Trick or Treat

Brandon decided to wear his pj's for trick or treating instead of the spider costume. They were so cute, glowed in the dark and everything!
One of our neighbors puts on Tomb Town every year, and best of all, the proceeds go to the Tucson Food Bank!! I think this was Brandon's favorite part of the night.
Brandon caught on to the goal of going door to door after a few houses, but he still wouldn't say "trick or treat" and didn't seem too sure about taking candy from strangers. Mason wasn't too sure what we were doing, but he was a good sport about it!

Just about ready to be done with halloween. He was a trooper and stayed awake for the two hours we spent walking around the neighborhood.

Halloween at Grandma Diane's

Our attempt at getting a picture with mommy...Brandon has a difficult time standing still and smiling simultaneously.
Mason eyeing the sandbox at Grandma Diane's.
Brandon decided, last minute, that he wanted to be to a spider (despite the Buzz Light Year costume I already had for him), so thanks to Walmart for my last minute purchase.

Brandon let me rock him to sleep after a hard day of playing at grandma's.

Who me?

Adorable
I caught Mason on top of the table, looking through the target bags. He managed to climb up there all by himself, much to my surprise.
Aren't I too cute?

Look at us....loving our chairs.

Mason finally walks!!!

After thinking Mason would never do more than shuffle on his knees, he decided to give walking a try.

Good times!

Here's a video from a few weeks ago of Brandon making Mason giggle.

0' dark thirty

For the past three mornings, Mason has decided the four o'clock hour is the best time of day, especially if he can share this time with Mommy!!! Brandon decided to join the fun this am, so we made pancakes and watched the sun rise together.
Just for the record, I miss sleep!

Pumpkin Pickin 2011

This year found us at a new farm for our annual pumpkin pickin' adventure. We went to the Marana Farm with Grandma Diane and Great-Grandma. It was great, close to home and definitely family oriented (petting zoo, jumping pillow, straw maze, and sand-box!! We started this tradition while Kevin and I were dating (with Brian, Peggy, and Easton) in 2003 at the farms in Willcox (Apple Anne's) and most years since, but last year we were at Agua Linda farms (I delivered Mason two days later). Apple Anne's is still my favorite! Mason's first time at the pumpkin patch!!!

1st year comparison

I've said it before but I'll say it again, I grow large boys! Mason is right on track to be as big as his big brother!

Mason: 25 lbs (80th %ile)
32 inches (97th %ile)
70th %ile for head circumference

Brandon (at one year): 26 lbs
31 inches

Mason is doing well, reaching all milestones and gave the doc a good laugh as he shuffled across the floor on his knees (his version of walking)!

Five years & counting

I love flowers, too bad five years ago I told Kevin flowers were a waste of money, good thing he doesn't always listen to me!!!!
At our five year mark!
At our rehearsal dinner, five years ago.

Kevin and I married five years ago today!!! It's hard to believe how fast the years have gone, now here we are with two boys to make our future years that much better (and busier).

Happy 1st Birthday Mason

We started celebrating the day with Mason's favorite breakfast, eggs with cheese, toast, fruit, and milk!
Still not overly fond of cupcakes

"I'm one today!!!"

It's October, let the celebrating start!

Happy Birthday to Grandma Diane (aka grandma with the short hair) today
Happy Birthday to Mason and Joe on Wednesday
Happy Birthday to Kim (my cousin), Stephanie and Stacey (Kevin's cousins), and my Aunt Teddie on the 13th
Happy Anniversary to us on Friday, the 14th, to Cathy and Kurt on Saturday, the 15th, my Mom and Bill on the 18th
Happy birthday to Ethan, the 18th.
Did I miss anybody????

This is by far my favorite time of the year. It's the start of fall, the weather is cooling off, the days are getting shorter, and I suppose the leaves are changing, somewhere other than here, and we get to continue the tradition of pumpkin picking!

This also is the start of the hunting season! This is an ever evolving "compromise" in our house. If Kevin had it his way, he would scout/hunt every free minute, probably even take time off of work without pay if we didn't have bills to pay!

I start pulling out the decorations (while getting "the look" from Kevin, with a roll of the eyes), starting with Halloween, which over-laps well with Thanksgiving, thanks to all the pumpkins. No sooner than the Thanksgiving bird is carved, out come the Christmas decorations. After all the time spent getting it all put up, I want to enjoy it for as long as possible! Christmas lights are by far my favorite! Reindeer are next up (yes, I have expanded my collection from the snowman-though I still have quite the collection). And so starts the holiday season for me. My biggest goal this year: Finish my Christmas shopping before December 1st so th boys and I can spend time together and make lots of cookies to share with everybody!!!

Mason's 1st b-day party

Mason's first birthday party was at James D Kreigh Park this year, it was a beautiful day and everybody had a great time. Thanks to all for coming, the gifts, and for sharing in our special day.

Rick-Nic 2011

Rick Engineering hosted another great picnic at Udall Park. This is actually the first one I have been able to attend (they are usually on my weekend to work). The kids had fun and it was a beautiful day.

Mason update

Mason is almost 1 and finally working on getting his two top teeth, they are starting to poke through his gums! He is now waving good-bye with an open hand, can rub his belly and pat is head on command, loves peek-a-boo, points to what he wants, says "mama" and "dada", makes a variety of other noises, and has started taking his first steps over this past week. He will often stand alone for a minute and takes about 2-3 steps on his own!!! He still prefers to "walk on his knees" (which now have nice callouses), and is the fastest crawler around (his gets going so fast he actually starts going side-ways!). I'm not totally convinced he will be walking by his birthday but that's okay. I can't wait to see how much he weights at his 1 year appointment.

Momma's little helper

That's right ladies, I'm training him early for you! Finally conquering his fear of the vacuum (being on).

Comfy Cozy

Notice his arms stretched up by his head and his feet crossed. Just too comfy in our bed.

Mason recently has developed an intense need to be with me at night. He has started waking up in the early morning hours, crying, and the only thing we have found that calms him is to snuggle with me in bed (believe me, we have tried letting him cry it out). Literally, he will stop crying the instant I lay him doen next to me, he'll close his eyes and fall back asleep. I'll be honest, as much as it disrupts my sleep, I love to snuggle with him at night.
Come to think of it, ever since we converted Brandon's crib to a toddler bed, he often comes in our room in the early morning hours to snuggle. It' cute, he whispers "Mommy, Daddy?" as he comes down the hall, arms full (one blanket, one wuby, a sippy cup, and his pillow). Usually we are now awake, and see a little head lean in at the doorway, "Mommy, Daddy?", then he'll hurry over to my side of the bed and climb in for the rest of the night.

To the zoo!

One of the prettier peacocks roaming the zoo.



Brandon and Trevor (Chrissy and Paul's son) cooling off in the play area at the zoo. Next time I'll have to remember to bring some clothes to get wet in!!!
Brandon and Trevor, new friends. Brandon is almost as big as Trevor (who is almost 5!).
I met my friend Cathy (and her sister's family) at the zoo today for some much needed down time roaming the zoo and having a picnic at the park. Brandon was so excited to see the flamingo's, he talked about it all the way there! We had a great time, Brandon followed Cathy around as if she was a goddess (as always)! His was fascinated by watching the otters, flamingos, and the giraffe. Mason was a trooper, sat in the stroller and just took it all in. His favorite, my guess, would be the monkeys.