specially named pumpkins

Marv and Rosemary grew some special pumpkins this year.  While the pumpkins were still growing, Marv carved names into them.  Lucas and Hannah each have two specially named pumpkins. 

These two are gourds and the long, skinny curved ones behind them are called snake gourds. 

The stems really make them look like a snake's tongue! (but I don't have a good pic)

This big orange guy had a hard time "standing up" so Rosemary helped. 

Hannah -- hovering over her pumpkins.

Hey, mom, watch me put this rock in my mouth before you can get it away from me. 

Special pumpkins from special friends! Can't wait to see what they grow next year. 

pumpkin patch field trip X 2

Lucas got to take TWO field trips to the pumpkin patch this year.  The first visit was with daycare and they had a beautiful, sunny day. 

The second visit was with preschool and I was happy to volunteer to transport some kiddos, too.  That day was cold, cloudy and windy. 

1st Visit

Daycare visited during Homecoming week and this just happened to be pajama day. 

Lucas was wearing his Cars pj's.

Colby pushing Lucas on the horse. 

Holden and Lucas checking out the babies.

Charlie and Lucas.

2nd Visit

Brr!

Checking out the horses. 

Feeding the ponies.

They were hungry!

Hay maze.  Sticking his tongue out must make him go faster :)

Filling a load of corn. 

Picking out his pumpkin with Miss Karen. 

Got 'em!

Buddies - Carter, Lucas and Charlie.

A nice ghost!

Erin & Scott's wedding

About to be Mr. & Mrs. at the rehearsal dinner.

Teresa and Mindy.

Erin and Leah.

Leah, Erin, Mindy, Teresa

Erin and Teresa.  We've been friends since we were three years old!

Teresa, Erin, Mindy, Leah

Family pic.

I LOVE the way Scott is admiring his bride. 

Flowers, mommy?

Mommy and Hannah.

Did you notice my braces are back?  My teeth were moving, even after ten months of religiously wearing my retainer, so I opted to put them back on for a few months. 

I juggle both of the kids in my lap often enough that I say "Oh, my kids" a lot.  Sometimes I'll be holding Hannah and Lucas will get on my lap and say "say 'my kids,' mommy!"

My most favoritest kids ever!

My most favoritest friends!

MELT + Husbands.  This is a first-ever photo.

Perrys (2003), Hardisons (2011), Morlans (2007), Cairneys (2005)

Best wishes to Scott & Erin!

jack o' lantern jugs

I got this idea from Making Memories with Your Kids blog.  We do drink a lot of milk, but I was too impatient to wait until I had enough milk jugs, so I asked a couple of friends to donate to my cause.  I drew the faces on four of them and colored them in.  Lucas told me how to draw the face on his and I gave him a permanent marker to color it in.  Yes, I really did.

I cut holes in the back for the lights and quizzed Brent on how to connect them and keep them from blowing away.  Afterall, this is Iowa and the wind blows things away.  Brent just loves it when I dream up a craft project and it needs his help {there is a LOT of sarcasm in that sentence}.  He smiled and fixed it right up for us.  I plugged the lights into a timer so at dusk the jack-o-lantern jugs turn on.  Lucas has to check on them almost every night to make sure they are lit up. 

Fun, easy and free. 

Lucas' jack o'lantern jug.

Giving kisses!

bath night

What is it that makes baby buns so stinkin' cute?!?!

Pre-bath.

Squeaky clean.

Caught in the act {singing in the tub}.

She's getting him!

a bad secret

We had our annual October birthday celebration and I just have a couple pictures.

Adele, Caleb, Papa Richard and I all have October birthdays.

{I love that Nick is licking his lips in this picture... must have been anxious for cake and ice cream!)

Waiting impatiently.

She didn't stray far from me, or take her eyes off of me the whole day. 

Helping Uncle Dominic with a puzzle.

Are you waiting for the explanation of the post title? 

The kids had finished cake and ice cream and were playing throughout the house.  The adults were sitting around the dining room chatting.  Lucas is in the living room.

"Mom!" he exclaimed, "I have a bad secret!"  He ran into the dining room, pulling on my hand, leading me to the living room. 

"What is it?"

He runs ahead of me, all of the adults watching intently.  He climbs over the corner of the sectional couch and starts pulling something out...

"A Hawkeye blanket!" said with his face all scrunched up. 

The adults roared with laughter!  Having a Hawkeye blanket in your house is a bad secret to Lucas.  It took some explaining to figure out why my sister and brother-in-law had this "bad secret" in their house.  What was funny to me is that my family got to see that I don't make this stuff up:  he wasn't prompted, this is true Lucas. 

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The kids and I stayed over with my parents and got some special time with them.  We ate supper at McDonald's, which has a play place, but Lucas was more concerned about getting back to the farm to finish chores with Papa.  Then he dug out some of my parent's old-school toys, including little metal trucks that my grandparents used to have in their toy basket for when we visited. 

I was reminded recently you can never have too many pictures. 

the other kind of tailgating

It is also harvest tailgate season. 

We love a harvest picnic!