It's FALL Y'all!

This is my most favorite season of the year!! I held out as long as I could, but today the decorations came out! From now until New Year's our yard will be adorned with festive decor, and I couldn't be more excited!

First off, HALLOWEEN!!

While the outside of house is in season, the inside is needing some work matching. I have some projects in mind and am hoping I can start soon and share...

Chocolate & Pumpkin

I stole this recipe from my sister, who stole it from Hungry Girl. It is delicious, moist, low-fat, healthy, and best of all CHOCOLATE!!

The ingredient combination sounds so odd, but comes together perfectly. It is too good not to share!

Ingredients:
1 box of Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 can of pumpkin

That's it.

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix two ingredients together. (Don't bother looking at the box. You don't need eggs, oil, or anything else, just the pumpkin.)
• Transfer batter to a greased 9 inch pan. (Mixture should be thick, don't worry.)
• Bake 25 minutes.

Consistency is something between brownies and fudge. You can ice, but we usually don't. There is NO pumpkin taste what-so-ever, I promise.

32 Weeks

You don't need the bumbo to help you sit anymore, but if I want to capture a picture without you crawling off it is the easiest way to keep you in place!

Too Much.

Last week Carson told me before bedtime that he didn't want to go to his new school anymore because a girl was being mean to him. Carson has never had issues making friends or being picked on, so I was a little concerned, but told him that we would talk to his teacher about it. The next morning we got to his school early and I asked his teacher if she had noticed a girl being mean to him. She said it just so happened that one of the kindergartners were in his class the previous day because she missed school and for some reason had attached herself to Carson. She said the little girl was a little boy crazy, and usually picked out one boy to boss around for the day as her elementary way of flirting, but the teacher promised she would keep an eye on her. When I picked him up that afternoon he was back to his happy self, and said he had a good day.

Well, last night before bed Carson started talking about girls being mean to him again on the playground. I asked him what they did that was mean and he said they would chase him and grab his arms. I told him that must mean they like him if they want to be around him so much, and he responded with "WHAT!?!" I said "ya, they must think you are really cute and want to hold your hand if they are chasing you." He looked at me like I was crazy and just laughed.

Tonight, I just put him to bed ...here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Did you and the girls chase each other today on the playground?"
C: "No."
Me: "Why not?"
C: "They were nice to me today."
Me: "They were? What happened?"
C: "Well, I told them that if they were chasing me, they must want to be my girlfriend."
Me: "WHAT!?! What did they say."
C: "Nothing, they played with me...and kissed me."
Me: "They KISSED you!?! How many girls were there???"
C: "Two. Abriana and Riley."
Me: "And they both kissed you!?!"
C: "Yes, Abriana kissed me twice on the nose and Riley kissed me on the cheek."
Me: "I am in trouble! You stay away from those girls!!"

I don't know what it is about the Fall that turns my child into this crazy little stud, but this time last year I was writing about him and girls here. I'm thinking home-schooling might be our best option for next year... lol

31 Weeks

We waited to take your picture because you have been so sick. :(

I think this weekend made ear infection number four. I took off work to stay home with you today, and luckily you are feeling better and getting back to your old, happy self!

7 Months

Deacon - you are 7 months old!

• You weigh about 18 lbs. and are 27.5 inches long!
  
  
• You fit comfortably in 12 month clothing, size 3 diapers and are about to be in size 4 shoes.
  

• This is definitely the month for milestones: 1st tooth, crawl, sitting up by yourself (and in high chairs and shopping carts), and just yesterday climbed yourself into a standing position!
  
  
• Your hair and nails are growing at an amazing rate. I will trim your nails and within a couple of days you will scratch your poor little face before I get a chance to cut them again.
• Your bedtime ritual cracks us up. You NEVER really cry but when you are tired (usually between 7-8 pm), you start rubbing your eyes and making a whining noise. As soon as we lay you in your bed, you are out.
  
  
• We now just need to get you on track with sleeping through the night...most nights you will wake up once, but every once in a while we are blessed with a full night sleep, while other times you wake up a bunch.
  
