My Little Bakers: Halloween Cookies

I've been falling a little behind on the blog... I have a few things back logged that I want to get on here.
So, I'll start with this one...
I thought it would be a fun idea to make Halloween cookies with the kids, so I got all of the ingredients, cookie cutters shaped like pumpkins, bats and ghosts - and of course the fun Halloween sprinkles. They love making cookies anyway, so I thought this would just add a fun twist to it.

(Despite my efforts to keep it as 'clean' of an activity as possible, we made a HUGE mess.) Any time loose flour is involved, it's just a disaster. (which was needed to get the dough the right consistency and non-sticky for the cutters)

Andrew is not too fond of messy activities, which is one of the reasons we did this while he wasn't home, but when I decided to give him fair warning before he came home, he was totally fine with it. Surprised me! I thought he may have been responding to an earlier text of mine or something?

And THEN, it was decorating time!

I gave them each a lid from the sprinkles shakers full of sprinkles, and they began one sprinkle at a time, but they both wound up just dumping a mound of sprinkles onto their cookies. So thankfully they only had a controlled amount!

Here's their finished product - (After we attempted to spread the sprinkles out a little bit)

Once they were bored with it, I was left to finish decorating about 20 more cookies.... (While they were sleeping)

Tuckered out little Baker.

All in all, it was a success - and we ate lots of cookies over the course of the weekend!

'Shades of Autumn': Pumpkins, Pony Rides & Playing on the Farm

We went to the Pumpkin Patch last weekend. We wound up going to the same one we went to last year. It has a lot for the kids to do, and they had fun so we figured we would stick with that one. It is on a farm in northern IL and the pumpkin patch & all of it's activities is called 'Shades of Autumn.' They had a blast - but it could not have been any more windy, which made it feel much colder than it actually was. My aunt was in town, so she came with us, my sister (aunt ChaCha) came, and my mom (Mimi.) It was a full group! My dad was on a golf trip for the weekend.. so he wasn't able to join us.
They have these huge bins full of corn kernels that you can jump around in. Seriously, it's probably at least 18 inches deep with kernels. (Last year, I was finding corn kernels in the washer and dryer (and in shoes and pockets) for days. This year really didn't end up being all that different. They continue to turn up in the most random places.

They had a blast on this little ride -

I love Drew's face in this picture - he was laughing SO hard!

We went on a hay ride, which takes you out to the pumpkin fields, with thousands of pumpkins that you pick off the vine.

Drew was loving the tractor and it's big tires. (He has a thing for tires. He takes all of the tiny little tires off of his toy cars and puts them back on. Or not.... I usually find little tires around the house.)

Emma found her pumpkin! She was absolutely certain that this was her pumpkin - from the second she saw it. I'm not sure what it was, but she was very attached to this thing.

The boys picking out a pumpkin.

They visited the animals in the petting zoo, went on pony rides, sat on some big tractors, and ended the day sharing a warm funnel cake.

I also bought some of the jelly and honey made on the farm - which is really yummy.

A glimpse of this time last year:

Clearly the temperature was slightly different from our trip this year!!

(They were so hot their little faces were bright red!)

And... Some of the pictures from jumping in the corn kernel bin last year:

We haven't carved the pumpkins yet.... So that's coming soon!!

Anna Maria Island, FL

We just got back from a little Fall escape, long weekend away for my cousins wedding on Anna Maria Island (FL). It was a cute little Island, with a tropical feel, bright colors and palm trees, white soft sand and crystal clear ocean water. It was the perfect little getaway.

Andrew's parents came to town and stayed with the kids at home while we were gone.

We rented a house walkable to the beach, and it also had it's own little private pool. We were able to get a few really nice beach days in, soak up some sun, relax and read... and I was even able to sleep in!!! (in a king size bed, without extra little bodies sneaking in during the night!!!) That makes more of a difference than I could have ever imagined!

This was the pool at the house...

Strawberry daiquiri

Our beach spot

This was the beach that was just a few steps from where we stayed.

Morning walk along the beach

We probably took more pictures of the two of us in the couple days we were away than we have since the kids were born! My camera focus is usually all about the kids! So there's our couple pictures for the year!

We also rode beach cruiser bikes around the island, got pedicures, we went out to dinner each night and of course watched one of my favorite cousins get married on the beach to the man of her dreams!

They did an amazing job, the wedding was beautiful and I was glad we were able to be there to celebrate her special day. Congratulations Alicia and Michael! May your future be blessed with lots of love and happiness! xoxo

We had Wednesday & Thursday totally open to relax and play. Friday night everyone that was in town for the wedding got together at Martiniville; a cute island bar. Saturday evening after the rehearsal we took a party limo bus to Sarasota and had dinner at a golf country club. And of course the wedding on Sunday.

'The Ceremony'

'The Reception'

Mr. & Mrs. Mayer!!

