Our Reasons To Be Thankful!

We spent this Thanksgiving in Alabama with Moses' family. We did a lot of celebrating: My birthday, Carmen's birthday, Thanksgiving, Natalia's birthday, Giovanni's baptism and brand new baby Anthony! The kids played from sun up to sun down and Grayson is already planning our next "special trip". I didn't take as many pictures as I wish I would have because I was just  too involved in the moments to worry about "capturing the moments".

We wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We are most thankful for our rambunctious, sweet, adorable children!

Trick Or Treat!

This is the first year Gigi has really gotten into trick-or-treating. She was so excited to go door to door. And loved oohing & ahhing over all the little kids in their costumes. She was not timid at all today (out of character) she would ring the doorbell and say "twick o tweat" without any hesitation. As soon as we walked away from one house she would look at me and say "how bout we go to one more house pwease." She had a fun time and has a bag full of loot that will be miraculously hidden by morning.

Little Gio had fun too... more along for the ride than the candy!

My lil pumpkin

My lil pumpkins!

Ready to go to the next house!

Carrying both her and her brothers bags!

Checking out all her goodies!

Has a mouthful & ready to move on to her next treat!

Our Halloween dinner :)

Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Today we took a field trip to the pumpkin patch with Gigi's school. She has been talking about it for weeks and had an a.maz.ing time! It was a little windy and wet, but it didn't slow the kids down any. She even fell asleep on the car ride home.. unusual for her.. solid proof that she had an great time.

Can you find my pumpkin?

She's getting so big!

Pretending they are pumpkin seeds

Now they are bees

Just 'hanging out'

Have I mentioned how bad her allergies have been? Playing in the hay barn didn't help!

Having a hay fight with her best bud, Mason

Refusing to smile in the pumpkin patch

Worn out

3 Musketeers Fall Fun

Lately between work, finishing school and M's commitment to the National Guard we haven't been able to spend a whole lot of time with him. So, I recently have been referring to the kids and I as the 3 Musketeers. Today, M competed in the Tough Mudder it's 9:30p and I am still not quite sure how it went as he is in the mountains and is not getting good reception.

I have been determined to still pack every weekend with all the fall fun the kids and I can handle. Lately the idea of another crap project, as Gigi likes to call it, is overwhelming but there is only one week left til Halloween.. so we are making the most of it.

This morning after our amazing fall breakfast of whole-wheat pumpkin pancakes with real maple syrup Flavor Blasted Pizza Goldfish & Oranges - we headed to Michaels where Gigi made a spider shirt! Then Gio's AM nap, Target for a new pair of shoes for Gio (he won't stop growing & I refuse to let him wear Croc's any longer), Chick-fil-A for lunch, PM naps for the kids, some pumpkin 'craps', a little outside play, dinner, bath and bed. Tomorrow I will be happy not to be able to refer to us as the 3 Musketeers as we are looking forward to a whole fall family day to spend with M!

Working on her pumpkin

He wanted to help with the pumpkins too!

Mummy Pumpkin - by Gigi

G for Grayson pumpkin out of thumbtacks - by Gigi

Kitty Pumpkin - by Gigi

Showing off the spider shirt she made!

He likes to spend his Saturday evenings working on the lawn

and working on his mower

trying to get it to start!

Harvest Festival

The 1st day of October felt like the 1st day of fall around here. It was a high of 63 with a cold breeze & crispness in the air that we are not accustomed to. Every time we stepped out the door Gigi would immediately say "bbbrrrr, it's cold out here!" And, I agreed!

We started the morning off with the breakfast of champions - Chick-fil-A! Then it was off to soccer & Wal-Mart, and when we finally got home it was time for naps.. well, for the kids - I mopped and cleaned the bathroom.


Then the highlight of the kids day... the Harvest Festival at Gigi's school. They ran around and let the wind whip through their hair, ate popcorn out of a bag, shot a bb gun, and their most favorite -- the barrel train.

Gigi ended the night with a pumpkin spice rice krispy treat (I made them today - yum) and fell asleep on the couch with the fireplace roaring beside her. What an amazing fall day!

Barrel Train

I loved my view :)

Couldn't be happier (or cuter!)

Our "self-portrait" on the barrel train

Did I mention - there was a moon bounce?

Her face says it ALL!

Very serious while she was getting her face painted - it's a butterfly

Sharp Shooter

Look at that hair?!

He just loves anything with wheels!