• You are much more interested in your toys. You will crawl across the room to get to one, and try your hardest to get it in your mouth. Your favorite are soft toys that you can rub your face on.
  
  
• You are so ready to walk! Your babysitter has requested we start putting shoes on you every day so she can help you practice. Our goal is to have you toddling around by Christmas.
  
  
• We're starting to wonder if you are ever going to hold a bottle by yourself. You like either for us to hold it or when we are busy we will prop it up for you. You show no interest in wanting to do this yourself.
  
  
• Changing your diaper is always an adventure. We have to be extra cautious when opening up, because the majority of the time you will have a surprise for us. Even your doctor mentioned last month that it had been years since he had gotten soaked, but you were quick and broke that record!
  
  
• You still like your pacifier, but don't need it as much anymore, usually just when you are overstimulated or tired.
  
  
• You might just be the world's easiest baby. You are so even tempered and laid back, you fit into our family perfectly. We are praying that you aren't just saving your energy for the teenage years...
  
  

Month by Month

Labor Day Weekend

This weekend we made a trip out to Grapeland with our favorite Olive's. We left after work on Friday, and took the minivan so we could all fit in one vehicle. After squeezing six of us in with our luggage and kiddie paraphernalia we were on the road!

We made a pit-stop at a little diner in Trinity for dinner. We tried Deacon in his very first restaurant highchair, and he was excited to sit up like a big boy, and stayed that way for the entire meal.

We made it into Grapeland after 10 pm that night. Ashley and I went to bed at a decent hour, while the boys, including Carson, stayed up way too late hanging out and playing video games.

The next morning we got ready and headed out to Salmon Lake Park in town, where they were having their annual Blue Grass Festival. I went to Salmon Lake as a kid and always had a blast. They have a decent size swimming lake in the middle, surrounded by old time cabins and a play ground. We were a little surprised to pull up and find the cost was $15/person, but we paid it anyways. We had fun, but I'm not thinking it was worth 60 bucks.

We spent the majority of our time swimming in the lake.

We enjoyed the background noise of blue grass music (if you don't know what that sounds like, think O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack), but these people took it SERIOUSLY. For you Houston folks, it was like Buzz Fest for senior citizens. They sat in their lawn chairs captivated.

Afterwards, we went back to the house and did a little shooting.

Carson shot the gun for his first time too!

We were excited that the weather cooled off a little, and we were able to pull the playpen outside for Deacon to soak up the sun. Carson thought he would keep his little brother company.

I love going to Grapeland, but sometimes it can be a little too much nature for me. I like being out in the country, but I do NOT do bugs. Conversely, Carson LOVES bugs and has no fear of them. He discovered a GINORMOUS banana spider and drug us over to see it all weekend. Then he would get entirely too close to it and freak me out. He insisted I take this picture of him posing like he is going to catch it with a net.

Being teachers, we had to at least show him the science behind spider webs and how they are used to catch food. We spoiled that stupid spider by catching grasshoppers to throw at the web so we could watch it attack. By the third grasshopper the spider was over it and no longer wanted to mess with its meals. Brandon then proceeded to tap the spider and its web in attempt to entice it to move. All it did was give me a panic attack.
That night we laughed at the boys while they got down to business with Mario Galaxy.

Yes, they are dorks.

Our last full day we did the typical toy riding. Deacon rode on his first 4-wheeler too.

After re-packing all of our stuff today, and a miracle of God, we made it off the property at exactly noon. We even had time to stop for lunch at Texas Burger in Crockett. Carson ordered the messiest vanilla ice cream on the face of the earth, and was sweet enough to share with Deacon.

This trip was a fantastic way to kick off the school year! We are hoping by our trip next year we will be bringing another child with us, courtesy of the Olive family! :)

29 Weeks

This week your first tooth appeared, and it popped up on your bottom left gums!! Pretty soon you will have a whole mouth of them, so we are enjoying your gummy smile while it lasts...