Finally Fall

It has been so unbearably cold the last couple weeks, that I was worried that we may have skipped fall altogether and started right into winter. But it seems to be a bit warmer this week so we took our chance and headed to the pumpkin patch at Lewis Farms on Monday. If you are local, then you certainly have most of these same pics, but starring your own children. Its an amazing place and we are very fortunate to have Lewis Farms right here in West MI, and really just a short drive away.

I love the look in Teagen's eye here, she really is full of it.

Jason had spent a good part of the day in the woods, so we picked him up and brought him along.

And you're are nuts if you don't fall in love with the baby zebra.

Summer Jaye Applehead.

Oh its the baby again! I want one!

This guy sure got big since last year. He's got a lot of personality too. And did I mention he is HUGE?

I mean really, he could live here, right? He's not much bigger than my dogs(yet)... And is it weird that I don't care much for horses, but this guys steals my heart? Awe...love him!

Lewis Farms has the best little Bunny Town. So cute and fun to watch those furballs.

We've been reading "Llama Llama Red Pajama" a lot, so of course these guys were a big draw for the little folk.

Time to make your pumpkin pick!

The job was taken very seriously.

And some winners were taken home. Along with hot cider and cookies. Mmmm.

We plan to carve this weekend, and need to start working on ideas. Not to mention the last minute touches I need to add to everyones costumes.

I have a field trip with Teagen's class this week, so watch for that post later. I promise, I will get better about posting again!

Announcing....

Over the summer I was lucky enough to help a friend with an event she was organizing. She asked if I would be interested in working with one of her friends and run a face painting booth. I didn't realize what a cool art form REAL face painting can be, and after some research I was hooked. Angela, my painting partner felt the same way. Over the summer we both did some more work in the art and after some time and consideration, we decided to join in a little business we are calling la-la land.

la-la land is face painters for hire, party planners and so much more. Face and body art is hot right now, and we use only professional quality, makeup grade, top of the line face and body paints.

Perfect for:

children's parties- We can match your theme! Fairy Party or Superhero Bash, anyone?

bachelorette parties- Very trendy,sexy painted eye masks for everyone!

baby bumps-Unlike what everyone else is doing, and hides any imperfections for prenatal photography! You and your baby-to-be will be a work of art.


We can do face paint only or even go all the way to planning the entire event, while you sit back with you camera capturing the moments. How much you want done is up to you.

So anyway, Angela and I are so excited about this and hope you are too! If you are at all interested, we are accepting bookings NOW! contact us at lalalandgurls@gmail.com

Thanks in advance for supporting me and Angela in this lalaland adventure!!!!
XOXOXO

When a Weird Man and an Odd Woman Fall in Love...

You get this motley crew: Oh my...

I normally would not think for Grady to be the most normal of the bunch, but he was just modeling his Halloween costume( Thanks Kristin!)

This one?

Well, lets just say I am fully aware that I have some very difficult years ahead of me. As I type, she is singing"I'm a Barbie Girl" at the top of her tiny lungs.

But ya gotta love those socks.

10 years of Wedded Bliss and a Very Happy Wheatland

We had no intention of going to Wheatland this year. Just getting back from our big family vacation, and the fact that most of our group was taking a year off due to other vacations and a cross country move. We had my Aunt Julie to watch the kids for our 10th anniv. and we just couldn't decide what we wanted to do. Well to make a longish story short, we suggested going to our friends Ian and Leslie, and decided to give it a go! This would be so different than years past, only 2 couples in our group as opposed to the usual 8 or so.

It left us the chance to camp somewhere new(and completely awesome). We also got front row middle seating for the music Friday night. Just totally a different experience.

If you've seen my facebook pics, these will all look familiar. I forgot to grab my memory card, so I could only take the 20 pics that my camera holds in internal memory.
Some of my fav art pieces...

Oops. bad focus! But you get the point.

My new favorite band, Crooked Still. Turn on the music for a couple of their songs. So So good!

The stage a night, from our spot on Saturday. We were still closer than we've ever been! Thanks to the boys. They were so good to us.

Sadly, we worked entirely too long to get a good self-group shot that night. Apparently using the timer was too much work for us. I just happen to think that Ian and Les are camera hogs.

Another fab band, The Deadly Gentlemen. They are so different, I can hardly explain. Like banjo rap( as if that makes sense to anyone). They even do a version of "Bust a Move" that was soooo cool.

The Cajun Dance. Crappy pic, everyone is moving to fast and the lighting is bad. But just to give you an idea as to the amount of people down here after midnight. I have to admit that I hate the Cajun dance. It has turned into a giant,gentler mosh pit. The year some girls stuck a flashlight down the back of Jason's pants kinda did me in. I prefer to stand back and watch, listen to the music and avoid any groping;)

Ten years last Friday. I can hardly believe it. We've thrown around the idea of celebrating with a fancy vacation or big gifts, but not only is that difficult on one income with back to school expenses and tons of new medical bills, its just not our style. We don't need it. The long weekend together was one of the best times I've had with him. It doesn't matter to me where we are. I am just so completely content and happy. I really love this guy.






