Veterans Day Parade and some other fun stuff we've been up to lately....

Off to the parade!

 I've been working wayyyy too much lately which has made life around here just a little bit stressful. So I was exhausted when Veterans Day rolled around and I had just gotten off of an 18 hour shift in another city. But we don't mess with tradition and tradition states that we go out to my parent's house for my home town parade! I adore that parade in all it's simplicity. I mean, where else will you see goats and pigs making their big debut and more wranglers and boots than I can count! ;) The kids, of course, are mostly in it for the candy being thrown at them and I love that we don't have to worry about them getting ran over, lost, or stolen since nothing bad ever happens in Overton :). Briana and Thomas were there too which made it even more fun! Just like with Halloween, Briana was all about helping the kids score some candy ;).

We spent the rest of the day hanging out at my parents house while the kids got ridiculously dirty playing out in the desert with the dogs (as usual). It was a good day and it wouldn't be possible without the sacrifice of our Veterans. Happy Veterans Day!



Now for what we have been up to lately.... Life is so busy but we always make sure to have more fun than work! Work hard, play harder! Am I right?! :)

We had a blast baking homemade pretzels this month! These two are such goofballs and I LOVE spending time with them in the kitchen!

These moments have my whole heart.

We also did a family outing to Chuck-E-Cheese!! Sadie and Briana came with us and we had a blast!

When the ball gets stuck, send in the 4 year old (hahaha!)

Evie was in heaven giving Chuck-E-Cheese hugs and running around saying "Mommy I want to do this one! No this one!" :)

Nana is such a goof! haha!

Not the greatest pizza, but the kids don't care ;).

The basketball championships!

Of course Evie had to try it too!

Singing the "itsy bitsy spider" in the car for Nana :). She's always singing whether people are listening or not.

Austin was all about this motocross game! Look at him thinking he is so cool hehe!

I've been struggling with my family lately. It seems like there is drama everywhere I turn! So having my sisters over for a fun filled day was just what we all needed :).

Update on Evie's potty training adventures: She has basically started refusing to even try. She refuses to sit there, she throws fits, and she doesn't want to wear panties. Basically it's Austin all over again :(. So we are taking a little break and will  try again when she turns 3. Our kids can't make anything easy on us :(.

Daylight savings has had us all over the place with sleeping! Her naps are shorter than ever but she sleeps in sometimes! Not all the time though. Sometimes she wakes up at 4am.... Kids are crazy. That's all I have to say about that.

As always, Yoga is what keeps me sane!

Just look at those big beautiful eyes! How can you not love this girl?

She's obsessed with changing her outfits at least 4 times a day! It drives me insane and has created a mountain of extra laundry. But I am amazed at the outfits she comes up with! Not bad eh?!

Lookin' good and feelin' fine :)

Morning selfies with my girl after my yoga practice. So much love!!

My kids are my everything.

He fell asleep in the car while reading his rock book. He is obsessed with rocks lately! It's all he talks about! It's what he reads via flashlight late into the night before he falls asleep! It's amazing, truly.

He's also obsessed with anatomy. Basically he's a 4 year old scientist.....

Eating our breakfast smoothies on the floor while we listened to Austin give us a lesson on rocks :).

We also celebrated Grandma Helm's 80th birthday! Uncle Scott and Aunt Nancy came to visit and we had a wonderful time! I got to sit and chat with Nancy and Grandma while Scott chased the kids around the backyard for 5 straight hours! Evie kept calling him Grandpa and it made me so sad that it was my Dad's brother, not my Dad who was playing with my kids. But I guess I should be grateful that despite my parent's issues, I have a wonderful extended family who would do anything for me :).

 

Halloween Festivities 2017!!!

We kicked off Halloween week with our annual Inspirada Community Halloween Party!! Josh and I had both worked that day and the kids had preschool so as soon as we were all gathered together, we headed over to the park! The kids had a blast and Austin cried the whole way home once it was time to leave. I have to admit, the HOA really kicked it up a notch this year with the bouncy houses, obstacle courses, and food trucks! It was kid heaven! I kept getting asked if my nursing outfit was my halloween costume (insert eye rolls here) but whatever, at least we made it! We met up with Mike and his kids (Josh's friend from work) and they joined us for the most amazing hand dipped corn dogs and lots of laughs while each kid kept losing their balloon resulting in me constantly taking a kid back to the balloon stand. The irony was too good! As soon as I'd come back with one happy kid reunited with a balloon, I'd be presented with another kid who was crying over the loss of theirs!

It's the greatest feeling in the world to come home from work and love on my babies!

