Family Photos

A few weeks ago we had our family photos taken by Amber Bridges.  She also shot our family photos last year.  She is so sweet and talented, and  I am very happy with how the photos turned out.  We went to her families pumpkin farm, and although it was pretty darn chilly out we made the best of it.  I laugh because I had big plans to get a lot of head shots of the kids, but they were not into that.  Instead I have a beautiful collection of mostly candid s, that reflect my family perfectly during this season of life.

If you would like to see the full collection of photos...

• Click here
• Click on photography portfolio
• Clients
• Password: Nick 

While you are at it hop on over to Amber's facebook page and like it.  I know she would appreciate it. 

Leaves

This past weekend we were blessed with AMAZING weather..and an earthquake that I some how did not feel.  Any who. Nick and I took this time to take in fall with the kids.  With the move during the month of October we really missed out on Fall fun, and we wanted to make up for that.  Thankfully the in laws live in a country setting and are surrounded by trees, so there were still plenty of fallen leaves.  We decided that making a huge leaf pile would be the perfect fall activity.

I took a picture of my hubby making the pile, but for some reason it would not load.  He did not use a rake, but went into the wooded area with a leaf blower, and made the biggest pile of leavess that I have ever played in.

Caleb and Mckinlee were unsure at first, but soon took to it.  Kinlee was only interested for so long, and then she sat in Grandpa's golf cart and cheered for us.  Caleb however loved it.  I have to admit Nick and I did as well.  It was so fun to just run and jump in the leaves. Bella loved it as well.  She was so funny hoping in and out, and getting lost beneath the leaves.  We spent all day Saturday outside, and I loved seeing the smiles on my kiddos faces.

Sometime during the weekend fun Caleb sprained his ankle.  No idea when or how, but he woke up Monday morning unable to bear weight on his right leg.  X rays confirmed that there was no break, and the doctor told us to use and ace bandage and ice it.  Before nap he was finally limping around on it.  I sure hope it heals quickly.

Mckinlee 21 Months

Oh my sweet little bit, you are such a personality at 21 months.  You surprise me literally every 5 minutes.  You are 100% girl, and your mood swings prove it :).  However, your personality, fits and all, bring us such joy.  You are so perfect, and I am so thankful that God blessed me with you.

This past month has been really special to me, because it is really the first time in your 21 months of life that we have had a lot of one on one time. Since I am no longer nannying, and brother goes to school 2 mornings as week, we now have time to spend just with each other.  This morning we just sat and cuddled for over an hour, and talked.  I love our sweet time.  Some mornings we shop, some mornings we have a breakfast date.  I am just happy to have that time to completely devote to you.

Mckinlee at 21 months:

Sleeping: Your sleeping is back on track after the move (knock on wood).  You nap for 2 hours a day, and sleep from 8/8:30-8/8:30.  You have learned to "play" cry in your bed.  I now have to walk in and put my stern voice on when you are fighting naps.  You then smile and stop crying.

Eating:  Your eating has picked by up this month.  You love peanut butter and eat it by the spoonfuls daily. It is always your snack of choice.  You always grab the peanut butter and a spoon and bring them to me.  Your new love is smoothies but only out of a straw.

Size: You are wearing size 12 month pants, 0-3 all the way to 18 month tops, size 4 shoes, and a size 2 diaper for naps and bedtime.  They do not make panties smaller than size 2T/3T, so they sag on you, and a pulled up to your belly button :).

Teeth: No new teeth this month

Speech: Lots of 2/3 word sentences.

Exciting New Things:

• Whenever you want us to hold you, you always say "Mere" "Mommy mere, mere" (aka come here).  It melts my heart every time and it is literally something that I want you to say forever. 
• You dance to your own beat all the time, and you always sing "ahh ahh ahh" (if all the rain drops).  You always put your right arm up and move it while shaking your booty in a circle.  
• You are really starting to answer questions we ask you now. 
• You love picking out your clothes.  Last night daddy said that you said "Daddy mere" and ran into the room.  When he followed you pointed to the clothes, and he held you up.  You picked a dress to wear around the house haha. 
• You love to be naked, and it is literally the hardest thing to keep pants on you.  Every time we are outside you pull your pants down and scream potty.  Only you do not really have to potty you just do not like to wear clothes.  Caleb says you are crazy.  
• You and Caleb are really playing well together now.  You always run with him, play cars with him, kick balls etc.  
• You can wear your hair in piggies now, and it is the cutest thing. 
• You always grab my phone, and look at it and say "Pa..where go?".  (you love to face time with papaw).
• You are such a little mama still.  

