Pumpkins

 Holidays are so much more fun when you have kids.  

Especially when your kids are my kids' ages.

My kids have been so excited about pumpkins and Halloween this year.

The little green pumpkins the kids are holding in their laps,

Gilbert grew in his garden just for the kids.

I guess they didn't orange up in time for Halloween.

 Picking out the pumpkins was something the kids have been looking forward to.

Every time we pass the pumpkins at the store,

the kids wanted to take one home.

Once we actually cut into the pumpkins,

the kids weren't so keen on touching the slime!

 So Gilbert let the kids draw the faces they desired,

and Gilbert did the actual digging and cutting out.

The kids just watched and made funny commentary.

So now the kids are excited for the actual trick-or-treating event.

I am sure they will be on sugar over load for weeks!

A Cowboy Birthday Party

 Luke has been so excited to have a birthday party, we have been planning this party for months.  Luke decided he wanted a cowboy birthday party.  I'm not sure why, but that's what he wanted.  Luke's list of people he wanted to invite was lengthy.  Luke has always thought everyone was his friend.  We knew we wanted to make it a big event, so here's how it turned out.

 We couldn't have asked for better weather on a Saturday afternoon for October.  We planned the party for an outside event.  We started looking up pictures online and I let Luke pick out the things he liked best.  That's how we determined the events we would do for his party.

 We started by having the kids pan for gold, in true cowboy fashion.  I think the kids enjoyed this station the most.  We simply spray painted tiny rocks with metallic gold paint.  I sewed little bags for each kid to keep all their gold in.

 After the kids found their gold, they were able to come to the trading post and buy their cowboy attire.  Which included their cowboy hats, bandana, and sheriff badge.  I think the kids really liked to get all dressed up too. 

 We played pin the badge on the sheriff.

 Here's our shootin' gallery with mini marshmallow guns.  The kids lacked the lung power to really shoot the marshmallows far.  I hope they enjoyed trying.

 Next we lassoed our bulls with hulla hoops.

After a while we had to take a break for snacks and sarsaparilla. 

 

 Then came time to open presents.  Which ended up being total chaos.  Luke was ripping into presents and the kids were so excited to hand Luke the gifts they brought.  I don't know who was more excited.  The kids were excited to give the gifts, and Luke was excited to open them.  It was just a circle of excitement. 

 Then we made one last trip to the trading post to buy our horses.  We went out to the park to have a horse race.  I think the kids really had fun running around on their horses. 

 It was a wild 2 hours for a party, but to hear Luke keep saying "this is the best birthday party ever" makes it totally worth it!

Some Thoughts...

The other morning I woke up with a very heavy feeling.  It was a two fold heavy feeling.  First it was heavy out of sheer exhaustion.  I had spent the previous night up with Clara.  She decided to spend the wee morning hours awake and wanting things like a juice box and cheese.  She was confused thinking it was play time and not sleep time.  Her new found independence with her toddler bed has allowed her new found freedom in the middle of the night.  So by the time 6am rolled around, my heavy eyelids were still very tired.  The other heavy feeling I was "feeling" was the feeling of two heavy legs on my back.  Luke has still mastered the art of sneaking into our bed in the middle of the night.  He cannot sleep parallel.  He has to sleep perpendicular.  Therefor, I had two heavy legs literally on me.  I must have been too tired before to notice.  At first I was a little annoyed with my kids.  I laid there for a split second wishing I could have a full nights rest with peace. 

The next night, I was laying down with Luke to put him to bed.  I have never had it in me just to shut the door and tell my kids to go to bed.  I lay by them while they fall asleep.  I guess one could argue its a bait and switch to just leave once they fall asleep, but I like to think I'm helping them feel better.  Luke has two pillows on his bed.  I had us all situated, Luke on his pillow, and I was laying on the pillow next to him.  Luke slowly and slyly crept over to the pillow I was laying on.  Then he cuddled right up next to me.  He sleeps on a queen bed, so there is plenty of room for him to stretch out, but he chose to cuddle up next to me.  In that moment I was no longer annoyed with the heavy legs I woke up with on me.  Then the cherry on top moment came.  Luke quietly kissed me on the cheek and said "I love you mommy, good night."  Talk about melt a mommy's heart.  Then I started to think about all the nights I have forgone watching tv, or reading a book and spent the time reading to my kids and laid next to them as they drifted off to sleep.  It's added up to a lot of time spent.  Every second has been worth it.  They say that your entire personality depends on how your parents treat you in your first five years of life.  I've only got one more year to make it right with Luke!  The day will come when Luke no longer wants me to lay by him, or doesn't want me around.  I am sure I will miss the moment when he decided to cuddle next to me.  I am sure  I will be mad at myself that I was sad I didn't have time for myself.  One day I will have time for myself again, and I will miss the craziness of little kids.