Catching up

I have been going to the Library more often with Mommy.  I keep seeing this cute girl each time.

I like to run with mommy instead of riding in the stroller.

Singing Happy Birthday to Brutus while in the tub.  He's 6 years old now!

I voted with Mommy!

Playing at the park in November!

Check out this HUGE slide.  I'm not scared!

Strike a pose!

Learning how to bowl for my first time.

Chilling after a round of bowling.

Gobble Gobble!

Thanks Grandma for my Nativity!

Striking a pose with my Mommy.

On my way to the Tree Farm.

I found one over here guys!

Good job Daddy cutting it down!

Hey...wait up!

The "perfect" Christmas Tree.

Playing with "Pops" 63 year old Lionel Train set.  It's Christmas everyday!

-I have not had much of a chance to blog lately so I decided to add lots of pictures with captions to catch up.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at my parents house.  My mom always cooks the best food.  Her stuffing can't be beat!  "Pops" Blackmore came into town despite being in lots of pain. He is waiting to have a hip replacement.  We had so much fun hunting down our "perfect" Christmas tree together.  We ended up getting a 10 foot tree!!!  It is so pretty in the house.  Brooks is in heaven playing with the Lionel train set.  I can not even imagine how much fun Christmas will be this year!

-Brooks has had fun going to the Library, jumping at SkyZone and playing at the park on our days off. He still attends a Mother's Day out 2 half days a week.  He is really enjoying himself and learning so much!  Probably the biggest change with Brooks is that he wears Big Boy Pants all the time now!! Even to bed and naptime!!  I can not tell you how proud we are of him.  It is something you work on (for past year on and off)...but he just woke up and decided to be done with diapers (well...for the most part).  He is still very timid about doing #2 in the potty.  So he asks for diaper to poop, then puts underwear back on.  Oh well...it's an awesome start!  He gets upset if we even mention diapers.  He says, "I big boy now".  Wow...where has my little stinker gone?  My heart is a little sad and a lot happy;)

Happy Halloween Everybody!

I am so excited to carve our pumpkins!

I picked a WITCH for mommy to make

Daddy picked a SCARY MONSTER one!

Choo-Choo All Aboard!!

Brooks's Choo-Choo Express

My Cousin Oliver was a blue Dragon! I think he's pretty cool now that he is moving around!

Hey...Get back here!!!

I couldn't wait to go trick or treating

Enough pix already!!!

I had this down house one!

Daddy and I went back out for round 2

I had so much fun!  Now I can't wait to eat this CANDY!!!

-Brooks really had a blast trick or treating this year.  I don't even think he realized how COLD it was!  He was so excited to get dressed up and walk the neighborhood.  Halloween morning he woke up and asked if it was time to go trick or treating.  He just could not understand why he needed to wait until the evening time.  Aunt Tammy, Cousin Oliver, Grandma McCarroll and Daddy were all there to join in.  Brooks came back in after about an hour and was so upset when I said we were done.  He folded his arms and said, "I am NOT done trick or treating!!!".  Who are we to say no?  It was Halloween of course and this kid has been asking everyday if it was Halloween today.  So Josh went back out for round two.  We had fun eating pizza and CANDY for dessert.  What fun times!  I really LOVE this time of year and to see all the joy in his eyes is priceless!  Happy Halloween to all!  BOO

The Secret

This is some of the stuff we have been up to lately

My reclaimed wood island!!

-I have been so busy this summer trying to re-do our kitchen.  Here are just a few sneak peeks into the transformation.  I will post more about the kitchen makeover in a week or so.  I'm ALMOST DONE.  Yes...you can see from the picture that I painted the cabinets an off-white/creamish color.  What a difference.  I'll share soon.  Josh was a huge help with this reclaimed wood island and changing out outlets.  It is so nice to have a handy husband!

-I do need to tell the sweetest story though.  This morning Brooks came downstairs and saw some cabinet doors on the kitchen table drying.  He was a big help cleaning it up so we could have breakfast at the table.  While I was getting the food ready, Brooks was standing by the table just looking around the kitchen and family room.  Then he simply said, "The house is so pretty.....Momma, The house is so pretty".  Can you even imagine my reaction?  My heart smiled and I gave him the biggest hug and kiss.  All my hard work was appreciated.  Isn't that what we all want in life?  To feel appreciated and validated?  Well, my 2 year old son has already figured out the secret.  Let's pray he keeps that honesty, sincerity and sweetness throughout his life.  Thank you God for my little man.

My buddies

-This past weekend was very special for me.  It was my first time joining the Buddy Walk activities.  Josh, Brooks and I went down town to help support the Down Syndrome Foundation.  Many of the kids on my caseload have Down syndrome and are very near and dear to my heart.  It was super crowded, so we did not get to do everything we wanted...but it made me feel so good to support my families and these amazing kids.  Brooks just enjoyed running around and of course the huge balloons!