We were just a little excited to be there!

Evie was all obsessed with Jack Skellington! She kept running up to him for hugs :).

The awesome obstacle course that Austin was obsessed with!

Finishing the course like a rock star!

Evie getting lost somewhere in between and requiring assistance from Mom hahaha!

My VERY happy babies :)

Hanging out by the food carts with their much coveted balloons :).

Mmmmm Corn dogs.....

The next day we had our Ward Trunk or Treat! Briana and Thomas (her boyfriend) met us there and we had a blast! We ate so much homemade chili and cornbread and the kids had a blast playing all the games that the young women had planned for them! Then, once it was dark enough, we headed out to the parking lot to let the trunk or treating commence! The highlight of the whole night was when Austin looked up at me and excited squealed, "This is the best Halloween EVER!!!" :)

My cute little family getting ready for some trunk or treat action!

We sure do love Nana and Thomas!

These girls are inseperable and it makes my heart so happy :).

Minnies!

Playing the fun games! Evie had a little trouble.....

But Austin was kicking butt!

Basically she has to hug every large Disney/Pixar character she can find hahaha!

Trunk or treating :)

Then there was actual Halloween!!! My Mom had slept over the night before so she was with us the whole day to snuggle with the kids and watch Austin kick butt in swim lessons! As usual with my Mother and I, we got into a major fight by noon and Briana had to come over to break us up.... but the rest of the evening was good! Let's just say my Mom has a strong desire to control my life which results in me having a strong desire to show her the door. But luckily we were able to put aside our differences for the Halloween party I had planned because it really turned out to be a lot of fun! I made my traditional pumpkin bisque with ham and rolls and then we all headed out for some trick or treating around the neighborhood! As always, our neighborhood did not disappoint! We even ran into friends along the way and added to our already large trick or treating gang! The more the merrier right?! :) We went home tired and loaded to the brim with candy! As soon as we walked through the door the kids had dumped out their loot and were stuffing their faces with the delicious morsels. It was the perfect end to a really great holiday :).

Morning cuddles with Grandma

This is seriously the best soup in the world! If you dare eat it...... dun dun dun.....

Halloween dinner success!

-LOVE-

The trick or treating gang!

Oh how I love my adorable little family! Evie was minnie mouse this year (surprise surprise) and Austin was Batman! They were beyond adorable but nothing trumps Dad as a pirate!

They sure do love Grandma!

knocking on doors and scoring some candy! Evie was such a trooper and refused to let anyone carry her bucket; even when it weighed more than she does!

Of course Nana had to join in too..... she hasn't grown up all the way yet ;).

A Beautiful Day in the Gilcrease Orchard

 The kids have been begging me to take them to the pumpkin patch but I wasn't feeling the carnival style vibes and the expensive, pay for everything you do atmosphere. No, I wanted the real experience. A huge beautiful farm with a REAL patch full of pumpkins ripe for the picking. Oh and lets throw in an apple orchard to wander around just for fun ;).

Sadly, this was supposed to be a family adventure but Josh was having tummy troubles similar to what put him in the hospital last December. So he had to sit this one out and I was bummed. Like trying hard not to cry the whole drive to the orchard kind of bummed. You see, Josh and I work opposite schedules now. I work weekends and he works week days and we meet each other at some point for church on Sunday. At least that's how it feels. I take the kids on most of our fun outings alone and I show him pictures of the moments he missed later. This structure has been so hard on me and sometimes I feel like a single Mom, but it is what gets us by with minimal daycare so it's just what we've got to do.

Anyways, to cut the sob story short, my heart perked up once we got to the orchard and were greeted by the delicious smell of homemade apple donuts hot off the grease (oh my gosh they were mouth watering!). We got ourselves donuts and ate to our hearts content! They were seriously the best donuts I've ever eaten!

After our tummies were full and our moods more perky, we grabbed a wheelbarrow and I let the kids run free. They spent hours pushing each other around in that wheelbarrow, picking apples, finding sticks, and just enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. THAT is the experience I was looking for!! :)

There was also a hay maze that Austin thought was AWESOME! He was so excited to be the leader and find a way out for us! Such a cutie :) Just look how proud he is in the picture.....

 We could have played in the orchard all day long but we had church at 1pm and our time was running out! So we headed over to the pumpkin patch to find us some big ol' pumpkins! Austin had a blast rolling his pumpkin around over mounds of dirt and Evie was having a blast just running around in general. I just sat back with our wheelbarrow watching them and feeling the calm happy feeling of peace that always comes from watching my babies in their element. :)