Mr. Jack-O-Lantern

Friday night we decided to turn one of our pumpkin patch beauties into Mr. Jack-O-Lantern! Chase had fun using his pumpkin knife to help clean all the seeds out and helping Daddy draw on the sketch of the face to cut out!

Diving right in. He loved grabbing the seeds out but everytime he would take his hand out he would want Craig to wipe it off with a washcloth and get it clean before he went back in again - ha ha - little OCD with the clean hands :)


Chase & Daddy scooping some seeds out


Mama ended up doing most of the dirty work :) But hey I got to roast pumpkin seeds afterwards so it was worth it!


Craig drawing the face he is going to carve. Good thing they were Crayola markers and Craig put away the Sharpie we was going to use because Chase leaned over and drew all over it. Came right off!



My boys with their finished product lit up outside (I couldn't get the camera to cooperate and show it lit up in the dark - my flash kept making it look like it was daytime)


Happy Halloween everyone!!

Daycare Halloween Bash!

Friday afternoon from 4-5pm Chase's school had a wonderful Halloween party and celebration. All the parents were invited - so there were a TON of people there. Every classroom had a different activity so we would spend 10 minutes in one class - do the activity - and then move on to the next classroom. Chase had a great time - although he definitely gets a little overwhelmed with big crowds. He was taking it all in most of the time - hence not too many pictures with smiles - LOL!

Chase was SOOO excited to take his costume to school Friday morning and our little golfer was a huge hit! Check out his Halloween party...

Chase & I sitting in his classroom ready to play Halloween BINGO! He won and got some Smarties :)


The Big Winner!


Chase's class with one of his teachers, Miss. Mallory (we were missing Miss. Stacey)


Holding hands to move to the next class



Time to make a ghost out of Kleenex!


Chase talking with his friend, Kelly


Chase holding hands with Kelly :) Too cute!


Chase with his best buddy, Cooper (look out Craig!)


This picture cracks me up because the part you can't see is there was a Dad right behind me dressed up as the Joker (face painted, big red smile, etc) and Chase was completely freaked out of him! Chase would not let us put him down if the Joker was anywhere in sight - LOL! He's staring at him while I took this picture...


Making Halloween trail mix


Time to make Halloween cupcakes - Chase and Cooper just kept eating the marshmallows and chocolate chips that were supposed to go on top! Can you say sugar coma?



What a great start to a fun Halloween weekend!

30 Week Update

Baby H's arrival is getting closer - only 2 more months till we get to hold our new (son? daughter?) in our arms! I can't wait! I remember finding out I was pregnant back in April and December sounded sooo far away. It has gone by so fast though and I can't believe it is right around the corner! We still haven't found out the sex and I actually am very excited about it. Although it has been harder to plan and I feel a bit uneasy that no room is done - the mystery gives this birth it's own special excitement and the suspense is building like crazy for Craig and I. The hardest part is probably a name. We are having a hard enough one trying to decide on one - now we have to pick 2 when 1 of them won't even matter - ha ha! For some reason I am convinced I am having a boy so if it ends up being a girl I think I will be a little shocked - no reason just Mama's intuition... we'll see!

I had my 30 week appointment last Friday and everything looked great. The Dr just listened to heartbeat quickly and measured me and had to run out (he had to run over to the hospital to deliver.) The only question I had for him was I have had some major shooting pains a few times in my side and my back - it will last a few minutes and it feels like I am being stabbed but then it would go away. He said they are just ligament pains and to just relax if it happens and as long as they go away quickly it is fine. I think part of the problem is holding Chase too much - I know I should take it easy but really... how do you say No when your 2 year old wants you to hold him? I just can't!

So far I have gained 10 lbs and am feeling really good lately! This baby is SUPER active and always at night - just like Chase. I think that's normal - why are babies nocturnal - so interesting :) The other night we were in bed and talking about how the baby was moving and I said to Craig "You have no idea what this feels like" and he responded so sweetly and matter of fact and just said "No - I have no idea - God made women carry the babies for a reason, they are tougher than men." So cute and probably true - we truly do rock Mama's and this pregnancy gig is amazing and such a miracle but also a lot of work and a huge responsibility! It's amazing how much your body goes through to create this little person inside of you --- unbelievable. Hopefully these last 2 months will go well and I will continue to have an easy pregnancy.

Can't wait to meet our little peanut!

Costume Birthday Party!

