was not having it though. I had to hold her for the entire two hours...not so fun. We did have a special dinner of Hero Burgers in honor of Ryan. He will always be a hero to me and to Kate for her crazy birth.


On Kate's birthday, I'm always taken back to that crazy day. I think it all started with the email that I sent to friends and family. We had a lot going on just before Kate was born with moving, doctor appointments for Allison's seizures, and Allison's minor surgery to get her tongue clipped. I sat down that Saturday afternoon during her nap and wrote an email to all friends and family to update them on our family and let everyone know that with all that we had been through...the results were good. In retrospect, the email was more for me to put my mind to rest on all of the things that were weighing so heavily. With my mind and body at peace, we set off the store for our weekly grocery shopping and there the story continues. A stop at the park because I forgot the list at home, water breaking, an attempt to go home and pack by myself because I had promised Allison a trip to the park and you can't break a promise, a quick car trip back to the park to pick up the family after unsucessfully trying to pack, and then the whirlwind of an unplanned birth at home. I get very emotional as I remember that day because everything went so right when it could've gone very wrong. A huge thanks to my husband for being just who I needed him to be that day. Amazing then and now. Happy Birthday Kate Girl!

The perfect picture to capture Kate at two years old. It really wasn't very cold outside, but at lunchtime Kate decided she must wear her beanie. Her plate and her cup must match (but in the short week since her birthday it must now be pink). She asks for a grilled cheese sandwich but rarely eats it, but still she's as cute as can be.


A recreation for the night of celebration











Blowing out the candles

Kate said...

Once the little ones first start talking, the things that come out of their little mouths can only make you laugh. I kept a written list for most of the funny things that Allison said, but I wanted to also keep a list for Kate and I thought I would share. Some won't be as funny to you since you weren't there to hear it but I hope you enjoy anyway.

At night Kate likes to squeeze my nose (we call it honking) but she will do it forever and not got to sleep so the other night I told her my nose didn't work at bedtime. She thought for a minute and then honked her own nose and said, "Kate('s) works." Then she pointed again at my nose and said, "batteries." Afterall, when something doesn't work replace the batteries, right?

The next morning we had to get out of the house early which is no small task for this group. So I explained to the girls that we were going to get dressed and then have breakfast. Allison was immediately concerned with the prospect of spillage. I told her they could wear a bib and still Allison worried about me. She said, "are you going to wear a bib?" I said, "No I think I will be ok." Around the corner comes Kate and she simply says, "Too Big!" Yes, I guess I am too big to wear a bib.

Happy 2nd Birthday Kate!

Kate had a big birthday weekend. Aunt Patty, Uncle Tom, and Great Grandpa Morgan drove up from LA for the birthday party so the fun began on Saturday when they arrived. Patty and Tom always spoil the girls when they come up so the girls love their visits. Then Sunday it was off to Fog Willow, yet again, for the birthday party. Thanks to all of the friends and family that came out to celebrate her special day. That night when Kate was going to bed she was naming off all of the people at the party. She had a great time and it was because of the many special people in her life.

Kate was so excited for her very own laptop. Thanks Aunt Patty and Uncle Tom




Already hard at work


We had a Thomas the Tank Engine Theme


Good Friends Calum and Evan aboard the Fog Willow Train


Not sure if this conductor would say, "All Aboard!" or "MOOOO"


Our neighbors and friends: Dawson and Dakota


Longtime friends Evelyn and Josie


And two of our most favorite people Grace and Mrs. Himmelmann. Poor Heather was somehow stuck as the only adult on the excursion. Luckily all of the kids were fine.


Sam Frizzi found something that caught his eye. Sam holds a special place in my heart because I had my first teaching position filling in for his mom while she was on maternity leave. He can't be this old already!


We made Kate carry all of her loot to the truck :-)


The party continued at home with most presents.

Kate has her very own camera thanks to Grandma


Nana and Papa splurged and got Kate a wonderful train table for her birthday and she LOVES it!


Once again thanks to all of the friends and family that helped to make Kate's birthday very special. Happy Birthday Kate Girl. We love you!

Sorry!

I have to apologize for the lapse in posts lately. I hate to post anything without including pictures because I know how much I enjoy other people's post when pictures are included and here's my lame excuse. We have had a few trips lately...nothing spectacular mostly to our neighborhood pumpkin patch, but I always try to be really prepared and have the camera charged. You can see where this is going right? We took a trip to the pumpkin patch with Alli's preschool and I remembered the camera but the battery was sitting at home in the charger. Not to have the same thing happen again, as soon as I got home I put the battery in my purse. Then for the next three days I searched the house for my battery...Posts and pictures coming soon!

Up, Up, and Away

There's a company in Rancho Murieta that launches a hot air balloon for people to take a ride over the Amador Wine Country. They usually launch early in the morning so we don't often see it, but since the weather has cooled off they are now able to launch at night too. The girls and I took a picnic dinner down to the open field by the airport and watched it launch. It was double the fun because we also got to see a few airplanes land. It was a great atmosphere for eating dinner.

They used a huge air compressor to fill the balloon with air before the launch





Allison loved to watch all of the different colors appear





We saw the flames once it was time to get the balloon upright.



Dinner in the back of the truck...good times

A little bit silly

Kate loves to make us all laugh. Today she was examining different ways to wear her headband just to see what kind of reaction she could get. She's just a nut :-)

I'm not the only photographer these days

The other day I went to check my camera and I found some random pictures that I hadn't taken. I guess I need to watch where I put my camera these days because Allison has decided that my camera is up for grabs too. She has even commanded the self portrait!

Alli's shot of Kate

Fog Willow Trip #1

Saturday evening we headed out to Fog Willow Pumpkin Farm for one of many visits to our local pumpkin patch this season. We hold Kate's birthday party there so were invited to "Little Pickers" Family Night. We got to cruise the pumpkin patch on one of the first weekends and visit with the animals. The girls checked out the new and improved playground. We were provided with an hot dog meal and then watched a movie out on the grass after dark with popcorn and cotton candy. The girls had a great time and the weather made it really seem like fall. Ryan made the mistake of wearing shorts and he was cold almost as soon as we got there. The girls loved having dinner at the pumpkin patch and while they had no interest in the movie (just like at home) they did enjoy being with a group of strangers to enjoy a really good time. Ryan wasn't overly enhusiastic about going, but he snuck in a couple of beers and I'm not sure if they made the difference, but he had a good time too.

Little Kickers comes to an end...

For just over six weeks now, Allison has been playing soccer with other kids her age through Little Kickers. She's not very interested in anything that doesn't involve a baby doll so any chance I can I try and get her interested sports. I realize she's a little young for anything too organized, but Little Kickers was a six week program created to introduce three, four, and young five year olds the concepts of soccer. They warmed up, then worked on some drills, and then played three on three games. The drills were totally age appropriate and really fun for the kids. By then last few weeks, Allison was really interested and came home reciting phrases such as, "I can kick with my inside, outside, or my laces, but toes are for bozos!" I'm sad to see it come to an end, but I think it was a great introduction for my little kicker. Congratulations on your medal Alli Girl!

Fairy Tale Town with Friends

On Tuesday we went to Fairy Tale Town with our playgroup. The girls always have a great time there but it was even more fun to go with friends. They started off at the crooked mile and then went on the big tree slide. From there we headed to the hole in the ground slide and then to see the animals. We stopped to have lunch in the Sherwood Forrest and then continued through the park. It was a fun day and nice to share it with friends.