trunk-or-treat

 On Sunday afternoon, St. Cecilia Church/School (where Keatin goes to preschool) held a trunk-or-treat in the school parking lot. For those who have never heard of it, basically people open up their van/car trunks and hand out candy from there! It is actually a pretty big deal...people had decorations, lights, and games set-up and someone even had bite-size cupcakes baked for all the kids! (Yes - they were safe.) :)

Our friends from Des Moines (Megan, Troy, and Baby Mia) actually made the trip up to Ames on Sunday and joined in the trunk-or-treating fun. (Troy and Keatin were born 3 weeks apart). The weather was GORGEOUS on Sunday...like 75 degrees...like warm enough that Keatin was sweating in her costume and I didn't even leave Will's on him the whole time. Who would have thought one would have to worry about their kids sweating in their halloween costumes - ha!!! There is another trunk-or-treat this weekend at St. Thomas (where we go to church)...will have to see if we are ready for some more trunk-or-treating fun!

 Keatin and Will...getting ready to hit the trunks!

Troy, Will, and Keatin...Troy was a police officer...which is perfect b/c his dad is a cop in Des Moines!

I kept trying to tell Will that trunk-or-treating was fun...at this point, he wasn't digging it. :)

But once I let him out of the stroller for a bit...so much better. :) (And yes - his eye may look droopy in this picture...we have been battling some eye goop/eye infection for a couple days now!)

All done and getting ready to hop back in the van...I love these 2 pictures. :)

halloween trial run...and walking?

Saturday night, we decided to do a little "trial run" with our Halloween costumes. Do I have the cutest little lady bug and monkey, or what? :)

And take a look at what this guy was "testing out" the other night...seriously???????

"snuggle me"

When Keatin is tired or wants some extra love, she will say - "Mom, will you snuggle me?"

Well, Friday morning, as Josh and I were running around getting ready for work...and Will had just fallen over and knocked his head on my dresser...we plopped these 2 up in our bed with their blankets, turned on Tangled, and heard Keatin say - "Will, you want to snuggle me?" :) Fully expecting him to be on the move and want off the bed...he just laid there on his big sister...and snuggled. :)

[happy 5th]

To my wonderful husband...happy 5th. :)

5 years ago today, this was us...can you believe it??? Although so much has happened in the last 5 years, I was thinking about our wedding day this morning...and I can SO vividly remember being on that alter with you, holding your hands, looking into your eyes, and knowing this was IT. Words cannot describe my love for you, the way YOU complete me. I know I have said it many times before, but thanks for choosing me...and I love you. :)

 And as I was sifting through old photos...I just could not resist. :) For those who don't know, although we have only been married 5 years, we have known each other for 15 years...and I included a few pictures to prove it!

Our high school graduation - May, 1999

A friend's wedding - July, 2000

This photo says 1997 in the corner...that might be correct. :)

Senior prom - May, 1999

preschool field trip

 Keatin had her 1st preschool field trip yesterday! Josh was able to attend as a volunteer and they all went to Center Grove Orchard/Pumpkin Patch. It was a CHILLY morning...but let me tell you, it was all Keatin could talk about last night. :) I wasn't sure what Josh would think about it, but he told me - I am glad I went...it really was fun. :) Below are a few pictures he snapped on his phone!

 Josh and Keatin were paired with one other little girl...Nina. Josh said she was really sweet and kinda shy at first, but then all she wanted to do was hold Josh's hand. :) Here they are on the bus...riding the bus is what Keatin spent most of her time talking about - ha!

my 2

My 2...Keatin and Will. :)

Most days when we get home from work/the babysitter's house, these 2 are beat. They are hungry, they are cranky...especially Will.

Tonight, while I was whipping up a delicious supper, I broke out my best parenting skills and turned on a movie...praying these 2 would give me 3 minutes to just get the kitchen pulled together. Keatin yelled at me to come see Will "cuddling me"...and they were truly cuddling...and Will didn't seem to mind! In fact, he laid against his big sister for several minutes.

So, instead of running around the kitchen like a crazy woman, I grabbed my camera...and smiled with my 2. :)

new baby

There is a new baby in our midst. :)

Our good friends, Lyle and Becca, welcomed their 2nd son - Reid Thomas - into the world this morning. Keatin and I just HAD to go love on Reid a bit tonight...and he was just so gorgeous. :) He was actually kind of crying when we walked in, but when Keatin held him...he just laid there so calm.


Congrats to Lyle, Becca, and Big Brother Jack!

(will - 10 months)

William...you are 10 months old today. :) I was watching you tear around the house tonight, and couldn't remember what our family was before you...which is a good thing!

At 10 months...

Wear size 3 diapers.
Wear 12-18 months clothes.
Have basically weaned yourself off bottles. We still give you one before bed, but otherwise you get all your milk out of sippy cups. You eat lots of "big people" food and are basically weaning yourself off baby food as well.
STILL NO TEETH!!!!
Make lots of babbles/noises...and "ma-ma" on occasion. :) Your favorite noises to make are a high-pitched squeal, a low-pitched growling-type noise, and a "hmmm."
Go to bed around 8 and get up between 6-7 am. Your new "trick" is sitting up in bed...and sometimes you do this in the middle of the night, and then scream because you apparently don't know how to lay yourself back down. DUH!
You clap and wave when prompted.
You are VERY QUICKLY learning what "no-no" means. In fact, I have caught you shaking your head no-no when I am changing your diaper and you don't like it. :)
Crawling like a crazy man! Pulling yourself up to standing on everything...and lots of times let go, and just lean against items with no hands. I predict you will walk before you are 1!
Just tonight, caught you crawling up the bottom stair...check out the video below. :)
So happy you are here in our lives. :)

hey

Hey! Here we are...just playing and hanging out.

Have a great week!

(And if you want one more thing to read...I found this short post when I was blog hopping the other day, and I just really liked it...put this tired mom's thoughts/mind/attitude in perspective.) :)

1st

OK - I know this sounds crazy, given that Will is almost 10 months old...but this morning when he was fussing at 5:15 and I went in his room to put the pacifier back in his mouth, I found him sitting up at the foot of his crib. This was the 1st TIME EVER that I have found him in any position besides laying flat on his back! I keep waiting for the morning that I will find him laying on his tummy, little butt up in the air, cuddled up in the corner of his crib...guess I will keep waiting, but baffles me all the same. :) (BTW - at 5:15, I promptly laid him back down, threw the blanket up by his cheek, and prayed he would fall back asleep...he did.) :)

noodles

The noddle tub... We have had this for a long time. It has had beans, noddles, and various other sensory things in it. The tub spent the summer, kind of forgotten, on the back porch. I cleaned it off the other night and took it downstairs in preparation for winter. WELL...let me just say...Will playing in the noddles is SO different than Keatin playing in noodles! Josh and I just had to laugh...and Crimson loved it because she ate all the dried noodles that were flying all over the basement floor. :)

center grove orchard

Remember the AWESOME pumpkin patch we took Keatin to last year??? (Click here.) :) I remember last year thinking to myself - next year we will an almost 1 year old with us! On Saturday, we went back to Center Grove Orchard...this time with Will and the DeWilds...and we had a BLAST again. :) I told Josh...we may have to go back one more time before Halloween - ha! Below are some photos/a video of our day - enjoy!