On Saturday night we celebrated Ashlyn & Marae's October birthdays with a costume party at Jill & Don's house. It was just for the family and it was also a chance to get all 7 cousins dressed up together at an attempt for pictures.. didn't really work out too well but we tried :) Chase was able to debut his Halloween costume for this year...a GOLFER! We definitely have a sports nut on our hands and golf is among one of his favorite activities. I saw the costume in a magazine a few months ago and knew it was the one! Chase loves it and for about a month now he will tell you he is a golfer for Halloween! We will probably need to put some long sleeves under it for actual Trick-or-Treating since it is getting cold here! He looks pretty darn cute though - not that I am biased or anything :) It was a fun party and the kids had a great time together!

Chase isn't too sure he wants to take pictures yet.... Ashlyn & Carson were ready though :)


OK - now he's getting into it!


Some attempts at getting all 7 of them in a picture!




Golfer Chase!


Birthday Cake Time...



Ashlyn & Chase ready for some cake!


Happy Birthday Ashlyn & Marae - thanks for the fun costume party!!

1st Annual Game Night!

Craig and I have thought for a long time that it would be a blast to have all of our friends over for a game night! We finally did it last Friday night and it did not disappoint! We started the night with everyone making their own homemade Boboli pizza's and then the games began..

Boys vs Girls were the teams and it started out friendly but got just slightly (or majorly) competitive - ha ha I love it! We played Flip Cup (Boys Won), Taboo (Girls Won) and finished with Pictionary (Girls won)... so the GIRLS were the ultimate victors!! It was such a fun night of spending time with our friends - everyone is so busy these days that it is rare to get opportunities like this!

Craig, Tricia & Chris making a pizza


Aimee, Kasia & Dani (sorry Dani you're eyes are half closed!)


Chris, Adam, Joe, Alan, Brett, Chris, Craig & Andy


We weren't messing around - we even had headbands for each team! The guys getting into competition mode.... (John made it to the group as well)


Girls turn... Betsy, Katie, Dani, Kasia, Melissa, Me, Aimee and Tricia (we were joking that Tricia looked like a cleaning lady the way she put her bandana on so she was playing the part :) )


Tricia really getting into her part - ha ha!


A couple action shots of the intense competition ...




"Draw one more triangle Dani... THEN we might understand what you are talking about" - ha ha.. Pictionary was hilarious! The person drawing (including myself) would always keep drawing the same thing even though no one was getting it OR the people guessing would keep saying the same thing as if the first 5 times it was wrong but the 6th time it would be right - Priceless!


What a fun night - we are truly blessed to have so many amazing friends - thanks everyone for a great night!

Fall Has Arrived!

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."
Elizabeth Lawrence



Fall is in full effect here in Colorado and there isn't a better time of year! I have LOVED summer in our new home state with hot days and hot nights, playing baseball and BBQing till late at night in the backyard, playing in any type of water or sprinkler we can get our hands on but... it is time for change... I don't know what it is but after a HOT summer something about cooler mornings and nights, nightfall coming earlier, fall decorations, the smell of pumpkin spice & cinnamon candles burning and the excitement of upcoming holidays is such a fun time of year!

We are trying to savor every fall moment we can get because before we know it the beautiful orange and red trees will be full of snow and we will be bundled up indoors. We felt the true spirit of fall by heading to the Pumpkin Patch this past Sunday. We tried a new patch out called Rock Creek Farms and it was great! It is a huge farm where you drive up to the pumpkin patch first, cut your own pumpkin off the vine, then drive down to where all the games and animals for the kids are.

Chase checking out the pumkins to find the "perfect" one!


Cutting his very own pumpkin off the vine!


So proud :)


He then decided to throw a pumpkin... oops - I think we play baseball maybe a little too much!! Ha Ha


Our best attempt at a family photo



Chase & Marae - look how strong she is!


Me & my Monkey



All the kiddos - Kyler, Max, Chase, Marae, Ashlyn & Kaitlyn


Chase with Grandma & Papa


Time for slides and jumpy castles...




Petting zoo with goats, baby pigs, giant bunny rabbits and cows!



View of the pumpkin patch...


I couldn't resist the cheesy photo op.. Craig saw me eye it from across the field and knew he was in for it - what a good sport :) Chase didn't really understand what to do but I caught at least part of his face!


Later that day we noticed the "Phantom Ghost" had visited our doorstep with a special Halloween Surprise! Chase was so excited about his new toys - he played with them all night!




Happy Fall - ENJOY!!