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

Mickey and Me

My first airplane ride!

I was a pro...reading like Daddy, watching movies, coloring, eating, etc.

I had a blast!

Pops Blackmore rented this cool beach house in Ft. Myers and invited us to stay!

I really liked the beach (BEFORE the hurricane hit!)

Don't worry....I didn't get in the way of these sting rays.  Mommy was scared to go out in the water after seeing them the first day.

Thanks Pops for all my Cardinals gear!

We did lots of fun things.  We went to play putt putt.  I got a REAL hole in one!

We went to a really cool park.  The shape of the jungle gym was  a big choo choo train!

All Aboard!

We got to ride this small train around the park.  It was SO cool.

We got to go to DISNEY WORLD!  We braved the hurricane rain and ended up having a great day!

I rode 13 rides!  I'm on the People Mover here.  I loved the Goofy roller coaster, Dumbo, train, and Small World. I was scared of Buzz Light year.

Nothing wrong with a little pink on a boy....

I ate one of these Mickey Mouse ice cream ears for Papa McCarroll.  He told me all about them before I left home.

Not bad.... :)

Dumbo Ride

 

Hanging out with Pops and my Mickey Mouse.  I really loved seeing Mickey in the parade.

I was exhausted after a full day of fun.  Disney World truly is a magical place.

We got to hang out at the pool after the hurricane hit.  The beach was so windy with lots of waves.  I was not too sure about it.

I still managed to make a few sand castles with Daddy....

And then knock them down of course!

Mommy and I had fun hunting for shells.  I learned a few things from her.

We got to see a few beautiful sunsets

Thanks Mommy, Daddy and Pops for creating such wonderful memories!  I had so much fun.

-We had the wonderful opportunity to stay 10 days with Josh's dad in Ft. Myers a few weeks ago.  The vacation had many "firsts".  Brooks had his first airplane ride, first time to Disney, first hole in one playing Putt Putt, and first family vacation to name a few.  It was such a relaxing vacation, despite a mandatory evacuation of Ft. Myers beach during the hurricane.  We packed up our stuff and headed for Orlando.  Despite heavy rain in the morning, we braved Disney World.  With a few ponchos, we were ready to hit the rides.  After about an hour or so, the rain cleared up and it was a great day!  Overcast and cooler, but the best part was that the rain scared away the crowds.  The longest wait we had was about 15 minutes!  It could not have been more perfect.  I know Brooks will not actually remember Disney on this trip, but we hope to keep the magic alive in him.  There really is no place like Disney.

-We were able to fit in some more fun things for Brooks. Besides swimming, building sand castles, playing in the waves, we went to play putt putt, ride a small train, play at a cool park, and eat YUMMY food.  We could not have gone on this nice vacation without Pops inviting us to stay with him.  Thank you so much and what a great time we had!!!