Jason and Ian. Its really great that the both of us still have such good friends from our childhoods. I guess we have all been through so much together, that its always easy to pick of where we've left off.

The "Cranderson's" . Really enjoyed the weekend with these two. The kind of laughter that leaves your stomach aching. I believe Leslie has been going to Wheatland as long as we have. Its possibly when I met her 9 years ago.

I also discovered that these two are actually very alike. Like one would say something really funny and smarty-pants, then the other would walk up and seriously say the same stinking thing. Scary, and I adore them both:)

Great weekend. Funny how much can change in a year. Friendships disintegrate, people get married, people move, babies are born, and much more. Makes me wonder whats in store for next year.

Looking back now, I can't believe we were not going to go. Crazy talk. And if I say that next year, somebody slap me!

Teagen's 1st Day

I shouldn't be surprised.

Its happened to me before.
I send a baby to school for the first time, and they come home a kid. A chattering, busy, in-love-with-the-routine-of-school kid. It happened today, and only took 3 hours.

She is a different girl. And she LOVED every moment. Jason was going to take today off just as a day to catch up after Wheatland, but got to go for Tea's first day. At this point I sould mention that Grady really believed that he was going to class too. When he finally realized that it wasn't the case, he was very sad. So so sad.

My first day girl. A little outfit drama last night. Lets hope this isnt just a hint of whats to come, but I think its a pretty good indication.

Finding her locker. Its huge! She fits right inside there!

All the kids did great. There was one sad one, but then he started to play and was fine. Teagen never looked back. I was so happy for her! And proud too.

What a great day, neither of us shed a tear:)

1st Day of 3rd Grade

Warning, these photos are not great. Actually very poor quality. In my defense, I had a very cranky toddler either hanging on me or running as far away as he could. In that respect it was a terrible morning. Really really bad. But I am over it. And I am lovin my new third grader:) How long until those jeans turn to floods? I am guessing by the end of the school year.

The teeth that grew in over the summer vacation. And the hair that grew a lot too.

Playing before the bell rings...

And there goes my girl.

I have a lot of memories of third grade. Moving to a new school, having a difficult teacher, few friends, and worse. I really hope things are easier for my kids. Summer is just so sweet and sensitive. Its sad that other kids her age already know how to take advantage of that kind of personality. I think she has gotten a bit tougher over the summer, but only time will tell.

Good luck to the moms like me who miss their kids when they are in class. I will say that it's getting easier. What I don't like is being at the mercy of a school's schedule. Drives me crazy! My kids have to be at two different schools at the same time. This should be interesting....

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking...

Thanks for all the cupcake love on the last post. I found the idea back in June on Bakerella and knew since then I was doing that for his party. I am sure if I had done the Transformers cake he had asked for, I wouldn't be attracting so much attention! Because grey frosting is so yummy looking(yuck!).


So my baby is now 3. Teagen is starting preschool, and Summer is starting 3rd grade. We went to a school meet and greet last night. I should say that Me and the three kids went. Jason still has golf. controlling Grady is a bit of a challenge with that many people around, but it went OK. I met Summer's teacher, who already knew her( I love a tiny school!) And we really like her lots! Found her seat and her hook for her things. Saw some old friends. Should be an interesting year. I remember a lot of my third grade. Some good, some not so much. I am thinking Summer's going to enjoy it.

Teagen has her meet and greet next week. I have a lot more concern for her since she has developed some serious shyness issues. Lots of hiding from adults and clinging to me. It is so opposite of Summer and Grady that it starts to really frustrate me. She met her teacher last spring and loved her. But the shyness thing just started, so we'll wait and see. Trying to not get too worked up about it.

We had our last Wednesday beach day yesterday. Again, its like in the sixties inland, but the beach was so hot. But I have really enjoyed getting together with my friends and their kids for our regular date. Obviously, things will be different with our kids in school, but we are already making plans for other playdates, so that makes it better. Still, I am really gonna miss spending so much time at the beach. So spoiled!

I will say that my life is begging for routine. I am staying up too late, and then sleeping too late. Need to get on the back to school schedule, pronto. Putting Teagen in morning preschool was one way of forcing this on me. Afternoon would have been way easier. But gotta do what we gotta do. at least this way I can still go to both kids Halloween parties and all that jazz.

Basically, I am doing my best to not be sad that they are all growing up, and be excited for the new beginning of the fall and the school year. I am looking forward to some one on one with each of the kids and especially Grady for a few hours when T is in school. We have never had that.

So its like the saying...
The only thing that stays the same is that everything is always changing.
I'm just trying to keep up.