Goodbye...Hello!

Last Christmas the girls were so excited to get their little leopard gecko's from Santa.

Sassy really had a special little love for Laney.

As our first "real" pets other than fish, Santa told us that gecko's are very low maintenance and easy to keep alive. So even Josh and I were excited. They really were cute.

About 2 months ago, Laney's lizard dropped it's tail, and it was all downhill from there. Both gecko's were lethargic and wouldn't eat a thing for the last month. So we decided to give them up to a shelter that would nurse them back to health and then find good owners for them.

We saw and heard many many tears this last weekend.

Josh and I felt bad for the girls and for their gecko's.

What we weren't planning on was meeting some teeny tiny turtles at the shelter that need a new home! Kadie tried to talk me into a snake, but with all of the fiasco's with crickets this last year, I could only imagine mice and gold fish being worse. So we agreed on turtles.

Meet Freckles and Cuddle!

Now the girls are smiling again!

Let's hope that these little things stay healthy.

Lost Photo's

I just found these from August.

They are so funny! I can't believe I forgot about them!

What happened in Dallas...

What happened in Dallas didn't stay in Dallas.

My Josh came home a Cowboy. He finally found his perfect Cowboy hat.

After being gone almost two weeks in a row, I am so glad he is home! It was a long couple of weeks. And one very very VERY long Sunday to start it off with. We did come home from church to find little notes all over the house with messages from Dad. The girls loved it.

I'll take the real Josh over his notes any day. Glad you are home shnookums!

{Green} Halloween

The night of the trunk or treat for our church, I decided last minute to go as the wicked witch of the East, which meant I would have to be green.

Laney followed suit. She even requested a gross fake mole.

Crew was originally the tin man, but his costume was too small and showed too much diaper.

He became a last minute "Toto" with one of our older costumes from when Kadie was a wee one.

By the end of the night, being green didn't seem to excite Laney as much.

"From Dad"

Conversation between Laney and I while Laney was creating a card for her Dad.

Laney: "How do I write from Dad?"

Leisa: "You mean to Dad or for Dad?"

Laney: "No... one Dad,"

Leisa: "Is the card for Dad or to Dad?"

Laney: "I made the card for my Dad, Mom."

Leisa: "Do you want it to say To Dad or For Dad, Laney?"

Laney Starting to Cry: "It is only one Dad. (sniff) Just my Dad!"

Leisa: "Oh ONE Dad, I'm sorry now I get it. It's okay Laney, don't cry. Let's just write for my Dad."

Laney with tears: "No ONE Dad mama, ONE Dad, my Dad!"

Leisa: "Okay, let's just write My Dad. Is that okay?"

Laney: (sniff sniff) "OK mama, How do I write my Dad?"

Leisa: "M-Y and then D-A-D. My Dad."

Laney with a giant grin: "Thanks mama!"

The End.

Hole in the Fence

Having a backyard is one of the best things about the house we live in.

The kids can go play care-free, and I can get dinner made while they do it!

Even though we have a fence, and there really is no way my kids would escape I still check in on them. I have to make sure no one ate something they shouldn't or is climbing on something they shouldn't, or sometimes it is just plain quiet which is not often a good thing.

When I peaked out the window while making dinner the other day, I didn't see Crew. When I walked outside, I still didn't see Crew. So I casually asked the girls where he was.

Kadie answered, "He's over there mama..." pointing to the side of the house. But when I walked over, still acting casual but starting to get a little nervous, I just said "No. He's not". So Laney yelled "Crew boy!" and we heard a little man yell back "Mam!" which is what he calls me now.

It was coming from the other side of the house, so we ventured quickly over there. Still no where in sight, we all started yelling "Crew!" and he would yell back "Mam!"

It went on for a few times...

"Crew!"

"Mam!"

"Crew!"

"Mam, MAM, Mam!"

Then Kadie started laughing and pointing at the fence. Looking through some loose boards was a smiling little boy with a strangely acquired southern accent. "Mam!" I quickly ran over and snatched him from our neighbors yard. We were all laughing, and I am pretty sure our neighbors were spying on us through their window.

I love when people ask if we have a dog, and I can honestly say Crew is the next closest thing.

Like Father Like Son...

Just like his Daddy, Crew loves electronics.

And now you are asking... "Does Josh surf the web commando?"

I will leave that question open.

Pumpkin Patch Number Two...

Windmill Farms. It is one of those places that I take for granted, but if we ever moved I would really miss it. A little outdoor market of fresh produce from local farmers.

Every year they have a low-key pumpkin patch. But this year...they stepped it up a notch!

I am still sad we only went once. :(

Crew was in love!

We actually found pumpkins! And we got busy carving right when we got home.

And here are our pumpkins. All carved and in their happy scary Halloween glory!

Can you guess who's is who's?

Pumpkin Patch Number One...

I decided that next year, we will be treating the pumpkin patch like a park. I was so sad that we waited until just a few days before Halloween to go to the pumpkin patch this year because the kids LOVED it. Crew acted like he was at Disneyland, trying to pick every pumpkin up and running all over the patch like a mad man.

Laney put the first pumpkin she touched into our wagon.

After 15 minutes of not finding the perfect pumpkin, Kadie found a ladybug.

Crew found his M & Ms...

Laney tried to help Kadie find a pumpkin because she was taking FOREVER to decide.

Kadie always wants every moment and item in her life to be absolutely perfect.

Then we found the CORN PIT.

I wish I had one in my backyard.

The kids played and played and played!

Crew attempted the tunnel with success!

Crew also tried climbing on a fence for the first time and succeeded at that as well.

What a go-getter!

And the slide was the end to our show.

Sadly we didn't even end up with pumpkins from pumpkin patch number one.

It was on to the next!

Costume Day

I am a little behind posting these, but school costume day was my favorite this year. There was just something really fun about sending my second grade Dorothy and her little witch sister off to school with their lunches and backpacks.

Kadie loved the parade, and was looking kind of grim and worried (scanning the by-standers for any sign of mom) until she heard me yell "KADIE!". She was all smiles after that!

Kadie and her little tin man.