Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch this past weekend and it was a good adventure as always.  Our favorite local place has become Johnson Farms and they've redone parts of the place.  There is plenty for the kids to do and pumpkins are cheap (but you do have to pay to get in which brings it back to normal pricing to some degree).  It was a little chilly and muddy at first, but the rain boots were a success and it warmed up for playtime.

 

More Ring Bearer

My cousin gave me some more photos that were taken from her wedding with Ben as the ring bearer and I can't help but share.  Despite the trouble he causes, I have to admit he's cute.

Balloon Glow & Momo's 90th

This past weekend we went to St. Louis for my grandma's (Momo's) 90th birthday party and of course the kids had a blast.  On friday night was the annual balloon glow in forest park so we took the kids with my parents to enjoy the festivities.  Ben loved the bouncy obstacle course and also being around the balloons when they would blow the horn and all of them would light up.  My dad spoiled them with light up swords and glow sticks which led to a few tears and fights on the drive home sunday, but not that night at least.

Pony Ride!

Ashley watching her brother

Climbing the obstacle course like a big boy

Bouncy House!

Waiting for the balloons to inflate

Balloons!

Ben watching them all light up

Glowing Ashley

Yeah Balloons!!!!!!!

Then on Saturday was a luncheon for Momo's 90th birthday party.  I only wish I could be like her at that age.  She still lives on her own, drives and is in two bowling leagues.  Amazing.  The whole family came out for it and it was nice to see everyone.  Ben kept running over to Momo telling her happy birthday which she really got a kick out of. 

Happy Birthday Momo!

Ashley with Deebo

The fam

Ben and his cousins singing happy birthday

After the luncheon Momo and my sisters family came back to my parents house for dinner.  Ben had fun playing with his cousins and Ash.  He also was exposed to a bb gun by my dad.  Luckily he only shot twice and then didn't have much interest after that.  To top the weekend off, we were able to see a small town's fireworks display from my parents deck that night.  Pretty cool way to end the weekend with the family.

Girl Time

This past weekend Ash and I had some good old fashion girl time.  So with this time I took the opportunity to do some things we don't normally do.  First off was painting her little piggies and she actually sat down, was excited and sat still the whole time!  She thought it was hilarious when I would blow on her toes and attempted to help dry them.  In the end, she had perfectly pink toes and they dried before she tried to touch them.

I love arts and crafts, but my kids don't have a huge attention span for it yet.  However when they are apart they tend to do better without distracting each other.  I took that as a chance to get Ash more art time and we did lots of coloring along with finger painting.  She loved the finger painting time and was very deliberate in getting her fingers covered with the paint.  I have to give her credit for her patience and attentiveness with some things even if it is paint.  Overall it was a good time with me and my little girl.

Beep Beep Jeep

I came across a good deal at a consignment sale and broke down to buy a Power Wheel for the kiddos.  Ben started off to be a horrible driver, but is getting better as the days go on.  Ashley absolutely loves when Ben drives her around and always sits in it waiting for a ride.  She has attempted to drive it on her own, but doesn't quite understand to look up when she presses the pedal, luckily she is perfectly happy being a passenger or pushing the horn.  Today Ben was even using reverse to get around the obstacles of our backyard and we only once had to help him maneuver around a tree.

Also, Ben went to his first Royal's game of the year with Brian recently and he loved it!!  I think Brian enjoyed the fact that Ben had a good time more than watching the Royals as well.  Just the fact that Ben loves sports makes Brian very excited.  We'll see how it continues as the years go on and see if he continues to like sports.

Cousins Trip

All the cousins

The kiddos and I went to meet my family for a mini vacation to a small ranch near Cuba, MO.  It was a very long drive with two kiddos who do not enjoy car rides, but it was worth it.  Ben couldn't have had any more fun with his cousins and Ash was a little too young to enjoy much.  Had she been a little older it would have been a relaxing vacation.  There were moments when she was fine, but since the terrain was not very toddler friendly she often tripped and fell which was followed by the crying and not wanting to get out of my arms.  In her defense, I had just been away on a girls trip for 5 days and came home just in time to wake her up and put her in the car.  I was still able to capture some of her good times though and her talkativeness was only around the animals.  We call her our animal whisperer.

Enjoying her pony ride

The animal whisperer

Chasing around the kitty

Now Ben on the other hand would've stayed there for much longer had we been able to.  He loved running and chasing his cousins and even playing street hockey with his two older cousins who play as well.  When his cousins would run off to play he would ask where they went and then go play with them without me having to be there.  He turned into a little boy while we were there, but the second we got home he wouldn't play in the kitchen alone with his cars even though I was 10 feet away in the family room.

Ben trying to score on Sam

Pony Ride!!

Bingo!

Anyway, there were pony rides, fishing in the river, bingo (which Ben won the first game!), bonfires with smores, tennis, hockey, swingsets, swimming pool, hayride and good times with family.
 

Cart fell over on him - he thought it was hilarious

Hockey Time

Dance party with Molly and Ella

Cousins at the campfire