Pumpkins galore!

I love pumpkin time!

Waiting for the tractor to get back

I was so excited to take a hayride!

Check out all these pumpkins!  I was looking for a little one, Daddy needed a big one and Mommy wanted to find a medium one.

I found it!

Ugh...it's heavy and stuck!

Can I get some help here?

-The last weekend of September we took advantage of the beautiful weather and visited Spencer Farms.  It is a simple family farm with great pumpkins and mums.  Brooks enjoys the free hayride, Josh enjoys the HUGE pumpkins and I enjoy the beautiful (but cheap) mums.

Heading to my school hayride with my partner in crime, Rome.  Please don't pay attention to my hat.  My teacher put it on me and she didn't know how it was supposed to fit.  Oh well!

This is my friend Ada.  We all took a hayride around the church's 80 acres!

I was keeping an eye out for those pumpkins

Here they are!  I found one!

Grandma was there too!

Along with my Mommy!

  

-Brooks had his school hayride and pumpkin patch on Thursday.  He was excited to hang out with his friends as well as Grandma and me.  Unfortunately, Josh is super busy with work and could not make it.  We had fun taking a long hayride and then picking out a pumpkin.  He would pick one out and say, "Is this a good one?'.  He really seems to like this time of year.  He is excited, instead of scared, this year about Halloween.  He is really interested in the ghosts, witches, and monsters.  He likes them from afar and likes to talk about them.  One of his favorite things to do with me is go on a walk.  He takes a bag and picks up all the pretty leaves.  He is sure to pick out the pretty ones so we can then decorate the house with them.  It's kind of sweet and I'm sure the bugs like the new home too ;)

Family Time

I like to cozy up with PaPa after I get up from my nap.

I sometimes think I'm one of them...

Grammy and PawPaw V. came to visit last month.

I had fun "driving" their BIG truck!

This is me sick.  I don't feel too good when I start wheezing. I fell asleep on Mommy's chest.  That's one way to spend some family time.

I'm starting to think Baby Oliver is pretty cool.  He is sitting up and starting to move around now.  Oliver likes to watch my every move.  We are going to be buddies!

-Brooks is big on spending "Family Time" these days.  He will be sitting at the table between Josh and I and reach for our hands.  He then says, "Can we play family time after dinner?".  He likes for Josh and I to wrestle with him on floor.  He really loves to play "Monster Daddy".  Brooks and I have to find a way to get the Monster.  Brutus likes to join in so we named him, "Dragon Doggy".  Ahhh...the joys of a little boy.  Could life get any better ?  ;)
-Last month both Josh's mom and stepdad, as well as his dad, came to visit us.  It was a fun month.  We went to the park, went shopping and went to an Arts Festival.  Brooks really enjoys his time with his Grammy, Pawpaw, and Pops!  He is always so sad to see them leave.  He usually asks to go to St. Louis too.  We are so lucky they all live close enough to see each month.  It means so much to us that they take the time to visit us too!  It can be a challenge at times to travel with Brooks, Josh, and two dogs in a small Jetta. Looking forward to our next visit....

First Day of school...I'm a Teddybear now!

All ready for my first day of school

I'm having trouble holding up my backpack

Despite my terrified face, I am so excited to see my friends!

There's my friend Emma.

-Brooks had his first day back to school (Mother's day out) on Sept. 6th.  He was really excited because all his friends from last year are in his class again this year.  He has a blast learning songs, reading books, playing, doing crafts, eating lunch, and learning about God.  It is a Christian based preschool and a lot is expected out of them even at this young age.  Brooks has been testing his limits in new situations, so of course he tried to take advantage of his new teachers.  He had a rough start to the school year and got in trouble for not listening to the teachers.  After a big "crack down", he started to shape up and act more like himself again.  It didn't help that he got sick 2 times in the first month.  Of course the cold went right to his lungs and he had an asthma attack again.  He responds well to his albuterol, but this time the cough lingered.  After taking him to the doctor, he ended up having an ear infection as well.  Poor guy...I would be acting out too if I didn't feel well!  He has been more like himself the past week and has been using his manners again.  He sometimes takes it to the extreme.  For instance, I'll ask, "Brooks do you need to go poo-poo?".  He says, "No thank you Mommy".  Oh well...at least he is polite about it!  Potty training has it's ups and downs.  He has been able to wear his big boy pants all day with a few reminders to go potty.  He even can wear them during naps and when running errands.  However, as soon as he needs to poop...he refuses to sit on the potty and does not seem to mind pooping in his big boy pants! We are to the point that when wearing his diapers, he will look at me and say either, "I'm peeing" or "I'm pooping".  Geez....Thanks Brooks....how about telling me BEFORE you need to go! Oh well, I figure he will get it sometime.  Can't wear diapers his whole life!....or can he?  hahaha