If I had my kids with me I totally would have been able to stay a few more days. But, I missed them like crazy, so I was ready to go home and see them! I actually had to keep myself distracted a few times because I would get sad thinking about them. Usually at night when I was getting ready for bed. They depend on us; but as another mom said recently, we depend on them just as much sometimes. Andrew and I went to London when they were about 6 months old and they stayed with my parents... but aside from that, this was the only other time we have been apart. (Andrew takes business trips sometimes and I went to NJ to visit my grandma once, but the other one was always home with them on those occasions.)

Believe it or not, in the 4-5 days we were away, they actually changed to me! Especially Emma, I just kept staring at her when we got home, she looked like she grew up while I was away!!
I catch myself watching them sleep a lot lately, because they are growing up more and more every single day.... and even though I'm so proud of the little people they are becoming, it makes me sad that I'm losing my babies.

For my non-facebookers.... This conversation had me dying the other night -
me: "Andrew!!" - - no answer. "Andrew??" no answer again. So, I figured he can't hear me or fell asleep. Not a big deal, it can wait.
Drew: "Anjew!! Rouren is talking to YOU!!"

Emma was apparently bothering Drew yesterday and he turned around to Andrew's dad and said "She's driving me CRAZY!!!" with the hand motions to go with it.

The other day we were on our way home from somewhere and we had my parents with us and as we pulled onto their street the kids said "Mimi pops house!" and Drew said 'No.... not Pops house, it's Mimi's house!" So, out of curiosity, I asked Drew where Pop lived, and he said 'On the airplane.'
That's when you know you travel frequently! When you're 2 yr old grandson thinks you live on an airplane.

They are at a point now where they will repeat anything and everything that you say; good or bad. They also come out with some good ones that no one knows where the heck they picked up! And of course Emma is still our entertainer. She can hear a song once or twice and completely sing it back to you, word for word... with her own little twist on it occasionally and absolutely loves to dance. I would love to get her into a dance class and am looking at toddler music classes as well. She really listens to the beat and dances accordingly. She also breaks out into song at times when we don't even have music on, and she has the rhythm and words down exactly (her favorites tend to be Lady Gaga and Lady Antebellum)
I think it's pretty funny when she tells random strangers that her favorite singer is lady gaga, or that her barbie's name is lady gaga. We're not too sure where her obsession with Lady Gaga came from, but it's hilarious.
The only issue with dance class is that most of them I have found do require them to be completely potty trained to enroll, and she is our late potty trainer. We have the reverse of the norm in our house, Drew is much more interested and motivated with the potty training, and Emma wants nothing to do with it.

I have more vacation and wedding pictures that I haven't been able to go through yet. If I get motivated to do so, I will post some more.

"Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn't music." 

      ~William Stafford



Autumn's Approach

Yesterday Andrew, my parents and I took Emma and Drew to a Fall festival type thing.... They had horse wagon rides, a big bon fire, s'mores, music, food, a bar ....  The kids had fun running around.

Drew was running up to the top of this grass hill and rolling down,

Horse wagon

Emma and Drew visiting the horsies.

Emma decided that her dinner was going to be cheetos. I think that's the first time either of them had cheetos. I guess there's a first for everything! I actually made sure to feed them something substantial and somewhat healthy before we went, so I didn't worry too much about her cheeto dinner. ;)

Getting the bonfire started!

And cuddling, enjoying the warmth of the fire. It sure got cold pretty quickly around here! We are definitely into Fall. The leaves on the trees are turning beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red. Already! It's so pretty though.... I just don't know if I'm ready for winters arrival. And fall means winter is inevitably approaching.

Emma and Pop hanging out, having fun around the bonfire.

After that we went over to my parents house and had Birthday cake and cupcakes

The kids helping me blow out candles. Actually, I was just pretending - I let them do it all. They absolutely love birthdays, birthday cakes and of course, blowing out the candles.

Sunday (today); Emma and I went to get our nails done. I had to get my nails done and she was really not happy (to say the least) about me leaving. So I decided to take her with me. She got her nails and toes painted also.

Pink to match her pink Bears jersey! We all sport our Bears gear on Sundays.

A little Pedi for the Princess!

Drying her itsy bitsy fingers and piggies.

peek-a-boo! We were on opposite sides of the drying table.

In just a few days, Andrew and I are headed to Anna Maria Island, FL for my cousins wedding! I'm slightly overwhelmed at the moment because I haven't thought about packing yet and I have SO much to do over the next few days (including going in to work) But, it will all be worth it when we arrive. And, I forget how easy it is to just pack for myself. I haven't just packed for myself in years! We rented a beach bungalow with my parents. I'm really looking forward to a little time away. And, a beach doesn't sound so bad either! Doesn't this look inviting?!

"Life is too good for words.
so don’t try to describe it -
just live it."