Family Pictures

Last week we had a family portrait session in the park by our house. I am so happy with the way they turned out!
If you want to look at them, just click the link below. Then enter your email address and name when prompted. After the pictures load, you can click webshow to view a slideshow of the images.
Enjoy!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Last Sunday, we had our annual Pumpkin Carving party at my brother and sister in law's house. We had so much fun!

Aggie cooked a wonderful meal. Pork roast, Red Beans and Rice, Green Beans with Potatoes. And she also had my favorite artichoke dip. Yum. Yum. Yum!

This is Rhett's pumpkin with the teeth...

and without!!

Poppy was teaching the boys how to crack his whips.

We lit up the pumpkins on the front porch after we got home.

This is the one Jason and Braden worked on. Isn't it great?!

Thanks for a GREAT day Nanny and Poppy, Ela and Tre!

Jason's Birthday

My sweet husband is 31 now! 31 was harder than 30 was for him. I think he's officially feeling older now.

He has been working pretty much around the clock lately, so his birthday gift to himself was to take the day off. It was on a Friday, which isn't one of Gracie's school days. So, we paid extra to have Gracie in school that day and he and I went on a little mid day date to eat at his choice of PF Changs. We were also going to shop around the mall, but it was freezing cold and drizzling. Then we planned to see a movie, but we wouldn't be able to watch either of the ones we wanted because we wouldn't be able to make it home in time for the kids coming home from school.

So, we came back home and I made homemade hot chocolate and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and he laid on the couch and watched a movie and I worked in the office.

The kids all made birthday cards for him and the boys each got $1 out of their wallets and put in their cards for him. I told them they didn't need to give Daddy their money, but they insisted that he needed a gift.

No, we didn't get a dog! We're babysitting my furry little brother!

The night before his birthday, I had told Jason that I waited till the last minute to order his gift and it was on back order, so it wouldn't arrive for about 3 weeks. He was like, "That's mean! Why would you tell me that! Now It's going to drive me insane for the next 3 weeks!" But, like I told him. I needed to let him know that I had purchased something that way he wouldn't go out and spend money on himself!

So the next day he kept trying to get it out of me and I told him that it would be much more fun as a surprise instead of telling him now. I made it about 1/2 of the day before I caved.

He started talking about work and how much he had going on and he warned me that he would likely be working around the clock for the next several weeks.

Then I realized that I needed to tell him. I had been planning for weeks and had all the details already taken care of. We're going on a trip! Just me and him! We've not had even 1 night with no kids in about 2 years, so we're way overdue for some alone time. My plan was to keep it a secret until the night before and then not tell him exactly where we were going until we got there and he figured it out.

After I told him, he was so excited! And he thanked me over and over again for telling him and not trying to surprise him like that. He's going to have to be away from work for 2 days, and he said it's just not good timing to try to run away at the last minute like that. He said he would've been a nervous wreck and woudn't have enjoyed himself.

So, do you want to know where we're going?!?! I bet you do!

We're going to Vegas!!

Believe me, we're counting down the days until we get to go! Jason is working so hard to try to get everything caught up so that he can be gone for a few days. We're going to stay for 3 nights. Keeping the secret was also about to kill me because I wanted us to be excited together and have something to look forward to, so I'm glad he's now in the know.

We've not been on a plane since our honeymoon 10 1/2 years ago, so I'm a little nervous about that part, but I know it's going to be great!

We can't wait!!

Rhett can read!

Rhett is definately an emerging reader. I am so excited that he has progressed on his reading ability so quickly! I took this little video of him reading yesterday.
He is so proud!

Pumpkin Patch

On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Pumpkin Patch. The kids had a great time picking out their pumpkins! There are lots more pictures of Gracie, because she was the one that was excited about the pictures. The boys didn't want to get dressed up either. Stinkers! Since we're doing family pictures this week, I decided it wasn't really that necessary. I'm learning to pick my battles, I guess you could say!

We LOVE fall!!!! I wish it would stay fall until Spring, and we could skip winter all together!

Soccer

Another soccer season is coming to a close. It's been a fun season. This year, Rhett has been playing U8 and Braden has been playing U10. Rhett graduated up to playing the full length of the field this year and actually learning positions. He has enjoyed it a lot more and has done much better with paying attention to the game and knowing what to do and when. It's been very fun to watch each of them play this season.

Rhett- in the middle.

Braden

Braden is still loving soccer and has decided to stick with it through the winter this year. He made the decision to focus on soccer (for now) and he will be skipping basketball this winter and possibly even skipping baseball in the spring to continue. His plans are to try out for the local academy soccer team this spring. Rhett will be playing basketball for the first time this winter. Braden will continue to have soccer practice on Mondays and we're not sure what night Rhett will have basketball practice. Throw in Gracie's Tuesday afternoon dance class and the fact that the boys each have homework to do each night and it makes it nuts on those nights! Jason is usually working into the times that the kids have their activities, so I'm on my own a lot of the times. It doesn't bother me as long as I can do it. I'm a little concerned if their practices are going to overlap though. How am I supposed to have them in different places at the same time?? I'm trying not to worry about it. Hopefully Jason will be able to help out most of the time to ease the burden. The most interesting part is that they will both be playing their games on Saturdays with varying times on the schedules. So, this should be a rather interesting juggling act. But, such is life and what's a little more chaos on an already KRAZY life?!?!
I'm thankful that we have the means to allow them to partcipate in these things that they enjoy so much and I'll follow them wherever they want to go!

A Little Hairy

Last Saturday, we had an hour to kill between the boys soccer games, so we sat in the lobby and had a snack, watched the razorback game on tv and played around while we waited.

Luckily they have toy vending machines there...