Trick or Treat

We had so much fun on Halloween. The most special treat of the night was that Aunt Bebe was here to help us celebrate! We wanted our porch to be festive, so we carved a pumpkin. Carter wanted to help, so as daddy pulled all the pumpkin "guts" out, he was carefully shoving them back in - it took some time.

But the finished product was great!

We left our bowl of candy for any neighborhood kiddos who stopped by, and took Superman Trick or Treating.

Carter Superman wasn't sure about it at first, but after the first few houses - he got it. And he LOVED it! By the end of the night, he was pointing out houses we were trying to skip, and running up to the porch on his own - sticking both hands in the candy jars at every house. He was the cutest lil' superman on the planet. Ok, I'm a little bit biased, but it's true :-)

It was a SUPER night!

The Pumpkin Patch

We had never been to a pumpkin patch up here in Huntsville before this past October. Well let me tell you, it's an all day event! Next year, we will devote an entire day to the pumpkin patch. We had so much fun! Look and see:

We took a "hayride" out to the pumpkins.

We walked through the pumpkin patch.

We searched and searched...

We got to touch the pumpkins.

We found out that there are green pumpkins...

We played in the corn.

Slid down slides.

Rode a cow train.

Got sneezed on by a big cow.

Watched a calf get fed a bottle.

Petted piglets...

...and bunnies.

It was a great day!

We'll be back next year to see how we measure up!

All Aboard!!!

Back in October, Kevin's life-long best friend got married! We traveled to North Carolina to celebrate with David and Alisha on their big day!

Yes, the wedding party wore - Chacos :-) It was perfect.

While we were in the Smokies, we took a train ride with Nana and Papa J. A certain 14 month old loved every minute of the ride - that is the part he saw while he was awake :-) Trains are great for napping!

At lunch, we got off the train and ate lunch by the river. Carter didn't eat much - he was too busy playing with the ducks!

The train museum was so neat to see when we got back to the station!

It was a fun weekend.

Get Ready, They're Coming!

I have been TERRIBLE at posting things to the blog recently. The reasons? I'm 17 weeks pregnant now - the first trimester had me on the couch resting when I wasn't chasing a one year old :-), and since I got my energy back - well, some of it at least - I've been organizing my coupon world, doing yardwork, cleaning out closets, decorating for Christmas, Christmas shopping, chasing a one year old, cleaning the house, doing the laundry, doing the dishes, and well, you get the point. I don't get to the blog very often - it's just not at the top of my list.... All that to say, I'm going to try to sit here and catch up on some blogs today. Good luck to me.

I'm Thankful

I'm thankful for Jesus.

I'm thankful for my husband.

I'm thankful for my children - the one who runs me ragged and the one being formed inside me.

I'm thankful for family.

I'm thankful for friends.

I'm thankful for health.

I'm thankful for food, clothing, shelter, transportation.

I'm thankful for my church.

I'm thankful for this country.

....and these days....

I'm thankful for Grandparents.

I'm thankful for toys.

I'm thankful for big brown eyes.

I'm thankful for playgrounds.

I'm thankful for smiles.

I'm thankful when it's not my turn to push.

I'm thankful for Aunts who will play chase.

I'm thankful that my son gets to know and love all our family members.

I'm thankful when there's somebody else around willing to pull the wagon.

I'm thankful that there's nobody Carter would rather play with than his Daddy.

Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to live this life, in this place, with these people.

Big News!

We've got some BIG news in our family - BIG BROTHER news to be exact! That's right, C-man is going to be a big brother in May of 2012 (we are due the 16th). We are so very blessed!!!

The second pregnancy is nothing like the first.

1. I can't remember how far along I am half the time (I did figure out for this post that I am almost 10 weeks though).
2. C-man is RIGHT THERE to cheer me on when I get sick (quite literally, but thankfully not often)!
3. I'm tired, but I can't rest because I have a 1 year old tornado (who graciously takes some naps).
4. It's FLYING BY already!

But it is the same in that my housework has taken a turn for the worst! Also, and more importantly, we cannot wait to meet this new precious part of our family, and we couldn't be more excited!!! C-man has NO idea what's coming :-)

More Than Enough

Kevin's been working and helping friends move this morning. While he was out, I got sucked into blogland again.....you know how it is. You find a cute craft on Pinterest which links to a blog, which links to another blog, and so on and so forth.... I spent the morning looking at other people's beautiful blogs.

These blogs tell the tales of their seemingly professionally decorated houses which they actually did themselves (for only $5!). On top of that, their perfect house is being lived in by their wonderfully behaved and boutique dressed children (no "hideous" baby gates necessary)! They eat at their table which of course has a beautiful seasonal decoration on it and on which no processed foods are ever served and everything looks garnished and fresh from the organic section of the grocery store. And somehow they still have time to dry and style their hair and go shopping for fashionable clothes.

Yes, I've been looking at pictures of the "beautiful people" out there again today feeling insufficient, overwhelmed, and like I somehow need to catch up in life... Then my loving God whispered in my ear that he's enough....I don't need any of that stuff. So I am logging off the blogs and facebook (no, not deleting my accounts....just logging off so I have to make an actual effort to get on there next time), and I'm going to go enjoy my Saturday which will probably NOT be picture perfect, and I'm ok with that. I have a neon tunnel in my living room (a MUCH loved toy in our home), a laundry basket turned toy bin spilling over with less than "attractive" but FUN toys, dog hair on my floor (which I'm going to try to lessen today), baby gates everywhere because my boy loves to CLIMB, I have to run to the store today (and I shop at Wal-Mart because I don't have time to figure out couponing), and we're probably going to eat hotdogs and Kraft macaroni and cheese at some point this weekend. But here is what I'm choosing to rejoice in:

1. I have a GOD who thinks my life is special!

2. He has richly PROVIDED for us! - we have food, clothing, shelter, and MORE!

3. We are (relatively) HEALTHY!

4. We have FUN in our less than perfect home!

5. My messy husband and rambunctious 1 year old and I LOVE each other more than words could say!

I'll leave you with those thoughts and the chorus to Jeremy Camp's song "Enough":

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me.
More than all I know
More than all I can see
You are more than enough for me.