Pumpkin Patch 2014

Last year, we started the tradition of taking the girls to the pumpkin patch before Halloween.  Life is a little crazy this October, but we still wanted to take them to one, even if it was not as elaborate! We picked a local church that had pumpkins and a little hay maze!

On the way, we stopped for a special treat of snow cones! Once there, the girls LOVED running around in the maze and trying to pick up the different pumpkins. 

Bedtime prayers

We just put the girlies to bed, and Mark is laying with Ashlynn for a few minutes, because how do you turn down "Daddy, pwease cuddle wit me?" While all is quiet, I want to make sure to remember how sweet bedtime is these days.

The girls get about 30 minutes to cuddle with Mark and watch a show while I clean up the kitchen (and let the essential oils kick in!)

*A total disclaimer that at this point in writing last night, Ashlynn would not go to sleep, and it took 45 minutes of crying and cuddles to finally fall asleep. That is what I get for writing a post on the sweetness of  bedtime!*

So...back to the bedtime routine, now that it is 7 am ;) 

Once the girls show is over, Mark picks up Bay and I pick up Ashlynn. We stand in the hall between their rooms.  The girls put their heads on our shoulders, and we have family prayer time. Some nights, Ashlynn will pray and want me to repeat after her. Other nights she will pray on her own. (This is all determined by whether or not she says Amen at the end.) Her prayer each night is the same:

God, 

Pray Granny and Gaga boo boos all better. Thank Granny and Gaga boo boos all better.

Pray for my tooth and my little teeth. Thank my tooth all better.

Pray Gaga work. Pray Daddy's work.

Amen

After prayers, we all sing "Jesus loves me" together. Then we have an "Ashlynn Sandwich", aka a group hug, and kisses for all.  Mark lays Bailey down while I get Ashlynn situated in her bed. Lately, every stuffed animal we own has been sleeping with her.  Once Bailey is laying down (which is normally a quick and quiet process!), either Mark or I will lay with Ashlynn for about 5-10 minutes.

And then on nights like last night, she sometimes gets to cry on her own for a while in her room. Most of the time she exhausts herself pretty quickly though. It is crazy hard leaving your kid in their room crying, especially when they are verbal and crying about being scared or wanting you. But, we know that sleep is what is best for her, and sometimes that is the best way to get her to stop playing and give in to rest.  We have a lot of prayers and talks at bedtime about talking to God when we are scared, and how we are never alone because God watches over us.  One night, A asked if she could just go sleep at God's house. 

I just love these sweet moments and routines. I know that someday they will not want us to cuddle or hold them while singing Jesus Loves Me, and I am eating up each precious moment...even in the hard, cry it out, scared of shadow and dinosaurs moments!

Life Lately: Hello Fall!

Just another (first half of October) photo dump for you!

One morning, the girls and I had a little donut date. It was a fun, simple morning with 2 of my favorite people.

Later that day, we had a pretty intense (and thankfully short) storm roll through. While it was just wind and rain, I let Ashlynn stand outside, and she was enthralled with watching, feeling and tasting the rain!

Ashlynn has been trying to give up naps lately. One afternoon, she just didn't make it until bedtime, and took a late nap in daddy's lap!

Ashlynn has also become a runner/adventurer/super distracted, so we pulled the trigger and got her a "harness". I am pretty sure that is a nice way of saying "Backpack leash". Regardless...she had no problem with it for the most part, and it made life a little less stressful for this mama.

Ashlynn saw this balloon at the store and tried to grab it, saying "Come to me wittle bawoon!"

Our girls have become friends, and it is such a joy to my heart!

In school, we sorted colored squares to make a candy corn. This girl loves her glue.

She also matched/glued letters under her name, and helped mama write it.

B woke up from nap one day, and I plopped her on the couch while I went to trade out laundry. She was not done sleeping I suppose...

While she slept, Ashlynn and I played with trains, and then Ashlynn hosted her first ever tea party :)

Quack, Quack

One night Mark was working late, and the girls and I headed over to hang out and eat dinner at my dad's. 

We took the girls to get some ice cream, and then took them to feed the ducks. Ashlynn had been wanting to do that since my dad and Lianna had taken them to the lake a few weeks before! Bailey was fearless, and kept chasing the ducks. She would have gone straight into the water if I had let her. Both girls had such a fun time!

Life lately: Wrapping up September

Just a little photo dumping from the end of September! (Yep...I am that far behind!)

Gaga and Gator moved into a new house. The girls helped Gaga shop for paint...

and helped Gator build a tv stand!

They also checked out the new swimming pool :)

Miss B has decided she is not a fan of high chairs these days, so she had her first go in a booster seat.

They have also become BIG fans of watching me put on makeup, and decided to give it a go themselves.

Toddler school is still going great! We learned scissor safety and practiced cutting! I had to buy special scissors for our little lefty.

She asked to wear goggles one day instead of a  bow :)

It turns out B does not like the floors at Target.  She refused to walk on them without holding someone's hand, and crouched down crying like this anytime we let go.

Bailey is a fan of crawling into tiny spaces (so NOT my kid!) She had already been climbing into cabinets to sit, but now we really have to watch, because she is a fan of the following spots:

Ashlynn had another checkup with the dentist. Her "teeth and little tooth" (as she calls them), are looking much better, and we may not have to do a root canal. That is SUCH a huge praise!

Even though the weather did not feel like fall, we enjoyed some fall park days.

One day (before a recent haircut), Ashlynn let me blow dry her hair. Apparently the blow dryer also has the ability to age you by 5 years (Maybe that is my problem...haha)

Here she is post haircut...she was pooped!

Aggie Tailgate

A few weeks ago,we met up with my broth and some friends to tailgate at the Aggie/Arkansas game! We had a great time, and ate some delicious food! The Aggies even managed a win in overtime.

While we were tailgating, the girls got to go ride the train with Grandma and Grandpa, and check out food trucks for lunch!