Not My Gum Drop Buttons!!!

 This past Friday Damian and I went up to Addie's house to make, build and decorate gingerbread houses.  Jon and I decided that we weren't taking any short cuts, so we made our own gingerbread.  I found the best gingerbread house cookie cutters at Michaels which really made it so easy!  It was a messy sugar high filled fabulous day.

For Damian and Addie it was more about the candy than anything else..though they did help cut out the dough as you can tell by flour covered Damian.

 I take gingerbread house making very seriously.

 Rachel and Addie having a go at constructing a house.

I would like to say that Damian diligently worked on his little house like this...

 but truthfully he did more of this!

 An aerial shot of our hard work and big mess

My finished project...it is hard to see but I made a stained glass window.  Next year I will need a light inside so you can see the prettiness of it!

 Rachel and Addie's beautiful creations.  We blamed Jonathan for the rood caving in.

 Miss Addie and little Loretta

Must Be Santa...

...Santa Claus

This year Damian was much less afraid of Santa.  He didn't exactly smile, but he didn't cry!  We talked about seeing Santa and what he was going to ask him for all week long.  He didn't tell Santa what he wanted while sitting on his lap but he let him know from afar!  All in all it was a good trip and I expect big smiles for next years picture!

Oh Christmas Tree

December 1st we headed out to get our family Christmas tree.  I had gotten a great groupon for one of the local farms in our area, gotta love coupons for trees!  There were so many beautiful trees it took me a little bit to decide on one, not as long as I have been known to take.  Having a toddler really speeds things up!  

 Damian has started "posing" and "smiling" for pictures now if you ask him-very cute!

 My boys, getting ready to make the big cut!

Damian is quite the helper and anything that involves tools he wants a part of!

Birthday Party Fun

Here are just a couple quick pictures from Damian's birthday party.  I will post more later...as soon as I make more room for uploaded pictures on Picasa!  

I made Damian a special shirt to wear with a D on the front and 2 on the back.

It was a cow/truck themed party

All Birthday-ed Out!

Before heading to bed myself last night I snuck a quick peek at my now 2 year old.  He had insisted to take to bed with him his new truck and numerous other toys and they were all tucked in a sleeping away.  Crazy little boy-so cute though!

Happy Birthday Damian!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to our beautiful little boy!

Creating Memories through Paint

This past weekend my mom and I took Damian and Addie to Create a Memory to do a little painting and memory making.  Due to some secrecy issues at this time I cannot show what Miss Addie was painting but Damian was all about the cow! 

So serious...for a few minutes that is!

Moooooooo

Didn't want that extra paint to go to waste.

Trick-or-Treat

A few months ago I asked Damian what he would like to be for Halloween-Cow he told me.  I continued to ask him in the weeks leading up to Halloween and the answer was always cow.  So like the good mother that I am I made him a cow costume!  I have to say he is the cutest cow that I have ever seen!!!

 After sitting him down I barely had time to snap this picture

 Moooo ready for some ready for some Trick-or-Treating!

 Headed out the door past the big spider

 I stayed home while Daddy and Grandpa took Damian Trick-or Treating and did not realize they let him crawl on the ground until I was downloading the pictures.  At least now I know how his costume got dirty.

Mooooooooooooo spooky cow!

Pumpkin Carving Time!

I have been a bit of a bad blogger as of late so I have much catching up to do!

I love Halloween so we have had lots of fun all month long and of course carving our pumpkins was one of them!  

 He was probably hoping to find candy or something exciting inside.

 Who doesn't love the gooey mess inside a pumpkin!

I know he looks miserable and like he hated the whole experience but he really did have fun!

An Apple Lovers Delight

This past weekend Damian and I went up to the Apple Tasting and Festival at the Portland Nursery with Jon and Addie.  We had a great time sampling sooo many different varieties of apples, fresh pressed apple cider and lots of other yummy apple goodies.  

 The apples just went on and on and on!

 Little pumpkin painters

I got one to look at me!

This was my first year going to the Apple Festival and already I cannot wait to go again next year!

I made a delicious pie for dessert using a new apple that I had tasted.  Sorry no picture-it disappeared fast!

Pumpkin Patch

This past week we took a trip to a local pumpkin patch.  

 Loaded up in the wagon and off to the patch we went.

 Damian is not the picky one...I am!

 This isn't the pumpkin he ended up picking...he deemed it too heavy.

 After roaming the fields for what seemed like forever we loaded up the wagon and enjoyed some yummy treats.  Kettle popped caramel corn and apple cider donuts of course!  

 My little boy is getting so big!

 He had lots of fun playing on all the different activities they had set up.

I wish I could carve pumpkins this good!

Yummy in his Tummy

Nothing beats homemade warm applesauce!

Apple Picking

Today we went apple picking at Beilke Family Farm in Brooks.  They have a great variety of apples at wonderful prices- $9 for a 22lb bucket!  I can't wait to make some applesauce.  Makes the whole house smell delicious, not to mention how tasty it is!

This was probably the one and only apple he picked.

 He did take a bite and then put it in the bucket for me.  Such a nice boy.

 My two apple picking "helpers".

 Damian was much more excited about all the tractors.  He even got to go for a ride on the gator!

Perfect fit!

Calling all my readers!

I have decided to create a separate blog to showcase and share all my crafty and thrifty projects, especially all those fun projects I find on Pinterest.  Please check it out when you get a chance!  I just posted a tutorial on a bird seed wreath and make your own taco seasoning.
Modern Day Housewives

Zoo-rific

My best friend Rebecca and her daughter Emma are out from North Carolina visiting and we decided it would be really fun to take the kiddos to the Zoo.  The weather was fabulous and the animals were pretty active, it was a great success!  

 Ready to Roll!

 Damian's favorite stuffed animal is a purple hippo that he calls "Ma" so he was quite fascinated with the giant hippo.

 Who doesn't love a baby elephant!  

 Some lady had her service dog with her and the orangutan's were just fascinated by him.  

Tweet tweet little birdies!

Amazed that we got the little ones to stay in the nest and look at the camera!