I love you so much sweet girl! 

Our home until we find a home

I stated in my last post that I would include some pics of our make shift home.  My in laws have a ranch style house, and they have graciously given us the basement great room to live in while we look for a home.  We have made the best of the space, and we are actually quite comfortable.

 This is the entrance to our space.  You see the computer where I take residence during nap time, the shelves filled with toys for the kiddos, and a play area.  

 The curtains are the entrances to the bed rooms. Caleb's room is behind the brown, and Kinlee/Our room is behind the blue. 

Our kitchen.  We do not have a stove or sink. I use a lot of my appliances or go upstairs to use the stove when I need to cook/wash dishes. 

 This is where I keep our plates, cups, silverware etc. 

 Our living room.  

Caleb's room with his unmade bed. 

 The entrance to our room. 

Kinlee sleeps behind the curtain 

 Our storage.  I have most of the kids clothes folded on the shelves.  The rest is of our clothes are hung in our make shift closet.  

So, there you have it.  Our home until we find a home.  I am grateful for my in laws allowing us to invade their space, so we can begin building our dream.  

**Please excuse the picture quality. My camera or something is not working correctly.

Halloween Festivities

** I am going to begin this post by answering a couple of questions I have received. These questions made me realize that I am really bad at keeping this ole blog updated with anything other than pics of the kids.

• I am no longer a nanny.  When we decided to begin the process of house hunting I went a head and gave my notice to the little boys parents. It was simply time to close that chapter of my life, and I have to admit I love being able to spend more time focusing on my kids. 
• We are just in the early stages of house hunting, and we will probably not get super serious about it until the beginning of the year.  Our families have been wonderful, and are helping us out tremendously.  We are taking these last few months of the year to save money, and pay off some debt, while living with my inlaws.  I will have to take some photos to show you our new "home" right now.
• I am still growing my event planning business.  I blog daily so please feel free to click on over (here) and become a follower.  

I think that answers all the questions that I have received. I will try my best to keep you up to date with our exciting life....haha.  

So, Halloween this year and the month of October did not go as planned at all.  We were moving, the weather was bad, and we just did not get to participate in a lot of the activities that I wanted us to.  We never made it back to a pumpkin patch after Caleb's field trip...so crazy because we usually visit at least 3.  Trick or treat was freezing a raining....and it just did not go as planned. However, we made the best of it, and still had a great time with the kids.

Costumes: 

All month Caleb has been saying that he wanted to be Spiderman, so last weekend we took him to pick out his costume.  However, last minute he changed his mind and decided to be Mater.  So FORTY dollars later...RIDICULOUS...we had a rusty Mater costume..  

I could not decide what I wanted Mckinlee to be.  After brother's crazy expensive costume I decided to go the cheap route and let her be a "doggie".  My mother in law made a tutu, and I bought a black sweat suit.  She ended up not really looking like a dog....but she was cute none-the-less. 

Fall Festival:

We did attend a church fall festival last Sunday.  They had a ton of indoor inflatable and trunk or treat.  Caleb loved all the bounce houses.  He also really loved a horse racing game they had.  

Mckinlee however, spent most of her time crying....Lord help us.  

Halloween:

As I stated before Halloween here was freezing and misting rain.  I was so bummed.  Caleb loved trick or treat last year, and he was so excited about it this year.  We bundled the kids up and attempted trick or treating.  We hit about 5 houses before we called it quits.  It was just too cold.  Instead we went to Big Boy for icecream, and then my mother in law suggested that we trick or treat within the house. This was actually a huge hit.  Nick, myself, my mother in law, Abby, and Eric all went behind different doors, and the kids would come knock, say trick or treat and get candy.  

We then took inventory of our stash...

And my kids stayed up until midnight!! Sugar high.

So even though it did not go as planned we made the best of it.